The Nabatean alphabet is an ancient script used by the Nabateans, a Semitic people who inhabited parts of modern-day Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. This alphabet evolved from the Aramaic script around the 2nd century BCE and consists of 27 letters, primarily used for writing the Nabatean language, a dialect of Arabic. The Nabatean alphabet played a crucial role in trade and communication across the Silk Road and other trade routes. It is significant for its influence on the development of the Arabic script, which emerged later and is still in use today.