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Writing in Egypt: Greek

The oldest inscription written in Greek letters dates to about 740 BC. The early Greek alphabet is very similar to the Phoenician alphabet, but with the additional letters phi, psi, chi and omega. The full writing with vowels is an entirely new development. Greek inscriptions are already known from the sixth century BC in Egypt, for example from Naukratis, which was a Greek colony. In the Ptolemaic Period, Greek became the main administrative language and was also very often used in private context. Greek remained the most important (written) language of Egypt into the early Islamic Period.

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UC 14766, Greek inscription found at Koptos UC 14762 UC 16506, Greek tomb stone from Hawara UC 62567, ostrakon with Greek inscription

compare:

Homer in the Petrie Museum | complaint against a policeman | Greek ostraca | Islamic Period tax receipt in Greek

 


 

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