Question 1

What are hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

Hieroglyphs are pictures that were used as writing by the ancient Egyptians. They used these pictures to tell stories, write about history, and record important events.

Question 2

How old are Egyptian hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

Egyptian hieroglyphs are more than 5,000 years old! They were used by people in ancient Egypt to keep track of things and to pass on stories.

Question 3

Why did the ancient Egyptians use hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

They used hieroglyphs to communicate and record information. Hieroglyphs helped them write down stories, laws, and all kinds of important history.

Question 4

Where can you see hieroglyphs today?

Accepted Answer

You can see hieroglyphs on old stone walls, in books about Egypt, and even in museums. They are often found on ancient tombs and temples in Egypt.

Question 5

How did people figure out what the hieroglyphs meant?

Accepted Answer

People used a stone called the Rosetta Stone to learn about hieroglyphs. It had the same message in three different types of writing, which helped them crack the code.

Question 6

What is the Rosetta Stone?

Accepted Answer

The Rosetta Stone is a special stone with writing on it. It helped people learn how to read hieroglyphs because it had the same text written in both Greek and Egyptian.

Question 7

Did hieroglyphs come before or after letters?

Accepted Answer

Hieroglyphs came long before the letters we use today. They are one of the earliest forms of writing.

Question 8

Are hieroglyphs the same as our alphabet?

Accepted Answer

Not really. Our alphabet uses letters to make words, but hieroglyphs use pictures. Some pictures in hieroglyphs stand for sounds, others stand for whole words.

Question 9

How did ancient Egyptians write hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

Ancient Egyptians used sharp tools to carve hieroglyphs into stone and also wrote with a brush on papyrus, which is a kind of ancient paper.

Question 10

Did everybody in ancient Egypt know how to read hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

No, not everybody could read hieroglyphs. Mostly, special people called scribes were trained to read and write them.

Question 11

What kinds of pictures were used in hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

Hieroglyphs used pictures of animals, people, and everyday objects. Each picture had a special meaning or sound.

Question 12

Can you name some objects or animals that were used as hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

Some examples are birds, snakes, and eyes. These pictures helped make up the words and sentences in hieroglyphs.

Question 13

Did hieroglyphs have different meanings in different places?

Accepted Answer

No, hieroglyphs had the same meanings in ancient Egypt. But how they were put together sometimes changed, like words in a different language.

Question 14

Are hieroglyphs still used today?

Accepted Answer

No, hieroglyphs are not used anymore. Today, people study them to learn more about ancient Egypt.

Question 15

Can hieroglyphs be written in any direction?

Accepted Answer

Yes, hieroglyphs can be written from left to right, right to left, or top to bottom. You know which direction to read by looking at which way the pictures face.

Question 16

How many hieroglyphs are there?

Accepted Answer

There are over 700 different hieroglyphs. Each one has its own meaning or makes a different sound.

Question 17

Why are hieroglyphs important to us today?

Accepted Answer

Hieroglyphs help us learn about the life and culture of ancient Egypt. They tell us stories and facts about what people did and believed a long time ago.

Question 18

Do hieroglyphs stand for sounds or words?

Accepted Answer

Some hieroglyphs stand for sounds like letters, and some stand for whole words or ideas. They are a mix of both!

Question 19

Who broke the code of the hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

A man named Jean-François Champollion figured out how to read hieroglyphs. He used the Rosetta Stone to help him understand the symbols.

Question 20

Can I learn to read hieroglyphs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, anyone can learn with a bit of practice and study. There are even books and games to help kids learn about hieroglyphs!

The Wonders of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs - 20 FAQs Explained Simply