EGYPTIAN TEilMS. 
237 
breadth. Under the Ptolemies and Romans a feeble attempt is made 
to engraft Greek art on Egyptian. ( See tablets , No. 147 ; sides of 
temples , Cases 1—II.) But a rapid decay took place both in the 
knowledge, finish, and all the details. ( See tablets, Nos. 189, 398, 
399, 400, 401, 402, of Tiberius; and the coffins of Soter ahd his 
family , under Hadrian, Egyptian Room .) 
Hieroglyphics _In connection with the arts of the Egyptians are the 
Hieroglyphics, which are natural objects used to express language. 
They are divided into phonetics. 
I. Alphabetic, or those representing simple vowel or consonant 
sounds; thus an arm is used for A; an owl for M. 
II. Syllabic, or those used to represent syllables, either with alpha- 
betics after and before them or not; thus, a chisel is used for ab , a 
mat for men, a loop for va. 
III. Ideophonetics, or those representing one syllable in the same 
way as No. II., but only when the syllable conveys one idea; thus, a 
branch of a tree represents victory, power; a lute (nebel), nefer, 
good, &c. 
IV. Symbolics, or objects used to represent one idea, as the ibis to 
express an ibis; an ape to express anger. They often have their 
pronunciation written before them in Alphabetic (No. I.) or Sylla¬ 
bic (No. II.) hieroglyphics. 
V. Determinative, or those which determine the sense of words 
written in Alphabetic and Syllabic hieroglyphics, and are used in 
more senses than one; thus, a pair of legs after all sorts of motion, 
with legs, after the Alphabetic or Syllabic, as ha, aka, un, shows that 
they mean to stand, go, appear, &c. 
Hieratic is the writing hand, of which hieroglyphics are the finished 
characters employed on monuments. 
Demotic, or Enchorial, is a writing more abridged than Hieratic, in¬ 
troduced about the age of Cambyses, for the purposes of law T docu¬ 
ments, letters, and accounts. 
EXPLANATION OF EGYPTIAN TERMS. 
Claft. —Head-dress with long lappets pendent on the shoulders and neck. See 
statue of .Amenof III. Egyptian Saloon, 21. Coffins of mummies, &c. 
Gom. —Sort of sceptre, terminating in the head of an animal called the koucoupha. 
See in the hands of a male figure in a fresco painting. Eg. Sal. 176, and object 
Egypt. Room, Case G. Div. 3, &c. 
Oskh.— Semicircular collar or tippet worn round the neck. See bust of Rameses 
II. or Ill. (Sesostris), Eg. Sal. 19. Object in Case BB. Div. 4, &c. 
Atf. —Crown of Osiris and other deities, composed of a conical cap flanked by two 
ostrich feathers, with a disk in front, placed on the horns of a goat. See fig. of 
Osiris, Case B. Div. 2, &c. 
Pschent. —Cap or crown worn by deities and Pharaohs, composed of the shaa and 
teshr. See Pharaonic head, Eg. Sal. 15. 
Sfaa. —Conical cap, upper portion of the pschent, called also out and uobsh or 
white. See statue of Menephtah II., Eg. Sal. 61. 
Shenti.— Short garment worn round the loins. See statue of Amenof III., Eg. 
Sal. 21. Bronze fig. of Amoun-ra, Egypt. Room, Case A. Div. 2, &c. 
Teshr.— The ‘red’ cap, lower portion of the pschent, cylindrical cap, with tall 
inclined peak behind and spiral ornament in front. Seefig. Neith, Egypt. Room, 
Case A. Div. 2. Amulets, Case A A A. Div. 5. 
Tosh.— Royal military cap. Bas-relief of Rameses II. (Sesostris). 
