Linear A

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Linear A
Linear A cup.png
Script type
Undeciphered
(presumed syllabic and ideographic)
Time period
MM IB to LM IIIA 1800–1450 BC[1]
StatusExtinct
Directionleft-to-right Edit this on Wikidata
Languages'Minoan' (unknown)
Related scripts
Child systems
Linear B, Cypro-Minoan syllabary[2]
Sister systems
Cretan hieroglyphs
ISO 15924
ISO 15924Lina, 400 Edit this on Wikidata, ​Linear A
Unicode
Unicode alias
Linear A
Unicode range
"U+10600–U+1077F" (PDF).
"Final Accepted Script Proposal" (PDF).

Linear A is a writing system that was used by the Minoans (Cretans) from 1800 to 1450 BC to write the hypothesized Minoan language. Linear A was the primary script used in palace and religious writings of the Minoan civilization. It was discovered by archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans. It was succeeded by Linear B, which was used by the Mycenaeans to write an early form of Greek. No texts in Linear A have been deciphered.

The term linear refers to the fact that the script was written by using a stylus to cut lines into a tablet of clay, as opposed to cuneiform, which was written by using a stylus to press wedges into the clay.

Linear A belongs to a group of scripts that evolved independently of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian systems. During the second millennium BC, there were four major branches: Linear A, Linear B, Cypro-Minoan, and Cretan hieroglyphic.[3] In the 1950s, Linear B was deciphered as Mycenaean Greek. Linear B shares many symbols with Linear A, and they may notate similar syllabic values. But neither those nor any other proposed readings lead to a language that scholars can read. The only part of the script that can be read with any certainty is the signs for numbers—which are, however, only known as numerical values; the words for those numbers remain unknown.

Script[]

Most hypotheses about the Linear A script and Minoan language start with Linear B.

Linear A has hundreds of signs, believed to represent syllabic, ideographic, and semantic values in a manner similar to Linear B. While many of those assumed to be syllabic signs are similar to ones in Linear B, approximately 80% of Linear A's logograms are unique;[4][3] the difference in sound values between Linear A and Linear B signs ranges from 9% to 13%.[5] It primarily appears in the left-to-right direction, but occasionally appears as a right-to-left or boustrophedon script.

Linear A may be divided into four categories:

  • numerals and metrical signs,
  • phonetic signs,
  • ligatures and composite signs, and
  • ideograms.

Numbers follow a decimal system, units are represented by vertical dashes, tens by horizontal dashes, hundreds by circles, and thousands by circles with rays. Specific signs that coincide with numerals are regarded as fractions.[6]

An interesting feature is the recording of numbers in the script: The highest number recorded in known Linear A texts is 3000, but there are special symbols to indicate fractions and weights.

Signary[]

Linear A: signary and numbering according to E. Bennett. Reading of signs is based on Linear B analogs.
*01-*20 *21-*30 *31-*53 *54-*74 *76-*122 *123-*306
Linear A Sign A001.svg DA

*01

Linear A Sign A021.svg QI

*21

Linear A Sign A031.svg SA

*31

Linear A Sign A054.svg WA

*54

Linear A Sign A076.svg

*76

Linear A Sign A123.svg

*123

Linear A Sign A002.svg RO

*02

Linear A Sign A021f.svg

*21f

Linear A Sign A034.svg

*34

Linear A Sign A055.svg

*55

Linear A Sign A077.svg KA

*77

Linear A Sign A131a.svg

*131a

Linear A Sign A003.svg PA

*03

Linear A Sign A021m.svg

*21m

Linear A Sign A037.svg TI

*37

Linear A Sign A056.svg PA3

*56

Linear A Sign A078.svg QE

*78

Linear A Sign A131b.svg

*131b

Linear A Sign A004.svg TE

*04

Linear A Sign A022.svg MI?

*22

Linear A Sign A038.svg E

*38

Linear A Sign A057.svg JA

*57

Linear A Sign A079.svg WO2?

*79

Linear A Sign A131c.svg

*131c

Linear A Sign A005.svg

*05

Linear A Sign A022f.svg

*22f

Linear A Sign A039.svg PI

*39

Linear A Sign A058.svg SU

*58

Linear A Sign A080.svg MA

*80

Linear A Sign A164.svg

*164

Linear A Sign A006.svg NA

*06

Linear A Sign A022m.svg

*22m

Linear A Sign A040.svg WI

*40

Linear A Sign A059.svg TA

*59

Linear A Sign A081.svg KU

*81

Linear A Sign A171.svg

*171

Linear A Sign A007.svg DI

*07

Linear A Sign A023.svg MU

*23

Linear A Sign A041.svg SI

*41

Linear A Sign A060.svg RA

*60

Linear A Sign A082.svg

*82

Linear A Sign A180.svg

*180

Linear A Sign A008.svg A

*08

Linear A Sign A023m.svg

*23m

Linear A Sign A044.svg KE

*44

Linear A Sign A061.svg O

*61

Linear A Sign A085.svg

*85

Linear A Sign A188.svg

*188

Linear A Sign A009.svg S

*09

Linear A Sign A024.svg NE

*24

Linear A Sign A045.svg

*45

Linear A Sign A065.svg JU

*65

Linear A Sign A086.svg

*86

Linear A Sign A191.svg

*191

Linear A Sign A010.svg

*10

Linear A Sign A026.svg RU

*26

Linear A Sign A046.svg

*46

Linear A Sign A066.svg TA2

*66

Linear A Sign A087.svg TWE

*87

Linear A Sign A301.svg

*301

Linear A Sign A011.svg

*11

Linear A Sign A027.svg RE

*27

Linear A Sign A047.svg

*47

Linear A Sign A067.svg KI

*67

Linear A Sign A100.svg

*100/
*102

Linear A Sign A302.svg

*302

Linear A Sign A013.svg ME

*13

Linear A Sign A028.svg I

*28

Linear A Sign A049.svg

*49

Linear A Sign A069.svg TU

*69

Linear A Sign A118.svg

*118

Linear A Sign A303.svg

*303

Linear A Sign A016.svg QA2

*16

Linear A Sign A028b.svg

*28b

Linear A Sign A050.svg PU

*50

Linear A Sign A070.svg

*70

Linear A Sign A120.svg

*120

Linear A Sign A304.svg

*304

Linear A Sign A017.svg ZA

*17

Linear A Sign A029.svg

*29

Linear A Sign A051.svg DU

*51

Linear A Sign A073.svg MI

*73

Linear A Sign A120b.svg

*120b

Linear A Sign A305.svg

*305

Linear A Sign A020.svg ZO

*20

Linear A Sign A030.svg NI

*30

Linear A Sign A053.svg

*53

Linear A Sign A074.svg ZE

*74

Linear A Sign A122.svg

*122

Linear A Sign A306.svg

*306

Numbers[]

Integers can be read, and there is consensus on the fractions 12, 14 and 18. The other fractions are less certain. Corazza et al. (2020) decipher the following values, most of which had been previously proposed:[7]

Proposed values of fraction glyphs[7]
Abbrev. Glyph Value
J
WIKI