Egyptian
Glyph origin
Representing a cut block of stone or brick. The dimension of the sign varies, and it may be written long like the pool glyph
π (
), with which it should not be confused; the stone glyph was often written shorter to distinguish it. The stone glyph was conventionally colored either white (in many examples, representing a whitish stone such as limestone) or blue (in other examples, perhaps representing a mud-brickβas Egyptian scribes generally used a limited color palette that did not include grey or brownβor a block of dark stone such as basalt or greywacke, although blue coloration has also been interpreted as mere confusion with the pool glyph).
Compare the Chinese character η³.
Symbol
- Logogram for jnr (βstoneβ).
- Determinative for stone, as in jnr (βstoneβ), κ₯κ£t (βprecious stoneβ), dbn (βdeben, a measure of weightβ), κ₯r (βpebbleβ), αΈbt (βbrickβ).
Usage notes
This glyph and
(
π) are extremely similar, see the usage notes there regarding typical coloration and other distinguishing features of the two.
References
- Gardiner, Alan (1957) Egyptian Grammar: Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs, third edition, Oxford: Griffith Institute, βISBN, page 497
- BetrΓ², Maria Carmela (1995) Geroglifici: 580 Segni per Capire l'Antico Egitto, Milan: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A., βISBN
- David Nunn, A Palaeography of Polychrome Hieroglyphs (2020)