Pyramids: Hieroglyphs (Part 2)

by Nicholas Buccalo, copyright 2008

Note, this is under construction and elements may be out of sequence... sorry but I have a lot of ground to cover and am in the process of strengthening my arguments, gathering material and adding to each blog post that seems to be part of a particular topic.

ANIMATION: Sunrise with Sun 'skirting' over the horizon. Images by Rafal K. Komierowski1900

Echoes the path of the loop portion of the Ankh as it clears the horizon.  The path at this time of day, looks like it is 'skirting' or sliding somewhat horizontally, before mid-day when it arcs across overhead.  This movement can be clearly seen in the symbol of the Ankh.  Animation: NBuccalo, copyright 2009.

Ankh (Source Wiki HERE): Autore: it:Utente:Hotepibre (Giuseppe);
Località e data: Valle dei Re, dicembre 2000;
Soggetto: particolare di rilievo dalla tomba di Ramses IV.

Arc above the Horizon: One can imagine the 'skirting' of the Sun over the horizon as it begins to rise and 'slide' from East to a Southerly direction and then rise in an overhead arcing motion only to repeat it's sliding motion on the West horizon until it is no longer seen.

Note how the two arms are symmetrical if one were to draw a horizontal line centered through these two arms.  Above the horizon is land, below the horizon is an exact opposite reflection of the land in the water.

Please read Part I: Pyramids, What are they? below, in order to fully appreciate the following.

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ANIMATION:

Sphinx from the Louvre, Animation:

1 - Original Statue;

2 - Adding Beard (rough repair);

3 - Removing Face/Shadow to focus on perimeter elements;

4 - Enhancing image;

5 - Enhancing 'water' horizontal lines;

6 - Adding 'sun' and 'reflection' in 'waves';

7 - Adding radiating 'sun rays'.

NOTE: Not all statues have the same detailing as this one.  This one in particular is reminiscent of the Ankh jewelry example, to me, it all seems to tie together.

In the case of the 'radiating rays of light', it is my contention that while they echo that of the sun, they are in fact radiating from the face as a whole.  The more verticle 'rays' emphasizing the accession towards the heavens.  There is also marker centered on the forehead 'pointing' up towards a circle.  This marker I will conjecture to be a symbol for death pointing to a state of afterlife above.

Finally, if you look at the beard in natural light, without the lines, one can almost imagine a reflection in water as the curvatures of the beard itself create the conditions for some nice wave-like highlights.

Detail: Sphinx dan le Musee De Louvre.

A = Large Radiating Grooves, raised smaller ridge set against recessed larger space.

B = Small Horizontal Grooves, equal spacing.

C = Large 'Concave Cut' Grooves.  They curve around the 'beard' but also curve into the groove itself.

Note: not all Sphinx's or statues have this exact pattern.

Ankh Symbol at Karnak.  Here you can see the care taken to carve the horizontals with a double angle to represent the perspective of the shores.  It is easy to imagine the Nile below and the rising sun above with the reflection fading to the horizon.  Note how the vertical line, as it touches the horizontal, becomes an up-side-down V shape, much like the reflection of the first image in the original post on this subject.  It also has the proportions of an obelisk... it makes you wonder if the shape of the obelisk is based on this reflection.

ANIMATION:

The Rising Sun, Animation: Why is this circular form have the shape of a tear-drop?  As the sun rises, it is small and distant at the horizon, as it continues to move, it is perceived to get larger and 'closer' as it provides more light to the land.  Another reason, used to connect the individual to the sun is, that it is the basic shape of the human head, but fundamentally, it is my contention that it has to do with the perception of the sun rising into the sky.  To see the sun again, after darkness, was always a welcome sight as it symbolized rebirth, awakening and a new day.

Another interpretation of the up side down tear drop, is that the point at which the line touches the horizon on the right represents the rising of the sun, and as it arcs across the sky and sets, touches the horizon again on the left.  Rising on the East (right) and setting in the West (left).  Both interpretations could be working hand in hand.  Both point to the Sun as an important factor.

Interactive Ankh: Because early Ankh symbols were carried in the hand, and because of their size, one could imagine them being viewed through, either towards the Sun in giving a blessing or to another person, such as a farmer, to give fruitful growth of their crops a blessing.  As one would look at the Pharaoh through an Ankh, it would be like looking at the Sun itself... perhaps.

Question of origins: When was the first Ankh symbol recorded?  It is said that many were seen after the 'Step' Pyramid.

'Rope' Hieroglyph Examples: The twisting of the rope is reminescent of the reflection in water, the loop and fan of the sun, and the triangle of the river.  Here the twist lies above the horizon.  Click for enlargement and photo credit.  As one looks at more hieroglyph examples, it become readily apparent that the symbols are pictures of reality that are 'abstracted' in order to give meaning.  Clearly a very early form of writing that is based on vision to create meaning rather than solely an abstract alphabet as one might expect from an early civilization.

Symbol for the Night Sky and Darkness. Source: Ancient Egypt Online.  The vertical line represents the path of the sun... note that it is represented as a vertical line, like a string, lowering the sun from the sky as the sun sets.

Symbol for Heaven: Source: Ancient Egypt Online
Could reflect that there is a 'blanket' blocking out the suns light in that this symbol seems to cover all that is below it.  To me it is like they are saying the sky cover is flat, but at the ends, where the sun rises and descends, the sky is blocked by the bending of this cover, much the same way a blanket lies on a bed.  See next symbol to see how it might tie into a greater meaning.

Symbol of the path to the Heavens? (Note: I do not know the current interpretation of this symbol).  Here, reading from bottom to top, triangle representing the Nile (earthly path), the horizontal represents the horizon (earth), the vertical line representing the spirit's rise to the heavens, and sky/heaven symbol representing the final destination.  In the context of a Pyramid, the triangle is the Pyramid is the earthly path.  Source: A section of the Papyrus of Ani showing cursive hieroglyphs. wiki/Egyptian_hieroglyph.