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The Paleo-Hebrew script (Hebrew: הכתב העברי הקדום), also Palaeo-Hebrew, Proto-Hebrew or Old Hebrew, is the writing system found in Canaanite and Aramaic inscriptions, including pre-Biblical and Biblical Hebrew, from southern Canaan, also known as the biblical kingdoms of Israel (Samaria) and Judah.
Historically, a different abjad script was used to write Hebrew: the original, old Hebrew script, now known as the paleo-Hebrew alphabet, has been largely preserved in a variant form as the Samaritan alphabet, and is still used by the Samaritans.
The Old Hebrew alphabet, was adopted by the Greeks around the 12th century BC. The first five letters of the Hebrew alphabet are aleph, beyt, gimel, dalet and hey. These same letters, adopted by the Greeks, became the alpha, beta, gamma, delta and E-psilon (meaning "simple E").
The Hebrew alphabet is a script that was derived from the Aramaic alphabet during the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman periods (c. 500 BCE – 50 CE). It replaced the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet which was used in the earliest epigraphic records of the Hebrew language.
Learn about the Paleo-Hebrew script, also known as the Proto-Hebrew or Old Hebrew, which was used to write Ancient Hebrew in Israel and Judah. See an alphabet chart, a sample text, and links to more information and resources.
Learn about the original Hebrew alphabet used by the Hebrew people and Israelites of the Bible. Compare the Paleo-Hebrew letters with Modern Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and English.
Remarkable new evidence discovered by Dr. Douglas Petrovich may change how the world understands the origins of the alphabet. An examination of the Hebrew and Samaritan alphabets and their history. A detailed chart showing the different stages of the Hebrew alphabet from ancient to modern times.
