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[[Image:Hieroglyphs.jpg|thumb|right|Egyptian hieroglyphs at the British Museum in London.]]
[[Image:Hieroglyphs.jpg|thumb|right|Egyptian hieroglyphs on a Late Period [[sarcophagus]] at the [[British Museum]] in [[London]].]]
'''Hieroglyphs''' are a form of [[writing]] developed in [[Ancient Egypt]], and was used to write the [[Egyptian language]]. Other cultures, most notably the [[Maya]] civilization also used hieroglyphic writing systems, though the Maya system was an entirely independent development, taking place several thousand years laterd, and was much more restricted in it's usage. Whilst Egyptian hieroglyphs were first deciphered in the 19th century by [[Jean Francois Champollion]], Maya hieroglyphs have only recently begun to be understood, and much work remains to be done.
'''Hieroglyphs''' are a form of [[writing]] developed in [[Ancient Egypt]], and was used to write the [[Egyptian language]]. Other cultures, most notably the [[Maya]] civilization also used hieroglyphic writing systems, though the Maya system was an entirely independent development, taking place several thousand years laterd, and was much more restricted in it's usage. Whilst Egyptian hieroglyphs were first deciphered in the 19th century by [[Jean Francois Champollion]], Maya hieroglyphs have only recently begun to be understood, and much work remains to be done.
=== Classical (Middle) Egyptian ===
=== Classical (Middle) Egyptian ===
=== Ptolemaic Era Developments ===
=== Ptolemaic and Roman Era Developments ===
During the Ptolemaic era the number of signs was increased dramatically, from around 800 to several thousand, many of which were ligatures of existing signs. The rise in the complexity co-incided with the rise of so-called cryptographic texts in temple inscriptions that aimed to deliberately obscure and challenge the reader. The reasons for this are unknown, and various reasons from xenophobia, cultural pride and nationalism (see also: [[Great Egyptian Revolt]]) to marginalisation and isolation of traditional religion and the rise of Hellenic and syncretic cults have all been suggested.
The Roman era sees the decline of the hieroglyphic system of writing. The last surviving knowledgeable and literate hieroglyphic inscription in ancient times dates from August 24th, 396 AD and was inscribed in the temple complex of Philae, five years after Theodosius I forced the closure of all non-Christian places of worship in Roman territory. The inscription, the Graffito of Esmet-Akhom is catalogued as Philae 436 ([http://www.flickr.com/photos/mkubecka/2093092240/ picture]).
=== Decline, Loss and Rediscovery ===
=== Decline, Loss and Rediscovery ===