How Did Arabic Script Develop?

Ancient Egyptian writing was adapted to develop Proto-Sinaitic writing, by Semitic speaking foreigner workers of the Ancient Egyptians in the Sinai region at construction sites. Proto-Sinaitic right-to-left writing was adapted to develop Phoenician right-to-left writing. The Phoenicians, a Semitic-speaking people inhabiting the coastal regions of present-day Lebanon, played a pivotal role in the development and dissemination of writing in the ancient Near East. Their adaptation of Proto-Sinaitic script led to the creation of the Phoenician alphabet, a significant advancement that simplified writing and made it more accessible. The Phoenician alphabet, with its right-to-left writing direction, served as a model for right-to-left Early Greek writing such as the Cup of Nestor and several other Semitic scripts, including Hebrew, Aramaic, and eventually Arabic. The spread of Phoenician trade networks facilitated the transmission of writing systems across the Mediterranean and beyond. The Phoenicians were the descendants of East Africans, spoke Afroasiatic, wrote Afroasiatic, circumcised their males, and developed distinct culture from Egyptian colonists and merchants in the 3rd millenium and 2nd millenium BCE. The Phoenician alphabet and writing was adapted to develop Arabic script. Arabic THEREFORE is the great-granddaughter of ancient Egyptian writing. Although distinctive, Arabic is an AFROASIATIC script and language; built on an African foundation. The development of Arabic script involved a complex interplay of cultural exchange, adaptation, and innovation over millennia. Arabic didn’t appear out of thin air in the 7th century CE.

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