Guide to Egyptian Hieroglyphs

A practical introduction to the ancient Egyptian writing system and how to use PharaLex to explore it. Start with the basics or jump to any topic below.

Basics

Introduction to Hieroglyphs

A brief overview of the ancient Egyptian writing system, its history, and how it works.

Understanding Transliteration

How Egyptologists represent hieroglyphic sounds using the Latin alphabet.

Signs & Categories

The Gardiner Sign List

How hieroglyphic signs are organised into categories by Sir Alan Gardiner.

How Signs Function

Understanding logograms, phonograms, and determinatives — the three roles a hieroglyph can play.

Using PharaLex

Browsing the Glyph Library

How to explore PharaLex's collection of 8,000+ hieroglyphic signs.

Using the Dictionary

How to look up Middle Egyptian words, understand their entries, and navigate between related terms.