Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 31:122 (Apr 1874)
Article: History In Alphabets
Author: John C. C. Clarke

BSac 31:122 (April 1874) p. 333

History In Alphabets

Rev. John C. C. Clarke

The decipherment of the Egyptian hieroglyphics, about fifty years since, opened the way for a new science. Since then, discoveries of ancient monuments and relics in many lands have furnished rich materials for the illustration of history. The letters of the handwriting of a large part of the world in all ages lie before us. Coming to us out of a buried past, like the footprints of birds in the rocks, they tell us more than these; for without a Darwin they demonstrate their genealogy, and picture their own history. Laying down the relics in their proper places on the- map of the world, our eyes discover a new illustration of the relations of races, the track of commerce, the spread of religions, and the course of civilization. We discover in some nations an unsuspected antiquity of letters, while we abandon some venerable traditions, and recall honors that have been accorded to some peoples.

Before entering into a detailed historical statement, we present a table of the genealogy of the alphabet, so far as ascertained facts can be arranged on a single page. In this table the Hamitic, Turanian, mixed, and uncertain peoples are printed in small capitals. The Indo-European or Japhetic races are in Roman letters. The Shemitic races are in Italics. The figures at the right give an approximation in centuries to the dates of the origin of the various styles of letters. Only two varieties are named which the writer has not carefully examined and tabulated beside their kindred, and none of known importance are omitted, although the table might be enlarged with mere names.

BSac 31:122 (April 1874) p. 334

BSac 31:122 (April 1874) p. 335

A Hieroglyphic Alphabet.—At a very early date, in Egypt, pictures of objects were used to represent the initial sounds of their names. This writing is neither rude nor imperfect, but, to persons familiar with the language, is elegant, precise, and legible, as no alphabet of arbitrary marks could be without long study. If a great variety of signs were used, rapidity of reading might be restricted. There was, therefore, a strong reason for reducing the number of symbols in familiar use. Such a limitation argues a general diffusion of literary culture of a fixed character. In fact, the number of picture letters in common use was at a very early date reduced to the limits of a true alphabet. This alphabet, with a few variations, is now generally recognized, and has been often published. It was adequate to the representation of all the sounds of the Egyptian, Shemitic, and Greek languages. There is no longer room for a doubt of the real inventors of the alphabet. It can sca...