Alphabet Primer

 

This tablet is extremely important, for on one of its sides it gives a list of the 30 cuneiform alphabetic symbols used in Ugarit at the time. These letters are written from left to right on four lines. Although it was not the oldest alphabet in the Near East, the Ugarit writing system was crucial to the development of an alphabet by the Phoenicians a few centuries later. The Phonenician alphabet was adapted by the Greeks, and their writing system in turn provided the basis for our modern alphabet. The word "alphabet" itself is derived from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha and beta. The tablet was probably a school exercise done by an apprentice scribe. His task was simplified, for with the new system he could compose words for every concept imaginable using the countless combinations of just 30 odd symbols. The advantages of this system are still enjoyed by our modern world. 

Provenance: Ras Shamra - Ugarit. 

Era: Late Bronze Age (circa 1300 BC). 

Material: terra cotta. 

Dimensions: 5.2 x 3.7 cm. 

Photo: Jacques Lessard. 

A collection of the National Museum of Damascus. 

Michel Fortin, Syria, Land of Civilization. Les Éditions de l'Homme, Musée de la Civilisation de Québec 1999.