Decoding the Secrets of Egyptian Hieroglyphs

I own a previous course taught by Bob Brier, "The History of Ancient Egypt", and when I saw that this one was published and is also taught by him, I snatched up a copy. And of course it's great. Bob Brier has a very engaging personality and a sincere, youthful love of his subject of Ancient Egypt that really holds your attention, and his knowledge is extreme in the extreme. His ability to draw? Well, let's just say he's not exactly Norman Rockwell -- but at least he always shows you what the actual hieroglyphs are supposed to look like, alongside his drawing them himself. I've loved the aesthetic and mythology of Ancient Egypt ever since I was a little kid, and this video brings me right back to my youthful spirit. If you pick up a copy, not only will you enjoy it yourself, but you can buy copies as a great present for that quirky son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandson or granddaughter who loves to draw and always has their nose in an encyclopedia or history book.

The DVD and the textbook are perfect together. This is by far the best course I've had regarding learning to read and write Egyptian Hieroglyphs. If you think about what this course would cost at any university, the price for the book and DVD is a bargain. Not only does the professor give a language lesson, but he also gives you an Ancient history lesson. If your interested in decoding Egyptian Hieroglyphs, this course is the best first step to understanding Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

Nothing about ancient Egypt is simple. After graduating from an Ivy League college, I hoped to further my study of Egyptology and hieroglyphs but was unable to do so back then. Recently, I purchased a 24 lecture "Great Course" in a 2-book set on Amazon; soon after, elsewhere on line, I also purchased the DVD set. If Prof. Bob Brier stuck to the visuals I would have been 100% content but he also goes into ancient history, puzzling vocalizations, heaps of grammar and homework - some of which is printed incorrectly in the transcripts. His mantra is: Don't Worry You'll Get it! He recommends a costly reference work by Gardiner, which I bought, but after making a valiant effort to examine this huge heavy tome, my eyes glazed over. Still hopeful, I read about a fourth of The Egyptian Book of the Dead - ugh. I am thankful I turned to other studies while I was still a starry-eyed youth because they are far more meaningful than the muddled old beliefs of ancient mummy-makers. If the ancients were so smart, why did they discard the faithful dead's brain matter as useless gunk? What chance of happiness would a brainless mummy have in the afterlife?? And why didn't the ancients come up with a better alphabet than the awkward characters they used for centuries?? Dr. Brier claims the ancients invented hieroglyphs due to their tax system but doesn't show the student how this worked (I looked elsewhere for an explanation). I think this course would have been more useful to me if it were limited to about a dozen lectures strictly focused on hieroglyphs. No, I didn't want to draw them or pronounce them. I just wanted to read them. Period.

Professor Bob Briar is a wonderful communicator and keeps you engaged at all times. Such a great course. 🙌🙌🙌

A bargain for the $50 I paid for it. I find Dr. Brier’s presentation very engaging and informative - a delightful introduction to the world of Egyptian hieroglyphs.

The Professor is a delight to learn from. He is clear, concise and entertaining at the same time. Teaches how to draw hieroglyphs without feeling intimidated by the task. Do the 'homework' if you really intend to learn.

My bucket list included learning hieroglyphs. I can compose ,too! Bob Brier is so engaging, and I have so enjoyed my beginning of a great skill.

Mi nivel de inglés no es muy bueno y sin embargo, a Bob Brier le entiendo todo. El curso me ha gustado mucho porque cada lección está estructurada teniendo en cuenta los tiempos de atención posibles a un tema que requiere ir a pasos cortos. Cada lección es muy entretenida y tratándose del profesor Brier, la motivación a continuar está asegurada.