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Syriac

A reference page linking a name, group, or concept to the materials that discuss it.

A literary form of Aramaic, with an extensive Christian heritage and earlier non-Christian attestations.

Folios 9v and 10r of the Rabbula Gospels, a sixth-century Syriac manuscript: canon tables and portraits of the Evangelists. An example of Syriac Christian book culture, rather than the language’s entire history
Folios 9v and 10r of the Rabbula Gospels, a sixth-century Syriac manuscript: canon tables and portraits of the Evangelists. An example of Syriac Christian book culture, rather than the language’s entire historyAnonymous manuscript artists · Public domain reproduction · Wikimedia Commons · Public domainLicense · Image source · Related reference

Text

Syriac developed from the AramaicAramaicA group of Northwest Semitic language varieties with a long history across the Near East.Glossary · Click to read the explanation variety associated with Edessa and became a major literary language. It is especially important in Christian traditions, but its history also includes earlier non-Christian inscriptions and texts. Its vocabulary for God, including alahaAlahaA Syriac word for God or a deity, part of the related Semitic divine vocabulary.Glossary · Click to read the explanation, belongs to the wider Aramaic and Semitic linguistic setting. [1]

References and notes

  1. Beth Mardutho, History of Syriac Origins and early literature: Christian heritage and early non-Christian attestations. Return to the text ↑

Research history

Substantive changes are retained here. Minor copy edits remain in the internal operational log.

  1. Edition 2 · 10 October 2026 · editor:aladmin

    Substantive record update

    Read this revision in its original language (Arabic)

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IL Archive, «Syriac», Edition 2, https://ilarchive.com/en/entities/syriac