**UPDATED** 4/28 5PM PST With translation and new images. As posted before, it seems like the symbols mean to call or summons someone/thing. However, here is a more detailed look.
Top Line - "to summon", "time to summon" or "to summon time"
In this instance, there is one word that can help us determine the way the hieroglyphic is meant to be read and unfortunately it is the only crystal clear word here.
nas - "to summon" or "to call"
Nas or "to summon" is represented by the man with the outstretched arm (see diagram above) and the reason why it is so clear is the simple fact that the word is a determinative. A determinative is the way that the Egyptians associated meaning and pronunciations to their words.
So, "to summon" by itself would appear as n (the squiggle) on top, with a and s underneath, followed by the picture of the man holding his arm over something. This may mean that the hieroglyphics here are meant to be read from right to left, but it is impossible to say which is the right direction.
ra - "time"
The word "time" is an ideograph (hieroglyphic meant to express an idea), and is represented by a circle with a dot in the middle of it. Since the hieroglyphic is somewhat obscured, we can only guess that this is what was meant to be shown.
Second Line - "Protection", "Power" or "Strength"
The second line does not have anything that could determine direction and is a combination of ideographs and phonetics. There are an infinite amount of possibilities as to what this line means, so I'll give the phonetic and idea of each hieroglyphic and let you theorize away!
hen - "master" or "priest"
Hen as a noun would translate roughly into master, but could be easily be seen as priest. This could mean the chamber is for holy men only or could be referring to the one who is control of this island?
"man with weapon" - "power", "strength", or "protection"
The second line would seem to be anchored by this hieroglyphic, because the phrase "to summon protection" would make the most sense. After Ben left the door covered in soot, smokey was right behind him. Is the chambers purpose to summon smokey?
"container" or "stone container"
This hieroglyphic is the most confusing, could this mean that summoning smokey involves some kind of container?
anx - "life"
This symbol is not an hieroglyphic, but there is a hieroglyphic extremely similar to it. The anx hieroglyphic is a cross much like the one here, but has a looped top. Again this seems to be referring to the ritual that would summon smokey, maybe giving him life or a sacrifice of life is needed to summon him?
The Whole Enchilada - "To summon protection"
The simplest translation of these hieroglyphics is "to summon protection", but there are almost endless ways they can be translated. Here are a few to get those theories flowing:
"Time to summon strength"
"To summon time protection" or "To summon time power"
"Time summons the power of life"
Source: DocAzrt.
**UPDATED** Just added a chart with what looks like the glyphs that look like Determinative Signs In Egyptian. Also here is here is a great link to Wikipedia where several of the symbols can be found and it seems like they mean something about trying to call or summons something or someone. In this case perhaps smokey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hieroglyphs/german-Gardiner-list-translated
Here is Ben's Secret door with what seem like Hieroglyphics from tonight's episode of LOST. Were the left by an ancient culture or the natives of the island!?
Thanks to Madera for the heads up on an additional image of the door as posted below:
(Click to Enlarge)
Determinative Signs In Egyptian
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Monday, April 28, 2008
Episode 4x09 - Ben's Secret Door with Hieroglyphics
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Hi, You may find a proposal for the translation of the hyeroplphs at Ben's door at:
http://movv.org/2008/04/27/lost-perdidos-s4e09-%e2%80%9cthe-shape-of-things-to-come%e2%80%9d-spoilers/
Except that page isn't in the show's native language, English. Looks like a cool page though. Anyone got a translation?
The hieroglyphics on the door are mostly determinatives. In Middle and New Kingdom hieroglyphics, these symbols were placed at the end of a word to define the meaning of the word. They did not have sounds or meanings on their own, and could mean different things in different words. Earlier Egyptian hieroglyphics were not scratchy, cruder forms of later hieroglyphics. It was later in their civilization that the detailed hieroglyphic symbols began to morph into sketchier line verions, eventually becoming demotic script, which is a corollary of modern arabic script.
The sketchier style was, however, used as "short-hand" possibly by workers and merchants, as bits of it are found on pot sherds in worker villages around major cities and monuments. Also, distant provincial towns created memorial artwork and sculpture that often has less developed-looking symbols, simply because the local artists were not as skilled as those in service to the rulers of large city and monument centers. What does this mean for LOST? That the producers thought this was what early Egyptian looked like? Or -- how about this -- it represents texts left by ancient Egyptians who somehow ended up on the island and this was the best script they could muster.
Other Image from E! Weekly:
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/080424/Lost_wall_l.jpg
After looking at these alot, the last two symbols look most like
W24 and aa27 on the Gardiner's Sign List. When those are put together they mean to get something. If the A24 figure is for protection the that make sence.
How exactly does Ben's secret back-room which leads to the even more secret-back-room-summoning-smokey-room staircase exist *above* ground? The way it is depicted, his Dharma house would have to be built into a hillside or partially underground. Otherwise, you would be able to walk around behind his Dharma house and see the outside of the secret-staircase.
Unless it is a time-warp sort of door.
Then it all makes perfect sense.
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