Linear Combinations by Richard Sproat

Introduction

The script Linear B was used to write Mycenean Greek around the 15th century BCE. Linear B tablets, all of which were accounting records, have been found both on Crete and at various Mycenaean sites on the Greek mainland.

Linear B is not well suited for writing Greek; it is an adaptation of another script (Linear A) that was used to write a language about which very little is known. Linear A/B did not distinguish \(/l/\) and \(/r/\), nor did it have a way to distinguish similar triples of sounds like \(/ba/\) \(/pa/\) and \(/p^{h}a/\) (which were distinct sounds in Greek) and apparently could only be used to write sequences of vowel (V) or consonant-vowel (CV) syllables so that a syllable in a Greek word like \(k^hrusos\) gold had to be broken up as something like ku-ru-so. The subscript \(h\) indicates aspiration.

The Problem

Decipher a portion of the Linear B symbol set.

The map below shows the approximate locations of a number of ancient Cretan towns: the spellings reflect their probable pronunciation in Mycenean Greek (not their pronunciation in Modern Greek). We do not know the location of Kuprios; also Tulisos and Kunari are two different places. Most of these names have stayed more or less the same until the present day. However one of the names on the map (a distractor) is not written using the pronunciation that was used in Mycenaean times.

The Questions

1. Complete the table below. The list of cities on the map is repeated below:
   Kudonia, Aptarwa, Amnisos, Knossos, Tulisos, Kunari, Phaistos, Luktos, Utanos, Kuprios

   	Linear B	Pronunciation
   1
   2
   3
   4
   5
   6
   7
   8
   9
   10

2. Identify the Linear B spelling for the distractor city that is pronounced differently as mentioned above. What is the approximate Mycenaean pronunciation, given the Linear B spelling? Since one of the symbols only occurs in that name, the hint is that symbol represents ja (pronounced ya). If you solve the other nine, you can read the distractor name as well.

3. Complete the following table:

   	Linear B	Pronunciation
   1
   2
   3
   4
   5
   6
   7
   8
   9
   10
   11
   12
   13
   14
   15
   16
   17
   18
   19
   20
   21

4. What are the likely pronunciations of the following words:

   	Linear B	English	Pronunciation
   1		girl
   2		all
   3		this
   4		cumin
   5		linen

Acknowledgements

Original puzzle by Richard Sproat for NACLO 2009 (N2009-H).