Nestorian script

writing system

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The Nestorian script is a form of the Syriac alphabet, a Semitic writing system that originated from Aramaic. It was used by Syriac Christians from the 1st century AD until around the 14th century.1

Key characteristics of the Syriac alphabet, including the Nestorian script:
* It has 22 letters, all representing consonants.1
* It is typically written from right to left.1
* Vowel representation was later introduced using diacritical marks, with two systems developed: one similar to Arabic and another using Greek letters.1

The Nestorian script is specifically an eastern branch of the Syriac script, which emerged after a schism in the Syriac church in 431 AD. This eastern form was spread by Nestorian missionaries across Central Asia and Siberia.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

calligraphy
Spread of Aramaic to the Middle East and Asia
Eastern Syriac script was called Nestorian after Nestorius, who led a secession movement from the Orthodox Church of Byzantium that flourished in Persia and spread along trade routes deep into Asia.
Read More
Eastern Syriac script was called Nestorian after Nestorius, who led a secession movement from the Orthodox Church of Byzantium that flourished in Persia and spread along trade routes deep into Asia.
Read More

Syriac alphabet
The eastern, or Nestorian, script remained in use in Central Asia and Siberia until the 13th or 14th century, as attested by inscriptions on gravestones in southern Siberia. The earliest extant Syriac inscription dates from about ad 50.
Read More
The eastern, or Nestorian, script remained in use in Central Asia and Siberia until the 13th or 14th century, as attested by inscriptions on gravestones in southern Siberia. The earliest extant Syriac inscription dates from about ad 50.
Read More