Oldest Known Alphabetic Writing Found in Syrian Tomb

Archaeologists date clay cylinders with alphabetic markings to 2400 BCE, rewriting the origins of the alphabet.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University discovered clay cylinders etched with alphabetic writing in a 4,400-year-old tomb at Tell Umm-el Marra, Syria.
The markings are approximately 500 years older than previously known alphabetic scripts, challenging the belief that the alphabet originated in Egypt around 1900 BCE.
The tomb contained six skeletons, gold and silver jewelry, cookware, a spearhead, pottery vessels, and the inscribed cylinders, suggesting the burial site belonged to a wealthy family.
The cylinders, perforated and possibly used as labels, remain untranslated, with speculation they may reference names, origins, or contents of objects.
This discovery highlights early experimentation with alphabetic systems, which revolutionized communication by making writing accessible beyond elite classes.