Centre of Excellence – Egyptian Hieroglyphs Diploma Course

The Egyptian Hieroglyphs Course begins by exploring the development of the ancient writing system, detailing who used it and what it was used for. You will learn about other script forms that developed from hieroglyphs, as well as reasons for the ultimate demise of the writing system. We also look at how hieroglyphs were rediscovered and deciphered, with particular attention paid to the Rosetta Stone.

We consider the cultural context within which hieroglyphs were formed. Emphasis is given to what was important to the ancient Egyptians in life as well as in death. You will learn what Ba and Ka are, and their relevance to ancient Egyptians’ belief in the afterlife. We also explore the ancient Egyptian world view, examining the pharaohs’ place in ancient Egyptian culture. You will learn what is meant by “divine kingship” and become familiar with some of the most important deities in ancient Egyptian religion.

With a broader understanding of the importance and place of hieroglyphs in ancient Egypt, the course continues with an introduction to the fundamentals and principles of hieroglyphic writing. Following this introduction, you’ll examine how ideograms work and discover some of the most common in Egyptian hieroglyphic writing. You’ll learn the 25 characters that comprise the hieroglyphic “alphabet”, follow examples and exercises on how to use these symbols, and learn how to read hieroglyphics.

The Egyptian Hieroglyphs Diploma Course will introduce you to common determinatives and their different meanings and show you how to decipher certain hieroglyphic combinations by identifying determinatives. You will learn what biliterals and triliterals are and be provided with a comprehensive list of both. You will also be introduced to phonetic complements and the reason for their use.

We’ll look at the meaning/use behind some of the most familiar symbols associated with ancient Egypt and the ways in which some are used as hieroglyphs in their own right. The Egyptian Hieroglyphs Diploma Course also explains how numbers were written in this ancient writing system. You’ll examine the writing of dates, including months and years, and how nouns are used in hieroglyphs.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Have a basic understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Be able to write and understand simple hieroglyphs
• Comprehend the world from which Egyptian hieroglyphs were born and how they informed the writing system
• Have mastered the Egyptian “alphabet”
• Know the difference between phonetic and semantic glyphs
• Know how to use determinatives
• Understand the difference between uniliterals, biliterals, and triliterals
• Be aware of some of the most commonly-used symbols that accompany hieroglyphic writing
• Know how to write numbers in Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Have a basic understanding of ancient nouns

Though thousands of years old, Egyptian hieroglyphs were deciphered less than 300 years ago. Since then, many have applied themselves to unpicking the truths of Egypt’s ancient civilisation through these strange and elegant symbols.

If you’re interested in taking your first steps in dissecting this breathtakingly beautiful writing system or if you’re interested in history, culture, and language, the Egyptian Hieroglyphs Diploma Course will appeal to you.

Follow the course’s 10 modules and you’ll gain a basic understanding of the principles of hieroglyphic writing and an ability to recognise and craft simple hieroglyphic sentences.