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- Lost 3,000-year-old alphabet linked to ancient Canaanite civilization.
- Tablets with unique inscriptions found at Deir ‘Alla in Jordan.
- Research suggests tablets contain cultic proverbs from a destroyed temple.
- Findings provide insights into Canaanite language and scribal practices.
Unveiling the Canaanite Secrets: A Lost Alphabet Rediscovered
Archaeologists have made a breakthrough in tracing a mysterious alphabet back to the Canaanites, a key civilization from Biblical times.
Since the mid-20th century, 15 enigmatic tablets have been unearthed at an ancient Jordanian settlement. Recent analysis has identified these artifacts as Canaanite in origin, dating back to the Bronze Age. The Canaanites, known from Biblical narratives, inhabited regions that now encompass modern-day Israel, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
The study, published by the American Society of Overseas Research, reveals that the tablets’ script consists of 29 distinct symbols and was written from left to right. These inscriptions, found in a temple destroyed around 1180 BCE, are believed to be religious in nature, possibly used in cultic rituals. The script bears resemblance to proto-Sinaitic and proto-Canaanite alphabets, with unique elements such as a symbol resembling an ‘ayin’ or ‘eye’ in Hebrew.
These findings not only shed light on the Canaanite language but also hint at the literacy and scribal practices of the era. It appears that alphabetic writing was a specialized skill, likely confined to temple scribes. The Deir ‘Alla tablets may represent one of the last vestiges of a writing tradition that vanished with the fall of Canaan.
While the discovery is significant, translating the tablets fully remains a challenge, with more research required to unlock the full extent of their historical and linguistic value.
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