Question

What evidence does the author use to support the contention that Renaissance scholars misunderstood Egyptian writing?

A.Egyptian writing was ideographic.

B.Kircher incorrectly translated an inscription about Psamtjik.

C.Missionaries and explorers discovered Chinese and Mayan scripts that were ideographic.

D.Kircher was the first scholar to correctly understand Egyptian writing.

Answer 1

The author provides evidence that Renaissance scholars misunderstood Egyptian writing, including the fact that it was ideographic, Kircher's translation mistake, and the discovery of Chinese and Mayan scripts that were also ideographic.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author provides several pieces of evidence to support the contention that Renaissance scholars misunderstood Egyptian writing:

1. Egyptian writing was ideographic: The author explains that Egyptian hieroglyphics were symbols that were adapted from pictures over time. This form of writing used a combination of alphabetic signs, syllabic signs, word signs, and pictures of objects, and it was only understood by highly trained professional scribes.
2. Kircher incorrectly translated an inscription about Psamtjik: The author mentions that Kircher, a Renaissance scholar, made a mistake in his translation of an inscription about Psamtjik, which further contributed to the misunderstanding of Egyptian writing during that time.
3. Missionaries and explorers discovered Chinese and Mayan scripts that were ideographic: The author points out that missionaries and explorers found Chinese and Mayan scripts, which were also ideographic like Egyptian hieroglyphics. This discovery highlighted the similarities between these scripts and reinforced the idea that Renaissance scholars misunderstood Egyptian writing.