Rediscovering the Alphabet of Vithkuqi

My work on the Vithkuqi alphabet began during my MFA studies at MICA in Baltimore, where an interest in historical writing machines and automatons unexpectedly led me toward one of Albanians' forgotten cultural treasures. While researching old scripts, I discovered references to the original Albanian alphabet created by Naum Veqilharxhi in the 19th century, a unique writing system that had almost vanished from public memory.

Fascinated by its forms and historical significance, I began decoding, redrawing, digitizing, and expanding the alphabet into a contemporary, usable type system.

The project evolved far beyond typography. I designed a modern font family inspired by the original script, built an automatic writing machine that could physically write in Vithkuqi, and helped reintroduce the alphabet to a new generation of Albanians.

The work gained international attention through publications such as AIGA Eye on Design, PRINT Magazine, and GDUSA, while also contributing to wider academic discussions surrounding the preservation and digitization of the script.