Tuesday, July 11, 2006

SYRIAC INSCRIPTIONS IN UZBEKISTAN?
Ancient Christian inscriptions found in Uzbekistan
10.07.2006 15:14:48 (UzReport.com)
Eastern-Sogda Archaeological Expedition of the Science Academies of Ukraine and Uzbekistan found a new epigraphic monument – inscriptions in Sogdian language (Iranian language, close to Persian and Tajik) with the use of Armenian graphics (language close to today's Hebrew) - during the excavations of the early medieval Christian monastery in Urgut district of Samarkand region. The ancient engravings like these are a unique discovery. There are only a few of them in the world. Now their number has increased by around twenty.

[...]

The monastery was built in the late 9th century and existed approximately until the 13th century. A Zoroastrian temple Jar-Tepe and a temple of a pagan deity Aspan who could be the protectress of Urgut were located nearby.

In the mountain cave, near the monastery engravings in Sogdian and Syrian languages were found. One inscription used Chinese hieroglyphs, and scientists suggest that it could be written by some palmer from Sinjan. The world knows only one such monument discovered in 1922. These are "visitors'" notes, such as such and such (a Syrian name with the title of an ecclesiastic was here, as well as sentences like "good weather" or "it's snowing".

[...]
I'm pretty sure "Syrian" here means "Syriac."

The Armenian language and script are not "close to today's Hebrew." Armenian is an Indo-European language. I don't know the language but I believe that the Greek alphabet was the main (loose) template for the Armenian alphabet.

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