π
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Egyptian
Top row: early hieroglyphic form (no wall), two later forms (with wall). Bottom row: early hieratic form (no wall), later hieratic forms (wall).
Glyph origin
Representing a man crouching with his arms raised, hiding. In later depictions (since partway through the 18th Dynasty), the man is hiding behind a wall; in earlier depictions the wall is not present, and the glyph was visually similar to π (
) but for the different posture. This and other depicting men conventionally color the skin red; the hair is typically black, and the clothing white (sometimes with black outlines or details).
References
- Georg MΓΆller, Hieratische PalΓ€ographie
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