[INDOLOGY] Strange script

[Suresh Kolichala]

Is it possibly the Khwarezmian script, used for a now-extinct Eastern
Iranian language that was spoken in the Oxus (Amu Darya) river delta? This
region in Central Asia is known in the Avesta as hvâirizem (Yašt 10.5.14).
It is called خوارزم xvārazm in classical Persian, which is transcribed as
‘Khwarezm’ in English. The Greeks knew it as Χορασμία, and this hellenic
form entered the English lexicon as ‘Chorasmia’. The territory lies across
portions of present-day Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The
script probably developed from the Imperial Aramaic used around the Aral
Sea and Oxus river delta. It evolved into a ‘cursive’ script by the 9th
century. Similar to its sister Sogdian, which was used along the Silk Road.

Regards,
Suresh.


On Tue, Jul 14, 2020 at 10:39 AM Birgit Kellner via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> a colleague from the Academy sent me the attached image with a script
> they can't identify. This is a page from a 17th century marriage
> register from  the western parts of today's Austria. The Latin text on
> the page refers to a classical bible passage for the instruction of
> married couples (Ephesians 5:29). The mysterious script is not Semitic
> or Slawic, not Georgian or Armenian, not Coptic or some ancient
> derivative of the Greek alphabet.
>
> Does anyone have an idea? I suppose it's not exactly the right question
> for Indologists, but given the wide range of expertise among the
> subscribers to this list, I'd thought I'd give it a try.
>
> Many thanks in advance, and best regards,
>
> Birgit Kellner
>
> --
> ---
> Prof. Dr. Birgit Kellner
> Direktorin
> Institut für Kultur- und Geistesgeschichte Asiens
> Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
> Hollandstraße 11-13/2
> 1020 Wien
> Österreich
>
> Director
> Institute for Cultural and Intellectual History of Asia
> Austrian Academy of Sciences
> Hollandstrasse 11-13/2
> 1020 Vienna
> Austria
>
> Phone: +43-(1)-51581-6420
>
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