Union symbol (hieroglyph)

Union-symbol (Lung and Trachea) sma in hieroglyphs

In Egyptian hieroglyphs, the hieroglyph is used for the phonetic value of sma, (a triliteral) with meanings of to join together, to unite with.

Union symbol in an inscription at the temple of Amun-Ra in Karnak

The Union symbol (hieroglyph) is Gardiner sign listed no. F36, part of the series for parts of mammals. As a "union symbol", (a right and left half), it contains a vertical invisible 'centerline'. It allows for the positioning of two important hieroglyphs to be attached to it, right and left, as the uniting of two halves; specifically this is referencing Upper Egypt (by the King of the South), represented by the sedge hieroglyph (M23) and Lower Egypt (the King of the North), represented by the papyrus clump hieroglyph (M16) .

For its use as "uniting of two lands", it has an identical usage to the Two whips with shen ring hieroglyph , which from its very construction appears as the uniting of two separate "tribes", or communities.

• 
  Chephren's seated statue
• 
  Detail of Chephren's statue

See also

• Two whips with shen ring (hieroglyph)
• Gardiner's Sign List#F. Parts of mammals
• List of Egyptian hieroglyphs

References

• Betrò, 1995. Hieroglyphics: The Writings of Ancient Egypt, Betrò, Maria Carmela, c. 1995, 1996-(English), Abbeville Press Publishers, New York, London, Paris (hardcover, ISBN 0-7892-0232-8)
• Budge, 1991. A Hieroglyphic Dictionary to the Book of the Dead, E.A.Wallace Budge, Dover edition, 1991; Original: c 1911 as: "A Hieroglyphic Vocabulary to the Theban Recension of the Book of the Dead with an Index to All the English Equivalents of the Egyptian Words", (Kegan Paul, etc. Ltd, London, publisher). Dover: (softcover, ISBN 0-486-26724-5)
• Schulz, Seidel. Egypt: The World of the Pharaohs, Editors, Regine Schulz, Matthias Seidel, Könemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne, English translation version. (hardcover, ISBN 3-89508-913-3)