Ancient Symbols & Signs

Top 3 Books on Hieroglyphics

Top 3 Books on Hieroglyphics

These are the three best books I have read on the subject of Hieroglyphics – in no particular order:

The Rosetta Stone by R B Parkinson
Since my recent trip to the National Museum in Cairo, I’ve been fascinated by the Rosetta Stone. Seeing such an incredible piece of history (albeit a convincing replica) in the context of that remarkable country is something I recommend everyone should experience. This book is written by the Egyptian curator at the British Museum – that is the man currently in charge of the real Rosetta stone.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Pyramids, Temples and Tombs of Ancient Egypt
Actually, the full name of the book is: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Pyramids, Temples and Tombs of Ancient Egypt: Discover the Fascinating and Mysterious World of the Pharoahs with Insightful Text and More Than 500 Stunning Colour Photographs…Yes, it’s a mouthful but if the title is that detailed, just imagine what the rest of the book is like! The main reason a hieroglyphics enthusiast should have this book is the close-up photographs of the carvings and paintings as well as information on their location and origin. Other than that, it’s a great all-round book on ancient Egypt.

Decoding Egyptian Hieroglyphs by Bridget McDermott
Although it is written by an expert, this book shies away from overtly academic language and instead assumes you have no previous knowledge of hieroglyphics…but even if you do it’s a great book. It highlights the most commonly used signs, their meaning and context and teaches the basic alphabet in order to help even a novice decode basic words, names and text.

Comment below if you have an alternate book that you recommend – or if you’d like to offer a review of another text you’ve read.