Brief Introduction To The Arabic Alphabet

By (author) John Healey; By (author) Healey John; By (author) Smith Rex
Short description/annotation:
The Arabic alphabet has a fascinating history, one that is entwined with the development of culture and society in the Middle East. This book traces the origins of the Arabic alphabet back to Aramaic, a descendant of Phoenecian, which itself gave rise to the Hebrew and Greek alphabets.
Description:
The Arabic alphabet has a fascinating history, one that is entwined with the development of culture and society in the Middle East. The authors trace the origins of the Arabic alphabet back to Aramaic, a descendant of Phoenecian, which itself gave rise to the Hebrew and Greek alphabets. The third title in the series that offers a primer for both general readers and students alike, "A Brief Introduction to the Arabic Alphabet" is illustrated and contains glossaries, indices, and suggestions for further reading.
Table of contents:
Introduction I The Alphabet before Islam II The Origin of the Arabic AlphabetIII The Earliest Arabic Scripts -- Pre- and Early Islamic Inscriptions IV The Arabic PapyriV The Classical Arabic Scripts -- Kufic and naskh*VI The Arabic Scripts beyond the Arabic Heartlands -- North Africa, Iran and Turkey VII Arabic Writing Today AcknowledgementsList of IllustrationsBibliographyFurther Reading
Biographical note:
John Healey is a professor of Semitic studies at the University of Manchester. Rex Smith is an Arabist, historian, and scholar of the medieval history of Yemen.