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DOI Artikel:Kyle, Melvin: The egyptian origin of the alphabet: an historical instance in support of de Rougés alphabetic prototypes
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12426#0161
THE EGYPTIAN ORIGIN OF THE ALPHABET
155
[15] The boit, H. —, C. H.O.E. , Ph. f.
[16] ...................•.................. Ph. o.
[17] The shutter, H. I, C. U-J,, H. O. E. •L>, Ph. 7. Distinct and of fixed form.
[18] The snake, H.^, C. ^, H.O.E.^^, Ph. V - Of very fréquent occurrence.
[19] The knee, H. A, C. (?), H.O.E. JQ,, Ph. 9. Not certainly identified in the
hieratic forrn.
[20] The mouth, H. <=>, C. H.O.E. , Ph. Found in a conventional
form approaching the hieratic.
[21] The inundated garden, H. C. H.O.E. ^ Ph. W. This complex
hieratic character is fully developed.
[22] The lasso, H. 1, C. ..., H.O.E. ^, Ph. X. Not found.
The following comparative table will exhibit clearly to the eye the results of the
investigation (see p. 152) :
Of the twenty one alphabetic prototypes which E. de Rougé selected from the
Egyptian hieratic of the Old Empire thirteen are here found in the fully developed
and final hieratic forms. Two others, the " lioness " and the " mouth " are found in
transitional forms. Two, the " tongs " and the " knee " are uncertain; and four, the
" crâne the " duck "', the " owl " and the " lasso " are not found. In the work of
identification, the two certainly transitional forms, the " lioness " and the " mouth "
may be added to the thirteen which are fully developed, making in ail fifteen identi-
fied. Of the four not found, the " crâne the duck the " owl " and the " lasso
and the two not certainly identified, the " tongs " and the " knee the inscription
employs the " crâne " and the " owl " regularly in the hieroglyphic forms though
sometimes slightly conventional, and the " duck " as a letter, is of comparatively in-
frequent occurrence in the inscriptions. Moreover, the " tongs ", the " lasso the
" knee the " crâne " and the " owl ", being in their hieroglyphic forms or with
some abbreviation well adapted to cursive writing, would naturally, from the very
ease with which thev were made, be among the last for which fixed hieratic forms
would be developed. Thus thèse six letters of E. de Rougé's alphabet which are here
wanting, it is just thèse omissions, which, at first giance disappointing, corne to be
most significant and helpful. Were ail the letters found, the inscription would tell us
far less, for no one could tell how long they had been in use. Were only a few found,
it would be equally disappointing, for no one could tell how long it would take
through cursive work to develope the complète hieratic alphabet. But, since ail the
letters but thèse six are found, and five of thèse are those which because of the ease
with which the hieroglyphic forms were made in cursive writing would be among the
latest for which hieratic forms would be developed and they showing already conven-
tional abbreviations, and the sixth a letter of infrequent occurrence, it is évident we
are here not far from the birth-day of the complète hieratic alphabet. Indeed, in the
abbreviations and transitional forms, we are witnesses here of the birth-throes. And
since this inscription represents a period when just thèse identified letters and not
155
[15] The boit, H. —, C. H.O.E. , Ph. f.
[16] ...................•.................. Ph. o.
[17] The shutter, H. I, C. U-J,, H. O. E. •L>, Ph. 7. Distinct and of fixed form.
[18] The snake, H.^, C. ^, H.O.E.^^, Ph. V - Of very fréquent occurrence.
[19] The knee, H. A, C. (?), H.O.E. JQ,, Ph. 9. Not certainly identified in the
hieratic forrn.
[20] The mouth, H. <=>, C. H.O.E. , Ph. Found in a conventional
form approaching the hieratic.
[21] The inundated garden, H. C. H.O.E. ^ Ph. W. This complex
hieratic character is fully developed.
[22] The lasso, H. 1, C. ..., H.O.E. ^, Ph. X. Not found.
The following comparative table will exhibit clearly to the eye the results of the
investigation (see p. 152) :
Of the twenty one alphabetic prototypes which E. de Rougé selected from the
Egyptian hieratic of the Old Empire thirteen are here found in the fully developed
and final hieratic forms. Two others, the " lioness " and the " mouth " are found in
transitional forms. Two, the " tongs " and the " knee " are uncertain; and four, the
" crâne the " duck "', the " owl " and the " lasso " are not found. In the work of
identification, the two certainly transitional forms, the " lioness " and the " mouth "
may be added to the thirteen which are fully developed, making in ail fifteen identi-
fied. Of the four not found, the " crâne the duck the " owl " and the " lasso
and the two not certainly identified, the " tongs " and the " knee the inscription
employs the " crâne " and the " owl " regularly in the hieroglyphic forms though
sometimes slightly conventional, and the " duck " as a letter, is of comparatively in-
frequent occurrence in the inscriptions. Moreover, the " tongs ", the " lasso the
" knee the " crâne " and the " owl ", being in their hieroglyphic forms or with
some abbreviation well adapted to cursive writing, would naturally, from the very
ease with which thev were made, be among the last for which fixed hieratic forms
would be developed. Thus thèse six letters of E. de Rougé's alphabet which are here
wanting, it is just thèse omissions, which, at first giance disappointing, corne to be
most significant and helpful. Were ail the letters found, the inscription would tell us
far less, for no one could tell how long they had been in use. Were only a few found,
it would be equally disappointing, for no one could tell how long it would take
through cursive work to develope the complète hieratic alphabet. But, since ail the
letters but thèse six are found, and five of thèse are those which because of the ease
with which the hieroglyphic forms were made in cursive writing would be among the
latest for which hieratic forms would be developed and they showing already conven-
tional abbreviations, and the sixth a letter of infrequent occurrence, it is évident we
are here not far from the birth-day of the complète hieratic alphabet. Indeed, in the
abbreviations and transitional forms, we are witnesses here of the birth-throes. And
since this inscription represents a period when just thèse identified letters and not