Hermione Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been discussing this with someone rather more
> knowledgeable than me. That group in the middle
> might be reading "s w f", and might be part of a
> word or phrase: but you can't really tell. Likely
> there's stuff missing ... And those other
> markings to the right have been cut off, too.
>
> Another point that emerged was that apparently
> Perring wasn't quite as good at copying
> hieroglyphic characters as Hill was (which I found
> slightly odd, given that Perring had been a head
> draughtsman in a patent office); but it was
> pointed out that Perring was also trying to do all
> the surveying work of the pyramids as well, and
> perhaps didn't have the time to concentrate on the
> fine detail of the hieroglyphs.

There's also the cultural element. On first glance, a lot of the birds look the same to the untrained eye and there are many nuances in representation that can change your idea of what sign you're looking at.

Is the symbol on a finely finished surface or on a "sort of" finished area? If finely finished and relatively unworn, then it's probably incription. If not well finished then it's gang sign or graffiti (where no one thought they'd be caught doing it.)

-- Byrd
Moderator, Hall of Ma'at