birth of Egyptian writing is at the end of IV millennium BC.The basis of its supposed picture writing, where every object or concept transmitted by means of the image.Clay tablets, papyrus scrolls, rock inscriptions - this is all that has been the main carrier of information in Egypt, and to a small extent has reached our days.Strange simplified drawings scientists named characters, and the system of writing is called hieroglyphics.The textbook "History of the Ancient World, Grade 5" only in general affect this interesting topic.On the occurrence, distribution of ancient Egyptian writing and the later attempts to decrypt described in this article.
divine signs
Egyptians believed that every character - a sacred, as taught writing Egypt He - the god of wisdom.The letter itself was called "mduentr" - "the word of God."Figure image of the word - the main thing that was the main carrier of information in Egypt.Scientists have found the first characters on the walls of tombs, temples, and obelisks on the sarcophagi - on all those majestic monument carved from stone, which have reached our time.
the middle of the II millennium BC.Egyptians used when writing about 700 characters, even a thousand years their number has increased to several thousand.Most of the characters - it's just an image designating their subjects.Sometimes the sign could denote a syllable - in this case a single word expressed in the letter to several characters.Egyptian ambiguous signs - the same style can be assigned to different characters.The value of a word may be specified by special drawings - determiners.Such signs do not point to the word, and his refined sense.Thus, the ancient writing passed on a letter to abstract concepts, feelings and images that it was difficult to express otherwise.All that was a carrier of information in Egypt, covered chain amazing, mysterious characters.
lack of vowels
character for syllables, indicates only the consonants in the syllable.Vowels letters in the letter have not been applied.This feature is characteristic of both ancient and modern languages - for example, the Arabic letter also does not use vowels.Therefore, an exact transcription of the (sound), the words are still unknown to us, and the same Egyptian word can be read in a variety of transcription, depending on the source.
Writing and knowledge Egyptians have proliferated in the era of the New Kingdom.The development of trade, strengthening of state power led to the emergence of a new kind of writing, in which the separate signs began to write together, merged into one character.To read and write has become easier, and new types of marks scientists called Demonica - national letter.
how to teach writing
School of ancient Egypt were usually at the temples.The children of the officials gave to the school in five or six years.Future scribes took home the bread and jug of wine, and went every day to study as all the modern students.
First of all, the child was taught to read and write.Papyrus is too expensive material, and his students were not given.Students tried to write on polished limestone plates, lined with the cell and range.These plates were used for the same purposes as the modern school notebooks.On the question of what was the main carrier of information in Egypt, we can give the answer: all the "notebook" that survived until today, serve as a reliable source of knowledge about the level of training and education in this country.
Besides reading and writing, students in detail studied art, history, geography, he taught military science and technology laws.
Upon completion of the course the student matured Sciences issued a precious papyrus.Egypt was one of the main manufacturers of papyrus in the ancient world, and the most important documents of this country's government survived in the fragile scrolls.Therefore, the presentation of the material sheets of the precious youth meant that his candidacy is ready to consider the post of state official.Under the skillful hand of the scribe papyrus covered with columns of hieroglyphs, and for the beauty of the text of bright colors brighten.
Forgotten writings
been almost two thousand years since the heyday of ancient Egypt.The country has come under the dominion of the mighty Roman Empire.Emperor Theodosius I in the late ADIt closes the last temples of Osiris and Amun.Egyptians have long been used by the Coptic language, which in its composition is very different from the language of the ancients, and in the letter used Greek letters.All that was the main carrier of information in Egypt, it was just strange, ancient and not interesting rarities.Seven centuries of domination of the Greeks and Romans was enough to make a great culture ceased to exist.The Greek philosophers were interested in the Egyptian religion and philosophy, but without the knowledge of writing this information appeared sketchy and superficial.Christian theologian Clement of Alexandria has found a time when the Egyptians were able to read the characters, he gave a brief description of the peculiarities of writing and reading some of the signs, but did not bother to tell us about the features of their application.To the mystery of Egyptian writing made efforts and medieval sages and Chinese philosophers.It was only in the XIX century was able to lift the veil of secrecy over the mystery of hieroglyphics.
Rosetta Stone
during Napoleon's Egyptian expedition Captain Bouchard found near the Rosetta stone with the remains of a small inscriptions in three ancient languages.Scientists came to the conclusion that the Greek, Roman and Egyptian texts say thanks priests, issued by Ptolemy Epiphanes, and the texts, these are essentially the same message in different languages.Rosetta Stone has given impetus to the correct deciphering Egyptian writing a French scientist, linguist and Egyptologist named Jean Francois Shompolon.His work entitled "A brief sketch of the hieroglyphic system of the ancient Egyptians or the research elements of the letter," gave rise to the existence of a science of Egyptology.
Conclusion
Lime notebooks students papyri state scribes and inscriptions on stone and marble that adorned their temples the priests, were the basis for the study of ancient Egypt.Egyptology today - the science that gave answers to many questions about literature, culture, politics and daily life of ancient Egypt;advances in science are summarized in the manual "The history of the ancient world, Grade 5".Students of secondary schools today, a few lessons they can learn the information on which puzzled the great minds of the past.
