Linear
B is the script that was used for writing Mycenaean,
an early form of the Greek language.
It occurrs primarily on tablets dated from the
14th and 13th centuries BC. The script was derived
from an earlier script (Linear A) used for writing
the Minoan language and thus does not accurately
represent the sounds of the Mycenaean language.
It is partly syllabic, with additional logographic
signs.
The first clay tablet at Knossos was discovered
by the British archaeologist Arthur Evans on March
31, 1900 and on April 6 he discovered a significant
hoard of tablets (measuring 5x10 inches).
Michael Ventris deciphered Linear B in 1951-1953.
Linear B has roughly 200 signs, divided in syllabic
signs with phonetic values and logograms (or ideograms)
with semantic values.
Linear B is assigned Unicode Range 10000-1007F
for syllabic signs and 10080-100FF for logograms.
syllabic
signs
| |
-a |
-e |
-i |
-o |
-u |
| |
a |
e |
i |
o |
u |
| d- |
da |
de |
di |
do |
du |
| j- |
ja |
je |
|
jo |
ju |
| k- |
ka |
ke |
ki |
ko |
ku |
| m- |
ma |
me |
mi |
mo |
mu |
| n- |
na |
ne |
ni |
no |
nu |
| p- |
-pa |
pe |
pi |
!po |
"pu |
| q- |
#qa |
$qe |
%qi |
&qo |
|
| r- |
(ra |
)re |
*ri |
+ro |
,ru |
| s- |
-sa |
.se |
/si |
0so |
1su |
| t- |
2ta |
3te |
4ti |
5to |
6tu |
| w- |
7wa |
8we |
9wi |
wo |
|
| z- |
<za |
=ze |
|
?zo |
|
The names of these signs are only roughly phonetical,
since most are used to represent a whole class
of syllables each, see Mycenaean language. There
are some additional, mostly rare, syllabic signs,
the values of some of which are unknown or disputed.
They are referred to either by a number, or by
some hypothetical phonetic approximation, e. g.
a2, a3, au, nwa, pu2 etc.
logograms
Due to the nature of the texts preserved, logographic
representations of items counted are very frequent.
Not all of their values are known, and their pronunciation
is, at best, the object of educated guessing.
The logograms represent concepts such as MAN,
WOMAN, COW, BULL, OIL, WINE, CLOTH, GOLD, BRONZE
etc. There are several dozen signs representing
various kinds of pots and vessels.
Also
see other discoveries