Man-prisoner (hieroglyph)

An iconographic portrayal from predynastic Egypt eventually led to its incorporation into the writing system of the Egyptian language.

The 'cartouche' was often identified on its perimeter ring with the fortifying blocks of a city fortification, representing either the people, or their city-state location.

The famous Libyan Palette shows towns or districts, surrounded by enclosures, presumed walled fortifications, against outside forces or people.

Line 1 summarizes what to do with the rebels from the town-(district): to display them on stakes (in the Demotic script) so everybody will be shown the example).

An example of the "cartouche" form of the man-prisoner hieroglyph is found in sequences of defeated peoples.