(c) Sanford Holst, used here with permission
This chart of the Phoenician alphabet reveals details of the letters used by these ancient sea-merchants. Below each symbol is the original name assigned to it. For the origin of this alphabet and other alphabets, see the Phoenician alphabet origin discussion on this website.
Phoenician Letters
It should be noted that Phoenician writing – just like the Phoenician alphabet shown here – is written from right to left. In addition, some of these letters were later re-used and made into vowels.
The Greek and Latin vowels which were formed from letters in the Phoenician alphabet are as follows: A – aleph, E – he, I – yodh, O – ayin, U – waw.
Further information
To see an in-depth account of how and why the alphabet came into being–as well as experience more of the Phoenician world–the book Phoenicians: Lebanon’s Epic Heritage is recommended. It is deeply researched but also a highly readable exploration.
Going beyond the few traditionally-cited facts, this authoritative work also draws from interviews with leading archaeologists and historians on-site in the lands and islands where the Phoenicians lived and left clues regarding their secretive society.
Phoenicians
You can take a look inside this book. See the first pages here.