c. 2600 BC

c. 2100 BC

c. 1350 BC

c. 700 BC

c. AD 300

AKA Classical Egyptian

Remained the standard hieroglyphic language for the rest of ancient Egyptian History

Earliest recorded Egyptian written language

Differed substantially from previous phases of Egyptian language, particularly in grammar

Developed from Late Egyptian

Survived as a written language until the 5th century AD

closely related to Demotic

Basic writing system with around 500 common symbols

represent the thing it depicts

represent the sounds that make up a word

show that the symbol preceding them is a phonogram

read in the direction the symbols face

translates as "sacred carving"

very similar to cursive hieroglyphic

written with ink on papyrus, leather, or wood

columns only for religious texts

written in hieratic

more cursive and abbreviated

mostly written with ink on papyrus

created when Egyptians adopted Christianity