W; Vessels

The hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt are often listed in groups of associated glyphs. The following hieroglyphs have been grouped according to the system established by Sir Alan Gardiner and are all depictions of vessels.

W1 Phon; bAs Det; salve, oil, fat, devour, container	W2 Phon; bAs Det; container	W3 Phon; Hb (rare) Det; alabaster, feast Abbr; 'Hbt' in Hrj-Hbt (lector priest)	W4 Det and Log; feast
W5 Abbr; lector priest	W6 Det; kettle	W7 Phon; mAT, Ab Det; red granite, Elephantine	W8 Phon; mAT, Ab Det; red granite, Elephantine
W9 Phon; hnm Det; oil from Nekhem	W10 Phon; jab, ab, wsh, Hnt (rare) Det; cup	W10a Phon; bA (rare)	W10b Phon; bA (rare)
W11 Phon; g Det and Log; seat	W12 Phon; g Det and Log; seat	W13 Det and Log; "desheret" pot	W14 Phon; Hs Det and Log; Heset vase, Senbet vase
W15 Det and Log; water dispenser, cleanse, to be cool, libation	W16 Det and Log; to be cool, libation	W17 Phon; hnt Log; vases in a rack, first	W18 Phon; hnt Log; vases in a rack, first
W19 Phon; mj, mr Abbr; like	W20 Det; milk, milk jug	W21 Det; wine, wine jug	W22 Det and Log; beer, beer jug, tribute, sacrifice Abbr; attendant
W23 Det; container Abbr; attendant	W24 Phon; nw, jn Det; Nekhbet	W25 Abbr; fetch

Codes

Abb; the sign is an abbreviation of a word,
Det; the sign acts as a determinative (it has no phonetic value, but provids further information about the full word),
Log; the sign is a logogram (it represents an entire word or idea),
Phon; the sign has a phonetic value, and
Phon Det; the sign is a phonetic determinant (it acts as a determinative but also has a phonetic value).

A: Man and his occupations
B: Woman and her occupations
C: Anthropomorphic Deities
D: Parts of the body
E: Mammals
F: Parts of Mammals
G: Birds, 1
H: Parts of Birds
I: Amphibious Animals, Reptiles, etc.

K: Fishes and Parts of Fishes
L: Invertebrata and Lesser Animals
M: Trees and Plants
N: Sky, Earth, Water
O: Buildings and Parts of Buildings
P: Ships and Parts of Ships
Q: Domestic and Funerary Furniture

R: Temple Furniture and Sacret Emblems
S: Crowns, Dress, Staves, etc
T: Warfare, Hunting, Butchery
U: Agriculture, Crafts and Professions
V: Rope, Fibre, Baskets, Bags, etc.
W: Vessels of Stone and Earthenware
X: Loaves and Cakes
Y: Writing, Games, Music
Z: Strokes, Geometrical Figures, etc.
Aa: Unclassified

Return to Gardiner's sign list

Pronunciation guide