2. Early Writing Systems Cuneiform, early Linear Scripts - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Clst 181SK Ancient Greece and the Origins of Western Culture 2. Early Writing Systems Cuneiform, early Linear Scripts


 
 
 
 
 Origins of the Greek Alphabet Alpha Beta Gamma Delta 
 Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω 
 α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ σ τ θ φ χ ψ ω 



 Origins of 
 the Greek Alphabet: From Phoenician 
 to Greek


 
 Nestor’s cup c. 750 BC Pithikoussai, Italy ΝΕΣΤΟΡΟΣ : ... : ΕΥΠΟΤΟΝ : ΠΟΤΕΡΙΟΝ 
 ΗΟΣΔΑΤΟΔΕΠΙΕΣΙ : ΠΟΤΕΡΙ .. :A ΥΤΙΚΑΚΕΝΟΝ 
 ΗΙΜΕΡΟΣΗΑΙΡΕΣΕΙ : ΚΑΛΛΙΣΤΕΦΑΝΟ : ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΕΣ 
 Νέστορος [ εἰμὶ ] εὔποτ [ ον ] ποτήριο [ ν ]· 
 ὃς δ ’ ἂν τοῦδε π [ ίησι ] ποτηρί [ ου ] αὐτίκα κῆνον 
 ἵμερ [ ος αἱρ ] ήσει καλλιστ [ εφάν ] ου Ἀφροδίτης . 
 Nestor’s cup I am, good to drink from. 
 Whoever drinks this cup empty, straightaway 
 the desire of beautiful-crowned Aphrodite will seize.

A crude typology of writing systems or signaries � � � 1. Logogram (signs= words , hundreds or thousands of signs) 2. Syllabary (signs= syllables , about 70-90 signs) 3. Alphabet (signs= phonemes , about 20-30 signs) � But note that many writing systems are hybrids: cuneiform, for example is a logosyllabary, a syllabary augmented with about 600 logographic signs

Speech and Writing Systems: Speech as a continuous sound wave “I am an elephant” Where are the words , syllables , phonemes ?

Speech and Writing Systems: The problem with phonemes Phoneme (from Apple Dictionary) � A phoneme is a basic unit of a language's phonology, which is combined with other phonemes to form meaningful units such as words or morphemes. The phoneme can be described as "The smallest contrastive linguistic unit which may bring about a change of meaning". In this way the difference in meaning between the English words kill and kiss is a result of the exchange of the phoneme /l/ for the phoneme /s/. http://makingnoiseandhearingthings.com/tag/speech-signal/

Four Early Writing Systems in the West 1. Cuneiform: Sumeria, Akkadia, Assyria, Babylonia 2. Linear A: Minoan (Crete) 3. Linear B: Mycenean (mainland Greece) 4. West Semitic: Phoenician

Cuneiform (latin cuneus , wedge)


 � The earliest writing system in the West � � � Mesopotamia � � � � � • Sumerian empire • Akkadian empire • Assyrian empire • Babylonian empire

Cuneiform - development

Cuneiform clay tablets and stylus

Palace at Nimrud (Ashurnasirpal II) � (Assyria)

Early Cuneiform

Early Cuneiform BM 116730

Linear A (Crete: Minoan Civilization)

Crete and the Minoan Civilizaiton: Trade Routes

Crete and the Minoans: the palace at Knossos/Cnossos

Knossos – aerial view

Knossos – grand staircase

Knossos - Throne room

King / Priest

Queen’s room

Blue Ladies

Knossos - pithoi

Knossos - pithos

Linear A – Palace of Minos, Knossos, Crete

Linear A – Hagia Triada, Crete