×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Monday
14
Jul 2025
weather symbol
Athens 27°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Culture

“Rosetta Stone” of the internet could help researchers finally solve puzzle of ancient Minoan language

"It’s an extraordinary piece of detective work"

Newsroom August 5 10:41

Huge strides have been made towards deciphering a ‘mysterious’ Greek script that could transform our knowledge of a Bronze Age civilization.

Known as Linear A, the ancient script from Crete appears on some 1,400 inscriptions, most of which are on clay tablets dating back to c1800-1450 BC, during the island’s flourishing Minoan era. A later prehistoric Greek script called Linear B was cracked in the 1950s – but Linear A has continued to elude scholars.

The Minoans were a Bronze Age civilization based on Crete and other islands in the Aegean Sea. Named after the legendary King Minos, this lost civilization was one of Europe’s first urban societies. Ruled from vast palaces, its people were accomplished artists and maritime traders, but their civilization fell into decline after a devastating volcanic eruption on the nearby island of Thera.

See Also:

Archaeology: 20-million-year-old fossilized tree found in Greece

>Related articles

Kylie Jenner’s new photos from her vacation on the Greek islands – Posing in her bikini on a yacht

Brother of the King of Saudi Arabia in Greece – Aegean vacation on an ultra-luxurious yacht with a 100-person entourage

“Homeland of ancient gods — that’s where we drew inspiration from” – Jordan praises Greece – What happened at Nike’s dinner in Kavouri, with video and photos

Now Dr Ester Salgarella, Junior Research Fellow in Classics at St John’s College, Cambridge, has shed fresh light on the Minoan Linear A script and proved a close genetic link to Linear B, which appeared 50-150 years later in mainland Greece and Crete, c1400-1200 BC. Her research, which has been hailed as ‘an extraordinary piece of detective work,’ could provide the key for linguists to unlock the secrets of the Minoan language – and learn more about its society and culture.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach using evidence from linguistics, inscriptions, archaeology and palaeography (the study of the handwriting of ancient scripts), Dr Salgarella examined the two scripts in socio-historical context. To compare them more easily, she has created an online resource of individual signs and inscriptions called SigLA – The Signs of Linear A: a paleographic database.

Read more: joh

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#ancient greece#ancient language#archaeology#civilization#culture#greece#history#language#Minoan civilisation#world
> More Culture

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Kylie Jenner’s new photos from her vacation on the Greek islands – Posing in her bikini on a yacht

July 13, 2025

Athina Onassis is merging from the shadows – Rare public appearance in red gown with deep neckline in Paris – Photos

July 13, 2025

Brother of the King of Saudi Arabia in Greece – Aegean vacation on an ultra-luxurious yacht with a 100-person entourage

July 13, 2025

Fire near homes in Aliveri: Emergency alert issued for evacuation of two settlements, flames entered yards

July 13, 2025

September 1921, Afyon Karahisar: The last Greek victory in Asia Minor

July 13, 2025

“Homeland of ancient gods — that’s where we drew inspiration from” – Jordan praises Greece – What happened at Nike’s dinner in Kavouri, with video and photos

July 13, 2025

Eirini Mourtzoukou: “She is taking the responsibility that corresponds to her,” said her lawyer – To be transferred to Korydallos Prison tomorrow

July 13, 2025

Libya: With a Note Verbale to the UN, it directly challenges the median line set by Greece – See maps

July 13, 2025
All News

> Lifestyle

Kylie Jenner’s new photos from her vacation on the Greek islands – Posing in her bikini on a yacht

"Greece," she wrote, captioning her post with a blue heart

July 13, 2025

Athina Onassis is merging from the shadows – Rare public appearance in red gown with deep neckline in Paris – Photos

July 13, 2025

Kylie Jenner on Vacation in Kefalonia – Watch the video

July 12, 2025

Nicole Kidman continues her vacation in Paxos with her sister and nieces – See photos

July 11, 2025

Lauren Sanchez: Did she manipulate her wedding dress photos with Jeff Bezos – “How many thumbs do you have?” She was asked on social media

July 11, 2025
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2025 Πρώτο Θέμα