Can hieroglyphcrackyouthecodes?
First published 2022 by Nosy Crow Ltd The Crow's Nest, 14 Baden Place, Crosby Row, London, SE1 1YW, UK Nosy Crow Eireann Ltd 44 Orchard Grove, Kenmare, Co Kerry, V93 FY22, www.nosycrow.comIreland ISBN 978 1 83994 657 8 (HB) ISBN 978 1 78800 965 2 (PB) Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd. Published in collaboration with the British Museum. With special thanks to John Taylor at the British Museum for his contribution and advice. Text © Andy Seed 2022 Illustrations © James Weston Lewis 2022 The right of Andy Seed to be identified as the author and James Weston Lewis to be identified as the illustrator of this work has been asserted. All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated inany form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Printed in China. Papers used by Nosy Crow are made from wood grown in sustainable forests. 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 (HB) 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 (PB) For Isla and Etta - A.S. For Mabli Clem, with all my love - J.W.L.
Contents ThievesIntroductioninthe Desert A Marketplace Plot In the House of Scribes A Message in the Vizier’s Kitchen Crossing the Nile The Embalming Rooms Objects for the Dead At the Wall of the Gods The Mystery of the Pyramids Entering the Secret Passage Terror in the Burial Chamber The End of the Curse? Puzzle GlossarySolutions 4030281064141822243436424648
Welcome to ancient Egypt. The year is 1422 BC, and a terrible crime is about to unfold. Can you help apprentice scribe Nub and his friend Iteti to crack the code and stop the curse?
Iteti
Nub Nub is an apprentice scribe who has been learning how to read and write in hieroglyphs since he was just five years old. As an orphan, he both lives and studies at his scribe school. His favourite thing to do when he has time off from lessons is explore the city and the land around it, in search of adventure with his friend Iteti.
The daughter of a vizier (an important official who advises the pharaoh), Iteti lives in a grand house close to the pharaoh’s palace, where she is supposed to be learning how to take care of running the home. Her favourite thing to do when she can escape her servants’ watchful gaze is to learn how to read and write in hieroglyphs, with the help of Nub.
Introduction4
5
Here's an example: You will need a pen and paper. Good luck!
codebreaker Nub and Iteti have to solve 11 puzzles on their adventure but can you crack the code and help them?
Finding each sign in the charts at the back of the book and writing it in letters, then translating them to English, we get this: cake Observation challenge
Can you spot the scorpion lurking in every scene?
The ancient Egyptians wrote in a mysterious picture language and this book will help you unlock its secrets. Follow the clues on each page and use the fold-out hieroglyph charts and dictionary at the back of the book to help you read the words of the pharaohs! To read hieroglyphs you must first write down what each sign stands for in the Egyptian language by using the hieroglyph charts at the back of the book. Once you have spelled out an Egyptian word, flip the page over and use the dictionary to translate your word into English.
There are also six cats hiding in the book. Puzzle What does this Egyptian word written in hieroglyphs mean?fqa
guide hieroglyphs to help you do that. Hieroglyph charts Signs which represent sounds (one letter) outitstandsfor.whatitmeans.getthis: rm Signs which represent sounds (two letters) Signs which represent meanings toThesehieroglyphsdonotstandforsounds.Theyareputattheendofawordshowitsmeaning. fpbweyia zhhhhlrnmor s kshsor q ddttgk
Male TheActionsCitiesRaGodsFemalepeoplepeople(Sungod)orplacessunorlight or time Boats or sailing Houses or buildings Walking or running SmallWritingor weak or bad
OfficialClothingSnakeCrocodileCator noble PluralGrainBirdFrogSoldier(more than one) DanceWatershnbssirwdhr Some of the sounds we used in our Egyptian language are not found in English, or most other modern languages. That’s why the hieroglyph chart has four signs for ‘h’, as well as two each for ‘s’ ‘t’ and ‘d’. Each one would have sounded slightly different to ancient Egyptians like us. fish Egyptian-English Dictionary This page tells you the meaning of 70 Egyptian words in English. EGYPTIAN ENGLISH anh live apd bird bia copper bin bad db hippopotamus dd say ddft snake dpt boat dqrw fruit fqa cake grh night hb Ibis hne with hnw pot hr Horus hrw day iky miner inpw Anubis inw gifts iqr excellent iqdw builders irtt milk is tomb it grain itf ancestor itrw river krr frog ky monkey mahat tomb mdt speech mnfrt bracelet mnfyt soldier mnit necklace mnmnt cattle EGYPTIAN ENGLISH mnxt clothing mrt slaves msa army msh crocodile mtt mother nb master nd protect nf those nfr beautiful nhs wake nht sycamore niw ostrich ns tongue ntk you prt winter qrs bury ra sun re Ra rm fish sas travel sf yesterday shq ring sm plant sn brother sr official ss scribe tnst this wnmt food wshnbik falconcollar wsir Osiris xpi walk xpt death xt fire fold out to REVEAL THE Here is your codebreaking guide. With this you can the mysteries of the ancient Egyptian language and puzzles in this book! It might help you to keep the folded out while reading. When you have finished, why not have a go at writing own secret messages in hieroglyphs too?
“I know, but can’t you feel how special this place is?” replied Iteti. “My father said that hundreds of important people are buried here – priests and scribes and palace officials.”
“I’m not surprised they died, coming out here.”
“Oi!” cried Iteti. “Don’t make fun of the dead! They might be listening.”
6
“It’s just SO hot here,” said Nub, the desert sand burning under his bare feet.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Iteti. “Tomb robbers!” whispered Nub, shaking with anger.
Thieves in the Desert
Nub was about to say sorry when he heard voices. Clambering to the top of the hill, the two friends peered from behind a rock. Across the narrow valley, a group of men were hurrying over the sand, carrying jars and decorated boxes.
7 didyou know ? The ancient Egyptians believed that when a person died, their spirit would travel to a place called the underworld, where they would have to pass a series of tests to get into paradise. To help them on their journey, the dead person’s family would bury useful objects with them, such as furniture, precious jewels and even food.
Nub and Iteti edged down into the valley and picked it up.
“Look, there’s a message on it!” said Nub.
Nub and Iteti watched, horrified, as the men loaded their plunder on to two donkeys and headed out of the valley. But as the thieves left, Nub saw one of them drop a small scrap ofCarefully,papyrus.
8
Puzzle9What does the message on the scrap of papyrus say? It is written using signs called hieroglyphs. Use the guide at the back of the book to crack this ancient Egyptian code and discover the secret word the robbers left behind. CODE CLUE Many of the signs the ancient Egyptians used stand for sounds. In this case, each sign represents the sound of a letter.
