Question

Define the terms Hieroglyphics and Cuneiform with their main features.

Answer 1

• Hieroglyphics:

1. Egyptians are well known for their writing system.
2. Their form of writing is known as hieroglyphic.
3. Hieroglyphic was used in the inscriptions on seals and other objects.
4. The heretic, another form of writing, was used for common purposes.
5. This form of writing used a pictogram based system.
6. The Egyptian writing system was deciphered by the French scholar, Francois Champollion.
7. He used the Rosetta stone, a trilingual inscription, for deciphering the script.
8. This inscription, which was written in Hieroglyphic, Demotic and Greek, was taken to France by Napoleon.
9. From there it was taken to England where it is on display in the British Museum London.

• Cuneiform:

1. Cuneiform is the Sumerian writing system.
2. The shape of the letter is in the form of a wedge and hence it is called cuneiform.
3. Evolving around 3000 BCE, it is one of the earliest scripts of the world.
4. The epic of Gilgamesh was written in this script.
5. They used this script for commercial transactions and writing letters and stories.
6. The clay tablets contain loads of information on the Sumerian civilization.