DESTINATION CITIES IN EGYPT EXCURSIONS PROGRAMS PICTURE GALLERY

HOW TO WRITE YOUR NAME IN HIEROGLYPHIC ALPHABET

If you like seeing your name in different languages, or coding a message for a friend, or are just simply interested in the Egyptian language, then you are going to love translating English to Egyptian Hieroglyphics! Whether you want to seem intelligent, or you just like to play around for fun, you'll love typing into the Egyptian hieroglyphics translator. The translator is simple and easy to use. Type your name or phrase into the text box, then click translate and you will se how to write your name in hieroglyphic alphabet

Hieroglyphs were called, by the Egyptians, "the words of God" and were used mainly by the priests. These painstakingly drawn symbols were great for decorating the walls of temples but for conducting day to day business there was another script, known as hieratic This was a handwriting in which the picture signs were abbreviated to the point of abstraction

Hieroglyphs are written in rows or columns and can be read from left to right or from right to left. You can distinguish the direction in which the text is to be read because the human or animal figures always face towards the beginning of the line. Also the upper symbols are read before the lower.

Hieroglyphic signs are divided into four categories:

1. Alphabetic signs represent a single sound. Unfortunately the Egyptians took most vowels for granted and did not represent such as 'e' or 'v'. So we may never know how the words were formed.

2. Syllabic signs represent a combination of two or three consonants.

3. Word-signs are pictures of objects used as the words for those objects. they are followed by an upright stroke, to indicate that the word is complete in one sign.

4. A determinative is a picture of an object which helps the reader. For example; if a word expressed an abstract idea, a picture of a roll of papyrus tied up and sealed was included to show that the meaning of the word could be expressed in writing although not pictorially.

Hieroglyphic Alphabet Symboles

The Ancient Egyptians attributed great power to names. Names were considered a protection as well as representation of the bearer. In creating a new name, the Ancients Egyptians would often base it off the name of an existing god. In this way, the god would be enticed to look after their name sake.

For the purpose of composing your Ancient Name, you can use the "Hieroglyphic Alphabet" below. Note, this is a bit of a "misnomer", as the Ancient Egyptians did not represent vowels in their written language. You can choose to omit them, or you can use the approximations we've provided below. Wherever an approximation is made, the letter has been coloured in red.