Category archives for Linear B

Phonetic Correspondences among the Linear A, the Linear B, and the Arcado-Cypriot (Linear C) Scripts

Updated on March 1, 2018 Although Linear A* and Linear B are deemed distinct scripts, their mutual influence is demonstrated through phonetic comparisons (see Younger).  And, although both Linear B and Arcado-Cypriot (Linear C) are deemed Greek scripts, there has been no concerted effort to compare them, perhaps because it is believed that the two Greek scripts represent […]

The Treatment of Anthroponyms in the Linear Scripts

Updated on February 27, 2018 Whereas LinB and LinC may be distinguished by their respective treatments of anthroponyms, LinA may be distinguished by the absence of anthroponyms.  These distinctions merit scrutiny. The absence of anthroponyms in LinA can perhaps be explained in modern terms.  In Japanese society, the individual is typically subordinated for the good of the community.  […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: OL Zh 1

The Kafkania pebble Approx. 2.0″ (4.9 cm) long x 1.5″ (4.08 cm.) wide x .6″ (1.62 cm.) thick Two sides, eight signs and one “erroneous” sign Since its discovery on April 1, 1994 (April Fool’s Day), at Kafkania, north of Olympia in West Peloponnese, this galet “pebble” has engendered great controversy about its authenticity. The “Kafkania pebble” was embedded in a […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: PSY 1

A bi-script, tomb marker from Psykhro, Crete A yellow brick tentatively dated to the Roman period Four lines, 24 alphabetic-Greek characters and three syllabic-Greek characters, dextroverse Approx. 7″ (17.5 cm) high x 6.5″ (16.3 cm) wide x 2.0″ (4.8 cm) deep The confusion regarding its provenience is among the many reasons for Ray Brown’s “proof” […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN Gg 702

Offerings of Honey Scribe 103 .1      pa-si-te-o-i  /                   me-ri     *209VAS   1 .2  da-pu2-ri-to-jo   /  po-ti-ni-ja     ‘me-ri’     *209VAS   1 1. *209 VAS | amphora 2.  da-pu2-ri-to-jo | †of Deborah, the prophetess of Israel 3.  me-ri | μάρι(ς) (maris) | a liquid measure 3.  me-ri | μερί(ς) (meris) | a contribution, *an offering 3.  me-ri | μελί (meli) | honey 4.  pa-si-te-o-i | […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN Wm 8499

The Philosopher’s Seal A philosopher’s maxim Scribe 103 The original transcribed order (pi-mo-no , na-ki-zo , pa-wo) has been changed to facilitate decipherment. α.  pi-mo-no β.  pa-wo γ.  na-ki-zo 1. na-ki-zo | ναξο(ς) (naksos) | a solid 2. pa-wo | φαῦο(ς) (pauos) (Aeolic) | light, daylight 3. pi-mo-no | πήμονο(ς) (pemonos) | the bane of […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: PY Ta 716

  An inventory of weapons PY Ta 716 Scribe 2 .1 pa-sa-ro , ku-ru-so , a-pi , to-ni-jo 2 wa-o *232 2 .2 qi-si-pe-e *234 2 1. *232 | double axe 2. *234 | spear or sword 3. a-pi | ἐπί (epi) | on, upon; extension over a surface 4. ku-ru-so | χρυσό(ς) (khrusos) | gold […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KHv Z 4, 10, 18

Water Pitchers Inscribed stirrup jars (ISJ) Scribes unknown ]pu-ti[ ]pu-ti[ | πυτι (puti) | that which is poured πυτι that which is poured, perhaps water Notes:  Cf.  po-si > πόσις “a beverage, a drink” and πότις (potis) “a drinker”.  Cf., also, potable “drinkable”.

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN Db 1198+

Sheep Husbandry Scribe 117 ta-na-po-so / ra-su-to   OVIS:m 82 OVIS:f 18 1. OVIS:f | sheep: female; ewes 2. OVIS:m | sheep: male; rams 3. ra-su-to | ῥήϊστο(ς) (reistos) (Epic, Ionic) | easy, pleasant; the least painful; requiring delay 3. ra-su-to | ῥαίστω(ρ) (raistor) | one that accomplishes 4. ta-na-po-so | τανύπους (tanupous) (Epic) | long […]

Colors in Linear B Texts

INDEX LinB words e-re-u-ti-ja | e-ru-ta-ra | ka-na-ko | ka-pi-ni-ja | ko-ro-ki-ja | o-ta-re-wo | po-ni-ki-jo | po-pu-ri.jo | po-ro-ko | re-u-ka | ro-u-si-jo | Greek words †ἐρευθία | ἐρευθιάω | ἐρυθρή | καπνία | κνακός | κνηκός | κροκίας | λευκά | ὄστρειον | ὄστρειος | ὄστρεον | ὀστρεώ- | φοινίκεος | φοινίκιος | […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN Ra 1548

The Pirates’ Tablet Pirates’ spoils Scribe 126 .a                   / de-so-mo .b ku-ka-ro / pi-ri-je-te pa-ka-na a-ra-ru-wo-a PUG 3 a-ra-ru-wo-a | *ἀρηρυοα (areruoa) | * booty taken by force, plunder de-so-mo | δασμό(ς) (dasmos) | the division of spoils de-so-mo | δεσμό(ς) (desmos) | bonds, chains; imprisonment ku-ka-ro | kukkaro | Cuccaro (Vetere) pa-ka-na | *φάκανα for (σ)φάγνο(ς) (spagnos) […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN Db 1232

The Lamb Tablet KN Db 1232 Scribe 117 .1  OVIS:m 23 ,  OVIS:f  27 .2  NA-PU-TI-JO  /  ti-ri-to , pe-ri-qo-ro-jo na-pu-ti-jo | νηπύτιο(ς) (neputios) | a small child; childish OVIS:f | sheep: female; ewes OVIS:m | sheep: male; rams pe-ri-qo-ro-jo | *περιχωρόζω (perikhorozo) | *to be around about a place, to dance or to caper about, to be among ti-ri-to | […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN V- 684

The Spoils (of War) Tablet An inventory of the spoils of war Scribe 140 .1 e-re-pa-to , ka-ra-ma-to  46 .2 ka-so , ke-ma-ta  8 e-re-pa-to | ἀρείφατο(ς) (areipatos) | (1) slain in war, (2) slain by Ares e-re-pa-to | ἁρπα(σ)τό(ς) (arpastos) | carried away, caught; robbed ka-ra-ma-to | χρημάτω(ν) (khrematov) | money of, property of ka-so | […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: PY Wr 1457

Tripartite seal Scribe 2 α. vacat. β. vacat. γ. a-pu-do-si 1. a-pu-do-si > ἀπόδοσι(ς) (apodosis) | †to summon a gift; †to summon tribute as compensation 1. a-pu-do-si | † ἀπυδόσι(ς) > ἀπόδοσι(ς) (apodosis) (Doric) | compensation, repayment, restitution α. vacat. β. vacat. γ. ἀπόδοσι from γ. †ἀπυδόσι (Doric) α. vacat. β. vacat. γ. †to summon tribute as compensation Notes:  […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: KN V 280

The Merchant’s Tablet Merchant’s inventory Scribe 124 .1  wo-de-wi-jo .2 .3 .4 .5  to-pe-za , o-u-ki-te-mi  + .6 .7 .8 .9 .10 .11  a-pe-ti-ra2  o-u-te-mi  + .12  o-u-te-mi  + .13  o-u-te-mi  + .14  o-u-te-mi  + .15  e-pi , i-ku-wo-i-pi + = ro || from ku.ro “to count” | *plus [+] a-pe-ti-ri.ja | ηπήτρια (epetria) | cobbler, […]

The Decipherment of Linear B: PY Cc 665

Updated on February 09, 2014 Shrine Livestock Scribe 21 .1  ne-wo-pe-o , po-ti-ni-ja OVIS:m 100 SUS 190 ne-o-pe-o | *ναόπαό (naopao) (Doric) | *dwelling or shrine of a kinsman by marriage OVIS:m | sheep: male; rams po-ti-ni-ja | πότνια (Potnia) | lady, mistress SUS | pigs .1  *ναόπαό πότνια: rams 100, pigs 190 shrine to Potnia: 100 rams, […]

Linear C to Greek: e-ko-to-se to e-u-wa-ko-ro

INDEX LinC words e-ko-to-se | e-pi-ke-ne | e-u-ko-la | e-u-wa-ko-ro | Greek words ἄμμι | ἐκτός | ἕκτος | ἔκτοσε | ἐχθός | ἐμέ | ἐμίν | ἐπικενης | εὔαγρος | εὐχωλᾶς | εὐχωλῆς | ἠμί | e-ko-to-se | ἔκτοσε (ektose) | outside, without e-ko-to-se | ἐκτός | outside, without; an external thing, esp. a […]

Linear B to Greek: za-ma-e-wi-ja to ze-u-ke-si

INDEX LinB words za-ma-e-wi-ja | za-we-te | ze-u-ke-si Greek words *ζέμα’αἶα | ζεῦξις | ζῆτα | ζητέω | za-ma-e-wi-ja | *ζέμα’αἶα   (zama’aia) | *earth decoction (pigment) za-ma | ζέμα (zema) | decoction, fermentation e-wi-ja | αἶα | earth, land Pylos (Scribe 2) 07.15.14 za-we-te | ζῆτα (zeta) | the Greek letter Z za-we-te | ζητέ(ω) (zetew) | […]

Linear B to Greek: wo-na-si

PRONUNCIATION KEY *042 WO Initial /wo/ to /ο/ Final /wo/ to /ω/ The glide /w/ is dropped. INDEX LinB words wo-na-si Greek words ὄνασις | ὤνησις wo-na-si | ὄνασι(ς) (onasis) (Doric) | advantage, profit, purchase wo-na-si | ὤνησι(ς) (onesis) | advantage, profit, purchase KN Gv 683 (Scribe unknown) Cf. Onassis (Ωνάση), the name of the […]

Linear B to Greek: wo-de-wi-jo to wo-do

PRONUNCIATION KEY *040 WI /wi/ to /ι/ The glide /w/ is dropped. *042 WO Initial /wo/ to /ο/ Final /wo/ to /ω/ The glide /w/ is dropped. INDEX LinB words wo-de-wi-jo | wo-di-jo | wo-do | Greek words ὁδαῖος | ὅδιος | ὁδός | wo-de-wi-jo | ὁδαῖο(ς) | merchandise; that for which a merchant travels […]

Linear B to Greek: we-qe

PRONUNCIATION KEY *075 WE Initial and medial /we/ to /ε/ The glide /w/ is dropped. Final /we/ to /ς/ The morphology suggests stem /ς/. *040 WI /wi/ to /ι/ The glide /w/ is dropped. INDEX LinB words Greek words

Linear B to Greek: we-ke

PRONUNCIATION KEY *054 WA /wa/ to /α/ The glide /w/ is dropped. *075 WE Initial and medial /we/ to /ε/ The glide /w/ is dropped. Final /we/ to /ς/ The morphology suggests stem /ς/. INDEX LinB words we-ke | Greek words εχε | we-ke | εχε | to bear, to bring, to carry PY Ta […]

Linear B to Greek: wa to wa-o

PRONUNCIATION KEY *054 WA /wa/ to /α/ The glide /w/ is dropped. INDEX LinB words wa | wa-ke-i-jo | wa-na-ka-te | wa-na-ka-te-ro | wa-o Greek words α privative | ἀχαιός | Ἀχαιός | ἄνακτες | ἀνακαθαίρω | ἄω | wa | α | the following wa | α | α (alpha) privative, which expresses lack KN F […]

Linear B to Greek: u-do-ro

u-do-ro | ὕδωρ (hudor or hydor) | water PY Tn 996 (Scribe Cii) u-do-ro may also be found in the water-related prefix, ύδρο- (hudro or hydro-) and in ὕδρος (hudros or hydros) “water serpent”, which is found in the myth of the many-headed Hydra.  Cf. ὑγρός (hugros or hygros) “fluid, moist, wet”.  On PY Tn 996, u-do-ro […]

Linear B to Greek: tu-ka-na to tu-wo

INDEX LinB words tu-ka-na | tu-we-a | tu-wo | Greek words θυία | θύος | θύω | τύγχανε | τυκάνη | tu-ka-na | τύγχανε (tunkhane) | is hitting tu-ka-na | τυκάνη (tukane) | an instrument for thrashing (threshing) Knossos Ap 639, 5864 (Scribe 103) IPN tu-ka-na is a feminine name, which may refer to a […]