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How many distinct signs does the script have?

Asked 31 Oct 2026 by ·2 answers·0·0 following
Two answers, none aheadNone is ahead yet. See what would settle it.

Where it stands

Two answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Two are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet.

Why it matters

Evans listed 135 signs and CHIC 144 in five classes, 96 of them syllabograms⁠[1]⁠[2]. Montecchi, Ferrara and Valério reviewed every sign in 2021 by shared features, complementary distribution and alternation within sign groups, proposed eleven groups of mergers and reassignments, and arrived at about 98 signs, with hapax signs cut from 33 to about 18⁠[3]. Jasink's restoration of excluded seal motifs would push the count the other way, so the inventory is bracketed between roughly 100 and 170 depending on the seal question⁠[4].

Answers 2

Evidence: 1 for
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible

History

  1. Evans: jasink restored more than thirty seal graphs to the sign list, back towards Evans's 135-sign repertoire.For: The script has well over 130 signs, because many seal motifs CHIC excluded are signs.
  2. Jean-Pierre Olivier et al.: a 2021 sign-by-sign review reduces CHIC's 144 signs to about 98 by merging allographs and reassigning a few signs to…For: The script has about 100 distinct signs once allographs are merged, close to the size of the Linear A and B syllabaries.
  3. Anna Margherita Jasink: jasink restored more than thirty seal graphs to the sign list, back towards Evans's 135-sign repertoire.For: The script has well over 130 signs, because many seal motifs CHIC excluded are signs.
  4. Barbara Montecchi et al.: a 2021 sign-by-sign review reduces CHIC's 144 signs to about 98 by merging allographs and reassigning a few signs to…For: The script has about 100 distinct signs once allographs are merged, close to the size of the Linear A and B syllabaries.
  5. Silvia Ferrara: jasink restored more than thirty seal graphs to the sign list, back towards Evans's 135-sign repertoire.For: The script has well over 130 signs, because many seal motifs CHIC excluded are signs.
  6. Session 1: raised the question, proposed two answers, found two results bearing on its answers and worked on one of its sub-questions
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