Volume VIII - 1954

Author Category Volume Page Year Language Platon N. BOOK REVIEWS 8 143 - 163 1954 Greek Title M. Ventris – J. Chadwick, Evidence for Greek Dialect in the Mycenaean Archives, "Journal of Hellenic Studies" LXXIII (1953), pp. 84-103 – John Chadwick, Greek Records in the Minoan Script, "Antiquity" Νο 108 Dec. 1953, p. 193 ss. – Mich. Ventris, A Note on Decipherment Methods, ibid. p. 200 ss. – Mich. Ventris, King’s Nestor Four-handled Cups, Greek Inventories in the Minoan Script, "Archaeology" Spring 1954 – Carl Blegen, An Inscribed Tablet from Pylos, “Archaeologike Ephemeris”, volume dedicated to G. Oikonomou, pp. 59-62 Summary PDF The problem of reading Minoan script has been placed on a new footing thanks to attempts by Michael Ventris, John Chadwick and Carl Blegen to decipher Linear B tablets from Knossos and Pylos. This serious scholarly undertaking is still in its initial, experimental stage. The article offers a detailed presentation of the course charted by Ventris in applying dechiphering techniques. The main results of attempts made to read the script are summarised, while some reservations are expressed as to the soundness of conclusions drawn. Achievements to date warrant the continuation of research, though there is still no assurance that the problem has been solved.