Create a Fun Hieroglyphic Wall Hanging

Looking for a fun Egyptian craft to do? This one is super easy and looks very realistic in the end. Whether you want to make a wall hanging for your room or entryway or create a realistic prop for a play on Cleopatra, this is how to go about it.

You'll need a piece of 2" thick Styrofoam, glue, sand, and a pencil or other pointed object (knitting needles work well). It's also helpful if you can get hold of some real hieroglyphics, online or at your local library. Using real ones adds to the authenticity. You may even be able to translate your name or a favourite phrase.

First, chip and break the edges of the Styrofoam. This can be done with your fingers or with a knife. The idea is give the tablet a broken stone look, as though it were chipped out of a temple somewhere in Ancient Egypt. Don't worry about being too precise, just rough it up around the edges a bit.

Now you will want to write your hieroglyphics on the front of the tablet. Do this with pencil or you can just start right off with digging the symbols into the Styrofoam. Use a sharp object to press through the top layer of Styrofoam and carve your hieroglyphics into the tablet. Make sure they are fairly wide, so you can get the sand in there later. This may mean going over the markings twice.

The carved symbols shouldn't be too deep, about a quarter of an inch is fine. Once you are satisfied with the depth and width, brush off any excess bits of Styrofoam that is clinging on and you're ready to finish your Egyptian tablet up.

Mix glue and water together in equal quantities and use a wide paintbrush to paint the entire surface of your tablet with the glue mixture. Make sure you get glue down into the carved out symbols, you may need a narrower paintbrush for this. Then sprinkle your sand over the tablet, ensuring that the sand covers it completely. Leave the project like this overnight to dry.

In the morning, tip your Egyptian tablet upside down and tap it a time or two to get rid of any extra sand. You will now have what appears to be a sandstone tablet with ancient hieroglyphics etched into it . . . no on would ever guess you made it out of junk!