Archaeologists from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Amsterdam have made a groundbreaking discovery in Syria, uncovering four small clay cylinders with mysterious symbols. The findings date back to around 2400 B.C.E., making them potentially the world’s oldest known evidence of alphabetic writing.
The cylinders were discovered at an ancient tomb in Tell Umm-el Marra, east of Aleppo. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that they were created approximately 500 years before other known alphabetic scripts emerged. If confirmed as alphabet letters, these markings represent a pivotal shift in human language development.
According to researchers, the ancient writing systems used symbols representing objects or sounds before the emergence of alphabets like Proto-Sinaitic script around 1900 B.C.E. The discovery challenges the long-held assumption that this marked the origin of the alphabet.
The cylinders feature simple alphabetic characters, unlike the complex systems used in earlier writing methods. This simplification suggests that alphabets revolutionized writing, making it accessible to people beyond royalty and social elites.
The tomb contained six skeletons, indicating a wealthy and powerful family, along with various artifacts like cookware, jewelry, and pottery vessels. The clay cylinders were found alongside these items, each sporting a small hole that may have been used as a label or attachment point.
While some researchers believe the symbols are part of an alphabet, others remain skeptical due to limited evidence. Further discoveries could help confirm or challenge this theory, leading to new insights into the origins and evolution of writing systems.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-say-these-mysterious-markings-could-be-the-worlds-oldest-known-alphabetic-writing-180985525