Layout codes

Layout codes are characters that:

• Separate hieroglyphs
• Indicate the organization of the hieroglyphs in space (that is, the position of hieroglyphs in a block)

Example: <hiero>a-p:t-q</hiero> gives

General text layout codes

(-) Inline separator

The official hieroglyph separator is the hyphen character ("-", also called block separator) but you are also allowed to use a space because it is a widespread practice.

Examples

correct	A1-B1
allowed	A1 B1
incorrect	A1B1	A1B1

(!) Forced line break

To make a new line of text, use the exclamation character ("!"). Normally, the "end-of-line" must be surrounded by separators (as -!-), but space or nothing are also allowed.

Examples

correct	A1-B1-!-C1-D1
allowed	A1-B1 ! C1-D1
	A1-B1 !C1-D1
allowed although apparently not fully functional	A1-B1!C1-D1
	A1-B1! C1-D1

Blanks

A dot (".") represents a half-group blank; two dots ("..") represent a one-group blank.^[1] Blanks are not fully functional, as attempting to stack a glyph on top of a blank does not give the expected result. The code H_SPACE can be used instead as a workaround.

Examples

no blank	A1-B1
half-group blank	A1-.-B1
one-group blank	A1-..-B1
stacked blank	zA-ra:H_SPACE

(\) Mirrored glyphs

To mirror a glyph, add the backslash character ("\") immediately after its code, with no intervening separator.

Examples

correct	A\
incorrect	A-\
	A \

(V) Vertical rotation

To rotate a long, thin glyph to take less space, add the letter "V" immediately after its code, with no intervening separator. This convention supports only a few select characters. Gardiner codes for these forms are not supported.

Examples

default	Y1
rotated	Y1V
incorrect	Y1a	Y1a

Block composition codes

(:) Superposition

To superpose hieroglyphs, use the colon character (":") instead of the hyphen.

Examples

normal layout	p-t
superposed	p:t
superposed in the middle of a line	a-p:t-q

(*) Juxtaposition

To juxtapose hieroglyphs, use the asterisk character ("*"). Juxtaposing hieroglyphs is only relevant when they are part of a block which is superposed.

Examples

normal layout	p-t
allowed (same as normal layout)	p*t
juxtaposed in rows of a superposition	p*t:a
	p*p*p:t*t*t

Hieroglyphs

There are two ways of encoding hieroglyphs:

• using Gardiner's sign list code (e.g. A12)
• with the more frequent phonemes (e.g. xA)

Gardiner's sign list

A hieroglyph is encoded by:

• a letter that represents the category;
• a number that represents rank within the category.

Example: <hiero>A1</hiero> gives

A. Man and his occupations

Expected quantity: 55

A1	A2	A3	A4	A5	A6	A7	A8	A9	A10
A11	A12	A13	A14	A15	A16	A17	A18	A19	A20
A21	A22	A23	A24	A25	A26	A27	A28	A29	A30
A31	A32	A33	A34	A35	A36	A37	A38	A39	A40
A41	A42	A43	A44	A45	A46	A47	A48	A49	A50
A51	A52	A53	A54	A55	A56	A57 A57	A58 A58	A59	A60 A60
A12D	A14A	A17A	A21A	A25A	A113	A316	A335	A347

B. Woman and her occupations

Expected quantity: 7

B1	B2	B3	B4	B5	B6	B7	B8	B9	B10
B11	B12	B13 B13	B14 B14	B15 B15	B16 B16	B17 B17	B18 B18	B19 B19	B20 B20
B23B

C. Anthropomorphic deities

Expected quantity: 9

C1	C2	C3	C4	C5	C6	C7	C8	C9	C10
C11	C12	C13 C13	C14 C14	C15 C15	C16 C16	C17	C18	C19	C20
C21 C21	C22 C22	C23 C23	C24 C24	C25 C25	C26 C26	C27 C27	C28 C28	C29 C29	C30 C30

D. Parts of the human body

Expected quantity: 63

D1	D2	D3	D4	D5	D6	D7	D8	D9	D10
D11	D12	D13	D14	D15	D16	D17	D18	D19	D20
D21	D22	D23	D24	D25	D26	D27	D28	D29	D30
D31	D32	D33	D34	D35	D36	D37	D38	D39	D40
D41	D42	D43	D44	D45	D46	D47	D48	D49	D50
D51	D52	D53	D54	D55	D56	D57	D58	D59	D60
D61	D62	D63	D64 D64	D65 D65	D66 D66	D67 D67	D68 D68	D69 D69	D70 D70
D27A	D34A	D46A

E. Mammals

Expected quantity: 34

E1	E2	E3	E4	E5	E6	E7	E8	E9	E10
E11	E12	E13	E14	E15	E16	E17	E18	E19	E20
E21	E22	E23	E24	E25	E26	E27	E28	E29	E30
E31	E32	E33	E34	E35 E35	E36 E36	E37 E37	E38 E38	E39 E39	E40 E40
E8A

F. Parts of mammals

Expected quantity: 52

F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	F6	F7	F8	F9	F10
F11	F12	F13	F14	F15	F16	F17	F18	F19	F20
F21	F22	F23	F24	F25	F26	F27	F28	F29	F30
F31	F32	F33	F34	F35	F36	F37	F38	F39	F40
F41	F42	F43	F44	F45	F46	F47	F48	F49	F50
F51	F52	F53 F53	F54 F54	F55 F55	F56 F56	F57 F57	F58 F58	F59 F59	F60 F60
F37B	F51A	F51B

G. Birds

Expected quantity: 54

G1	G2	G3	G4	G5	G6	G7	G8	G9	G10
G11	G12	G13	G14	G15	G16	G17	G18	G19	G20
G21	G22	G23	G24	G25	G26	G27	G28	G29	G30
G31	G32	G33	G34	G35	G36	G37	G38	G39	G40
G41	G42	G43	G44	G45	G46	G47	G48	G49	G50
G51	G52	G53	G54	G55 G55	G56 G56	G57 G57	G58 G58	G59 G59	G60 G60
G7A	G7AA	G26A

H. Parts of birds

Expected quantity: 8

H1	H2	H3	H4	H5	H6	H7	H8	H9 H9	H10 H10
H6A	H8W

I. Amphibious animals, reptiles, etc.

Expected quantity: 15

I1	I2	I3	I4	I5	I6	I7	I8	I9	I10
I11	I12	I13	I14	I15	I16 I16	I17 I17	I18 I18	I19 I19	I20 I20
I1S	I5A

J. None

There is no J category, perhaps to avoid confusion with I.

K. Fish and parts of fish

Expected quantity: 7

K1

K2

K3

K4

K5

K6

K7

K8 K8

K9 K9

K10 K10

L. Invertebrates and lesser animals

Expected quantity: 7

L1

L2

L3

L4

L5

L6

L7

L8 L8

L9 L9

L10 L10

M. Trees and plants

Expected quantity: 44

M1	M2	M3	M4	M5	M6	M7	M8	M9	M10
M11	M12	M13	M14	M15	M16	M17	M18	M19	M20
M21	M22	M23	M24	M25	M26	M27	M28	M29	M30
M31	M32	M33	M34	M35	M36	M37	M38	M39	M40
M41	M42	M43	M44	M45 M45	M46 M46	M47 M47	M48 M48	M49 M49	M50 M50
M43A

N. Sky, earth, water

Expected quantity: 42

N1	N2	N3	N4	N5	N6	N7	N8	N9	N10
N11	N12	N13	N14	N15	N16	N17	N18	N19	N20
N21	N22	N23	N24	N25	N26	N27	N28	N29	N30
N31	N32	N33	N34	N35	N36	N37	N38	N39	N40
N41	N42	N43 N43	N44 N44	N45 N45	N46 N46	N47 N47	N48 N48	N49 N49	N50 N50
N33A	N33B	N33C	N35A	N35B	N35C

O. Buildings, parts of buildings, etc.

Expected quantity: 51

O1	O2	O3	O4	O5	O6	O7	O8	O9	O10
O11	O12	O13	O14	O15	O16	O17	O18	O19	O20
O21	O22	O23	O24	O25	O26	O27	O28	O29	O30
O31	O32	O33	O34	O35	O36	O37	O38	O39	O40
O41	O42	O43	O44	O45	O46	O47	O48	O49	O50
O51	O52 O52	O53 O53	O54 O54	O55 O55	O56 O56	O57 O57	O58 O58	O59 O59	O60 O60
O29V

P. Ships and parts of ships

Expected quantity: 11

P1	P2	P3	P4	P5	P6	P7	P8	P9	P10
P11	P12 P12	P13	P14 P14	P15 P15	P16 P16	P17 P17	P18 P18	P19 P19	P20 P20
P1A	P8H	P44A

Q. Domestics and funerary furniture

Expected quantity: 7

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q5

Q6

Q7

Q8 Q8

Q9 Q9

Q10 Q10

R. Temple furniture and sacred emblems

Expected quantity: 25

R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10
R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17	R18	R19	R20
R21	R22	R23	R24	R25	R26 R26	R27 R27	R28 R28	R29 R29	R30 R30
R8A

S. Crowns, dress, staves, etc.

Expected quantity: 45

S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7	S8	S9	S10
S11	S12	S13	S14	S15	S16	S17	S18	S19	S20
S21	S22	S23	S24	S25	S26	S27	S28	S29	S30
S31	S32	S33	S34	S35	S36	S37	S38	S39	S40
S41	S42	S43	S44	S45	S46 S46	S47 S47	S48 S48	S49 S49	S50 S50
S14A	S17A	S106

T. Warfare, hunting, and butchery

Expected quantity: 35

T1	T2	T3	T4	T5	T6	T7	T8	T9	T10
T11	T12	T13	T14	T15	T16	T17	T18	T19	T20
T21	T22	T23	T24	T25	T26	T27	T28	T29	T30
T31	T32	T33	T34	T35	T36 T36	T37 T37	T38 T38	T39 T39	T40 T40
T7A	T8A	T8B	T9A

U. Agriculture, crafts, and professions

Expected quantity:

U1	U2	U3	U4	U5	U6	U7	U8	U9	U10
U11	U12	U13	U14	U15	U16	U17	U18	U19	U20
U21	U22	U23	U24	U25	U26	U27	U28	U29	U30
U31	U32	U33	U34	U35	U36	U37	U38	U39	U40
U41	U42 U42	U43 U43	U44 U44	U45 U45	U46 U46	U47 U47	U48 U48	U49 U49	U50 U50

V. Rope, fiber, baskets, bags, etc.

Expected quantity: 38

V1	V2	V3	V4	V5	V6	V7	V8	V9	V10
V11	V12	V13	V14	V15	V16	V17	V18	V19	V20
V21	V22	V23	V24	V25	V26	V27	V28	V29	V30
V31	V32	V33	V34	V35	V36	V37	V38	V39	V40 V40
V10A	V11A	V31A

W. Vessels of stone and earthenware

Expected quantity: 25

W1	W2	W3	W4	W5	W6	W7	W8	W9	W10
W11	W12	W13	W14	W15	W16	W17	W18	W19	W20
W21	W22	W23	W24	W25	W26 W26	W27 W27	W28 W28	W29 W29	W30 W30
W10A

X. Loaves and cakes

Expected quantity: 8

X1

X2

X3

X4

X5

X6

X7

X8

X9 X9

X10 X10

Y. Writings, games, music

Expected quantity: 8

Y1	Y2	Y3	Y4	Y5	Y6	Y7	Y8	Y9 Y9	Y10 Y10
Y1V

Z. Strokes, signs derived from Hieratic, geometrical figures

Expected quantity: 11

Z1	Z2	Z3	Z4	Z5	Z6	Z7	Z8	Z9	Z10
Z11	Z12 Z12	Z13 Z13	Z14 Z14	Z15 Z15	Z16 Z16	Z17 Z17	Z18 Z18	Z19 Z19	Z20 Z20
Z2ss	Z3A	Z3as	Z4B	Z91	Z92	Z93	Z94	Z95	Z98A

Aa. Unclassified

Expected quantity: 31

Aa1	Aa2	Aa3	Aa4	Aa5	Aa6	Aa7	Aa8	Aa9	Aa10
Aa11	Aa12	Aa13	Aa14	Aa15	Aa16	Aa17	Aa18	Aa19	Aa20
Aa21	Aa22	Aa23	Aa24	Aa25	Aa26	Aa27	Aa28	Aa29	Aa30
Aa31	Aa32	Aa33 Aa33	Aa34 Aa34	Aa35 Aa35	Aa36 Aa36	Aa37 Aa37	Aa38 Aa38	Aa39 Aa39	Aa40
Aa41	Aa42 Aa42	Aa43 Aa43	Aa44 Aa44	Aa45 Aa45	Aa46 Aa46	Aa47 Aa47	Aa48 Aa48	Aa49 Aa49	Aa50 Aa50
Aa30A