Minoan Linear A symbols deciphered

Until now, our understanding of the writing and numerical systems used by the Minoan civilization in Crete was limited. However, for the first time, researchers have successfully deciphered the fractions of Linear A.

The Minoan civilization, which thrived in Crete 3,500 years ago, remains largely a mystery. Today, the grand palaces of Knossos serve as a testament to this early civilization, the first of its kind on European soil. The Minoans, with their formidable fleet, held sway over the eastern Mediterranean. They were a formidable trading power and they even used two writing systems, hieroglyphics and Linear A.

Deciphering this script has been challenging due to the scarcity of artifacts. Nonetheless, it is believed to be syllabic, similar to Linear B, which was used for Mycenaean Greek during that era. We know of 70 such syllabograms, 100 symbols for specific words, and numerous numerical symbols, suggesting that the Minoans carried out complex mathematical calculations.

A script full of enigmas

Researchers from the University of Bologna have discovered that the Minoans likely used a decimal system for trade and administration. Tens were represented by horizontal lines or dots, hundreds by circles, and thousands by circles with lines on either side. Interestingly, the Minoans also used decimal fractions for their calculations and to denote quantities.

“Linear A contains 17 symbols that clearly represent fractions,” reports Michele Coracza and his team from the University of Bologna. These decimal fractions were symbolized by triangular or semicircular figures filled with one or more dots. While this was already known, the correlation between the symbols and specific fractions remained elusive. The surviving clay tablets are often fragmented, and the symbol-fraction correspondences also appear to have evolved over time.

A unique symbol for each fraction

Eventually, the Bologna researchers managed to decipher the mathematical values of these symbols by integrating methods from linguistics, mathematics, and archaeology and comparing their findings with the corresponding symbols of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The team began with the hypothesis that the most common fraction was division by two, or ½. “This is because any fraction greater than ½ can be expressed as 1/2 + x,” explains Michele Koracha. Based on this assumption, the researchers calculated the various combinations and frequencies of fractions.

The team compiled a table categorizing all possible symbols of Linear A fractions into specific numerical values. This table has been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science. On the table, one can observe semicircular symbols, each with an increasing number of lines representing fractions such as ¼, 1/5, 1/20, 1/30, and so forth.

The symbol for 1/10 bears a resemblance to our letter T. Symbols have been identified for fractions up to 1/60. However, the fraction most frequently found on clay tablets is 1/2, which is similar to our letter J. The researchers from Bologna are hopeful that the combinatorial method they utilized will eventually pave the way for deciphering the entirety of the mysterious Linear A.

Information sourced from Deutsche Welle