Egyptian Hieroglyphic Grammar: With Vocabularies, Exercises, Chrestomathy (A First-Reader, Sign-List&Glossary) [Paperback]

Samuel A. B. Mercer (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Ares Pub (June 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890052034
• ISBN-13: 978-0890052037
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,139,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Outdated Translation Styles, July 5, 2001

By A Customer

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This review is from: Egyptian Hieroglyphic Grammar: With Vocabularies, Exercises, Chrestomathy (A First-Reader, Sign-List&Glossary) (Paperback)

As an Egyptologist I add to my library regularly and I am always looking for a good hieroglyph workbook to improve my translation skills. This one is based upon extracts from Wallis Budge's work and was actually assembled in 1927. Since that time the approach in transliterating and translating hieroglyphs has evolved considerably and I would not recommend this publication for anyone especially a beginner since they will be sent off on the wrong track from the very beginning. Budge's work was seminal to be sure but is now very dated. An alternate excellent publication would be "How to read Egyptian Hieroglyphics" by Mark Colier augmented with other publications to enlarge the sign resources. Collier's book will set you to translating immediately in the style now taught.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars every hieroglyph plus+, March 15, 2000

By 

elaine newville - See all my reviews

This review is from: Egyptian Hieroglyphic Grammar: With Vocabularies, Exercises, Chrestomathy (A First-Reader, Sign-List&Glossary) (Paperback)

There is no other source I know of that has so many glyphs PLUS THEIR MEANING. I have used this and the other volume that goes with it for myriads of translation problems.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good rererence, but lacking., September 6, 2001

By 

Brian D. Baird "abaddonVSM" (Manama, Bahrain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Egyptian Hieroglyphic Grammar: With Vocabularies, Exercises, Chrestomathy (A First-Reader, Sign-List&Glossary) (Paperback)

I gathered from the book's description that this might finally be the one to offer easy lessons for learning hieroglyphics quickly-- such a thing is impossible, but I don't stop looking. It is a good book for easy reference for the major signs and their meanings, though it is far from complete. The lessons, in my opinion, are not good, and other sources must often be used to translate the exercises at the end of each lesson. The basic pronunciation key in front is not only inacurate so far as naming the objects depicted in the hieroglyphs, but Mercer seems to expect the reader to learn Hebrew and Arabic in order to properly pronounce them. (I also disagree with his writing of hieroglyphs in shorthand, but that's beside the point.) On the up side, there are some nice brain-busting exercises at the end of the book where the reader must decipher actual Egyptian texts, though I don't see how one could using only this book's instruction. It's value is not lost, though, as it does make a handy and convenient guide (184 pgs) for the more experienced student.