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Ann Macy Roth

Hieroglyphs without Mystery: An Introduction to Ancient Egyptian Writing Paperback – November 1, 1992

by Karl-Theodor Zauzich (Author), Ann Macy Roth (Translator)

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Marveling over the tomb treasures of Ramses II and Tutankhamen that have toured U.S. and European museums in recent years, visitors inevitably wonder what the mysterious hieroglyphs that cover their surfaces mean. Indeed, everyone who is fascinated by ancient Egypt sooner or later wishes for a Rosetta stone to unlock the secrets of hieroglyphic writing.

Hieroglyphs without Mystery provides the needed key. Written for ordinary people with no special language skills, the book quickly demonstrates that hieroglyphic writing can be read, once a few simple principles are understood. Zauzich explains the basic rules of the writing system and the grammar and then applies them to thirteen actual inscriptions taken from objects in European and Egyptian museums. By following his explanations and learning the most commonly used glyphs, readers can begin to decode hieroglyphs themselves and increase their enjoyment of both museum objects and ancient Egyptian sites.

Even for the armchair traveler, learning about hieroglyphs opens a sealed door into ancient Egyptian culture. In examining these inscriptions, readers will gain a better understanding of Egyptian art, politics, and religion, as well as language.

This book was originally published in Germany in 1980 as Hieroglyphen ohne Geheimnis.

Print length

136 pages
Language

English
Publisher

University of Texas Press
Publication date

November 1, 1992
Dimensions

6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0292798040
ISBN-13

978-0292798045
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Bill Manley
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Mark Collier
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Bill Manley
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78 offers from $6.90
Mark Collier
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61 offers from $11.35

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karl-Theodor Zanzich is a professor at the Institute for Egyptology of the University of Wurzburg. Translator Ann Macy Roth holds a Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Texas Press; 1st edition (November 1, 1992)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 136 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0292798040
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0292798045
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,721,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,730 in Foreign Language Instruction (Books)

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5 star		67%
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doc peterson

not much substance here

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 12, 2011

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The subtitle of the book is "an introduction to ancient Egyptian writing" - which is precisely what you get here. But even as an introductory text, there is something to be desired. The first half of the book is very good in its explanation of the writing system: the phonetic system's unilaterals, bilaterals and trilateral signs are clearly presented, likewise its explanation of the ideograms (or what is lovelingly referred to as a "wysiwyg" [pronounced "whizzy-wig"]: "what-you-see-is-what-you-get." The photographs - many of which are in color - were also very helpful. What little of Egyptian grammar Zauzich covered was also excellent, although it really only scratched the surface of the structure of the language.

What I was not impressed with was the way in which the vocabulary was built, the lack of practice in transliterating and translating, and the lack of depth provided around grammar. But of course, the book claims to only be an introduction, so perhaps I am being anemmic in my praise and harsh in my criticism. For those traveling to Egypt (or to the British Museum), wishing to read some of the stelae and tombs, this will be of only marginal use. A much better text to learn (and practice) ancient middle Egyptian is Collier and Manley's How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-Step Guide to Teach Yourself, Revised Edition

6 people found this helpful

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Tas

Great Book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 6, 2010

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Hieroglyphs without Mystery describes a subset of the the Ancient Egyptian symbols through the use of printed text symbols and images of actual stone tablets discovered in Egypt. Cultural notes are given - where necessary- so that the reader is not bogged down with the language and retains interest in the subject. Instead of pouring out lists of symbols and proposed phonetics, the book slowly dishes a few symbols at a time, so that the reader gains a gradual understanding and can begin to read longer texts.

The font itself is surprisingly large and easy to read in this small book and the photographs therein are both colour and black-and-white.

6 people found this helpful

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Just some guy

Great "low impact" introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 14, 2015

Verified Purchase

Not that I'm an expert, but this is the clearest beginner's guide to Egyptian hieroglyphs I've seen. Worked through sytematically, you'll get a good basis to impress your travelmates to Egypt, or for that matter to any museum with Egyptian antiquities. AFTER this, you can try tackling the dry-as-a-mummy's-toes frustration generator that is the collected works of E.A.W. Budge, if you like.

3 people found this helpful

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Kelly Lynam

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 9, 2018

School required

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 15, 2021

Verified Purchase

Stopped working after 3 uses.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 29, 2013

Verified Purchase

The book is like new. Very interesting. Lots to learn and study. The book dealer did a good job with the description of the condition.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 26, 2011

Verified Purchase

As a fan of Egyptology, this little paperback was perfect for a portable read. Love the cover too. I like to sample books before buying hardback editions. Shelf candy. lol

One person found this helpful

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Don

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

It is really easy to understand, and quite interesting! I enjoy it a lot.

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