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IMAGINING CRETAN SCRIPTS: THE INFLUENCE OF VISUAL MOTIFS ON THE CREATION OF SCRIPT-SIGNS IN BRONZE AGE CRETE
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 September 2021
Abstract
What's in a sign? What is there to be ‘seen’ in a sign? This paper sets out to explore the sources and processes of sign creation in the scripts of the Bronze Age Aegean, namely Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A, in use on Crete from c. 1900–1600 bce (Middle Minoan IB/II–Middle Minoan III) and c. 1800–1450 bce (Middle Minoan IIA–Late Minoan IB) respectively. Linear B, developed out of Linear A to write Greek (c. 1450–1190 bce), will also be touched upon where relevant. By investigating contemporary iconographic production and putting forward a methodological framework for the analysis and interpretation of visual motifs, a theory will be tentatively proposed for understanding the process(es) of selection of sign shapes, their incorporation into a script as script-signs and their transmission from one script onto a graphically related one. The underlying research questions leading this enquiry are the following: how did ‘images’ find their way into script(s) to become ‘signs’ in the Aegean context? Are we able to reconstruct such a process to shed light on the origin of script-signs?
(Απ)εικονίζοντας τις Κρητικές γραφές: η επιρροή εικονογραφικών μοτίβων στη δημιουργία σημείων γραφής στην Εποχή του Χαλκού στην Κρήτη
Πως διαμορφώνεται ένα σημείο γραφής; Τι μπορεί κάποιος να «δει» σε ένα σημείο γραφής; H παρούσα μελέτη προσπαθεί να διερευνήσει τις πηγές έμπνευσης και τις διαδικασίες δημιουργίας σημείων στις γραφές της Εποχής του Χαλκού στο Αιγαίο, συγκεκριμένα της Κρητικής Ιερογλυφικής και της Γραμμικής Α, που χρησιμοποιούνται στην Κρήτη περίπου από το 1900 μέχρι το 1600 π.Χ. (MM IB/II–MM III) και από το 1800 μέχρι το 1450 π.Χ. (MM IIA–ΥΜ IB) αντίστοιχα. Η Γραμμική Β, που αναπτύχθηκε από τη Γραμμική Α, για να γράψει Ελληνικά (σε χρήση περίπου από το 1450 μέχρι το 1190 π.Χ.), θα συζητηθεί επίσης όπου χρειάζεται. Εξετάζοντας την εικονογραφία της εποχής και παρουσιάζοντας ένα μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο για την ανάλυση και την ερμηνεία μοτίβων προτείνεται – με επιφύλαξη – μια θεωρία για την κατανόηση των διαδικασιών επιλογής των σχημάτων των σημείων, της ενσωμάτωσής τους σε ένα σύστημα γραφής και της μετάδοσής τους σε ένα άλλο σύστημα σχηματικά συγγενικό με το προηγούμενο. Τα βασικά ερωτήματα που προσπαθεί η μελέτη αυτή να απαντήσει είναι τα εξής: πώς έγιναν οι «εικόνες/μοτίβα» σημεία γραφής στο Αιγαίο της Εποχής του Χαλκού; Μπορούμε να ανακατασκευάσουμε μια τέτοια διαδικασία προκειμένου να φωτίσουμε την προέλευση των σημείων γραφής;
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