The Dead Sea Scrolls constitute the most important documentary evidence for the "Jewish alphabet, " which was used to write ancient Hebrew and Aramaic. In Understanding the Alphabet of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Dr. Ada Yardeni, one of the world's leading authorities on ancient Semitic languages, paleography, and epigraphy, provides a thorough overview of the script and its variations, and traces its development from the late 3rd to the early 2nd century BCE. This helpful introduction also includes a reasoned proposal for applying scribal progression and characteristics to the dating of the Dead Sea Scroll fragments. Understanding the Alphabet of the Dead Sea Scrolls is an excellent resource for students, professors, or anyone who is interested in this fascinating chapter in the history of Hebrew paleography.From the Foreword by Weston W. Fields, Executive Director of The Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation: "The book excels in so many ways. all of which will appeal to professional and lay readers alike.This book sets a new standard in the field of ancient Hebrew and Aramaic paleography.