The following is a list of commonly used hieroglyphs as organized by Sir Alan H. Gardiner in his Egyptian Grammar. The signs are organized into 26 main categories followed by 3 sections that list hieroglyphs by their shape. Choose from any of the links below to guide yourself to a specific category.
Gardiner Number | Hieroglyph | Description of Glyph | Details |
H1 | ![]() |
Head of duck | Ideo. in 3pd “bird.” Det. in wšn “wring the neck of birds.” |
H2 | ![]() |
Head of crested bird | Phono. m3ʿ, wšm, p3q. Det. in m3ʿ “temple of the head,” “true.” |
H3 | ![]() |
Head of spoonbill | Phono. p3q. |
H4 | ![]() |
Head of vulture | Phono. nr. Det. in nrt “vulture.” |
H5 | ![]() |
Wing | Det. in ḏnḥ “wing.” |
H6 | ![]() |
Feather | Phono. šw. Ideo. in šwt “feather.” Det. and Ideo. in m3ʿt “truth.” |
H7 | ![]() |
Claw | Phono. š3, š3t. In š3t “Shat” (location). |
H8 | ![]() |
Egg | Ideo. in s3 “son.” Det. sḥwt “egg.” |