LBI-PROJECT
LB - SCRIPT
Type of script
The alphabets of the Libyco-Berber family belong to the group of scripts
using normally only consonants. Initial vowels originally were ignored
totally as well as vowels in medial position, for vowels in final position
there was used the semi-consonant H. The influence of Punic and Latin
script led to the sporadic usage of the semi-consonants Y(I) and W(U)
in initial and medial positions.
Direction of writing
In ancient times inscriptions of the Libyco-Berber type were written
in vertical lines from bottom to top with the exception of the monumental
inscriptions of Thugga/Dougga, which were written in horizontal lines
from right to left. In recent times Tifinagh script is written in several
different directions.
For the present data-base we presume - till a proof or indication of
the opposite - for the vertical inscriptions an arrangement from bottom
to top and from left to right, for the horizontal inscriptions from
right to left and from top to bottom.
Dating
The oldest Libyco-Berber inscription which could be dated (by a Punic
bilingue) comes from the 10th year of government of King
Micipsa (138 BC). Following Galand most of the North-African monumental
and grave inscriptions date from the time between the 4th
century BC till the end of the Roman government. Of course, the ancient
rock inscriptions represent a totally different cultural era, but they
can't be dated up till now. The most plausible time of the beginning
of writing in the territory of Morocco and the Canary Islands is the
7th and 6th century BC. Concerning the Libyco-Berber
inscriptions of the eastern Canary Islands it looks like if they originate
from the time about Jesus Christ's birth. Many of them are associated
with Latin-Canary inscriptions showing typical characteristics of the
Latin cursive script used during the first century BC and the first
century AD in peripheral areas of the Roman Empire.
Origin
The history of research concerning the origin of the Libyco-Berber script
covers a time of more than 150 years, more than 50 scholars have devoted
their attention to this topic. All these publications can be divided
into four groups:
1. Really exotic theses without any scientific basis
2. S-Semitic origin (especially Himjaritic of "Thamudic")
3. N-Semitic origin (Phoenician or Punic)
4. Own invention
A
new thesis says that the basic structure was brought to the Strait of
Gibraltar by Phoenician settler. Ancestors of the today's Berber people
adapted the script in a very creative way resulting in one of the most
perfect systems of writing. The oldest Libyco-Berber inscriptions of
this type can be found in the Moroccan High Atlas.
PICHLER
2007
Cited from: Origin
and Development of the Libyco-Berber Script