Aegean Scripts

Краток преглед и категоризација на современите македонски блазони и нивна визуелна анализа преку разгледување на дваесет годишната активност во Македонскиот хералдички регистар кој го води Македонското грбословно друштво. Ќе бидат разгледани седумдесет и шест блазони, аплицираните бои и хералдички фигури, како и други специфики на грбовите од регистарот.

https://books.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/propylaeum/catalog/book/1309/version/2067
A series of Aegean glyptic images depict humans, animals or fantastic beings interacting with trees and architectural elements. This article explores the symbolic value of trees, pillars and columns in rituals and investigates how far these elements may have functioned as interchangeable motifs in Aegean Bronze Age iconography. Whereas tree-shaking scenes suggest the performance of nature-focused rites closely related to the Minoan elites in Neopalatial Crete, the simple act of touching a tree, where nothing ecstatic is implied, speaks of a calmer link between the practitioner and the sacred tree. In antithetical group compositions, the highly stylized rendering of the tree makes possible its assimilation with the pillar or column, revealing a subtle shift from the display of cultic signs to the exploitation of politico-religious symbols, as is the case with the column in Mycenaean Greece. In contrast, in Aegean funerary contexts, a plant motif flanked by animals, as depicted on ceramic vases or larnakes, may be interpreted as a substitute for a 'Tree of Life', and thus as a symbol of fertility and regeneration. The fact that a column may be touched by human figures and by a sphinx, as shown on a larnax from Tanagra in Boeotia, also involves the possibility that wooden columns were sacred in the Late Helladic period. This tactile gesture links human agents to a supernatural power, which may have been associated to the conception of regeneration in the afterworld.

Text clustering is an important method for organising the increasing volume of digital content, aiding in the structuring and discovery of hidden patterns in uncategorised data. The effectiveness of text clustering largely depends on the selection of textual embeddings and clustering algorithms. This study argues that recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) have the potential to enhance this task. The research investigates how different textual embeddings, particularly those utilised in LLMs, and various clustering algorithms influence the clustering of text datasets. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of embeddings on clustering results, the role of dimensionality reduction through summarisation, and the adjustment of model size. The findings indicate that LLM embeddings are superior at capturing subtleties in structured language. OpenAI's GPT-3.5 Turbo model yields better results in three out of five clustering metrics across most tested datasets. Most LLM embeddings show improvements in cluster purity and provide a more informative silhouette score, reflecting a refined structural understanding of text data compared to traditional methods. Among the more lightweight models, BERT demonstrates leading performance. Additionally, it was observed that increasing model dimensionality and employing summarisation techniques do not consistently enhance clustering efficiency, suggesting that these strategies require careful consideration for practical application. These results highlight a complex balance between the need for refined text representation and computational feasibility in text clustering applications. This study extends traditional text clustering frameworks by integrating embeddings from LLMs, offering improved methodologies and suggesting new avenues for future research in various types of textual analysis.

Την Τρίτη το απόγευμα δέχθηκα ένα τηλεφώνημα από την Βρετανία που με συγκλόνισε. Έφυγε για το μακρύ ταξίδι ο ομότιμος καθηγητής αρχαιολογίας του Πανεπιστημίου του Cambridge, Λόρδος Colin Renfrew. Έφυγε ο σημαντικότερος στις μέρες μας αρχαιολόγος διεθνώς που η ψυχή του όμως βρισκόταν στις Κυκλάδες, στο Αιγαίο, στην Ελλάδα. Έφυγε και ένας ακριβός δικός μου φίλος. Ειδικότερα η αρχαιολόγοι και η αρχαιολογία των Κυκλάδων του οφείλουμε πολλά αφού είναι εκείνος που ανέβασε την προϊστορία των νησιών αυτών στα πιο ψηλά μονοπάτια της επιστημονικής γνώσης και παράλληλα αγωνίστηκε με πάθος για την καταπολέμηση της αρχαιοκαπηλίας σε αυτά.
Ο Colin Renfrew ήταν μια προσωπικότητα μεγάλης εμβέλειας. Συγκαταλέγεται στους κορυφαίους ερευνητές της Ευρωπαϊκής προϊστορίας και έχει διακριθεί στους τομείς της αρχαιολογίας, της προϊστορίας των γλωσσών, της ραδιοχρονολόγησης και της αρχαιογενετικής για να απαριθμήσουμε ορισμένους μόνο από τους τομείς με τους οποίους ασχολήθηκε. Με το ρηξικέλευθο επιστημονικό του έργο ήλθα πρώτη φορά σε επαφή στα φοιτητικά μου χρόνια μέσω του καινοτόμου τότε βιβλίου του “The Emergence of Civilisation. The Cyclades and the Aegean in the Third Millennium B.C. (1972), ένα είδος Ευαγγελίου για εμάς τους φοιτητές που αγαπούσαμε την προϊστορία...

Enfin ! C'est le mot qui vient à l'esprit devant ce livre qui était attendu depuis si longtemps. Antonín Bartonëk (ci-dessous : A. B.) s'y est attelé il y a vingt ans, en 1983or, en 1983, 23 ans s'étaient déjà écoulés depuis la parution de la seule grammaire du grec mycénien jamais publiée au XX e s., à savoir la Tentative Grammar of Mycenaean Greek d'Ebbe Vilborg, travail de pionnier paru en 1960 à Goteborg. En 169 pages, Vilborg avait réussi à condenser l'essentiel de ce que l'on connaissait de la langue notée par le linéaire Β (ci-dessous : LB) huit ans après le déchiffrement. Venant 43 ans après celui de Vilborg, le livre d'A. B. est quatre fois plus long, ce qui s'explique largement par la multiplication extraordinaire de nouveautés (textes et interprétations) qui s'est manifestée entretemps. Un autre élément qui explique cette longueur tient à des matières absentes de la grammaire de Vilborg, mais qu'A. B. a tenu à introduire-ainsi, tableau de l'ensemble des écritures préalphabétiques de l'Egée (pp. 16-49), histoire du déchiffrement du LB (pp. 51-69), description des textes (pp. 70-95), présentation des idéogrammes (pp. 111-128), lexique mycénien (pp. 351-438), LB et langue homérique (pp. 458-470) ou encore recueil de 52 documents LB avec texte, translittération grecque, traduction et quelques fac-similés (pp. 501-532) : ces sections totalisent un tiers des pages de l'ouvrage et expliquent son titre de manuel (Handbuch) plutôt que de grammaire. Le plan du livre se présente comme suit : 1) introduction, donnant Γ arrière-fond archéologique et linguistique, plus un panorama des écritures préalphabétiques de la Grèce (pp. 7-49); 2) présentation des textes LB et histoire du déchiffrement (pp. 51-95); 3) écriture et phonétisme (pp. 97-148); 4) morphologie (pp. 151-350); 5) vocabulaire et syntaxe (pp. 351-445); 6) position dialectale du mycénien (pp. 446-497); 7) recueil de textes LB (pp. 501-532); 8) index des appellatifs LB (pp. 533-620); 8) bibliographie (pp. 621-676-comparer les 8 pages de Vilborg en 1960...-mais il n'est que juste de signaler que la typographie du livre d'A. B. est bien plus aérée). L'ouvrage comporte un très grand nombre de tableaux plus une série d'illustrations (objets inscrits, cartes, etc.). Chaque chapitre se conclut par une section donnant les nouveautés bibliographiques importantes (Neuerscheinungen)-A. B. a heureusement pu intégrer dans son livre une partie non négligeable des données livrées par la magnifique découverte des nouvelles tablettes de Thèbes par V. Aravantinos. Un des intérêts du travail vient des relevés quantitatifs qui sont systématiquement donnésnombre de tablettes dans les différents sites; longueur des textes; nombre de mots LB; proportion de noms propres; progression du nombre de mots LB édités; nombre de tablettes dans les différentes séries; etc. : le lecteur curieux de données statistiques trouvera des réponses à bien des questions. L'importante partie relative au lexique fournit un regroupement instructif et utile des termes LB classés selon leurs affinités sémantiques. L'onomastique a été largement (mais pas exhaustivement) incorporée dans les différents chapitres, ce qui constitue une innovation bénéfique. Le livre d'A. B. constitue désormais une référence indispensable et il faut réellement être reconnaissant à l'auteur d'avoir pris la peine d'entamer ce projet et d'avoir eu le courage et la persévérance de le mener à son terme. C'est à cet ouvrage qu'il conviendra désormais de se référer en premier lieu pour des questions de grammaire mycénienne. La satisfaction que l'on éprouve à utiliser ce nouveau manuel n'est toutefois pas sans

In the second millennium BCE three main scripts were used in the Aegean. Since the time of the first discoveries, spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries, scholars have been at great pains to explain how they relate to each other. Sir Arthur Evans treated this issue in strict evolutionary terms, from the ‘primitive pictographic system, the hieroglyphic’ to the ‘advanced linear systems of Classes A and B’. Evans’ terminology has become conventional, and the three scripts are still generally called ‘Cretan Hieroglyphic’, ‘Linear A’, and ‘Linear B’. Nevertheless, the Cretan Hieroglyphic graphic repertoire is not entirely picture-based, likewise Linear A is not entirely linear or geometric. Indeed, the selection process for their sign shapes is at the centre of an ongoing debate. The aim of this paper is to investigate Linear A picture-based phonetic signs by distinguishing those that seem to originate with Cretan Hieroglyphic from the ones that do not, at least on the evidence available so far. The shapes of the latter group will thus be compared to Egyptian scripts and to Egyptian and Aegean material cultures in order to shed new light on their origin and relationship with phonetic values.

The Keftiw/Minoan language is a very close relative of Hattic. In the text of HT 102 are listed the following groups of people: sara/sarja, pani, dirina, and a group denoted by the logogram "man". The word pani correlates with Hattic ḫan "sea", i.e.: pani are supposedly "seamen". The component diri in dirina correlates with Hattic *teli / *tili "exalted" and tili "rock", thus, dirina possibly means "[people] of mountain". Dirina seems to be those who live in mountain sanctuaries and regularly communicate with deities. In the text of HT 94a the group marked by the logogram "man" is listed among different warriors and sailors, while sara/sarja is not included into the list of warriors/sailors. Thus, sara/sarja definitely aren't sailors/warriors. In the text of HT 89 sara/sarja are listed among artisans. Among the sara/sarja there are shipbuilders and bow makers. Also the word sarja/sarja correlates well with Hattic zeḫar/ziḫar-"wood".

This volume presents a clearly structured and focused synthesis of the research undertaken over the past twelve years by the Heidelberg Collaborative Research Centre ‘Material Text Cultures’ (CRC 933) and aims to collate the CRC’s most important findings in a way that is at once concise, transparent, and accessible to a broad scholarly audience. With the CRC having come to an end in 2023, it is our goal and hope that
as many scholars as possible will continue to work on its topics beyond this date and outside of Heidelberg. Furthermore, we hope that many will be inspired to take the foundations we have laid as a launchpad for making new contributions to the broad field of the materiality of inscriptions and manuscripts. The present volume has several aims: (1) to provide readers with an orientation in this field of research; (2) to be
an easy-to-use guidebook and methodological aid for research on specific objects at the intersection of materiality, textuality, and practices; and (3) to serve as a reference work both for a theory of material text cultures and for studies on pre-modern cultures from the perspective of comparative cultural studies.

The paper titled "Cretan Hieroglyphic Writing as a System of Visual Encoding: Iconicity and Graphic Communication" explores the nature of Cretan Hieroglyphic, a logo-syllabic script used in ancient Crete, highlighting its role as a system of visual communication. The author examines how writing systems, in general, are based on visual codes that represent both phonetic and semantic content, distinguishing between glottographic (sound-based) and semasiographic (meaning-based) systems. Overall, the discussion explores the conceptual mechanism for the transition from semasiographic to phonographic script in the case of the Cretan Hieroglyphic. It also seeks to reframe how Cretan Hieroglyphic is understood, considering its iconic qualities and the socio-cultural factors that shaped its development as a unique writing system.

Key points include:

1. Cognitive Framework: The paper discusses the neuronal recycling hypothesis by Stanislas Dehaene (2009), suggesting that our brains have evolved to recognize basic visual shapes, which underlie the formation of writing systems. This cognitive perspective posits that early writing signs were likely derived from shapes found in the environment, making them easier for humans to learn and understand.

2. Iconicity and Structure: Cretan Hieroglyphic combines phonetic (syllabograms) and semantic (logograms) elements. The author emphasizes the script's high level of iconicity, where signs visually represent real-world objects, complicating the distinction between their decorative and semantic functions.

3. Development and Context: The author argues that the abstraction of three-dimensional ‘emblems’, which were deep-rooted in social relationships and ideology was probably the conceptual mechanism for the transition from semasiographic to phonographic script and the gradual enrichment of the Cretan Hieroglyphic signary. Thus, the script is analyzed in the context of its gradual development within specific social settings, reflecting the concept of "communities of practice." The paper suggests that social processes influenced the evolution of writing systems, leading to variations based on structural principles.

4. Comparative Analysis: While not claiming direct influence from Egyptian hieroglyphs, the paper further suggests that similarities may exist in the cognitive processes leading to the development of both scripts. It aims to understand how Cretan Hieroglyphic conveyed meaning through its dual functions in administrative and non-administrative contexts.

5. Graphic Composition: This part addresses how the arrangement and directionality of signs contribute to visual perception and understanding of the writing system. This aspect is crucial for interpreting inscriptions in their specific "graphic space."

This short paper explores a possible interpretation of Linear A ligatured sign *529 (readable as si+se, or se+si), according to the “Minoan Greek” hypothesis. It is suggested that the meaning of this sign is ‘deposit, storage’ and that is used to indicate assets that are already in the possession of the administration.

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Recent scholarship assumes that Cretan Hieroglyphic was an original creation and the first writing system in the Aegean, though this view is not unanimous. Research and debate centre on the earliest attestations
of writing on Crete, in the form of seals bearing the so-called ‘Archanes formula’ from ca. 2000-1900 BC, and how they relate to later epigraphic material, as well as earlier and coetaneous iconography. The interfaces of Cretan ‘hieroglyphs’ with imagery have become crucial. The old idea that the script was influenced by Egyptian hieroglyphic has receded, paving the way for a new paradigm whereby local icons, especially as found on seals, should represent the forerunners of its set of signs. The question of how Cretan Hieroglyphic came about then intertwines with issues of typology (what type of signs did it comprise and how phonetic was it?), use (what did the inscriptions convey and in what social settings?) and decipherment. In addressing origins, this chapter echoes recent calls to comparative approaches that consider the trajectories and typology of invented, image-based writing elsewhere in the world, as well as the relationship between seals and writing in the Eastern Mediterranean. It also proposes an agenda to conciliate such approaches with ‘internal’ analyses of Cretan Hieroglyphic inscriptions that might shed light on the
origins and function of its signs.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. Minoan Inscriptions of the Principal God Ti (Di) and the Goddess Ma (Ara) are Decoded. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Mezhdunarodnye nauchnye chteniya. Sbornik statey V Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 2 septyabrpya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 78-89.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied a few inscriptions which were related on the main Minoan and Cypro-Minoan deities. As a result, important data were obtained multilaterally. The economy and mythology of the Minoan Crete are new clearer. The author used the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics.

Key words: Linear A, Linear B, Cypro-Minoan script,  Crete, Cyprus, Homer, Odyssey, history, archaeology, linguistics, economy of ancient word.

Аннотация: В настоящей работе автор исследовал некоторые надписи, которые были связаны с главными минойскими и кипро-минойскими божествами. В результате важные данные были получены на многосторонней основе. Экономика и мифология жителей минойского Крита стала теперь более понятной.  Автор применил методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, кипро-минойское письмо, Крит, Кипр, Гомер, Одиссея, история, археология, лингвистика, экономика древнего мира.

The Linear A inscription carved on the libation table SY Za 2 represents a special case among the so-called 'libation formulas', blendingas John Younger noted-«administrative information with the dedicatory Libation Formula». This paper, on the base of the "Minoan Greek" hypothesis, investigates the meaning of the first two sequences of the inscription, putting them in relation to the beginning of most Orphic hymns, which also display ritual information alongside the name of the deity.

The article summarizes the challenges that the Minoan script provides its aspiring glyph-breakers with and the strategies that my Team and I implemented, over the years, to better understand this elusive writing system. In particular, we tried to develop a completely unbiased approach, without any 'wild guess' inherent in the possible language (commonly called 'Minoan') 'hidden' behind Linear A. To do that, we needed to avail ourselves of cryptanalytic techniques historically used to break man-made crypto-systems, with an unavoidable and very strong computational approach. Undeciphered writing systems, despite being invented to facilitate (written) communication, became, over time, with the loss of their knowledge by speakers and people able to read and understand them, unintended crypto-systems. Attempts at deciphering them through Cryptanalysis (the branch of Cryptology - opposed to Cryptography - dealing with the decryption of ciphers) are, therefore, quite reasonable and often represent the only possible solution. In our case, we decided to implement a cryptanalytic 'brute force attack' aimed at systematically testing all the possible Linear A syllabograms against all the possible phonetic values from geographically and chronologically compatible (and deciphered) languages from the Aegean, the Mediterranean, and surrounding areas, looking for plausibly significant phonetic and phonological matches.

Dive into the heart of ancient mysteries with The Sea-Kings of Crete, a masterful journey through the enigmatic Minoan civilization that once ruled the seas and shaped the ancient world. Imagine a society where myths come alive—where the legendary Labyrinth hides the terrifying Minotaur, where the wisdom of Daedalus weaves through the fabric of history, and where the secrets of King Minos still whisper through the ruins of majestic palaces. This book unveils the brilliance of a forgotten empire, meticulously pieced together by pioneers of archaeology like Schliemann and Evans, who dared to unearth the truths buried beneath the sands of time.
Chapter I: The Legends
Myths, ancient stories, origins, Crete, King Minos, Labyrinth, Minotaur, Theseus, Daedalus, significance, cultural impact.
Chapter II: The Homeric Civilization
Homer, epics, Iliad, Odyssey, ancient Greece, Cretan influence, Minoan culture, trade, warfare, connection, literary evidence.
Chapter III: Schliemann and His Work
Heinrich Schliemann, archaeologist, Troy, Mycenae, discoveries, impact, Minoan civilization, techniques, significance, historical interpretation.
Chapter IV: The Palace of 'Broad Knossos'
Knossos, palace complex, architecture, excavation, Arthur Evans, discoveries, frescoes, throne room, cultural center, significance.
Chapter V: The Palace of 'Broad Knossos' — Continued
Knossos, further exploration, detailed findings, artifacts, murals, religious practices, Minoan society, daily life, influence, historical relevance.
Chapter VI: Phaestos, Hagia Triada, and Eastern Crete
Phaestos, Hagia Triada, archaeological sites, eastern Crete, palatial structures, artifacts, trade networks, religious sites, cultural exchange, significance.
Chapter VII: Crete and Egypt
Crete, Egypt, ancient relations, trade, diplomacy, cultural exchange, Minoan influence, Egyptian art, historical connections, impact, significance.
Chapter VIII: The Destroyers
Destruction, decline, Minoan civilization, natural disasters, invasions, societal collapse, theories, historical evidence, impact, significance.
Chapter IX: The Periods of Minoan Culture
Minoan culture, periods, Early Minoan, Middle Minoan, Late Minoan, developments, society, art, trade, influence, chronology.
Chapter X: Life Under the Sea-Kings
Minoan civilization, sea trade, naval power, economy, daily life, society, art, religion, influence, historical significance.
Chapter XI: Letters and Religion
Minoan writing, Linear A, religion, deities, rituals, temples, religious practices, artifacts, cultural significance, impact.
Chapter XII: Recent Developments and Discoveries
Recent discoveries, archaeology, new findings, Knossos, Crete, impact, Minoan civilization, understanding, historical significance, ongoing research.
Chronological Summary
Timeline, Minoan civilization, key events, cultural development, historical periods, significant dates, summary, overview.
Bibliography
References, sources, scholarly works, archaeological reports, historical texts, research, further reading, citations, academic contributions.
Index
Alphabetical list, topics, names, places, terms, quick reference, guide, organization, navigation, book contents.
☆With each chapter, you'll traverse the vibrant halls of Knossos, where breathtaking frescoes tell stories of gods and mortals, and delve into the sophisticated culture that influenced both Homeric epics and Egyptian dynasties. Discover the pulse of life under the reign of the Sea-Kings, a society as advanced as it was mysterious, with its intricate trade networks, religious rituals, and the enigmatic script of Linear A still defying complete understanding.
☆But this is not just a tale of glory—it is a story of destruction and rebirth, as natural disasters and invasions brought the Minoan civilization to its knees, leaving behind ruins that continue to puzzle and captivate. The book doesn't just recount history; it brings it to life, revealing recent discoveries and developments that challenge our understanding and ignite our imagination.
☆The Sea-Kings of Crete is more than a historical account—it's an invitation to explore the dawn of European civilization, to walk in the footsteps of those who shaped our past, and to uncover the profound connections that link ancient Crete to the broader tapestry of human history. This is not just a book; it’s a key to unlocking the mysteries of the ancient world, a must-read for anyone who seeks to understand the origins of Western culture and the enduring allure of ancient civilizations. Prepare to be transported to a world where history and myth intertwine, and every page beckons you deeper into the enthralling saga of the Minoans.
●tags●
Minoan civilization, Bronze Age Crete, Aegean Sea trade, ancient maritime power, labyrinth legends, Daedalian architecture, Cretan mythology, sacred bull iconography, Linear A script, Knossos palace ruins, Phaistos Disc, fresco art, ritualistic symbols, peak sanctuaries, bull-leaping ceremonies, ancient seafaring, Minoan priesthood, tholos tombs, snake goddess worship, Akrotiri frescoes, Zakros palace, Kamares pottery, faience artifacts, Cretan wine trade, Minoan jewelry, Aegean diplomacy, Cycladic influence, Minoan religious feasts, libation tables, ivory figurines, ancient trade networks, sacred caves, Minoan textile patterns, volcanic eruption impact, ancient Crete metallurgy, ritualistic vases, Minoan burial customs, marine motifs, Cretan olive oil trade, Minoan script decipherment, double-axe symbolism, Anatolian connections, Mycenaean exchange, ancient Cretan agriculture, Minoan chariots, Diktean cave myths, sacred trees, religious processions, Throne Room mysteries, Astarte worship, Lustral basins, Anatolian trade, sacred horns of consecration, Minoan gender roles, ancient diplomacy, sanctuaries of Crete, ritual dances, Linear B tablets, ancient Crete ceramics, Minoan architectural innovations, Minoan food storage, Neopalatial period, ancient Cretan city planning, Minoan social structure, ritual offerings, sacred palm trees, religious altars, Minoan cosmetics, Cretan votive offerings, Bronze Age warfare, Minoan athletic contests, Aegean seals, ancient cult practices, Cretan maritime law, Minoan thalassocracy, Cyclopean masonry, religious purification rites, Mediterranean trade, Bronze Age palatial economy, Cretan goldsmiths, sacred animals, ancient pottery wheels, ritual feasting halls, Minoan maritime expeditions, Cretan funerary art, Aegean shipbuilding, religious iconography, Minoan agriculture, Cretan fishery, sacred knot symbols, Minoan olive oil, fresco restoration, Minoan seals, sacred double-axes, Cretan treasuries, Minoan maritime supremacy, pottery kiln technology, Bronze Age Crete trade, ancient Cretan rituals, peak sanctuary offerings, Minoan fresco pigments, palatial storage systems, Cretan artisanship, religious processions, Mycenaean takeover, ancient Crete aqueducts, sacred groves, Minoan naval architecture, ritual purification, Minoan palatial politics, ancient dyes, Cretan textiles, Minoan agricultural tools, Aegean diplomatic alliances, Cretan craftsmanship, sacred bulls, Minoan pottery decoration, Cretan court systems, Bronze Age diet, Minoan fresco restoration, ancient Crete shrines, Minoan cults, peak sanctuary rituals, Minoan cosmology, religious masks, Linear A inscriptions, ancient irrigation systems, Minoan perfume, sacred bulls of Crete, Cycladic religious influence, Aegean fresco techniques, ritual vessels, Cretan dance rituals, Bronze Age economy, Minoan agriculture, sacred flames, Minoan weaving, Cretan glassmaking, ancient Crete storage, Bronze Age tools, Minoan wine press, Mycenaean invasions, Minoan script mysteries, religious effigies, Cretan metalwork, ritual feasting, ancient dye-making, Minoan fishing industry, sacred knots, Cretan spice trade, Minoan land ownership, Bronze Age textiles, Aegean military strategies, ritualistic figurines, Cretan timber trade, ancient Crete embalming, Minoan sheep farming, sacred Cretan birds, Minoan jewelry craftsmanship, ritual libations, Cretan quarrying, ancient Cretan coins, sacred fire rituals, Minoan ceramic techniques, Cretan forest conservation, ancient Cretan architecture, Minoan naval tactics, ritual feasts, sacred Crete rivers, Bronze Age mining, Minoan amphorae, ancient oil presses, Minoan harvest festivals, Aegean metallurgy, sacred bulls of Minos, ritual masks, Minoan clay tablets, ancient Crete festivals, sacred tree worship, Minoan fire sacrifices, Aegean pottery styles, ritual purification practices, sacred groves, Minoan textile production, ancient Crete weaving, Minoan food storage systems, Bronze Age religious festivals, ritual processions, sacred Cretan islands, Minoan diplomatic relations, Aegean pottery kilns, Cretan metallurgy, sacred Crete water sources, ritual sanctuaries, Bronze Age pottery designs, ancient Crete palatial ruins, Minoan burial sites, Minoan tomb architecture, ritual libation vessels, Cretan naval strategies, sacred Cretan mountains, Minoan maritime exploration, ancient dye-making techniques, sacred Cretan rivers, Bronze Age military tactics, Minoan clay seal impressions, ancient Cretan urban planning, Minoan textile dyes, sacred Cretan valleys, Bronze Age religious symbols, Minoan shipbuilding techniques, Cretan wood carving, ancient Crete city-states, Minoan land management, sacred Cretan landscapes, ritual offerings, ancient Cretan burial customs, Minoan fresco techniques, sacred Cretan forests, Bronze Age religious iconography, Minoan stone carving, ritual purification rites, Minoan metallurgical techniques, sacred Cretan groves, ancient Cretan trade networks, Minoan goldworking, sacred Cretan lakes, Bronze Age urbanization, Minoan cult symbols, ancient Cretan maritime law, sacred Cretan rituals, Bronze Age artistic techniques, Minoan naval expeditions, sacred Cretan flora, ancient Cretan food preservation, Bronze Age pottery manufacturing, Minoan mortuary practices, sacred Cretan f...

This chapter seeks to understand how Linear A inscriptions on stone vessels from Minoan Crete were made, and to identify the unique writing practices of those who made them. Drawing on Piquette and Whitehouse's (2013) framework for analysing graphical artefacts which recognises their production as a craft, this paper foregrounds the human agents responsible for creating the inscriptions, and their requisite knowledge and experiences. This includes knowledge of materials' properties, skill in specialised tool use, and varying levels of literacy. Linear A inscriptions show great diversity of engagement with and understanding of the script; different groups of craftspeople used distinct sets of motor habits for inscribing Linear A text. Through detailed analyses of the tool marks on inscriptions and their relationship with their physical supports, this paper reassesses nonadministrative Linear A writing practice from a material perspective.

Nepal, Aaradh, and Francesco Perono Cacciafoco. (2024). Minoan Cryptanalysis: Computational Approaches to Deciphering Linear A and Assessing Its Connections with Language Families from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea Areas. In Revesz, Peter Z. (Ed.). (2024). Computational Linguistics and Natural Language Processing. Basel: MDPI: 215-227.

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During the Bronze Age, the inhabitants of regions of Crete, mainland Greece, and Cyprus inscribed their languages using, among other scripts, a writing system called Linear A. These symbols, mainly characterized by combinations of lines, have, since their discovery, remained a mystery. Not only is the corpus very small, but it is challenging to link Minoan, the language behind Linear A, to any known language. Most decipherment attempts involve using the phonetic values of Linear B, a grammatological offspring of Linear A, to ‘read’ Linear A. However, this yields meaningless words. Recently, novel approaches to deciphering the script have emerged which involve a computational component. In this paper, two such approaches are combined to account for the biases involved in provisionally assigning Linear B phonetic values to Linear A and to shed more light on the possible connections of Linear A with other scripts and languages from the region. Additionally, the limitations inherent in such approaches are discussed. Firstly, a feature-based similarity measure is used to compare Linear A with the Carian Alphabet and the Cypriot Syllabary. A few Linear A symbols are matched with symbols from the Carian Alphabet and the Cypriot Syllabary. Finally, using the derived phonetic values, Linear A is compared with Ancient Egyptian, Luwian, Hittite, Proto-Celtic, and Uralic using a consonantal approach. Some possible word matches are identified from each language.

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Keywords: Linear A; Minoan; cryptanalysis; computational linguistics; language decipherment

The article discusses the GORILA KN Zb <36> and Zb <37> inscriptions which are now identified with the logograms incised on one of the pithoi from the Ninth West Magazine of the Knossos palace. Based on palaeographic observations we suggest that the pithos is not inscribed in Linear A but in Linear B.

This paper is about the research, within the Minoan corpus, of a sign or sequence of syllabograms indicating honey. Although honey was a commodity of primary importance in the Minoan economy, it has not so far been identified with certainty in the Linear A tablets.
Such identification appears possible, however, and some evidence is provided.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. The Decoding of Three Minoan Hieroglyphic Records. Cross-readings of Words. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Sovremennye issledovaniya: Teoriya i praktika. Sbornik statey VIII Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 8 iyulya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 83-97.

Abstract: In this work, Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied three Minoan records put down with the help of signs of the hieroglyphic script. Several Linear A and Cypro-Minoan texts have been interpreted also. In this investigation, the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics were used.

Key words: Minoan glyphs, Linear A, Linear B, Cypro-Minoan script, Crete, Cyprus, ancient Egypt, Tel Haror, Odyssey, Homer, Lexicon, Hesychius, history, archaeology, linguistics, economy of ancient word.

Аннотация: В настоящей работе автор изучил три минойские надписи, выполненные с помощью иероглифической письменности. Также переведены надписи линейного письма А и кипро-минойского письма.  В исследовании были применены методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: минойские иероглифы, линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, кипро-минойское письмо, Крит, Кипр, древний Египет, Тель Харор, «Одиссея», Гомер, «Лексикон», Гесихий, история, археология, лингвистика, экономика древнего мира.

This Special Issue presents selected papers on various topics of computational linguistics and natural language processing from leading international experts. The topics range from sentiment analysis, linguistic profiling, higher-order logical representation and methods, to decipherment of ancient scripts. The linguistic profiling methods described in this special issue enable identifying the salient features of poems and novels, classifying various types of fiction as fables, myths, mystery, romance, thriller, legends, or science fiction, distinguishing between human-written or machine-generated texts, and diagnosing neuropsychiatric diseases. Lindenmayer system and other higher-order logical representations are used to describe complex linguistic phenomena and for better communicating with chatbots. Finally, decipherment of scripts is considered in three papers, including one that investigates the Minoan Linear A script.

A recent publication by Louis Godart and Anna Sacconi of the Linear B tablets from Pylos, first excavated in 1939 and then in the 1950s and 1960s by a team from the University of Cincinnati under the direction of Carl Blegen, attempts to raise doubts about their date, and the time of the destruction of the Palace of Nestor. We here demonstrate that Blegen's views were correct, based as they were on sound knowledge of archaeological context.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. The Cypro-Minoan and Minoan Inscriptions. The Lexicon by Hesychius as a Source of Cretan and Cypriot Words. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Nauka i obshchestvo: Problemy i perspektivy vzaimodeystviya v sovremennom mire. Sbornik statey II Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 10 iyunya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 337-353.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied several Cypro-Minoan and Minoan records. A number of Cretan (Minoan) and Cypriot words registered in the Lexicon by Hesychius have been interpreted successfully. In this work, the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics were used.

Key words: Cypro-Minoan script, Linear A, Linear B, Cyprus, Crete, Iliad, Odyssey, Homer, history, archaeology, linguistics, economy of ancient word.

Аннотация: В настоящей работе автор исследовал кипро-минойские и минойские тексты. Даны объяснения для ряда критских (минойских) и кипрских слов, представленных в «Лексиконе» Гесихия. В работе были применены методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: кипро-минойское письмо, линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, Кипр, Крит, «Илиада», «Одиссея», Гомер, история, археология, лингвистика, экономика древнего мира.

BOS not 4, a more appropriate number is this tablet lists commodities for a small feast. And he calls heightened attention to the presence of logogram *327 AES? (bronze) on HT 97 and 119. December Brent Davis observed that HT 85b lists 11 NAMES while HT 85a lists a total of 66 VIR, which should be distributed in 11 sets of 6 VIR each. JGY then attempted an analysis of HT 85 as listing allocations of workers from regions (side a) under the supervision of the people (side b).

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. Did the Legendary Homer Read Texts of Linear A from Crete? In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Nauka, tekhnologii, innovatsii v epokhu global'nykh transformatsiy. Sbornik statey III Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 23 maya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 250-259.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied several texts of Linear A attracting some fragments of the Odyssey and the Iliad by Homer as quasi-bilingual sources. As a result, a number of Minoan words have been interpreted. The economy and mythology of the inhabitants of the Minoan Crete are now clearer. The author used the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics.

Key words: Linear A, Linear B, Crete, Minoan, Mycenaean Greek, Homer, the Odyssey, the Iliad, history, economy, linguistics.

Аннотация: В данной работе автор исследовал несколько текстов линейного письма А, привлекая некоторые отрывки из «Одиссеи» и «Илиады» Гомера в качестве квазибилингвы. Как результат, был истолкован ряд минойских слов. Экономика и мифология жителей минойского Крита стали теперь более понятными. Автор применил методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, Крит, минойский, микенский древнегреческий, Гомер, Одиссея, Илиада, история, экономика, лингвистика.

Cretan Hieroglyphic, an undeciphered script of the Middle Bronze Age (roughly 1900-1700 BCE), represents the earliest known form of writing in Europe. Approximately half of its occurrences, including the earliest appearances, are found on seals. Serving as both luxury items (hard-stone ones denoting high status) and administrative tools (inscribed ones denoting hierarchical prominence), seals have sparked suspicion about how their physical features (material, color etc.

In this work, we present an investigation into the use of neural feature extraction in performing scribal hand analysis of the Linear B writing system. While prior work has demonstrated the usefulness of strategies such as phylogenetic systematics in tracing Linear B's history, these approaches have relied on manually extracted features which can be very time consuming to define by hand. Instead we propose learning features using a fully unsupervised neural network that does not require any human annotation. Specifically our model assigns each glyph written by the same scribal hand a shared vector embedding to represent that author's stylistic patterns, and each glyph representing the same syllabic sign a shared vector embedding to represent the identifying shape of that character. Thus the properties of each image in our dataset are represented as the combination of a scribe embedding and a sign embedding. We train this model using both a reconstructive loss governed by a decoder that seeks to reproduce glyphs from their corresponding embeddings, and a discriminative loss which measures the model's ability to predict whether or not an embedding corresponds to a given image. Among the key contributions of this work we (1) present a new dataset of Linear B glyphs, annotated by scribal hand and sign type, (2) propose a neural model for disentangling properties of scribal hands from glyph shape, and (3) quantitatively evaluate the learned embeddings on findplace prediction and similarity to manually extracted features, showing improvements over simpler baseline methods.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. The Ivory in the Texts of Linear A: Formulation of the Problem. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Nauka. Innovatsii. Budushchee - 2024. Sbornik statey Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 13 maya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 161-170.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied two classical texts of Linear A and two fragments of the records on the Phaistos disk put down with the help of the decorative version of the same script. As a result, the term ‘ivory’ borrowed by the Minoans directly from the ancient Egyptian language has been decoded. The cross-readings of several Minoan words are offered. The author used the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics.

Key words: the Phaistos disk, Linear A, Linear B, Crete, ancient Egypt, history, linguistics.

Аннотация: В данной работе автор исследовал два классических текста линейного письма А и два отрывка надписей на Фестском диске, выполненных с помощью декоративного варианта этой письменности. В результате удалось декодировать термин «слоновая кость», который был напрямую заимствован минойцами из древнеегипетского языка. Предложены перекрестные чтения нескольких минойских слов. Автор применил методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: Фестский диск, линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, Крит, древний Египет, история, лингвистика.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. The Mysteries of Kings of Ancient Mycenae: New Data about Atreus and Agamemnon. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Nauka. Innovatsii. Budushchee - 2024. Sbornik statey Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 13 maya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 155-160.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied three sources of Linear A. As a result, the mythical personages became the real peoples: they were Princess Aerope and King Catreus of the Minoan Crete. The name of King Atreus, the husband of Aerope, and the name of their son, King Agamemnon, both the rules of the early Greeks in Mycenae, the mainland, have been decoded in the two texts of Linear B(A). The author used the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics.

Key words: Linear A, Linear B, Crete, Mycenae, Aerope, Cotreus, Atreus, Agamemnon, history, linguistics.

Аннотация: В настоящей работе автор изучил три источника линейного письма А. Как результат, мифические персонажи стали реальными людьми: это были принцесса Аэропа и царь Катрей на минойском Крите. Имя царя Атрея, мужа Аэропы, и имя их сына, царя Агамемнона, правителей ранних греков в Микенах на материке, были декодированы в двух текстах линейного письма Б(А). Автор применил методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, Крит, Микены, Аэропа, Котрей, Атрей, Агамемнон, история, лингвистика.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. The Glossary of Egyptian and Minoan Terms: The Results of the Research. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Nauka. Innovatsii. Budushchee - 2024. Sbornik statey Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 13 maya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 145-154.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied the ancient Egyptian text which contains several Minoan words. As a result, the ancient Egypto-Minoan glossary has been reconstructed. In order to show the correctness of our translation, a number of texts of Linear A have been interpreted. The author used the methods of structural and contrastive linguistics.

Key words: Linear A, Linear B, ancient Egypt, Crete, history, archaeology, linguistics.

Аннотация: В настоящей работе автор изучил древнеегипетский текст, который содержит несколько минойских слов. В итоге, был восстановлен глоссарий древнеегипетского и минойского языков. С целью показать правильность нашего перевода, предложена интерпретация ряда текстов линейного письма А. Автор применил методы структурной и контрастивной лингвистики.

Ключевые слова: линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, древний Египет, Крит, история, археология, лингвистика.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. About the Terms of Textile Industry on Crete: Minoans and Mycenaeans. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Molodye issledovateli – sovremennoy nauke. Sbornik statey IX Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 25 aprelya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 212-221.

Abstract: In this work Sergei V. Rjabchikov has studied texts of Linear A on two spindle whorls as well as another text where the ideograms of spindle whorls are represented. As a result, the accompanying textile terminology has been decoded. Besides, some obscure words of Linear B in this field which were the borrowings from the Minoan language have been interpreted successfully.

Key words: Linear A, Linear B, Crete, history, archaeology, linguistics, economics of ancient word.

Аннотация: В настоящей работе автор исследовал тексты линейного письма А на двух пряслицах, а также другой текст, где изображены идеограммы пряслиц. В итоге, была декодирована сопутствующая терминология текстильного производства. Кроме того, несколько неясных слов линейного письма Б в этой области, которые были заимствованы из минойского языка, теперь стали понятными.

Ключевые слова: линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, Крит, история, археология, лингвистика, экономика древнего мира.

Rjabchikov, Sergei V., 2024. The Phaistos Disk and Inscriptions of Linear A: New Readings. In: I.I. Ivanovskaya and M.V. Posnova (eds.) Razvitie sovremennoy nauki: Opyt, problemy, prognozy. Sbornik statey VII Mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii, sostoyavsheysya 15 aprelya 2024 g. v g. Petrozavodske. Petrozavodsk: International Center for Scientific Partnership “New Science”, pp. 149-161.

Abstract: In this paper Sergei V. Rjabchikov partially translates the mysterious inscriptions on both sides of the Phaistos disk which was disclosed on Crete. The ancient Egyptian pharaoh Khyan and the Cretan king E-E, the god Min and the goddess Ma known as King Minos and Queen Pasiphae in the Greek mythology are mentioned in this literary monument (letter). Some records written down with the aid of the standard version of Linear A are decoded, too.

Key words: the Phaistos disk, Linear A, Linear B, Crete, ancient Egypt, history, linguistics.

Аннотация: В статье автор переводит фрагменты загадочных надписей на обеих сторонах Фестского диска, который был обнаружен на Крите. В этом литературном памятнике (письме) упомянуты древнеегипетский фараон Хиан и критский царь Е-Е, бог Мин и богиня Ма, известные как царь Минос и царица Пасифая в древнегреческой мифологии. Также расшифрованы некоторые тексты, выполненные с помощью стандартного варианта линейного письма А.

Ключевые слова: Фестский диск, линейное письмо А, линейное письмо Б, Крит, Древний Египет, история, лингвистика.

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