Paléo-Hebraic Alphabet

The paléo-Hebraic alphabet is a ramification of the Alphabet phenician used to write the Hebrew from until its abandonment at the fifth century BC, date of its replacement by the Aramean alphabet which ended up giving the Hebrew alphabet.

Origin

The oldest known inscription using the paléo-Hebraic alphabet is the Calendrier of Gezer dating from the end from. The inscriptions on this calendar post strong resemblances to inscriptions contemporary phenicians with Byblos. Hebrew elements are visible among the inscription Moabite S of the Stèle of Mesha. Hebrew inscriptions of eighth century BC show several specific and exclusive characters making think of certain modern researchers that the paléo-Hebraic alphabet was largely widespread at the scribes. Although very few inscriptions of were found, the quantity of materials epigraphic of the 8th century shows the progressive diffusion of the instruction among people of Israel and Juda.

Development

The Hebrew manuscripts evolved/moved by developing many cursive elements, the concise elements of the Alphabet phenician being gradually put on side with time. This rejection of the concise writing can explain why the habit of the erection of steles by the kings carrying of the votive inscriptions for their divinity was not widely diffused in Israel. Even the engraved inscriptions of seventh century BC show elements of cursive style like the shade, which is produced naturally by the use of a stylet and ink. The Inscription of Siloam, many inscriptions in tombs of Jerusalem and Hebrew hundreds of seals of sixth century BC are examples as of these cursive elements in engravings. The cursive manuscript more developed are reproduced on the 18 ostraca of Lakish, of the letters sent by an officer to the governor of Lakish little before the destruction of the Temple of Solomon in 586.

Decline

After the Babylonian capture of Juda, when the majority of the elites were sent in exile, the peasants continued to use the paléo-Hebraic alphabet. Handles of guard hairs of sixth century BC, on which the names of some wine growers are reproduced, are examples of this survival. Starting from the beginning of fifth century BC, when the Araméen became official means of communication, the paléo-Hebraic alphabet is used by scribes scholars, for the majority Sadducéen S, to write the Tanakh. Paléo-Hebraic fragments were found in the Rouleaux of the Dead Sea. The great majority of the coins hasmonéennes, like those of the First war judéo-Roman and the Revolt of Bar Kokhba, carry legends into paléo-Hebraic.

The use of this alphabet disappears completely after 135 after J. - C., at least at the Jews. The Samaritains continue today to use of it an alternative, the Alphabet Samaritan.

See too

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