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Archaeologists Discover 4,500-Year-Old Finger-Sized Clay Cylinders with World’s Oldest Alphabet in Syria, Dating Back to 2400 BCE

Nov 26, 2024, 07:48 PM

Archaeologists have uncovered finger-sized clay cylinders in Aleppo province, Syria, believed to be the world's oldest examples of writing using an alphabet rather than hieroglyphs or cuneiform. Dating back to 2400 BCE, these cylinders, discovered in 2004, are inscribed with what may be the earliest known letters. This significant find is expected to revolutionize the understanding of ancient writing systems and reshape the study of ancient languages. The discovery highlights the potential for earlier origins of the alphabet than previously thought.