Life In The Mycenean Age : Linear B Tablets Flashcards
What were Linear-B tablets
Pieces of clay on which written records have been inscribed with a sharpened tool.
Where were Linear-B tablets found
They were found at palace sites (kept in an archive room)
Where are the tablets intended to be long-lasting
No, the tablets would start off as damp clay. They would harden in the sun. After several months, the moisture in the air would cause the tablets to crack and crumble.
Why did the tablets survive
They survived because when the Dorians burn down the Mycenaean palaces the tablets were baked as if in a kiln
What is Linear A
An older form of writing which has not been deciphered
Why are the tablets important
They show aspects of Mycenaean life including how cities were run, where workers came from, agriculture and food production, how the Greek language developed, military equipment, and Mycenean religious beliefs, including female identifies of Zeus (Diwia) and Poseidon (Posidaia). Farm animals are also named.
What were the two symbols used in Linear-B tablets
Ideograms – pictures representing what the item looked like. The ideograms were so detailed that two extra lines would differentiate between a male animal and female.
Symbols – for each vowel and consonant
There were separate symbols for numbers, weights and measurements.
What do most tablets show
Lists of objects and transactions
How has Linear-B language adapted
It was adapted into Greek language in and is also the root of many words in English
What does one tablet from Pylos mention
800 coastal watchman indicating that an invasion by sea was feared. This indicated that tablets were also used for military planning and warfare
What does the word ‘Wanax’ mean and what did correspond to
It meant king and corresponded to Homer’s use of ‘anax’ meaning lord
What offerings to Gods were listed on the tablets
Gold items and honey. On one tablet it was believed that a two men and eight women were sacrificed to Zeus, Hermes and Hera 
What happened to Linear-B language
Around 1200 BCE the Linear-B language slowly diminished and disappeared by 1100 BCE when the dark ages began. Afterwards, a new form of language appeared which was the Greek alphabet
