Fascinating Hieroglyphics: Discovering, Decoding & Understanding the Ancient Art (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (December 31, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806986999
• ISBN-13: 978-0806986999
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,637,430 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible and intrigueing, August 17, 2000

By	Amarna (Adelaide, SA Australia) - See all my reviews

Despite other reviews of this book, I have read it and believe that Jacq achieves all of his basic aims. Does he not state on the first page that you will NOT be able to read hieroglyphs with ease by reading the book? Rather, you would gain a basic understanding of the language, complexity and history involved. Jacq uses accessible language and the odd touch of humour to make his book both entertaining and informative. The naive expectations that others have entered a book such as this with have resulted in it not being properly represented. Therefore, I am setting the record straight by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it most beneficial!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Diffculty Decoding, February 6, 2000

By	Gerald J. Gambale (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

I recently completed the above named book and am still in the dark on decoding the Hieroglyphics. However,I did come away with how complex the ancient Egyptians were. I will once again tackle the book and probably walk away with the basic fundamentals of Hieroglyphics. I recently visited the Metropolitan Museum in New York City and they had an exhibit on Ancient Egypt, and to my surprise, I was able to decipher a small portion of the hieroglyphics.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Neat little book, January 18, 2002

By	invictus (Lawrenceville, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fascinating Hieroglyphics: Discovering, Decoding & Understanding the Ancient Art (Hardcover)

Sure this isn't an in-depth textbook on hieroglyphics, but it is a neat little book that's is probably one of the finest introductions for someone who doesn't want to study for years, but just wants a good general overview of how the Egyptian language works. I recommend it.