The Proto-Byblos script

During the bronce age in Byblos a still undeciphered script was used, the so-called Proto-Byblos script (also called Pseudo-Hieroglyphs). The epigraphic project analyses the signs for morphological and syntatic pattern with a minimum of preconditions.

Text Corpus

There are only 15, maybe 16, inscriptions known with altogether 1169 signs. Most times the reading order is right to left, or once top to bottom.

Sign List

The first result is a preliminary sign list of 125 to 130 signs. Some signs might be allographs of one sign having the same meaning, but more detailed analysis is needed to evaluate them.


Signlist of 125 signs (five signs at the end of the sign list are allographs and reduced with other signs).

A database was developed so that the text corpus is searchable for any sign combination. Methods like frequency analysis and structure analysis are supported by the program.

Morphology

The morphological analysis results into 4 suffixes of repeating words.

Syntax

The word order is still unknown, but repeating sign sequences with the same suffix indicate a flexible syntax with much variation.

More information and a more detailed description is posted after the publication of the results ...