Penelope Wilson

Durante más de tres mil años, los jeroglíficos fueron la escritura básica de comunicación de la antigua cultura egipcia. Pero más allá de su función como lenguaje, los jeroglíficos estaban imbuidos de un simbolismo magico especial para comunicarse con los dioses a traves de su inscripcion en tumbas y memoriales. Los jeroglificos contienen, pues, la clave para acceder a la mayoria de los secretos de aquella gran civilizacion y nos proporcionan una solida aproximacion a las creencias, esperamzas y sueños de los antiguos egipcios. En este libro que Geraldine Pinch ha calificado de "excelente introduccion al papel de la escritura en la cultura del Egipto Antiguo", la profesora Penelope Wilson nos explica los origenes de estos simbolos magicos, lo que hemos llegado a saber de ellos a traves de las nuevas traducciones que se han conseguido desde el primer desciframiento de Champollion, los usos de la criptografia y el porque de la poderosa fascinacion que los jeroglificos egipcios siguen ejerciendo sobre nosotros.

Wilson (Egyptology, U. of Durham, UK) has written an accessible but detailed overview of Egyptian hieroglyphs. The origins of hieroglyphs, the role of writing in ancient Egypt, the power of words and names, the relation of the script to spoken language, the status and profession of scribes, and the history of the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs are the main topics. "Hieroglyphs were an all-powerful force in communicating the messages of Ancient Egyptian culture for over three thousand years. Far more than a language, they were imbued with their own special magical symbolism and were used in tombs and ceremonies to communicate with the gods. They hold the key to unlocking many of the secrets of this fascinating civilization, and give us an intriguing insight into the minds of the ancient Egyptians - their beliefs, hopes, and dreams." Uncovering previously neglected areas of this absorbing story, Penelope Wilson emphasizes the origins of the script, its continuing translation after the decipherment by Champollion, the use of cryptography, and the powerful fascination hieroglyphs still hold for us today.

Hieroglyphs were far more than a language. They were an omnipresent and all-powerful force in communicating the messages of ancient Egyptian culture for over three thousand years. This ancient form of expression was used as art, as a means of identifying Egyptian-ness, even for communication with the gods. In this exciting new study, Penelope Wilson explores the cultural significance of hieroglyphs with an emphasis on previously neglected areas such as cryptography and the continuing decipherment of the script into modern times. She covers topics like the origins of writing in Egypt, hieroglyphic script and the Egyptian language, hieroglyphs and art, Scribes and everyday writing, and the decipherment of Egyptian Hieroglyphs in the modern world. She also examines the powerful fascination hieroglyphs still hold for us today. This book is the ideal reference for anyone with an interest in the fascinating civilization of Ancient Egypt. Penelope Wilson is Lecturer in Egyptology at the University of Durham and the author of Sacred Signs: Hieroglyphs in Ancient Egypt.