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How is Cretan Hieroglyphic related to Linear A: parent, sister, or neither?

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

The two scripts overlap for most of their history and share many sign shapes, yet the same administrations kept them apart, which Olivier took as the mark of two distinct scripts⁠[1]. Owens argued for descent from one Prepalatial source, and Ferrara, Valério and Montecchi compared the signs one by one in 2022⁠[2]⁠[3]. The 2024 volume no longer treats the earliest Archanes seals as Linear A, which removes the main argument that Linear A is the older script⁠[4]⁠[5].

Answers 2

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

History

  1. Jean-Pierre Olivier: the two scripts coexist from about 1800 BC in the same palaces and share sign shapes and some sign groups, which fits…For: Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A are sister scripts descended from one Prepalatial Cretan source.
  2. Jean-Pierre Olivier: the scripts run side by side for most of their history rather than one replacing the other, and the Archanes seals are…Against: Linear A developed from Cretan Hieroglyphic by simplification of its signs.
  3. Gareth Alun Owens: the two scripts coexist from about 1800 BC in the same palaces and share sign shapes and some sign groups, which fits…For: Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A are sister scripts descended from one Prepalatial Cretan source.
  4. Silvia Ferrara et al.: the two scripts coexist from about 1800 BC in the same palaces and share sign shapes and some sign groups, which fits…For: Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A are sister scripts descended from one Prepalatial Cretan source.
  5. Matilde Civitillo et al.: the scripts run side by side for most of their history rather than one replacing the other, and the Archanes seals are…Against: Linear A developed from Cretan Hieroglyphic by simplification of its signs.
  6. Wikipedia contributors: the scripts run side by side for most of their history rather than one replacing the other, and the Archanes seals are…Against: Linear A developed from Cretan Hieroglyphic by simplification of its signs.
  7. 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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