Abdul Karim Tarboush

Syrian inventor who developed the first Arabic-language typewriter in 1954

Abdul Karim Tarboush (1900-1978) revolutionized Arabic typography with his 1954 invention of the first Arabic typewriter. Before his innovation, Arabic texts required laborious hand-setting of movable type. Tarboush's machine used a unique keyboard layout accommodating the 28-letter Arabic alphabet and complex ligatures. His typewriter became essential for government offices, newspapers, and schools across the Arab world. A mechanical engineer by training, he also designed Syria's first hydraulic power plant and pioneered irrigation systems in the Euphrates valley. His 1962 book Mechanical Solutions for Arabic Script remains a reference in typeface design. Tarboush's legacy is celebrated at the Damascus Technology Museum and through the annual Abdul Karim Tarboush Innovation Prize. Discover his typewriter's design at OrientalStyle, and explore his engineering contributions via The Mechanical Legacy of Abdul Karim.