READER'S ROCK LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 2 ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2014 Vol. 1 Issue 7 January 2014 | Page 16

The Enigmatic Symbols of Egypt Part V The Unknown Symbol of Ancient Egypt “nd” I love a mystery! A real ancientworld mystery? Even better! That is why I think the hieroglyphic symbol that symbolically represents sound is so intriguing to me. The image itself has yet to be identified. . . . It is classified as “Unknown”. That’s easy you’re saying—it’s obviously a microphone. LOL! If this were a modern symbol it may indeed be one, or something radioactive, but the real question is what did this symbol mean to the ancient Egyptians? It looks like a torch. To better understand what this symbol may be, let us first begin with the triangles surrounding the oval at the top. In several of the hieroglyphs this denotes energy radiating outward. Heat from a brazier as shown above or light from the sun’s rays as shown below. “ḫ ʿ” If it didn’t represent sound I would think it was a burning torch, but since it does the three triangles coming out of the top of the symbol are obviously meant to be the sound radiating out. The mystery then is what the stick with the oval on top characterizes. Below is the hieroglyph to ask or inquire. You may think that the key to this is the person pointing to their mouth, and you would be right. The hieroglyph above is for eat, speak and emotions, however, this is also used to denote ownership of the verbal action taken. This is the hieroglyph for voice. Yet this one is to bequeath. And this means favor.