Writing in Ancient Egypt

Was there a written language in Ancient Egypt? 

If so, who wrote?

What was written?

How is writing similar/different today?

In Egypt there was a writing system called hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics is a system of symbols that represent words. Only some boys learned to read and write. The ones who learned how to read and write were very wealthy and were in the upper class. Only boys learned how to write because they had more rights than women. They grew up to be scribes or priests. Scirbes kept track of everything from trade to holidays.

     Scribes also kept track of things that happened in wars, speeches and other important events. Priests kept track of religious hoilidays and everything else that had to be written for the churches. You may think that writing today is completely different than it was in ancient Egypt, but it is not that different. Writing was done by only a few rich men in ancient Egypt, today it is done by almost everyone: rich, poor,boy or girl. In ancient Egypt, writing wasn't used as often as it is today. Writing is used all the time now. In ancient Egypt, few people knew how to write, so it wasn't as common.

     Writing is now used for homework, school projects, books speeches, religios holidays, the newspapers, the internet, and other important things. In ancient Egypt, writing was used for important events,speeches,religious holidays and other important things. These are some ways that ancieny Egyptian writing is siniliar and different to today's writing.

                                       The Rosetta Stone

                                                                          the hieroglyphic code cracker:

        -written in hieroglyphics, advanced Egyptian & Greek 

                        -understanding the Greek lead to the translation of the hieroglyphics                         

Ankh-the Egyptian symbol for life

Ba-the physical vitality present in a living thing

Cartouche-an oval frame used to surround the hieroglyphic name of any important person in ancient Egypt

Deities-gods and goddesses

Embalming- the process of making a mummy

Faience- ground up guartz (a mineral) often shaped in a mould and painted with blue glaze. Used to make amulets and jewellery

Ibu- the place of purification, often a tent on the west side of the Nile where bodies were taken to be washed before embalming.

Ka- a persons spirit or soul

Meroe- a trading city and a center for making iron

Obelisk-a tall slender, four-sided stone pillar shaped from a single stone

Sarcophagus- a stone coffin

Scarab- a beetle that was sacred to the ancient Egyptians

Sphinx- an Egyptian statue having the body of a lion and the head of a man

Tombs- usually underground, the tombs were tunnelled out of the cliffs and may have been a single corridor or a number of rooms

Ushabti (Shabti)- these small stone, wooden or faience figures were servants for the next life

 HIEROGLYPHICS

Resources      

• Journey Across Time ch.  l.
• www.dragonstrike.com/egypt/write.htm
• www.touregypt.net/dictionary.htm

Writing Team (list member first names & last initial)

• Tim E. - Editor
• Nick T. - Librarian
• Ryan L. - Vocabulary
• Brendan L. - Illustrator
• Richie L. - Researcher