Linear A and Indus Valley Script - Historum

Barbarossa · February 27th, 2012, 09:12 PM

Is there any chance of ever deciphering Linear A and Indus Valley Script?
Is there any new progress in the field, and what are the prominent theories about these writing systems?

What are your thoughts on them, what kind of language, in your opinion, do they represent?
Do you think the significance of deciphering them will be astonishing and will make us literally rewrite history books... or will it be less game changing than we expect?

Are there any other undeciphered writing systems from the ancient world that I should know about, and how significant each one is?

**Midas** · February 27th, 2012, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbarossa

Is there any chance of ever deciphering Linear A and Indus Valley Script?
Is there any new progress in the field, and what are the prominent theories about these writing systems?

What are your thoughts on them, what kind of language, in your opinion, do they represent?
Do you think the significance of deciphering them will be astonishing and will make us literally rewrite history books... or will it be less game changing than we expect?

Are there any other undeciphered writing systems from the ancient world that I should know about, and how significant each one is?

I think like in most cases you need a Rosetta stone to decipher a script, at least when talking about an unknown language. I cannot say anything about the Indus valley scripts, but I can for Linear A. First of all I am not sure if it renders only 1 language. It could be rendering more than one as V. Georgiev and others have suggested. We know that Crete had various populations such as the indigenous Cretans, Greeks and maybe even Lycians who were speakers of a Luwic Anatolian language. You understand therefore the complexity of the task...

I have seen many many suggestions on what Minoan could be. We know now however (based on DNA) that the Minoans trace their roots in Anatolia around the 8-7th millenium BC. That makes us look towards the pre-IE languages of Anatolia such as Hattic, Hurrian and Urartian. From what I have seen in pre-Greek words in Greek the languages above are convincing candidates. Unfortunately, out knowledge about them is limited as well. However, I am currently having a close look to ongoing studies that compare pre-Greek words with the phonetic systems of Hattic, Hurro-Urartian and North Caucasian languages and I have to say I am impressed! Never in the past I have seen so much progress and the results make sense.

I don't have much time now, but I will give some examples later on it.

Thessalonian · February 28th, 2012, 12:06 AM

Linear A emerged roughly when IVC ceased to be used. That was around 1900-1800 BC

Dromon · February 28th, 2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midas

I have seen many many suggestions on what Minoan could be. We know now however (based on DNA) that the Minoans trace their roots in Anatolia around the 8-7th millenium BC.

Bibliograpy?

Barbarossa · February 28th, 2012, 01:35 AM

Minoans are really a puzzle. How such a small island, poor in resources, had such advanced technology of construction, pottery, jewellery and bronze crafting around 2000-1400 BCE.

Thessalonian · February 28th, 2012, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbarossa

Minoans are really a puzzle. How such a small island, poor in resources, had such advanced technology of construction, pottery, jewellery and bronze crafting around 2000-1400 BCE.

Cretans were trading with the rest of the Aegean and the Mediterrenean cultures.

Barbarossa · February 28th, 2012, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thessalonian

Cretans were trading with the rest of the Aegean and the Mediterrenean cultures.

The thing is, their level of craftsmanship was superior to their Mediterranean peers.

Thessalonian · February 28th, 2012, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbarossa

The thing is, their level of craftsmanship was superior to their Mediterranean peers.

It's called innovation!

**Midas** · February 28th, 2012, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dromon

Bibliograpy?

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...ly+maintenance

**Mandate of Heaven** · February 28th, 2012, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbarossa

Minoans are really a puzzle. How such a small island, poor in resources, had such advanced technology of construction, pottery, jewellery and bronze crafting around 2000-1400 BCE.

It was at the cross road between Asia and Europe as well as Egypt and Europe.