Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs
Code
711051142
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
História
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Maria Helena Trindade Lopes, Ronaldo Gurgel
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
Since it is an introductory course, the main objective of this curricular unit is to prepare the student to attend an eventual
advanced course of Egyptian grammar. Thus, at the end of the present course, it is expected that the student has become
able to comprehend the basic structure of Egyptian language; to contextualize the use of hieroglyphs in the Egyptian
historic and socio-cultural setting; to acquire an essential vocabulary of the Egyptian language, and to read simple texts
such as that small funerary inscriptions on artefacts exhibited in museums.
Thus, this course is not qualified to create specialists in ancient Egyptian linguistics. However, it is the first step towards
the process of initiation of students into the Egyptian grammar.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
I: Introduction to the Egyptian language: The students learn about the linguistic and historical contextualization of the
ancient Egyptian language: on its formation and evolution. All international conventions concerning transliteration and
transcription are also presented.
II: Morphology: All non-verbal elements of an Egyptian sentence are presented through a series of specialized chapters. The
students learn on word-order, dialectal variations, temporal variations, analytic constructions, etc. This unit includes nouns,
adjectives, prepositions, adverbs, pronouns, numbers, particles and interjections.
III: Introduction to non-verbal phrases: Here the students learn on the structure of all kinds of patterns of non-verbal
sentences, including negative and interrogative variations.
IV. Verbal Morphology: A short introduction on the basics of the Egyptian verb.
Bibliography
1. Allen, J. P. Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the language and Culture of Hieroglyphes, Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0-521-77483-3.
2. Altenmüller, H., Einführung in die Hieroglyphenschrift., Hamburg, Buske, 2010. ISBN: 978-3-87548-535-6.
3. Faulkner, R. O., A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1986. ISBN 0-900416-32-7
4. Gardiner, A. Egyptian Grammar, being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphes, Oxford, Griffith Institute, 1982. ISBN:
0-900416-35-1.Faulkner, R. O., A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1986. ISBN 0-
900416-32-7
5. Jenni, H., Lehrbuch der klassisch-ägyptisch Sprache, Basel, Schwabe, 2010. ISBN: 978-3-7965-2669-5.
6. Loprieno, A. Ancient Egyptian: A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge, Cambridge University press, 1995. ISBN: 0-521-
44849-2.
Teaching method
This course offers an original and cost-free course book. Each theme to be discussed in class has a chapter in this
didactical material to be consulted. Each unity of this course-book has a table of vocabulary, a list of new hieroglyphs and a
step-by-step on how to draw then.
Plus, the classes are presented in PowerPoint format, eventually with the aid of the blackboard.
All classes are supported by exercises which are corrected and debated together with the class. Lists of exercises with
answers are given to all students as homework. Before the tests, all students attend to simulations whose main objective is
to verify their vocabulary skills.
Evaluation method
Exercises during the class time (20%); homework (20%); tests (x2) (60%).