Mysteries Department
Sign inRequest access
0

What language does the disc record?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·5 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the disc records the Minoan language also written in Linear AAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Five answers have been proposed. The disc records a language that cannot be identified from one 241-sign text, whatever it is. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Four are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, one is answered.

Why it matters

The disc is the only text in its script. Which language it writes decides whether any reading is possible at all and whether the disc can be used to help read Linear A, or the reverse⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 5

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
Evidence: 2 for
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for, 1 against
Disputed
The disc records an early form of Greek.
Failed a test; not refuted outright
Evidence: 1 against
Disputed

History

  1. Faucounau puts forward: the disc records an early form of Greek.
  2. Duhoux puts forward: the disc records a language that cannot be identified from one 241-sign text, whatever it is.
  3. Duhoux: the find context, the Arkalochori axe parallel and the sign repertoire point to Crete and the Linear A world.For: The disc records the Minoan language also written in Linear A.
  4. Duhoux: the comparanda are later Anatolian hieroglyphs and the reading has not been adopted by Anatolian specialists.Against: The disc records Luwian or another Anatolian language.
  5. Duhoux: faucounau's reading required 88 to 95 signs against about 60, misstated the find context and was internally…Against: The disc records an early form of Greek.
  6. Duhoux: the text is too short for internal statistics to select a language, and the full sign inventory is unknown.For: The disc records a language that cannot be identified from one 241-sign text, whatever it is.
  7. Achterberg et al. puts forward: the disc records Luwian or another Anatolian language.
  8. Achterberg et al.: the 2004 reading produces a continuous letter text.For: The disc records Luwian or another Anatolian language.
  9. Davis puts forward: the disc records the Minoan language also written in Linear A.
  10. Davis: davis's 2018 statistical comparison finds the two scripts treat shared shapes alike.For: The disc records the Minoan language also written in Linear A.
  11. 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