by 
The Curious Bag
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Egyptian pharaohs and kings encased their names in an oval shaped piece of rope ring (tied at one end) called a cartouche. The names were written in the language of the Egyptians: hieroglyphics.
Function
Cartouche names can be orientated in any direction (except bottom to top), because the last symbol of the name gets placed at the tied end of the rope.
Reading Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics may represent a physical object (ideogram), or a syllable (phonogram). The same hieroglyph may act as a either, depending on the context of the rest of the words.
Features
Most of the original cartouches were designated for memorials and later adopted by the Egyptian pharaohs. They contained the pharaoh's real name, the name of their reign and the Horus name--a title of royalty given to pharaohs to represent their lineage from the greatest of the Egyptian gods: Horus.
Considerations
Cartouches encased on a gold or silver plate signify the person as of royal Egyptian ancestry.
Tips
People with no previous knowledge of hieroglyphics should use the Detroit Institute of Art's hieroglyphics chart to help them spell out their name phonetically.
Source:
EgyptologyOnline.com: Pharaoh and The Royal Name
Detroit Institute of Arts: Write Your Name in Heiroglyphics
More Information:
AncientEgyptOnline.co.uk: Horus name
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