Parthian is a Middle Iranian language which originated from northeast Iran (ancient province of Parthia).

Parthian orthography (script) was developed from the more ancient Aramaic script circa the 2nd century BC. The Parthian Aramaic-based script  was to persist into the succeeding Sassanian era.  The latest inscription of this script to be uncovered dates to the late third century AD or more specially to  292 AD.

Basic Characteristics

  • This is written from right to left in horizontal lines.
  • Only some vowels are indicated and the graphemes (letters) used to represent them have multiple pronunciations.
  • Letters marked in red were used to write Aramaic oan words.

Parthian script