Perhaps alphabetic writing is older than we think: this is demonstrated by some clay cylinders with alphabetic engravings, found in the ancient Syrian city of Tell Umm-el Marra. They date back to 2,400 BC, that is, they are five hundred years older than the proto-Sinaitic alphabetic writing, born in Egypt between 1900 and 1800 BC, today considered the oldest.
They were discovered by a group of archaeologists from Johns Hopkins University who, through the carbon-14 method, managed to date the curious finds.
The cylinders, which were perforated, were found inside a tomb along with other objects, including ceramic vessels, cooking pots, a spearhead, gold and silver jewelry, and six skeletons. A discovery that, if confirmed, could prove revolutionary.
In this regard, Glenn Schwartz, professor of archeology who led the expedition, declared:
The alphabets revolutionized writing by making it accessible to people outside the royal family and the social elite. Alphabetical writing changed the way people lived, thought, and communicated. This new discovery shows that people were experimenting with new communication technologies much earlier and in a different place than we had imagined until now.
At the moment, scholars have not yet managed to translate the texts reproduced on the cylinders and therefore their contents remain a mystery. The fact is that if it were truly alphabetic writing, we could soon find Syria in place of Egypt in history books.
SOURCE: Hubs
