One of key milestones in the story of human civilisation is development of a system of writing based on symbols representing sounds of a language. Such symbols are called alphabets. The alphabetic writing system uses a finite number of symbols and is based on a predictable relationship between sounds and the symbols. Currently, alphabetic writing is considered to have originated in 1800 BCE based on 2022 report of discovery of the Ivory comb at Tel Lachish inscribed with a sentence written in Canaanite language. However, it is suggested that the writings on the small clay cylinders from 2400 BCE excavated at Umm el-Marra in Syria in 2004 are symbols representing sounds of a language. But the writings could not be translated yet hence true meaning remains unknown. The question of whether earliest evidence of alphabetic writing belong to 2400 BCE will be satisfactorily settled when the meanings of writings on these artifacts are revealed in any future study.
Homo sapiens are distinct in the living kingdom in having evolved a flexible oro-facial musculature to produce suitable structured sounds to communicate thoughts and ideas with others. Languages (i.e., the structured systems of communication) developed over the foundation of oral communication. In due course, writing system developed employing symbols and rules to encode aspects of spoken languages. As enduring representation of spoken language, writing facilitated storage and transfer of information and played key role in growth of civilisation.
The earliest writing systems such as Sumerian (3400 BC -1 AD), Egyptian Hieroglyphics (3200 BC – 400 AD), Akkadian (2500 BC), Eblaite (2400 BC – 550 BC), and Indus valley (2600 BC -1900 BC) employed pictographs (pictures to depict words or ideas), ideographs (characters such as Chinese characters), and logographs (signs or characters representing a word or phrase) as symbols to encode spoken languages. The writing systems of some modern languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean also fall in this category. Each encoding symbol represent one object, one idea, or one word or phrase. Therefore, these writing systems require large number of symbols. For example, Chinese writing system has over 50,000 symbols to represent words and meanings in Chinese language. Naturally, learning such writing systems is not easy.
One of key milestones in the story of human civilisation is development of a system of writing based on symbols representing sounds of a language. Such symbols are called alphabets. In alphabetic writing systems such as in English, 26 symbols (or alphabets) and their patterns represent the sounds of English language.
The alphabetic writing system uses a finite number of symbols and is based on a predictable relationship between sounds and the symbols. It is easier than non-alphabetic writings to learn and offers endless possibilities to communicate with more ease and accuracy. Invention of alphabets meant easy spread of knowledge and ideas. It opened door to learning and enabled large number of people to read and write and participate in trade and commerce, governance and cultural activities more effectively. We cannot imagine modern civilisation without alphabetic writing system which remains relevant more than ever.
But when were alphabets invented? What is the earliest evidence of alphabetic writing system?
A limestone flake inscribed with an ancient Egyptian word list was reported in 2015. It was found in an ancient Egyptian tomb near Luxor. The words in the inscription are arranged according to their initial sounds. This artifact was dated to be of 15th century BC and was thought to be the oldest evidence of alphabetic writing.
However, situation changed with 2022 report of discovery of an older artifact. The Ivory comb inscribed with a sentence written in Canaanite language discovered at Tel Lachish has 17 letters from the first stage of the invention of the alphabet script which form seven words. This ivory comb was found to be from 1700 BC. Based on this dating, it is suggested that the alphabet was invented around 1800 BCE. But there is more to the story of origin of alphabetic writing system.
In 2004, four small cylindrical objects made of clay about 4 cms in length were discovered in an excavation at Umm el-Marra in Syria. The artefacts were found in Early Bronze Age layers, dating to 2300 BCE. Carbon dating confirmed that they are from 2400 BCE. The cylindrical objects bear markings which were confirmed to be writings but clearly not logo-syllabic cuneiform. The writings have some likeness to Egyptian hieroglyphs but appear more like Semitic alphabetic writing.
The researcher recently suggested that the markings on the clay cylinders are symbols representing sounds corresponding to a, i, k, l, n, s and y. However, the writings are not translated yet hence true meaning remains unknown.
The question of whether earliest evidence of alphabetic writing belong to 2400 BCE will be satisfactorily settled when the meanings of writings on the clay cylinders found at Umm el-Marra site in 2004 are revealed in any future study.
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References:
- Leiden University. News – Earliest known alphabetic word list discovered. Posted 05 November 2015. Available at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2015/11/earliest-known-alphabetic-word-list-discovered
- Hebrew University. First Sentence Ever Written in Canaanite Language Discovered at Tel Lachish: Hebrew U. Unearths Ivory Comb from 1700 BCE Inscribed with Plea to Eradicate Lice—”May this [ivory] tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard”. Posted 13 November 2022. Available at https://en.huji.ac.il/news/first-sentence-ever-written-canaanite-language-discovered-tel-lachish-hebrew-u
- Vainstub, D., 2022. A Canaanite’s Wish to Eradicate Lice on an Inscribed Ivory Comb from Lachish. Jerusalem Journal of Archaeology, 2022; 2: 76 DOI: https://doi.org/10.52486/01.00002.4
- Johns Hopkins University. News -Alphabetic writing may have begun 500 years earlier than believed. Posted 13 July 2021.Available at https://hub.jhu.edu/2021/07/13/alphabetic-writing-500-years-earlier-glenn-schwartz/
- Johns Hopkins University. News – Evidence of oldest known alphabetic writing unearthed in ancient Syrian city. Posted 21 November 2024. Available at https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/11/21/ancient-alphabet-discovered-syria/
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