Deciphering the script of ancient Egypt. 📜 The word hieroglyph comes from the Greek words for sacred writing, so called because the script was found on temple walls, tombs and statues. The Egyptians called this special script 'divine words'. How the script was written dictated the way it needed to be read. For example, if hieroglyphic figures were orientated facing the right, the script should then be read from right to left. Hieroglyphs could be written left to right, right to left or top to b