Hieroglyphs:
History, Politics and Pop Culture
Egyptian
Hieroglyph is a form of written language, developed approximately between 4000-3000
B.C. With the decrease in use due to cultural shifts, there has been a move
from the linguistics of the Ancient Egyptian language that hieroglyph
represented, a language which has not been used for hundreds of years, back to
the visual communication that hieroglyphs began as. Aside from being used for
activities such as children’s games or being used to research ancient Egyptian culture,
hieroglyph is no longer used. However, symbolically, hieroglyphs are now used
to represent ideas and to link the past with the modern. They have come to
represent a form of storytelling that can be seen in both North American pop
culture, and in the midst of Egyptian political strife.
The
term ‘hieroglyph’ was “given by the Greeks to the signs which they found carved
on the walls of the Egyptian temples and tombs, on statues and on coffins. It
means literally ‘sacred writing’” (Sewell, 2001, p. 95) . Development came
about over time, as there are indications that “…writing was an indigenous
development in Egypt, deriving from earlier displays of visible communication:
stelae, statuary, painting and rock art” (Silverman, 2011, p. 209) . The exact origins
of Egyptian hieroglyphs is unknown, but according to some scholars, there could
be a link to the development of a new state in North Africa, towards the end of
the 4th millennium BC, and the development of writing (Silverman,
2011, p. 203) .
According to Silverman (2011), historians have suggested that “…writing in
nearby Mesopotamia predated writing in Egypt...” and that it could have
“…served as a model for what eventually appeared in Egypt.” The idea that hieroglyphs were a form of
sacred writing, is not unfounded. Literacy was not widespread in Egypt and it
was used primarily by the religious and royal population. Used to decorate
tombs and temples, the text was used alongside imagery to communicate stories
about the gods and the kings and pharaohs, the people that were considered to
be as close to the gods as a human could be. Hieroglyphs were also used in
decoration, or to indicate specific uses for specific objects, and “…occasionally
function[ing] as part of relief decoration on early furniture, where they
simultaneously provided an amuletic message” (Silverman, 2011, p. 208) . Inscriptions on
vessels and jars made note of what they were created to hold, not unlike the
way we label the spices in a spice rack today.
Egyptian
hieroglyphs are a mix of symbols used to represent words known as ideograms, or
symbols, and phonetic or cursive writing, “…a result of writing with a rush pen
on papyrus” (Sewell, 2001, p. 96) and was used to
represent specific linguistic consonant and vowel sounds. Instead of using
syllabic symbol, such as the letters of the English alphabet, each ideogram
represented a single word or many ideas. The idea represented by a hieroglyph
was often unclear, being left to the reader to interpret the precise meaning.
This decipherment was also aided by the use of determinatives, such as “a pair
of walking legs…added to the end of verbs of motion” (Kemp, 2005,
p. x) ,
because the writing required “a constant shifting back and forth between symbol
and sound value…to form word shapes” (Kemp, 2005, p. x) .
The
use of both ideographic and phonetic writing led to the development of heratic
and demotic writing as “[d]uring its historic period, Egypt had two scripts,
cursive and hieroglyphic, and each was generally used on different media and
for different purposes.” (Silverman, 2011, p. 206) Both cursive and
hieroglyph “served as phonetic or ideographic components, but only hieroglyph
could occasionally retain that role and function simultaneously as an integral
element in a scene.” (Silverman, 2011, p. 207) Hieratic script was developed first, and over
time became a demotic script, relying more on phonetics, and less on symbol.
While there is still some relationship between the two, “it is very difficult
to recognize the original hieroglyphic forms, and which is also very difficult
to read” leaving demotic script “in common use from about the eighth century
B.C. until late Roman times.” (Sewell, 2001, p. 96) This did not mean
the hieratic script ceased to be used altogether, rather it became a
specialized language, used “...reserved for religious and ceremonial texts so
that eventually it was understood only by the priests and temple scribes.” (Sewell, 2001, p. 96) Today, Arabic is the
most commonly used language in Egypt.
Interestingly enough, when it comes to the development of
writing, some historians developed a different theory regarding the creation of
Egyptian art and the hieroglyph and communication in linguistics. It is
suggested that “…Egyptians may not actually have adopted the system of writing
already in use in Mesopotamia; rather they only borrowed the idea of writing.” (Silverman,
2011, p. 204)
Akhenaten, the ruler pictured in the stele “Akhenaten and His Family” (Stokstad & Cothren, 2014, p. 71) , “altered the style
and grammar of classical language [and] introduced a new style of art and
architecture.” (Silverman, 2011, p. 204) The theory is that
during his reign, Akhenaten also created and developed written language in
Egypt.
Akhenaten,
along with his wife, Nefertiti, ruled from 1352-1336 BC. In the limestone
relief, “Akhenaten and His Family”, hieroglyph is combined with a new kind of
stylized relief carving. The image depicts both Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their
three children in a state of relaxation and play. A striking departure from the
highly mathematical depictions seen in earlier carvings is revealed. There is a
level of emotion conveyed in this carving, as opposed to the stoic figures that
were the norm. Hieroglyph is used to not only to relate the scene linguistically,
but symbolically as well, as seen in the ankhs that are splayed to indicate the
showering of eternal life upon the rulers. The ankh, a symbol of life, could
also be used to imply good fortune or good crops, depending on the “internal
details…added to the circular section…the circle resemb[ling] a woven braid…a twisted
shape made from plant stems around harvest time, intended to bring good fortune” (Kemp, 2005,
p. 9)
The sun, representing the sun god Aten dispenses this life and fortune.
Akhenaten
was responsible for the shift in religion from the polytheistic to the
monotheistic while he was in power, and even changed his name to represent this
change. It could be argued that the decision was made not out of religious
obligation, but out of political and power aspirations. Akhenaten, whose
previous name had been Amenhotep, had been born into the cult that worshipped
the god Amun. However, “[b]y the time of Amenhotep IV, the Cult of Amun owned
more land than the king.” (Mark, 2014) It would make sense,
that as a political figure, Amenhotep would”…[outlaw] the old religion and [proclaim]
himself the living incarnation of a single, all-powerful, deity known as Aten” (Mark, 2014) thus he
abolished all worship of other gods, and closed the temples and places of
worship that would subscribe to any of the other cults. This would transfer all
the land and power previously held by those who followed Amun, to himself. When
these political aspirations are known, it changes the meaning of the Stele of
Akhenaten. No longer viewed as an artwork that promotes the sanctity of the
royal family, it now indicates a particularly dangerous degree of political
influence. While the symbols used represent a bestowing of life, the history
indicates a ruler who removes certain freedoms from the population in order to
gain power.
The
use of hieroglyph in political statements of art, is still used today. Over the
past several decades, there has been a wave of political unrest in Egypt,
resulting in what is often a military state, as well as the civil reactions to
this upheaval. Street art has become a way of communicating these changes to
the general public, and serves as a reminder of the past atrocities that have
happened as a result of a government that, like Akhenaten, attempts to supress
freedom of speech and worship.
Soraya
Morayef, a freelance London based journalist, has been tracking and writing
about Egyptian Street art for several years. She has, over time, built a sense
of trust with the artists. At one point, the majority of street art was created
at night, with fears of arrest hanging over the heads of the artists. Now, more
and more works are being completed during the day, although the artists are
still subject to much scrutiny and some public backlash.
The designer Ganzeer, (a pseudonym), is one of
the artists who found that his work was not considered acceptable among
government ranks. Now residing in the United States of America, Ganzeer left
Egypt before he became sought after by the police and military. He maintains
that his decision to leave was not politically motivated, however, by the time
that he left the country, he was already being decried by public media as a
menace to society due to the nature of his work (Pollack,
2014) .
His use of hieroglyph is seen in several of his works, but is prominently
displayed in the mural “Foundations” which was created on a large wall in
Adilya, Bahrain.
Depicting
a bird’s head on a human body, and shrouded in a yellow shawl decorated with
hieroglyphic images, the piece is a statement of “the many minority cultures in
Bahrain and their involvement in, not only building the country, but also in
shaping Bahraini identity” (Ganzeer, 2014) . The hieroglyphics on
the yellow band of the robe “are based on folkloric visuals from a multitude of
minority cultures existing in Bahrain and more or less reserved to the worker
populations in the country, such as Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Filipino
and Thai” (Ganzeer, 2014) . There is an odd
reversal of image in the mural, as the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol of a bird
with a human head indicates the word ‘soul’, suggesting that “the inner self
most closely resembled the outward, physical person” (Kemp, 2005,
p. 179)
Ganzeer’s interpretation, when compared with the multicultural aspect of the
piece, indicates a link between the state of the people and the state of soul, with
the soul resembling the amalgamation of several cultures, and the peace of the
acceptance of such. The inclusion of ideograms from several cultures also
indicates the feeling of inclusion and a celebration of the differences within
Bahrain’s culture.
Pop
culture has also contributed widely to the current use of hieroglyphs. From
tattoos to the use of hieroglyph in storytelling, North American culture uses
the same images, adhering to interpretation while using them for symbolism and
fashion. On the other hand, artists such as Josh Lane, an American artist, has
provided a new platform for the hieroglyph. His series, “Hero-glyphs” uses
hieroglyph to recount the popular stories seen in comic books. Lane’s personal
interest in the Ancient Egyptian culture led to the study of hieroglyph, which
he uses in place of English. He also takes his art one step further by mimicking
the grid based body types seen in Egyptian art. (Butler, 2014)
Given
the wide range of use, as well as the fact that the culture that created the
hieroglyph no longer exists, is has been questioned as to whether or not appropriation
of the hieroglyph is considered to be a threat. According to one internet
blogger, the fear of appropriation no longer exists due to the fact that
hieroglyph is no longer used in daily Egyptian language and Ancient Egyptian
culture is no longer in use. Arabic is now the most commonly used language in
Eqypt. However, some would disagree, citing the fact that hieroglyph is often
misrepresented and that pop culture does not necessarily serve to education the
population, but to entertain it. The discussion surrounding appropriation of Egyptian
art has been primarily focused on the artifacts that have been relocated over
centuries to other countries, and those countries refusal to give the artifacts
back to Egypt. At the same time, there are those who believe that the use of
hieroglyph in tattoo form misuses the symbolic meaning of the word, siting a
lack of education on the part of the end user.
Hieroglyph
has continued to be a source of fascination for both artists and scholars.
There is, to some degree, a sense of mystery that still surrounds the ancient
Egyptians and their forms of communication and art. Because there are no
original speakers of the language, it remains unknown if interpretations by
historians are correct, and much of the pronunciation has been lost and
therefore left to conjecture. Still, it is heartening to see hieroglyphic
imagery continue to be used in art and to witness the impact that it still has on
a population, regardless of its use in political spheres or popular culture.
References
Butler, A. (2014, January 10). Hero-Glyphics
by Josh Lane. Retrieved from DesignBoom:
http://www.designboom.com/art/hero-glyphics-by-josh-lane-01-10-2014/
Ganzeer. (2014, February 25). Foundations Mural. Retrieved from
Ganzeer:
http://www.ganzeer.com/post/79255967646/project-foundations-mural-more
Kemp, B. (2005). 100 Hieroglyphs Think Like an Egyptian. New
York: Penguin Group.
Malek, J. (2003). Egypt 4000 Years of Art. New York: Phaidon
Press Limited.
Mark, J. J. (2014, April 17). Akhenaten. Retrieved from Ancient
History Encyclopedia: http://www.ancient.eu/Akhenaten/
Pollack, B. (2014, July 10). Hieroglyphics that won't be Silenced.
Retrieved from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/arts/design/ganzeer-takes-protest-art-beyond-egypt.html?_r=0
Sewell, B. (2001). The Accomplishments of Ancient Egyptian Civilization.
In B. Stalcup, Ancient Egyptian Civilization (pp. 95-98). San Diego:
Greenhaven Press Inc.
Silverman, D. P. (2011). Text and Image and the Origin of Writing in
Ancient Egypt. In D. C. Patch, Dawn of Egyptian Art (pp. 203-209). New
York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Stokstad, M., & Cothren, M. W. (2014). Art History 5th Ed,.
New York: Pearson.
The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. (2014, October 31). Interview
With Ganzeer. Retrieved November 21, 2015, from The Tahrir Institute for
Middle East Policy: http://timep.org/commentary/interview-ganzeer/
