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Is Linear Elamite a descendant of Proto-Elamite?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Does Proto-Elamite record a language?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: linear Elamite developed from Proto-Elamite in a continuous traditionAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. Linear Elamite developed from Proto-Elamite in a continuous tradition. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

Desset's claim that one script grew into the other would make south-western Iran the home of a phonetic script with roots before 3000 BC. Dahl and Kelley reply that the resemblances are borrowings across an 800-year gap⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 3

Evidence: 2 for
Most likely
Evidence: 2 for
Still possible
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Dahl puts forward: linear Elamite scribes imitated Proto-Elamite signs after a break, so the resemblance is archaising, not…
  2. Dahl: linear Elamite sign forms are unstandardised and may include pseudo-glyphs, as expected of a script with few…For: Linear Elamite scribes imitated Proto-Elamite signs after a break, so the resemblance is archaising, not…
  3. Mäder: 50.5 per cent of sign forms are identical and 16.8 per cent similar between the two scripts; seven…For: Linear Elamite developed from Proto-Elamite in a continuous tradition.
  4. Desset et al. puts forward: linear Elamite developed from Proto-Elamite in a continuous tradition.
  5. Lawler: about 800 years separate the two corpora.For: Linear Elamite scribes imitated Proto-Elamite signs after a break, so the resemblance is archaising, not…
  6. Asked on this site
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