First off, I would like to say that the information shown below is NOT my work! All of this information is a compilation of work done by many individuals over at the Gateworld Forums: The Ancient Alphabet (I got it!). I would like to acknowledge Selmak for putting together all of the work done so far. I would also like to thank everyone else who has been working on this and all of their contributions.
Eventually I would like to fix the broken links, but until Selmak gets his site back up, they will remain broken. In the mean time, feel free to browse what information is shown so far.
Updated as of 2004.09.05
NOTE: All languages are coded english.
The Ancient Alphabet:
The original Ancient Alphabet was deciphered by sgeureka after watching the Season 7 DVD extra Atlantis preview.
NOTE: The Ancient Alphabet only works for Ancient writings found in Atlantis (and even there, not always). It doesn't work for Ancient writings found in SG-1 ("Torment of Tantalus", "Window Of Opportunity", "Fifth Race", "Chimera", "Heroes", "Lost City"... etc.). It is possible that they are older dialects of Ancient since it seems they have the same style but are different.
Ancient Alphabet And Number Screen Shot Chart by sgeureka:
Ancient Alphabet And Number Chart by Markey2:
Ancient letters are found everywhere in Atlantis (stairs, puddle jumpers, computer consoles, door openers). Ancient numbers are found on Atlantis consoles.
Atlantis staircase translation: (In some scenes the letters on the stairs appear to be upside down... but are later corrected.)
01 WE HOLD THESE AS THE TRUTH
02 A HEARTY WELCOME TO THOSE OF OTHER WORLDS
03 VISITING OUR HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME (W)ELCOME AGAIN
04 ABSENCE HAS WEIGHED HEAVILY ON OUR SOULS WE ARE
05 TO THOSE RETURNING YOU Y HAVE BEEN GONE TOO LONG AND YOUR
06 AS WE LEAVE FOR DISTANT WORLDS WE PLEDGE TO RESPECT THE LANDS OF
07 WHOLE AGAIN THAT YOU ARE AMONG US AND WE CELEBRATE YOU BEING HERE AGAIN
08 OUR NEIGHBOURS AND TO ACT WITH INTEGRITY AS AMBASSADORS IN PEACE TIME
09 OF OUR PEOPLE TRAVELLERS WITH OPEN HEARTS WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOME REFUGEES
10 INHABITANTS OF THIS WORLD AND ALL WE MAY EVER KNOW WE WILL ALWAYS STRIVE TO
11 FROM TYRANNY MAY SEEK SHELTER UNDER OUR ROOF AND (?NAT) OUR PEOPLE WILL LAY
12 DOWN THEIR LIVES TO PROTECT THE WEAK AND THE JUST LET THIS BE OUR PLEDGE TO THOSE
13 COME IN PEACE AS WE GO IN PEACE AND YOU WILL BE WELCOME ON OUR SITES FOREVERMORE
NOTE: It makes more sense if the stairs are NOT read in order... the sequence that makes the most sense is 1,2,3,5,4,7,6,8,9,11,12,10,13.
Puddle Jumper console translation:
PROTOCOLS MUST BE SET BEFORE LAUNCH
ATTEMPT GATE REENTRY
There is also a lever in the back portion on the Puddle Jumper that opens that back hatch that says EJECT in Ancient. (38 Minutes)
There are Ancient letters scrolling across a computer screen in the Atlantis control room... In a scene amongst the gibberish you can make out:
WHERE OH WHERE HAS MY LITTLE DOG GONE OH WHERE
THE WILDERNESS
(an art department joke)
We have seen one instance of the Atlantis Dialect being used in SG-1 in the episode "Affinity" Daniel receives a message in Ancient from former NID operatives that he must translate...
We know it says...
ACTUAL WORDS ARE HARD TO DECIPH SO THISLL WORK
(another art department joke)
Observed Ancient grammar rules: (The same as early Latin)
1) There are no spaces. (This rule has be broken in "Affinity")
2) There are no capital or lower case letters.
3) There is no punctuation.
The Goa'uld Alphabet:
...also deciphered by sgeureka.
NOTE: This Alphabet only seems to work with the Goa'uld text found in "New Order". (The Goa'uld text found in "Nightwalkers" has different symbols) They are most likely different dialects.
Goa'uld Alphabet Chart by WurdBendur:
The computer screen in "New Order" says (including misspellings):
THE CONSTITUTION TO THE REVO
LUTION WAS VIRRTUALLY ENDLESS
ROSES ARE RED* VIOLETS ARE
BLUE ONE BEER TWO BEER I LOVE YOU
THIS IS HOW THE WHELLS AR THE BUS
GO ROUND AND ROUND ROUND A
ROUND AND THE SYSTEM LORSDS
WANT TO HAVE SOME KIND O *MM
MEETING IN WHICH THEY WILL TAKE
THEIR PHASER GUNS AND BLOW ALL
[can't read the last line]
The Asgard Alphabet:
(Elder Futhark Norse Runes)
NOTE: The only instance we have seen this Alphabet work is on an Asgard Device in the episode "Fair Game".
It says: SUPPORT TH...
*Here's the comparison of all the fonts to date*
To install the fonts:
for Windows: unzip the file to C:\Windows\Fonts\.
for Mac OS X "Panther": unzip the file and double click it, then click install.
Chevron_nine's Font: Times New Ancient
VirtualCLD's Font: Ancient Virtual
WurdBendur's Font: Anquietas
WurdBendur's Font: Ancient Hand
Goa'uld Font: Nahkt Hieroglyphics
Asgard Font: Elder Futhark Norse Runes |