Evidence · Proto-Sinaitic and Wadi el-Hol: the first alphabet
The Hebrew readings require sign values the descendant scripts do not support and a Hebrew distinct from Canaanite…
The Hebrew readings require sign values the descendant scripts do not support and a Hebrew distinct from Canaanite about a thousand years before Hebrew is attested.
What it means
Openunchanged
Answer this evidence bears onHebrew texts naming biblical figures (Petrovich)
Counts againstnone for, 1 against
Still possiblewas No evidence yet
Next steps 4
1
Extend the corpus list (DAT0DEDVG40T7X0) with a sign-by-sign transliteration of every inscription from Sass 1988 and Hamilton 2006, marking uncertain and damaged signs, so readings can be compared on one table.
~20 h
—not judged
2
Transliterate every inscription sign by sign into the corpus list from Sass 1988 and Hamilton 2006.
~20 h
—not judged
3
Collate the published full readings (Albright 1966, Wilson-Wright 2016, Puech 2024, Darnell et al. 2005) inscription by inscription, and score where they agree on sign identity, direction and word division.
~12 h
—not judged
4
Compare sign counts on each rock panel between the 1917 Gardiner-Peet plates (DAT0DEDVGPGMXDV), Butin's copies and the British Museum photographs, to list which signs have been lost or are disputed since discovery.
~8 h
—not judged
Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes
Sources 2
On the Origin of Alphabetic Writing
SRCWilson-Wright 2019
Cite it
Mysteries Department. (2026). The Hebrew readings require sign values the descendant scripts do not support and a Hebrew distinct from Canaanite… [Evidence EVD0DEE9705MWHB]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEE9705MWHB
@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0dee9705mwhb,
title = {The Hebrew readings require sign values the descendant scripts do not support and a Hebrew distinct from Canaanite…},
author = {{Mysteries Department}},
year = {2026},
note = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DEE9705MWHB},
url = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEE9705MWHB}
}