# Does Proto-Elamite record a language? · Proto-Elamite and Linear Elamite > Three answers have been proposed. Proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P9270104G/does-proto-elamite-record-a-language Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:29+00:00 --- **0** # Does Proto-Elamite record a language? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·3 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Three answers have been proposed. Proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions… leads, with evidence 3 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Proto-Elamite is the earliest writing of Iran. If its non-numerical signs encode speech, it is an independent or early-derived script and can in principle be read; if they are an accounting notation for commodities, people and institutions, "decipherment" means recovering the bookkeeping, not a language⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8SNJ39HC/proto-elamite-script)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8TMT13PK/proto-elamite-proto-elamite-writing-and-society-in-early). ## Answers 3 [**Proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-elamite/answers/ANS0D1P96KM2FPS/proto-elamite-is-an-administrative-notation-recording) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 3 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-elamite/answers/ANS0D1P97JW56WH/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Proto-Elamite writes a language, probably early Elamite, with logograms and some syllabic signs.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-elamite/answers/ANS0D1P96406PD9/proto-elamite-writes-a-language-probably-early-elamite-with) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 1989[Damerow & Englund: the numeral systems are fully understood and the content of many tablets (animals, workers, rations) can be…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8SXC5Q5F/the-proto-elamite-texts-from-tepe-yahya)For: Proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions… 1. 2002[Dahl: most of the roughly 1,900 non-numerical sign forms occur only a few times, unlike a phonetic inventory.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8VM24MNV/proto-elamite-sign-frequencies)For: Proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions… 1. 2022[Desset et al. puts forward: proto-Elamite writes a language, probably early Elamite, with logograms and some syllabic signs.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8MSA3TW6/the-decipherment-of-linear-elamite-writing) 1. 2022[Desset et al.: desset argues Linear Elamite descends from Proto-Elamite, which would imply phonetic use of the earlier signs.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8MSA3TW6/the-decipherment-of-linear-elamite-writing)For: Proto-Elamite writes a language, probably early Elamite, with logograms and some syllabic signs. 1. 2023[Born et al.: numeral magnitude correlates with tablet content, which fits an accounting system organised by commodity.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D1P8VC87RN1/disambiguating-numeral-sequences-to-decipher-ancient)For: Proto-Elamite is an administrative notation recording quantities, commodities, persons and institutions… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P9270104G/does-proto-elamite-record-a-language%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P9270104G/does-proto-elamite-record-a-language%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P9270104G/does-proto-elamite-record-a-language%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P9270104G/does-proto-elamite-record-a-language%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P9270104G/does-proto-elamite-record-a-language%23add-source) Where it fits Proto-Elamite and Linear Elamite **Does Proto-Elamite record a language?** Key question · you're here [How many distinct signs does Proto-Elamite have?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P92YE69E3/how-many-distinct-signs-does-proto-elamite-have)Most likely · the inventory is of the order of a thousand or more signs, many rare, as in proto-cuneiform [Is Linear Elamite a descendant of Proto-Elamite?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/proto-elamite/questions/QST0D1P92ET6QY3/is-linear-elamite-a-descendant-of-proto-elamite)Most likely · linear Elamite developed from Proto-Elamite in a continuous tradition [ Ask a question under this one ]