Hieroglyphs

Sail hetau	The ancient Egyptian craft that sailed the Nile travelled downstream (north) with the current or used the prevailing winds that blow to the south to travel upstream. Riverboats are thus shown with a fixed mast and often under sail. The sail hieroglyph was also used in connection with the winds and by direct association with the concept of "breath", or rather the breath of life. The same symbol appears in works depicting the crossing of the celestial river by the deceased, often equated to the Milky Way.
Scarab Beetle kheper	There are several species of scarab or dung beetle to be found in Egypt but the large sacred scarab, Scarabaeus sacer, is the one most frequently used in Egyptian art. This is the beetle known for its habit of rolling balls of animal dung along the ground and into tunnels as a source of food for its larvae. Because the young beetles seem to emerge spontaneously from these tunnels the Egyptians worshipped the scarab beetle as Khepri meaning "he who came forth". Thus the beetle was associated with the creator god Atum. The ray-like lines on the scarab's head and the ball of dung also suggested solar connections.
Scribe's Outfit menhed	The equipment used by a scribe consisted of a palette, usually with two depressions to hold black and red pigment, a water jar or pigment bag and a pen case. The components were usually held together, as shown in the hieroglyph, with string that also served as a carrying handle. Writing was an important skill practiced by an elite group of trained scribes. Kings and nobles were proud of their ability to write and were often portrayed as scribes. The pen case and indeed the whole outfit was often exaggerated in size or repeated to emphasize the importance of the tools. The kit was also depicted as an offering to the deceased for use in the afterlife.
Seated God netcher	The symbol represents a profile or side view of a figure with knees bent and feet drawn back under the body. The main characteristic is the mummy-like nature of the tightly wrapped body - the arms and hands are not usually shown. According to Egyptian convention, male deities were usually differentiated by the addition of a curved beard.
Seated Man se	The generic sign for "man". Slight variations in the positioning of the arms could be used to indicate eating, drinking or speaking, giving praise or adoring. The icon therefore appears frequently in Egyptian works of art. The figures are often repeated, each one identical except the first, underlining the hieroplyphic nature of the pose.
Sekhem Sceptre sekhem	This sceptre denotes the concept of power and might. The name of the war-like lion goddess Sekhmet means "She of Might". The god Osiris is frequently given the epithet "Great Sekhem" or "Foremost of the Powers". The sekhem is comonly found as an emblem in connection with the underworld deity. The sceptre was also used in temple and mortuary rituals, often held by the official who presented the offerings.
Seth Animal Setekh	The god Seth appears to have been a desert god who represented the forces of disturbance and confusion. Seth was therefore placed opposite Horus, the god of order and stability, reinforcing the ancient Egyptian's dualistic view of the cosmos. However, Seth was not always the villain of the piece - he was considered to be cunning and possessed of great strength. The icon developed over time from an upright animal with a curved head, square ears and erect tail. The origin of the animal is unknown, suggestions ranging from an aardvark, jackal, antelope, okapi, pig or even ass. The animal may just be a fabulous creature, like the griffon or unicorn.
Shen Ring shen	The circle represents the concept of eternity - no beginning or end - and the solar aspect is symbolized by the sun disk in the centre of the shen sign. The hieroglyph is found in words such as "encircle" and in its elongated form became the cartouche that surrounded the Egyptian King's birth and throne names. As the sign for eternity, the shen ring is frequently associated with Heh, the god of eternity and often forms the base of the palm branch symbolizing "years". It is also linked with the ouroboros, the serpent and with the falcon and various vulture goddesses.
Sistrum sesheshet	There are two forms of this ceremonial instrument. The hooped sistrum consisted of a handle surmounted by a simple metal hoop. Metal rods were set in the hoop that supported small metal disks or squares that produced a characteristic tinkling sound when the instrument was shaken. The other form, the naos sistrum, was usually surmounted by twin heads of Hathor upon which a small shrine or naos-shaped box was set. Like the hooped sistrum, rods were passed through the sides of the naos represented the horns of the cow-eared goddess. Both types of sistrum were associated with Hathor and it is thought that the instrument may have originated in the practice of shaking bundles of papyrus flowers with which Hathor was associated.
Sky pet	This symbol represents the physical ceiling of the heavens, dropping at the edges as the sky appears to reach down at the the extremes of the horizon. The sign appeared frequently at the top of walls, doors and gateways to symbolize the overarching heavens and is thus often shown studded with stars. In temple reliefs and other art works the sky motif formed part of the frame around the piece. The sides of the frame were formed by two was scepters and the base by the earth symbol, ta.
Stairway rued	Like doors and gateways, stairs provided transitions from one area to another and by inference, from one state to the next. Egyptian tombs included a stairway that led down from the surface to the tomb itself. Stairways thus represented the interface between life and death. They could also represent the mound of earth that rose from the primeval ocean at the beginning of creation as well as the concepts of resurrection from the grave and ascension into the heavens.
Star seba	Egyptian temples were complex models of the cosmos; paintings of stellar deities and constellations appeared on the ceilings and tombs. Egyptians believed that the ba or soul bird of the deceased might ascend into the heavens as one of the myriad of stars. But as followers of Osiris the stars could also represent souls in the underworld. Thus stars were connected to afterlife beliefs in two ways. The star symbol appears in many forms from a simple dot or circle through to a five point star as shown here. The five-pointed star was mostly used in formal or decorative scenes or to adorn the sky hieroglyph or the body of the sky goddess Nut.
Statue khenty	The figure stands with one foot advanced, holding a staff in one hand and a sceptre in the other. This was how noble and successful men were portrayed in the classic Egyptian tomb statue. Sometimes the scepter is replaced by a cloth, mace or club, the latter indicating royalty.
Steering Oar hemu	Distinguished from the simple oar by the angle, large paddle and the steering bar attached to its handle. This hieroglyph normally appears in groups of four often juxtaposed with magical eyes, bovines and other mythological symbols. The four oars may correspond to the four corners of the heavens but the precise origin and meaning is unkown. Where the oars appear in conjunction with bovines - seven cows and a bull in the tomb of Nefertari - the bovines are to provide sustenance for the deceased.
Summon nis	This figure of a man with one arm raised is found in words for "call" and "summon" as well as related words such as servant - one who hears the call or summons. The figure appears in many temple reliefs depicting religious rituals where a priest, or the king serving in a priestly function, makes an offering or serves a deity in some way.
Sun ra	The most important element in Egyptian religion and therefore the solar disk is one of the most frequently occurring symbols in Egyptian art. It also appears in several forms associated with a number of deities including Horus, Re and Amun-Re. The forms include the simple sun disk shown here, the disk with uraeus or cobra and the disk emanating rays. All three forms could appear in the same composition. As the sun represented the eye of the sky god Horus and also the god Re it is often shown as a disk on the head of a falcon or alone as a winged disk. Other deities were associated with the sun and its appearance at dawn (the winged beetle Khepri) and dusk (the ram-headed god Khnum). In the Late Period a different form was shown for each hourof the day ranging from a child in the first to an old man in the twelfth.
Swallow menet	The exact species is uncertain - probably a member of the martin family, Hirundinidae. In the Old Kingdom swallows were identified with the stars and thus the transfigured souls of the deceased. The bird often represents the soul after death, as it has the power to change into any form it wishes - especially avian forms such as the hawk or swallow. The swallow also appears in the representations of the solar barque of Re, sitting in the boat's prow as the sun passes into the underworld. The goddess Isis took the form of a swallow when she lamented the death of her husband Osiris.