# How many letters did the earliest alphabet have, and which Egyptian signs are their prototypes? · Proto-Sinaitic and Wadi el-Hol: the first alphabet > Two answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Two are still possible. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/questions/QST0DEDW8BKH407/how-many-letters-did-the-earliest-alphabet-have-and-which Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-31T15:45:34+00:00 --- **0** # How many letters did the earliest alphabet have, and which Egyptian signs are their prototypes? Asked 31 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·2 answers·0·0 following **Two answers, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands Two answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Two are still possible. ## Why it matters Albright identified 23 of a probable 27 letters; Hamilton's catalogue gives each a hieroglyphic or hieratic prototype and keeps consonants such as ghayin that Phoenician later merged, as Vanderhooft argues for a Wadi el-Hol sign⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHK7BXY9J/the-proto-sinaitic-inscriptions-and-their-decipherment)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHWQG7RQQ/the-origins-of-the-west-semitic-alphabet-in-egyptian-scripts)⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDKG38SA0K/wadi-el-hol-inscription-2-and-the-early-semitic-alphabetic). Sign counts on the weathered rock panels differ between Gardiner and Peet's 1917 plates, Butin's copies and later photographs, so the inventory depends partly on which record is trusted⁠[[4]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHJABP9KX/the-inscriptions-of-sinai-part-i-introduction-and-plates)⁠[[5]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHJX9VKRY/the-protosinaitic-inscriptions). ## Answers 2 [**About 27 letters with Egyptian prototypes (Albright, Hamilton)** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/answers/ANS0DEDYQ73G7Y9/about-27-letters-with-egyptian-prototypes-albright-hamilton) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 2 for Still possible [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/answers/ANS0DEDYQK49F4J/none-of-these) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 1966[William Foxwell Albright: albright identified 23 of a probable 27 letters, Hamilton gives each an Egyptian prototype, and a Wadi el-Hol sign has…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHK7BXY9J/the-proto-sinaitic-inscriptions-and-their-decipherment)For: About 27 letters with Egyptian prototypes (Albright, Hamilton) 1. 2006[Gordon J. Hamilton: albright identified 23 of a probable 27 letters, Hamilton gives each an Egyptian prototype, and a Wadi el-Hol sign has…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHWQG7RQQ/the-origins-of-the-west-semitic-alphabet-in-egyptian-scripts)For: About 27 letters with Egyptian prototypes (Albright, Hamilton) 1. 2012[Orly Goldwasser: several different hieroglyphs serve as a single letter in the early texts, which fits an inventory that was not yet…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDJ6H344AD/the-miners-who-invented-the-alphabet-a-response-to)For: None of these. 1. 2013[David S. Vanderhooft: albright identified 23 of a probable 27 letters, Hamilton gives each an Egyptian prototype, and a Wadi el-Hol sign has…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDKG38SA0K/wadi-el-hol-inscription-2-and-the-early-semitic-alphabetic)For: About 27 letters with Egyptian prototypes (Albright, Hamilton) 1. 2015[Ben Haring: a 15th-century hieratic ostracon from Theban Tomb 99 preserves the h-l-h-m letter order of the longer South Semitic…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDJQYGSVB7/halaham-on-an-ostracon-of-the-early-new-kingdom)For: About 27 letters with Egyptian prototypes (Albright, Hamilton) 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: raised the question and proposed two answers](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DEEC4SCCB1B/session-1-proto-sinaitic-and-wadi-el-hol-seeded-corpus) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/questions/QST0DEDW8BKH407/how-many-letters-did-the-earliest-alphabet-have-and-which%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/questions/QST0DEDW8BKH407/how-many-letters-did-the-earliest-alphabet-have-and-which%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/questions/QST0DEDW8BKH407/how-many-letters-did-the-earliest-alphabet-have-and-which%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/questions/QST0DEDW8BKH407/how-many-letters-did-the-earliest-alphabet-have-and-which%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-sinaitic/questions/QST0DEDW8BKH407/how-many-letters-did-the-earliest-alphabet-have-and-which%23add-source) Where it fits Proto-Sinaitic and Wadi el-Hol: the first alphabet **How many letters did the earliest alphabet have, and which Egyptian signs are their prototypes?** Key question · you're here [ Ask a question under this one ]