Scholars have speculated that the Phoenicians referred to themselves as ‘Kena’ani’ (‘Kinahna’ in Akkadian, or ‘Canaanite’ in English). Britannica: The invention of the alphabet is a major achievement of Western culture. Tyre, Sidon, Arwad, Byblis. http://mentalfloss.com/article/12884/8-ancient-writing-systems-havent-been-deciphered-yet (1) https://www.thoughtco.com/early-history-of-communication-4067897 (2) The Phoenician alphabet contains 22 letters, all of which are consonants, and is described as an abjad, with matres lectionis being used for some vowels in certain late varieties. Fiercefully independent, rivals. In the Phoenician alphabet (also called the Proto-Canaanite alphabet) each letter represented a consonant. ... RCHS Ancient Phoenician Resource List. An alphabet is a list of the elementary sounds used in any language. We'll keep using the term for convenience's sake, but keep this fact in mind if you ever take a time machine back to the Bronze Age Levant region. (When written, the vowels were implied.) It is also unique; the alphabet was invented only once, though it has been borrowed by many cultures. Apr 10, 2019 - Phoenician alphabet, writing system that developed out of the North Semitic alphabet and was spread over the Mediterranean area by Phoenician traders. 1.10.45) is a treatise On the Phoenician Alphabet. The Phoenicians made numerous contributions to human civilization, the most notable of which being the Phoenician alphabet , which is the ancestor of many other alphabets that are used today. A further work of Sanchuniathon noted by Eusebius (P.E. This cut down significantly the number of symbols required to make words. The Phoenicians did not exist. By: Cengiz Rusan Phoenician Background 1500-300 B.C. The modern uppercase Greek alphabet is: It was spoken by Israelites a long time ago, during the time of the Bible.After Judah was conquered by Babylonia, the Jews were taken captive to Babylon and started speaking Aramaic. The Greeks later modified this letter and used it as their letter alpha.The Greek alphabet was used by the Etruscans in northern Italy, and the Romans later modified the Etruscan alphabet for their own language. Step 1: Choose Your Membership Offer . The Greeks made an important contribution to the alphabet: vowels. The uppercase version consists of the two slanting sides of a triangle, crossed in the middle by a horizontal bar. Phoenician alphabet definition is - an extinct northern Semitic alphabet used by the Phoenicians of Syria and their Carthaginian colonists from the 13th century b.c. Phoenician Alphabet. Mediterranean Sea. The Greeks adopted it and by the 8th century BC had added vowels. David Deutsch : every alphabet-based writing system that has ever existed is either descended from or inspired by that Phoenician one. The Phoenician alphabet, called by convention the Proto-Canaanite alphabet for inscriptions older than around 1050 BC, is the oldest verified alphabet. This alphabet help Phoenicians mark their traders that they used. The Phoenician alphabet is the precursor to the Greek Alphabet which dictates that it is also the predecessor of all Western alphabets.³ The Phoenicians were interested in creating a language that would be easily learned and adopted among the peoples with whom they conducted trade. It is similar in shape to the Ancient Greek letter alpha, from which it derives. The earliest Phoenician inscription that has survived is The Phoenician alphabet is based on what principle? Circular in shape, the actual enclosing remains are Medieval with Mamluk reshaping. Discover encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources, games, and other learning resources that support student research and reinforce curriculum standards. of or relating to Phoenicia or its colonies, or its people, language, or alphabet.