EGPZ 1.0 Specifications

Introduction

EGPZ stands for EGyptian in the (Unicode) Private Zones. Unicode provides Private Zones for scripts or features of scripts that have not yet been incorporated in the formal Unicode Standard (currently at version 5.0). As of April 2007, a proposal to include Egyptian hieroglyphs - a basic 'Gardiner Set' - in the Universal Character Set has been accepted by ISO/IEC WG2 which means these should become available in a future version of the Unicode Standard (probably 5.2) some years hence (see Unicode and Egyptian).

EGPZ was announced in 2005. Shortly afterwards, work recommenced on the formal standard and it made sense to defer publication of private zone specifications until matters were clearer. The existence of the upcoming formal standard implied some changes to the original conception of EGPZ. Drafts of EGPZ 1.0 were made available for public review during May-November 2007 and feedback from the user community has been incorporated in release 1.0.

EGPZ 1.0 specifies a set of 3204 code points in the Unicode Basic Multilingual Plane (BMP). This set includes equivalents to all 1071 hieroglyphs proposed in the September 2008 ISO/IEC PDAM5 draft plus 2133 additions including distinct signs, variants, combinations, and ligatures. A private zone approach is no substitute for the formal standard but brings considerable practical benefits in the short and medium terms. Unlike the situation with the formal standard, EGPZ compliant applications and data are can be implemented now.

Specifications, Data, and other information for users and implementers

EGPZ 1.0 Sign List [PDF, 2M].

EGPZ 1.0 header file for C/C++ developers (egpz.h) [text, 82Kb].

Technical

Some features of EGPZ 1.0:

Only use Basic Multilingual Plane (Plane 0). Unicode 2.0 (1996) introduced additional ISO planes beyond BMP. However the Supplementary Multilingual Plane (SMP, Plane 1, to be used for Egyptian Hieroglyphs) and Private Use Zones in Planes 15 and 16 have been slow to gain comprehensive Unicode support in applications. Limiting to BMP therefore provides functionality with a wide range of applications.
Mirror formal Unicode characters. The block of 1071 EGPZ code points starting at U+E000 is frozen to follow the same sequence to that of the formal standard proposal at U+13000 at November 2007 (the formal set may, however, diverge before release).
Provide popular names. Where possible, Hieroglyphica (2000) Gardiner-style codes are given as EGPZ hieroglyph names. Otherwise extend the Hieroglyphica names. For ligatures, use convention '&' notation with existing codes for names.
Stability. Code points given in EGPZ 1.0 will remain valid in future versions. Names will also be stable (unless there is a need for an errata).
Avoid use of Unicode features such as Variation Selectors, ZERO WIDTH JOINER (ZWJ), ZERO WIDTH NON-JOINER (ZWNJ). These features could be useful but introduce potential compatibility problems with applications.
Avoid requirement to use ligatures and other OpenType features in fonts. Some applications will not recognize OpenType features, or only cope with complex scripts in a known context (e.g. for Arabic and Hebrew).

Future development

Accumulation of ideas for additions to EGPZ 1.0 is underway. Features might involve defining some procedures such as sorting, adding more information in data tables for the hieroglyphs, and tracking any functionality in the development of the formal Unicode standard. There will be additional hieroglyphs and we are looking for suggestions for Old, Middle and Late Egyptian. All version 1.x developments will be constrained to the BMP.

The EGPZ Word List project is being coded to EGPZ 1.0 and will identify signs and ligatures missing from the current set as candidates to be added to a future version.

EGPZ 2.x is based on the earlier notion of EGPZ/EA given in 2005, adapted for use alongside the Unicode standard. The goal is to define code points for all sign lists in current use, using the Unicode Extended Private Zone A (Plane 15). This will define a consistent way of working with a large catalogue of hieroglyphs that are not specified in the formal Unicode standard. Development work on 2.0 is unlikely to begin until 2009 largely because support for Plane 15 in many current computer applications for is poor.

The intention with 2.x is to coordinate with developments in the formal standard which will therefore determine timescales. For the foreseeable future, there is value in developing both the 1.x and 2.x series.

EGPZ 1.0 Specifications

Introduction

Specifications, Data, and other information for users and implementers

Technical

Future development

Archive

Related resources