Petroglyph Vs. Hieroglyph: Meaning And Differences

Are you a fan of arts and history? Learning words like petroglyph and hieroglyph is the best way to expand your knowledge and appreciate what you probably didn’t know about. Before we dive deeper into petroglyph vs. hieroglyph, here’s something to note.

Petroglyph and hieroglyph are terms with different meanings. Petroglyph means an art or image formed on the surface of a rock through carving. On the other hand, a hieroglyph is a picture or symbol drawn on an ancient monument to represent a syllable or word.

The terms petroglyph and hieroglyph are quite interesting to learn about. This post allows you to know everything you need about the two words. We focus on the definitions, historical overview of the words, sentence use, and everything in between. Let’s do this!

Definitions Of Petroglyph And Hieroglyph

If you prioritize knowing the definitions of different words, you improve your grammar understanding exponentially. The good thing is that once you get started, it becomes a habit. It’s good for clarification, especially on new or confusing words. Below are the fundamental definitions of petroglyph and hieroglyph you need to know.

Definitions Of Petroglyph

The simplest definition of a petroglyph is “a prehistoric rock carving.” That means an image made on the rock during the prehistoric period (before modern writing and civilization).

Another close definition is “lines drawn on rocks during prehistoric times.” These lines represented art and came out as images, although not evident in all cases.

You can also refer to a petroglyph as a prehistoric image made through outlining, incision, edging, and carving of rocks. This definition outlines the approach used to come up with a petroglyph.

Archeologists identified petroglyphs in different parts of the world. For easy readers’ understanding, archeologists refer to petroglyphs as rock paintings or pictographs associated with ancient people.

Definitions Of Hieroglyph

A straightforward definition of hieroglyph is “characters or symbols drawn on surfaces of prehistoric monuments.”

These symbols are a representation of specific sounds based on the intention of the art. However, some monuments have symbols or characters representing several sounds.

Ancient people used the ideographic writing system and pictorial writing system to communicate. These systems involve only the use of pictures. Note that not all people are clear. In fact, some of the oldest inscriptions in historical monuments are hard to read.

Hieroglyphs are associated with the Egyptians, and they drew them on Egyptian monuments. Hieroglyph is a Greek word translated to Egyptian to mean “the god’s words.”

How To Properly Use Petroglyph And Hieroglyph In A Sentence

The worst thing you can do as a learner is to misuse words in sentences and continue doing so when you have room for improvement. If you’ve been misusing the words

How And When To Use The Word Petroglyph

Use the word petroglyph as a noun. You can embrace the word in any of the mentioned instances below.

• To describe carvings inscribed on rocks
• To explains image like drawings on rocks
• To showcase an image well outlined or not clear rocks
• To mean rock paintings
• To mean rock pictorials

Note that the applications of the word petroglyph above are restricted. Use them only when the reference point is “prehistoric times.” With that, people can get the word’s connection and context.

How And When To Use The Word Hieroglyph

The term hieroglyph is a noun. If you are a history student or a random user of the word, make sure you use it right. Here’s what you need to address with this term.

• Symbols appearing on historical monuments
• Drawings on monuments that represent sounds or characters
• Pictures on monuments that have religious and cultural meanings
• Characters on ancient monuments

Since hieroglyphs, in this case, are linked with Egyptians, the monuments in your context should be “Egyptian monuments.” That’s the best way to use the words without confusing your audience.

Can you use the term hieroglyph in no historical context?

The answer is yes. Most industries have hieroglyphs in their merchandise to encounter the effects of counterfeits. The same applies to money-making enterprises. In this case, we can refer to a hieroglyph as a “secret symbol.” With such symbols, people can know when money or a piece of equipment is legitimate.

The Main Differences Between The Word Petroglyph and Hieroglyph

From what we have looked at so far in this petroglyph vs. hieroglyph article, the connection between the two words is that they are both ancient words, refer to images or symbols, and their part of speech is “noun.”

From the definitions of these words, you can also tell the difference lies in the words’ age and specificity during applications. Petroglyph focuses more on images or symbols on rock carvings. On the other hand, hieroglyphs are symbols in Egyptian monuments.

To expound more on these words’ vast differences, especially regarding their age, we’ll look at their histories in the next section. Keep reading!

History Of Petroglyph And Hieroglyph Explained

From pyramids to pictorial writing, Egyptians have showcased a rich history. The best way to understand and differentiate petroglyphs and hieroglyphs from a historical perspective is to look into their histories. Let’s dive straight into that!

History Of Hieroglyph

Hieroglyph is a Greek term that means “sacred carving.” The first use of this word dates back more than 5000 years ago. From historical writings, the Coptic language started superseding hieroglyphic writing in the 3rd century.

People didn’t know much about Egyptian hieroglyphs until the 18th century when Jean Francois revealed to the world about these writings. In his book “Pecis,” Jean made it easier for people to know about hieroglyphs.

An interesting fact: Egyptians inscribed hieroglyphs in several locations, including tombs and temple walls. Their primary purpose was religious and literary.

History Of Petroglyph

Historians have discovered petroglyphs in several parts worldwide, except in Antarctica. Australia, America, and Africa have had the most successful discoveries.

Historical records reveal that petroglyphs’ first recognitions were around 12000 years ago. Ancient people created petroglyphs for cultural and religious purposes. The inscriptions were purely symbolic, with some meaning yet to be deciphered.

Other forms of petroglyphs were discovered thousands of years after the first discovery. In fact, there have been clear cases where even in the 20th century, some communities still embraced petroglyphic writing.

List Of Examples Of Petroglyph And Hieroglyph Use In Sentences

Good sentence examples will guide you. You can also use them to know your comprehension of the words. From the ten examples below, you can tell we’ve used each word just like we’ve explained in our sections above. That makes it easy to create sentences that people understand. Check them out!

Example sentences of the word petroglyph

1. The way the lecturer explained petroglyphs is quite interesting.
2. Are there people who can interpret all petroglyphs?
3. How many petroglyphs have been discovered so far?
4. If you love history, petroglyphs should be an area of concern.
5. Mike Carson is the best petroglyph archeologist.

Example sentences of the word hieroglyph

1. Hieroglyphs have a profound history.
2. Egyptians continue to earn top dollar from their hieroglyphs and pyramids.
3. Many historians are studying hieroglyphs like never before.
4. You might fail the incoming exam if you haven’t studied how hieroglyphs came about.
5. Clement wants to be a hieroglyph interpreter.

Wrapping Up: Petroglyph Vs. Hieroglyph

In a nutshell, petroglyph means an art on the rock created from carving. On the other hand, a hieroglyph is a symbol showcased on ancient Egyptian monuments to represent a syllable or word.

Your history and cultural understanding will never be the same again. Knowing about the words petroglyph and hieroglyph keep you abreast of what many don’t know.