As clever as we think we are here in the 21st century, nothing quite compares to early illustration and attempts at initiating communication. Hieroglyphics often stood for actions and ideas, but also phonograms denoting sounds. Creating sounds with images was known as the rebus principle and was discovered by Jean-Francois Champollion in the early 1800's. Though it still is technically communicating a message, today the rebus is often seen as a game or whimsical message and can often be found in the top of beer bottles. Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor and Haffenreffer are two liquor companies that include the rebus in their cap. The rebus images, as they were when carved in stone, are still simple, minimalistic and to the point, as they are meant to be easily interpreted. I wonder, would the liquor companies would go through all that trouble if their beer caps were made of stone? Makes you want to give more credit to the Egyptians.
Can you guess the rebus? I honestly don't know how Champollion did it.
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Wow, so interesting. I did not know this and am intrigued:-)
ReplyDelete(about the bottle caps I mean..and deciphering the messages)
Thanks for sharing Alisha,
Jackie
Check out my blog??? Oh man thats cool... if i got that right! How did you stumble on one so specific?
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