Notes to the Lydian Alphabet

Joannes Richter

Index 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Ugarit 30 ʾa b g ḫ d h w z ḥ ṭ y k š l m ḏ n ẓ s ʿ p ṣ q r s ġ t ʾi ʾu s2

Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Hebrew 22 ‫ג ב א‬ ‫ד‬ ‫ה‬ ‫ט ח ז ו‬ ‫י‬ ‫כ‬ ‫ל‬ ‫מ‬ ‫נ‬ ‫ס‬ ‫ע‬ ‫פ‬ ‫צ‬ ‫ק‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ש‬ ‫ת‬
ἀλφάβητον 23 A B Γ Δ Ε F Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π S K Ρ Σ Τ Y
Greek 21 A B Γ Δ Ε Υ Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ο Π s q Ρ Σ Τ
Numbers 26 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Lydian 26 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Trans- 26 A B G D E V I Y K L M N O R Ś T U F Q S R Ã Ẽ Λ Ñ C
literation
new 4 P W S Š
Lews 4 E V L S
Table 1 The Lydian alphabet[4] is closely related to the other alphabets of Asia Minor as well as to the Ugaritic and the Greek alphabet.
It contains letters for 26 sounds. Unfortunately in the Wikipedia the font of “Lydian symbols” is incomplete and erroneous.

Abstract
The Lydian alphabet is closely related to the other alphabets of Asia Minor as well as to the Greek alphabet. It contains letters for 26 sounds.
LEWS or LEVS was a Lydian equivalent of the Greek god Zeus (ΖΕΥΣ) & a Phrygian god TIWS.
A connection between the Lydian LEWS and the Greek ΖΕΥΣ is visible in how Greek mythology linked the latter to Lydia, more specifically to the
site of Mount Tmolus to the west of Sardis.
The Anatolian goddess Maλiš (MALIS) represents in Greek mythology the first consort METIS of Zeus and later also Athena.
The Sky-Father and Earth-Mother of the Lydian Mythology
In most PIE-languages the sky-father and the earth-mother are composed from 5 symbols, which represent the 5 articulation points lingual, palatal,
guttural, labial, dental1. The standards sky-father and the earth-mother are identified in Sanskrit as Dyáuṣpitṛṛ and Prithivi Mata.
DYAUṢ stems from Proto-Indo-Iranian *dyāṛ wš, from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) daylight-sky god *Dyēus, and is cognate with the
Greek Διας – Zeus Patēr ΔΙΑΣ PATIR, Illyrian Dei-pátrous, and Latin Jupiter (from Old Latin Dies piter DJOUS PATIR), stemming
from the PIE Dyḗus ph₂tḗr ("Daylight-sky Father").[3]2

The main articles of the Lydian Mythology are Lydian language and Lydian script. The name for the sky-god is related to Zeus Patēr (ΔΙΑΣ PATIR.
In Lydian the lingual letter Δ (Delta) is transformed to an lingual “L”.

Lews (~Zeus)
LEWS or LEVS was the Lydian equivalent of the Greek god Zeus (ΖΕΥΣ) and the Phrygian god TIWS.[8][9]
Unlike the Anatolian storm-god Tarḫuntas, LEWS held a less prominent role in the Lydian religion,[9] although his role as the bringer of rain followed
the tradition surrounding the Anatolian Tarḫuntas.[19]
Lydian inscriptions referring to this god as LEWS the Protector (Lydian: , romanized: Lews Šarẽtas) attest of his role as a protector of graves.[19]
There is no information regarding the position of LEWS in the Lydian pantheon or his cult, and sanctuaries of LEWS have not yet been found,
although one might have existed near the market of Sardis, where a dedication to him was discovered.[19]
A connection between the Lydian LEWS and the Greek ΖΕΥΣ is visible in how Greek mythology linked the latter to Lydia, more specifically to the
site of Mount Tmolus to the west of Sardis.[19]

Lamẽtrus (~Demeter)
The goddess Lamẽtrus (Lydian: La-Meter) was, likewise, the Lydian reflex of an earlier Aegean-Balkan goddess whose Greek iteration was Dēmētēr
(Δημητηρ).[8][9]

1 In this essay the 5 categories are colored.

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyaus
The derivation of 2-dimensional alphabets

The Hebrew Alphabet

According to a comment to the Sefer Jetsirah the letters in the Hebrew alphabet had been categorized according to 5 categories, which are based on the
5 phonetic sources where the human voice is generating the phonetic sounds.
Based on Rabbi Saadia Gaon3's Judeo-Arabic commentary on “Sefer Yetzirah” (chapter 4, paragraph 3), wherein he describes the phonetic sounds of the
22 characters of the Hebrew alphabet and classifies them in groups based on their individual sounds: “Aleph ( ‫)א‬, hé (‫)ה‬, ḥet (‫)ח‬, ‘ayin (‫ )ע‬are [gutturals
sounds] produced from the depth of the tongue with the opening of the throat, but bet (‫)ב‬, waw (‫)ו‬, mim (‫)מ‬, pé (‫ )פ‬are [labial sounds] made by the
release of the lips and the end of the tongue; whereas gimel (‫)ג‬, yōd (‫)י‬, kaf (‫)כ‬, quf (‫ )ק‬are [palatals] separated by the width of the tongue [against the
palate] with the [emission of] sound. However, daleth (‫)ד‬, ṭet (‫)ט‬, lamed (‫)ל‬, nūn (‫)נ‬, tau (‫ )ת‬are [linguals] separated by the mid-section of the tongue
with the [emission of] sound; whereas zayin (‫)ז‬, samekh (‫)ס‬, ṣadi (‫)צ‬, resh (‫)ר‬, shin (‫ )ש‬are [dental sounds] produced between the teeth by a tongue that
is at rest.4”

If we list the Hebrew alphabetical letters in their correct columns we may observe the following theonyms I10-Ε5-V6 and T9-I10-Ε5-V6-S15 in the 2nd row
of the 2-dimensional table. Similar words may also be identified in the 2-dimensional tables for most European alphabets, the runic Futhark and
Ogham signaries5.

row lingual palatal labial guttural dental

5 Taw Th22 Shin Sh21 2
4 Nun N14 Qoph Q19 Pe P17 Ayin O16 Resh R20 5
3 Lamedh L12 Kaph K11 Mem M13 Heth Ch8 Tsade Tz18 5

2 Teth T9 Yodh Y10 Waw V6 He H5 Samekh S15 5

1 Dalet D4 Gimel G3 Bet B2 Aleph A1 Zayin Z7 5
sum 5 4 4 4 5 22

Table 2 The display of the theonyms Y10-V6-H5 and T9-Y10-V6-H5-S15 in the Hebrew alphabet

3 The derivation of the 2-dimensional alphabet is based on the rules of Rabbi Saadia Gaon (892 – 942)
4 Footnote in Modern Hebrew phonology (quoted in The Composition of the Sky-God's Name in PIE-Languages)
5 Understand your Alphabet
The 2-dimensional alphabet of the Old Greek alphabet
The old Greek alphabet (with 21 letters) may be derived from the 23-symbol ἀλφάβητον.

Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Hebrew 22 ‫ג ב א‬ ‫ט ח ז ו ה ד‬ ‫י‬ ‫כ‬ ‫ל‬ ‫מ‬ ‫נ‬ ‫ס‬ ‫ע‬ ‫פ‬ ‫צ‬ ‫ק‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ש‬ ‫ת‬
Old Greek 21 A B Γ Δ Ε Υ Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ο Π s q Ρ Σ Τ
Theonym Θ(i)EUS 5 E Y Θ Ι Σ

The rows and furrows may be sketched in the 2-dimensional acre of letters. In the 2nd row the theonym may be identified as Θ9–I10-Ε5 -Y6-S18 .

Furrow Furrow Furrow Furrow Furrow

Lingual Palatal Guttural Labial Dental
Row 5 Tau T22 1

Row 4 Nu N14 Qoppa Q19 Omicron O16 Pi Π17 Sigma S21 5

Row 3 Lambda Λ12 Kappa Ch11 Eta H8 Mu M13 Rho P20 5

Row 2 Theta Θ9 Iota I10 Epsilon Ε5 Digamma Y6 San S18 5

Row 1 Delta Δ4 Gamma Γ3 Alpha A1 Beta B2 Zeta Z7 5

sum 5 4 4 5 5 21
Table 3 Rows and Furrows in the 2-dimensional Acre of Letters
(An example with the letters of the old Greek alphabet)
The name for the sky-god Z(i)EUS is derived from the theonym Θ9–I10-Ε5 -Y6-S18 , in which the letter “i” is lost in deteriorating.
The 2-dimensional alphabet of the Lydian alphabet
Unfortunately the “Lydian fonts” in the sources are incomplete and erroneous. In fact the transliteration is the only correct code we need to compose
the 2-dimensional alphabet with the theonym of the sky-god at the 2nd row. The script is written from right to left.
Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Lydian ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Transliteration A B G D E V I Y K L M N O R Ś T U F Q S R Ã Ẽ Λ Ñ C
Theonym E V (i) L Ś
Table 4 The Lydian alphabet with 26 letter-symbols and the location of the theonym L(i)EWS

The theonym L(i)EWS (Lydian: or L(i)EVS (Lydian: ) may be identified in the 2nd row of the 2-dimensional alphabet of the Lydian
alphabet. In the Greek alphabet the first letter of the sky-god (Z(i)EUS) is a “Z”.

Lingual Palatal Guttural Labial Dental Σ

7 C 1
6 Ñ S 2
5 Λ Q Ẽ F 4
4 T K Ã U 4
3 N Y O M R 5
2 I 5
L - E - V - Ś -
1 D G A B R 5
Σ 6 7 5 5 3 26
Table 5 The display of the theonym ( L10-(i7)-Ε5-V6-Ś15) in the Lydian alphabet
The role of the Lydian goddess Maλiš
Another Anatolian deity present in the Lydian pantheon was the goddess Maλiš (MALIS), who corresponded to the Anatolian goddess Maliya, attested
in Hittite as ᴰMāliya () and Lycian as Maliya (),[34][35] and the Greek goddess Athena.[9]
Maλiš possessed a vegetative aspect,[1] being a goddess of vegetation, especially of wine and corn.[35]
According to Ancient Greek sources, the Lydian kings sponsored the cult of the goddess "Athena," that is of Maλiš.[35] 6

The goddesses Metis and Themis

Usually the young sky-god Zeus had been protected ans guided by two consorts:
• METIS - the first consort of the Greek sky-god Zeus. METIS represented the virtue “wisdom”. METIS has been swallowed by the adult Zeus,
who was pregnant and gave birth to another god of wisdom “Athena”. The Lydian goddess is Maλiš (MALIS).
• ThEMIS - the second consort of the Greek sky-god Zeus. ThEMIS represented the virtue “justice”. Theoretically the Lydian goddess is LEVIS.
Of course the Anatolian goddess Maλiš (MALIS) represents in Greek mythology the first consort METIS of Zeus and later also Athena.
Lingual Palatal Guttural Labial Dental Labial Guttural Lingual Palatal Dental Lingual Guttural Labial Palatal Dental
7 C C C
6 Ñ S Ñ S Ñ S
5 Λ Q Ẽ F F Ẽ Λ Q Λ Ẽ F Q
4 T K Ã U U Ã T K T Ã U K
3 N Y O M R M O N Y R N O M Y R
2 L I E V Ś V→M E →A L I Ś L E V I Ś
1 D G A B R B A D G R D A B G R
Σ 6 7 5 5 3 5 5 6 7 3 6 5 5 7 3
Table 6 The display of the 3 theonyms (L10-I7-Ε5-V6-Ś15), ( V6-Ε5-L10-I7-Ś15) → (M-A-L-I-S), respectively (L10-Ε5-V6-I7-Ś15) in the Lydian alphabet

6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydian_religion
The introduction of the alphabet
According to a Platonic legend the alphabets have been composed by an Egyptian inventor Theut7. The name Theut (Egyptian Djehuty, ḎḤWTY (or
ṢḪUTY) – Theuth) represents the 5 categories: the 5 articulation points lingual, palatal, guttural, labial, dental8

Fig. 1: Djehuty, ḎḤWTY (or ṢḪUTY) – Theuth

Fig. 2 Theuth (Djehuty, ḎḤWTY , ṢḪWTY)) in the Ugaritic alphabet

The ancient Egyptians, as we have seen, had an “Alphabet” of 24 signs nearly 5000 years ago, but chose not to use it 9. Before the reign of the pharaoh
Thutmose (“Thot is born” or "Born of the god Thoth") around 1500 BCE a revolutionary Egyptian alphabet may have been founded on the 5 Places of
articulation (tongue, lips, palate, glottis, teeth).
In the dialogue Phaedrus the author Plato describes (~370 BC) the gift of writing from the Egyptian inventor Theuth (original: “Djehuty”) to the divine
king Thamus (Amun), who was to disperse Theuth's gifts to the people of Egypt.

7 A Reconstruction of the Invention and Introduction of the Alphabet

8 In this essay the 5 categories are colored.
9 The Story of Writing: Alphabets, Hieroglyphs and Pictograms (2007) – by Andrew Robinson (Autor)
In the Sefer Yetzirah the “Saadia”-composition of Rabbi Saadia Gaon (892 – 942) strictly follows the standard Hebrew alphabet:
A1- B2- G3- D4- H5- V6- Z7- Ch8- T9- Y10- K11- L12- M13- N14- S15- O16- P17- Tz18- Q19- R20- Sh21- Th22
Champollion's table of hieroglyphic phonetic characters with their demotic and Greek equivalents, is documented in the Lettre à M. Dacier, (1822)10.
The essay A Reconstruction of the Invention and Introduction of the Alphabet reconstructs the invention of the alphabet in the Plato's Phaedrus 274e–
275b, the discovery of the hieroglyphs and the Egyptian alphabet and the the analysis of the 5 letters of the inventor's name Theuth (original in
Egyptian spelling: “Djehuty”).

10 “Tableau des Signes Phonetiques” by Jean-Francois Champollion in October 1822.

Summary

LEWS or LEVS as the sky-god

The Lydian alphabet[3][4] is closely related to the other alphabets of Asia Minor as well as to the Greek alphabet. It contains letters for 26 sounds.
LEWS or LEVS was a Lydian equivalent of the Greek god Zeus (ΖΕΥΣ) & a Phrygian god TIWS.[8][9]
A connection between the Lydian LEWS and the Greek ΖΕΥΣ is visible in how Greek mythology linked the latter to Lydia, more specifically to the
site of Mount Tmolus to the west of Sardis.[19] 11

MALIS as the consort of the sky-god LEWS or LEVS

Usually the young sky-god Zeus had been protected ans guided by two consorts:
• METIS - the first consort of the Greek sky-god Zeus. METIS represented the virtue “wisdom”. METIS has been swallowed by the adult Zeus,
who was pregnant and gave birth to another goddess of justice and wisdom “Athena”. The Lydian goddess is Maλiš (MALIS).
• ThEMIS - the second consort of the Greek sky-god Zeus. ThEMIS represented the virtue “justice”. Theoretically the Lydian goddess is LEVIS.
Originally the names of the Greek consorts METIS and ThEMIS contain the same symbols M-E-T-I-S. which partly also are identified in name of the
sky-god Zeus (Ζ-Ε-Υ-Σ).
Of course the Anatolian goddess Maλiš (MALIS) represents in Greek mythology the first consort METIS of Zeus and later also Athena. A Lydian
goddess Levis (L-Ε-V-I-Ś) may have existed as a consort for the Lydian goddess of justice and wisdom who would represent the Greek goddess
“Athena”. Otherwise Maλiš also directly represented Athene.
According to Ancient Greek sources, the Lydian kings sponsored the cult of the goddess "Athena," that is of Maλiš.[35] 12

11 Source: Lydian_religion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydian_religion)

12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydian_religion
Contents
Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
The Sky-Father and Earth-Mother of the Lydian Mythology.................................................................................................................................................2
Lews (~Zeus).....................................................................................................................................................................................................................2
Lamẽtrus (~Demeter).........................................................................................................................................................................................................2
The derivation of 2-dimensional alphabets.............................................................................................................................................................................3
The Hebrew Alphabet........................................................................................................................................................................................................3
The 2-dimensional alphabet of the Old Greek alphabet....................................................................................................................................................4
The 2-dimensional alphabet of the Lydian alphabet..........................................................................................................................................................5
The role of the Lydian goddess Maλiš....................................................................................................................................................................................6
The goddesses Metis and Themis......................................................................................................................................................................................6
The introduction of the alphabet.............................................................................................................................................................................................7
Summary.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
LEWS or LEVS as the sky-god.........................................................................................................................................................................................9
MALIS as the consort of the sky-god LEWS or LEVS ....................................................................................................................................................9