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Encyclopedia ID 1359

Phoenician Alphabet Trader

Also known as Abjad · أبجدية

Phoenician Alphabet Trader: photograph by Unknown authorUnknown author
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, source on Wikimedia Commons

Trade by writing short bills of lading in 22 letters, matching letter shapes to sounds before ships sail with goods.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of Lebanon. Some forms of this practice carry deep meaning for the communities who keep it; here we describe the play and the craft only, with respect for its roots.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Modern Heritage (1800 to today), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Mesopotamia, Levant and Arabia.

Sources

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