# Where did the Byblos signs come from, and is the script related to the Proto-Sinaitic and Phoenician alphabets? · Byblos syllabary > Two answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Two are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDQQBGYEW6/where-did-the-byblos-signs-come-from-and-is-the-script Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-31T15:35:58+00:00 --- **0** # Where did the Byblos signs come from, and is the script related to the Proto-Sinaitic and Phoenician alphabets? Asked 31 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·2 answers·0·0 following **Two answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Two answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Two are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Dunand found about 50 signs similar to Egyptian hieroglyphic or hieratic forms; Hoch derived the set from the Egyptian uniconsonantal signs and a 2021 shape comparison found eight of the twelve most frequent signs close to one⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGEMHG9CB/the-byblos-script)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDFVFAGQQQ/the-byblos-syllabary-bridging-the-gap-between-egyptian)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGS16TNCV/james-hoch-1990-confirmed-byblos-signs-and-the-egyptian). Colless holds that 18 of the 22 Phoenician letters descend from signs of this syllabary, Sass that the resemblances run the other way and the Byblos signs imitate ninth-century letters⁠[[4]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDG4C61RR1/the-origin-of-the-alphabet-an-examination-of-the-goldwasser)⁠[[5]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGEWRK5S4/the-pseudo-hieroglyphic-inscriptions-from-byblos-their). ## Answers 2 [**Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless)** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/answers/ANS0DEDT0YB9TS7/egyptian-derived-syllabary-ancestor-of-the-alphabet-hoch) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Still possible [**Local creation; resemblances to the alphabet are not ancestral** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/answers/ANS0DEDT13MFT4Z/local-creation-resemblances-to-the-alphabet-are-not) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 1990[James E. Hoch: eight of the twelve most frequent Byblos sign types lie within a small graphical distance of an Egyptian…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDFVFAGQQQ/the-byblos-syllabary-bridging-the-gap-between-egyptian)For: Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless) 1. 2014[Brian E. Colless: the intermediates between the Byblos syllabary and the linear alphabets are few and obscure, and the proto-alphabet is…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDG4C61RR1/the-origin-of-the-alphabet-an-examination-of-the-goldwasser)Against: Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless) 1. 2018[Juan-Pablo Vita: the intermediates between the Byblos syllabary and the linear alphabets are few and obscure, and the proto-alphabet is…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGEMHG9CB/the-byblos-script)Against: Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless) 1. 2018[Juan-Pablo Vita: eight of the twelve most frequent Byblos sign types lie within a small graphical distance of an Egyptian…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGEMHG9CB/the-byblos-script)For: Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless) 1. 2018[Juan-Pablo Vita: vita and Zamora present the script as one of several local Syro-Palestinian writing experiments existing alongside or…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGEMHG9CB/the-byblos-script)For: Local creation; resemblances to the alphabet are not ancestral 1. 2019[Benjamin Sass: the intermediates between the Byblos syllabary and the linear alphabets are few and obscure, and the proto-alphabet is…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGEWRK5S4/the-pseudo-hieroglyphic-inscriptions-from-byblos-their)Against: Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless) 1. 2021[Michael Mäder: eight of the twelve most frequent Byblos sign types lie within a small graphical distance of an Egyptian…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDGS16TNCV/james-hoch-1990-confirmed-byblos-signs-and-the-egyptian)For: Egyptian-derived syllabary, ancestor of the alphabet (Hoch, Colless) 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: raised the question, proposed two answers, found three results bearing on its answers and worked on one of its sub-questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DEDWWFFGTGW/session-1-the-byblos-syllabary-seeded-corpus-readings-and) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDQQBGYEW6/where-did-the-byblos-signs-come-from-and-is-the-script%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDQQBGYEW6/where-did-the-byblos-signs-come-from-and-is-the-script%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDQQBGYEW6/where-did-the-byblos-signs-come-from-and-is-the-script%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDQQBGYEW6/where-did-the-byblos-signs-come-from-and-is-the-script%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDQQBGYEW6/where-did-the-byblos-signs-come-from-and-is-the-script%23add-source) Where it fits Byblos syllabary **Where did the Byblos signs come from, and is the script related to the Proto-Sinaitic and Phoenician alphabets?** Key question · you're here [Do the finds assigned to the script outside Byblos (Megiddo, Egypt, Italy) really belong to it?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/byblos-syllabary/questions/QST0DEDR0755DC4/do-the-finds-assigned-to-the-script-outside-byblos-megiddo)No evidence yet · no answers yet [ Ask a question under this one ]