Evidence · Proto-Sinaitic and Wadi el-Hol: the first alphabet

The cylinder signs resemble Early Alphabetic letter forms, and their position on the tomb floor under collapsed…

The cylinder signs resemble Early Alphabetic letter forms, and their position on the tomb floor under collapsed mudbrick argues against intrusion from a later period.

Suggestive0

What it means

Key questionAre the Umm el-Marra clay cylinders of about 2400 BC alphabetic writing?

3 answers, none ahead yet

Openunchanged

Answer this evidence bears onAlphabetic writing of c. 2400 BC (Schwartz)

Supports1 for, 1 against

Still possibleunchanged

Next steps 1

Compare the eight Umm el-Marra sign shapes with Early Bronze Syrian potters' marks as a null model, alongside the Early Alphabetic forms.

~10 h

On: Are the Umm el-Marra clay cylinders of about 2400 BC alphabetic writing?

—not judged

Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes

Sources 3

Non-cuneiform writing at third-millennium Umm el-Marra, Syria: Evidence of an early alphabetic tradition?

Schwartz 2021

SRC

Tell Umm el-Marra (Syria) and Early Alphabetic in the Third Millennium: Four Inscribed Clay Cylinders as a Potential Game Changer

Rollston 2021

SRC

World's Oldest Alphabet Found on an Ancient Clay Gift Tag

American 2024

SRC

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). The cylinder signs resemble Early Alphabetic letter forms, and their position on the tomb floor under collapsed… [Evidence EVD0DEEAYVVG4DQ]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEEAYVVG4DQ

@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0deeayvvg4dq,
  title     = {The cylinder signs resemble Early Alphabetic letter forms, and their position on the tomb floor under collapsed…},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DEEAYVVG4DQ},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEEAYVVG4DQ}
}