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

Rollston first suspected the cylinders were intrusive from the second millennium before accepting the stratigraphy.

Speculative0

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 onNone of these.

Bears onnone for, none against

Still possiblewas No evidence yet

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 1

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

Rollston 2021

SRC

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). Rollston first suspected the cylinders were intrusive from the second millennium before accepting the stratigraphy. [Evidence EVD0DEEB345M1PT]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEEB345M1PT

@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0deeb345m1pt,
  title     = {Rollston first suspected the cylinders were intrusive from the second millennium before accepting the stratigraphy.},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DEEB345M1PT},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DEEB345M1PT}
}