[ 7*2 3 - 
ing to decipher, in the year of Seleucus 569, which 
correfponds with the 278 th of the Chriftian aera; 
and all the others, that bear any dates, in the fame 
century. Neither the prefent Syrian letters there- 
fore, nor theMendaean or Nabathasan characters, feem 
to have been ufed by the Syrians bordering upon 
Irak, during the three firft centuries after Christ ; 
nor confequently in any other interval whatfoever 
preceding the commencement of that period. So 
that theie inferiptions may, with fufficient propriety, 
be confidered in the light of manuferipts, written in 
the Chaldee or Hebrew character, 1700, 1600, and 
even 1700 years old. 
7. With regard to the numeral characters, ex- 
hibited both by the inferiptions at prefent in view, 
and the others tranfmitted down to us in the Pal- 
myrene language, it may not be improper to obferve, 
that the letter Ajin> or at leaft a character fimilar to 
it, in the frit place, annexed to a fort of mark or fign 
of an unufual form, fometimes denoting Ten, ftands 
for 700, and in the laft place alone for the number 
Fi v e . The Palmyrene Pe, which refembles the £ gure 
3 , reprefents the number Twenty; and unity is ex- 
prefled by the Pelafgic or Attic character I, which was 
likewife antiently ufed by the Romans. Hence it ap- 
pears, that this kind of notation was undoubtedly very 
antient in the Eaft ; and might poftibly have prevailed 
amongft the Syrians, feated not far from the fron- 
tiers of Arabia and Irak, and even amongft the 
Arabs and Chaldaeans themfelves, feveral centuries 
before the birth of Christ; though from whence 
the Syrians firft received it, or how they came firft 
to 
