Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs [Paperback]

"Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, by James P. Allen, is a much needed addition to the meager literture available to Egyptologists, scholars and amateurs today interested studing the basic of ancient Egyptian...Middle Egyptian will always remain a difficult language to tackle, and much of the success of gaining a good grasp of the language depends on the effort of the student. Allen's book, however, will make the task a much easier, and an enjoyable one for students who have a serious interest in taking up the language." Nora Shalaby, Cario Times Vol. 4, no.32

"One particularly happy feature of Allen's volume is that the abundance of exercises that follow every lesson is accompanied, in the back of the book, with the answers to them all... Allen's textbook should now be the first text of choice for teaching Egyptian." William J. Fulco, Ancient History Bulletin

"Allen, a leading scholar of ancient Egyptian grammar and syntax, has drwan upon his own extensive teaching experience to provide an up-to-date and accessible grammar that could well become the standard textbook in English." Religious Studies Review

This is an introduction to the writing system of ancient Egypt and the language of hieroglyphic texts. It contains twenty-six lessons, exercises (with answers), a list of hieroglyphic signs, and a dictionary, as well as twenty-five essays on the most important aspects of ancient Egyptian history, society, religion and literature. It also offers scholars of linguistics a complete grammatical description of the classical language of ancient Egypt.

This introduction to the writing system of ancient Egypt and the language of hieroglyphic texts is designed as a textbook for university and college classes, and is also suitable for individuals learning ancient Egyptian on their own. It contains 26 lessons, exercises (with answers), a list of hieroglyphic signs, and a dictionary, as well as 25 essays on the most important aspects of ancient Egyptian history, society, religion and literature. It also offers scholars of linguistics a complete grammatical description of the classical language of ancient Egypt.