Alphabet

The alphabet is a set of characters of symbols used to communicate in a written form in a specific language. These characters may differ according to each nationality with some adopting similar characters while others are completely different. The earliest known origin on the alphabet was to be the “North Semetic” during the period 1700 to 1500 BC originating in the Mediterranean. Towards 1000 BC the evolution of 4 other alphabets occurred from the Canaanites, Aramaic, South Semitic and Greeks Aramaic formed the basis of Middle Eastern nations including Arabic, Hebrew and Indian.

From offshoots of the Greek alphabet formed modern Greek, Cyrillic and Etruscan. Cyrillic would then become the script for eastern European nations including Russia, Bulgarian and Serbian. Etruscan would then evolve into Latin, which was used by the Roman Empire. The Roman conquests throughout Europe spread Latin through out its empire. It initially began with 21 letters but after conquests and time it evolved to the modern day 26. With the alphabet, history could now be recorded rather then memorized and would be fundamental in preserving human knowledge.

English Alphabet:
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z



Sumerians created the first written language based on abstract signs around 3000 B.C.E. Imprints of the signs, called cuneiform, were made by pressing a wedge-shaped stylus into wet clay.




The Phoenician alphabet was based on the principle that one sign represents one spoken sound. Below each sign is shown its sound value, name and meaning. Reads from right to left.




Early Greek capitals carved in stone (c.600 B.C.E.). The inscription is also an example of boustrophedon writing (as the ox plows) in which lines alternated first in one direction and then in the other.
The Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet, modified the names, and added vowels.



Trajan column inscription cut in 114 CE. The letterforms are considered to be the finest surviving examples or early Roman capitals. Shown below is a closeup of the fourth line from the top.


The original alphabet was developed by a Semitic people living in or near Egypt.* They based it on the idea developed by the Egyptians, but used their own specific symbols. It was quickly adopted by their neighbors and relatives to the east and north, the Canaanites, the Hebrews, and the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians spread their alphabet to other people of the Near East and Asia Minor, as well as to the Arabs, the Greeks, and the Etruscans, and as far west as present day Spain.

The letters and names on the left are the ones used by the Phoenicians. The letters on the right are possible earlier versions. If you don't recognize the letters, keep in mind that they have since been reversed (since the Phoenicians wrote from right to left) and often turned on their sides!






The Greek letter phi (Φ) was already common among the Anatolians in what is now Turkey. Psi (Ψ) appears to have been invented by the Greeks themselves, perhaps based on Poseidon's trident. For comparison, here is the complete Greek alphabet:



* Until recently, it was believed that these people lived in the Sinai desert and began using their alphabet in the 1700's bc. In 1998, archeologist John Darnell discovered rock carvings in southern Egypt's "Valley of Horrors" that push back the origin of the alphabet to the 1900's bc or even earlier. Details suggest that the inventors were Semitic people working in Egypt, who thereafter passed the idea on to their relatives further east.