The “S” of Antonio Basoli’s “Alfabeto Pittorico,” built as a crypt (1839 engraving) (all images via Sploid) In the 19th century, an Italian artist created an architectural alphabet in which letters ...

Twenty-six years ago, two brothers decided their native language needed a new alphabet. The scripts they’d been using to read and write their native Fulani, an African language spoken by at least 40 ...