Heraklion Archaeological Museum - CollectiveAccess System : Tablets : Clay inscribed disc in Cretan Hieroglyphic [Π-Ν1269]

Clay inscribed disc in Cretan Hieroglyphic

Π-Ν1269

Clay

Intact

Maximum height: 4.3 cm. Maximum width: 4.4 cm.

Knossos

Palace of Knossos, West Wing, "Hieroglyphic Deposit"

Middle Bronze Age. Protopalatial period, Middle Minoan II period.:

1800-1700 BC:

Gallery:

III

Case:

Exhibition thematic unit:

Middle Bronze Age - Protopalatial period (1900-1700 BC). The First Palaces. The emergence of palatial societies

Writing and economic administration

Description

Clay medallion with inscriptions in Cretan Hieroglyphic on both sides, arranged in two rows. Cretan Hieroglyphic appears in the mature Protopalatial period, in the 18th century BC, and was used alongside Linear A until the beginning of the Neopalatial period. Although it remains undeciphered, we know that most of its signs were syllabograms, phonetically representing syllables. Some symbols were used as logograms, representing commodities such as wine, wheat, olives and textiles. Others corresponded to a decimal numerical system, standard units of measurement and their subdivisions. Medallions and roundels were used for brief records, as were crescent-shaped sealings. This medallion mentions the number 32 with reference to an unknown commodity.

Bibliography:

Olivier, J-.P. and L. Godart. Corpus Hieroglyphicarum Inscriptionum Cretae. ?tudes Cr?toises 31. Paris, 1996, 94-95 (#043).

Author:

G. F.

Photographs' metadata