In this comprehensive introduction the authors trace the origins of the Arabic alphabet back to Aramaic, which also gave rise to the Hebrew and Greek alphabets. Using detailed illustrations, the authors investigate early Islamic inscriptions as well as classical Arabic scripts.
John F. Healey and G. Rex Smith bring the story up to the present day by examining the practice of calligraphy, printing and computing in Arabic.
About the Author
John Healey is a professor of Semitic studies at the University of Manchester. Rex Smith is an Arabist, historian, and scholar of the medieval history of Yemen.
About the Publisher
Saqi Books is a leading independent publisher of trade and academic books on the Middle East and North Africa with two imprints: Westbourne Press is committed to releasing engaging works that offer an alternative, progressive perspective on the leading issues of our time, and Telegram publishes new and classic international writing.
