Title page of Prodromus Coptus 01

This printed title page displays centered Latin typography and a central engraving of the Barberini family crest, which consists of three bees beneath a cardinal's galero or tasseled hat. Flanking the shield are Greek inscriptions from the Gospel of Luke that speak of revealing what is hidden. The layout reflects the formal academic style of Jesuit publications from the mid-17th century.

This work represents the beginning of Kircher's lifelong attempt to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs, which he believed were mystical symbols of Hermetic wisdom rather than phonetic characters. It links Jesuit linguistic scholarship with the Neo-Platonic and Hermetic fascination with ancient Egypt as the source of a 'prisca theologia' (ancient theology).