Hieroglyphsarepicturesusedassignsinwriting.WhenstandingbeforeanancienttabletinamuseumorvisitinganEgyptianmonument,wemarvelatthisuniquewritingandpuzzleoveritsmeaning.Now,withthehelpofEgyptologistsMarkCollierandBillManley,museum-goers,tourists,andarmchairtravelersalikecangainabasicknowledgeofthelanguageandcultureofancientEgypt.CollierandManley’snovelapproachisinformedbyyearsofexperienceteachingEgyptianhieroglyphstonon-specialists.UsingattractivedrawingsofactualinscriptionsdisplayedintheBritishMuseum,theyconcentrateonthekindofhieroglyphsreadersmightencounterinothercollections,especiallyfunerarywritingsandtombscenes.EachchapterintroducesanewaspectofhieroglyphicscriptorMiddleEgyptiangrammarandencouragesacquisitionofreadingskillswithpracticalexercises.ThetextsofferinsightsintothedailyexperiencesoftheirancientauthorsandtouchontopicsrangingfrompharaonicadministrationtofamilylifetotheEgyptianwayofdeath.Withthisbookasaguide,onecanenjoyawholenewexperienceinunderstandingEgyptianartandartifactsaroundtheworld.
