Dear Cybalist Members,
At the start of the 20th century a British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evens discovered in the Palace of Knossos from Crete some clay tablets written with a mysterious scripts called by him Linear A and Linear B dating from the first half of the second millennium BC. Later, other inscriptions were found at various Cretan archaeological sites. I would like to present to you my tentative decipherment of the language of several Linear A inscriptions based on the script decipherment made by Prof. J.O. Younger.
www.people.ku.edu/~jyounger/LinearA/. My article published in June 2003 by a scholarly archaeological forum Aegeanet have been selected and published by the historical journal Anistoriton, in its December issue advertised at Cybalist in December 11, 2003.
Generally, the Linear A inscriptions written on clay tablets are accounting and administrative documents, inventories and lists of goods and products, commodities,
services, luxury items and authority insignia. The Libation Formula inscribed on objects was a kind of prayer associated with a donation to a sanctuary in exchange for some divine help in their everyday life. The content of these inscriptions offers a fresco of the highly literate Minoan society of the second millennium BC. For each inscription it is presented the transliteration of the script, the transliteration of the text, the English translation and the philological analysis of the text. The comparative IE study indicates that the Minoan common words have cognates in many ancient IE languages as Hittite, Luwian, Palaic, Sanskrit, Old Persian, and Old Italic and particularly in Latin and Romance languages. The Linear A is a syllabic script, written continue from left to right. It was invented at the end of the 3rd millennium BC or the beginning of the second millennium BC, based on the Egyptian hieroglyphic and the Cretan pictographic scripts. The decipherment of the Linear A
inscriptions was an extremely difficult, frustrating and time consuming task because of the unknown script and language, the continue writing, the difficulties of the syllabic script and the unknown linguistic features and the fact that the tablets contain mostly single words, usually broken. The Minoan inscriptions offer some unique information on the IE, Old Italic and Romance languages and their characteristic linguistic features. Currently, the lexical data collected from the Linear A inscriptions consists in about 350 core vocabulary words pertaining to the family, flora, fauna, topographical features, agriculture, household items, and others. The following sentences provide linguistic evidence of the Indo-European vocabulary and grammatical inflections, such as nominal declension and verbal conjugation. The Italic affiliation of the Linear A language is further supported by the grammatical inflectional system which follows the Latin and Romance pattern as well as by the
onomastic data.
1. KN Za 10, stone libation table (House of the Frescoes)
]-TA-NU-MU-TI � JA-SA-SA-RA-MA-NA � DA-WA-[�]-DU-WA-TO � I-JA [
ASTA NU MUTI. ASA SA RAMANA. DA WADUWA TROISA.
�This, you do not move. So to remain. Gives your widow Troisa�
A-S]�TA �this�, demonstrative pron, nom, f, sg; Latin ista, It. questa; Fr. cette, Catalan aquesta, Cast. esta, Romanian asta
NU MU-TI �you do not move�, verb, imperative, second pers, sg, Latin move, Italian muova, French, Spanish mueve, muda, Portuguese mudar, Romanian muti, negative � nu muta, nu muti; Latin moveo, It muovere, Fr mouvoir, Romanian muta, are, Spanish mover, mudar, Portuguese mover, mudar;
JA-SA �so, thus, as, such as, like this�, adv, It cosi, quindi, come, Romanian asa;
SA RA-MA-NA �to remain�; subj pres, third pers sg, Latin maneat, It rimanga, Sanskrit ramati, Latin maneo, ere, restito, are, Italian rimanere, restare, French rester, Romanian ramane, ere, Spanish restar;
Latin � maneo, ere, Ind. Present maneo, manes, manet, manemus, manetis, manent;
Italian - rimanere, Ind. Present rimango, rimani, rimane, rimaniamo, rimanete, rimangono;
DA �she gives�, verb, ind pres 3rd pers fem sing; Lat dat, Italian da, French elle donne, Spanish
da, Romanian da;
infinitive - Latin do, dare, dedi, datum, Sanskrit dAy, Hittite da, Luwian da, Palaic da, Italian dare, French donner, Spanish dar, Portuguese dar, Galician dar, Catalan donar, Occitan donar, Romanian da, dare;
WA-DU-WA �the widow� noun, nom. fem, sg, definite article - a; *PIE root widhewa, Sanskrit widuwe, Persian bive, bivezan, Latin vidua, Spanish viuda, French veuve, Romanian vaduva.
The first word has only the last syllable of the word running continue with two more words. Therefore it is difficult to appreciate how many words, syllables or letters are not there, if a word is broken or only the sentence, in which proportion, what might be those letters or words and in which language. Other difficulties come from the script rules which introduce some additional vowels and consonants or eliminate others. Every Libation Formula text contains the expression �Asa sa ramana� meaning So to remain or So be it. According to Strong�s Bible concordances the Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek word �amen� might be equated with �so be it�.
2. KN Zf 31, silver pin
] SI [ ] SI-ZA-NE-*310 � DA-DU-MI-NE � QA-MI-*47-NA-RA � A-WA-PI � TE-SU-DE-SE-KE-I � A-DA-RA � TI-DI-TE-QA-TI � TA-SA-ZA � TA-TE-I-KE-ZA-RE � [
SI �.SINZIANELE DA DUMINECA MINUNARA ACVA PITESU DE SEKA. CEI ADORATI DEDICATI �ASA SA [.. RAMANA] TATEI CAESAR [
And�the Sinzianes of Sunday have marveled the river Pitesu to run dry. Those adored dedicated. So to [remain]. To my father Caesar [
SIN-ZIA-NE-[LE] �Sinzianele, Sinzienele, the nimphes, sirens, beauties�, name Sinziana & noun, nom, fem, sg; Romanian Sinziana, pl. Sinziene, Sinzenele, Zina, pl. zine, zinele, nymphs, beautiful girls
DA, DE �of�, adverb; Latin de, Italian di, French de, Spanish da, Romanian de, di, da
DU-MI-NE-QA �Sunday�, noun, acc., fem, sg, Latin dominicus, Italian domenica, French dimanche, Romanian dumineca
MI-NU-NA-RA �they have marveled�, verb, simple perf, 3rd pers, fem, pl; Latin mirificaverunt, Romanian ele minunara;
Infinitive - Latin mirifico, Italian stupisco, French merveille, Spanish preclaro, Romanian minuna, Portuguese maravilha
AQWA, AWA �water�, noun, acc, fem, sg. Latin aqua, Italian acqua, Phrygian akala, Sanskrit awa, Pali awa, Old Persian ava
SEKA �to dry up�, verb, simple perf, 3rd pers sg; Latin sacuit, Italian secce, seccette, French secha, Spanish seco, Romanian de seca, sa sece; Infinitive - Latin sicco, Italian seccere, French secher,
Spanish secar, Romanian seca, secare
KE-I, ACEI �those�, dem. pron, nomin, masc pl.; Latin isti; Italian questi, quei, quei, questo, questi, French celui l�, �a, cela, c', ce, cet, celui l�, Spanish kein, aquello, aquella, estas, aquellos, eso, esos, Portuguese aqueles, Romanian cei
A-DA-RA-TI �adored�, verb, past part, masc, pl; Latin adorantis, Italian adorato, French adore, Spanish adorado, Romanian adorat, adorati; Infinitive - Latin adoro, avi, atum �reverence, admire, esteem�; Italian adorare, Romanian adora, French adorer, Spanish adorer, Portuguese adorar
DI-TE-QA-TI �dedicated�, verb, part, masc, pl; Latin dedicantis, Italian dedicato, French, Spanish, Romanian dedicati, dedicate; Infinitive - Latin dedico, are; dĭco, āvi, ātum, and indīco, dedĭco, no. II. A. al., Corss. Ausspr. 1, 380] meaning to dedicate, consecrate, devote a thing to a deity or person; Lewis & Short; Italian dedicare, French dedier, Spanish, Romanian dedica,
dedicare
TA-TE-I �to my father�, noun, dative, masc sg; A comparative study of the Minoan word for father in other IE languages indicates that it is derived from the IE root *atta and has cognates in Luwian tati, Sanskrit taatas, Hittite attas, Oscan aeda, Old Persian atta, Albanian ate, Romanian tata, while the Latin word pater is derived from another IE root *phater and has cognates in Palaic papa, Latin pater, Umbrian patre, Greek pater, Sanskrit pitaa, Old Persian pedar, Pahlavi pidar, Italian pater, French pere, papa, Spanish padre. All seven family words are IE having cognates in Hittite, Luwian, Sanskrit, Old Persian, Old Italic, Albanian and Romance languages.
On the Linear A clay tablets were found two words for water aqwa and apa, which have cognates in many IE languages, Hittite hapa, Luwian hapi, Palaic hapna, Minoan apa, Sanskrit apas, aapah, ambhas, Pali apa, Avestan ap, apa, Latin aqua, Italian acqua, Sanskrit ambhas, Old Persian ambha, abha, aba, Logudorian abba, Engadine ova, French eau, Spanish agua, Portuguese agua, Catalan aigua, Asturian agua. A comparative study of these words clearly illustrates some dialectal linguistic differentiations resulted as a consequence of the tendency to replace the consonant /k/ with /p/ or /g/, and the consonant /b/ with /p/ or /v/. Based on these consonants differentiations some IE cognates of the word for water can be classified as P-type words as Hittite hapa, Luwian hapi, Palaic hapna, Minoan apa, Sanskrit apas, aapah, Avestan ap, apa, Romanian apa, Qu-type words as Latin aqua and Italian acqua, B-type Sanskrit ambhas, Old Persian ambha, abha, aba, Logudorian abba, Engadine ova, French
eau and Gu-type Spanish agua, Portuguese agua, Catalan aigua, Asturian agua. The Minoan word apa is a p-type word together with Hittite hapa, Luwian hapi, Palaic hapna, Sanskrit apas, aapah, Avestan ap, apa and Romanian apa, while the Latin aqua and Italian acqua are qu-type together with the Phrygian akala and the second Minoan form aqwa. For the first time, the Linear A script and language provides the evidence that the Minoan as the Italic and Celtic languages is affected by a consonantal differentiation based on the sound /k/ and /p/, /k/ and /g/, /b/ and /p/ and /b/ and /v/ which appears to be rather a true linguistic feature than just a Hittite script limitation, as was earlier believed. Hittite script had three pairs of consonants for which had only three signs, b/p, k/g and d/t.
3. IO Za 2, stone libation table;
1: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA � JA-DI-KI-TU � JA-SA-SA-RA [-ME � U-NA-KA-NA-] SI [�] I-PI-NA-MA �
2: SI-RU-TE � TA-NA-RA-TE-U-TI-NU � I-DA-[
A TA-I O VAZA ADIKITU. ASA SA RAMUNA CANA SI PINA MINA SARUTE TANARA TEUTI NU-I DA
�Yours is a vase, namely. So to remain Ana. And until the hand kisses the girl Teuti do not give her�.�
A TA �yours� 2nd pers pron, genitive, masc/fem, sing;
I - from este �is�, aux verb a fi �to be�, ind pres, 3rd pers, fem, sg (este); Latin est, Italian e, French est, Spanish esta, Romanian este, e, ii, i ; Infinitive � Latinsum, esse, fui, Italian essere, French etre, Spanish estar, ser, Romanian a fi, Catalan estar, ser,
O WA-JA � �a vase �� noun, nominative, fem, sg, O - indefinite article, fem sg;
A-DI-KI-TU �that is, namely, at a pinch�, adv;
A-SA �so, thus, as, such as, like this�, adv, It cosi, quindi, come;
SA RA [-ME-U-NA �to remain�; RA-MU-NA, �to remain� dialectal; verb, subj. present, 3rd pers, sing, Latin maneat, Italian rimanga; French reste, Spanish reste, Romanian sa ramana;
Infinitive - Sanskrit ramati, Latin restito, are, Latin maneo, ere �to remain�; It rimanere, restare, French rester; Spanish restar
Latin � maneo, ere, Ind. Present maneo, manes, manet, manemus, manetis, manent;
Italian - rimanere, Ind. Present rimango, rimani,
rimane, rimaniamo, rimanete, rimangono;
CANA �Cana, woman name� or �cup�, �mug�, noun, acc, fem, sg; Latin cana
SI �and� conj.
PI-NA �until�; conj.; Latin etiamtum, Fr jusqu�a, Romanian pina;
MA �me� 1st pers. pron. masc/fem. sing, acc; L. me, Acc. /Abl. me; It. Me; Latin nom. ego, Gen. mei, Dat. mihi, Acc/Abl me;
SI-RU-TE �she kisses�- verb ind. pres. third pers. fem sing; Latin savit, Romanian saruta; infinitive - Latin savior, savire, savitum
TA-NA-RA � �the girl� noun, nominative, fem. Sg, Latin tenera, juvenis;
TE-U-TI � feminine name;
NU � I-DA �do not give her�; verb, imperative 2nd pers sg, negative; Latin da, Italian da, dai, French ne donne pas, Spanish da, Romanian da, nu da; infinitive - Latin do, dare, dedi, datum, It dare; French donner, Galiacian dar, Spanish dar, Portuguese dar, Catalan donar, Romanian da
NU-�no� adv;
I- contracted form of ei, ii �her�, 3rd pers pron, fem, sg, dative, Latin ei, It lui:
The syllable for
the sign *301 was not identified. The symbol seems to be an axe for which the phonetic value of the sign is the syllable TO.
4. PK Za 11, stone libation table
a-b: A-TA-I-*301-WA-E � A-DI-KI-TE-TE-[��]-DA �
b-c: PI-TE-RI � A-KO-A-NE � A-SA-SA-RA-ME �
c: U-NA-RU-KA-NA-TI �
d: I-PI-NA-MI-NA- [ ]-SI-RU-[�] �
ASTA-I O OAIE ADIKITE. T [I] E [ITI] DA
PITRI AKOANEI. ASA SA RAMUNA.
O RUGA NA-TI.
SI PINA MINA [I] SIRUTA�.
This is a sheep. Namely gives it to you
Peter Akoanei. So to remain the prayer. Take it.
And until she kisses the hand...
A TA �yours� 2nd pers pron, genitive, masc/fem, sing;
I - a short form of ESTE � she is�, aux verb a fi �to be�, ind pres, 3rd pers, fem, sg (este); Latin est, Italian e, French est, Spanish esta, Romanian este, e, ii, i ; Infinitive � Latin sum, esse, fui, Italian essere, French etre, Spanish estar, ser, Romanian a fi, Catalan estar, ser,
O �a, one�, indefinite article nom, fem, sg,
WA-E �sheep�, noun, nom, fem, sg, *PIE owis, Luwian hawi, Sanskrit avis, Latin ovis, Romanian oaie, Greek aren, probate;
A-DI-KI-TE �that is, namely, at a pinch�, adv;
TIE �to you� pers pron, masc/fem, dative, sg; Lat tibi, It tuo, tua, Romanian tie, iti, ti;
ITI �to you�, pers pron, masc/fem, dative, sg; Latin tibi
DA �he gives�, verb, ind pres, 3rd pers, masc sg; Lat dat, Italian lui da, French il donne, Spanish el da, Romanian el da; Latin do, dare, dedi, datum, Sanskrit dAy, Hittite da, Luwian da, Palaic da; Italian dare, French donner, Spanish dar, Romanian da
RU-KA
�a prayer�, noun, nom, fem, sg; Latin rogatio, onis, Romanian ruga, Greek peusterios (indicates the use of the sign k for both sounds /k/ and /g/);
NA-[TI] �take it�, verb, imperative, 2nd pers, sg; Latin tene, Italian tiene, French tiens, Spanish ten, Romanian tine, ia, na ; infinitive - Latin tĕnĕo, tenere, tĕnŭi, tentum �to hold, keep, take�; Italian tenere, French tenir, Spanish tener, Romanian tine, lua,
TI �to you�, TI I �to you�, 2nd pers. pron, sg, dative; L. tibi, It. ti, French te, Spanish te; I �and�, conj;
PI-NA �until�; conj; Latin etiamtum, Fr jusqu�a, Romanian pina;
MI-NA �the hand�, noun, definite art a, accusative, fem, sing; Hittite kessera, Luwian immara, Latin manus, Italian mano, Romanian mana, mina, Spanish mano, Sardinian manu;
SI-RU-[TA] �she kisses�, verb, ind pres, 3rd pers sg�; Latin savit, Romanian saruta; infinitive - Latin savior, savire, savitum, Romanian saruta
Pitri Acoanei � masculine name &
family name; Pitri is a dialectal form of the name Petre �Peter�
The comparative philological study of the available Linear A vocabulary reveals the fact that every Minoan word has cognates in many Indo-European languages as the contemporary Hittite, Luwian and Palaic, in Old Persian, Sanskrit and Old Italic. Philological analysis of the lexical data collected from the tablets provide the evidence that the language of the Linear A inscriptions discovered in Crete is a highly inflected Indo-European language of the Italic branch. The Linear A data provide a wealth of new and unsuspected linguistic, historical, economical, social and religious information on the Minoans, who they were, what language did they speak, where they come from, and how extensive was their contribution to the development of the Mediterranean people and civilization. Moreover, the quest for the Minoan language and origins is an integral part of the general quest for the IE geographical homeland and the origin of the IE languages and peoples. The Minoan language displays
numerous lexical, phonological and semantic, connections and grammatical parallels in morphology and syntax with the Latin and Romance languages. In Minoan were conserved the voiceless stops /p/, /t/, /k/ in place of the voiced consonants /b/, /d/ and /g/. The Minoan script does not have the consonant /l/ and in its place used /r/. A particular characteristic, found by the author, in Sumerian, Hittite, Assyrian Aramaic, Phoenician, early Greek, Etruscan, Oscan, Umbrian and Latin inscriptions, is the use of the same symbol for different sounds as [k] for /k/ and /g/, [p] for /p/ and /b/, [y]/ for /i/ and /u/ and [u] for /o/. In the Latin alphabet the symbol [G] was created as a modification of C in the 3rd century BC by Spurius Carvilius Ruga. In addition, Minoan displays some typical proto-language characteristic pair of words in which the velar consonant /k/ was replaced with the labial consonant /p/. However, lexical similarities are backed up by grammatical similarities with
elaborate categories of Indo-European grammar. Particularly, the nominal declension and verbal conjugation conform to the Latin and Romance traditional inflection pattern. Between Minoan and Latin there are numerous similarities in phonetics, morphology and syntax but also some noticeable differences. As in some other Old Italic and Romance languages the Minoan nouns do not have the Old Latin - os or the Classical Latin - us endings. The nominative plural form is based on PIE *-i of pronominal origin, as in Italian and Romanian, which is different than most of the other IE languages ending in *es. The Romance s-plurals (-as, -os, -es) are presently considered deriving from the accusative (PIE *-a:ns, *-ons, *-ens).
The similarities between the core vocabulary of the Minoan, Latin and Romance and particularly between the Minoan and Romanian language appears to be above the statistical coincidence. Phonological and semantic values of the words coupled with common grammatical features are a certain indication that the similarities of the vocabulary are inherited and not borrowings through contact or influence. However, the lexical data from the Linear A inscriptions provides strong linguistic evidence that the Minoans were an IE Italic speaking peoples. Additionally, the onomastic data brings to light a wealth of new and reliable information about Crete and the Minoans which strongly support the linguistic evidence. Vocabulary connections and grammatical inflexions are key elements, which certainly classifies the Minoan as an IE language genetically related to the Italic branch. The Linear A data provide a wealth of new and unsuspected linguistic, historical, economical, social and religious
information on the Minoans, who they were, what language did they speak, where they come from, what was their contribution to the development of the Mediterranean people and civilization. Moreover, the quest for the Minoan language and origins is an integral part of the modern quest for the IE geographical homeland and the origin of the IE languages and peoples.
Regards,
Rodica Elise Darie