Mysteries Department
Sign inRequest access
0

How much of Meroitic can be translated?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·3 answers·0·0 following
Answered: Funerary formulae, names, titles, places and a few dozen words are understood; long royal and narrative texts…Passed its tests and review.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. Funerary formulae, names, titles, places and a few dozen words are understood; long royal and narrative texts… leads, with evidence 2 for: supported by its tests. Two are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, one is answered.

Why it matters

Meroitic is often described as deciphered, which is true of the script and not of the language. The site should say exactly what can be translated and what is a guess⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 3

Evidence: 2 for
Most likely
Evidence: none yet
Disputed
None of these.
Failed a test; not refuted outright
Evidence: none yet
Disputed

History

  1. Rilly & de Voogt puts forward: funerary formulae, names, titles, places and a few dozen words are understood; long royal and narrative texts…
  2. Rilly & de Voogt: griffith's understood vocabulary was limited to names of people and gods, titles and places; later progress…For: Funerary formulae, names, titles, places and a few dozen words are understood; long royal and narrative texts…
  3. University of Chicago: nominal syntax is well understood; verbal morphology is in its infancy.For: Funerary formulae, names, titles, places and a few dozen words are understood; long royal and narrative texts…
  4. Asked on this site
Add evidence
1What it bears on2What you found3Where it comes from
Which answer?
Does it count for or against it?
In a sentence, what did you find?
What you found optional
Where it comes from optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Propose an answer
Your answer, in a sentence
What would rule it out? optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Ask a sub-question
Your question
Why it would help optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Add a source
The source
What it shows about this question optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.

Discussion 0

Add to the discussion