Glossary · Term · script

Linear A

c. 1800–1450 BCE · 19th century BCE

Linear A is the undeciphered script used by the Minoans of Crete for administration and religious inscriptions from about 1800 to 1450 BCE. Written on clay tablets, sealings and stone vessels, it records an unknown language. Many of its signs were adapted by the Mycenaean Greeks to create Linear B, so some sound values can be estimated, but the texts cannot be read.

Linear A
Image: Evans, Arthur, Sir (1851-1941) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 profile

Ancient GreekOrigins

Mentioned in 4 state histories

Palace State of KnossosPalace State of PhaistosPalace State of MaliaPalace State of Zakros

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Linear A. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/linear-a
MLA
“Linear A.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/linear-a. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Linear A.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/linear-a.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Linear A’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/linear-a (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻