Middle Persian scripts
Middle Persian (Pahlavi)
The Middle Persian script developed from the Aramaic
script and became the official script of the Sassanian empire (224-651
AD). It changed little during the time it was in use, but around the
5th century AD, it spawned a number of new scripts, including the Psalter
and Avestan scripts.
Notable features
- Written from right to left in horizontal lines.
- Only some vowels are indicated and the letters used to represent
them have multiple pronunciations. - The letters marked in red were used to write loan words from Aramaic.
Parthian
The Parthian script developed from the Aramaic
script around the 2nd century BC and was used during the Parthian and
early Sassanian periods of the Persian empire. The latest known inscription
dates from 292 AD.
Psalter
The Psalter script is a variant of the Persian script which was used
mainly for writing on paper. It is known from fragments of a manuscript
of the Psalms of David found in north-western China.
Links
Parthian and Middle Persian written literature
http://www.artarena.force9.co.uk/parthlit.htm
Pahlavi literature
http://www.farvardyn.com/pahlavi.php
Free Pahlavi fonts
http://www.iranchamber.com/scripts/pahlavi_script.php
Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies at the School of Oriental and Asian
Studies (SOAS), University of London:
http://www.cais-soas.com