Oldest Alphabet Unearthed: 4,400-Year-Old Clay Cylinders Rewrite History
2025-01-17
UC Santa Cruz history professor Elaine Sullivan discovered four small clay cylinders inscribed with mysterious symbols at an Early Bronze Age burial site in Umm el-Marra, Syria. Initially overlooked, these artifacts were later identified as an early Semitic alphabet predating previously known examples by at least 500 years. This discovery challenges our understanding of the alphabet's origins, shifting its location from Egypt and the Southern Levant to Northern Syria. The research highlights the importance of meticulous fieldwork and interdisciplinary collaboration in archaeology, emphasizing that artifacts often hold secrets only later generations can unlock.