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How many distinct signs does Proto-Elamite have?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Does Proto-Elamite record a language?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the inventory is of the order of a thousand or more signs, many rare, as in proto-cuneiformAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The inventory is of the order of a thousand or more signs, many rare, as in proto-cuneiform. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

Every statistical test depends on the sign list. Counts range from Meriggi's 393 to Dahl's 1,434 and CDLI's 1,636 images, and transliteration choices shape what algorithms find⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 3

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

History

  1. Dahl puts forward: the inventory is of the order of a thousand or more signs, many rare, as in proto-cuneiform.
  2. Dahl: about 1,900 non-numerical sign forms are counted, most attested a few times.For: The inventory is of the order of a thousand or more signs, many rare, as in proto-cuneiform.
  3. Born et al. puts forward: a few hundred basic signs, with the rest variants or compounds, carry the system.
  4. Born et al.: clustering and topic models group many signs into recurring families.For: A few hundred basic signs, with the rest variants or compounds, carry the system.
  5. Asked on this site
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