The Canaanite alphabet

PHOENICIAN WATCH: UW Religion Today: The Alphabet: The Heritage of the Canaanites (By Paul V.M. Flesher).

When Christians think about the Canaanites, it is usually to recall their supposed disappearance after the Israelites conquered their land in the 13th century B.C. The Canaanites were supposedly one of the many small peoples of the Mediterranean world who vanished without a trace during the great movements of peoples at this time.

There are two things wrong with this picture. First, the Canaanites did not disappear, but instead became one of the dominant nations of the time. Second, they amalgamated into the Roman Empire many centuries later and left a legacy that remains with us today: namely, the alphabet.

[...]

It's important to know these things.