Egyptian Hieroglyph U016
Egyptian Hieroglyph U016 (𓍄) is a character in the Egyptian hieroglyphs Unicode block, encoded at code point U+13344. The sign depicts a ceremonial or symbolic sledge with a canine or jackal head at the front and a rectangular object placed upon the sled.
The hieroglyph belongs to the Egyptian Hieroglyphs Unicode block (U+13000–U+1342F) and was introduced in Unicode version 5.2 in 2009.
Description
The Unicode Unikemet database describes the sign as:
In Gardiner-style classifications, the sign is catalogued as U16 within category U, representing agriculture, crafts, and professions.
Egyptological interpretation
The hieroglyph functions primarily as a phonogram with the phonetic value bjꜣ (also transliterated biA).
Egyptologists have associated the sign with ceremonial sledges and funerary symbolism. The jackal-headed design has been interpreted as a visual pun related to the Egyptian word wns, meaning both “jackal” and “sledge”.
The sign also appears in words connected to minerals or metals, especially biA (“copper” or “mineral”), and in the word biAw (“wonders”).
Usage
The hieroglyph appears in funerary texts, coffin inscriptions, papyri, and ritual scenes from the New Kingdom and later periods. It is associated with ritual transport sledges and funerary processions.
Unicode data
Property |
Value |
|---|---|
Code point |
U+13344 |
Unicode name |
EGYPTIAN HIEROGLYPH U016 |
Block |
Egyptian Hieroglyphs |
UTF-8 |
F0 93 8D 84 |
UTF-16 |
D80C DF44 |
UTF-32 |
00013344 |
Hexadecimal entity |
|
Modern use
The character is supported in Unicode-compatible Egyptian hieroglyphic fonts such as Noto Sans Egyptian Hieroglyphs. It is used in digital Egyptology projects, educational resources, and Unicode demonstrations.
See also
- Egyptian hieroglyphs
- Unicode
- Gardiner's sign list
- Egyptian Hieroglyphs (Unicode block)