The Ethiopian alphabet, also known as the Ethiopic or Ge'ez alphabet, is one of the oldest alphabets in the world and has the following characteristics: 

Alphabet: The Ethiopic alphabet has 26 letters, each representing a consonant. The letters can be combined with vocalic markers to create syllabic symbols. 

Origin: The Ethiopic alphabet is derived from the Sabaean script, a South Semitic script. It may have originated in the early 4th century AD. 

Writing direction: The Ethiopic alphabet is written from left to right, which is likely due to Greek influence. 

Script type: The Ethiopic alphabet is an abugida, which means that characters are primarily associated with consonants and vowel notation is secondary.