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THE
B
LETTER
The alphabetic letterforms we use today originally evolved from the 15,000-10,000
BC cave paintings in Lascaux., France. From there, pictographs, cuneiform, and
hieroglyphs, were created for communication purposes. Around 1000 B.C. the
Phoenicians developed the 22 symbol Phoenician alphabet. Between 900-300 BC,
the Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet, and redesigned the forms to fit their
culture. My research suggests the letterform B began as a rectangular Egyptian
alphabetic glyph of a reed shelter (but which stood for the sound h). The Greeks
then redesigned the form and called it beta (B). The Romans adopted the beta and
names it B. In the Roman capitals we know today evolved from the Greek alphabet
in 100 B.C. The Romans changed the Greek alphabetic symbols from ‘alpha, beta,
gamma’ to the individual characters we use today. The Romans applied these
letterforms in monuments and architectural mediums. “These literally “
monumental” letterforms are what we now refer to as Monumental Capitals, and
are the precursors of the “capital” letters we use today.” (Judy Ross). Around 400
AD. the use of ink and parchment paper was introduced into society. This changed
in material influenced the Roman letterforms.
The
alphabetic
letterforms we use
today originally evolved from
the 15,000-10,000 BC cave paintings
in Lascaux., France. From there, pictographs, cuneiform, and hieroglyphs, were created
for communication purposes. Around 1000 B.C. the
Phoenicians developed the 22 symbol Phoenician alphabet.
Between 900-300 BC, the Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet, and
redesigned the forms to fit their culture. My research suggests the letterform B began as a rectangular Egyptian
alphabetic glyph of a reed shelter (but which stood for the sound h). The
Greeks then redesigned the form and called it beta (B). The Romans
adopted the beta and names it B. In the Roman capitals we know today
evolved from the Greek alphabet in 100 B.C. The Romans
changed the Greek alphabetic symbols from ‘alpha,
beta, gamma’ to the individual characters we
use today. The Romans applied these
letterforms in monuments and
architectural mediums.
“These literally “
monumental”
The Letter
The alphabetic letterforms we use today originally evolved from the 15,000-10,000 BC cave
paintings in Lascaux., France. From there, pictographs, cuneiform, and hieroglyphs, were
created for communication purposes. Around 1000 B.C. the Phoenicians developed the 22
symbol Phoenician alphabet. Between 900-300 BC, the Greeks adopted the Phoenician
alphabet, and redesigned the forms to fit their culture. My research suggests the letterform B
began as a rectangular Egyptian alphabetic glyph of a reed shelter (but which stood for the
sound h). The Greeks then redesigned the form and called it beta (B). The Romans adopted the
beta and names it B. In the Roman capitals we know today evolved from the Greek alphabet in
100 B.C. The Romans changed the Greek alphabetic symbols from ‘alpha, beta, gamma’ to the
individual characters we use today. The Romans applied these letterforms in
monuments and architectural mediums. “These literally “monumental” letterforms are what
we now refer to as Monumental Capitals, and are the precursors of the “capital” letters we use
today.” (Judy Ross). Around 400 AD. the use of ink and parchment paper was introduced into
society. This changed in material influenced the Roman letterforms.
b