The Undeciphered Signs of Linear B

Interpretation and Scribal Practices

Anna P. Judson (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge)

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English

Cambridge University Press
24 September 2020

Language: history & general works; Historical & comparative linguistics; Palaeography (history of writing); Classical Greek & Roman archaeology

Series: 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. A colour version of figures 5.1-5.4 of chapter 5 can be found under the 'Resources' tab.

By: Anna P. Judson (Gonville and Caius College Cambridge)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 253mm, Width: 178mm, Spine: 22mm
Weight: 900g
ISBN: 9781108494724
ISBN 10: 1108494722
Series: Cambridge Classical Studies
Pages: 372
Publication Date: 24 September 2020
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

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.

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.

Reviews for The Undeciphered Signs of Linear B: Interpretation and Scribal Practices

'This study represents a thorough and skillful handling of disparate evidence. The linguistic discussion of sound values is rich, but not myopic, and writing is understood as a human practice, rather than the disembodied representation of phonemes. The careful study of palaeographic variants, with an eye to testing old hypotheses, represents a valuable model for future studies of Linear B.' Theodore Nash, Rhea Classical Review