“Previously, scholars thought the alphabet was invented in or around ... The team also discovered four clay cylinders containing a form of alphabetic print. The clay objects — about the ...

“The alphabet’s simplicity democratized writing, allowing more people to read and write.” The clay cylinders, along with their tomb’s other contents, underscore the historical significance ...

The belief that Ancient Egyptians birthed the first alphabet is now challenged. Researchers reveal clay cylinders from Syria dating to 2400 BC may predate Egyptian hieroglyph-inspired scripts by ...