hieroglyph

[Greek hieros = sacred, and glyphe =a carving, a writing; Fr. hiéroglyphe.] I. Literally: 1. The figure of an animal, a plant, or of any animate or inanimate object; a symbol or character used in the writing called hieroglyphic (q. v.). "To bring together the Egyptian hieroglyphs in their pictorial form with the square Hebrew characters." Tylor: Early Hist. Mankind , ch. v. 2. The art of writing in picture or hieroglyphic characters. II. Fig .: Any picture having, or supposed to have, a hidden, secret, or mysterious meaning. "He gave unto her a kind expre ion, by a quaint de vice sent unto her in a rich jewel, fashioned much after the manner of the trivial hieroglyphs , used in France, called Rebus de Picardy."--Sir G. Buck: Hist . of Richard 111. (1646), p. 115. hi-er-o-glyph, v. t. [HIEROGLYPH, 8.] To represent by or in hieroglyphics. hi-er-o-glyphic, a . & s. [Lat. hieroglyphic us , from Gr. hieroglyph i kos , from hieros sacred, and glypho =to carve, to write.] IMG:content-1160.png:[blocks in formation] It contains an inscription regarding the coronation of Ptolemy V. (Epiphanes), and is believed to have been sculptured about 195 B. C. The inscription is first in hieroglyphics, next in the hieratic character of Egypt, and in Greek, which afforded a key to the hieroglyphics, but one very difficult to apply. Silvestre de Sacy in 1801, Akerblad in 1802, the younger Cham poll i on in 1814, 1821, 1836, 1841, with Dr. T. Young, most succe ful of any, in 1819, and Ro el lin i in 1825, 1826, ., all made advances toward solving the enigma, so that Dr. Birch, of the Biblical Archæological Society, and other Egypt ologists are now continually translating hieroglyphics from the modified into alphabetic writing. Thus the Rev. W. Houghton believed in the hieroglyphic or picture origin of the A yrian Syllabary ( Ibid . , vi. (1878), p. 452-483,602), and Endlicher has shown that the "ancient pictures" of the Chinese gave rise to the cursive forms now in use. ( Tylor : Anthropol ogy , ch. vii.) "The Hamathite hieroglyphics appear to have been an invention of an early population of Northern Syria."Trans. Bib . Arch . Soc., v. 26. hi-er-o-glyph'-ic-al, a. [Eng. hieroglyphic; -al.] The same as HIEROGLYPHIC (q. v.). "The hieroglyphical doctrine of the Egyptians." Browne : Vulgar Errors , bk. i., ch. x. hier-o-glyphic-al-ly, adv . [Eng. hiero glyphical ; -ly .] In a hieroglyphic manner; by means of hieroglyphics, emblems, or characters; in hieroglyphics. "Hieroglyphically adding martegres, wivernes, lionfishes, with divers others."-Browne: Vulgar Errors, bk. v., ch. xx. hi-er-o-glyph-ist, s. [Eng. hieroglyph; -ist.] One who is skilled in the deciphering of hieroglyphics. *hi-er-o-glyph-ize, v . t . [Eng. hieroglyph ; -ize.] To expre in hieroglyphics; to write or depict hieroglyphically. "They hieroglyph i zed both their thoughts, histories, and inventions to posterity." -Evelyn : Sculptura. hi-er-o-grăm, subst . [Gr. hieros sacred, and gramma a writing, a letter; grapho = to write.] A species of sacred or hieratic writing. hi-er-o-gram-mắt-ic, *hi-er-o-gram-măt'Ic-al, a . [Gr. hieros sacred; gramma (gen it. grammatos ) = a letter, and Eng. adj. suff. -ic .] Pertaining to or written in hierograms. "The hierogrammatic or sacerdotal, he [Porphyry] comprised under the generic term of epistolic."- War burton: Divine Legation , bk. iv., § 4. hi-er-o-grăm-ma-tist, s . [Gr. hieros sacred; gramma (gen it, grammatos )=a writing, a letter; Eng. suff.- ist .] One who is versed in hierograms; a writer of hieroglyphics. "Used only by priests, prophets, hierogrammatists , or holy writers." -Green hill: Art of Embalming , p. 291. *hi-er-og-ra-pher, s. [Greek hieros = sacred; graphō to write, and English suff. -er .] A writer of, or one versed in, hierography. hi-er-o-grăph-ic, *hi-er-o-graph-ic-al, [Gr. hieros sacred, and Eng. graphic , graphical (q. v.).] Of or pertaining to hierography. "Inscribed by Thoyth, the first Hermes, with hiero. graphic letters in the sacred dialect."-War burton: Di vine Legation, bk. iv., § 4. *hi-er-og-ra-phỹ, s . [Gr. hieros =sacred, and grapho to write.] Sacred or holy writings. *hi-er-ol-a-try, s. [Gr. hieros = sacred, and latreia worship.] The worship of sacred persons or things. hi-er-o-log-ic, *hi-er-o-log-Ic-al, a . [Greek hieros sacred; logos a discourse, and Eng. adj. suff. -ic , -ical .] Of or pertaining to hierology. hi-er-ol-o-gist, s. [Eng. hierolog (y); -ist.] One versed in hierology.