How To Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: For High School Students In Grades 9 Through 12 [Paperback]

Charles E. Nichols (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1438264682 | ISBN-13: 978-1438264684 | Publication Date: August 20, 2008 | Edition: 1

This book is written for high school students and beginners. It avoids using complicated grammar. The examples are kept simple. In many cases the hieroglyphs are "unrolled" - each hieroglyphic word is presented to the student one hieroglyph at a time, just as we write an English word one letter at a time. Each hieroglyph is treated as if it were a letter. This makes it much easier for the beginning student. Volume 1 consists of a series of simple lessons which when completed will enable the student to read many simple hieroglyphic sentences and significant parts of more complex sentences. The grammar presented is "Middle Egyptian" which is the most common version taught. It is not necessary to have previously studied any other foreign language. In many ways, learning ancient Egyptian will be easier for the student who has never studied a foreign language before.

Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace; 1 edition (August 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1438264682
• ISBN-13: 978-1438264684
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High School Hieroglyphs, April 20, 2010

By 

Isis (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: How To Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: For High School Students In Grades 9 Through 12 (Paperback)

A superb book, marked Volume One, suggesting that more are to follow ( I hope). Prof. Nichols has succeeded admirably in his intention to present a simplified starting point for the study of Egyptian hieroglyphs. Although intended for high school students, it is a witty, relevant, and effective introduction for adults as well. He comments briefly on other grammars and dictionaries for hieroglyphs, which is helpful for building one's own library. He additionally has added materials on YouTube, etc. I found his examples to be clear, both in explanations and in the fonts for the hieroglyphs. The book includes a listing of hieroglyphs used, following Gardiner's notation. I did not find information on how to write hieroglyphs, which would be useful if one did not have access to "Ancient Egyptian Calligraphy" by H. G. Fischer. I assume that hieroglyph calligraphy would be taught in the classroom, for those taking a formal class. The book is also available in Kindle format. Perhaps as his work continues Prof. Nichols would consider adding a set of vocabulary flash cards, or perhaps illustrations of rooms, houses, people, etc, with items labeled in both English and hieroglyphs ( rather like the Duden Pictorial Dictionaries). This is the best introduction to Egyptian hieroglyphs that I have found, and reflects current knowledge of the subject, unlike Budge's books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!, March 27, 2011

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Quorra "Isis Goddess of magic" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: How To Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: For High School Students In Grades 9 Through 12 (Paperback)

This book is a great book for ages 10 and up not just high school age. It gives you lessons how to write it and tells you about grammar in the 1st half and the 2nd half is like a dictionary. If you want to learn how to read and write hieroglyphics...... THIS IS YOUR BOOK!!!!!

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An Unsuccessful Experiment, February 10, 2011

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Georg Barth Magnus (Sollentuna, Sweden) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: How To Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: For High School Students In Grades 9 Through 12 (Paperback)

The book is an experiment - learning Egyptian hieroglyphs without transcription. A good thing is that now we know that this is not a useful shortcut to learn to read Egyptian. The transcription is a real help, showing us there is a language behind the signs. One simple example: The word sn `brother' is written with a sign sn that may be followed by n as a phonetic complement. That is easy to understand. But if you don't use a transcription, the word `brother' is written with an arrow that may be followed by a ripple of water. The connection between the arrow and the ripple of water cannot be understood; it has to be learnt by hart.

Furthermore, the book has too many lists, of words, of spellings, of rules etc. but very few examples. The hieroglyphs themselves are distinct and beautiful but the arrangement would have made an ancient Egyptian scribe cry. The signs are often "unrolled" in a straight line, which is quite unnecessary. Egyptian has many difficulties, but learning to read groups of hieroglyphs in the right order is not one of them.

The proofreading is imperfect too. Sometimes there is interchange of somewhat similar signs, which is difficult for the young beginner to penetrate. There is no pagination - very inconvenient in the classroom. The impression is amateurish.

I cannot recommend the book. (Try instead e.g. Mark Collier and Bill Manley, How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teach Yourself. The British Museum Press. It means some hard work, but it pays.)

Georg Barth Magnus