V
The so-called "Aphonic Owner's Mark" Signs of Pre-dynastic and Early-Dynastic Egypt are Sumerian linear Pictograms
Before examining the details of our comparative tables of the alphabets with their Sumerian pictogram parents, it is interesting to find in Egypt itself additional proof for the Sumerian origin of the alphabetic letters of Pre-dynastic Egypt.
One of the chief arguments used for Professor Petrie's theory that the alphabetic signs preceded and were in nowise related to or derived from pictogram or picture writing is that these alphabetic signs were associated in Pre-dynastic and Early-Dynastic Egypt with other contemporary signs or "owner's marks" on pottery which, as they did not resemble the alphabetic signs, were termed "aphonic," in the belief that they represented no sounds or words whatsoever.
On examining, however, the list of these "Aphonic Owner's mark" signs in Professor Petrie's Table V, I observed that most if not all of these signs were clearly rough linear Sumerian syllabic pictograms of the Sargonic or Pre-Sargonic period. Thus the first line of these supposed "aphonic" signs is seen to contain rough forms of the Sumerian pictogram for Śa (seed, or cereal, BW. 323) and Gi or Gin (cane, BW. 92 and Sumer-Aryan Dict., Plate III) — different signs being sometimes classed together in this "Aphonic" table. The 2nd line has Garza (cross or sceptre of the lord, BW. 251 and WPOB. 290, 294 f.). In 3rd line
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