The Acropolis Stone, the Earliest Example of Shorthand Writing

Circa 350 BCE
Detail map of Athina, Greece Overview map of Athina, Greece

A: Athina, Greece

The Acropolis Stone. Brit. Mus. Add. Ms. 33270
The Acropolis Stone. Brit. Mus. Add. Ms. 33270

The earliest known example of a shorthand writing system is the Acropolis stone (Akropolisstein) discovered in the Athenian Acropolis in 1884, and preserved in the British Museum (Brit. Mus. Add. Ms. 33270).  The marble slab shows a writing system using primarily based on vowels, using certain modifications to indicate consonants.

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