Linear B Tablets Flashcards
What is the other tablet called ? Why is it not useful.
Linear A, is yet to be deciphered
Where were the Linear B tablets found?
Pylos and even more at Knossos
- over 1,000 found at Plyos with more at Knossos
What are the Linear B tablets made out of?
Damp clay which records where written with a sharpened tool and then hardened in the sun
How did the tablets survive for so long?!
- Entirely down to luck as they should of only lasted around 7 months
- However archaeologist were able to find evidence of large fires at the sites meaning the tablets were baked as if in a kiln and became very hard
Why are they important?
Give us a snapshot as to what life was like at the time
What are the two main types of symbols used in the Linear B tablets?
Syllables ( parts of a word sounded as a single unit)
And
Ideograms (pictures that represented what the item looked like)
What could ideograms represent?
Animals or objects
They sometimes add to the reading of a word
What is the dating on the linear AB’s
13th century BC
What was the function of the linear Bs?
Most list objects and are probably records or items in a palace or a list of transaction
How do they shed light on the development of the Greek language?
- Mention serval gods like Zeus and Poseidon
- Female versions as well showing some but not all aspects of the Mycenaeans lasted into later times
Words like gold in Greek ‘chrusos’ appear but instead it’s ‘kuruso’
What do the Linear B tablets tell us about the Mycenaean society?
There was a hierarchical system and details how a city was run(only some Linear B tablets tell us this) :
-With a wanax (king) at the top which also adds to how the palace was at the top of Mycenae and a Lawagetas bellow him
-tells us of landowners who owned slaves
- tablets detail military organisation with one calling for 42 bronze tipped spears
- tells us of agricultural and food production in Mycenaean times with one calling for the delivery of 518 litres of oil with figs, wheat and barley also being mentioned
How would the information on a tablet be transferred ?
Initially recorded onto a small piece of clay around 3cm in length
Then transferred to a larger thin horizontal tablet known as a lead tablet measuring 30cm in length
What is one tablet from Knossos which gives us a lot of info ?
Mentions 420 vines and storage of 14k litres of wine
How do the Linear B tablets shed light on the hierarchical system of Mycenaean times ?
- chieftain or Wanax at the top
- corresponds to the word ‘anax’ meaning lord
- he had royal lands and special garments - beneath him was an official called a lawagetas and was most likely a military figure
- The noble class known as the Hequetai who perhaps followers of the file in war
How to the Tablets shed light on the workers ?
- mention of female religious workers and women who ground corn and produced flax
- waitresses and bath attendants
- however they are often mentioned as being foreign suggesting they were slaves
- mentions of musicians, sweeper and bakers
