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Is Cypro-Minoan one script or several?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: cypro-Minoan is a single script; the subgroups reflect writing medium, writer and date, not separate systemsAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. Cypro-Minoan is a single script; the subgroups reflect writing medium, writer and date, not separate systems. leads, with evidence 3 for: supported by its tests. Two are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet.

Why it matters

Every count, statistic and proposed value depends on whether the corpus is pooled. Masson's CM1, CM2 and CM3 split it into three; Ferrara, Valério, Polig and Donnelly, and a 2022 neural test argue for one script whose shapes vary with the medium⁠[1]⁠[2]⁠[3].

Answers 3

Evidence: 3 for
Most likely
Evidence: 1 against
Disputed
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Masson puts forward: cM1, CM2 and CM3 are distinct scripts or distinct adaptations, possibly for different languages.
  2. Ferrara puts forward: cypro-Minoan is a single script; the subgroups reflect writing medium, writer and date, not separate systems.
  3. Ferrara: the three groups are contemporary, share statistical and combinatorial regularities and correlate with the…For: Cypro-Minoan is a single script; the subgroups reflect writing medium, writer and date, not separate systems.
  4. Everson: cM2 is almost entirely the long Enkomi tablets and CM3 the Ugarit texts, so subgroup and medium or place…Against: CM1, CM2 and CM3 are distinct scripts or distinct adaptations, possibly for different languages.
  5. Corazza et al.: an unsupervised network on 2,899 sign images found clusters by support rather than by subgroup.For: Cypro-Minoan is a single script; the subgroups reflect writing medium, writer and date, not separate systems.
  6. Polig & Donnelly: an integrated signary of 88 signs with 278 variants covers the whole corpus.For: Cypro-Minoan is a single script; the subgroups reflect writing medium, writer and date, not separate systems.
  7. Asked on this site
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