The Undeciphered Signs of Linear B

Interpretation and Scribal Practices
Erscheinungsjahr 2020
ISBN: 978-1-108-49472-4
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 348 Seiten, Format (B × H): 182 mm x 249 mm, Gewicht: 907 g

Reihe: Cambridge Classical Studies

Decades after Michael Ventris deciphered Linear B and showed that its language was Greek, nearly one-sixth of its syllabic signs' sound-values are still unknown. This book offers a new approach to establishing these undeciphered signs' possible values. Analysis of Linear B's structure and usage not only establishes these signs' most likely sound-values – providing the best possible basis for future decipherments – but also sheds light on the writing system as a whole. The undeciphered signs are also used to explore the evidence provided by palaeography for the chronology of the Linear B documents and the activities of the Mycenaean scribes. The conclusions presented in this book therefore deepen our understanding not only of the undeciphered signs but also of the Linear B writing system as a whole, the texts it was used to write, and the insight these documents bring us into the world of the Mycenaean palaces.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Judson, Anna P

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Sprachwissenschaften
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Alte Geschichte & Archäologie Geschichte der klassischen Antike Klassische Archäologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Historische & Vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft, Sprachtypologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. The (ongoing) decipherment of Linear B; 2. Identifying 'missing' values in the Linear B syllabary; 3. The undeciphered signs inherited from Linear A; 4. The undeciphered signs with no certain Linear A correspondences; 5. Exploring the potential of palaeography with the undeciphered signs; Conclusions; Appendix: corpus of attestations of the undeciphered signs.

Über Autor(innen)

Judson, Anna P
Anna P. Judson is a Research Fellow in Classics at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. Her Ph.D. thesis on the undeciphered signs of Linear B won the University of Cambridge's Hare Prize for the best Classics thesis. She is now researching the writing practices of the Mycenaean scribes.