Directions of writing

Hieroglyphic text could be written from both left to right and right to left (when it is in a horizontal line). From right to left was more common.

In a vertical line, it is always written from top to bottom.

If the signs are written one above the other in the same line, we first read the upper one.
See sxr "plan" .

When you see an ancient text, how can you know what is its orientation? There is a rule - every human and animal faces the beginning of the text.

More info and examples:

Learning Egyptian Hieroglyphs - Lesson 1
http://www.thekeep.org/~kunoichi/.../glyphs_1.html
(Also has other lessons about hieroglyphs)

Direction of Writing in Egyptian
http://www.jimloy.com/hiero/direct.htm

Direction of Writing
http://www.iut.univ-paris8.fr/~rosmord/Intro/node8.html