DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18088#0016
6
THE SIGN PAPYRUS.
II. If the name is contained in two or more
groups, it may be (1) a compound name of the
object formed by a noun and participle :—
--- [j s \^ ' wood-cut,'
p. 17. 1.
^ = P ^ & ^ 'weeping-eye,'
p. 8.\
-=S7 = '<S=~ (j |1 ° A. ' inverted-eye,' p. 8. 2.
In this class of name the second member
distinguishes two of a class by detail of the
form.
Or it may be (2) formed by a noun followed
by another in the genitive, as—
aa = Q ° J ° J 'the disk of the sun,'
1 /www J_I I i_1
p. 13. 11.
^ = ) 1 ' ^e or crescent °^ tne
moon,' p. 13. 4, opposed to -
* the lips.'
Here the second group marks distinction by
the derivation of the sign.
Or it may (3) consist of two groups separated
by a point—
/VWM
o =r (1 Q cf)" FD ° ' ^ne disk, ^™5' where
the latter group distinguishes this from
other disks by its phonetic value; thus
also ) hieratic ) = \ i ? • ^^^1
' the finger, qemam,' opposed to | hieratic
1, the finger simply -a | I
The name-forms seem to have no reference
to the classes of signs as alphabetic, ideographic,
determinative, &c.
As to the date of the papyrus, there is no
doubt of its having been written in the Roman
period. It is not a direct copy of an earlier list,
although it may be an adaptation and selection
from a list of Ramesside times.
The spelling of the words agrees with the
Roman date attributed to the papyrus; and as
to the grammar, although the article does not
occur, except perhaps in p. 30. 7. the par-
ticipial forms used in the compound names are
not found, I believe, in inscriptions or papyri
earlier than the eighteenth dynasty. These
names, however, may belong to a popular
dialect in which such forms can have existed
at a much earlier period, and it must be
remembered that they were probably never
written down except for occasional teach-
ing in schools. There is no careful principle
in their construction. Probably no complete
list was ever drawn up, and perhaps it was
not until the decline of the ancient learning
in Roman times that such written lists were
made at all. The names probably embody
ancient and original ideas about the form, mean-
ing, and sound of the signs, as for instance
"1 = (j <j> a <=> (j |1 8 ; but in course of time,
being transmitted principally by word of mouth,
they became much modified in form.
The Transcription will be seen to be in-
complete, but I have thought it right to add
it, partly because the work will fall into the
hands of some who are not acquainted with
hieratic, but who will be interested to know
something of the contents of the third column
in order to draw their own conclusions about the
papyrus; partly also to justify my reading of
the original to those who are familiar with the
script. It also affords a convenient means of
adding such notes as seem required. M. Naville
was able to spare several valuable hours during
his short stay in England in 1885 for the tedious
task of comparing the first pages of my copy
with the original. The corrections and sug-
gestions which he made are noted in the
course of the Transcription.
THE SIGN PAPYRUS.
II. If the name is contained in two or more
groups, it may be (1) a compound name of the
object formed by a noun and participle :—
--- [j s \^ ' wood-cut,'
p. 17. 1.
^ = P ^ & ^ 'weeping-eye,'
p. 8.\
-=S7 = '<S=~ (j |1 ° A. ' inverted-eye,' p. 8. 2.
In this class of name the second member
distinguishes two of a class by detail of the
form.
Or it may be (2) formed by a noun followed
by another in the genitive, as—
aa = Q ° J ° J 'the disk of the sun,'
1 /www J_I I i_1
p. 13. 11.
^ = ) 1 ' ^e or crescent °^ tne
moon,' p. 13. 4, opposed to -
* the lips.'
Here the second group marks distinction by
the derivation of the sign.
Or it may (3) consist of two groups separated
by a point—
/VWM
o =r (1 Q cf)" FD ° ' ^ne disk, ^™5' where
the latter group distinguishes this from
other disks by its phonetic value; thus
also ) hieratic ) = \ i ? • ^^^1
' the finger, qemam,' opposed to | hieratic
1, the finger simply -a | I
The name-forms seem to have no reference
to the classes of signs as alphabetic, ideographic,
determinative, &c.
As to the date of the papyrus, there is no
doubt of its having been written in the Roman
period. It is not a direct copy of an earlier list,
although it may be an adaptation and selection
from a list of Ramesside times.
The spelling of the words agrees with the
Roman date attributed to the papyrus; and as
to the grammar, although the article does not
occur, except perhaps in p. 30. 7. the par-
ticipial forms used in the compound names are
not found, I believe, in inscriptions or papyri
earlier than the eighteenth dynasty. These
names, however, may belong to a popular
dialect in which such forms can have existed
at a much earlier period, and it must be
remembered that they were probably never
written down except for occasional teach-
ing in schools. There is no careful principle
in their construction. Probably no complete
list was ever drawn up, and perhaps it was
not until the decline of the ancient learning
in Roman times that such written lists were
made at all. The names probably embody
ancient and original ideas about the form, mean-
ing, and sound of the signs, as for instance
"1 = (j <j> a <=> (j |1 8 ; but in course of time,
being transmitted principally by word of mouth,
they became much modified in form.
The Transcription will be seen to be in-
complete, but I have thought it right to add
it, partly because the work will fall into the
hands of some who are not acquainted with
hieratic, but who will be interested to know
something of the contents of the third column
in order to draw their own conclusions about the
papyrus; partly also to justify my reading of
the original to those who are familiar with the
script. It also affords a convenient means of
adding such notes as seem required. M. Naville
was able to spare several valuable hours during
his short stay in England in 1885 for the tedious
task of comparing the first pages of my copy
with the original. The corrections and sug-
gestions which he made are noted in the
course of the Transcription.