Did the Minoans’ Linear A Come From Egyptian Hieroglyphics?

A Minoan Linear A inscription connected a clay tablet from Crete, astir apt 15th period BC. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Zde CC BY 4.0

There are tons of things astir the past Minoan civilization that scholars proceed to debate. One of the mysteries surrounding this civilization is the publication that they used, Linear A. While galore things astir this publication are already good understood, scholars inactive statement erstwhile it came from, 1 thought being that Linear A came from Egyptian hieroglyphics. Does the grounds truly enactment this theory?

What we cognize astir Linear A

To statesman our investigation, it is worthy providing an overview of the basal facts astir Linear A that we bash decidedly know. It archetypal appeared astir 1800 BC connected Crete, the location of the Minoans. It fell retired of usage successful c. 1450 BC erstwhile the Mycenaeans conquered Greece.

Significantly, Linear A was not the archetypal penning strategy to make connected Crete. Predating it by respective centuries was a penning strategy known arsenic Cretan hieroglyphics. This archetypal appeared successful astir 2000 BC and disappeared astir 1700 BC.

We besides cognize that the connection which Linear A was utilized to constitute was not Greek, Egyptian, oregon immoderate connection related to those two. It was the connection of the Minoans, which is inactive undeciphered but bears nary evident similarities to known languages.

Does the root of Linear A prevarication with hieroglyphics?

Based connected the accusation that we have, is determination immoderate ground for the thought that Linear A of the Minoans mightiness person travel from Egyptian hieroglyphics? The archetypal important information to see is that Cretan hieroglyphics demonstrably came earlier Linear A.

This leads to the logical proposition that the younger publication whitethorn person evolved from the older script, arsenic suggested by Sir Arthur Evans. Does the grounds truly carnivore this out?

In part, the reply is yes. About 20 percent of the symbols successful Linear A tin beryllium straight associated with symbols successful Cretan hieroglyphics. This demonstrates that Linear A did come, astatine slightest partially, from that hieroglyphic script.

Of course, the grounds is wide that 1 did not dilatory and people germinate into the other. The differences are stark and are determination from the opening of Linear A. It was evidently a conscious adaptation. Nonetheless, the constituent that Linear A is mostly derived from Cretan hieroglyphics inactive stands.

The root of Linear A successful Egyptian hieroglyphics

With this information successful mind, what tin we accidental astir a imaginable transportation betwixt Linear A and Egyptian hieroglyphics? Was the second the root of Cretan hieroglyphics, thereby making them, by extension, the root of Linear A?

As we saw before, Cretan hieroglyphics archetypal appeared successful c. 2000 BC. At this time, determination were beardown connections betwixt the Minoan civilization and Egypt. This lends credence to the thought that the archetypal publication of the Minoans came from that country.

A examination of the symbols utilized successful some hieroglyphic scripts shows that 1 did not germinate into the other. Nonetheless, determination is bully crushed to judge that Egyptian hieroglyphics were the nonstop inspiration for Cretan hieroglyphics, and frankincense partially liable for Linear A.

Like Egyptian hieroglyphics, Cretan hieroglyphics uses symbols which are fundamentally adjacent successful size, careless of the existent size of the entity being represented. Both scripts mostly bash not person the symbols interaction each different to make greater meaning. They besides some person the symbols each look the aforesaid absorption connected immoderate fixed line.

While it is wide that the Minoans created their ain symbols, the similarities betwixt some penning systems are beardown capable to suggest that the Minoans did instrumentality nonstop inspiration from the Egyptians.

Hence, though Linear A did not straight evolve from Egyptian hieroglyphics, its root tin apt beryllium traced backmost to them.