QuestionsProto-Sinaitic and Wadi el-Hol: the first alphabetWhen were the Serabit el-Khadim inscriptions written: in the Middle Kingdom, about 1850 BC, or in the New Kingdom?Answer
Answer · Proto-Sinaitic and Wadi el-Hol: the first alphabet
Late New Kingdom, c. 1300 BC (Sass 2005)
The alphabet was invented and the Serabit inscriptions written in the late New Kingdom, around 1300 BC.
Where it stands
Still possibleNone pieces of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.
What it predicts
- No alphabetic text would be securely dated before c. 1400 BC.
What would rule it out
- A securely dated alphabetic text earlier than c. 1400 BC: the Lachish sherd (c. 1460-1430 BC) and the Wadi el-Hol context (c. 1850-1800 BC) meet this.
Evidence none for · 1 against
The questions it answers
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). Late New Kingdom, c. 1300 BC (Sass 2005) [Answer ANS0DEDXXT0J9E1]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DEDXXT0J9E1
@misc{mysteriesdept_ans0dedxxt0j9e1,
title = {Late New Kingdom, c. 1300 BC (Sass 2005)},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Answer, catalog key ANS0DEDXXT0J9E1},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0DEDXXT0J9E1}
}