American archaeologists have discovered the oldest example of alphabet writing on clay cylinders older than 4,400 years.
American archaeologists from Johns Hopkins University, during excavations at the Syrian Tell Umm el-Marra, discovered clay cylinders with unique symbols, which are the oldest examples of alphabetic writing in human history, the report of the Daily Mail.
According to radiocarbon dating, the artifacts are approximately 4,400 years old, which is 500 years older than all previously known alphabetic texts. Researchers suggest that the discovery may change the understanding of the place and time of the appearance of the alphabet, since its origin is associated with Egypt around 1900 BC.
“This new discovery shows that people were experimenting with new communication technologies earlier and in other places than we thought,” said archeology professor Glen Schwartz.
The cylinders were found in a Bronze Age tomb containing six skeletons, gold and silver jewelry, a spearhead and well-preserved tools. Tell Umm el-Marra was once one of the most ancient cities in the Middle East.
The new finding suggests that the development of writing has a more complex and geographically extensive history than previously thought.
It was previously reported that in Krakow, Poland, police seized a unique collection of ancient coins found during illegal excavations.
Source: korrespondent
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