10 Ancient Alphabets and Their Modern-Day Influences
By Tushar Kumar
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Developed around 1050 BCE, the Phoenician alphabet is among the oldest phonetic systems. It inspired Greek, Latin, and Cyrillic scripts and influenced the modern English alphabet.
1 - The Foundation of Modern Scripts
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Derived from the Phoenician script in the 8th century BCE, the Greek alphabet introduced vowels, revolutionizing writing. Still in use, it heavily influenced scientific and mathematical symbols like π, α, and Ω.
2 - The Birth of Democracy in Writing
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Evolving from the Greek and Etruscan alphabets in the 7th century BCE, the Latin alphabet is the world’s most used writing system, forming the basis for English and many other languages, and is key for digital communication.
3 - The World’s Most Widespread Script
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Created in the 9th century CE by Saints Cyril and Methodius to spread Christianity, the Cyrillic alphabet is key to Slavic languages like Russian, Bulgarian, and Serbian, symbolizing cultural identity in these regions.
4 - A Linguistic Bridge Between East and West
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Emerged in the 4th century CE from the Nabataean script, the Arabic script is used by over 300 million people, shaping modern calligraphy, graphic design, typography, and influencing Persian and Urdu scripts.
5 - The Script of a Rich Cultural Heritage
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Dating back to the 10th century BCE, the Hebrew script, rooted in the Phoenician alphabet, is central to Jewish religious texts and modern Hebrew, highlighting its enduring cultural and spiritual significance.
6 - A Testament to Survival and Adaptation
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Derived from the Brahmi script around 7th century CE. Devanagari is used for several major languages, including Hindi, Sanskrit, and Marathi, making it one of the most widely used scripts in the world today.
7 - The Backbone of South Asian Languages
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Dating back to 1200 BCE in the Shang Dynasty, Chinese characters (Hanzi) are used in Chinese, Japanese (Kanji), and historical Korean texts, shaping East Asian linguistics, calligraphy, and art.
8 - A Pictographic Legacy
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Created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 CE to unify the Armenian nation. The Armenian alphabet is still in use today and serves as a powerful symbol of national identity and cultural resilience.
9 - A Cultural Pillar of Identity
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Developed by Germanic tribes in the 2nd century CE, runes are no longer widely used but influence modern culture through literature, gaming, and neo-pagan practices, preserving their mystique and ancient wisdom.