The South Arabian alphabet branched from the Proto-Sinaitic alphabet in ca. the 13th century BC. It was used in the Sabaean and Minaean kingdoms. Early forms dating to the 8th century BC are found in Babylonia. Its mature form was reached around 500 BC, and its use continued until the 7th century, when it was displaced by the Arabic alphabet. The alphabet spread to Ethiopia where it evolved into the Amharic and Ge'ez alphabets.

External links

• http://www.crystalinks.com/arabian.html
• http://www.omniglot.com/writing/southarabian.htm