Writing systems

Connected Sites: 41

Examples of writing systems ("alphabets", hieroglyphs etc) from all over the world, visible in inscriptions or manuscripts.

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Connected Sites

Xanthos-Letoon
Inscribed: 1988
2.68
91
7
Many Texts In Lycian And Greek, Including Several Bilingual Texts That Are Useful In The Decipherment Of Lycian
Bisotun
Inscribed: 2006
2.68
39
2
Inscription In Elamite, Babylonian And Old Persian
Yin Xu
Yin Xu
China
Inscribed: 2006
3.19
61
3
Oracle Bone Script, "The Oldest Member And Ancestor Of The Chinese Family Of Scripts" (Wiki)
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Jelling
Jelling
Denmark
Inscribed: 1994
2.37
226
10
Runic Script
Ohrid Region
Ohrid Region
Albania, North Macedonia
Inscribed: 1979
3.40
251
7
Slavic Writing Culture (And Early Cyrillic Alphabet)
Rapa Nui
Inscribed: 1995
4.49
132
13
Rongorongo Script
Ashur
Ashur
Iraq
Inscribed: 2003
2.86
20
2
Source Of More Than 16000 Cuneiform Tablets
Ancient Thebes
Inscribed: 1979
4.39
341
11
Champollion Came Here And Developed Some Of The Ideas Which Led To His Decipherment Of The Script
Tikal National Park
Inscribed: 1979
4.46
220
6
Several Hieroglyphic Inscriptions
Copán
Copán
Honduras
Inscribed: 1980
3.86
128
7
Includes Hieroglyphic Texts
Quirigua
Quirigua
Guatemala
Inscribed: 1981
3.22
72
7
Contains Maya Glyphs
Old Town of Lijiang
Inscribed: 1997
3.53
156
11
Naxi Script (Pictograms)
Sukhothai
Sukhothai
Thailand
Inscribed: 1991
3.65
207
9
King Ramkamhang's Inscription - Early Thai Alphabets
Moenjodaro
Moenjodaro
Pakistan
Inscribed: 1980
3.51
32
3
Indus Valley Scriptures (One Of The Oldest In The World)
Sigiriya
Sigiriya
Sri Lanka
Inscribed: 1982
3.70
230
8
Sigiriya Graffiti, Early Sinhala Writing System
Neolithic Orkney
Neolithic Orkney
United Kingdom
Inscribed: 1999
3.80
140
11
Maes Howe - One Of The Largest, And Most Famous, Collections Of Runes Known In Europe.
Mtskheta
Mtskheta
Georgia
Inscribed: 1994
3.18
217
5
"Of Special Significance Are Early Inscriptions, Which Form A Valuable Reference In The Study Of The Origins Of The Early Georgian Alphabet."
Hegra
Hegra
Saudi Arabia
Inscribed: 2008
3.89
62
9
From The Advisory Body Evaluation "Epigraphic Traces Of The Pre-Nabataean Period Remain,And Consist Of Some Fifty Inscriptions In Lihyanite Script,Which Is Specific To Northern Arabia," And Its Conclusion "Through Its Epigraphy, The Site Bears Testimony To The Presence Of Many Ancient Languages Over The Course Of History: Lihyanite, Talmudic Script, Nabataean, Greek And Latin. It Is Of Outstanding Interest For The Study Of The Origins And Development Of Later Arabic Languages And Scripts."
See Www.Mnh.Si.Edu
Dougga/Thugga
Inscribed: 1997
3.68
119
3
Libyan, Punic, Greek, Roman Inscriptions At The Site Led To The Decipherment Of The Libyan Language
Aksum
Aksum
Ethiopia
Inscribed: 1980
3.22
68
6
Ezana Stone (Written In Ge'ez (The Ancient Ethiopian Language), Sabaean (South Arabian) And Greek)
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Orkhon Valley
Inscribed: 2004
2.51
55
6
Early 8th-Century Turkic Memorials To Bilge Khan And Kul Tigin With Their Orkhon Inscriptions Are Admittedly The Most Impressive Monuments From The Nomadic Göktürk Empire.
Oaxaca and Monte Alban
Inscribed: 1987
3.70
175
7
Montealban - Zapotec Hieroglyphs
Caves of Yagul and Mitla
Inscribed: 2010
2.64
85
6
Yagul: "A Few Of These Bear Hieroglyphic Inscriptions" (Wiki)
Hattusha
Hattusha
Turkiye
Inscribed: 1986
3.52
84
5
The Hittites Used Cuneiform Letters. Archaeological Expeditions Have Discovered In Hattushash Entire Sets Of Royal Archives In Cuneiform Tablets, Written Either In Akkadian, The Diplomatic Language Of The Time, Or In The Various Dialects Of The Hittite Confederation (Wiki)
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum
Jordan
Inscribed: 2011
3.98
299
8
Extensive Corpus Of Pre-Arabic Scripts (Ab Ev)
Meroe
Meroe
Sudan
Inscribed: 2011
4.04
38
4
Meroe Script
See Www.Digitalegypt.Ucl.Ac.Uk
Palenque
Palenque
Mexico
Inscribed: 1987
4.10
192
7
Temple Of Inscriptions
Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai
Inscribed: 2011
2.06
8
0
Turkic Period (7th-9th C. Ce): "To This Period, Also, Belong A Number Of Runic Inscriptions." (Ab Ev)
Birka and Hovgarden
Inscribed: 1993
2.24
134
9
Runic Script
Caral-Supe
Inscribed: 2009
3.42
66
8
Oldest Quipu
Byblos
Byblos
Lebanon
Inscribed: 1984
3.16
121
4
Byblos Is Also Directly Associated With The History And Diffusion Of The Phoenician Alphabet. (Ab Ev)
Rock Art in the Hail Region
Inscribed: 2015
3.25
41
4
The Introduction Of Thamudic Writing, Probably About 3000 Years Ago, Is Documented In Thousands Of Inscriptions (Ab Ev)
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Ahwar of Southern Iraq
Inscribed: 2016
2.98
28
4
The Centralized Control Of Resources And Surplus Which Gave Rise To The First Writing System And Administrative Archives (Nom File). The Earliest Texts Known Were Found In Uruk.
Southern Öland
Inscribed: 2000
2.52
126
7
Runic Script "Prominent Among The 20 Or More Runestones Of Southern Öland Is The Karlevi Stone, With A Unique Skalde Poem In The Dróttkvaett Verse Foot, Commemorating A Man Called “Sibbe The Wise”. - Nomination File
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Hedeby and Danevirke
Inscribed: 2018
2.22
142
6
Runic Script On The Hedeby Stones
See En.Wikipedia.Org
Himā Cultural area
Inscribed: 2021
2.33
25
3
The Inscriptions Are An Invaluable Source Of Epigraphic Understanding Concerning The Development Of Alphabetic Writing. (Nom File P.12)
Tassili n'Ajjer
Inscribed: 1982
3.62
24
2
There Are Libyc And Tifinagh Inscriptions (Ancient And Recent Tuareg/Berber Script). Tifinagh, Which Often Accompanies Images, Is A Later Lybico-Berber Script Still Used By Modern Tuareg.
See Africanrockart.Org
Dholavira: A Harappan City
Inscribed: 2021
2.85
13
2
Indus Valley Script
See Www.Harappa.Com
El Tajin
El Tajin
Mexico
Inscribed: 1992
3.59
72
5
Various Hieroglyphs, Such As At The Southern Ballcourt: "Overlooking This Scene Is The Death Deity Who Rises From A Vat Of Liquid, Perhaps Pulque. The Glyphs Above The Deity Identify It With The Planet Venus." (Wiki)
Ancient Kingdom of Saba
Inscribed: 2023
2.73
5
1
The Sabaean People Used An Ancient Semitic Tongue Of Their Own, Sabaean Or Himyaritic, Which Are What Ethiopian Is Based On. ... They Left Behind Many Inscriptions In The Monumental Ancient South Arabian Script Or Musnad, As Well As Numerous Documents In The Related Cursive Zabūr Script. (Wiki) + "Evidenced By Numerous Historical Wall Inscriptions" (Ab Ev)
Dilmun Burial Mounds
Inscribed: 2019
2.11
82
6
"(...) Hard Evidence For Dynastic Kingship At A'Ali And Identification Of The Tombs Of Two Named Kings, Using Cuneiform Inscriptions Recovered From One Of The Mounds (Royal Mound 8)." (Ab Ev)