(k) hieroglyphieroglyphic writing during the fourth millenium bchic writing during the fourth...

8/17/2019 (K) HieroglypHieroglyphic Writing during the Fourth Millenium BChic Writing During the Fourth Millenium BC

1/34

rcheo Nil

Hieroglyphic

Writing

uring

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC:

an Analysis of Systems

o hem ahl

Resume

Au c o u r s d e la d e r n i e r e d e c e n n i e , le n o m b r e d i n s c r i p t i o n s p u b l i e e s , a n t e r i e u r e s a la l e r e d y n a s t i e , a

presque t r i p l e . L a p r i n c i p a l e r a i s o n e n e s t l a d e c o u v e r t e d e s i n s c r i p t i o n s d e la t o m b e U - j e n v i r o n 3 3 2 0

av.J-C a U m m e l - Q a c a b / A b y d o s N a q a d a I I I a 2 / N a q a d a I I I A 1 ) . L e s 5 2 5 i n s c r i p t i o n s c o n n u e s a p r e s e n t

et d a t a n t d a v a n t la l e r e d y n a s t i e a u t o r i s e n t u n e « p l o n g e e » a u x o r i g i n e s d e l e c r i t u r e h i e r o g l y p h i q u e

relativement a u m a t e r i e l i n s c r i t e t e c r i t , t o u t a u s s i b i e n q u e n c e q u i c o n c e r n e l e s g r a p h i e s d e s m o t s

et l e s t o c k d e s s i g n e s .

La r e p a r t i t i o n d e s i n s c r i p t i o n s s e s t a c c r u e a u c o u r s d u t e m p s , a v a n t la l e r e d y n a s t i e . P o u r l e r e g n e d e

Nar-mer e l l e s s o n t d e j a a r r e s t e e s s u r 17 s i t e s . C e c i p r o u v e a l e v i d e n c e q u i l e x i s t a i t u n c o r p s c o n s t i -

tue d u n g r a n d n o m b r e d e s c r i b e s .

Le s m o t s e t a i e n t e c r i t s e n d i f f e r e n t e s s e q u e n c e s d e s i g n e s . U n e t e n d a n c e a la s t a n d a r d i s a t i o n n e s t p a s

encore c e r t a i n e . L e n o m d H o r u s d u r o i N a r - m e r , p a r e x e m p l e , e s t a t t e s t e s o u s 15 g r a p h i e s d i f f e r e n t e s .

Le

c h o i x

d u n e

g r a p h i e

c e p e n d a n t

n e s t

p a s

a p p a r u e

p a r

h a s a r d

e n

d e p i t

d e

la

m u l t i p l i c i t y

d e s

p o s s i b i -

lites. A i n s i la f o r m e l o n g u e d u n o m d e N a r - m e r s e t r o u v a i t p a r t i c u l i e r e m e n t e x p r i m e e s u r d e s o b j e t s

representatifs m a i s la f o r m e c o u r t e „N a r o c c u p a i t d e s s u p p o r t s p l u s f o n c t i o n n e l s .

Un e x a m e n d e l e x i s t e n c e d e c e r t a i n e s f o n c t i o n s d e s s i g n e s h i e r o g l y p h i q u e s mo n t r e q u e , d u n e pa r t , le

systeme d e c r i t u r e e t a i t d e j a en u s a g e au t e m p s d e la t o m b e U- j , a v e c d e n om b r e u s e s c a r a c t e r i s t i q u e s

connues d e s p e r i o d e s p l u s t a r d i v e s ( l o g o g r amm e s , d e t e rm i n a t i f s , p h o n o g r a mm e s ) . D a u t r e p a r t ,

d autres c a r a c t e r i s t i q u e s m a n q u e n t e n c o r e ( c om p l em e n t s p h o n e t i q u e s e t q u e l q u e s p r i n c i p e s d e la c r e a -

tion d e l o g o g r amm e s ) . E n p a r t i c u l i e r , un s y l l a b a i r e e t a i t p r e s e n t , ma i s s e u l em e n t d a n s u n e f o r m e r u d i -

mentaire, a v a n t le mi l i e u d e la l e r e d y n a s t i e . A i n s i , l e c r i t u r e h i e r o g l y p h i q u e ex i s t a i t d a n s u n e f o r m e

„developpee d u r a n t le r e g n e d e D e n , ma i s d a n s sa f o r m e „ p l e i n em e n t d e v e l o p p e e , s e u l em e n t a p a r -

ti r

du

d e b u t

d e

la

3 em e

d y n a s t i e .

Avant l e p o q u e d e la t o m b e U - j , l e c r i t u r e p r o p r em e n t d i t n e s t p a s c o n n u e . D u n c o t e , l e s c om b i n a i -

sons d e s i g n e s m a n q u e n t , et d u n au t r e co t e , le p r i n c i p e d e s r e b u s n e s t p a s r e c o n n a i s s a b l e . N e a n m o i n s ,

il e s t p r o b a b l e q u a u m o i n s d u r a n t u n e c o u r t e p e r i o d e a v a n t l e t a b l i s s em e n t d e la t o m b e U- j , l u s a g e d e

l ecriture ex i s t a i t , ma i s a u c u n e e v i d e n c e n a s u r v e c u .

Westfal ische Wi l h e l m s - U n i v e r s i t a t Mi i n s t e r

Archeo Nil

n°

2 1 JO HEM KAHL

Originalveröffentlichung in: Archéo-Nil 11, 2001, S. 101-134


2/34

rcheo Nil

ieroglyphic

Writing

uring

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

an nalysis of Systems

o hem ahl

Abstract

During t h e la s t t e n y e a r s t h e n u m b e r o f p u b l i s h e d i n s c r i p t i o n s f r o m t h e t i m e b e f o r e t h e

st D y n a s t y h a s

almost

t r i p l e d .

T h e

m a i n

r e a s o n

is

t h e

d i s c o v e r y

a n d

p u b l i c a t i o n

o f

t h e

e a r l y

i n s c r i p t i o n s

f r o m

T o m b

U j ca . 3 3 2 0 B C a t U m m e l - Q a c a b / A b y d o s N a q a d a I I I a 2 / N a q a d a I 1 IA1 . T h e 5 2 5 i n s c r i p t i o n s

known

a t

p r e s e n t

a n d

d a t i n g

b e f o r e

t h e

1st

D y n a s t y

a l l ow

an

i n s i g h t

i n to

t h e

o r i g i n s

o f

h i e r o g l y p h i c

writ ing — in r e s p e c t t o wr i t i n g ma t e r i a l s a n d l i t e r a cy a s we l l a s c o n c e r n i n g t h e s p e l l i n g o f w o r d s a n d

the s t o c k o f s i gn s .

The d i s t r i b u t i o n o f i n s c r i p t i o n s i n c r e a s e d in c o u r s e o f t i m e b e f o r e t h e

st Dyn a s t y . F o r t h e r e i gn o f N a r -

mer i n s c r i p t i o n s f r o m 17 s i t e s a r e a l r e a d y a t t e s t e d . D u e t o c i r c um s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e , it c a n a l s o b e p ro -

ved t ha t t h e r e w a s a l a r g e o f f i c i a l g r o u p o f w o r k i n g s c r i b e s a s we l l .

Words w e r e wr i t t e n in d i f f e r e n t s ign s e q u e n c e s . A t e n d e n c y t o s t a n d a r d i z a t i o n w a s n o t y e t a s c e r t a i -

nable.

T h e Ho r u s n a m e o f k i n g Na r -m e r , f o r e x am p l e , w a s a t t e s t e d in 15 d i f f e r e n t s p e l l i n g s . T h e c h o i -

ce

o f

a

s p e l l i n g ,

h ow e v e r ,

d id

n o t

h a p p e n

h a p h a z a r d l y

in

s p i t e

o f

t h e

mu l t i p l i c i t y

o f

po s s i b i l i t i e s .

T h u s ,

th e l o n g e r f o r m o f N a r - m e r s n a m e w a s e s p e c i a l l y r e p r o d u c e d on r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o b j e c t s , b u t t h e s h o r -

te r

f o r m „ N a r o n m o r e f u n c t i o n a l s ub s t r a t e s .

An e x am i n a t i o n o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f c e r t a i n f u n c t i o n s f o r t h e h i e r o g l y p h i c s i g n s s h ow s , on o n e h a n d ,

that

t h e


wr i t i n g

s y s t em

w a s

a l r e a d y

in

u s e

d u r i n g

t h e

t im e

o f

T o m b

U- j ,

w i t h

m a n y

c h a -

racteristics t h a t a r e k n o w n f r om l a t e r p e r i o d s ( l o g o g r am s , d e t e r m i n a t i v e s a n d p h o n o g r a m s ) . O n t h e

other

h a n d , s o m e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a r e sti l l m i s s i n g ( p h o n e t i c c om p l e m e n t s a n d s o m e p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e

creation o f l o g o g r am s ) . In pa r t i c u l a r , a s y l l a b a r y w a s p r e s e n t o n l y in a r u d im e n t a r y w a y b e f o r e t h e

middle o f t h e 1st Dyn a s t y . T h u s h i e r o g l y p h i c wr i t i n g e x i s t e d in a „ f u l l y d e v e l o p e d f o r m d u r i n g t h e

reign

o f

D e n ,

b u t

in

a

„ f u l l y

d e v e l o p e d f o r m

o n l y

at

t h e

b e g i n n i n g

o f

t h e

3 rd

Dyn a s t y .

From

t h e t im e b e f o r e T o m b U- j , h i e r o g l y p h i c wr i t i n g in i ts p r o p e r s e n s e is n o t ye t k n o w n . O n t h e o n e

hand s i g n s in c om b i n a t i o n a r e m i s s i n g , a n d o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e b u s p r i n c i p l e is n o t y e t r e c o g n i -

zable. Nev e r t h e l e s s , it is p r o b a b l e t h a t a t l e a s t a s ho r t t i m e b e f o r e T o m b U - j w a s e q u i p p e d , t h e u s e o f

writ ing a l r e a d y e x i s t e d h o w e v e r n o e v i d e n c e o f it h a s s u r v i v e d .

Westfa l i sche

Wilhe lms-Univers i ta t

Muns te r

2

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

n nalysis of Systems


3/34

rcheo Nil

Hieroglyphic

Writing

uring

the Fourth Millennium BC:

an

Analysis of Systems

o hem

ahl

istory

of

Research

and

the

Quest ion

at

ssue

In the course of the last century, and especia l ly ju s t in the last decade, our understanding of th e origins

and deve lopmen t of Egyptian hieroglyphic writ ing has changed dramatically. As new evidence has

emerged th e date at which hieroglyphic writ ing can be said to have begun is being pushed back as far

as th e second half of th e fourth mil lenn ium. Even as recently as one hundred years ago, inscribed

objects f rom periods antedat ing the 4 th Dynas ty ca. 2600-2465 BC were not yet known or not yet

recognised as such MEYER 1887: 100 , al though th e great antiquity of th e hieroglyphs and their

invention by the legendary founder of th e Egyptian state, Mena , was known f rom the tradition of th e

ancient

authors Plinius th e Elder VII, 56 [192] . But, beginning in 1895, a s ignif icant series of disco -

veries

h a s

t r a n s f o r m e d

th e

field

o f

e v i d e n c e

o n

w h i c h

q u e s t i o n s

a b o u t

th e

h isto ry ,

n a t u r e

an d

m e a n i n g

of


w r i t i n g

a re

b a s e d .

T h e

e x c a v a t i o n s

at

U m m

e l - Q a c a b / A b y d o s

A M E L I N E A U

1899;

AMELINEAU 1902; A M E L I N E A U 1904; A M E L I N E A U 1 9 0 5 ; P E T R I E 1 9 0 0 ; P E T R I E 1 9 0 1 ),

Naqada D E M O R G A N 1 8 9 7 ) an d H i e r a k o n p o l i s Q U I B E L L 1 9 0 0 ; Q U I B E L L - G R E E N 1 9 0 2 ) y iel-

ded n u m e r o u s in scrib ed finds w h i c h i m m e d i a t e l y p u s h e d b a c k th e a g e o f th e s u r v i v i n g e v i d e n c e o f w r i -

ting by sev eral h u n d r e d y e a r s . W h a t a re o b v i o u s l y th e o ld est written h i e r o g l y p h i c c h a r a c t e r s w e r e n o w

dated f r o m th e r e i g n s o f K i n g I r y - H o r ca. 3 0 6 0 B C ) an d K i n g S e k h e n / K a c a. 3 0 5 0 B C ) . In f a c t , th e

volume

o f

th is

early

sto ck

o f


sig n s

c o n t i n u e d

to

g r o w

u p

until

th e

b e g i n n i n g

o f

th e

1 9 9 0 s,

although n o f u r t h e r s i g n i f i c a n t c h a n g e s in d a t i n g o c c u r e d . U p until 1992, 18 5 attestatio n s o f w r i t i n g

from th e p erio d p r e d a t i n g th e 1st D y n a s t y w e r e p u b l i s h e d , as w e l l a s 4 6 in scrip tio n s w h i c h c o u l d b e set

in

D y n a s t y 0 o r at th e b e g i n n i n g o f th e 1st D y n a s t y .

Starting

in 1988, th e r e n e w e d e x c a v a t i o n s o f th e G e r m a n In stitu te o f A r c h a e o l o g y at U m m el-

Qacab Abydos

b r o u g h t a b o u t a d r a m a t i c c h a n g e . C e m e t e r y U th ere, w h i c h ha d b e g u n to b e u s e d a b o u t

3600

B C

an d

w a s

f o l l o w e d

s e a m l e s s l y

b y

th e

u se

o f

C e m e t e r y

B

with

th e

t o m b s

o f

Iry -Ho r,

S e k h e n / K a ,

Nar mer

an d

A h a ,

y i e l d e d

m o r e

in scrib ed

m a t e r i a l

f r o m

so

early

a

t i m e

th an

h ad

b een

k n o w n

b e f o r e ,

from

al l

o f

E g y p t :

17 5

n e w

lab els

an d

a b o u t

14 5

n ew

p o ttery

v e s s e l s

D R E Y E R

1 9 9 8 a).

N o t

o n l y

a re

the finds n e w , b u t th eir in scrip tio n s are a l s o o l d e r th an t h o s e f o u n d in earlier d i s c o v e r i e s : T o m b U - j ,

which y i e l d e d th e larg est n u m b e r o f in scrip tio n s, h as b een d a t e d b y r a d i o c a r b o n a n a l y s e s to a b o u t 3 3 2 0

BC

N a q a d a

IIIa2

a c c o r d i n g

to

K a i s e r s

c h r o n o l o g y

[ D R E Y E R

1 9 9 8 a:

18;

K A I S E R

1957:

6 9 - 7 7 ;

K A I -

SER 1 9 9 0 : 2 8 7 - 2 9 9 ] ; th is c o r r e s p o n d s to N a q a d a IIIA1 a c c o r d i n g to H e n d r i c k x c h r o n o l o g y [ H E N -

DRICKX 1999: 3 1 , 7 6 ]). T h u s , in th e last d e c a d e alo n e, th e n u m b e r o f p u b l i s h e d in scrip tio n s f r o m th e

time b e f o r e th e 1 st D y n a s t y h a s a l m o s t trip led , largely d u e to finds f r o m T o m b U -j a l o n e f i g . 1).

1

I

w o u l d

l i k e

t o

t h a n k

B a r b a r a

E m m e l

f o r

h e r

a d v i c e

r e g a r d i n g

E n g l i s h .

Archeo Nil n° 2 1 JO HEM KAHL 3


4/34

ig :

Numbe r

of

publ ished

inscriptions

predat ing

th e

st

Dynas ty

whose

nature

as

writ ing

would

seem

to

be

proven

Dynasty and o lde r

385

Iry Hor

2

24

Sekhen Ka

3

53

Nar mer

4

63

total

525

Although

these

newly

discovered

inscr ip t ions

are

very

diff icul t

to

read

—

as

is

al l

ev idence

of

wri t ing

predating

the

1

st

Dynas ty

—

their

exis tence

never the less

demands

a

re invest igat ion

of

the

origin

of

h ie -

roglyphic

writ ing.

The

present

paper

will

a t tempt

to

fu l f i l

this

task ,

f rom

the

perspect ive

of

graphet ic

and

graphemat ic

aspects ,

and

with

an

especia l

emphas is

on

the

fo l lowing

tw o

quest ions:

How

early

did

a

h ie rog lyph ic

writ ing

system

deve lop?

And

what

s tages

of

deve lopmen t

are

discernible

in

it s

early

his-

tory?

The

prob lem

of

def in ing

the

term

«

wri t ing

»

is

inseparable

f rom

this

fo rmula t ion

of

the

quest ion.

General def in i t ions are nume rou s and prov ide a f i rs t clue as to wha t is necessa ry in orde r to award th e

predicate

wri t ing .

For

example ,

accord ing

to

Gelb ,

writ ing

can

be

unders tood

as

«

a

system

of

human

intercommunic tion by means of conventional visible marks » GELB 1952: 12). Hans Jensen def ined

writing as ,

v

schriftliche Fixierung eines gegliederten sprachlichen Ausdrucks, wobei sprachlichen

inheiten schriftliche Einheiten entsprechen JENSEN 1969 : 33). Pascal Vernus argued in Archeo-

Nil 3: « / / y a ecriture au sens propre lorsque le message fixe graphiquement peut etre decode hors de

son contexte de production, pour pe u qu on possede les clefs du code.

L

ecriture a en effet la vertu de

conferer aux enonces linguistiques qu elle vehicule une autonomic pa r rapport aux conditions de leur

originelle proferation. » VERNUS 1993: 76).

2

12 5 pot te ry vesse l s bear s igns wri t t en in ink DREYER 1998a: 47-84 ) an d 175 labels f r om Tomb U-j in Urara el -

Qacab/Abydos

are

incised

with

di f ferent

h i e rog l yphs

DREYER

1998a:

113-136) ;

addi t iona l ly

there

ar e

11

labels

f r om

ear -

lier

excava t i ons

which

may

also

or ig ina te

f rom

ceme t e ry

U

DREYER

1998a:

134-136;

these

labels

cor respond

to

KAHL

1994: Qu. 189-197, 205 , 274) and more than 20 f ragmentar i ly preserved vesse l s with inscr ip t ions f r om other t ombs f r om

cemetery U DREYER 1998a: 80-82) .

KAHL

1994:

Qu.

218

dates

also

to

Dynas t y

0.

In

addi t ion ,

there

is

s ome

new

ev i dence :

rock dr aw ing with inscr ip t ion , Gebe l Sheikh Su l e iman , MU RN A N E 1987: 285 , fig. l .A -B

pottery vesse l , Tell Ibrahim Awad , VAN DEN BRINK 1992: 52, fig. 8.1

pottery

vesse l ,

Buto ,

VON

DER

WAY

1993:

100,

fig.

22 .6

ja r

s tand,

Abydo s ,

Osiris

Templ e ,

HARVEY

1996:

364

pottery

vesse l ,

Ezbe t

el-Tel l ,

VAN

DEN

BRINK

1996:

146,

fig.

3.18

pottery vesse l , Pa lmah in Quarry , BRAUN - VAN DEN BR INK 1998: 88, fig. 3 .A1-A2

pottery vesse l , Horva t cl l l in Tahti t , BRAUN - VAN DEN BRINK 1998: 88, f ig . 3 .B1-B2

cylinder

seal ,

Helwan ,

KOHLER

1999:

50 .

3

In addi t ion to KAHL 1994: 171-172 Qu. 5-24) :

pottery vesse l , Umm e l -Qacab /Abydos , Bere ich B 1/2, DREYER 1993: 56, fig. 12

seal

impress ion,

Umm

e l -Qacab /Abydos ,

B

0,

DREYER

1996:

pi.

9c

pottery

vesse l ,

Umm

e l -Qacab /Abydos

?),

G I LROY

2001 :

72 ,

fig.

3-4.

4

In addit ion to KAHL 1994: 173-176:

pottery

vesse l ,

Tell

Ibrahim

Awad ,

VAN

DEN

BRINK

1992:

52,

fig.

8.2

pottery

vesse l ,

Umm


Tomb

U-j,

DREYER

1998a:

166,

fig.

98 .247

pottery vesse l , Umm e l -Qacab /Abydos ?) , G ILROY 2001 : 71, fig. 2.

5

In

addi t ion

to

KAHL

1994:

176-180

Qu .

79-131) :

pottery vesse l , Tell Ibrahim Awad , VA N DEN BRINK 1992: 52 , fig. 8.3

calcite alabaster

bas in ,

Umm


cemetery

U,

DREYER

1993:

38

label Umm e l -Qacab /Abydos , near B 0/1/2 , DREYER 1998a: 139, fig. 83 b

year

label ,

Umm


B

16-2

Halde ,

DREYER

1998b:

139,

pi.

5

c

pottery

vesse l ,

Umm


near

B

1/2,

DREYER

1998b:

140,

fig.

30

statuette unknown provenance , GRIMM 1998: 227 poss ib ly to be read as shn/ks)

pottery

vesse l ,

Tel

Hal i f

Terrace ,

VAN

DEN

BR INK

1998:

219 ,

fig.

la

pottery vesse l , Te l Hal i f Terrace , VA N DEN BRINK 1998: 219 , fig. l b

pottery

vesse l ,

nor theas tern

del ta

?) ,

DREYER

1999:

2,

fig.

1

pottery

vesse l ,

Umm

e l -Qacab /Abydos

?) ,

GR IMM

-

SCHOSKE

2000 :

71 .

4

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

n

nalysis

of

Systems


5/34

n

the specif ic case of th e earliest Egypt ian hieroglyphs , it is necessary to cons ider certain pecul iar i t ies

of

th e wri t ing system whose pr inciples are well known f rom th e later per iods . The ques t ion at issue is

whether these pr inciples were already in exis tence dur ing th e four th mil lenn ium, and, if so , when their

existence can first be discerned. These pr inciples of th e ancient Egypt ian wri t ing system are discussed

in detail below in section 6, but it may be stated prel iminar i ly that th e mos t impor tant are: 1 the r ebus

principle of wri t ing, whereby a depict ion of one object is used to represent a word that sounds th e s ame

as or

s imilar

to ,

the

object

depicted;

2 the

alphabet ic

pr inciple,

whereby

a

se t

of

unili teral

s igns

is

used to represent the individual ly dis t inct ive sounds phonemes of th e l anguage ; and 3 the comple -

ment

p r i n c i p l e ,

w h e r e b y

a

unili ter al

o r

bili ter al

sign

is

u s e d

to

s p e c i f y

a

par t

o f

th e

p h o n e m i c

c o n t e n t

of

a sign w h i c h h a s m o r e c o n s o n a n t s than it itself h a s .

Consequently, it h a s to b e d e t e r m i n e d w h e n th e s tock o f h i e r o g l y p h i c s i g n s first b e g a n to b e f r e e d f r o m

their s p e c i f i c a l l y iconic or s y m b o l i c u s a g e an d t h e r e b y b e c a m e abs tr acted f r o m t h e i r o r i g i n a l a s s o c i a -

tions

s o that t h e y c o u l d b e us ed in d i f f e r e n t s e m a n t i c c o n t e x t s . It is at this p o i n t that th e m a n i p u l a t i o n

of

h i e r o g l y p h s c o u l d r es ult in th e w r i t i n g o f al l t h i n k a b l e w o r d s a n d n o l o n g e r j u s t th e w o r d s t h e y r e p r e -

sented pictor ially.

Chronology

Before u n d e r t a k i n g to e x a m i n e th e ear lies t e v i d e n c e o f E g y p t i a n w r i t i n g a s s u c h , it is i m p o r t a n t to n o t e

that

th e ins cr ibed finds f r o m T o m b U -j at U m m e l - Q a c a b / A b y d o s no t o n l y h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d n e w u p p e r

chronological

b o u n d a r i e s

f o r

th e

d e t e c t a b l e

u s e

o f

E g y p t i a n

h i e r o g l y p h s ,

b u t

als o

h a v e

s u g g e s t e d

a

revised c h r o n o l o g y f o r th e s e q u e n c e o f ear ly E g y p t i a n k i n g s . S i m p l y on th e b a s i s o f label a n d v e s s e l

inscriptions f r o m this t o m b , Giinter D r e y e r e s t i m a t e s n i n e r uler s w h o r e i g n e d b e f o r e th e p r e v i o u s l y

known

k i n g s o f D y n a s t y 0. B ut t h e n , t h r o u g h a c o m p a r i s o n w i t h th e colos s al M in s tatues f r o m C o p t o s ,

the

C i t i e s - P a l e t t e s a nd s o m e o t h e r s m a l l finds, D r e y e r u l t i m a t e l y r e c o n s t r u c t s a s e q u e n c e o f 15 r uler s

before I r y - H o r a n d t h e r e f o r e a total o f 19 r uler s b e f o r e th e 1s t D y n a s t y f i g . 2 ; D R E Y E R 1998a : 178-

180 .

Fig

2

:

The

sequence

of

rulers

before

the

st

Dynasty

as

reconstructed

by

Giinter

Dreyer

Oryx?standard

Pteroceras

Fish ?)

Elephant

Bull = B u l l s h e a d s t a n d a r d ? )

Stork

Canid

Bull s h e a d s t a n d a r d

Scorpion

I a b o u t 3 3 2 0 B C )

Falcon I)

Min-standard + b r a n c h e d p o l e

7

?

F a l c o n II )

Lion

Double F a l c o n

Iry-Hor

Sekhen/Ka

Scorpion

II

Nar-mer until a b o u t 3 0 0 0 B C )

Archeo Nil n 2001

JO H M

KAHL

5


6/34

However it is n o t y e t c l e a r w h e t h e r D r e y e r s in terp retatio n o f s e v e r a l sig n g r o u p s as k i n g s n a m e s is

correct

c f.

K E M P

2 0 0 0 ) .

T h e

p r e s e n t

a u t h o r

c o n s i d e r s

t h e m

r a t h e r

to

b e

n a m e s

o f

p l a c e s

a n d

g o d s

KAHL f o r t h c o m i n g ) . If th is h y p o t h e s i s p r o v e s c o r r e c t , th en th e s e q u e n c e o f r u l e r s p r e d a t i n g th e 1st

Dynasty c o u l d still b e traced b a c k a s f a r as T o m b U - j , b u t w i t h o u t o u r k n o w i n g th e n a m e s o f t h o s e

rulers

f i g .

3 ).

Fig An alternative chronology of th e period with written ev idence before

st

Dynasty

anonymous

ru ler,

b u r i e d

in

T o m b

U - j

a b o u t

3 3 2 0

B C )

other a n o n y m o u s ru lers f r o m A b y d o s

Ny-Hor H a t - H o r , „Trio ,

„Double Fa lcon ? )

Iry-Hor

Pe-Hor,

Ny-Nei t ? )

Sekhen/Ka

Crocodile , Bird and vertical s ign ,

Scorpion

Nar-mer until about 3000 BC)

That would leave th e wel l -known kings Iry-Hor, Sekhen /Ka and Nar-mer , known f rom Abydos , as well

as

the

other

kings,

seen

as

local

or

oppos ing

rulers:

Ny-Ho r

and

Hat-Hor

cf.

to

both

KAISER-

DREYER 1982: 260-268 and VON DER WAY 1993: 101), Tr io FISCHER 1963: 44-47) , Pe-Hor

WILLIAMS 1986: 163, pi. 76; possibly to be read as Iry-Hor) , Crocod i l e DREYER 1992: 259-

263),

Bird

and

vertical

s i gn DREYER

1992:

260 ;

PETRIE

-

WAINWRIGHT

-

GARD INER

1913:

pi. 31.71) , Sco rp ion QUIBELL 1900: pi. 25 [below], 26 .C) , and perhaps Double Fa l con ENGEL,

2001) as wel l as Ny-N ei t ? ) KOHLER - VAN DEN BRINK , 2002 : 65-66, 76, f ig . 1.2) and an obscu-

re n ame VON DER WAY 1993: 99, f ig . 22.6) .

3 Wr i t i n g

ma t e r i a l

The oldest detectable materia ls used as a background substance substra te ; cf. MOUNTFORD 1969:

630 X.); KAHL 1994: 35-36) are pottery vessels and small bone or ivory labels which were found in

large

numbe r s

in

Tomb

U-j

at

Umm

el-

Qacab /Abydos

DREYER

1998a:

47-136) .

Stone

was

also

ins-

cribed as early as Naqada I I Ia2 /Naqada IIIA1 DREYER 1998a: 135-136) . Still earlier, at th e t ime of

Naqada I ld /Naqada IID, pottery vessels with s igns s imilar to writ ing have been found , al though their

meaning

has

not

yet

been

clearly

proved

cf.

the

defin i t ion

of

writ ing

in

1.

and

the

discussion

in

7.).

Whether other more perishable materia ls were inscr ibed, such as linen cf. th e painted f inds at Gebele in

from Naqada II : SCAMUZZ I 1964: pi. 1-5; DAM I CON E 1994: 20-23) , papyrus cf. KAHL 1994: 36)

or

leaves

HELCK

1985:

396;

cf.

WELVAERT

1996:

101-107),

is

also

not

yet

clear.

Ink, carving and relief were used as materia ls and /o r techniques by which hieroglyphic s igns could be

made vis ib le constra te ; cf. MOUNTFORD 1969: 630 X.); KAHL 1994: 35-36) . Two colours of ink ,

red and black, migh t be used on th e same object PETRIE 1901b: pi. 12.4; cf . KAHL 1997: 44-56) .

Incisions

could

be

filled

with

coloured

paste

e.g.

DREYER

1998a:

137

[black

or

bluish-black

paste];

QUIBELL 1900: pi. 30.7 [red ochre]) . Relief was l imited to prest ig ious objects : highly decorat ive

palettes and maceheads , s ta tues of gods , s tone vessels , as well as gaming balls and a weigh t s tone

whose exact utilisation is unknown . Fig. 4 presents a summary of al l attested materia ls with examples

for al l combina t ions of substra te and constra te .

6

ieroglyphic Writing During the Fourth Millennium BC

n

nalysis

of

Systems


7/34

ink

incision

relief

pottery vessel PETRIE 1902: pi. 1.1-13

KAISER - DREYER

1982: 234 , fig. lOc-d

PETRIE

- WAIN-

WRIGHT

- GARDINER

1913:

pi. 31 .69

PETRIE

1902: pi. 3.36-38

GARSTANG 1907: pi. 3.1

DREYER 1999: 2, fig. 1

label bone

labels ebony

labels ivory

label l imes tone

label quar tzi te

PETRIE 1901b: pi. 12.4

DREYER

1998a:

115,

fig.

74

PETRIE 1901b: pi. 2 .4

DREYER 1998a: 117, fig.

75.39


82.191


82.192 incised?

cylinder

seal

ivory

cylinder

seal steatite

PETRIE

1901a:

pi.

10.34

BAINES 1989: 475 , fig. 5

KOHLER

1999: 50

seal impres s ions indi-

cations fo r cyl inder

seals

DREYER 1996: pi. 9c

SPENCER 1980: 53 360

sculpture

l imes tone

sculpture

calcite-alabaster

sculpture

veined

sed imentary

rock

SCHOTT

1969:

81,

fig.

5

GRIMM 1998: 226-227

PETRIE 1896: pi. 3-4,

5.4

ceremonial palet tes

slate

QUIBELL

1900: pi.

29

FISCHER 1958: 73,

fig. 2a

ASSELBERGHS

1961:

pi. 92

ceremonial macehead

slate

QUIBELL

1900: pi.

25

bot tom , 26 .B ,

26.C

rcheo Nil n°11 2 1 JO H M

KAHL

7


8/34

stone

vessels

calc i te-

l b ster

stone

vessel

slate

stone

vessel

basal t

stone vessel black por -

phyry

PETRIE

1901b:

pi.

2.6

QUIBELL - GREEN

1902:

pi. 30.7

KAPLONY

1963:

III,

fig.

826

KAPLONY

1973:

pi.

7.24

LACAU - LAUER 1959:

pi.

1.1

PETRIE

1901b:

pi.

52.359

KAPLONY

1968: 18.5

DREYER

1993:

38

palette

KAPLONY

1965: pi. 20.3

stone

weight

quartzi te

KAPLONY 1964:

pi.

11.1053

gaming

balls

white

stone

KAPLONY

1973: pi. 6.5-6

rock-inscription

WINKLER

1938:

pi.

11.1

MURNANE

1987:

285,

fig. l .A-B

faience

objec t

inlay?

SAAD

1947:

165,

fig.

13

box ivory


unidentified

objec t

ivory


4

iter cy

The

distribution

of

th e

t ransmit ted

inscript ions

indicates

a

concentrat ion

in

th e

cent re,

in

Abydos .

Starting

with th e ruler buried in Tomb U-j , th e distribution of th e inscript ions outside of Abydo s

increases

f rom

I ry-Hor

f ig.

5 to

Sekhen/Ka

f ig.

6 and

Nar -mer

f ig.

7 .

For

Dynasty

0,

inscript ions

are attested f rom 30 di f fe ren t si tes f ig. 8 . During th e reign of Nar-mer , th e eleven inscriptions f rom

Tarkhan

give th e first serious hint of th e role played by th e Memph i t e region during th e fo l lowing 1st

Dynasty.

Legend

to

fig.

5-8:

o

less than 10 inscript ions

•

more

than

10

inscript ions

List

of

sites

ment ioned

in

fig.

5-8.

1

Umm

e l -Qacab/Abydos

13 Minshat

Abu

Omar

25

el-Beida

2

Zawiyet el -Aryan

14 northeastern delta

26 Sinai

3

Tarkhan 15

Arad

27

Raphia

4 Helwan

16 Tel Halif Terrace

28

Tel

Macahaz

5

Tell

Ibrahim Awad

17

Tel

Erani

29

Horvat clllin Tahtit

6

Hierakonpolis

18

Gebel

Sheikh

Suleiman

30

Palmahim

Quarry

7

Wadi

e l -Qash

19

Qustul

8 Naqada

20

Abadiyeh

9 Qift

21

Mahasna

10

Saqqara

22

Abusir

el -Meleq

11

Tura

23

Buto

1 8

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

n

nalysis of Systems


9/34

ig 5:

Distr ibut ion

of

inscriptions

from the reign of Iry Hor

ig 6: Distr ibut ion of inscr ipt ions

from

the reign of Sekhen Ka

rcheo Nil

n°11 2 1

JO H M

KAHL 9


10/34

Fig

7: Distr ibut ion of inscr ipt ions

from

the

reign

of

Nar mer

Fig 8: Distr ibut ion of inscr ipt ions

before

the

1st

Dynasty

09

30

2 t

23

25 2

SI

22

20

:3

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

n

nalysis of Systems


11/34


12/34

Even so , th e pa laeograph ica l compar i son of th e in k inscr ip t ions on cylindrical vessels f r om U m m el-

Qacab Tomb B 7, points to a larger numbe r of scr ibes who worked on the equ ipmen t fo r the t omb of

Sekhen/Ka f ig . 10 . The d i f fe ren t execution of th e fo l lowing s igns is especia l ly striking: the sign fo r

Upper

Egyp t

Gard ine r

s ign -number

M

26 ,

the

hieroglyph

fo r

Q

3 ,

the

serekh

O

33 and

th e

fa l-

con G 5 ) p e r c h i n g on th e s e r e k h . In e a c h in scrip tio n , t h e s e h i e r o g l y p h s o c c u r ag ain an d a g a i n in a n e w

combin tion

o f

f o r m s .

A

c o m p a r a b l e

m u l t i p l i c i t y

o f

s c r i b e s h a n d s

is

attested

f r o m

th e

reig n

o f

A h a :

distinctions in th e r e p r o d u c t i o n o f s i g n s cf. S A A D 1 9 3 9 : 7 6 ) s u g g e s t th at in k i n s c r i p t i o n s f r o m T o m b

3 3 5 7

at

S a q q a r a

E M E R Y

1 9 3 9 :

p i.

14 ,

2 0 - 2 3 )

w e r e

d r a w n

b y

a

larg er

n u m b e r

o f

scrib es.

Fig 10: Ink inscriptions from the reign of Sekhen /Ka

PETRIE 1902: pi. 1 2 .

O

i r

f

M

—•— —

f

£ P

e gS

mc

•J

ft

fitS

^J

m

112


n

Analysis

of

Systems


13/34

5

Word spell ings

h spelling of words could vary t h roughout the entirety of the Pre and Early Dynast ic Per iod dif fe -

rent g r aphemes were at t imes used fo r the notat ion of one and th e same word KAHL 1994: 56-61) . For

example

the word nh b „a kind of gif t or r evenue for th e reading cf. KAHL 1994: 101-104; KAHL

995:

168-176) is wri t ten in a di f f e ren t way on cyl inder vessels dur ing Dynas ty 0 than on a year label

from

th e reign of Den cf. KAHL 1994: 102; DREYER 2000: 115, pi. lO.h).

Graphemes

were

also

changed

in

their

or ientat ion,

as

occur red ,

fo r

example ,

in

th e

hieroglyphic

group

referring to th e sandal-bearer on the Nar-mer-palet te or on th e Nar -mer -macehead f ig . 11). Or they

could

be changed in thei r sequence as, fo r example , in th e note of del ivery ipw.t in which p was wri t -

ten in f ront of / f ig . 12).

Fig

11: Sandal-bearer on the macehead and th e palette of Nar-mer

after KAISER 1983: 264 fig. 1; QUIBELL 1898 : pi. 13 12 .

Fig 12 :

E x a m p l e s

o f

i

w t

w i t h

n o r m a l

a n d

r e v e r s e d

s p e l l i n g

after

P E T R I E

1902 :

p i .

2 . 23 1 . 10 2 . 16 1 . 6 .

rcheo Nil

n°11 2001

JO H M

KAHL


14/34

h r re sever l possible re sons fo r such irregul rities the s tock of hieroglyphic s igns w s still rel -

tively i n c o m p l e t e cf . 6 . 3 ) an d it a p p e a r s th at th e s c r i b e s to o k a certain p l e a s u r e in e x p e r i m e n t i n g . T h e

reproductions

o f

k i n g

N a r - m e r s

n a m e

s h o w

th at

th e

r u l e s

o f

d e c o r u m

c f.

B A I N E S

1 9 8 5 :

2 7 7 - 2 7 8 )

even th en i n f l u e n c e d w o r d s p e l l i n g s . H is n a m e c o u l d b e e n w r i t t e n in 15 d i f f e r e n t w a y s a c c o r d i n g to th e

attestations w h i c h a re k n o w n at p r e s e n t f i g . 13). O n e c a t e g o r i z i n g m a r k is a r e s p e c t i v e i n c l u s i o n o r

omission o f th e ch isel U 2 3 ) : w h e r e a s th e c a t f i s h K 8 = K a h l s i g n - n u m b e r k 4 ) w a s a l w a y s w r i t t e n ,

the

ch isel

c o u l d

b e

l e f t

o u t .

T h e

e x p l a n a t i o n

f o r

th is

p h e n o m e n o n

m i g h t

b e

f o u n d

in

th e

h i e r a r c h i c a l

importance o f th e s o u r c e s : m o r e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o u r c e s , s u c h as th e N a r - m e r - p a l e t t e , th e N a r - m e r -

macehead

o r

s t o n e

v e s s e l s ,

s h o w

th e

f u l l

s p e l l i n g

o f

th e

n a m e ,

c o m p l e t e

w i t h

c a t f i s h

an d

ch isel,

w h e -

reas

m o r e

f u n c t i o n a l

s o u r c e s ,

s u c h

as

p r o d u c t

lab els

o r

p o t t e r y

v e s s e l s ,

attest

th e

s h o r t e r

s p e l l i n g s

without th e c h i s e l fig . 14).

Fig 13: Spel l ings of king Nar mer s name .

i

2

m

c

\

3

3

m

«

5

Sfe

01

6

j zcns j

m

7

[m^m 1

8

1

i

|

f

1

J

n

o

v

o

11

VoTo

—1

„ ?

13

14

i

15

114

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

n

nalysis

of

Systems


15/34

1

cyl inder seal BAINES 1989: 475 , fig. 5

2 s tone vessel PETRIE 1901b: pi. 52.359 ; cf. highly decorat ive macehead QUIBELL 1900: pi.

26 B ;

year label PETRIE 1901b: pi. 10.1; DREYER 1998b: 139, fig. 29 ; s tone vessels DE M O R -

GAN 1897: 241 , f ig . 811; PETRIE 1900: pi. 4.2; PETRIE 1901b: pi. 2.3; PETRIE 1914: pi. 9.2;

LACAU

- LAUER 1959: pi. 1.1; KAPLONY 1966a: fig. 1138; KAPLONY 1968: pi. 18.5; KAPLO -

NY 1973: pi. 7.24 ; gaming balls KAPLONY 1973: pi. 6.5-6 ; weight s tone KAPLONY 1964: f ig .

1053 ;

statue of baboon SCHOTT 1969: 81, f ig . 5 ; seal impress ion KAPLONY 1963: III, f ig . 77 ;

ivory objec t PETRIE 1901b: pi. 2.5

3

seal

impress ion

KAPLONY

1963:

III,

fig.

26A ;

cf.

seal

impress ion

KAPLONY

1963:

III,

fig.

26B

4

pot tery

vessel

PETRIE

-

WAINWRIGHT

-

GARDINER

1913:

pi.

31.68 ;

cf.

pot tery

vessels

PETRIE - WAINWR IGHT - GARDINER 1913: pi. 31.69; KAPLONY 1964: f ig . 1061-1062; WIL-

DUNG 1981: 37, fig. 33 [left]

5

seal impress ion KAPLONY 1963: III, fig. 25

6 pot tery vessel D U N H A M 1978: 26, pi. 16a ; cf. rock inscription WINKLER 1938: pi. 11.1 ; pot-

tery

vessels KAISER - DREYER 1982: 263 , fig. 14.36; BAKR 1988: 55, pi. l a

7 pot tery vessel DREYER 1998b: 140, fig. 30

8

highly decorat ive palet te QUIBELL 1898: pi. 13

9 highly decorat ive palet te QUIBELL 1898: pi. 12 ; cf. palet te KAPLONY 1965: pi. 20.3 ; f a i ence

object

inlay?;

SAAD

1947:

165,

fig.

13

10 seal impress ion KAPLONY 1963: III, fig. 34

11

seal impress ion KAPLONY 1963: III, fig. 35A ; cf. seal impress ion KAPLONY 1963: III, fig.

35B

12

highly

decorat ive

palet te

QUIBELL

1898:

pi.

12

13 pottery vessel BAKR 1988: 55, pi. lb

14

ivory

object

SPENCER

1980:

pi.

52.454 ;

cf.

label

DREYER

1998a:

139,

fig.

83b ;

pot tery

ves-

sels GARSTANG 1907: pi. 3.1; JUNKER 1912: 47 , fig. 57.3-4 [= Ny-Hor?] ; PETRIE 1914: pi.

20.1-2;

YELVIN

1960:

195,

fig.

2;

KAISER

-

DREYER

1982:

263 ,

fig.

14.40;

VAN

DEN

BR INK

1992: 52, fig. 8.3; VAN DEN BRINK 1998: 219 , fig. l a -b ; GR IMM - SCHOSKE 2000: 71

15 pot tery vessel DREYER 1999: 2, fig. 1

Fig

14:

Overv i ew

of

the

kinds

of

objects

on

which

king

Nar-mer s

n ame

is

written

in

comple te

Nar-mer)

or

shortened

Nar)

spel l ing.

kind

of object

Nar-mer

Nar

highly decorat ive palet te

4

highly decorat ive macehead

sculpture

+

stone

vessels

feast

seal

other seals

year labels

1

palette

weight

s tone

gaming ball

ivory objec t

faience object

rock

inscription

•

+

box ?

label

pottery

vessels

rcheo Nil

n°11

2 1

JOCHEM

KAHL 11 5


16/34

6 Stock of s igns

n

invest igat ion

of

the

stock

of

s igns

and

their

use

befo re

the st

Dynas ty

helps

us

to

gain

a

clearer

idea

of

th e

s tage

of

deve lopmen t

that

early

hieroglyphic

writ ing

had

at ta ined

by

that

t ime If

one

asks

how

w e

can

recogn ize

deve loped

h ie rog lyph ic

wri t ing

as

such then

it

is

necessary

to

consider

th e

f u n c -

tions

o f

th e


s i g n s

c f.

f i g .

15).

T h e

s i g n s

c an

b e

u s e d

as

l o g o g r a m s

a n d / o r

d e t e r m i n a t i v e s

and or

p h o n o g r a m s

a n d / o r

p h o n e t i c

c o m p l e m e n t s .

Fig 5: Poss ib le funct ions of hieroglyphs after SCHENKEL 997: 42

Semograms

phonograms

as n o t a t i o n logograms o r i d e o g r a m s phonograms

as m a r k e r s determinatives

phonetic c o m p l e m e n t s

A

l o g o g r a m

s e r v e s

f o r

w r i t i n g

a

s o u n d

o r

series

o f

s o u n d s

th at

r e p r e s e n t

e i t h e r

an

en tire

w o r d

o r

a

w o r d

root T h e r e f o r e , th e u s e o f a n y l o g o g r a m is limited to th e w r i t i n g o f w o r d s th at a r e e t y m o l o g i c a l l y o r

semantically r e l a t e d to th e s i g n s o w n m e a n i n g . In d i s t i n c t i o n f r o m l o g o g r a m s , p h o n o g r a m s are u s e d

in a n y w o r d f o r n o t a t i n g m o n o - o r b i c o n s o n a n t a l p h o n e m e s . G e n e r a l l y , p h o n o g r a m s a re e s t a b l i s h e d

according to th e r e b u s p r i n c i p l e .

Determinatives a re s e m o g r a m s w h i c h c l a s s i f y a w o r d a c c o r d i n g to it s s e m a n t i c a l s p h e r e . C o m p l e m e n t s

are p h o n o g r a m s w h i c h s p e c i f y a p a r t o f th e p h o n e m e s e q u e n c e o f a p r e c e d i n g o r f o l l o w i n g sig n w h i c h

has m o r e c o n s o n a n t s t h a n itself, t h u s c l a r i f y i n g th e w o r d s m e a n i n g .

6 Logograms

Logograms a re a l r e a d y attested in t h e s e e a r l y i n s c r i p t i o n s an d th eir u s e is th e r u l e — a s f a r as w e

understand t h e s e i n s c r i p t i o n s to d ate. L o g o g r a m s w h i c h b e l o n g to th e larg e g r o u p o f s e m o g r a m s c f.

fig 15 ) can b e a c c o m p l i s h e d in d i f f e r e n t w a y s c f. f i g . 16):

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC

n

nalysis

of

Systems


17/34

t r

minative

Logo

gramme

•

A

Phono

gramme

Komple

mente

Ka

Hi

gramme

spcv iclic

un d

allgcmeine

SeaMgnmnw

S e m o g r a m i w

Semogramme

Rebus

ildliche

Darstellungen

Fhonogramme

Symbole

Reale

u n d

i d eo l og i sche

Wel t

d e r

gyp t e r

ig 16:

Methods

of

creat ing

hierog lyphic

signs

K A H L

1994:

52 .

rcheo Nil

n°11 2 1

JO H M KAHL


18/34

iconical ly : by rep roduc ing th e ob jec t itself; e.g. the h ie rog lyph O 19 pr.w-wr Pe r -we r DREYER

998a:

122,

f ig .

77 .61-69)

symbolical ly :

one

has

to

dis t inguish

three

possibi l i t ies

in

later

periods

to

create

symbol ica l

logograms

by associa t ion of though t cf . KAHL 1994: 53):

The g rapheme represents a part of th e deno ted word pars pro toto ; there is no ev idence fo r this pro -

cedure befo re the 1 st Dynasty .

-

The

g rapheme

points

to

a

semantical

aspect

of

th e

deno ted

word ;

e.g.

during

th e

re ign

of

Nar -me r

hj.t

F

4),

the

fo repa r t

of

a

lion

fo r

„the

be s t PETRIE

1901b:

pi.

12.4).

Signs

are

also

at tes ted

f r om

Tomb

U-j wh ich were created in that way , e.g. trees that migh t deno te planta t ions DREYER 1998a: 140), or

an e lephan t that deno tes Elephantine , th e island associa ted with elephants GARD INER 1947: II , 2* -

4 ;

see

f ig .

17 ,

specif ica l ly

fo r

that

reading

cf.

6.2).

- The g rapheme is also created freely f rom d i f fe ren t geomet r ica l f o rms d iag ram) ; e.g. the vert ica l stro-

ke Z 1) fo r numera ls in Tomb U-j DREYER 1998a: 117, f ig . 75.22-31)

- through the rebus principle : the g rapheme portrays an entity whose name displays a s imilar phono lo -

gical s tructure . The g rapheme here is used for notat ing a few dis t inct phonetic sequences . For example ,

the

word

nhb

„a

kind

of

g i f t

or

revenue is

writ ten

with

the

lotus

M

9v)

whose

consonan ta l

sequence

nh t sounds s imilar KAHL 1994: 102).

6 2 Determinat ives

Determinatives are evident already during this early epoch: e.g. the names of subdued reg ions chn.w,

sti

and

ssm.t are

class if ied

by

the

sign

N

18

strip

of

sand)

on

a

cylinder

seal

of

Nar -me r

BA INES

1989:

475 ,

f ig .

5) .

And

even

in

the

inscr ip t ions

f rom

Tomb

U-j,

de te rmina t ives

seem

to

have

been

used.

Some labels f ig . 17; DREYER 1998a: 119, f ig . 76 .53-56 , 76.59-60) display an elephant E 26) s tan-

ding on a mounta in range N 25). Perhaps :bw Elephantine could be read KAHL , fo r thcoming ; fo r

a

d i f fe ren t

reading:

DREYER

1998a:

140-141) .

In

th is

case ,

the

sign

fo r

mounta in

range

wou ld

f unc -

tion

as

a

de te rmina t ive .

Fig

17 :

Labels

from

T o m b

U j

D R E Y E R 1998a: 119 fig. 76 .59

2

D R E Y E R

1998a:

119 fig.

76 .60

o

a

ti

Q

cm

05

£3

8


n nalysis of Systems


19/34

6

onoconson nt l

phonogr ms

That early hieroglyphic wri t ing passed through a long deve lopmenta l phase can be bes t ev idenced or

illustrated

by means of phonograms : During th e reign of Den, the stock of monoconsonanta l s igns was

almost

but not yet fully, comple te . At that t ime monoconsonanta l s igns were lacking only fo r y and s,

eventually also fo r h and k K A H L 1994: 71, 161 . However , mos t of th e monoconsonan t a l s igns were

not created before th e 1 st Dynas ty dur ing th e reigns of Djer to Den . Accord ing to present day i n for-

mation,

dur ing the reign of Nar-mer , unili teral s igns were used only fo r 10 of 25 consonant s of th e

Egyptian

l anguage :

fo r

i,p,f,

n,

r,

h,

s,

t,

c

and

c.

Biconsonanta l

s igns

are

still

more

rarely

attested

fo r

that t ime (cf. 6.4). Most of th e words were wri t ten by l ogograms (cf. 6.1).

List of attestation fo r monoconsonanta l signs:

i

(M 17) ipw.t, Sekhen/Ka (e.g. PETRIE 1902: pi. 1.1-4, 1.6-8)

p (Q 3) ipw.t, Sekhen/Ka (e.g. PETRIE 1902: pi. 1.1-4, 1.6-8)

/ (I 9) cfi, I ry -Hor (KAISER - DREYER 1982: 231 , f ig . 9); Nar -mer ( PETRIE -

WAINWRIGHT - GARDINER 1913: pi. 31.69)

n (N 35) nhb, Sekhen/Ka (e.g. PETRIE - WAINWR IGHT - GARDINER 1913: pi.

31.67; KAPLONY 1963: III, fig. 848; PETRIE 1902: pi. 3.27-28) ; nhb,

Dynasty

0,

(e.g.

PETRIE

-

WAINWR IGHT

-

GARDINER

1913:

pi.

31.66;

PETR IE

1914:

pi. 9.3); mn, Nar -mer ( KAPLONY 1963: III, fig. 77)

r (D 21) Ir.i hr.w I ry-Hor (e.g. PETRIE 1900: pi. 44 .2 ; KAPLONY 1963: III, fig.

13; KAISER - DREYER 1982: 234 , fig. lO.a-d)

h

(V 28) chs, Nar -mer ( KAPLONY 1964: fig. 1061)

s (S 29) —(?) , Dynas ty 0 (HARVEY 1996: 364, fig. 3); —(?) , Nar -mer ( PETRIE

1901b: pi. 10.1)

t ( X I ) iw.t mh.w 7 , Nar -mer ( KAPLONY 1964: fig. 1062); &. (?) , Nar -mer

QUIBELL

1900: pi. 29)

c (V 13 ) &. (?) , Nar -mer (QUIBELL 1900: pi. 26 .B , 29)

c ( 110 ) cfi, I ry-Hor (KAISER - DREYER 1982: 231 , fig. 9), Nar -mer ( PETRIE -

WAINWRIGHT - GARDINER 1913: pi. 31.69) ; chs, Nar -mer ( KAPLONY 1964:

fig. 1061)

eventually also:

h (A a 1) —(?) , Dynas ty 0 ( PETRIE 1901a: pi. 10.34)

The use of monoconsonanta l phonog r ams is cer tainly attested s ince I ry-Hor: r (D 21; wri t ten in this

king s

name) as well a s / ( I 9) and c (I 10 ) on seal impress ions bear ing th e note cf i mh.w.

Tomb U-j at Umm e l -Qacab /Abydos has given ev idence of s ome of the earliest wri t ing. Therefore a

question

arises as to whe the r unili teral s igns were already in use at such an early s tage. Two of th e

labels

( f ig .

18.2-3;

DREYER

1998a:

pi.

33 .142-143)

bear

an

inscription

cons is t ing

of

a

sign

or iginal ly

representing a sickle and a l ightning bolt , which has been interpreted as the night sky, and a sign group

which has been ident i f ied as a cobra in repose (I 10 ) and a sand-covered mounta in at th e edge of green

cultivation (N 26) . Another label ( f ig . 18.1; DREYER 1998a: pi. 33 .135) bears an inscription which

once again s hows th e cobra and th e mounta in , but now in connec t ion with a cres ted ibis (G 25) . One

suggested reading fo r th e cobra and th e mounta in is cw mountain (wri t ten with a bili teral sign and a

uniliteral phonet ic complement ) .

Both

kinds of inscription would r e fe r to place names , which al lude to sunset and sunr ise: cw in com-

bination with th e ibis would read mounta in of br i l l iance or eastern mounta in , cw in combina t ion

with th e night sk y would read mountain of darkness or western moun t a i n (DREYER 1998a: 139).

rcheo Nil n°11 - 2001

JO H M KAHL


20/34

Fig

18:

Inscr ibed

labels

from

T o m b

U j

D R E Y E R

1998a:

130 fig.

80.135

2

D R E Y E R

1998a:

130 fig.

80.142

3

D R E Y E R

1998a:

130 fig.

80.143

o

o

Even

if th e proposed mean ing of th e reading seems appropria te fo r a label-inscription and therefore

plausible

some

doubts

remain

about

its

correctness:

1. The sign fo r

cw

is only once writ ten with th e mountain (N 26), but twice with th e mountain range

N 25).

2. The stroke in DREYER 1998a: 130, fig. 80.135 is inexplicable in this posi t ion . Moreover it seems

to exist in DREYER 1998a: 130, fig. 80.143, as can be seen on the pho to DREYER 1998a: pi. 33.143.

3. There exists another word cni w which is derived f rom th e verb cn i lift up or dis t inguish . It has

three mean ings : mounta ins , settled higher land at the desert edge and boundary (EDEL 1956: 72).

This word is usual ly writ ten with a serpent being raised by a bent stick (f ig . 19). Somet imes there is a

feather in the serpent s body. And in most cases th e determinat ive is a boundary-s tone, even if the wor-

d s mean ing is not boundary , but mountains cf . Pyr. § 279 a).

So fa r this word is attested f rom th e Old Kingdom on with the mean ing of mountains . And in al l pro-

bability, it was also writ ten in the First Dynasty , HELCK 1987: 232), but withou t th e determinat ive

cf.

fig. 19.1).

2

ieroglyphic

Writing

During

the

Fourth

Millennium

BC:

n

Analysis

of

Systems


21/34

Fig

19 :

Examp le s

for

cni.w

Kah l

s i gn -number

r

15 .

1 - 1st Dynasty EM ERY 1958: pi. 39

2

-

5th

Dynasty

JUNKER

1938:

169,

fig.

30

3

-

6th

Dynasty

JUNKER

1953:

71,

fig.

40

4

-

6t h

Dynasty

after

VON

BISSING

1911:

pi.

5

5 - 6th Dynasty JAM ES 1953: pi . 14

6

-

19th

Dynasty

KITCHEN

1975:

202 .10;

handcopy

VI

It

is poss ible that th e word cni.w with th e mean ing of mounta ins or settled higher land at th e deser t

edge was wri t ten on th e labels in Tomb U-j. And th e mounta in or the mounta in r ange were chosen as

determinatives Thus it would be a sign group cons is t ing of th e raised serpent and th e mounta in or

mountain range l ike th e sign group of raised serpent and boundary- s tone dur ing th e Old Kingdom

The

impl icat ions of that proposed new reading are fa r r each ing because it would imply that comp l e-

ments were not included in these early inscriptions. Aside f rom these labels, there is no hint fo r the use

of unili teral s igns in Tomb U-j . A label of s tone DREYER 1998a: 135, f ig . 82 .191) with unreadable

signs was found on th e sur face near Tomb U-j DREYER 1998a: 138, note 185). Whi le this label could

bear s ome unili teral signs, their sense r emains unintel l igible.

All

in

al l

there

is

no

def ini te

proof

fo r

th e

exis tence

of

unili teral

s igns

dur ing

Naqada

I I I a2 /Naqada

niAi

6 4

Biconsonantal phonograms

The biconsonanta l phonog r ams bj G 29) and st Q 1) accord ing to DREYER 1998a: 139) are used to

write the place n ame Bubast is , as it appear s to be recorded on tw o labels f rom Tomb U-j DREYER

1998a: 125, fig. 78 .103-104) . These are th e earliest biconsonantal phonog r ams known at present . Othe r

representatives of this group of s igns are not attested until th e reign of Nar-mer .

List

o f

a t t e s t a t i on

f o r

b i c o n s o n a n t a l

s i gn s :

iw

E 9) iw.t mh.wO Nar -mer KAPLONY 1964: f ig . 1062)

bJ

G 29) bJlt Naqada I I I a2 /Naqada IIIA1 DREYER 1998a: 125, fig. 78 .103-104)

nm Y 5) mn Nar -mer KAPLONY 1963: f ig . 77)

mr U 23 ) mr Nar -mer e.g. QUIBELL 1900: pi. 26 .B ; KAPLONY 1963: III, f ig . 26 .A-

B;

BAINES 1989: 475 , fig. 5; DREYER 1998b: 139, fig. 29)

nw

W 24) chn.w Nar -mer KAPLONY 1963: fig. 5; DREYER 1998b: 139, pi. 5c)

st

Q 1) bJs.t Naqada I I I a2 /Naqada IIIA1 DREYER 1998a: 125, fig. 78 .103-104)

eventually also:

hr

m 10) hr.w Sco rp i on QUIBELL 1900: pi. 26.C); Nar -mer QUIBELL 1900: pi.

26 B 29) [cf. th e discuss ion KAHL 1994: 55-56 and SCHNE IDER 1997: 241-267] .

rcheo Nil

n°11 - 2001

JOCHEM

KAHL 121


22/34

6 5 Phonet ic comp lemen t s

h e r l i e s t d e f i n i t i v e t t e s t t i o n s f o r p h o n o g r p h i l m r k i n g s w i t h om p l e m e n t s d t e f r o m t h e t i m e

of

„ C r o c o d i l e /

S e k h e n / K a :

t h e

r i p p l e

o f

w a t e r

N

3 5

« )

s u p p l e m e n t s

t h e

s i g n

M

9

V

l o t u s )

in

t h e

n o t e

of

d e l i v e r y

nh b

P E T R I E

-

W A I N W R I G H T

-

G A R D I N E R

1 9 1 3 :

p i .

3 1 . 6 6 ;

D R E Y E R

1 9 9 2 :

2 5 9 - 2 6 3 ;

for

t h e

r e a d i n g

c f .

K A H L

1 9 9 4 :

1 0 1 - 1 0 4 ) .

T h e

c o n s o n a n t

n

is

a l s o

m a r k e d

d u r i n g

t h e

r e i g n

o f

N a r - m e r

by

N

3 5

in

inn:

K A P L O N Y

1 9 6 3 :

I I I ,

f i g .

7 7 ;

b y

W

2 5

in

chn w:

B A I N E S

1 9 8 9 :

4 7 5 ,

f i g .

5 ) .

There

a r e

n o

a t t e s t a t i o n s

f o r

t h e

u s e

o f

c om p l e m e n t s

in

e a r l i e r

p e r i o d s ,

a p a r t

f r o m

t h e

a b o v e

m e n t i o -

ned

q u e s t i o n a b l e

c a s e

f r o m

T o m b

U - j ,

w h e r e

cni w

o r

cw

a r e

p r o p o s e d

a s

p o s s i b l e

r e a d i n g s

c f .

6 . 3 ) .

But

e v e n

i f

t h e

r e a d i n g

cw

i s

f a v o u r e d ,

it

s t i l l

r e m a i n s

a n

o p e n

q u e s t i o n

w h e t h e r

t h e

c o b r a

I

10)

f u n c -

tions a s a c o m p l e m e n t f o r t h e l o g o g r a m cw o r a s p h o n o g r a m w i t h a d e f e c t i v e wr i t i n g o f t h e f o l l o -

wing

w

a n d

a

d e t e rm i n a t i v e ) .

7 The t ime before Tomb U j: precursors of hieroglyphic wri t ing

Objects

w h i c h

b e a r

s i g n s

s im i l a r

t o

h i e r o g l y p h s

a r e

k n o w n

e v e n

f r o m

t h a t

p e r i o d

a n t e d a t i n g

T o m b

U -

j

i . e .

b e f o r e

N a q a d a

I I I a 2 / N a q a d a

I I I A 1

c f .

V E R N U S

1 9 9 3 :

7 9 - 8 5 ) .

N o n e

o f

t h e s e

s i g n s

h i n t s

a t

t h e

existence

o f

p h o n o g r a m s ,

p h o n e t i c

c om p l e m e n t s

o r

d e t e r m i n a t i v e s .

A t

b e s t

t h e s e

s i g n s

c a n

b e

i d e n t i -

fie

(k) hieroglyphieroglyphic writing during the fourth millenium bchic writing during the fourth...

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