Introduction to Egyptian Hieroglyphs - 2nd semester
Code
711051142
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
História
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Maria Helena Trindade Lopes
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) Learning the basic structure of the Classical Egyptian Grammar
b) Understanding the usages of hieroglyphs in Egypts History and society
c) Forming the essential of an ancient Egyptian vocabulary
d) Reading simple texts from artifacts at museums.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
I: Introduction to ancient Egyptian
a. Notions on Linguistics and History: evolution of the ancient Egyptian language.
Hieroglyphs: ideograms, phonograms, determinatives.
Orientation of text (reading and writing).
b. The Language of Egyptologists: international conventions
The Rosetta Stone.
Phonetic Signs: uniliteral; biliteral and triliteral hieroglyphs.
Abbreviations, weak consonants.
II: Morfology
c.Substantives 1
Definition.
Gender.
Number.
d.Substantives 2
Composit Noums.
Honorific Antecipation.
e.Pronoums
Personal pronoums: independents, dependents e sufixal pronoums.
Demonstrative pronoums.
Interrogative pronoums.
f.Adjectives
Definition and usages
Nisba Adjectives.
Comparative and superlative.
g. Reading exercises: Scarabs, Canopic Jars, Cartuches, etc.
III: Non-Verbal sintaxe
h. Adjctive sentences
Adjective predicate.
i. Substantive sentences
Nominal predicate.
j. Síntese de preposições
Primary prepositions.
Secondary Prepositions.
k. Adverbs
Primary Adverbs.
Other Adverbs.
l. Numerals
Cardinals and ordinals.
Usages of numbers.
Egyptian Math and measurements.
Date: counting days, months and years.
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%).