The inscriptions of the Giza pyramids stand as enduring testaments to a timeless enigma. Yet, one might ponder why Arab scholars, who traversed the land of the Nile for centuries, seemingly overlooked this sacred script, hieroglyphics. Did they fail to perceive them? Did their implications elude their understanding? The intrigue lies not in ignorance, but in the nature of their knowledge. They did not disregard them, but rather, delved into them through a lens of alchemy, magic, and esoteric symbolism. Was Champollion’s decipherment a true discovery, or merely a translation of language into language, at the expense of ancient Arab interpretations?

What if the Arabs did not simply read the hieroglyphs, but instead, deciphered the underlying meaning? What if they sought not an alphabet, but the very secret of existence? What if their intelligence was not lesser, but of a different kind, exceeding our current comprehension? Prepare for an exploration into a hidden realm where science converges with myth, and history intertwines with imagination, to unveil why we assumed they did not see, when in reality, their vision extended far beyond our own.

Did they truly grasp the implications of these symbols? Share your initial interpretation in the comments and consider whether undiscovered insights lie within the ancient Arab understanding of hieroglyphics. To stay abreast of this intricate puzzle, subscribe to the channel.

Alchemy and Symbols: The Arab Perspective on Hieroglyphic Writing

What if, from the Arab perspective, hieroglyphic writing was not merely a lost language, but a buried treasure awaiting discovery? Not a treasure for literal interpretation, but for profound inspiration. Here, at the heart of alchemy, destinies converge. Did Jabir ibn Hayyan, the eminent eighth-century alchemist, perceive the pharaohs’ inscriptions as mere fleeting decorations? Or did he discern within them symbols of a primal substance, a key to transmuting metals? Did he recognize within those symbols secrets of the universe concealed within images?

Dhu al-Nun al-Misri, the ninth-century Sufi and alchemist, described hieroglyphic writing as a wise script containing the secrets of the universe, secrets discernible not by the naked eye, but through the heart, intuition, and spiritual alchemy. Did he perceive within each drawing a medical prescription, and within each inscription a hint of a scientific experiment? Did he consider it a divine language?

Ibn Wahshiyya, a tenth-century scholar of agriculture and chemistry, delved even deeper. In his book, Shawq al-Mustaham fi Ma’rifat Rumuz al-Aqlam (The Desire of the Passionate Lover for Knowledge of the Symbols of the Pens), he sought to decipher hieroglyphic writing, albeit not in the conventional manner. Guesses? Yes, but inspired guesses, rooted in a firm belief in the power of hidden symbols. Did he genuinely believe that these symbols possessed magical powers, capable of being harnessed in ancient rituals to transmute base lead into precious gold? Was he seeking the secret of life within those symbols?

Herein lies the enigma. The Arabs sought not the key to the language, but the key to existence itself. In their view, hieroglyphic writing was not merely history, but the science of hidden secrets, intertwined with Hermetic philosophy and ancient alchemy. They perceived it as a window to another world.

Forgotten Manuscripts: Evidence of Early Interest

The manuscripts themselves offer a perspective contrary to expectations. In the tenth century AD, Ibn Wahshiyya, the author of Shawq al-Mustaham fi Ma’rifat Rumuz al-Aqlam, provides a unique glimpse into the mindset of the medieval Arab scholar. Ibn Wahshiyya did not understand hieroglyphics as a phonetic system, but rather envisioned them as magical symbols, repositories of ancient secrets. Imagine this venerable scholar, seated in his dimly lit library, poring over worn papyri, intently searching for recipes to transmute base metals into gold, or perhaps incantations to invoke good fortune.

Even more remarkable is Ibn Wahshiyya’s claim to have translated hieroglyphic texts, which he asserted spoke of the sciences of the ancients and their magic, which has always captivated hearts. Were his translations accurate? Perhaps not, but the paramount aspect is this extraordinary perception that hieroglyphics are not merely a dead script, but a buried treasure of mysterious knowledge, a secret awaiting revelation. Later, in the thirteenth century, al-Murtada mentions in his book Al-Tabsira that the ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics to record their glorious history, a clear acknowledgment of its historical function, even if it was not fully understood at the time.

As for Abu al-Qasim al-Iraqi, a genius in the science of chemistry, he linked hieroglyphics to ancient chemical texts, firmly believing that they concealed the secrets of making gold and the magical elixir. Imagine now how those sacred symbols, inscribed on the walls of towering temples, were transformed into complex chemical equations in the minds of these brilliant scholars. Even distorted hieroglyphic drawings aroused their curiosity.

Interpretation vs. Encryption: The Limits of Arab Understanding

While Champollion focused on comparing hieroglyphic writing with the Coptic language, seeking the sounds concealed behind the symbols, the Arab mind operated from a fundamentally different premise. Abu al-Qasim al-Iraqi, for example, did not seek to decipher a phonetic code, but rather to extract chemical equations from the inscriptions of Karnak, believing that they contained secrets predating the pharaohs themselves, secrets that transcended recorded history.

Ibn Wahshiyya provided partial translations of some symbols, but his focus was on the symbolic and pictorial aspect, rather than the phonetic. His book Shawq al-Mustaham represents the culmination of this trend, leaning more towards intuition and conjecture, towards fleeting illuminations, than towards precise linguistic analysis.

But does this signify a lack of ability? No, but rather a radical divergence in purpose. The Arabs perceived hieroglyphic writing as a secret priestly language, associated with magic and incantations, which profoundly influenced their interpretation. Hermetic philosophy, with its emphasis on esoteric meanings, diverted their attention from deciphering the phonetic code towards the search for hidden wisdom, for deeper meaning.

The Golden Age of Egypt in the Eyes of Arab Scholars

The interest of Arab scholars in ancient Egypt was not confined to the towering monuments alone, but extended to a relentless pursuit of understanding the legendary wisdom of the ancients, even if they did not fully decipher hieroglyphic writing as we do today. The true triumph lies in that unbridled curiosity, and in the overwhelming desire to extract knowledge from every possible source. Al-Masudi, in his book The Meadows of Gold, did not merely describe the Giza pyramids as dazzling architectural structures, but delved deeper, questioning the sublime purpose of their construction, believing that valuable treasures and sciences were concealed within their depths.

Ibn Wahshiyya went even further, translating alleged Coptic and hieroglyphic texts, claiming that they dealt with the secrets of agriculture and magic, and believing that they dated back to civilizations predating the Flood itself. This was not merely a mechanical translation, but a bold attempt to integrate this ancient knowledge into the framework of the Islamic understanding of the world. The value of these arduous efforts is evident in their relentless pursuit, through these translations and interpretations, to revive sciences that were on the verge of disappearing, even if they were marred by some imagination and symbolic interpretation based on Hermetic philosophy. It is true that they did not discover the Rosetta Stone, but they possessed an unyielding passion for knowledge.

Then came Champollion. In 1822, his letter to Mr. Dacier caused a resounding earthquake in the world of archeology, announcing the decipherment of hieroglyphics. But, the amazing surprise lies in the fact that Arab researchers, such as Ibn Wahshiyya, centuries before Champollion, had knocked on the doors of this mysterious world, the enchanting world of the pharaohs. Ibn Wahshiyya provided early interpretations of some symbols, pointing to the existence of ancient books dealing with ancient writing. It is true that his understanding was not complete, as he focused on the symbolic and astrological aspects, lacking the bilingual texts that Champollion possessed. But, isn’t it amazing to discover this early interest, this tireless effort to understand the language of the pharaohs, even if it did not reach the final solution? Champollion’s contribution does not negate, but enriches a longer story, a story of an ancient Arab passion for the symbols of Egypt.

What Have We Learned? A New Perspective on Hieroglyphic Writing

So, what have we learned? That the relationship between Arab scholars and hieroglyphic writing was not simply a void in understanding, but a complex, intertwined story. Ibn Wahshiyya did not decipher the symbols in the modern sense, but he saw in them an echo of ancient wisdom, which he closely linked to philosophy. As for al-Iraqi, he was captivated by the hieroglyphic writing with its esoteric magic, and perhaps the hope of finding hidden treasures drove him to this endeavor. What might a comparison of their interpretations with the original texts reveal? Could it not show us hidden aspects of ancient Egyptian thought, perhaps about the role that symbols played in rituals? Studying these interpretations opens up vast new horizons before us, which may shed bright light on how different civilizations saw each other through the mirror of time.

In conclusion, Arab scholars were unable to