Gardiner's sign list

Gardiner's Sign List is a list of common Egyptian hieroglyphs compiled by Sir Alan Gardiner. It is considered a standard reference in the study of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Gardiner lists only the common forms of Egyptian hieroglyphs, but he includes extensive subcategories, and also both vertical and horizontal forms for many hieroglyphs. He includes size-variation forms to aid with the reading of hieroglyphs in running blocks of text. In contrast, for example, the Budge Reference has about 1000 hieroglyphs listed in 50 pages, but with no size variations.

Gardiner does not cross-index signs; once put on the list, other significant uses may be overlooked. One example of this is G16, nbtỉ, the ideogram for The Two Ladies, goddesses Wadjet as the cobra and Nekhbet as the white vulture. These are the protective and patron goddesses of the separate Egyptian kingdoms that joined into Ancient Egypt, who were both then displayed on the uraeus of Wadjet when the unification occurred and afterward considered jointly to be the protectors of Egypt and the pharaohs. This ideogram is listed only on the bird list as G16, and overlooked on the deity list and the reptile list.

Other subcategories included by Gardiner are abbreviations and personalized forms, and also a complete subset, used on papyrus, specifically for the Book of the Dead.

A. Man and his occupations

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/A

Group A consists of 57 symbols and can be subdivided into 30 sitting men, 20 standing men as well as various other lying, standing or falling figures

B. Woman and her occupations

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/B

C. Anthropomorphic deities

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/C

Further information: Egyptian pantheon

D. Parts of the human body

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/D

E. Mammals

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/E

F. Parts of mammals

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/F

G. Birds

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/G

H. Parts of Birds

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/H

I. Amphibious Animals, Reptiles, etc.

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/I

K. Fish and parts of fish

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/K

L. Invertebrates and lesser animals

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/L

M. Trees and plants

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/M

N. Sky, earth, water

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/N

O. Buildings, parts of buildings, etc.

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/O

P. Ships and parts of ships

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/P

Q. Domestics and funerary furniture

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/Q

R. Temple furniture and sacred emblems

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/R

S. Crowns, dress, staves, etc.

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/S

T. Warfare, hunting, butchery

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/T

U. Agriculture, Crafts, and Professions

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/U

V. Rope, fiber, baskets, bags, etc.

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/V

W. Vessels of stone and earthenware

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/W

X. Loaves and cakes

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/X

Y. Writings, games, music

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/Y

Z. Strokes, signs derived from hieratic, geometrical figures

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/Z

Aa. Unclassified

Main article: List of hieroglyphs/AA

See also

• List of Egyptian hieroglyphs:
  • by common name A–L
  • by common name M–Z
  • by alphabetization
• Alan Gardiner
• Egyptian biliteral signs
• Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Egyptian numerals
• Egyptian triliteral signs
• List of cuneiform signs
• Sa-sub4 (Luwian hieroglyph)
• Transliteration of Ancient Egyptian

References

• Budge, Sir E.A.Wallis, An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, in Two Volumes, Sir E.A.Wallis Budge, (Dover Publications, Inc. New York), c 1920, Dover Edition, c 1978. (Large categorized listings of Hieroglyphs, Vol 1, pp. xcvii–cxlvii (97–147) (25 categories, 1000+ hieroglyphs), 50 pgs.)
• Gardiner, Alan, Egyptian Grammar: Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs. 3rd Ed., pub. Griffith Institute, Oxford, 1957 (1st edition 1927), ISBN 0-900416-35-1
• Wilkinson, Richard, Reading Egyptian Art, A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Egyptian Painting and Sculpture, Richard H. Wilkinson, with 450 Illustrations, (Thames & Hudson Ltd, London), c 1992.

External links

• Hieroglyphic fonts
• Khemet.de on Gardiner