Old Sogdian Unicode Block

The Unicode block "Old Sogdian" is dedicated to a historical script that was used primarily between the 1st and early 4th centuries CE. Originating from the region of Sogdiana, which is situated in present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, Old Sogdian represents an early form of the writing system used by the Sogdian people. The script is an important artifact of the early Iranian cultures, reflecting their interactions through trade and cultural exchange along routes such as the Silk Road. Unicode's inclusion of the Old Sogdian block helps preserve this historical script, extending its accessibility for scholarly research, linguistic study, and digital archiving.

The Old Sogdian script, classified under the Unicode range 10F00–10F2F, includes characters that cover an array of textual needs from that era, such as religious texts, administrative documentation, and personal correspondences. The block consists of consonants, vowels, and diacritical marks, providing a comprehensive representation of the phonetic components used in the Old Sogdian language. Despite its antiquity, modern digital technology supports the script, allowing researchers to examine manuscripts and inscriptions in their original form. By encoding Old Sogdian in Unicode, the project contributes to the larger efforts of preserving lesser-known scripts and enriching the understanding of early Eurasian cultural and linguistic diffusion.

View a range of fonts that support the Old Sogdian block.

Below you will find all the characters that are in the Old Sogdian unicode block. Currently there are 40 characters in this block.