Petroglyph vs. Hieroglyph — What's the Difference?

A rock carving made by chipping away the surface.

A written character in an ancient Egyptian writing system.

A form of rock art created by removing part of a rock surface.

A figure or symbol with specific meaning used in ancient writing.

A prehistoric etching on a rock surface.

A symbolic picture carved or written for use in formal writing systems.

A symbol or image carved into rock, often for ritualistic purposes.

An ancient carved or written symbol used in religious texts.

An engraved or carved rock, typically carrying historical or spiritual significance.

A writing element in an ancient system, often representing sounds, words, or concepts.

A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images.

A hieroglyph (Greek for "sacred carvings") was a character of the ancient Egyptian writing system. Logographic scripts that are pictographic in form in a way reminiscent of ancient Egyptian are also sometimes called "hieroglyphs".

A rock carving, especially a prehistoric one.

A stylized picture of an object representing a word, syllable, or sound, as found in ancient Egyptian and certain other writing systems

A carving or incised drawing on rock, especially one made by prehistoric people.

A picture or symbol used in hieroglyphic writing.

(archaeology) A rock carving, especially one made in prehistoric times.

Something that suggests a hieroglyph.

An element of an ideographic (hieroglyphic) writing system.

(informal) Any obscure or baffling symbol.

To represent by hieroglyphs.

A sacred character; a character used in picture writing, as of the ancient Egyptians, Mexicans, etc. Specifically, in the plural, the picture writing of the ancient Egyptian priests. It is made up of three, or, as some say, four classes of characters: first, the hieroglyphic proper, or figurative, in which the representation of the object conveys the idea of the object itself; second, the ideographic, consisting of symbols representing ideas, not sounds, as an ostrich feather is a symbol of truth; third, the phonetic, consisting of symbols employed as syllables of a word, or as letters of the alphabet, having a certain sound, as a hawk represented the vowel a.

Any character or figure which has, or is supposed to have, a hidden or mysterious significance; hence, any unintelligible or illegible character or mark.

Writing that resembles hieroglyphics (usually by being illegible)

A writing system using picture symbols; used in ancient Egypt

Petroglyphs can be found worldwide, often in areas with significant rock surfaces.

A petroglyph is a rock carving made by removing part of a rock surface.

Generally, petroglyphs are not considered a form of writing but more as art or symbols.

A hieroglyph is a written character used especially in ancient Egyptian writing.

Yes, hieroglyphs are a form of writing, especially in ancient civilizations like Egypt.

Hieroglyphs are usually carved or written using tools like reed brushes or chisels.

Hieroglyphs are most famously found in Egypt but also exist in other ancient civilizations.

Petroglyphs are often prehistoric and not tied to any known civilization.

Generally, petroglyphs do not have linguistic meaning but convey broader ideas or concepts.

Petroglyphs are created by carving or chipping away at a rock surface.

Typically, petroglyphs are carved rather than painted.

Yes, hieroglyphs can be either carved or painted.

Yes, hieroglyphs are often part of a writing system and have specific linguistic meanings.

Yes, hieroglyphs are usually associated with specific ancient civilizations like Egypt.

Petroglyphs often depict animals, humans, or symbolic patterns.