Writing systems

Connected Sites: 42

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

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
  • Yin Xu
    Yin Xu
    China
    Inscribed: 2006
    3.19
    62
    3
    Oracle Bone Script, "The Oldest Member And Ancestor Of The Chinese Family Of Scripts" (Wiki)
    See En.Wikipedia.Org
  • Ashur
    Ashur
    Iraq
    Inscribed: 2003
    2.86
    20
    2
    Source Of More Than 16000 Cuneiform Tablets
  • Quirigua
    Quirigua
    Guatemala
    Inscribed: 1981
    3.22
    72
    7
    Contains Maya Glyphs
  • Old Town of Lijiang
    Inscribed: 1997
    3.53
    157
    11
    Naxi Script (Pictograms)
  • Mtskheta
    Mtskheta
    Georgia
    Inscribed: 1994
    3.18
    218
    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
  • 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)
  • 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
  • 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
    2.26
    134
    9
    Runic Script
  • Caral-Supe
    Inscribed: 2009
    3.41
    67
    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
    42
    4
    The Introduction Of Thamudic Writing, Probably About 3000 Years Ago, Is Documented In Thousands Of Inscriptions (Ab Ev)
    See En.Wikipedia.Org
  • Southern Öland
    Inscribed: 2000
    2.62
    127
    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
  • 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
    25
    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
  • Nominated: 2025
    80%
    17
    1
    "(...) The Tanguts Developed A Civilisation Based On The Chinese Imperial Model, Of Which Buddhism Was An Essential Part. This Is Evidenced By Very Large, Diverse Architectural Sites, As Well As A Wealth Of Objects Excavated At The Property, Including Fragments Of Stelae In Tangut Script." (Ab Ev)
  • Wadi Rum
    Wadi Rum
    Jordan
    Inscribed: 2011
    3.99
    300
    8
    Extensive Corpus Of Pre-Arabic Scripts (Ab Ev)
  • Tikal National Park
    Inscribed: 1979
    4.46
    220
    6
    Several Hieroglyphic Inscriptions
  • Rapa Nui
    Inscribed: 1995
    4.49
    132
    13
    Rongorongo Script
  • Orkhon Valley
    Inscribed: 2004
    2.52
    57
    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
    176
    7
    Montealban - Zapotec Hieroglyphs
  • Neolithic Orkney
    Neolithic Orkney
    United Kingdom
    Inscribed: 1999
    3.80
    141
    11
    Maes Howe - One Of The Largest, And Most Famous, Collections Of Runes Known In Europe.
  • Jelling
    Jelling
    Denmark
    Inscribed: 1994
    2.36
    227
    10
    Runic Script
  • Hedeby and Danevirke
    Inscribed: 2018
    2.22
    142
    6
    Runic Script On The Hedeby Stones
    See En.Wikipedia.Org
  • 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)
  • Dilmun Burial Mounds
    Inscribed: 2019
    2.09
    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)
  • Dholavira: A Harappan City
    Inscribed: 2021
    2.85
    13
    2
    Indus Valley Script
    See Www.Harappa.Com
  • Copán
    Copán
    Honduras
    Inscribed: 1980
    3.86
    128
    7
    Includes Hieroglyphic Texts
  • Bisotun
    Inscribed: 2006
    2.68
    39
    2
    Inscription In Elamite, Babylonian And Old Persian
  • Ancient Thebes
    Inscribed: 1979
    4.39
    343
    11
    Champollion Came Here And Developed Some Of The Ideas Which Led To His Decipherment Of The Script
  • 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)
  • Sukhothai
    Sukhothai
    Thailand
    Inscribed: 1991
    3.65
    207
    9
  • Sigiriya
    Sigiriya
    Sri Lanka
    Inscribed: 1982
    3.72
    231
    8
  • Moenjodaro
    Moenjodaro
    Pakistan
    Inscribed: 1980
    3.51
    32
    3
  • Ahwar of Southern Iraq
    Inscribed: 2016
    2.98
    28
    4
  • Ohrid Region
    Ohrid Region
    Albania, North Macedonia
    Inscribed: 1979
    3.41
    253
    7