Parthian language and alphbaet
Parthian script
The Parthian script developed from the Aramaic script around the 2nd century BC and was used during the Parthian and Sassanian periods of the Persian empire. The latest known inscription dates from 292 AD. It is also known as Inscriptional Parthian, as was mainly used for inscriptions on clay tablets and coins.
Notable features
- Written from right to left in horizontal lines
- Only some vowels are indicated and the letters used to represent them have multiple pronunciations
- The letters marked in red were used to write loan words from Aramaic
- Used to write: Parthian (Arsacid Pahlavi / Pahlawānīg), an extinct Middle Iranian language which originated in the ancient province of Parthia (in the northeast of modern day Iran) and was spoken until about the 3rd century AD.
Inscriptional Parthian alphabet
Download an alphabet chart for Parthian (Excel)
Sample text
By Unknown author - Oriental Institute, Public Domain, Link
Links
Information about Parthian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthian_language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inscriptional_Parthian
http://www.iranchamber.com/history/articles/parthian_history_language.php
http://www.parthia.com/parthia_language.htm
https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2007/07207r-n3286r-parthian-pahlavi.pdf
Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies at the School of Oriental and Asian Studies (SOAS), University of London: http://www.cais-soas.com
Iranian languages
Avestan, Bactrian Baluchi, Bartangi, Dari, Gilaki, Hazaragi, Ishkashimi, Judeo-Persian, Juhuri, Khufi, Kumzari, Kurdish, Luri, Mazandarani, Munji, Ossetian, Ormuri, Oroshor, Persian, Parthian, Pashto, Rushani, Sanglechi, Sarikoli, Shabaki, Shughni, Tajik, Talysh, Tat, Wakhi, Wanetsi, Yaghnobi, Yazghulami, Yidgha, Zazaki
Consonant alphabets (Abjads)
Ancient Berber, Arabic, Aramaic, Chorasmian, Elymaic, Hatran, Hebrew, Manichaean, Nabataean, North Arabian, Pahlavi, Palmyrene, Parthian, Phoenician, Paleo-Hebrew, Proto-Sinaitic / Proto-Canaanite, Psalter, Punic, Sabaean, Samaritan, Sogdian, South Arabian, Syriac, Tifinagh, Ugaritic
Page last modified: 10.06.24
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