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ORIGIN OF ALPHABET
209 Dr. A. H. Gardiner's Sinaitic theory (see above). The problem of the origins of the alphabet would thus appear to be solved. But my opinion is that the problem is still sub judice.
The eleven known early Canaanite inscriptions from Palestine can be divided into three groups: (I) The Gezer Potsherd, found 1929 (Fig. 105, 1); the Shechem Stone Plaque (Fig. 105, 2), found 1934: and the Lachish Dagger termed "Lachish IV." found 1934, but published in 1937, after its cleaning had brought to light the inscription consisting of four signs (Fig. 105, 3). This group are now attributed to the "Middle Bronze Age B" or "Early Hyksos" (Albright's nomenclature), that is to the sixteenth century B.C.
+371 +1+0+ Ed.)+3030
+ 903
pepop dox2) * ottof odddish
5
Fig. 106-Early Canaanite inscriptions, II 1, 2, 4 and 5. Inscriptions from Lachish (a, b, different drawings; Wellcome Exped.).
3. Signs painted or engraved in the foundations of the Temple of Jerusalem
(2) The Tell el-Hesy Potsherd (Fig. 105, +), found 1891; the Tell el-Ajjul Pot (Fig. 105, 5), found 1932; and perhaps--if it does not belong to the third group the Beth Shemesh Ostracon (Fig. 105, 6), found 1930, belong to the second group, which is attributed to the "Late Bronze Age B" and dated in the fourteenth century B.C.
(3)The inscriptions "Lachish 1." an ewer (Fig. 106, 1), found 1934: "Lachish II" a bowl (Fig. 106, 2), found 1935; "Lachish III." a censer lid (Fig. 106, 41 - 4h), found 1936; and "Lachish bowl
