Caucasian Albanian Alphabet - History

History

According to Movses Kaghankatvatsi, the Caucasian Albanian, or Gargarean, alphabet was created by Mesrob Mashtots, the Armenian monk, theologian and translator who is also credited with creating the Armenian alphabet.

Koriun, a pupil of Mesrob Mashtots, in his book The Life of Mashtots, wrote about the circumstances of its creation:

Then there came and visited them an elderly man, an Albanian named Benjamin. And he Mesrob Mashtots inquired and examined the barbaric diction of the Albanian language, and then through his usual God-given keenness of mind invented an alphabet, which he, through the grace of Christ, successfully organized and put in order.

The alphabet was in use from its creation in the early 5th century through the 12th century, and was used not only formally in the Church of Caucasian Albania, but also for writing on everyday objects as well.