Knot (hieroglyph)

Knot in hieroglyphs

The ancient Egyptian knot hieroglyph, or girdle knot, Gardiner sign listed no. S24, portrays a reef knot. Besides its use as a hieroglyph, it has usage in statuary and reliefs. The knot hieroglyph is also an amulet, typically made of worked stone, or as jewellery elements.

Statue of Raherka, 2350BC, 4th/5th Dynasty.

Language usage

The knot hieroglyph is used in the Egyptian language as the verb, (th)s, (th)ss, for to knot, to tie, to tie together, etc.

It is used as the phonogram for (th)s, as well as the determinative. There are many alternate spellings. For the noun, it is Egyptian language (th)s, (th)s.t,

for meanings of: knot, tie, ligature, backbone, vertebrae, spine, etc.

In jewellery and decoration

The knot used as an article of jewellery was especially known in the Middle Kingdom. It can be found in necklaces (see gallery photo), and as a small brooch. In Amulets of Ancient Egypt, a two-part, hollow gold piece is shown, with a detailed rope-detailed fiber; it is made with a tongue and groove closure for the parts.

Gallery

• 
  Funerary cone using the 'girdle-knot hieroglyph'
• 
  Small bandlet made of 16 knot-pieces
• 
  Relief from reign of Hatshepsut

See also

• Gardiner's Sign List#S. Crowns, Dress, Staves, etc.
• List of Egyptian hieroglyphs
• Square knot
• Girdle of Isis

References

• Andrews, Carol, 1994. Amulets of Ancient Egypt, chapter 4: Scarabs for the living and funerary scarabs, pp 50–59, Andrews, Carol, c 1993, University of Texas Press, 518 amulets, 1, or multiples included in 12 necklaces; (softcover, ISBN 0-292-70464-X)
• Budge. An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, E.A.Wallace Budge, (Dover Publications), c 1978, (c 1920), Dover edition, 1978. (In two volumes, 1314 pp, and cliv-(154) pp.) (softcover, ISBN 0-486-23615-3)