jan 1, 2400 BC - Alphabet

Description:

Much like the rebus principle, alphabetic writing uses sounds associated with symbols to represent words. However, while the rebus principle uses symbols to represent the sounds of entire words, the alphabet uses symbols to represent single phonetic sounds. This makes it possible for a much smaller set of symbols (typically a few dozen) to be used to render any word in a given language (Sington, 2020). Recent evidence found in Syria indicates that the alphabet may date back as far as 2400 BCE, several centuries prior to previous estimates which placed the alphabet’s origin around 1900 BCE in Egypt (Pappas, 2024).

About this image: This is a fragment of a papyrus from the 2nd century CE concerning the influence of various stars and planets on the human body. It is written in the Greek alphabet, a direct descendent of the earliest alphabets found in the Middle East (Sington, 2020).

Sources
Sington, D. (Director). (2020). A to Z: The First Alphabet. [Video/DVD]. In NOVA. Public Broadcasting Service. https://video-alexanderstreet-com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/watch/hour-1?utm_campaign=Video&utm_medium=MARC&utm_source=aspresolver
Pappas, S. (2024, November 22). World’s Oldest Alphabet Found on an Ancient Clay Gift Tag. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/worlds-oldest-alphabet-discovered/


Images
Astrological Treatise. (2nd century CE). [Papyrus]. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. https://exhibitions.kelsey.lsa.umich.edu/art-science-healing/medical_papyri5.php

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