Oldest Known Alphabet Discovered

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have found what may be the oldest known alphabetic writing in human history. It’s dramatically older than any other alphabetic writing, so these ancient artifacts are rewriting the history of communication.

Discovered in a tomb in western Syria, several delicate clay cylinders are challenging everything scholars thought they knew about the origin of alphabetic communication. Four finger-length artifacts, extracted from Tell Umm-el Marra, have been dated to 2400 BCE. This places them a stunning 500 years earlier than previous historical records.

“Alphabets revolutionized writing by making it accessible to people beyond royalty and the social elite,” said the lead archaeologist. According to him, “Alphabetic writing changed the way people lived, how they thought, how they communicated.

The cylinders were found among an archaeological treasure trove. Not only did the tomb contain six skeletons, gold and silver jewelry, cookware, a spearhead, and intact pieces of pottery. These clay cylinders appear to be labeled with what might be the earliest known alphabetic script.

It is speculated that these cylinders might have been used as labels, potentially identifying vessel contents, origins, or ownership. But without a method to translate the writing, these are educated guesses.

Scholars previously thought the alphabet was invented in Egypt sometime after 1900 BCE. But these artifacts are older and from a different area, which suggests the alphabet may have a different origin story than thought.

The research team’s meticulous work included carbon-14 dating to confirm the age of the tombs, artifacts and mysterious writing, which provides scientific validation for their claims.

The meaning of these ancient markings is a mystery, but these artifacts offer a glimpse into how our ancestors first began to record and share information beyond spoken language.

 

 

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