Paleo-Hebrew is an ancient script used by the Hebrew people before the adoption of the square script, which is now standard in Hebrew writing. This script emerged around the 10th century BCE and is closely related to other ancient scripts, such as Phoenician and Aramaic. It consists of 22 consonantal letters and was primarily used for inscriptions and religious texts. The Paleo-Hebrew alphabet reflects the early development of the Hebrew language and culture. It was used in various historical contexts, including the writing of some biblical texts. Over time, the script evolved, leading to the development of the more modern Hebrew script used today.