Coptic alphabet (13057152)

This engraving illustrates the opening chapter of a study on the Coptic language, which the author identifies as the ancient language of Egypt. The table organizes the first seven letters—Alpha through Zida—into columns showing their visual form, their name in Coptic and Latin scripts, and their phonetic 'power' or value. This plate represents one of the earliest European attempts to systematically document Coptic as a bridge to understanding Egyptian antiquity.

Athanasius Kircher believed that Coptic was the final form of the ancient Egyptian language and the key to deciphering hieroglyphs, which he viewed as mystical repositories of Hermetic wisdom. This work, 'Prodromus coptus', was a foundational text in the development of Egyptology and the Western esoteric pursuit of recovering the 'prisca theologia' (ancient theology) of Hermes Trismegistus.