Gebal, also known as Byblos, is an ancient city located on the coast of present-day Lebanon, about 25 kilometers north of the capital city of Beirut. Gebal is mentioned in various ancient texts and inscriptions and was an important city in the ancient world, known for its trade. It was an important port and commercial center in the Phoenician period and then became a major center of trade and cultural exchange under the Romans.
Gebal is also famous for its papyrus production, which was used for writing and exported throughout the ancient world, and is also directly related to the history and distribution of the Phoenician alphabet. The origin of our modern alphabet was discovered in the Gebel with the earliest Phoenician inscription carved on the sarcophagus of Ahiram