HIEROGLYPHS

Hieroglyphs were written in either rows or columns and can be read from left to right or from right to left depending on which way the human or animal figures are facing, always facing the begining of the line, and also the upper figures are read before the lower figures.

They were divided into four categories:

1. Alphabetic signs represented a single sound. they however took most vowels for granted and they are not represented

2. Syllabic signs represented a combination of two or three consonants.

3.Word-signs which were pictures of objects and they were followed by an upright stroke, to indicate that the word is completein one sign.

4.Determinatives were pictures of an object used to help the reader.