Gardiner Sign List

Sir Alan Gardiner (1879 – 1963) was one of the leading Egyptologists of the early to mid-20th century. His book ‘Egyptian Grammar’ contains a list of more than 800 hieroglyphic signs found in Middle Egyptian texts and is still considered the standard reference in the study of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Gardiner arranged hieroglyphs into categories such as Mammals, Birds, Trees and Plants and labelled each category with a letter of the alphabet. For example: – glyphs beginning with the letter ‘A’ represent ‘Man and his occupations’ and ‘G’ are images of ‘Birds’.

A – Man & his occupations A – Man & his occupations B – Woman & her occupations B – Woman & her occupations C – Deities in Human Form C – Deities in Human Form D – Parts of the Human Body D – Parts of the Human Body E – Mammals E – Mammals F – Parts of Mammals F – Parts of Mammals G – Birds G – Birds H – Parts of Birds H – Parts of Birds I – Amphibian & Reptiles I – Amphibian & Reptiles K – Fish & Parts of Fish K – Fish & Parts of Fish L – Invertebrate & other Animals L – Invertebrate & other Animals M – Trees & Plants M – Trees & Plants N – Sky, Earth, Water N – Sky, Earth, Water
O – Buildings & Parts of Buildings O – Buildings & Parts of Buildings P – Ships and Parts of Ships P – Ships and Parts of Ships Q – Domestic & Funerary Furniture Q – Domestic & Funerary Furniture R – Temple Furniture & Emblems R – Temple Furniture & Emblems S – Crowns, Dress, Staves S – Crowns, Dress, Staves T – Warfare, Hunting, Butchery T – Warfare, Hunting, Butchery U – Agriculture, Crafts & Professions U – Agriculture, Crafts & Professions V – Rope, Fibre, Baskets, Bags V – Rope, Fibre, Baskets, Bags W – Stone & Earthenware Vessels W – Stone & Earthenware Vessels X – Loaves & Cakes X – Loaves & Cakes Y – Writing, Games, Music Y – Writing, Games, Music Z – Geometrical Figures Z – Geometrical Figures Aa – Unclassified Aa – Unclassified