Egyptian Numerals Generator

Type any positive number and watch it transform into a line of authentic hieroglyphic numerals. Perfect for lesson plans, curiosity, or decorative math visuals.

Created for teachers, students, designers, and anyone exploring how ancient Egyptians recorded quantities without place value.

How to read the hieroglyphs

Egyptian numerals are additive rather than positional. Each power of ten has its own symbol, and the total is the sum of all glyphs you see. The order of the glyphs could vary in ancient inscriptions, but lining them up from largest to smallest makes modern reading straightforward.

Break your number into millions, hundred-thousands, ten-thousands, thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones.
Repeat the glyph for each power of ten as many times as needed. For example, 3,400 = three lotus flowers and four coiled ropes.
Arrange the glyphs in descending order to make the value clear at a glance.

Because this is an additive system, Egyptian numerals grow wider as numbers climb. The generator caps entries at 9,999,999 to keep the preview readable on most screens.

Tips for the best results

Start with classroom-friendly numbers like dates or enrollment counts to help students connect the shapes to values.
Use the preview SVG in slide decks or worksheets. The clean strokes scale without losing detail.
Compare Egyptian numerals to Roman or Hindu-Arabic digits to show how different cultures solved place-value challenges.
Keep spacing generous when printing; repeated symbols can stack tightly if margins are too small.

Symbol reference

Each hieroglyph below matches the data used in the generator. Values climb by powers of ten, and every glyph is drawn as a scalable SVG path so you can reuse it in other projects.

Astonished god

Value: 1,000,000

Represents one million — a figure with raised arms conveying awe at large totals.

Tadpole or frog

Value: 100,000

Represents one hundred thousand and echoes the abundance of Nile life.

Pointing finger

Value: 10,000

Represents ten thousand — a gesture of reaching out toward large totals.

Lotus flower

Value: 1,000

Represents one thousand and the fertility of the Nile floodplain.

Coiled rope

Value: 100

Represents one hundred and stands for bundles of cord used in construction.

Heel bone

Value: 10

Represents ten and curves like a simplified arch or heel shape.

Single stroke

Value: 1

Represents one — the simplest tally mark in the numeral system.

Frequently asked questions

How does the converter build an Egyptian numeral?

It breaks your number into powers of ten. Each digit is represented by repeating the matching hieroglyph: strokes for ones, heel bones for tens, coiled ropes for hundreds, lotus flowers for thousands, pointing fingers for ten-thousands, tadpoles for hundred-thousands, and an astonished figure for millions.

What numbers can I enter?

The tool works with positive integers. Ancient Egyptians did not use zero or negative values in this numeral system, so enter whole numbers above zero.

Can I copy the shapes into my own project?

Yes. The preview is SVG-based, so you can right click to save or copy the markup from the inspector for slides, posters, or teaching materials.

Why do symbols repeat so many times?

Egyptian numerals are additive. If you type 3,000 you will see three lotus flowers. The repetition makes the system easy to read but longer than positional systems like Arabic numerals.