Linear B - Homeric World

What are Linear B tablets ?

Inscribed clay tablets

Where were they found

• Found in palaces of Pylos, Knossos

• Over 1,000 tablets have been found at Pylos and even more at Knossos.

• Many tablets were kept in a special room, perhaps an archive room.

How many sets of handwriting did scholars identify ?

Over 100 different sets of handwriting at Knossos - large portion was literate perhaps ?

Why were Linear B tablets temporary ?

• records were written on pieces of damp clay.

• these pieces were left to harden in the sun.

• after a few months, they will take on moisture and crumble.

How did we acquire Linear B tablets then ?

• the sites that had tablets all suffered major fires

  • tablets were baked and preserved.

What did these tablets usually capture ?

• a moment in time since they would crumble away after a few months.

• Most date to the end of the Mycenaean period

How were these tablets used and created.

• Notes and details inscribed on a slab of clay in the palm of hand

  • small - sometimes only 3cm in length

• information then transferred to larger horizontal slab called a leaf tablet ( 30cm )

Syllabic - syllables

• symbols for each vowel ( A,E,I,O,U)

• symbol for each consonant together with a vowel. ( D,J,K,M,N,P,Q,R,S,T,W,Z )

Ideogram

• pictures that represent what each item looked like.

• These pictures represent a whole word.

• 2x horizontal line across = male animal

• 1 + vertical line down = female animal

Need to know : Tripod in syllabic and ideogram forms in Linear B ( tablet 641 )

Date : 13th century BC

Location : Archive room, palace of Pylos

Material : Clay

Significance : shows syllabic and ideogram of same word.

Why are these tablets significant ?

• no existing literature of this period.

• learn about aspects of city life.

• Explain how Greek language developed ( e.g. Linear B ‘Kuroso’ ( gold ) became ‘Chrusos’ in Greek )

• Some English words derive from Linear B (Parmako - pharmacy )

• Before Linear B was deciphered, it was believed that Greek language wiped out Mycenaean language.

Agriculture and food production

• tablet from Knossos tells us about wine production

  • 420 vines and storage for 14,000 litres of wine.

• another tablet records delivery of 518 litres of oil by Kolakas to Eumedes

• presence of an official in charge of honey production and honey usage in offerings.

• Spices - saffron, coriander is documented.

Animals

• some plough oxen are named - Dusky, Dapple, Whitefoot.

• Horses are listed as military equipment

• Goats and pigs appear.

What is the chieftain/king called ?

• Chieftain/King called ‘Wanax’ in each society

  • ‘Anax’ means ‘Lord in Homeric Greek

  • word disappears in later Greek language, might have been exclusive to Mycenaean period.

What did the Wanax have ?

the Wanax has royal lands, special purple garments and freedom from taxation.

Who were beneath the Wanax ?

• officials called ‘Iawageta’

  • estate at Pylos was third the size of the Wanax’s

• might have been a military figure

  • similarities to later Greek words.

Who were the noble class ?

The Hequatai

• landowners who had slaves

beneath the Hequatai were the working class

Workers and working class

• Female religious workers

• Female workers who ground corn, spun wool and produced flax

• Many suggested have come from other parts of the world

  • implication of slavery.

• Headband maker for horses, musicians, sweepers, bakers, fire kindler, perfume makers, stone masons…

Military supplies

• Tablets at Knossos - 42 bronze pointed spears

• Tablets at Pylos - officials provided bronze for spears, arrows and ships

  • great focus on producing in case of an attack.

• Chariots and chariot parts often mentioned :

  • Pylos has 117 pairs of wheels

• Tablets from pylos :

  • 600 rowers

  • 800 coastal watchmen

  • suggests a major invasion was feared.

Offerings to the gods

Tablets show several names of Olympian Gods :

• Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Hera

• also female names for them - Diwia ( female Zeus ), Posidaia ( female Poseidon )

• Offerings to gods only mentioned in one tablet

  • tablets not used for sacrifices

• Gold items given as offerings to shrine of Zeus

• Many scholars believe that 2 men and 8 women were mentioned as offerings

  • indicating human sacrifice ?

    • controversial