Athanasii Kircheri Fuldensis Buchonii e Soc. Iesu Prodromus Coptus sive Aegypticus : in quo cùm linguae Coptae, siue Aegyptiacae, quondam pharaonicae, origo, aetas, vicissitudo, inclinatio, tùm hieroglyphicae literaturae instauratio, vti per varia variarum eruditionum, interpretationumque difficillimarum specimina, ita noua quoque & insolita methodo exhibentur
A 1636 Latin work by the Jesuit scholar Athanasius Kircher, printed in Rome by the press of the Propaganda Fide, that treats the Coptic language and attempts to revive hieroglyphic writing for scholars. The pictures here are printed ornaments: cross-shaped and arched decorative blocks built from scrolls, foliage and curled fleshy forms, which a designer could adapt as corner pieces, tailpieces or framing motifs for a historical or ecclesiastical layout.
