The language of the Min:cans is only dia lectically difTerent from the Katabanian, Iladra mautian, and Sabwrin, and is elo-wly akin to the Ethiopic and die classical Arabic. As to the origin of the system of writing used by the south Arabian peoples, it is supposed by Ila167 and Lidzbarski to have been formed from the Pluenician alphabet by a modification of certain signs to denote kindred sounds and by changes rendering the signs generally symmetrical. There is indeed good reason to suppose that many new signs were added in Arabia by slight changes in those already existing, and that the characters were given a squarer form. But there are some letters that are so different from those of the Phomieian alphabet as to raise the question whether other extraneous influences may not have been at work. Wleili.ver the r'iiitions tit' the various Egypto-Libyan, Myeena.an, and Anato lian alphabets, the eomtac•t. of the Mirneans with Egypt and the Philistine coast makes, it probable that it was in the northwest rather than on the Persian Gulf that this alphabet grew up. A tablet found at Lachish shows that Mit only cuneiform signs, but also the Mycymean sigmu•y was to some extent used in the Philistine cities in the fourteenth century n.c. Signs have been found on Egyptian pottery that can scarcely have originated in the hieroglyphs that gave rise to the hieratic script. It may have been from Gaza that the Alina.ans brought the prototype signs of their alphabet. As our oldest inscrip tions in the Plurnician alphabet, dating from the ninth century, show that this system of writing must have been long in use, so our earliest 51ina•an inscriptions indicate that the South Arabian alphabet already had a long and as yet quite obscure history of development.
PanuocuArnv. ()slander, "Zur himjarischen Altertumskunde," in Ziitschrift der dentschen morgenhiindischen Gescllsehaft, vol. xis. (Leip zig, 18651; Hakv1s Etudes sable-noes (Paris, 1875) ; D. H. Milner, Die Rurgen und Schlos.ser Sinl-Arabirns, Vienna, 1879-81) ; id., graphischc Denkraiiler ens .1rabicit (Vienna, 1889) ; id.. Siiil-arabische rIltertIviinice (Vienna, 1899) Eduard (Ansel., Skizze (ler Gcschichtc Arabicns (Munich, 1889) ; id., t:cschichie um/ Geographic _Irabiens ilk, 1889; ii., 1890) ; id., Die A bcssynicr in. -I rabies rind A frika (Munich, 1895) ; Hommel. A afsiit7e unit .1bhand lungen. IS92-19011; id., Siiifin-erbische Ohrestomatic 189:1) Iltisrartilische Ucherlir fern ng 1897) : N. Schmidt. in 11 hraica, vol. x. (Chicago. 18911 ; \\'inokle•. Ge schichtr Israrls (Leipzig. 1895) ; id., .1./u2ri, „llelahha, Main, i.-ii. (Berlin, 1898) ; Mordtmann, ficitriigr miniiischen Epigraph& ( Weima r, 189(1) ; Hartmann, in Zritschrift Die As.syrio logic, vol. x. (ib.. 1895) ; 11. Derenhourg. Nou veau sur l'c'pitrrlrhe minccu (Paris, 1895) ; Margolionth, "Arabia," in the Hastings Bible Dictionary (New York, 1898) ; 1,idzb:u•ski, in Ephemeris fiir semitische Epigraphik (Chesser', 1902) ; Otto Weber, Stnctic» or siidarabischen .111crtuniskunde (Berlin, 1901) ; id., Eine ileac Inschrift (ib., 1901); Corpus Inscrip tiatai Semitienrum, part iv.. Issoiptioncs Him jaritiere et Saban- (Paris, 1889 seq.).