Avestan alphabet
| Avestan | |
|---|---|
| Script type | |
Period | 400–1000 CE |
| Direction | Right-to-left script |
| Languages | Avestan language, Middle Persian |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | |
| ISO 15924 | |
| ISO 15924 | Avst (134), Avestan |
| Unicode | |
Unicode alias | Avestan |
| U+10B00–U+10B3F | |
The Avestan alphabet (Avestan: 𐬛𐬍𐬥 𐬛𐬀𐬠𐬌𐬭𐬫𐬵 transliteration: dīn dabiryªh, Middle Persian: transliteration: dyn' dpywryh, transcription: dēn dēbīrē, Persian: دین دبیره, romanized: din dabire) is a writing system developed during Iran's Sasanian era (226–651 CE) to render the Avestan language.
As a side effect of its development, the script was also used for Pazend, a method of writing Middle Persian that was used primarily for Zend commentaries on the texts of the Avesta. In the texts of Zoroastrian tradition, the alphabet is referred to as "the religion's script" (dēn dibīrih in Middle Persian and din dabireh in New Persian).