Porto is one of the typical destinations for a vacation or tourist visit in Portugal. However, for those who are already familiar with the city or seek something beyond the usual, a trip to Póvoa de Varzim is highly recommended. This town, located about 30 kilometers away, boasts two particularly special spots not to be […]
Writing
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
Clay Cylinders with Inscriptions Found in Syria Show the Use of an Alphabet 500 Years Before Egypt
A team of archaeologists from Johns Hopkins University, led by Professor Glenn Schwartz, has discovered small clay cylinders with inscriptions in Syria that appear to be the oldest known examples of alphabetic writing to date. These inscriptions, dating back to approximately 2400 BCE, predate other alphabetic systems by about 500 years. This discovery could reshape […]
Posted inBronze Age Archaeology
How ancient cylinder seals gave rise to writing in Mesopotamia discovered
Researchers from the University of Bologna have unveiled how ancient cylinder seals played a key role in the development of writing in ancient Mesopotamia, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding the origins of written language. Their study, published in the journal Antiquity, reveals connections between images engraved on these seals—some dating back about six thousand […]
Posted inStone Age Archaeology
The Enigmatic Prehistoric Engraved Slate Plaques of the Iberian Peninsula are Genealogical Records and One of the Earliest Forms of Writing in Europe
In the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, between the Late Neolithic and the Copper Age, a series of ritual objects emerged that have fascinated archaeologists and historians for over a century: the engraved slate plaques. These artifacts, especially those classified as classic type, have been interpreted as genealogical records within the ancient communities of the […]
Posted inCulture
The Byblos Syllabary, a 3800-year-old Writing System whose Inscriptions Have yet to Be Deciphered
In 1928 French archaeologist Maurice Dunand began excavating the ancient coastal city of Byblos, located in what is now Lebanon. Byblos was an important Phoenician city whose origin dates back to around 5000 BC and had a long history of trade and cultural exchanges with neighboring civilizations such as Egypt and Mesopotamia. During four excavation […]
Posted inCulture, Modern Era
Dalrunes, the Nordic runes that were used until the 20th century in a region of Sweden
Runes are the letters used to write by some Germanic peoples during Antiquity and the Middle Ages, mainly in Scandinavia but also in other areas where these peoples settled. The oldest known runes date back to the 2nd century AD. The first chronologically would be the comb inscription found on the Danish island of Funen, […]
