# Did the Dhofari alphabet derive from North Arabian or South Arabian writing? · Dhofari script

> Three answers have been proposed. The letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly…

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Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:17+00:00  

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# Did the Dhofari alphabet derive from North Arabian or South Arabian writing?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [Has the Dhofari script been deciphered?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dhofari-script/questions/QST0D7QBFXY6VFH/has-the-dhofari-script-been-deciphered)·3 answers·0·0 following

**Most likely: the letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

 

## Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

## Why it matters

A North Arabian origin for a script used in the far south would mean writing moved down the eastern side of Arabia, not out of the Yemeni kingdoms⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D7QB83Y6EZ6/the-decipherment-of-the-dhofari-script-three-halham)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D7QB8VC76MV/ahmad-al-jallads-research-featured-in-science-article).

## Answers 3



[**The letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dhofari-script/answers/ANS0D7QBMJC3QY6/the-letter-forms-derive-from-a-north-arabian-archetype-close)

Partly supported by its tests

Evidence: 1 for

Most likely



[**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dhofari-script/answers/ANS0D7QBN9T64PN/none-of-these)

Not tested enough to call either way

Evidence: none yet

Still possible



[**The alphabet is a local derivative of Ancient South Arabian.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dhofari-script/answers/ANS0D7QBN203ZTF/the-alphabet-is-a-local-derivative-of-ancient-south-arabian)

Not tested enough to call either way

Evidence: none yet

Still possible

## History

1. 2025[Al-Jallad puts forward: the letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D7QB83Y6EZ6/the-decipherment-of-the-dhofari-script-three-halham)
1. 2025[Al-Jallad: letter shapes align mainly with North Arabian scripts, especially Thamudic B.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D7QB83Y6EZ6/the-decipherment-of-the-dhofari-script-three-halham)For: The letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B.
1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site

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Where it fits

Dhofari script

[**Has the Dhofari script been deciphered?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dhofari-script/questions/QST0D7QBFXY6VFH/has-the-dhofari-script-been-deciphered)Key question · most likely the letter order and most values are right, but readings of texts are too uncertain to call the corpus read

**Did the Dhofari alphabet derive from North Arabian or South Arabian writing?** You're here · the letter forms derive from a North Arabian archetype close to Thamudic B

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