An abecedarian is a person learning the alphabet, a beginner; a person teaching the alphabet or the basic elements of a subject. [Webster's New World Dictionary] An abecedary is their practice medium.
The oldest known abecedary is the Tel Zayit abecedary. It is confidently dated to the 10th century BC. This practice writing is carved into a 38 pound chunk of limestone - the back of which could be a bowl. The practice nature of this writing is reinforced as the letters are not in the conventional order.
Next time someone is carping about the rigors of keyboarding (oh the carpal tunnel syndrome), remind them that once people had to learn their alphabets by carving the letters in limestone (oh my thumb). Maybe the carving in stone was a final exam.
