Glossary of 134 words & Partial decipherment of Minoan Linear A : a rational approach from Mycenaean Linear B (final version):

First the Glossary, with Minoan Linear A terms extrapolated from the highly professional Mycenaean Linear B Lexicon by Chris Tselentis. A Glossary of 134 Minoan words: a rational approach to a partial decipherment based on principles derived from Mycenaean Greek Linear B:

Introductory Remarks:

This Glossary is soon to be published in a major draft paper, Partial decipherment of Minoan Linear A & Glossary of 134 words : a rational approach from Mycenaean Linear B, on my academia.edu account. But before publishing it here, I shall post it in five (5) instalments here on Minoan Linear A, Linear B, Knossos & Mycenae. This paper will eventually appear in the prominent international annual, Archaeology and Science, Vol. 12 (2016), to be published in the spring of 2018.

This Glossary accounts for 26 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms (=510) indexed by Prof. John G. Younger in his lexicon, Linear A texts in phonetic transcription.

The principle of cross-correlative cohesion operates on the assumption that terms in Minoan Linear A vocabulary should reflect as closely and as faithfully as possible parallel terms in Mycenaean Greek vocabulary. In other words, the English translations of Minoan words in a Minoan Linear A Glossary such as this one should look as if they are English translations of Mycenaean Greek terms in a Linear B glossary. I have endeavoured to do my best to achieve this goal, but even the most rational and logical approach, such as I take, does not and cannot guarantee reciprocity between Minoan Linear A and Mycenaean Linear B terms. It is precisely for this reason that I have had to devise a scale of relative accuracy for terms in this Linear A Glossary, as outlined in KEY at the top of it.

The best and most reliable Linear B Lexicon is that by Chris Tselentis, Athens, Greece. If you wish to receive a copy of his Lexicon, please leave a comment in Comments, with some way for me to get in touch with you.

A Glossary of 134 Minoan Linear A words more or less accurately deciphered to date (the largest ever glossary of Linear A) accounting for 26 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms in Prof. John G. Younger?s Linear A texts in phonetic transcription = 510:

KEY:

Minoan Linear A words deciphered with a very high level of certainty (75-100%) are in BOLD.

Minoan Linear A words deciphered with a moderate degree of certainty (60-75%) are in italics.

Minoan Linear A words for which the decipherment is uncertain (< 50%) are in plain text.

All terms in Minoan Linear A and in Mycenaean Linear B have been Latinized for ease of access to persons not familiar with these syllabaries.

adaro = barley = Linear B kirita

adu = so much, so many, all (persons, things, esp. grain/wheat), referencing all accounts relevant to them. In the case of grains & wheat, adu would refer to all the “ bushel-like” units of wheat accounted for. In the case of the men measuring the wheat, it would appear that they are surveyors or comptrollers. Cf. Linear B, toso, tosa.

adu reza = unit of dry measurement (grain, wheat, barley, flour)

aka = wineskin (two syllabograms overlaid)

akipiete = (in) common, shared, allotted, allotment = Cf. Linear B kekemena ktoina = small plot of land

akii = garlic

apu2nadu = grain workers/measurers? Cf. dadumata = Linear B sitokowo

ase (plural) = bushels? Cf. kunisu

asasumaise = cattle-driver or shepherd = Linear B qoukoro -or- qorokota

atare = grove of fig trees -or- figs overseer -or- fig gatherer (See also,

atade = gold? leaves? gold leaf? = Linear B kuruso? (See also, noja)

awapi -or- tasaza = silver Cf. Linear B akuro

dadumata = grain/wheat measurer? = Linear B sitokowo

darida = large vase

daropa = stirrup jar = Linear B karawere

dasi = weight -or- scales

dat ara= overseer of olive trees or olive oil -or- harvester of olives from olive trees

dat u = olives See also qatidate = olive trees = Linear B erawa

daweda = medium size amphora with two handles

dikise = a type of cloth = Linear B any number of types of cloth

ditamana = dittany (medicinal herb)

dumitatira2 (dumitatirai) = right or inner spindle wheel on one side of the distaff

du reza = unit of measurement (unknown amount)

jedi = man/men = Linear B atoroqo.

kadi = next (in a series) (Zakros ZA 15)

kana = first (in a series) (Zakros ZA 11)

kanaka = saffron = Linear B kanako

kapa = follower or (foot) solder = Linear B eqeta

karopa3 (karopai) = kylix (with two handles & smaller than a pithos)

kaudeta = to be distributed (fut. part. pass.) approx. = Linear B, epididato = having been distributed (aorist part. pass.)

keda = cedar

kidata = to be accepted (for delivery to) = Linear B dekesato

kidema*323na = type of vessel (truncated on HT 31)

kiret a2 (kiritai) = delivery = Linear B apudosis

kiret ana = (having been) delivered (past participle passive) = Linear B amoiyeto

ki reza = unit of measurement for figs, probably 1 basket

kiro = owed = Linear B oporo = they owed

kukani = (deep) red wine Cf. Linear B wono mitowesa

kunisu = bushel(s)? (cf. ase) 15

kupa -or- sa*301ri = planter = Linear B pu2te/pute

kura = large amount of wine = Linear B pithos+ wono?

kuzuni = a type of wine?

kuro = total

kuruku = crocus

idamate = king or god? Or may be the name of said persona Cf. Linear B wanaka

maru = wool (syllabograms superimposed) = Linear B mari/mare

mitu = a type of cloth

nasi = a type of cloth

nere = larger amphora size

nipa3 (nipai) or nira2 (nirai) = figs = Linear B suza

noja = gold? leaves? gold leaf? = Linear B kuruso? (See also, atade)

nudu*331 = flax? = Linear B rino?

orada = rose

pa3ni (paini) = amphora for storing grain?

pa3ni na = grain or wheat stored in an amphora for grain

pajare = in pay, hired = Linear B emito

pazeqe = small handle-less cups = Linear B dipa anowe, dipa anowoto

pimitatira2 (pimitatirai) = left or outer spindle wheel on one side of the distaff

pitakase = harvested or field of = Linear B akoro

puko = tripod = Linear B tiripode

qajo = double-edged axe or labrys = Linear B dapu

qapa3 = qapai = large handle-less vase or amphora

qati dat e = olive trees See also dat u = olives = Linear B erawo

qareto = Linear B onato = “lease field”

quqani = medium size or smaller amphora

ra*164ti = approx. 5 litres (of wine)

rairi = lily

reza = 1 standard unit of measurement

sajamana = with handles = Linear B owowe

samaro = bunch of (figs, grapes etc.)

sa*301ri -or- kupa = planter = Linear B pu2te/pute

sara2 (sarai) = small unit of measurement: dry approx. 1 kg., liquid approx. 1 litre

sata = a type of cloth

sedina = celery

supa3 (supai) = small cup = Linear B dipa mewiyo

supu = very large amphora

tarawita = terebinth tree

tasaza -or- awapi = silver Cf. Linear B akurotejare = a type of cloth

teki = small unit of measurement for wine @ 27 1/2 per tereza

te reza = larger unit of liquid measurement (olive oil, wine)

teri = offering -or- being delivered (to the gods) = Linear B dedomena, dosomo, qetea (due to the gods)

tesi = small unit of measurement

85tisa = description of pot or pottery? = Linear B amotewiya/yo?

ti?redu = spice(s) (coriander)

udimi = a type of cloth

uminase = harbour, port = Linear B Amnisos (Cf. French, le Havre, name of a major maritime French city, which translates as “the Harbour”)

usu = a type of cloth

Eponyms:

Adunitana

Akaru

Asasumaise = name of cattle-driver or shepherd

Asiyaka

Dadumine

Danekuti

Daqera

Idamate = king or god? Or may be the name of said persona (bis)

Ikurina

Kaudeta? (See also toponyms)

Kanajami

Kosaiti

Kukudara

Kuramu

Kureju

Makarita

Mirutarare

Qami*47nara

Qetiradu

Qitune

Sidate

Sirumarita2 = Sirumaritai

Tateikezare

Tesudesekei

Tidiate

Turunuseme

Watumare

Toponyms:

Almost all the toponyms do not require decipherment as they are either identical or almost identical in Mycenaean Linear B:

Akanu = Archanes (Crete)

Dame

Dawa (Haghia Triada)

Dikate = Mount Dikte

Idaa = Mount Ida

Idunesi

Kato = Zakoro (Linear B)

Kaudeta? (See also eponyms)

Kudoni = Kydonia

Kura

Meza (= Linear B Masa)

Paito = Phaistos ( =Linear B)

Qeka

Radu = Lato (= Linear B Rato)

Setoiya = Seteia (= Linear B)

Sukirita/Sukiriteija = Sybrita

Uminasi (= Linear B Amnisos)

Winadu = Linear B Inato

COMMENTARY:

It is noteworthy that in Minoan Linear A a significant proportion of the terms we have managed to decipher to date, more or less accurately, begin with the letter K. Referencing our Glossary of 133 Minoan Linear A words, we find that 20/134 or 15 % begin with K. This is rather striking, in light of the fact that a correspondingly large number of words in ancient Greek begin with K, even though the two languages are in no way related. In other words, since the word kidapa on Linear B tablet KN 894 N v 01 begins with K, that is another reason to conjecture that it might very well be Minoan.

This Glossary accounts for 26 % of all intact Minoan Linear A terms.