For centuries not a person alive could decipher the famed ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Then a few experts began to understand how a single figure could be a picture, a symbol, and a sound all at once. You can join the ranks of those who can read hieroglyphs, and even create sentences of your own, with this ingeniously simple guide. It's the most complete introduction available, yet it's amazingly easy to understand. With best-selling author Christian Jacq as your guide, uncover the mystery that baffled the greatest minds of the ages--how the Egyptians first invented hieroglyphics, why it became a forgotten language, and how linguists and other detectives stumbled onto a remarkable code-breaking carving. Best of all you'll learn to read secret messages and inscriptions taken from royal tombs that reveal the profound ideas of these highly evolved cultures. If you can follow a book or tape on a foreign language, you can master the principles of reading hieroglyphics--and reward yourself with valuable insights into a totally different way to communicate with other human beings. 224 pages, 39 b/w illus., 6 x 9. NEW IN PAPERBACK

Discover the secrets of hieroglyphs, the language of the ancient Egyptians, with this innovative kit from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Learn the sounds and letters of the hieroglyphic alphabet, find out which symbols were thought to have magical powers, and read how this mysterious language was decoded after hundreds of years. Then, with the alphabet chart as your guide, use the 24 hieroglyphic stamps and ink pad to write messages, create designs, and make cards.

In 1802, Jean-Francois Champollion was eleven years old. That year, he vowed to be the first person to read Egypt’s ancient hieroglyphs. Champollion’s dream was to sail up the Nile in Egypt and uncover the secrets of the past, and he dedicated the next twenty years to the challenge. James Rumford introduces the remarkable man who deciphered the ancient Egyptian script and fulfilled a lifelong dream in the process. Stunning watercolors bring Champollion’s adventure to life in a story that challenges the mind and touches the heart.

Gain insights into a vanished world with this unique look at powerful Egyptian hieroglyphs. Barry Kemp presents one hundred of the Egyptian hieroglyphs, their pronunciations, their history, and meanings, revealing aspects of day-to-day life in ancient Egypt. Kemp explains the myriad meanings behind symbols for physical objects such as “Sun” and “Serpent,” and concepts such as “Truth” and “to love,” building a picture of the historical and mythological references that were the cornerstones of Egyptian thought.

A fascinating, easy-to-read yet highly informative introduction to hieroglyphs suitable for all novice Egyptologists. Angela McDonald makes learning the language of the pharaohs fun.--Joyce Tyldesley, author of Egypt

This text reveals the truth behind the mystery of the hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt and the civilization that created them. The author traces the origins and development of hieroglyphic writing and explores the varied theories that scholars have expounded in their attempts to explain the script.

Guides readers to understand and transcribe hieroglyphics by presenting and explaining phonetic elements.