![]() ![]() Linear B was successfully deciphered 50 years ago by Michael Ventris, a British architect and amateur language enthusiast. Because of the close resemblance, the script on the Mycenaean tablets was dubbed “Linear B.” A prodigy thinks outside the rectilinear box Evidence suggests they directly copied the Minoan method, even using most of the same symbols. Like the Minoans, the Mycenaeans also kept written records on clay tablets. Precisely around the time of the Minoans’ disappearance in the mid 15th century BC, the Mycenaean civilization emerged across the Aegean from Crete, on the Greek mainland. ![]() When famed British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans discovered the tablets in the late 19th century, he called the Minoan script “Linear A” since it appeared to be written in rectilinear fashion. One thing that remains of their lost civilization is their writing system which was preserved on clay tablets. Why and how remains a mystery, though some posit that a volcanic eruption and ensuing tsunamis destroyed the Minoans’ infrastructure and fleet, leading to a breakdown of commerce that triggered their downfall. The Minoans were the first people to develop civilization in Greece, on the island of Crete, but they disappeared quite suddenly in 1450 BC. The story of Linear A is connected to the story of Linear B, and these two scripts are connected to two ancient cultures: the Minoans and the Mycenaeans. Here are six scripts that even the experts haven’t figured out yet! Lost Languages That Are Still A Mystery LINEAR A Illustrations by Teresa Bellón But some codes are harder to crack than others. For scholars, it’s that same curiosity that keeps them focused on deciphering old scripts and lost languages from ancient civilizations. For lovers of language learning, discovery is what keeps us improving our skills. ![]()
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