W. V. Davies

A scholarly, but accessible introduction to what hieroglyphics are, their history, and how they work as a writing system. A couple of the descriptions didn't tie in quite well enough with the example images presented on separate pages, but on the whole I found it very well-done. It doesn't teach you to actually read and write in hieroglyphics, but that's not the point of the book (thankfully - it'd be a lot less interesting and much harder work). It certainly explains enough for you to show more understand how hieroglyphics are written and read in general, and some of their fascinating idiosyncracies. show less

Reading the past. This book explains the underlying principles of the script and describes its origin, development and uses, with due attention paid to its cursive derivatives called 'hieratic' and 'demotic.'

Beknopte maar degelijk introductie in taal en schriftsysteem van het oude Egypte. Onvoldoende om hiërogliefen echt te kunnen lezen, maar wel voldoende om inzicht te krijgen in het complexe systeem. Met goed gekozen en heldere voorbeelden.