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{{Short description|Inscribed clay disc found in Crete, Greece}}
]
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2023|cs1-dates=ly}}
{{History of printing}}
{{Infobox artifact
The '''Phaistos Disc''' ('''Phaistos Disk''', '''Phaestos Disc''') is a curious archaeological find, likely dating to the middle or late ] ] (]). Its purpose and meaning, and even its original geographical place of manufacture, remain disputed, making it one of the most famous mysteries of ]. This unique object is now on display at the ] of ] in ], ].
|name = Phaistos Disc
|image = {{Photomontage|photo1a=Phaistos Disc - Side A - 6380 - crop1.jpg|photo2a=Phaistos Disc - Side B - 6381 - crop1.jpg|size=220|position=center|color=#FFFFFF|color_border=#FFFFFF|spacing=2|border=0}}
|image_caption = Phaistos Disc, side A (top) and side B (bottom)
|material = ]
|created = ]
|discovered_date= July 3, 1908
|discovered_place=], ], ]
|discovered_by = ]
|location = ], ], ]
}}
{{ SpecialChars
| compact =
| special = ]
| fix = Help:Multilingual_support#Phaistos Disc
| characters = ]
}}
]]]
The '''Phaistos Disc''', or '''Phaistos Disk''', is a disk of fired ] from the island of ], ], possibly from the middle or late ] ] (]), bearing a text in an unknown script and language. Its purpose and its original place of manufacture remain disputed. It is now on display at the ] of ]. The name is sometimes spelled '''Phaestos''' or '''Festos'''.


The disk was discovered in 1908 by the Italian archaeologist ] during the excavation of the ] of ].<ref name=evans1909/> The disk is about {{convert|15|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter and is covered on each side with a spiral text, consisting of a total of 241 occurrences of 45 distinct signs, which were created by pressing individual sign stamps onto the soft clay before firing. While its unique features initially led some scholars to suspect a ] or ], the disk is now generally accepted by archaeologists as authentic.
==Discovery==
The Phaistos Disc was discovered in the ] palace-site of ], near ], on the south coast of ];<ref></ref> specifically the disc was found in the basement of room 8 in building 101 of a group of buildings to the northeast of the main palace. This grouping of 4 rooms also served as a formal entry into the palace complex. ] ] ] recovered this remarkably intact "dish", about 15 cm in diameter and uniformly slightly more than one centimetre in thickness, on ] ] during his ] of the first Minoan palace.


This mysterious object captured the imagination of amateur and professional ], and many ] have been made to ] the code behind the disc's signs.<ref name=bali2000/> While it is not clear that it is a script, most attempted decipherments assume that it is; most additionally assume a ], others an ] or ].
It was found in the main cell of an underground "temple depository". These basement cells, only accessible from above, were neatly covered with a layer of fine ]. Their content was poor in precious artifacts but rich in black earth and ashes, mixed with burnt ] bones. In the northern part of the main cell, in the same black layer, a few inches south-east of the disc and about twenty inches above the floor, ] ] was also found. The site apparently collapsed as a result of an ], possibly linked with the explosive eruption of the ] volcano that affected large parts of the Mediterranean region ''ca.'' ].


==Dating== == Discovery ==
</ref>]]
Yves Duhoux (1977) dates the disc to between 1850 BC and 1600 BC (]) on the basis of Luigi Pernier's report, which says that the Disc was in a Middle Minoan undisturbed context. Jeppesen (1963) dates it to after 1400 (]). Doubting the viability of Pernier's report, Louis Godart (1990) resigns himself to admitting that archaeologically, the disc may be dated to anywhere in Middle or Late Minoan times (MMI-LMIII, a period spanning most of the ]). J. Best (in Achterberg et al. 2004) suggests a date in the first half of the ] (LMIIIA) based on his dating of tablet PH 1.


The Phaistos Disc was discovered in the ] palace-site of ], near ], on the south coast of ]; specifically the disc was found in the basement of room 8 in building 101 of a group of buildings to the northeast of the main palace. This grouping of four rooms also served as a formal entry into the palace complex. ] archaeologist ] recovered the intact "dish" on 3 July 1908 during his ] of the first Minoan palace.<ref>Pernier, Luigi, "Il Disco di Phaestos con Caratteri Pittografici (Tav. IX-XIII)", Ausonia 3, pp. 255-302, 1909</ref>
== Movable-type printing ==
The inscription was apparently made by pressing pre-formed hieroglyphic "seals" into the soft clay, in a clockwise sequence spiralling towards the disc's center. It was then fired at high temperature. The unique character of the Phaistos Disc stems from the fact that the entire text was inscribed in this way, reproducing a body of text with reusable characters.


The disc was found in the main cell of an underground "temple depository". These basement cells, only accessible from above, were neatly covered with a layer of fine ]. Their content was poor in precious artifacts, but rich in black earth and ashes, mixed with burnt ] bones. In the northern part of the main cell, in the same black layer, a few centimetres south-east of the disc and about {{cvt|50|cm|abbr=off}} above the floor, ] tablet 'PH-1' was also found.<ref>Pernier, Dr. Luigi, "Rendieonti della Reale Aeeademia dei Lincei, Classe di Seienze Morali, Storiche e Filologiche", Series V, vol. 17, pp. 642-651, 1908</ref>
The Phaistos Disc is sometimes classified as an early, if not the first, document of movable type printing. The German professor for linguistics Brekle, who defines typography as movable type printing,<ref>Herbert E. Brekle, "Das typographische Prinzip", ''Gutenberg-Jahrbuch'', Vol. 72 (1997), pp.58-63 (59)</ref> writes in his article 'The typographical principle' in the renowned ''Gutenberg-Jahrbuch'':


== Dating ==
<blockquote>
Yves Duhoux (1977) dates the disc to between 1850 B.C. and 1600 B.C. (MMIII in ]) on the basis of Luigi Pernier's report, which says that the disc was in a Middle Minoan undisturbed context.<ref name=duho1977>Yves Duhoux (1977): ''Le disque de phaestos'', Leuven.</ref> Jeppesen (1963) dates it to after 1400 (LMII–LMIII in Minoan chronology). Doubting the viability of Pernier's report, ] (1990) resigns himself to admitting that archaeologically, the disc may be dated to anywhere in Middle or Late Minoan times (MMI–LMIII, a period spanning most of the ]). ] suggests a date in the first half of the 14th century B.C. (LMIIIA) based on his dating of tablet PH-1.<ref name=acht2004/>
An early clear incidence for the realisation of the typographical principle is the notorious Phaistos Disc (ca. 1800-1600 BC). If the disc is, as assumed, a textual representation, we are really dealing with a "printed" text, which fulfills all definitional criteria of the typographical principle. The spiral sequencing of the graphematical units, the fact that they are impressed in a clay disc (blind printing!) and not imprinted are merely possible technological variants of textual representation. The decisive factor is that the material "types" are proven to be repeatedly instantiated on the clay disc.<ref name="Herbert E. Brekle">Herbert E. Brekle, "Das typographische Prinzip", ''Gutenberg-Jahrbuch'', Vol. 72 (1997), pp.58-63 (60f.)</ref></blockquote>


== Physical description ==
Other authors who are primarily concerned with its decipherment have also referred to the disc as "the first movable type".<ref>{{Cite journal|title=The Phaistos disk|first=Benjamin|last=Schwartz|journal=Journal of Near Eastern Studies|issue=Vol. 18, No. 2 (1959)|pages=105-112 (107)}}</ref> Having been variously dated between 1850 and 1350 BC, the Phaistos Disc precedes later inventions of movable type by more than two millennia.
===Material===
The disk is made of fine-grained clay. Some authors have stated that the clay does not appear to be of local origin, perhaps not even from Crete.<ref name=eisen2008a/> It was intentionally and properly fired, unlike tablets and seals that were baked only accidentally.<ref name=eisen2008a/><!-- Baldacci also claims it-->


=== Shape and dimensions ===
In his book '']'', ] uses the disc as an example of a technological advancement made at the wrong time in history. Diamond notes the absence of any subsequent rise in movable type in the ] culture, citing this as evidence of the enigmatic problem of necessity and invention. Specifically, Diamond argues that human beings often invent things without clear need, as evidenced by the Phaistos Disc, and that sometimes such inventions take off, while at other times they do not. Diamond reasons that movable type was less efficient than simply scribing by hand in clay, perhaps explaining why the technology never developed further in the Minoan civilization. He contrasts this with Gutenberg's printing press, arguing that its further development was due to a large number of commercial backers, and to societal growth which nurtured cheaper access to the printed word.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Society|first=Jared|last=Diamond|chapter=13:On Invention and Ingenuity}}</ref>
The disk is approximately cylindrical, about {{nowrap|16 cm}} in diameter and almost {{nowrap|2 cm}} thick, with rounded edges. More precisely, the outline is slightly egg-shaped, with the diameter varying from 15.8 to {{nowrap|16.5 cm}} and the thickness from 1.6 to {{nowrap|2.1 cm}}. The disk is slightly ] on side A and ] on side B.<ref name=eisen2008a/>


=== Typographic writing ===
==The inscription==
The most remarkable feature of the Phaistos disk is that the embossed signs that comprise its inscription all result from pressing separate stamps – one for each symbol – into the soft clay before firing. Thus the disk can be seen as an early example of ] printing.<ref name="schwa1959a">{{Cite journal |last= Schwartz |first= Benjamin |date= April 1959 |title=The Phaistos Disk |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/371517 |journal= Journal of Near Eastern Studies |language= en |volume= 18 |issue= 2 |pages= 105–112 |doi= 10.1086/371517 |s2cid= 162272726 |issn= 0022-2968}}</ref><ref name="schwa1959b">{{Cite journal |last=Schwartz |first=Benjamin |date=1959 |title=The Phaistos Disk II |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/543423 |journal= Journal of Near Eastern Studies |volume= 18 |issue= 3 |pages= 222–226 |doi= 10.1086/371536 |jstor= 543423 |s2cid= 163120992 |issn= 0022-2968}}</ref> Typesetter and linguist ] writes:<ref name="brek1997">{{cite magazine |last= Brekle |first= Herbert E. |author-link= Herbert E. Brekle |date= 1997 |title= Das typographische Prinzip. Versuch einer Begriffsklärung |url= http://www.typeforum.de/news_332.htm |url-status= usurped |magazine= ] |language= de |volume= 72 |pages= 58–63 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110716022750/http://www.typeforum.de/news_332.htm |archive-date= 2011-07-16}}</ref>


{{blockquote|If the disc is, as assumed, a textual representation, we are really dealing with a "printed" text, which fulfills all definitional criteria of the typographic principle. The spiral sequencing of the graphematical units, the fact that they are impressed in a clay disc (blind printing!) and not imprinted are merely possible technological variants of textual representation. The decisive factor is that the material "types" are proven to be repeatedly instantiated on the clay disc.}}

A medieval example of a similar blind printing technique<ref>
{{oed | blind printing}}
</ref>
is the ].<ref name=brek1997/><ref name=brek2005>Herbert E. Brekle (2005): ''Die Prüfeninger Weiheinschrift von 1119. Eine paläographisch-typographische Untersuchung'' ( {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111001051756/http://www.typeforum.de/news_308.htm |date= 2011-10-01 }}), Scriptorium Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, Regensburg, {{ISBN|3-937527-06-0}}</ref>

Popular-science author ] describes the disc as an example of a technological innovation that did not become widespread because it was made at the wrong time in history. Diamond contrasts the process with ]'s ].<ref>
{{Cite book |title= Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Society|first= Jared|last= Diamond |chapter= 13: Necessity's Mother: The evolution of technology|isbn= 978-0-393-03891-0|title-link= Guns, Germs, and Steel|year= 1997|publisher= W. W. Norton & Company}}</ref>

=== Scribed lines ===
Besides the stamped symbols, there are a few markings made by scoring the moist clay with a sharp stylus. On each side there is a continuous spiral line that separates successive turns of the text. The strip between successive spires of this line is divided into sections by short radial lines, so that each section contains a few whole signs. The presumed start of the text, adjacent to the edge, is also marked by such a radial stroke, with the addition of five dots punched along it with the stylus. Finally, under some of the stamped signs, there are short oblique strokes.

== Signs ==
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<gallery>
Image:Diskos.von.Phaistos Detail.1 11-Aug-2004 asb PICT3372.JPG| ]
Image:Diskos.von.Phaistos Detail.2 11-Aug-2004 asb PICT3373.JPG| ]
Image:Diskos.von.Phaistos Detail.3 11-Aug-2004 asb PICT3374.JPG| ]
Image:Diskos.von.Phaistos Detail.4 11-Aug-2004 asb PICT3375.JPG|
</gallery>


===Signs=== === Sign list and counts ===
There are 45 distinct signs on the disk, occurring a total of 242 times — 123 on side A and 119 on side B. In addition to these, a small diagonal line was incised with a stylus (not stamped) underneath some signs, a total of 18 times. The 45 symbols were numbered by Sir ] from 01 to 45,<ref name="evans1909">{{Cite book |last=Evans |first=Arthur J. |title=Scripta Minoa, the written documents of Minoan Crete, with special reference to the archives of Knossos |url=https://archive.org/details/scriptaminoawrit02evanuoft|publisher=Clarendon Press |year=1909 |isbn= |location=Oxford |language=en-gb |ol=7128491M |author-link=Arthur Evans}}</ref> and this numbering has been adopted by most researchers.
There are 241 tokens on the disc, comprising 45 unique signs. Many of these 45 signs represent easily identifiable every-day things. In addition to these, there is a small diagonal line that occurs underneath the final sign in a group a total of 18 times. The disc shows traces of corrections made by the scribe in several places. The 45 symbols were numbered by ] from 01 to 45, and this numbering has become the conventional reference used by most researchers. Some symbols have been compared with ] characters by Nahm,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Vergleich von Zeichen des Diskos von Phaistos mit Linear A|first=Werner|last=Nahm|journal=Kadmos|issue= Vol. 14, No. 2. (1975)|pages= 97-101}}</ref> Timm,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Der Diskos von Phaistos - Anmerkungen zur Deutung und Textstruktur|first=Torsten|last=Timm|journal=]|issue= Vol. 109 (2004)|pages= 204-231}}</ref> and others. Others scholars (J. Best, S. Davis) have pointed to similar resemblances with the ]s, or with ]s (A. Cuny). In the table below, the character "names" as given by Louis Godart (1995) are given in quotation marks; where other description or elaboration applies, they are given in parentheses.


The signs were added to the ] universal computer character (UCS) set in 2008, after a 2006 proposal by ] and John H. Jenkins.<ref name=ever2006>Michael Everson and John H. Jenkins (1997): " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205221546/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2006/06095-n3066-phaistos.pdf |date=2022-12-05 }}", ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 Working Group Document N3066R (L2/06-095R), 2006-04-01.</ref> In the following table, the '''No.''' column is the Evans number of each sign; the '''Glyph''' column is a modern drawing of the symbol; and the '''Font''' column uses the UCS font available in the browser. The assigned Unicode names are PHAISTOS DISC SIGN followed by the names shown under '''Name''' in the table below, taken from a 1995 book by ].<ref name=goda1995>Louis Godart (1995): ''The Phaistos Disc: the enigma of an Aegean script''. translated by Alexandra Doumas. Éditions Itanos. {{isbn|960-7549-02-3}}</ref>
The Phaistos Disc signs have been assigned to ] 5.1. These include the 45 signs themselves as well as the combining oblique stroke described below, and occupy range 101D0-101FF of Plane 1 (the ]).


One sign occurrence on side A is too damaged to identify. According to Godart, it may be sign 03 (TATTOOED HEAD) or 20 (DOLIUM); or less probably 08 (GAUNTLET) or 44 (SMALL AXE).<ref name=goda1995/>{{rp|p.101}} Theoretically, it could also be a 46th distinct sign.
{| class="wikitable"

The sign images below are reversed left-to-right relative to their appearance on the disk, reflecting their presentation in most Western books and articles.<ref name=ever2011>Michael Everson (2011): " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727192128/https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11166-phaistos-response.pdf |date=2023-07-27 }}" ISO Working Group Document L2/11-166, 2011-05-06.</ref>

Also, some signs occur in the disk in two or more orientations, rotated by 90 or 180 degrees. It is generally assumed that the rotation has no semantic or linguistic value, so the rotated copies are still the same symbol. Therefore, the "normal" orientation of those signs is not known, and might have been left to the scribe's discretion.<ref name=ever2006/><ref name=ever2011/>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="4" | Sign
! colspan="3" | Frequency
|- |-
!No.
|№
!class="unsortable"| Glyph
|Sign ||
!class="unsortable"| Font
|PHAISTOS&nbsp;DISC&nbsp;SIGN (Godart&nbsp;and&nbsp;UCS&nbsp;name)
!class="unsortable"| Name
|Description
!A
|Count
!B
|Remarks
!A+B
|- |-
|01 |01
|] || {{Unicode|&#x101d0;}} |] || <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇐</div>
|PEDESTRIAN |PEDESTRIAN
| 6
|marching figure of a man
|11 | 5
| | 11
|- |-
|02 |02
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d1;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇑</div>
|PLUMED&nbsp;HEAD |PLUMED&nbsp;HEAD
| 14
|head of man with crested helmet
|19 | 5
| 19
|the most frequent symbol, always word-initial
|- |-
|03 |03
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d2;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇒</div>
|TATTOOED&nbsp;HEAD |TATTOOED&nbsp;HEAD
| 2
|a bald head in profile, with "tattoo" or jewellery on the cheek
|2 | 0
| | 2
|- |-
|04 |04
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d3;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇓</div>
|CAPTIVE |CAPTIVE
| 1
|a standing human figure with bound arms
|1 | 0
| | 1
|- |-
|05 |05
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d4;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇔</div>
|CHILD |CHILD
| | 0
|1 | 1
| | 1
|- |-
|06 |06
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d5;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇕</div>
|WOMAN |WOMAN
| | 2
|4 | 2
| | 4
|- |-
|07 |07
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d6;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇖</div>
|HELMET |HELMET
| 3
|woman's breast, a bell-shaped symbol
|18 | 15
| | 18
|- |-
|08 |08
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d7;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇗</div>
|GAUNTLET |GAUNTLET
| 1
|fist with cestus
|5 | 4
| | 5
|- |-
|09 |09
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d8;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇘</div>
|TIARA |TIARA
| | 0
|2 | 2
| | 2
|- |-
|10 |10
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101d9;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇙</div>
|ARROW |ARROW
| | 4
|4 | 0
| 4
|on side A only
|- |-
|11 |11
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101da;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇚</div>
|BOW |BOW
| | 1
|1 | 0
| | 1
|- |-
|12 |12
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101db;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇛</div>
|SHIELD |SHIELD
| | 15
|17 | 2
| 17
|12 times in the group 02-12
|- |-
|13 |13
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101dc;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇜</div>
|CLUB |CLUB
| | 3
|6 | 3
| | 6
|- |-
|14 |14
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101dd;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇝</div>
|MANACLES |MANACLES
| 1
|the flat tops of the two prominences in this figure as well as the slots in the base are characteristic features of manacles, the slots being for the attachment of thongs
|2 | 1
| | 2
|- |-
|15 |15
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101de;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇞</div>
|MATTOCK |MATTOCK
| | 0
|1 | 1
| | 1
|- |-
|16 |16
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101df;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇟</div>
|SAW |SAW
| 0
|knife
|2 | 2
| | 2
|- |-
|17 |17
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e0;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇠</div>
|LID |LID
| 1
|instrument for cutting leather
|1 | 0
| | 1
|- |-
|18 |18
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e1;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇡</div>
|BOOMERANG |BOOMERANG
| 6
|carpenter's angle
|12 | 6
| | 12
|- |-
|19 |19
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e2;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇢</div>
|CARPENTRY&nbsp;PLANE |CARPENTRY&nbsp;PLANE
|Y shape | 3
|3 | 0
| 3
|on side A only
|- |-
|20 |20
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e3;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇣</div>
|DOLIUM |DOLIUM
| 0
|handled vase
|2 | 2
| | 2
|- |-
|21 |21
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e4;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇤</div>
|COMB |COMB
| 2
|Palace floorplan?
|2 | 0
| | 2
|- |-
|22 |22
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e5;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇥</div>
|SLING |SLING
| 0
|double pipe
|5 | 5
| 5
|on side B only
|- |-
|23 |23
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e6;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇦</div>
|COLUMN |COLUMN
| 5
|square headed mallet
|11 | 6
| | 11
|- |-
|24 |24
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e7;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇧</div>
|BEEHIVE |BEEHIVE
| 1
|pagoda-like building
|6 | 5
| | 6
|- |-
|25 |25
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e8;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇨</div>
|SHIP |SHIP
| | 2
|7 | 5
| | 7
|- |-
|26 |26
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101e9;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇩</div>
|HORN |HORN
|of ox | 5
|6 | 1
| | 6
|- |-
|27 |27
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101ea;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇪</div>
|HIDE |HIDE
| 10
|of animal, probably an ox
|15 | 5
| | 15
|- |-
|28 |28
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101eb;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇫</div>
|BULLS&nbsp;LEG |BULLS&nbsp;LEG
| 2
|ox's foot
|2 | 0
| | 2
|- |-
|29 |29
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101ec;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇬</div>
|CAT |CAT
| 3
|head of animal of the feline genus
|11 | 8
| | 11
|- |-
|30 |30
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101ed;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇭</div>
|RAM |RAM
| 0
|head of horned sheep
|1 | 1
| | 1
|- |-
|31 |31
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101ee;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇮</div>
|EAGLE |EAGLE
| 5
|flying bird
|5 | 0
| 5
|on side A only
|- |-
|32 |32
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101ef;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇯</div>
|DOVE |DOVE
| 2
|seated dove
|3 | 1
| | 3
|- |-
|33 |33
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f0;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇰</div>
|TUNNY |]
| 2
|fish (the horse mackerel or common tunny, '']'')
|6 | 4
| | 6
|- |-
|34 |34
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f1;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇱</div>
|BEE |BEE
| 1
|insect, possibly a bee
|3 | 2
| | 3
|- |-
|35 |35
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f2;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇲</div>
|PLANE&nbsp;TREE |]
| 5
|plant or tree sign; the ] (''Platanus orientalis'')
|11 | 6
| | 11
|- |-
|36 |36
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f3;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇳</div>
|VINE |VINE
| 0
|olive branch
|4 | 4
| 4
|on side B only
|- |-
|37 |37
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f4;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇴</div>
|PAPYRUS |]
| 2
|plant with a fan-shaped flower
|4 | 2
| | 4
|- |-
|38 |38
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f5;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇵</div>
|ROSETTE |ROSETTE
| 3
|maguerite or star-anemone; eight-petaled flower
|4 | 1
| | 4
|- |-
|39 |39
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f6;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇶</div>
|LILY |LILY
| 1
|saffron flower, Ψ shape
|4 | 3
| | 4
|- |-
|40 |40
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f7;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇷</div>
|OX BACK |OX BACK
| | 3
|6 | 3
| | 6
|- |-
|41 |41
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f8;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇸</div>
|FLUTE |FLUTE
| | 2
|2 | 0
| | 2
|- |-
|42 |42
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101f9;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇹</div>
|GRATER |GRATER
| | 0
|1 | 1
| | 1
|- |-
|43 |43
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101fa;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇺</div>
|STRAINER |STRAINER
| 0
|triangle with internal granulation
|1 | 1
| | 1
|- |-
|44 |44
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101fb;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇻</div>
|SMALL&nbsp;AXE |SMALL&nbsp;AXE
| | 1
|1 | 0
| | 1
|- |-
|45 |45
|]|| {{Unicode|&#x101fc;}} |]|| <div style="font-size:2em;">𐇼</div>
|WAVY&nbsp;BAND |WAVY&nbsp;BAND
| 2
|water
|6 | 4
| | 6
|-
|} |}


=== Nature of depicted objects ===
The frequency distribution of the Phaistos Disc signs is:
Many of the signs are depictions of concrete objects with a recognizable general nature (such as humans, birds, plants, a boat), or parts thereof (heads, hides, flowers). However, in most cases the precise nature of objects depicted is still unknown (as of 2023). The sign names assigned by scholars, in particular by Godart<ref name=goda1995/> and the Unicode consortium,<ref name=ever2006/> were rather arbitrary, often based on the slightest shape similarity.
:19-18-17-15-12-11-11-11-11-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-5-5-5-4-4-4-4-4-4-3-3-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1
The nine '']es'' are 04 (A5), 05 (B3), 11 (A13), 15 (B8), 17 (A24), 30 (B27), 42 (B9), 43 (B4), 44 (A7). Of the eight twice-occurring symbols, four (03, 21, 28, 41) occur on side A only, three (09, 16, 20) on side B only, and only one (14) on both sides.


Symbol 21 (Godart's "COMB") was once conjectured to be a palace floorplan.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ancient-greece.org/map/knossos-plan.html | title = Knossos Plan | access-date = 4 Oct 2012 | author = Ancient-Greece.org | archive-date = 2020-11-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013554/https://ancient-greece.org/map/knossos-plan.html | url-status = live }}</ref> However, this hypothesis was cast in doubt by the discovery of a vase with a nearly identical symbol incised on the bottom, believed to be a potter's mark.<ref name=bald2021/>
===The oblique stroke===
There are a number of signs marked with an oblique stroke; the strokes are not imprinted but carved by hand, and are attached to the first or last sign of a "word", depending on the direction of reading chosen. Their meaning is a matter of discussion. One hypothesis, supported by Evans, Duhoux, Ohlenroth and others, is that they were used to subdivide the text into paragraphs, but alternative meanings have been offered by other scholars.


]) conch, decorated with red paint. Phaistos, 3600–3000 BC.]]
===Directionality===
Symbol 20 ("DOLIUM") was assumed to be the conch of a large sea snail, such as '']'' or some '']'' or '']'' species. One such conch was found at Phaistos and is believed to have been used as a musical instrument for ritual uses.
Evans argued that the disc had been written, and should be read, from the center out; because it would have been easiest to place the inscription first and then size the disc to fit the text. There is general agreement that he was wrong, and Evans himself changed his mind: the inscription was made, and should be read, from the outside in toward the centre. The centres of the spirals are not in the centre of the disc, and some of the symbols near the centre are crowded, as though the maker was cramped for space. One pair of symbols are set top-to-bottom, so it is hard to tell what order they should be in. Except in the cramped section, when there are overstrikes, the inner symbol overlies the outer symbol. Jean Faucounau has proposed a reconstruction of the scribe's movements, which would also require an inward direction; Yves Duhoux says that any outward reading may be discarded. Despite this consensus, there are still a few such attempted decipherments (e.g. Massey 2003).


=== Sign distribution ===
In addition to the question of the directionality of the text on the disc itself, different viewpoints are held as to how the Phaistos Disc characters should be displayed when transcribed into text. The disc itself probably has right-to-left directionality (like Arabic), if reading proceeds from the outside to the centre; this means that the reading direction is into the faces of the people and animals, as it is in Egyptian and Anatolian. Phaistos Disc characters are shown with left-to-right directionality in this article; which is also the typical practice for edited Egyptian and Anatolian hieroglyphic text.
The distribution of symbols is highly non-random, and quite different between the two sides. Evans's symbol 02 (PLUMED HEAD) is the most frequent one, occurring 19 times — 14 of them on side A. The next most frequent signs are 07 (HELMET), with 18 occurrences, mostly on side B; 12 (SHIELD), with 17, mostly on side A; and 27 (HIDE), with 15, of which 10 on side A.


Still, 26 of the 45 symbols occur on both sides, at least once on each. The most common signs that occur on only one side are 31 (EAGLE), on side A, and 22 (SLING), on side B; both with five occurrences each.
===Inscription text===
There are 61 "words", 31 on side A and 30 on side B (numbered A1 to A31 and B1 to B30, outside to inside), here read outside-to-inside (putting the "plumed head" signs word-initially and the strokes word-finally). The shortest words are two symbols in length, the longest seven symbols. The strokes are here transcribed as diagonal strokes (/). The transcription begins at the vertical line of five dots, circling the rim of the disc once, clockwise (13 words on A, 12 words on B) before spiralling towards the center (18 more words on each side). There is one word-final effaced sign at A8, which Godart notes as resembling sign 3 or 20; or less probably 8 or 44. Evans considered side A as the front side, but technical arguments have since been forwarded favouring side B as the front side.


The following table shows how many distinct signs ('''Sign count''') have the same number of occurrences ('''Frequency'''). The third number in each column is the product of the two numbers above, that is, the total number of occurrences ('''Token count''') of those signs:
The signs in the transcription below appear in left-to-right orientation, and the reader may read into the faces of the human and animal figures (as one reads Egyptian and Anatolian hieroglyphs):


{| class="wikitable" border="1"
<center>
|- align="center"
{|class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3" style="text-align:center;"
! Frequency
|-
| width="20" | 19 || width="20" | 18 || width="20" | 17 || width="20" | 16 || width="20" | 15 || width="20" | 14 || width="20" | 13 || width="20" | 12 || width="20" | 11 || width="20" | 10 || width="20" | 9 || width="20" | 8 || width="20" | 7 || width="20" | 6 || width="20" | 5 || width="20" | 4 || width="20" | 3 || width="20" | 2 || width="20" | 1
|(A1) ]]]]]]
|- align="center"
|(A2) ]]]
! Sign count
|(A3) ]]]]
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || || || 1 || 4 || || || || 1 || 6 || 3 || 6 || 3 || 8 || 9 || align="left" | Total = 45 signs
|(A4) ]]]
|- align="center"
|-
! Token count
|(A5) ]]]]]
| 19 || 18 || 17 || || 15 || || || 12 || 44 || || || || 7 || 36 || 15 || 24 || 9 || 16 || 9 || align="left" | Total = 241 tokens
|(A6) ]]]]
|(A7) ]]]
|(A8) ]]]]
|-
|(A9) ]]]
|(A10) ]]]]]
|(A11) ]]]]
|(A12) ]]]]]]
|-
|(A13) ]]
|(A14) ]]]]]]
|(A15) ]]]
|(A16) ]]]]]
|-
|(A17) ]]]]]]]
|(A18) ]]]
|(A19) ]]]]]
|(A20) ]]]]]]
|-
|(A21) ]]]
|(A22) ]]]]]
|(A23) ]]]]]]]
|(A24) ]]]]]
|-
|(A25) ]]]
|(A26) ]]]]
|(A27) ]]]]
|(A28) ]]]
|-
|(A29) ]]]]]]]
|(A30) ]]
|(A31) ]]]
|
|-
|(B1) ]]]]]
|(B2) ]]]]
|(B3) ]]]]]
|(B4) ]]]
|-
|(B5) ]]]]
|(B6) ]]]]]
|(B7) ]]]]
|(B8) ]]]]]
|-
|(B9) ]]]]
|(B10) ]]]]
|(B11) ]]]]
|(B12) ]]]]
|-
|(B13) ]]]]]
|(B14) ]]]
|(B15) ]]]
|(B16) ]]]]]
|-
|(B17) ]]]]
|(B18) ]]]]]
|(B19) ]]]
|(B20) ]]]]
|-
|(B21) ]]]]]]
|(B22) ]]]]
|(B23) ]]]
|(B24) ]]]]
|-
|(B25) ]]]]
|(B26) ]]]]]]
|(B27) ]]]]]
|(B28) ]]]]]
|-
|(B29) ]]]]
|(B30) ]]]
|
|
|-
|} |}
</center>


The nine '']es'' (symbols occurring just once) are 04 (A5), 05 (B3), 11 (A13), 15 (B8), 17 (A24), 30 (B27), 42 (B9), 43 (B4), 44 (A7). Of the eight twice-occurring symbols, four (03, 21, 28, 41) occur on side A only, three (09, 16, 20) on side B only, and only one (14) occurs on both sides.
In numerical transcription:

=== Sign correlations ===

The distribution of symbol pairs too is highly non-uniform. For example, of the 17 occurrences of sign 12 (SHIELD), thirteen follow immediately sign 02 (PLUMED HEAD).

== Text ==
The following is a single image of the text "unrolled". While the order of the characters is left-to-right reversed, the signs themselves are in the original orientation.

]
=== Directionality ===
Evans, at one point, published an assertion that the disc had been written, and should be read, from the center out, because it would have been easiest to place the inscription first and then size the disc to fit the text. There is general agreement that he was wrong, and Evans himself later changed his mind: the inscription was made, and should be read, in the clockwise sense, from the outside in toward the centre, as with the similar spiral inscription on the ].<ref name=evans1921>{{cite book|first=Arthur J. |last=Evans|author-link=Arthur Evans| year=1921|title=The palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustrated by the discoveries at Knossos|volume=1|publisher=Macmillan and Co. Ltd. |location=London|
ol=7063760M |lccn=22006622 |oclc=3536093| quote=It might, {{lang|la|]}}, have been supposed that the signs of the inscriptions had run outwards.}}</ref>{{rp|649}}

=== "Words" ===
The signs are laid out on each side as a single spiral text, which is split by the inscribed radial strokes into groups. These groups are conventionally called "words", even though their true linguistic or other nature is not known. Both ends of the text on each side are also assumed to be "word" boundaries. There are 61 such "words" on the Disc, with two to seven sign occurrences each: 31 on side A and 30 on side B. These "words" are conventionally numbered A1 to A31 and B1 to B30, reading from right to left (clockwise, edge-to-center).<ref name=goda1995/>

There may be one additional radial stroke near the center of side A, over-stamped by the sign 03 (TATTOOED HEAD), between sign 10 (ARROW) and the central sign 38 (ROSETTE). However, most scholars ignore that possible stroke and count the last three symbols as a single "word" 10-03-38 (which happens to occur also at about the same position on the next-to-last turn).<ref name=goda1995/>

On both sides, there is a radial line also right before the start (outermost end) of the text, with five dots punched along it using a sharp round stylus.

]

=== "Paragraphs" ===

The short oblique strokes that were drawn with a stylus (not stamped) below some signs are always attached to the last sign of a "word" (assuming outside-in reading direction). Their meaning is a matter of discussion. One hypothesis, supported by Evans,<ref name=evans1909/> is that they further subdivide the text into "paragraphs".

===Transcriptions===

The following transcriptions of the text all assume a right-to-left (clockwise, edge-to-center) reading direction on the disk, starting at the vertical (radial) line of five dots. In these transcription, however, the order of the characters has been flipped, so that they should be read left-to-right and top-to-bottom. The oblique stroke is assumed to indicate the last word of a "paragraph". A horizontal line has been added after each "paragraph" for clarity.

For consistency with most published sources, these transcriptions assume that there is an oblique stroke at the end of word A24, even though high-resolution images show it to be just a crack.

==== Unicode ====
The following is a rendering of the Phaistos Disc inscription in ] characters from the Phaistos code block (code points +101D0 to +101FC). The radial strokes are denoted by the ] character "|" (+7C), and the oblique subscripted stroke by the comma-like PHAISTOS DISK COMBINING OBLIQUE STROKE (+101FD) ''after'' the affected symbol. The radial stroke with five dots, that indicates the presumed start of text, is denoted by the ] character "¦" (+A6). The boxed question mark "⍰" (+2370) denotes the illegible sign in word A8. The appearance of the signs will depend on the font used by the browser, but normally they should all be left-to-right flipped relative to their appearance on the disk.

'''Side A''':
:<span style="font-size:140%;">¦ 𐇑𐇛𐇜𐇐𐇡𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇧𐇷𐇛 | 𐇬𐇼𐇖𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇬𐇬𐇱 | 𐇑𐇛𐇓𐇷𐇰 | 𐇪𐇼𐇖𐇛 | 𐇪𐇻𐇗 | 𐇑𐇛𐇕𐇡⍰ | 𐇮𐇩𐇲 | 𐇑𐇛𐇸𐇢𐇲 | 𐇐𐇸𐇷𐇖 | 𐇑𐇛𐇯𐇦𐇵𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇶𐇚 | 𐇑𐇪𐇨𐇙𐇦𐇡 | 𐇫𐇐𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇑𐇛𐇮𐇩𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇑𐇛𐇪𐇪𐇲𐇴𐇤 | 𐇰𐇦 | 𐇑𐇛𐇮𐇩𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇑𐇪𐇨𐇙𐇦𐇡 | 𐇫𐇐𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇑𐇛𐇮𐇩𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇑𐇛𐇪𐇝𐇯𐇡𐇪 | 𐇕𐇡𐇠𐇢𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇮𐇩𐇛 | 𐇑𐇛𐇜𐇐 | 𐇦𐇢𐇲𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇙𐇒𐇵 | 𐇑𐇛𐇪𐇪𐇲𐇴𐇤 | 𐇜𐇐 | 𐇙𐇒𐇵 </span>

'''Side B'''
:<span style="font-size:140%;">¦ 𐇑𐇛𐇥𐇷𐇖 | 𐇪𐇼𐇖𐇲 | 𐇑𐇴𐇦𐇔𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇥𐇨𐇪 | 𐇰𐇧𐇣𐇛 | 𐇟𐇦𐇡𐇺𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇜𐇐𐇶𐇰 | 𐇞𐇖𐇜𐇐𐇡 | 𐇥𐇴𐇹𐇨 | 𐇖𐇧𐇷𐇲 | 𐇑𐇩𐇳𐇷 | 𐇪𐇨𐇵𐇐 | 𐇬𐇧𐇧𐇣𐇲 | 𐇟𐇝𐇡 | 𐇬𐇰𐇐 | 𐇕𐇲𐇯𐇶𐇰 | 𐇑𐇘𐇪𐇐 | 𐇬𐇳𐇖𐇗𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇬𐇗𐇜 | 𐇬𐇼𐇖𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇥𐇬𐇳𐇖𐇗𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇪𐇱𐇦𐇨 | 𐇖𐇡𐇲 | 𐇖𐇼𐇖𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇖𐇦𐇡𐇧 | 𐇥𐇬𐇳𐇖𐇗𐇽 </span><hr/>
:<span style="font-size:140%;">| 𐇘𐇭𐇶𐇡𐇖 | 𐇑𐇕𐇲𐇦𐇖 | 𐇬𐇱𐇦𐇨 | 𐇼𐇖𐇽 </span><hr/>

====Pictorial====

The following transcription uses modern drawings of the signs, which are left-to-right reversed with respect to their appearance on the disk. The labels A1-A31 and B1-B30 are the traditional word numbers.<ref name=goda1995/>

'''Side A''':
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A1</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A2</sup> ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A3</sup> ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A4</sup> ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A5</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A6</sup> ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A7</sup> ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A8</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A9</sup> ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A10</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A11</sup> ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A12</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A13</sup> ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A14</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A15</sup> ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A16</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A17</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A18</sup> ] ] ] <sup>A19</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A20</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A21</sup> ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A22</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A23</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>A24</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A25</sup> ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A26</sup> ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A27</sup> ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>A28</sup> ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>A29</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A30</sup> ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>A31</sup> ] ] ]}}

'''Side B''':
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B1</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>B2</sup> ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>B3</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B4</sup> ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B5</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B6</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B7</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B8</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B9</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B10</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B11</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B12</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B13</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B14</sup> ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B15</sup> ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B16</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}} {{nowrap|] <sup>B17</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B18</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B19</sup> ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B20</sup> ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B21</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B22</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B23</sup> ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B24</sup> ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B25</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B26</sup> ] ] ] ] ] ]}}<hr/>
:{{nowrap|] <sup>B27</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B28</sup> ] ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B29</sup> ] ] ] ]}}{{nowrap|] <sup>B30</sup> ] ] ]}}<hr/>

==== Numerical ====
The following transcription uses the Evans numbers for the signs.<ref name=acht2004/> The vertical bar characters "¦" and "|" represent the start-of-text and word-separating radial lines, respectively. The slash "/" denotes the oblique stroke under the preceding sign. The caret "^" indicates the transition from the first turn of the text (along the disk's edge) to the inner turns, and "??" is the unreadable sign.

'''Side A''':
:¦ 02 12 13 01 18/ <hr/>
:| 24 40 12 | 29 45 07/ <hr/>
:| 29 29 34 | 02 12 04 40 33 | 27 45 07 12 | 27 44 08 | 02 12 06 18 ?? | 31 26 35 | 02 12 41 19 35 | 01 41 40 07 | 02 12 32 23 38/ <hr/>
:| 39 11 | ^ 02 27 25 10 23 18 | 28 01/ <hr/>
:| 02 12 31 26/ <hr/>
:| 02 12 27 27 35 37 21 | 33 23 | 02 12 31 26/ <hr/>
:| 02 27 25 10 23 18 | 28 01/ <hr/>
:| 02 12 31 26/ <hr/>
:| 02 12 27 14 32 18 27 | 06 18 17 19/ <hr/>
:| 31 26 12 | 02 12 13 01 | 23 19 35/ <hr/>
:| 10 03 38 | 02 12 27 27 35 37 21 | 13 01 | 10 03 38

'''Side B'''
:¦ 02 12 22 40 07 | 27 45 07 35 | 02 37 23 05/ <hr/>
:| 22 25 27 | 33 24 20 12 | 16 23 18 43/ <hr/>
:| 13 01 39 33 | 15 07 13 01 18 | 22 37 42 25 | 07 24 40 35 | 02 26 36 40 | 27 25 38 01 | 29 ^ 24 24 20 35 | 16 14 18 | 29 33 01 | 06 35 32 39 33 | 02 09 27 01 | 29 36 07 08/ <hr/>
:| 29 08 13 | 29 45 07/ <hr/>
:| 22 29 36 07 08/ <hr/>
:| 27 34 23 25 | 07 18 35 | 07 45 07/ <hr/>
:| 07 23 18 24 | 22 29 36 07 08/ <hr/>
:| 09 30 39 18 07 | 02 06 35 23 07 | 29 34 23 25 | 45 07/<hr/>

=== Corrections ===
The disc shows signs of corrections having been made, with some signs erased and over-printed by other signs.


Godart describes these corrections as occurring in the following words: A1 (signs 02-12-13-01), A4 (29-29-34) together with A5 (02-12-04), A8 (12), A10 (02-41-19?-35), A12 (12), A16 (12-31-26?), A17 (second 27?), A29 (second 27?), B1 (12-22), B3 (37?), B4 (22-25 imprinted over the same), B10 (07?-24?-40?), B13 (beside 29?). Question marks indicate uncertainty about that particular sign being the result of a correction.<ref name=goda1995/>{{rp|p.99–109}}
Side A:
:02-12-13-01-18/ 24-40-12 29-45-07/ 29-29-34 02-12-04-40-33 27-45-07-12 27-44-08 02-12-06-18-? 31-26-35 02-12-41-19-35 01-41-40-07 02-12-32-23-38/ 39-11
:02-27-25-10-23-18 28-01/ 02-12-31-26/ 02-12-27-27-35-37-21 33-23 02-12-31-26/ 02-27-25-10-23-18 28-01/ 02-12-31-26/ 02-12-27-14-32-18-27 06-18-17-19 31-26-12 02-12-13-01 23-19-35/ 10-03-38 02-12-27-27-35-37-21 13-01 10-03-38


The borders of word B28 were also widened to make room for sign 02.<ref name=goda1995/>{{rp|p.107}}<ref name=duho1977/>{{rp|p.34–35}}
Side B:
:02-12-22-40-07 27-45-07-35 02-37-23-05/ 22-25-27 33-24-20-12 16-23-18-43/ 13-01-39-33 15-07-13-01-18 22-37-42-25 07-24-40-35 02-26-36-40 27-25-38-01
:29-24-24-20-35 16-14-18 29-33-01 06-35-32-39-33 02-09-27-01 29-36-07-08/ 29-08-13 29-45-07/ 22-29-36-07-08/ 27-34-23-25 07-18-35 07-45-07/ 07-23-18-24 22-29-36-07-08/ 09-30-39-18-07 02-06-35-23-07 29-34-23-25 45-07/


=== Sign rotations ===
The "plumed head" (02) only ever occurs word-initially, in 13 instances followed by the "shield" (12, which in some instances also occurs word-finally). Six words occur twice each:
The two signs 27 (HIDE) in word A29 are rotated 180 degrees compared with all other occurrences of this sign: "head down" versus "head up". This rotation might be motivated by lack of space in A29.<ref name=duho1977/>{{rp|p.24}}
The three-word sequence 02-27-25-10-23-18 28-01/ 02-12-31-26/ occurs twice (A14-16, A20-22). 02-12-31-26/ recurs for a third time (A19). Four more words occur twice each, 02-12-27-27-35-37-21 (A17, A29), 10-03-38 (A28, A31), 22-29-36-07-08/ (B21, B26) and 29-45-07/ (A3, B20).


] observed that if signs rotations were random with uniform distribution, then the probability that they end up in only two (or three) signs is very small.<ref name=cate2013>Arie ten Cate (2013): "A statistical analysis of the rotated signs of the Phaistos Disc", ''Pioneer Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics'', volume 6, issue 2, pages 81-88</ref>
==Decipherment attempts==
A great deal of speculation developed around the disc during the ]. The Phaistos Disc captured the imagination of amateur archeologists. Many attempts have been made to ] the code behind the disc's signs. Historically, almost anything has been proposed, including prayers, a narrative or an adventure story, a "]", a call to arms, a ], and a geometric ]. Some of the more fanciful interpretations of its meaning are classic examples of ].


=== Signs in adjacent windings ===
Most linguistic interpretations assume a ], based on the proportion of 45 symbols in a text of 241 tokens typical for that type of script; some assume a syllabary with interspersed ] symbols, a property of every known syllabary of the ] (] as well as ] and ]ic writing). There are, however, also alphabetic and purely logographical interpretations.
There are several locations on side A where two occurrences of the same sign lie near each other in adjacent turns of the spiral, such as sign 02 (PLUMED HEAD) in word A1 and in word A14. Also the two 27 signs (HIDE) signs in word A29 are upside down, with the "heads" pointing to the HIDE sign of word A23, in the adjacent turn. Arie Cate claims that the probability of these alignments being coincidental is rather small.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = ten Cate | first1 = Arie | year = 2011| title = Patterns on an ancient artifact: a coincidence? | journal = Statistica Neerlandica | volume = 65 | issue = 1| pages = 116–124 | doi = 10.1111/j.1467-9574.2010.00478.x | s2cid = 247700947 | doi-access = free }}</ref>


== Origin of the artifact ==
While enthusiasts still believe the mystery can be solved, scholarly attempts at ] are thought to be unlikely to succeed unless more examples of the signs turn up somewhere, as it is generally thought that there isn't enough context available for meaningful analysis. Any decipherment without external confirmation, such as successful comparison to other inscriptions, is unlikely to be accepted as conclusive.
For the first few decades after its discovery most scholars argued strongly against the local origin of the artifact. Evans<ref name=evans1909/>{{rp|p.24}} wrote that:


{{blockquote|...when one comes to compare the figures in detail with those of the ], very great discrepancy is observable... Out of the forty-five separate signs on the Phaistos Disk, no more than ten more or less resemble Cretan hieroglyphic forms... The human figures in their outline and costume are non-Minoan... The representation of the ship also differs from all similar designs that occur either among the hieroglyphic or the linear documents of Crete.}}
===Origin of the script===
====Cretan or foreign origin?====
There are a few main theories about the origin of the signs. Until recently, most scholars have argued strongly against the local origin of the artifact. Evans (1909:24f.) wrote that
:''"when one comes to compare the figures in detail with those of the ], very great discrepancy is observable... Out of the forty-five separate signs on the Phaistos Disk, no more than ten more or less resemble Cretan hieroglyphic forms... The human figures in their outline and costume are non-Minoan... The representation of the ship also differs from all similar designs that occur either among the hieroglyphic or the linear documents of Crete"''.


Ipsen (1929:15) concluded that the Disc was certainly from somewhere on the Aegean. Because of its differences from Linear A or B, Ipsen found it tempting to assume, like Evans, a non-Cretan origin for the Disc. He observes, however, that since Linear A was a common Aegean script such an assumption will not resolve the problem of multiplicity. ] claimed that the clay was not from Crete.<ref name=glotz1925>Gustave Glotz, Marryat Ross Dobie, and E. M. Riley (1925): ''The Aegean Civilization''. Knopf.</ref>{{rp|p.381}} Ipsen concluded that the disc was certainly from somewhere on the Aegean; however, because of its differences from Linear A or B, he, like Evans, supported a non-Cretan origin for the Disc. He observes, however, that since Linear A was a common Aegean script such an assumption will not resolve the problem of multiplicity.<ref name=ipsen1929/>{{rp|p.15}}


]
The ] and other finds have made Cretan origin more popular: female images with pendulous breasts have also been found at Malia and Phaistos. (Godart 1995:125). Duhoux asserts the Cretan ''provenance'' of the disc; in his review of current research, Trauth (1990:154) comes to the conclusion "Crete as source of the Disc can no longer be called into question".
However, the consensus on this question changed in later decades, as a few other artifacts were found on Crete with significant resemblances to the disk. For instance, a vase found at Knossos (Vase 14 236) bears a stamped sign identical to the disk's 25 SHIELD sign (a circle with seven dots).{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} Also, under the bottom of a bowl found in 1965 at Phaistos (bowl F 4718 from the House South of the Ramp) there is a sign in relief, believed to be a potter's mark, that is practically identical to sign 21 (COMB).<ref name=bald2021/> A very similar sign is found as an impression on a sealing from a deposit of administrative documents discovered in 1955, beneath Room 25 of the Second Palace of Phaistos (sealing CMS II.5, n. 246).<ref name=bald2021>Giorgia Baldacci (2021): " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825090342/https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2021/11/phaistos-disk |date=2023-08-25 }}". ''The Ancient Near East'' (online journal), volume 9, issue 11 (November). Accessed on 2023-08-25.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/5996948|title=Notes on the Authenticity of the Phaistos Disk|first=Pavol|last=Hnila|via=www.academia.edu|access-date=2016-02-21 |archive-date=2023-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904203256/https://www.academia.edu/5996948|url-status=live}}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422062939/https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakultaeten/philosophie/zaw/cms/monthlySeal/monthlySealOlder.html |date=2023-04-22 }} Heidelberg University</ref> Female images with pendulous breasts have also been found at Malia and Phaistos.<ref name=goda1995/>{{rp|p.125}}The ] also bears a short inscription that uses several signs similar to those of the disk.<ref name=timm2003>Torsten Timm (2003): " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008000012/http://www.kereti.de/arkalochoriEngl.html |date=2017-10-08 }}". Online article, at the ''Kereti'' website. Accessed on 2023-09-02.</ref>


These and other finds have made Cretan origin more popular.<ref name=bald2021/> This view was expressed by ] in 1990,<ref name=trau1990>Michael Trauth (1990): "The Phaistos Disc and the Devil's Advocate: On the Aporias of an Ancient Topic of Research". {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825090343/https://www.iqla.org/includes/basic_references/12_Glottometrika_Hammerl_1990_QL_45.pdf |date=2023-08-25 }} (= ''Quantitative linguistics'', volume 45), pages 151–173. Quote: "Crete as source of the Disc can no longer be called into question."</ref> Duhoux in 2000<ref name=duho2000>Yves Duhoux (2000:): " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819012420/http://www.jstor.org/stable/507232 |date=2016-08-19 }}", ''American Journal of Archaeology'', vol. 104, iss. 3, pp. 597–600.</ref> and ] in 2008.<ref name=robi2008>Andrew Robinson (2008): "A century of puzzling". '']'', volume 453, pp. 990–991 {{doi|10.1038/453990a}} {{s2cid|5166897}} {{PMID|18563139}} Quote: "Most scholars today, including Duhoux, think it a plausible working hypothesis that the disc was made in Crete."</ref>
====Original invention or derivation?====
Ipsen (1929:11) also speaks against an entirely independent origin of the scripts, arguing that its inventors did not leap from no knowledge of writing to a syllabic script with these elegant signs. He goes on to cite ] as a "perfect parallel" (Ipsen 1929:17) of an original script inspired under the direct influence of other scripts (its symbol values inspired by cuneiform, its shapes by Egyptian hieroglyphs)


== Hoax hypothesis ==
Schwartz (1956:108) asserts a genetic relationship between the Phaistos Disc script and the Cretan linear scripts.
The uniqueness of the script, of the spiral arrangement, and of the method of writing (individual glyph stamps) have led some scholars to raise the possibility that the Phaistos disc is a 1908 ] or hoax.<ref name=eisen2008a>{{Cite journal | last = Eisenberg | first = Jerome M. | title = The Phaistos Disk: one hundred year old hoax? | journal = Minerva | issue = July/August | year = 2008 | pages = 9–24}}</ref><ref name=eisen2008b>{{Cite journal | last = Eisenberg | first = Jerome M. | title = Phaistos Disk: A 100-Year-Old Hoax? Addenda, Corrigenda, and Comments | journal = Minerva | issue = September/October | year = 2008 | pages = 15–16 | url = http://www.utexas.edu/research/pasp/publications/pdf/disk1.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019150713/http://www.utexas.edu/research/pasp/publications/pdf/disk1.pdf|archive-date=19 October 2012}}</ref> It was pointed out that the date of manufacture has never been established by ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article4318911.ece|title=Dalya Alberge, "Phaistos Disc declared as fake by scholar", ''The Times'', 12 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317114941/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article4318911.ece |archive-date=17 March 2009 }}</ref>
However, the Disc is now generally accepted as authentic by archaeologists.<ref>{{cite book|last=Campbell-Dunn|first=Graham|title=Who Were the Minoans?|publisher=AuthorHouse|year=2006|pages=207|isbn=978-1-4259-2007-4}}</ref> Andrew Robinson concurs that thermoluminescence dating would be highly desirable, but does not endorse the forgery arguments.<ref name=robi2008/>


The precise excavation records maintained by Luigi Pernier have always been a problem for the hoax hypothesis. That hypothesis was eventually put to rest by the discovery of the other artifacts in Crete with similar glyphs, which a 1909 hoaxer would not have known about.{{Cn|date=September 2024}} Also, a gold signet ring from Knossos (the ]), found in 1926, contains a Linear A inscription laid out in a spiral, similar to the Phaistos Disc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arachne.dainst.org/entity/1151939|title=Arachne|website=arachne.dainst.org|access-date=2023-09-04 |archive-date=2023-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230904203248/https://arachne.dainst.org/entity/1151939|url-status=live}}</ref>
Among the known scripts, there are three main candidates for being related to the Disc's script, all of them partly syllabic, partly logographic: ], ]s and ]s. More remote possibilities are comparison with the ] ] or the ].


== Decipherment attempts ==
====Linear A====
{{Further|Phaistos Disc decipherment claims}}
Some signs are close enough to ] and ] that they may have the same phonetic value, like ] 12 = ''qe'', ] 43 = ''ta<sub>2</sub>, or ] 31 = ''ku''.
A recent systematic comparison with Linear A is that of Torsten Timm, ] . Based on the ] character distribution patterns collected by Facchetti<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Statistical data and morphematic elements in Linear A|first=Giulio M.|last=Facchetti|journal=Kadmos|issue= Vol. 38, No. 2. (1999)}}</ref> Timm concludes that the language of the Disc inscription is the same as the language of Linear A. Timm identifies 20 of the 45 characters with Linear signs, assigning Linear B phonetic values to 16.


A great deal of speculation developed around the disc during the 20th century, particularly capturing the imagination of amateur archeologists. Many attempts have been made to ] the code behind the disc's signs, with a wide variety of theories having been suggested, including prayers, a narrative or an adventure story, a "]", a call to arms, a ], and a geometric ]; some of these theories are considered to be ], with little realistic chance of being accurate.
====Anatolian hieroglyphs====
Achterberg et al. (2004) present a systematic comparison with ]s, resulting in a full decipherment claim (see below).In particular, they consider the stroke symbol cognate to the Luwian ''r(a/i)'' symbol, but assign it the value ''-ti''. The stroke on A3 is identified as the personal name determinative. ] 01 is compared to the logogram ''SARU'', a walking man or walking legs in Luwian. ] 02 is compared to word-initial ''a<sub>2</sub>'', a head with a crown in Luwian. The "bow" ] 11 is identified as the logogram ''sol suus'', the ] known from Luwian royal seals. The "shield" ] 12 is compared to the near identical Luwian logogram ''TURPI'' "bread" and assigned the value ''tu''. ] 39 they read as the "]", logogram of ], in Luwian a W-shaped hieroglyph.


Most linguistic interpretations assume a ], based on the proportion of 45 symbols in a text of 241 tokens typical for that type of script; some assume a syllabary with interspersed ] symbols, a property of every known syllabary of the ] (] as well as ] and ]ic writing). There are, however, also alphabetic and purely logographical interpretations.
=== List of decipherment claims ===
{{main|Phaistos Disc decipherment claims}}


While enthusiasts still believe the mystery can be solved, scholarly attempts at decipherment are thought to be unlikely to succeed unless more examples of the signs turn up elsewhere, as it is generally thought that there is not enough context available for meaningful analysis. Any decipherment without external confirmation, such as successful comparison to other inscriptions, is unlikely to be accepted as conclusive.
The decipherment claims listed are categorized into linguistic decipherments, identifying the language of the inscription, and non-linguistic decipherments. A purely ] reading is not linguistic in the strict sense: while it may reveal the meaning of the inscription, it will not allow for the identification of the underlying language.


=== Comparison with other scripts ===
====Linguistic====
While the Phaistos disk writing system is, on the whole, very different from other known scripts, several scholars have argued against it being an entirely independent invention. ] argued that the creator must have been influenced by other scripts, and points out the ] script from ] as an example of an original script inspired by other writing systems (its symbol values inspired by ], its shapes by Egyptian hieroglyphs).<ref name=ipsen1929>Gunther Ipsen (1929): "Der Diskus von Phaistos: Ein Versuch zur Entzifferung". ''Indogermanische Forschungen'', volume 47, issue 1, pages 1-40. {{doi|10.1515/if-1929-0102}}</ref>{{rp|p.11}}
* ], ] (interpretation as ], syllabic writing); A-side first; reading inwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as ], syllabic writing); B-side first; reading inwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as an ancient ] document, syllabic-logographic writing);
* ], ] (interpretation as Mycenean Greek, syllabic writing, comparison to Linear B); A-side first; reading inwards;
* ], ], (interpretation as "]" Greek, syllabic writing ; A-side first; reading inwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as ], syllabic writing); A-side first; reading outwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as a Greek dialect, syllabic writing); A-side first; reading inwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as a ], syllabic writing); A-side first; reading outwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as a Greek dialect, alphabetic writing); A-side first; reading outwards; numerous homophonic signs;
* ] ] (interpretation as a ], syllabic writing ); A-side first; reading outwards;
* ], ] (interpretation as a Greek-Minoan bilingual text, alphabetic writing); reading outwards, side A as Greek, side B as Minoan
* ] & ], ] (interpretation as a Greek dialect, syllabic writing ); A-side first; reading outwards;
* Achterberg et al., ] (interpreted as ]); A-side first; reading inwards;
* ], ] (reading attempt based upon the hypothesis of a Cretan Script );


Several scholars have proposed that the Phaistos signs are older or alternate forms of ] glyphs, specifically. Others have pointed to similar resemblances with the ]s, or with ]s.<ref name=cunyXXX>A. Cuny</ref> More remote possibilities are the ] or the ].
====Non-linguistic or logographic====
* ], ] (interpretation as logographic writing);
* ], ] (interpretation as astronomical document);
* ], ] ( );
* ], ] ()
* ], ] (interpretation as logographic writing);
* ], ] ()
* ], ] ()
* ], ] (interpretation as number-philosophically-document of "Atlantean" origin);
* ], ] (document from ], dated to 4400 BC, logographic reading)
* ], ] (a votive minuature version of a game board similar to the Egyptian '']'')


===Comparison with other scripts=== ==== Linear A ====
Comparison of the disk's signs with those of ] inscriptions go back to Evans in 1909.<ref name=evans1909/> In 1959, ] asserted a genetic relationship between the Phaistos Disc script and the Cretan linear scripts.<ref name=schwa1959a/>{{rp|p.108}} Similar claims were made also by ] in 1975,<ref name=nahm1975>Werner Nahm (1975): "Vergleich von Zeichen des Diskos von Phaistos mit Linear A". ''Kadmos'', volume 14, issue 2, pages 97–101 {{doi|10.1515/kadmos-1975-0202}}{{s2cid|201808440}}</ref> ] in 2004,<ref name=timm2004>Torsten Timm (2004): " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005104009/http://kereti.de/pdf/igf_109.pdf |date=2018-10-05 }}". '']''volume 109, issue 2004, pages 204–231. {{doi|10.1515/16130405.204}} {{s2cid|170325659}}</ref> and others.

Some of these proposals point to similarities between some glyphs, such as 12 (SHIELD) ], 43 (STRAINER) ], and 31 (EAGLE) ] to both ] and ] characters, and conjecture that they may have the same phonetic values — respectively 'qe', 'ta', and 'ku'. Based on the ] character distribution patterns collected by Giulio Facchetti,<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Statistical data and morphematic elements in Linear A|first=Giulio M.|last=Facchetti|journal=Kadmos|volume= 38|issue= 2. (1999)}}</ref> Torsten Timm goes as far as identifying 20 of the 45 characters with Linear A/B signs.<ref name=timm2005/>

==== Anatolian hieroglyphs ====
Parallels between the Phaistos disk script and ]s were proposed, among others, by ] in 1961<ref name=davis1961>S. Davis (1961): ''The Phaistos disk and the Eteocretan Inscriptions from Psychro and Praisos''. Witwatersrand University Press.</ref><ref name=newt1962>B. E. Newton (1962): ". ''Acta Classica'', volume 5, page 75.</ref><ref name=davis1965>S. Davis, (1964): "Cretan Hieroglyphs: The end of a Quest?" ''Greece & Rome'', volume 11, issue 2, pages 106-127. {{doi|10.1017/S0017383500014121}}</ref> and ] and ] in 1988.<ref name=best1988>Jan G. P. Best, Fred C. Woudhuizen (1988): ''Ancient Scripts from Crete and Cyprus''. Volume 9 of the publications of the Henri Frankfort Foundation. 131 pages. {{isbn|9789004084315}}</ref><ref name=best1989>Jan G. P. Best, Fred C. Woudhuizen (1989): ''Lost Languages from the Mediterranean''. Volume 10 of the publications of the Henri Frankfort Foundation. 179 pages. {{isbn|9789004089341}}</ref> In 2004, ] and others proposed an extensive mapping to Anatolian hieroglyphs, which led them to a full decipherment claim.<ref name=acht2004>Winfried Achterberg, Jan Best, Kees Enzler, Lia Rietveld, and Fred Woudhuizen (2004): ''The Phaistos Disc: A Luwian letter to Nestor''. Volume 13 of the ''Publications of the Henry Frankfort Foundation''.{{isbn|978-90-72067-11-1}}</ref> The third revised and extended edition of the authors' monograph on the subject was published in 2021.<ref>Winfried Achterberg, Jan Best, Kees Enzler, Lia Rietveld, Fred Woudhuizen 2021, Third revised and extended edition: 2021. Amsterdam. academia.edu</ref>

==Summary table==

The following table summarizes the proposed identifications of Phaistos signs with Linear A/B,{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} the Arkalochori Axe glyphs,{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} and Luwian hieroglyphs:


{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
!No.
|-
!Sign
|No
!]
|Sign
|] !]
!]<ref name=acht2004/>
|]
|]
|- |-
|01 |01
|] |]
| |
| |
|''SARU'' |'SARU'
|- |-
|02 |02
|] |]
| |
|04,07,10 ] |04,07,10 ]
|''A<sub>2</sub>'' |'A<sub>2</sub>'
|- |-<!--
|03 |03
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 577: Line 633:
|- |-
|04 |04
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 583: Line 639:
|- |-
|05 |05
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 589: Line 645:
|- |-
|06 |06
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 595: Line 651:
|- |-
|07 |07
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 601: Line 657:
|- |-
|08 |08
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 607: Line 663:
|- |-
|09 |09
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|10 |10
|] |]
|AB79 ] ''ZU'' |AB79 ] 'ZU'
| |
| |
|- |-
|11 |11
|] |]
| |
| |
|'']'' |']'
|- |-
|12 |12
|] |]
|AB78 ] ''QE'' |AB78 ] 'QE'
| |
|''TURPI'' |'TURPI'
|- |-<!--
|13 |13
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 637: Line 693:
|- |-
|14 |14
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|15 |15
|] |]
|A364 ] B232 𐃈 |A364 ] B232
| |
| |
|- |-
|16 |16
|] |]
|AB74 ] ''ZE'' ? |AB74 ] 'ZE' ?
| |
| |
|- |-
|17 |17
|] |]
|A322 ] |A322 ]
| |
| |
|- |-
|18 |18
|] |]
|AB37 ] ''TI'' |AB37 ] 'TI'
| |
| |
|- |-
|19 |19
|] |]
|AB31 ] ''SA'' |AB31 ] 'SA'
|11 ] |11 ]
| |
|- |-<!--
|20 |20
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 679: Line 735:
|- |-
|21 |21
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|22 |22
|] |]
|A318 ] |A318 ]
| |
| |
|- |-
|23 |23
|] |]
|AB05 ] ''TO'' or AB06 ] ''NA'' |AB05 ] 'TO' or AB06 ] 'NA'
|13 ] |13 ]
| |
|- |-
|24 |24
|] |]
|AB54 ] ''WA'' |AB54 ] 'WA'
| |
| |
|- |-
|25 |25
|] |]
|AB86 ] |AB86 ]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ancient-greece.org/images/museums/heraklion-mus/pages/DSC00048_jpg.htm|title=Ancient Greece|access-date=2006-08-03 |archive-date=2008-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008035529/http://www.ancient-greece.org/images/museums/heraklion-mus/pages/DSC00048_jpg.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
| |
| |
|- |-<!--
|26 |26
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |-
|27 |27
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 721: Line 777:
|- |-
|28 |28
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|29 |29
|] |]
|AB80 ] ''MA'' |AB80 ] 'MA'
|08 ] |08 ]
| |
|- |-
|30 |30
|] |]
|AB13 ] ''ME'', AB85? |AB13 ] 'ME', AB85?
| |
| |
|- |-
|31 |31
|] |]
|AB81 ] ''KU'' |AB81 ] 'KU'
| |
| |
|- |-<!--
|32 |32
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 751: Line 807:
|- |-
|33 |33
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|34 |34
|] |]
|AB39 ] ''PI'' |AB39 ] 'PI'
| |
| |
|- |-
|35 |35
|] |]
|AB04 ] ''TE'' |AB04 ] 'TE'
|09 ] |09 ]
| |
|- |-
|36 |36
|] |]
|AB30 ] ''NI'' |AB30 ] 'NI'
| |
| |
|- |-<!--
|37 |37
|] |]
| |
| |
Line 781: Line 837:
|- |-
|38 |38
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|39 |39
|] |]
|AB28 ] ''I'' |AB28 ] 'I'
|02 ] |02 ]
|''TARHUNT'' |'TARHUNT'
|- |-
|40 |40
|] |]
|AB26 ] ''RU'' or AB27 ] ''RE'' |AB26 ] 'RU' or AB27 ] 'RE'
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|- |-<!--
|41 |41
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Line 805: Line 861:
|- |-
|42 |42
|] |]
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|- |--->
|43 |43
|] |]
|AB66 ] ''TA<sub>2</sub>'' |AB66 ] 'TA<sub>2</sub>'
| |
| |
|- |-<!--
|44 |44
|] |]
| |
| |
| |
|- |--->
|45 |45
|] |]
|AB76 ] ''RA<sub>2</sub>'' |AB76 ] 'RA<sub>2</sub>'
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|} |}


== List of decipherment claims ==
==Notes==
{{Main|Phaistos Disc decipherment claims}}
{{reflist}}


Decipherment claims can be categorized into linguistic decipherments, identifying the language of the inscription, and non-linguistic decipherments. A purely ] reading is not linguistic in the strict sense: while it may reveal the meaning of the inscription, it will not allow for the identification of the underlying language.
==Selected bibliography==
===General===
*Balistier, Thomas. ''The Phaistos Disc - an account of its unsolved mystery'', Verlag Thomas Balistier, 2000.
*Chadwick, John. ''The Decipherment of Linear B'', Cambridge University Press, 1958.
*Duhoux, Yves. ''Le disque de phaestos'', Leuven, 1977.
*Duhoux, Yves. ''How not to decipher the Phaistos Disc'', American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 104, n° 3 (2000), p. 597-600 ().
* Evans, A. J., ''Scripta Minoa, the written documents of Minoan Crete, with special reference to the archives of Knossos'', Classic Books (1909), ISBN 0-7426-4005-1.
* Faure, P. ''"Tourne disque", l'énigme du disque de Phaistos'', Notre Histoire n°213, October 2003 ().
*Godart, Louis. ''The Phaistos Disc - the enigma of an Aegean script'', ITANOS Publications, 1995.
*Kober, Alice: ''The Minoan Scripts: Facts and Theory.'' 1948, American Journal of Archaeology, Volume 52, pp. 82 - 103.
*{{Cite journal|title=The ultimate assessment|first=Karl|last=Sornig|journal=Grazer Linguistische Studien|issue=65|year=2006|pages=151-155}}
*{{Cite journal|title=Der Diskos von Phaistos - Anmerkungen zur Deutung und Textstruktur|first=Torsten|last=Timm|journal=Indogermanische Forschungen|issue=109|year=2004|pages=204-231}} ()
*Trauth, Michael: ''The Phaistos Disc and the Devil’s Advocate. On the Aporias of an Ancient Topic of Research.'' 1990, Glottometrika 12, pp. 151 - 173.


===Attempted decipherments=== === Linguistic ===
Unless said otherwise, the attempts below assumed the right-to-left (clockwise, edge-to-center) reading direction, starting with side A.
This list contains off-line accounts of various decipherments mentioned above
* ], 1911: interpretation as ], syllabic writing.<ref name=hemp1911>{{cite magazine|first=George| last=Hempl |date=January 1911|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_harpers-magazine_1911-01_122_728/page/186/mode/2up | title=The Solving of an Ancient Riddle: Ionic Greek before Homer| magazine=Harper's Monthly Magazine|volume=122|issue=728|pages=187–198 |via=]}}</ref>
*Aartun, Kjell, 'Der Diskos von Phaistos; Die beschriftete Bronzeaxt; Die Inschrift der Taragona-tafel' in ''Die minoische Schrift : Sprache und Texte'' vol. 1, Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz (1992) ISBN 3-447-03273-1
* ], 1911: interpretation as ], syllabic writing; B-side first.<ref name="staw1911">{{Cite journal |last=Stawell |first=F. Melian |date=1911 |title=An Interpretation of the Phaistos Disk |url= |journal=The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs |volume=19 |issue=97 |pages=23–38 |issn=0951-0788 |jstor=858643}}</ref>
*Achterberg, Winfried; Best, Jan; Enzler, Kees; Rietveld, Lia; Woudhuizen, Fred, ''The Phaistos Disc: A Luwian Letter to Nestor'', Publications of the Henry Frankfort Foundation vol XIII, Dutch Archeological and Historical Society, Amsterdam 2004
* ], 1914: interpretation as an ancient ] document, syllabic-logographic writing.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*Balistier, Thomas, ''The Phaistos Disc - an account of its unsolved mystery'', Verlag Thomas Balistier, 2000 (as above); describes Aarten's and Ohlenroth's decipherments.
* ], 1959: interpretation as Mycenean Greek, syllabic writing, comparison to Linear B.<ref name=schwa1959a/><ref name=schwa1959b/>
*Ephron, Henry D, (1962), ", ''Harvard Studies in Classical Philology'', Vol. 66. (1962), pp. 1-91. ] URL
*Faucounau, Jean, ''Le déchiffrement du Disque de Phaistos'' & ''Les Proto-Ioniens : histoire d'un peuple oublié'', Paris 1999 & 2001. * ], 1975: interpretation as "]" Greek, syllabic writing.<ref name=fauc1975>Jean Faucounau (1975): "Le déchiffrement du Disque de Phaistos est-il possible par des méthodes statistiques ?" ''Revue des Études Anciennes'', volume 77, issues 1-4, pages 9-19. {{doi|10.3406/rea.1975.3981}}</ref><ref name=fauc1999>Jean Faucounau (1999): ''Le déchiffrement du Disque de Phaistos''. Paris.</ref><ref name=fauc2001>Jean Faucounau (2001): ''Les Proto-Ioniens : histoire d'un peuple oublié''. Paris.</ref>
* ], 1976: interpretation as ], syllabic writing; reading outward.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}
*Fischer, Steven R., ''Evidence for Hellenic Dialect in the Phaistos Disk'', Herbert Lang (1988), ISBN 3-261-03703-2
* ], 1988: interpretation as a Greek dialect, syllabic writing.<ref name=fisch1988>Steven R. Fischer (1988): ''Evidence for Hellenic Dialect in the Phaistos Disk''. {{ISBN|3-261-03703-2}}</ref>
*Gordon, F. G. 1931. ''Through Basque to Minoan: transliterations and translations of the Minoan tablets''. London: Oxford University Press.
* ], 1992: interpretation as a ], syllabic writing; reading outward.<ref name="bali2000">{{Cite book |last=Balistier |first=Thomas |title=The Phaistos Disc – an account of its unsolved mystery |publisher=Verlag Dr Thomas Balistier |year=2000 |isbn=978-3980616805}}</ref>
*Hausmann, Axel, ''Der Diskus von Phaistos. Ein Dokument aus Atlantis'', BoD GmbH (2002), ISBN 3-8311-4548-2.
* ], 1996: interpretation as a Greek dialect, alphabetic writing; reading outward; numerous homophonic signs.<ref name=ohl1996>Derk Ohlenroth (1996): ''Das Abaton des lykäischen Zeus und der Hain der Elaia: Zum Diskos von Phaistos und zur frühen griechischen Schriftkultur''. {{ISBN|3-484-80008-9}}</ref><ref name=bali2000/>
* {{Cite journal|title=The Solving of an Ancient Riddle: Ionic Greek before Homer|first=George|last=Hempl|journal=] Monthly Magazine|issue=Vol. 122, No. 728 (Jan 1911)|pages=187-198}}
*Martin, Adam, ''Der Diskos von Phaistos - Ein zweisprachiges Dokument geschrieben in einer frühgriechischen Alphabetschrift'', Ludwig Auer Verlag (2000), ISBN 3-9807169-1-0. * Adam Martin, 2000: interpretation as a Greek-Minoan bilingual text, alphabetic writing; reading outward, side A as Greek, side B as Minoan.<ref name=mart2000>Adam Martin (2000): ''Der Diskos von Phaistos – Ein zweisprachiges Dokument geschrieben in einer frühgriechischen Alphabetschrift'' {{ISBN|3-9807169-1-0}}.</ref>
* Achterberg et al., 2004: interpreted as ].<ref name=acht2004/>
*Ohlenroth, Derk, ''Das Abaton des lykäischen Zeus und der Hain der Elaia: Zum Diskos von Phaistos und zur frühen griechischen Schriftkultur'', M. Niemeyer (1996), ISBN 3-484-80008-9.
* ], 2005: syllabic writing, comparison to Linear A; B-side first.<ref name="timm2005">{{cite book |last=Torsten |first=Timm |title=Der Diskos von Phaistos - Fremdeinfluss oder kretisches Erbe? |year=2008 |publisher=Books on Demand |isbn=978-3833424519 |edition=2nd |language=de |orig-date=2005}}</ref>
*Polygiannakis, Ο Δισκος της Φαιστού Μιλάει Ελληνικά (''The Phaistos disk speaks in Greek''), Georgiadis, Athens (2000).
* ], 2007: interpretation as Indo-European, syllabic writing, comparison to Linear A.<ref>{{cite web |title=daidalika/07_chapter_85-99 |url=http://www.teicrete.gr/daidalika/07_chapter_85-99.pdf |type=}} {{dead link|date=August 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>
*Pomerance, Leon, ''The Phaistos Disk: An Interpretation of Astronomical Symbols'', Paul Astroms forlag, Goteborg (1976). reviewed by D. H. Kelley in The Journal of Archeoastronomy (Vol II, number 3, Summer 1979)
*{{Cite journal|title=The Phaistos disk|first=Benjamin|last=Schwartz|journal=Journal of Near Eastern Studies|issue=Vol. 18, No. 2 (1959)|pages=105-112}}
* {{Cite journal|title=An Interpretation of the Phaistos Disk|first=F. Melian|last= Stawell|journal=The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs|issue= Vol. 19, No. 97. (Apr., 1911)|pages= 23-29;32-38|url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0951-0788%28191104%2919%3A97%3C23%3AAIOTPD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Q}} ] URL
*Whittaker, Helène, "Social and Symbolic Aspects of Minoan writing", ''European Journal of Archaeology'' '''8''':1, 29-41 (2005) {{doi|10.1177/1461957105058207}}


=== Non-linguistic or logographic ===
==See also==
* ], 1974: interpretation as logographic writing.
* ], 1976: interpretation as astronomical document.
* ], 1977: interpretation as documentation of a gift to ].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=van Meerten |first1=Rainer J |title=Decipherment of the Phaistos Disc with help of a Probability Method |journal=SMIL Journal of Linguistic Calculus |date=1977 |volume=1977 |issue=1 |pages=29–104}}</ref>
* ], 1982:interpretation as ancient gameboard.<ref>Peter Aleff (1982): {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126055500/http://www.recoveredscience.com/phaistoscontents.htm |date=2021-01-26 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.philipcoppens.com/phaistos.html|title=The Phaistos Disc: Roll 'em|access-date=2006-05-05 |archive-date=2017-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170418213428/http://www.philipcoppens.com/phaistos.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ], 1988: interpretation as calendar.<ref>Ole Hagen (1988): </ref>
* ], 1990: interpretation as logographic writing.
* ], 1997: calendar interpretation, logograms.<ref>Bernd Schomburg (1997): {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120184320/http://www.phaestos-disk.de/ |date=2017-11-20 }}</ref>
* ], 2010: interpretation as the mythical labyrinth.
* ], 1998: astronomical interpretation.<ref>Hermann Wenzel(1998): {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224212512/http://www.torso-lit.de/to07s73.htm |date=2021-02-24 }}</ref>
* ], 1999: interpretation as ].
* ], 2000: interpretation as number-philosophically-document of "Atlantean" origin.
* ], 2002: document from ], dated to 4400 B.C., logographic reading.
* ], 2005: a votive miniature version of a game board similar to the Egyptian '']''.
* ], 2009: eclipse table for Knossos, covering 4 ]s of 18 years each.<ref name="recz2009">{{Cite journal |last=Reczko |first=Wolfgang |date=2009-12-01 |title=Analyzing and dating the structure of the Phaistos Disk |journal=Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences |language=en |volume=1 |issue=4 |pages=241–245 |doi=10.1007/s12520-009-0015-2 |s2cid=129823808 |issn=1866-9565 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2009ArAnS...1..241R }}</ref>

== Unicode ==

{{Main|Phaistos Disc (Unicode block)}}

A set of 46 symbols from the Phaistos Disc, comprising Evans's 45 signs and one combining oblique stroke, have been encoded in ] since April 2008 (Unicode version 5.1). They are assigned to the range 101D0–101FF in Plane 1 (the ]). These characters were encoded with strong left-to-right ], and so in code charts and text (such as elsewhere on this page) the glyphs are mirrored from the way they appear on the disc itself.

{{Unicode chart Phaistos Disc}}

== Modern use ==
Side A of the Phaistos Disc is used as the logo of ], one of the largest research centers in Greece.

== See also ==
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]


==External links== == References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{commons|Phaistos Disc}}

*
== Further reading ==
*

*
=== General ===
*
* ] (1996) — ''Aegean Scripts'', (in ''The World's Writing Systems'', Peter T. Daniels and William Bright (Eds.) Oxford: University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-507993-0}}
* ]'s to encode Phaistos Disc signs in Unicode and ISO/IEC 10646
* Chadwick, John. ''The Decipherment of Linear B'', Cambridge University Press, 1958.
*
* Faure, P. ''"Tourne disque", l'énigme du disque de Phaistos'', Notre Histoire n°213, October 2003 ({{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}).
* Gaur, Albertine. 1984 — ''A History of Writing'' — Charles Scribner's Sons.
* Kober, Alice. , American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 52, No. 1 (1948), pp.&nbsp;82–103.
* {{Cite journal|title=The ultimate assessment|first=Karl|last=Sornig|journal=Grazer Linguistische Studien|issue=65|year=2006|pages=151–155}}
* International Phaistos Disk Conference 2008, sponsored by ].

=== Attempted decipherments ===
* Aartun, Kjell, 'Der Diskos von Phaistos; Die beschriftete Bronzeaxt; Die Inschrift der Taragona-tafel' in ''Die minoische Schrift : Sprache und Texte'' vol. 1, Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz (1992) {{ISBN|3-447-03273-1}}
* Ephron, Henry D, (1962), ", ''Harvard Studies in Classical Philology'', Vol. 66. (1962), pp.&nbsp;1–91. {{JSTOR|310736}}
* Gordon, F. G. 1931. ''Through Basque to Minoan: transliterations and translations of the Minoan tablets''. London: Oxford University Press.
* Hausmann, Axel, ''Der Diskus von Phaistos. Ein Dokument aus Atlantis'', BoD GmbH (2002), {{ISBN|3-8311-4548-2}}.
* Thomas G. Palaima, Emmet L. Bennet, Jr., Michael G.F. Ventris, Alice E. Kober, "Cryptanalysis, Decipherment and the Phaistos Disc.", in M.-L. Nosch and H. Landenius-Enegren eds., Aegean Scripts, (Incunabula Graeca 105, Rome: 2017) vol. 2, pp.&nbsp;771–788
* Polygiannakis, Ο Δισκος της Φαιστού Μιλάει Ελληνικά (''The Phaistos disk speaks in Greek''), Georgiadis, Athens (2000).
* Pomerance, Leon, ''The Phaistos Disk: An Interpretation of Astronomical Symbols'', Paul Astroms forlag, Goteborg (1976). reviewed by D. H. Kelley in The Journal of Archeoastronomy (Vol II, number 3, Summer 1979)
* {{cite journal | last1 = Whittaker | first1 = Helène | year = 2005| title = Social and Symbolic Aspects of Minoan writing | journal = European Journal of Archaeology | volume = 8 | issue = 1| pages = 29–41 | doi = 10.1177/1461957105058207 | s2cid = 162881074 }}


== External links ==
<!-- The space below is for interlanguage links -->
{{Commons}}
* {{cite web | title=Findings from the Archaeological site of Phaistos | work=Phaistos | publisher=Interkriti | url=http://www.interkriti.org/crete/iraklion/phaistos.html?vpg=4 | access-date=4 May 2012}}
* {{cite web | first=Anthony P | last=Svoronos | title=Information about the Efforts to Decipher the PHAISTOS DISK | publisher=otonet.gr | access-date=4 May 2012 | url=http://users.otenet.gr/~svoronan/phaistos.htm}}
* {{cite web | first=Gareth Alun | last=Owens | title=The Phaistos Disk and Related Inscriptions | publisher=TEI of Crete – Daidalika | date=2008–2012 | url=http://www.teicrete.gr/daidalika/pages/page.php?page=phaistos_disk | access-date=2012-05-04 | archive-date=2012-09-20 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920070350/http://www.teicrete.gr/daidalika/pages/page.php?page=phaistos_disk | url-status=dead }}
*


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Latest revision as of 02:46, 16 January 2025

Inscribed clay disc found in Crete, Greece

Phaistos Disc
Phaistos Disc, side A (top) and side B (bottom)
MaterialClay
Created2nd millennium BC
DiscoveredJuly 3, 1908
Phaistos, Crete, Greece
Discovered byLuigi Pernier
Present locationHeraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete, Greece
This article contains Phaistos Disc Unicode characters. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Phaistos Disc glyphs.
Palace complex at Phaistos

The Phaistos Disc, or Phaistos Disk, is a disk of fired clay from the island of Crete, Greece, possibly from the middle or late Minoan Bronze Age (second millennium BC), bearing a text in an unknown script and language. Its purpose and its original place of manufacture remain disputed. It is now on display at the archaeological museum of Heraklion. The name is sometimes spelled Phaestos or Festos.

The disk was discovered in 1908 by the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier during the excavation of the Minoan palace of Phaistos. The disk is about 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter and is covered on each side with a spiral text, consisting of a total of 241 occurrences of 45 distinct signs, which were created by pressing individual sign stamps onto the soft clay before firing. While its unique features initially led some scholars to suspect a forgery or hoax, the disk is now generally accepted by archaeologists as authentic.

This mysterious object captured the imagination of amateur and professional palaeographers, and many attempts have been made to decipher the code behind the disc's signs. While it is not clear that it is a script, most attempted decipherments assume that it is; most additionally assume a syllabary, others an alphabet or logography.

Discovery

The Linear A tablet PH-1 that was originally found by archaeologist Zakarias Iliakis next to the Phaistos Disc

The Phaistos Disc was discovered in the Minoan palace-site of Phaistos, near Hagia Triada, on the south coast of Crete; specifically the disc was found in the basement of room 8 in building 101 of a group of buildings to the northeast of the main palace. This grouping of four rooms also served as a formal entry into the palace complex. Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier recovered the intact "dish" on 3 July 1908 during his excavation of the first Minoan palace.

The disc was found in the main cell of an underground "temple depository". These basement cells, only accessible from above, were neatly covered with a layer of fine plaster. Their content was poor in precious artifacts, but rich in black earth and ashes, mixed with burnt bovine bones. In the northern part of the main cell, in the same black layer, a few centimetres south-east of the disc and about 50 cm (20 in) above the floor, Linear A tablet 'PH-1' was also found.

Dating

Yves Duhoux (1977) dates the disc to between 1850 B.C. and 1600 B.C. (MMIII in Minoan chronology) on the basis of Luigi Pernier's report, which says that the disc was in a Middle Minoan undisturbed context. Jeppesen (1963) dates it to after 1400 (LMII–LMIII in Minoan chronology). Doubting the viability of Pernier's report, Louis Godart (1990) resigns himself to admitting that archaeologically, the disc may be dated to anywhere in Middle or Late Minoan times (MMI–LMIII, a period spanning most of the second millennium B.C.). Jan Best suggests a date in the first half of the 14th century B.C. (LMIIIA) based on his dating of tablet PH-1.

Physical description

Material

The disk is made of fine-grained clay. Some authors have stated that the clay does not appear to be of local origin, perhaps not even from Crete. It was intentionally and properly fired, unlike tablets and seals that were baked only accidentally.

Shape and dimensions

The disk is approximately cylindrical, about 16 cm in diameter and almost 2 cm thick, with rounded edges. More precisely, the outline is slightly egg-shaped, with the diameter varying from 15.8 to 16.5 cm and the thickness from 1.6 to 2.1 cm. The disk is slightly concave on side A and convex on side B.

Typographic writing

The most remarkable feature of the Phaistos disk is that the embossed signs that comprise its inscription all result from pressing separate stamps – one for each symbol – into the soft clay before firing. Thus the disk can be seen as an early example of movable-type printing. Typesetter and linguist Herbert Brekle writes:

If the disc is, as assumed, a textual representation, we are really dealing with a "printed" text, which fulfills all definitional criteria of the typographic principle. The spiral sequencing of the graphematical units, the fact that they are impressed in a clay disc (blind printing!) and not imprinted are merely possible technological variants of textual representation. The decisive factor is that the material "types" are proven to be repeatedly instantiated on the clay disc.

A medieval example of a similar blind printing technique is the Prüfening dedicatory inscription.

Popular-science author Jared Diamond describes the disc as an example of a technological innovation that did not become widespread because it was made at the wrong time in history. Diamond contrasts the process with Gutenberg's printing press.

Scribed lines

Besides the stamped symbols, there are a few markings made by scoring the moist clay with a sharp stylus. On each side there is a continuous spiral line that separates successive turns of the text. The strip between successive spires of this line is divided into sections by short radial lines, so that each section contains a few whole signs. The presumed start of the text, adjacent to the edge, is also marked by such a radial stroke, with the addition of five dots punched along it with the stylus. Finally, under some of the stamped signs, there are short oblique strokes.

Signs

Sign list and counts

There are 45 distinct signs on the disk, occurring a total of 242 times — 123 on side A and 119 on side B. In addition to these, a small diagonal line was incised with a stylus (not stamped) underneath some signs, a total of 18 times. The 45 symbols were numbered by Sir Arthur Evans from 01 to 45, and this numbering has been adopted by most researchers.

The signs were added to the Unicode universal computer character (UCS) set in 2008, after a 2006 proposal by Michael Everson and John H. Jenkins. In the following table, the No. column is the Evans number of each sign; the Glyph column is a modern drawing of the symbol; and the Font column uses the UCS font available in the browser. The assigned Unicode names are PHAISTOS DISC SIGN followed by the names shown under Name in the table below, taken from a 1995 book by Louis Godart.

One sign occurrence on side A is too damaged to identify. According to Godart, it may be sign 03 (TATTOOED HEAD) or 20 (DOLIUM); or less probably 08 (GAUNTLET) or 44 (SMALL AXE). Theoretically, it could also be a 46th distinct sign.

The sign images below are reversed left-to-right relative to their appearance on the disk, reflecting their presentation in most Western books and articles.

Also, some signs occur in the disk in two or more orientations, rotated by 90 or 180 degrees. It is generally assumed that the rotation has no semantic or linguistic value, so the rotated copies are still the same symbol. Therefore, the "normal" orientation of those signs is not known, and might have been left to the scribe's discretion.

Sign Frequency
No. Glyph Font Name A B A+B
01 01 𐇐 PEDESTRIAN 6 5 11
02 02 𐇑 PLUMED HEAD 14 5 19
03 03 𐇒 TATTOOED HEAD 2 0 2
04 04 𐇓 CAPTIVE 1 0 1
05 05 𐇔 CHILD 0 1 1
06 06 𐇕 WOMAN 2 2 4
07 07 𐇖 HELMET 3 15 18
08 08 𐇗 GAUNTLET 1 4 5
09 09 𐇘 TIARA 0 2 2
10 10 𐇙 ARROW 4 0 4
11 11 𐇚 BOW 1 0 1
12 12 𐇛 SHIELD 15 2 17
13 13 𐇜 CLUB 3 3 6
14 14 𐇝 MANACLES 1 1 2
15 15 𐇞 MATTOCK 0 1 1
16 16 𐇟 SAW 0 2 2
17 17 𐇠 LID 1 0 1
18 18 𐇡 BOOMERANG 6 6 12
19 19 𐇢 CARPENTRY PLANE 3 0 3
20 20 𐇣 DOLIUM 0 2 2
21 21 𐇤 COMB 2 0 2
22 22 𐇥 SLING 0 5 5
23 23 𐇦 COLUMN 5 6 11
24 24 𐇧 BEEHIVE 1 5 6
25 25 𐇨 SHIP 2 5 7
26 26 𐇩 HORN 5 1 6
27 27 𐇪 HIDE 10 5 15
28 28 𐇫 BULLS LEG 2 0 2
29 29 𐇬 CAT 3 8 11
30 30 𐇭 RAM 0 1 1
31 31 𐇮 EAGLE 5 0 5
32 32 𐇯 DOVE 2 1 3
33 33 𐇰 TUNNY 2 4 6
34 34 𐇱 BEE 1 2 3
35 35 𐇲 PLANE TREE 5 6 11
36 36 𐇳 VINE 0 4 4
37 37 𐇴 PAPYRUS 2 2 4
38 38 𐇵 ROSETTE 3 1 4
39 39 𐇶 LILY 1 3 4
40 40 𐇷 OX BACK 3 3 6
41 41 𐇸 FLUTE 2 0 2
42 42 𐇹 GRATER 0 1 1
43 43 𐇺 STRAINER 0 1 1
44 44 𐇻 SMALL AXE 1 0 1
45 45 𐇼 WAVY BAND 2 4 6

Nature of depicted objects

Many of the signs are depictions of concrete objects with a recognizable general nature (such as humans, birds, plants, a boat), or parts thereof (heads, hides, flowers). However, in most cases the precise nature of objects depicted is still unknown (as of 2023). The sign names assigned by scholars, in particular by Godart and the Unicode consortium, were rather arbitrary, often based on the slightest shape similarity.

Symbol 21 (Godart's "COMB") was once conjectured to be a palace floorplan. However, this hypothesis was cast in doubt by the discovery of a vase with a nearly identical symbol incised on the bottom, believed to be a potter's mark.

Ritual sea snail (triton) conch, decorated with red paint. Phaistos, 3600–3000 BC.

Symbol 20 ("DOLIUM") was assumed to be the conch of a large sea snail, such as Tonna dolium or some Eudolium or Charonia species. One such conch was found at Phaistos and is believed to have been used as a musical instrument for ritual uses.

Sign distribution

The distribution of symbols is highly non-random, and quite different between the two sides. Evans's symbol 02 (PLUMED HEAD) is the most frequent one, occurring 19 times — 14 of them on side A. The next most frequent signs are 07 (HELMET), with 18 occurrences, mostly on side B; 12 (SHIELD), with 17, mostly on side A; and 27 (HIDE), with 15, of which 10 on side A.

Still, 26 of the 45 symbols occur on both sides, at least once on each. The most common signs that occur on only one side are 31 (EAGLE), on side A, and 22 (SLING), on side B; both with five occurrences each.

The following table shows how many distinct signs (Sign count) have the same number of occurrences (Frequency). The third number in each column is the product of the two numbers above, that is, the total number of occurrences (Token count) of those signs:

Frequency 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Sign count 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 6 3 6 3 8 9 Total = 45 signs
Token count 19 18 17 15 12 44 7 36 15 24 9 16 9 Total = 241 tokens

The nine hapaxes (symbols occurring just once) are 04 (A5), 05 (B3), 11 (A13), 15 (B8), 17 (A24), 30 (B27), 42 (B9), 43 (B4), 44 (A7). Of the eight twice-occurring symbols, four (03, 21, 28, 41) occur on side A only, three (09, 16, 20) on side B only, and only one (14) occurs on both sides.

Sign correlations

The distribution of symbol pairs too is highly non-uniform. For example, of the 17 occurrences of sign 12 (SHIELD), thirteen follow immediately sign 02 (PLUMED HEAD).

Text

The following is a single image of the text "unrolled". While the order of the characters is left-to-right reversed, the signs themselves are in the original orientation.

Unrolled and left-to-right reversed image of the text.

Directionality

Evans, at one point, published an assertion that the disc had been written, and should be read, from the center out, because it would have been easiest to place the inscription first and then size the disc to fit the text. There is general agreement that he was wrong, and Evans himself later changed his mind: the inscription was made, and should be read, in the clockwise sense, from the outside in toward the centre, as with the similar spiral inscription on the Lead Plaque of Magliano.

"Words"

The signs are laid out on each side as a single spiral text, which is split by the inscribed radial strokes into groups. These groups are conventionally called "words", even though their true linguistic or other nature is not known. Both ends of the text on each side are also assumed to be "word" boundaries. There are 61 such "words" on the Disc, with two to seven sign occurrences each: 31 on side A and 30 on side B. These "words" are conventionally numbered A1 to A31 and B1 to B30, reading from right to left (clockwise, edge-to-center).

There may be one additional radial stroke near the center of side A, over-stamped by the sign 03 (TATTOOED HEAD), between sign 10 (ARROW) and the central sign 38 (ROSETTE). However, most scholars ignore that possible stroke and count the last three symbols as a single "word" 10-03-38 (which happens to occur also at about the same position on the next-to-last turn).

On both sides, there is a radial line also right before the start (outermost end) of the text, with five dots punched along it using a sharp round stylus.

Fields numbering by Louis Godart
Fields numbering by Louis Godart

"Paragraphs"

The short oblique strokes that were drawn with a stylus (not stamped) below some signs are always attached to the last sign of a "word" (assuming outside-in reading direction). Their meaning is a matter of discussion. One hypothesis, supported by Evans, is that they further subdivide the text into "paragraphs".

Transcriptions

The following transcriptions of the text all assume a right-to-left (clockwise, edge-to-center) reading direction on the disk, starting at the vertical (radial) line of five dots. In these transcription, however, the order of the characters has been flipped, so that they should be read left-to-right and top-to-bottom. The oblique stroke is assumed to indicate the last word of a "paragraph". A horizontal line has been added after each "paragraph" for clarity.

For consistency with most published sources, these transcriptions assume that there is an oblique stroke at the end of word A24, even though high-resolution images show it to be just a crack.

Unicode

The following is a rendering of the Phaistos Disc inscription in Unicode characters from the Phaistos code block (code points +101D0 to +101FC). The radial strokes are denoted by the ASCII character "|" (+7C), and the oblique subscripted stroke by the comma-like PHAISTOS DISK COMBINING OBLIQUE STROKE (+101FD) after the affected symbol. The radial stroke with five dots, that indicates the presumed start of text, is denoted by the ISO Latin 1 character "¦" (+A6). The boxed question mark "⍰" (+2370) denotes the illegible sign in word A8. The appearance of the signs will depend on the font used by the browser, but normally they should all be left-to-right flipped relative to their appearance on the disk.

Side A:

¦ 𐇑𐇛𐇜𐇐𐇡𐇽
| 𐇧𐇷𐇛 | 𐇬𐇼𐇖𐇽
| 𐇬𐇬𐇱 | 𐇑𐇛𐇓𐇷𐇰 | 𐇪𐇼𐇖𐇛 | 𐇪𐇻𐇗 | 𐇑𐇛𐇕𐇡⍰ | 𐇮𐇩𐇲 | 𐇑𐇛𐇸𐇢𐇲 | 𐇐𐇸𐇷𐇖 | 𐇑𐇛𐇯𐇦𐇵𐇽
| 𐇶𐇚 | 𐇑𐇪𐇨𐇙𐇦𐇡 | 𐇫𐇐𐇽
| 𐇑𐇛𐇮𐇩𐇽
| 𐇑𐇛𐇪𐇪𐇲𐇴𐇤 | 𐇰𐇦 | 𐇑𐇛𐇮𐇩𐇽
| 𐇑𐇪𐇨𐇙𐇦𐇡 | 𐇫𐇐𐇽
| 𐇑𐇛𐇮𐇩𐇽
| 𐇑𐇛𐇪𐇝𐇯𐇡𐇪 | 𐇕𐇡𐇠𐇢𐇽
| 𐇮𐇩𐇛 | 𐇑𐇛𐇜𐇐 | 𐇦𐇢𐇲𐇽
| 𐇙𐇒𐇵 | 𐇑𐇛𐇪𐇪𐇲𐇴𐇤 | 𐇜𐇐 | 𐇙𐇒𐇵

Side B

¦ 𐇑𐇛𐇥𐇷𐇖 | 𐇪𐇼𐇖𐇲 | 𐇑𐇴𐇦𐇔𐇽
| 𐇥𐇨𐇪 | 𐇰𐇧𐇣𐇛 | 𐇟𐇦𐇡𐇺𐇽
| 𐇜𐇐𐇶𐇰 | 𐇞𐇖𐇜𐇐𐇡 | 𐇥𐇴𐇹𐇨 | 𐇖𐇧𐇷𐇲 | 𐇑𐇩𐇳𐇷 | 𐇪𐇨𐇵𐇐 | 𐇬𐇧𐇧𐇣𐇲 | 𐇟𐇝𐇡 | 𐇬𐇰𐇐 | 𐇕𐇲𐇯𐇶𐇰 | 𐇑𐇘𐇪𐇐 | 𐇬𐇳𐇖𐇗𐇽
| 𐇬𐇗𐇜 | 𐇬𐇼𐇖𐇽
| 𐇥𐇬𐇳𐇖𐇗𐇽
| 𐇪𐇱𐇦𐇨 | 𐇖𐇡𐇲 | 𐇖𐇼𐇖𐇽
| 𐇖𐇦𐇡𐇧 | 𐇥𐇬𐇳𐇖𐇗𐇽
| 𐇘𐇭𐇶𐇡𐇖 | 𐇑𐇕𐇲𐇦𐇖 | 𐇬𐇱𐇦𐇨 | 𐇼𐇖𐇽

Pictorial

The following transcription uses modern drawings of the signs, which are left-to-right reversed with respect to their appearance on the disk. The labels A1-A31 and B1-B30 are the traditional word numbers.

Side A:

48 02 12 13 01 18 46
47 24 40 12 47 29 45 07 46
47 29 29 34 47 02 12 04 40 33 47 27 45 07 12 47 27 44 08 47 02 12 06 18 ⍰ 47 31 26 35 47 02 12 41 19 35 47 01 41 40 07 47 02 12 32 23 38 46
47 39 11 47 02 27 25 10 23 18 47 28 01 46
47 02 12 31 26 46
47 02 12 27 27 35 37 21 47 33 23 47 02 12 31 26 46
47 02 27 25 10 23 18 47 28 01 46
47 02 12 31 26 46
47 02 12 27 14 32 18 2747 06 18 17 19 46
47 31 26 12 47 02 12 13 01 47 23 19 35 46
47 10 03 3847 02 12 27 27 35 37 21 47 13 01 47 10 03 38

Side B:

48 02 12 22 40 07 47 27 45 07 35 47 02 37 23 05 46
47 22 25 2747 33 24 20 1247 16 23 18 43 46
47 13 01 39 3347 15 07 13 01 1847 22 37 42 2547 07 24 40 3547 02 26 36 4047 27 25 38 0147 29 24 24 20 3547 16 14 1847 29 33 0147 06 35 32 39 33 47 02 09 27 0147 29 36 07 08 46
47 29 08 1347 29 45 07 46
47 22 29 36 07 08 46
47 27 34 23 2547 07 18 3547 07 45 07 46
47 07 23 18 2447 22 29 36 07 08 46
47 09 30 39 18 0747 02 06 35 23 0747 29 34 23 2547 45 07 46

Numerical

The following transcription uses the Evans numbers for the signs. The vertical bar characters "¦" and "|" represent the start-of-text and word-separating radial lines, respectively. The slash "/" denotes the oblique stroke under the preceding sign. The caret "^" indicates the transition from the first turn of the text (along the disk's edge) to the inner turns, and "??" is the unreadable sign.

Side A:

¦ 02 12 13 01 18/
| 24 40 12 | 29 45 07/
| 29 29 34 | 02 12 04 40 33 | 27 45 07 12 | 27 44 08 | 02 12 06 18 ?? | 31 26 35 | 02 12 41 19 35 | 01 41 40 07 | 02 12 32 23 38/
| 39 11 | ^ 02 27 25 10 23 18 | 28 01/
| 02 12 31 26/
| 02 12 27 27 35 37 21 | 33 23 | 02 12 31 26/
| 02 27 25 10 23 18 | 28 01/
| 02 12 31 26/
| 02 12 27 14 32 18 27 | 06 18 17 19/
| 31 26 12 | 02 12 13 01 | 23 19 35/
| 10 03 38 | 02 12 27 27 35 37 21 | 13 01 | 10 03 38

Side B

¦ 02 12 22 40 07 | 27 45 07 35 | 02 37 23 05/
| 22 25 27 | 33 24 20 12 | 16 23 18 43/
| 13 01 39 33 | 15 07 13 01 18 | 22 37 42 25 | 07 24 40 35 | 02 26 36 40 | 27 25 38 01 | 29 ^ 24 24 20 35 | 16 14 18 | 29 33 01 | 06 35 32 39 33 | 02 09 27 01 | 29 36 07 08/
| 29 08 13 | 29 45 07/
| 22 29 36 07 08/
| 27 34 23 25 | 07 18 35 | 07 45 07/
| 07 23 18 24 | 22 29 36 07 08/
| 09 30 39 18 07 | 02 06 35 23 07 | 29 34 23 25 | 45 07/

Corrections

The disc shows signs of corrections having been made, with some signs erased and over-printed by other signs.

Godart describes these corrections as occurring in the following words: A1 (signs 02-12-13-01), A4 (29-29-34) together with A5 (02-12-04), A8 (12), A10 (02-41-19?-35), A12 (12), A16 (12-31-26?), A17 (second 27?), A29 (second 27?), B1 (12-22), B3 (37?), B4 (22-25 imprinted over the same), B10 (07?-24?-40?), B13 (beside 29?). Question marks indicate uncertainty about that particular sign being the result of a correction.

The borders of word B28 were also widened to make room for sign 02.

Sign rotations

The two signs 27 (HIDE) in word A29 are rotated 180 degrees compared with all other occurrences of this sign: "head down" versus "head up". This rotation might be motivated by lack of space in A29.

Arie Cate observed that if signs rotations were random with uniform distribution, then the probability that they end up in only two (or three) signs is very small.

Signs in adjacent windings

There are several locations on side A where two occurrences of the same sign lie near each other in adjacent turns of the spiral, such as sign 02 (PLUMED HEAD) in word A1 and in word A14. Also the two 27 signs (HIDE) signs in word A29 are upside down, with the "heads" pointing to the HIDE sign of word A23, in the adjacent turn. Arie Cate claims that the probability of these alignments being coincidental is rather small.

Origin of the artifact

For the first few decades after its discovery most scholars argued strongly against the local origin of the artifact. Evans wrote that:

...when one comes to compare the figures in detail with those of the Minoan hieroglyphic signary, very great discrepancy is observable... Out of the forty-five separate signs on the Phaistos Disk, no more than ten more or less resemble Cretan hieroglyphic forms... The human figures in their outline and costume are non-Minoan... The representation of the ship also differs from all similar designs that occur either among the hieroglyphic or the linear documents of Crete.

Gustave Glotz claimed that the clay was not from Crete. Ipsen concluded that the disc was certainly from somewhere on the Aegean; however, because of its differences from Linear A or B, he, like Evans, supported a non-Cretan origin for the Disc. He observes, however, that since Linear A was a common Aegean script such an assumption will not resolve the problem of multiplicity.

Vase from Knossos with a stamped sign similar to SHIELD.

However, the consensus on this question changed in later decades, as a few other artifacts were found on Crete with significant resemblances to the disk. For instance, a vase found at Knossos (Vase 14 236) bears a stamped sign identical to the disk's 25 SHIELD sign (a circle with seven dots). Also, under the bottom of a bowl found in 1965 at Phaistos (bowl F 4718 from the House South of the Ramp) there is a sign in relief, believed to be a potter's mark, that is practically identical to sign 21 (COMB). A very similar sign is found as an impression on a sealing from a deposit of administrative documents discovered in 1955, beneath Room 25 of the Second Palace of Phaistos (sealing CMS II.5, n. 246). Female images with pendulous breasts have also been found at Malia and Phaistos.The Arkalochori Axe also bears a short inscription that uses several signs similar to those of the disk.

These and other finds have made Cretan origin more popular. This view was expressed by Michael Trauth in 1990, Duhoux in 2000 and Andrew Robinson in 2008.

Hoax hypothesis

The uniqueness of the script, of the spiral arrangement, and of the method of writing (individual glyph stamps) have led some scholars to raise the possibility that the Phaistos disc is a 1908 forgery or hoax. It was pointed out that the date of manufacture has never been established by thermoluminescence dating. However, the Disc is now generally accepted as authentic by archaeologists. Andrew Robinson concurs that thermoluminescence dating would be highly desirable, but does not endorse the forgery arguments.

The precise excavation records maintained by Luigi Pernier have always been a problem for the hoax hypothesis. That hypothesis was eventually put to rest by the discovery of the other artifacts in Crete with similar glyphs, which a 1909 hoaxer would not have known about. Also, a gold signet ring from Knossos (the Mavro Spilio ring), found in 1926, contains a Linear A inscription laid out in a spiral, similar to the Phaistos Disc.

Decipherment attempts

Further information: Phaistos Disc decipherment claims

A great deal of speculation developed around the disc during the 20th century, particularly capturing the imagination of amateur archeologists. Many attempts have been made to decipher the code behind the disc's signs, with a wide variety of theories having been suggested, including prayers, a narrative or an adventure story, a "psalterion", a call to arms, a board game, and a geometric theorem; some of these theories are considered to be pseudoarchaeology, with little realistic chance of being accurate.

Most linguistic interpretations assume a syllabary, based on the proportion of 45 symbols in a text of 241 tokens typical for that type of script; some assume a syllabary with interspersed logographic symbols, a property of every known syllabary of the Ancient Near East (Linear B as well as cuneiform and hieroglyphic writing). There are, however, also alphabetic and purely logographical interpretations.

While enthusiasts still believe the mystery can be solved, scholarly attempts at decipherment are thought to be unlikely to succeed unless more examples of the signs turn up elsewhere, as it is generally thought that there is not enough context available for meaningful analysis. Any decipherment without external confirmation, such as successful comparison to other inscriptions, is unlikely to be accepted as conclusive.

Comparison with other scripts

While the Phaistos disk writing system is, on the whole, very different from other known scripts, several scholars have argued against it being an entirely independent invention. Gunther Ipsen argued that the creator must have been influenced by other scripts, and points out the Hieroglyphic Luwian script from Anatolia as an example of an original script inspired by other writing systems (its symbol values inspired by cuneiform, its shapes by Egyptian hieroglyphs).

Several scholars have proposed that the Phaistos signs are older or alternate forms of Linear A glyphs, specifically. Others have pointed to similar resemblances with the Anatolian (Luwian) hieroglyphs, or with Egyptian hieroglyphs. More remote possibilities are the Phoenician abjad or the Byblos syllabary.

Linear A

Comparison of the disk's signs with those of Linear A inscriptions go back to Evans in 1909. In 1959, Benjamin Schwartz asserted a genetic relationship between the Phaistos Disc script and the Cretan linear scripts. Similar claims were made also by Werner Nahm in 1975, Torsten Timm in 2004, and others.

Some of these proposals point to similarities between some glyphs, such as 12 (SHIELD) Phaistos glyph 12, 43 (STRAINER) Phaistos glyph 43, and 31 (EAGLE) Phaistos glyph 31 to both Linear A and Linear B characters, and conjecture that they may have the same phonetic values — respectively 'qe', 'ta', and 'ku'. Based on the Linear A character distribution patterns collected by Giulio Facchetti, Torsten Timm goes as far as identifying 20 of the 45 characters with Linear A/B signs.

Anatolian hieroglyphs

Parallels between the Phaistos disk script and Anatolian hieroglyphs were proposed, among others, by S. Davis in 1961 and Jan Best and Fred Woudhuizen in 1988. In 2004, Winfried Achterberg and others proposed an extensive mapping to Anatolian hieroglyphs, which led them to a full decipherment claim. The third revised and extended edition of the authors' monograph on the subject was published in 2021.

Summary table

The following table summarizes the proposed identifications of Phaistos signs with Linear A/B, the Arkalochori Axe glyphs, and Luwian hieroglyphs:

No. Sign Linear A Arkalochori Axe Luwian hieroglyphs
01 01 'SARU'
02 02 04,07,10 04 'A2'
10 10 AB79 01 'ZU'
11 11 'SOL SUUS'
12 12 AB78 01 'QE' 'TURPI'
15 15 A364 01 B232
16 16 AB74 01 'ZE' ?
17 17 A322 01
18 18 AB37 01 'TI'
19 19 AB31 01 'SA' 11 11
22 22 A318 01
23 23 AB05 01 'TO' or AB06 01 'NA' 13 13
24 24 AB54 01 'WA'
25 25 AB86 01
29 29 AB80 01 'MA' 08 08
30 30 AB13 01 'ME', AB85?
31 31 AB81 01 'KU'
34 34 AB39 01 'PI'
35 35 AB04 01 'TE' 09 09
36 36 AB30 01 'NI'
39 39 AB28 01 'I' 02 02 'TARHUNT'
40 40 AB26 01 'RU' or AB27 01 'RE'
43 43 AB66 01 'TA2'
45 45 AB76 01 'RA2'

List of decipherment claims

Main article: Phaistos Disc decipherment claims

Decipherment claims can be categorized into linguistic decipherments, identifying the language of the inscription, and non-linguistic decipherments. A purely logographical reading is not linguistic in the strict sense: while it may reveal the meaning of the inscription, it will not allow for the identification of the underlying language.

Linguistic

Unless said otherwise, the attempts below assumed the right-to-left (clockwise, edge-to-center) reading direction, starting with side A.

Non-linguistic or logographic

Unicode

Main article: Phaistos Disc (Unicode block)

A set of 46 symbols from the Phaistos Disc, comprising Evans's 45 signs and one combining oblique stroke, have been encoded in Unicode since April 2008 (Unicode version 5.1). They are assigned to the range 101D0–101FF in Plane 1 (the Supplementary Multilingual Plane). These characters were encoded with strong left-to-right directionality, and so in code charts and text (such as elsewhere on this page) the glyphs are mirrored from the way they appear on the disc itself.

Phaistos Disc
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
U+101Dx 𐇐 𐇑 𐇒 𐇓 𐇔 𐇕 𐇖 𐇗 𐇘 𐇙 𐇚 𐇛 𐇜 𐇝 𐇞 𐇟
U+101Ex 𐇠 𐇡 𐇢 𐇣 𐇤 𐇥 𐇦 𐇧 𐇨 𐇩 𐇪 𐇫 𐇬 𐇭 𐇮 𐇯
U+101Fx 𐇰 𐇱 𐇲 𐇳 𐇴 𐇵 𐇶 𐇷 𐇸 𐇹 𐇺 𐇻 𐇼 𐇽
Notes
1. As of Unicode version 16.0
2. Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

Modern use

Side A of the Phaistos Disc is used as the logo of FORTH, one of the largest research centers in Greece.

See also

References

  1. ^ Evans, Arthur J. (1909). Scripta Minoa, the written documents of Minoan Crete, with special reference to the archives of Knossos. Oxford: Clarendon Press. OL 7128491M.
  2. ^ Balistier, Thomas (2000). The Phaistos Disc – an account of its unsolved mystery. Verlag Dr Thomas Balistier. ISBN 978-3980616805.
  3. Spencer McDaniel 2022, The Baffling Ancient Unsolved Mystery of the Phaistos Disk.
  4. Pernier, Luigi, "Il Disco di Phaestos con Caratteri Pittografici (Tav. IX-XIII)", Ausonia 3, pp. 255-302, 1909
  5. Pernier, Dr. Luigi, "Rendieonti della Reale Aeeademia dei Lincei, Classe di Seienze Morali, Storiche e Filologiche", Series V, vol. 17, pp. 642-651, 1908
  6. ^ Yves Duhoux (1977): Le disque de phaestos, Leuven.
  7. ^ Winfried Achterberg, Jan Best, Kees Enzler, Lia Rietveld, and Fred Woudhuizen (2004): The Phaistos Disc: A Luwian letter to Nestor. Volume 13 of the Publications of the Henry Frankfort Foundation.ISBN 978-90-72067-11-1
  8. ^ Eisenberg, Jerome M. (2008). "The Phaistos Disk: one hundred year old hoax?". Minerva (July/August): 9–24.
  9. ^ Schwartz, Benjamin (April 1959). "The Phaistos Disk". Journal of Near Eastern Studies. 18 (2): 105–112. doi:10.1086/371517. ISSN 0022-2968. S2CID 162272726.
  10. ^ Schwartz, Benjamin (1959). "The Phaistos Disk II". Journal of Near Eastern Studies. 18 (3): 222–226. doi:10.1086/371536. ISSN 0022-2968. JSTOR 543423. S2CID 163120992.
  11. ^ Brekle, Herbert E. (1997). "Das typographische Prinzip. Versuch einer Begriffsklärung". Gutenberg-Jahrbuch (in German). Vol. 72. pp. 58–63. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16.
  12. "blind printing". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  13. Herbert E. Brekle (2005): Die Prüfeninger Weiheinschrift von 1119. Eine paläographisch-typographische Untersuchung (brief summary Archived 2011-10-01 at the Wayback Machine), Scriptorium Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft, Regensburg, ISBN 3-937527-06-0
  14. Diamond, Jared (1997). "13: Necessity's Mother: The evolution of technology". Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Society. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-03891-0.
  15. ^ Michael Everson and John H. Jenkins (1997): "Proposal for encoding the Phaistos Disc characters in the SMP of the UCS Archived 2022-12-05 at the Wayback Machine", ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2 Working Group Document N3066R (L2/06-095R), 2006-04-01.
  16. ^ Louis Godart (1995): The Phaistos Disc: the enigma of an Aegean script. translated by Alexandra Doumas. Éditions Itanos. ISBN 960-7549-02-3
  17. ^ Michael Everson (2011): "Response to L2/11‐126 'Phaistos Disc Errata' Archived 2023-07-27 at the Wayback Machine" ISO Working Group Document L2/11-166, 2011-05-06.
  18. Ancient-Greece.org. "Knossos Plan". Archived from the original on 2020-11-27. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  19. ^ Giorgia Baldacci (2021): "The Phaistos Disk-An Enigmatic Artifact in its Cultural Context Archived 2023-08-25 at the Wayback Machine". The Ancient Near East (online journal), volume 9, issue 11 (November). Accessed on 2023-08-25.
  20. Evans, Arthur J. (1921). The palace of Minos: a comparative account of the successive stages of the early Cretan civilization as illustrated by the discoveries at Knossos. Vol. 1. London: Macmillan and Co. Ltd. LCCN 22006622. OCLC 3536093. OL 7063760M. It might, a priori, have been supposed that the signs of the inscriptions had run outwards.
  21. Arie ten Cate (2013): "A statistical analysis of the rotated signs of the Phaistos Disc", Pioneer Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, volume 6, issue 2, pages 81-88
  22. ten Cate, Arie (2011). "Patterns on an ancient artifact: a coincidence?". Statistica Neerlandica. 65 (1): 116–124. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9574.2010.00478.x. S2CID 247700947.
  23. Gustave Glotz, Marryat Ross Dobie, and E. M. Riley (1925): The Aegean Civilization. Knopf.
  24. ^ Gunther Ipsen (1929): "Der Diskus von Phaistos: Ein Versuch zur Entzifferung". Indogermanische Forschungen, volume 47, issue 1, pages 1-40. doi:10.1515/if-1929-0102
  25. Hnila, Pavol. "Notes on the Authenticity of the Phaistos Disk". Archived from the original on 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2016-02-21 – via www.academia.edu. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. Seal of the month – 2013 Archived 2023-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Heidelberg University
  27. Torsten Timm (2003): "The inscription on the Arkalochori axe Archived 2017-10-08 at the Wayback Machine". Online article, at the Kereti website. Accessed on 2023-09-02.
  28. Michael Trauth (1990): "The Phaistos Disc and the Devil's Advocate: On the Aporias of an Ancient Topic of Research". Glottometrika, volume 12 Archived 2023-08-25 at the Wayback Machine (= Quantitative linguistics, volume 45), pages 151–173. Quote: "Crete as source of the Disc can no longer be called into question."
  29. Yves Duhoux (2000:): "How not to decipher the Phaistos Disc Archived 2016-08-19 at the Wayback Machine", American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 104, iss. 3, pp. 597–600.
  30. ^ Andrew Robinson (2008): "A century of puzzling". Nature, volume 453, pp. 990–991 doi:10.1038/453990a S2CID 5166897 PMID 18563139 Quote: "Most scholars today, including Duhoux, think it a plausible working hypothesis that the disc was made in Crete."
  31. Eisenberg, Jerome M. (2008). "Phaistos Disk: A 100-Year-Old Hoax? Addenda, Corrigenda, and Comments" (PDF). Minerva (September/October): 15–16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-19.
  32. "Dalya Alberge, "Phaistos Disc declared as fake by scholar", The Times, 12 July 2008". Archived from the original on 2009-03-17.
  33. Campbell-Dunn, Graham (2006). Who Were the Minoans?. AuthorHouse. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-4259-2007-4.
  34. "Arachne". arachne.dainst.org. Archived from the original on 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  35. A. Cuny
  36. Werner Nahm (1975): "Vergleich von Zeichen des Diskos von Phaistos mit Linear A". Kadmos, volume 14, issue 2, pages 97–101 doi:10.1515/kadmos-1975-0202S2CID 201808440
  37. Torsten Timm (2004): "Der Diskos von Phaistos – Anmerkungen zur Deutung und Textstruktur Archived 2018-10-05 at the Wayback Machine". Indogermanische Forschungenvolume 109, issue 2004, pages 204–231. doi:10.1515/16130405.204 S2CID 170325659
  38. Facchetti, Giulio M. "Statistical data and morphematic elements in Linear A". Kadmos. 38 (2. (1999)).
  39. ^ Torsten, Timm (2008) . Der Diskos von Phaistos - Fremdeinfluss oder kretisches Erbe? (in German) (2nd ed.). Books on Demand. ISBN 978-3833424519.
  40. S. Davis (1961): The Phaistos disk and the Eteocretan Inscriptions from Psychro and Praisos. Witwatersrand University Press.
  41. B. E. Newton (1962): "S. Davis: The Phaistos Disc and the Eteocretan Inscriptions (Book Review)". Acta Classica, volume 5, page 75.
  42. S. Davis, (1964): "Cretan Hieroglyphs: The end of a Quest?" Greece & Rome, volume 11, issue 2, pages 106-127. doi:10.1017/S0017383500014121
  43. Jan G. P. Best, Fred C. Woudhuizen (1988): Ancient Scripts from Crete and Cyprus. Volume 9 of the publications of the Henri Frankfort Foundation. 131 pages. ISBN 9789004084315
  44. Jan G. P. Best, Fred C. Woudhuizen (1989): Lost Languages from the Mediterranean. Volume 10 of the publications of the Henri Frankfort Foundation. 179 pages. ISBN 9789004089341
  45. Winfried Achterberg, Jan Best, Kees Enzler, Lia Rietveld, Fred Woudhuizen 2021, The Phaistos Disc: A Luwian Letter to Nestor. Third revised and extended edition: 2021. Amsterdam. academia.edu
  46. "Ancient Greece". Archived from the original on 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2006-08-03.
  47. Hempl, George (January 1911). "The Solving of an Ancient Riddle: Ionic Greek before Homer". Harper's Monthly Magazine. Vol. 122, no. 728. pp. 187–198 – via Internet Archive.
  48. Stawell, F. Melian (1911). "An Interpretation of the Phaistos Disk". The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs. 19 (97): 23–38. ISSN 0951-0788. JSTOR 858643.
  49. Jean Faucounau (1975): "Le déchiffrement du Disque de Phaistos est-il possible par des méthodes statistiques ?" Revue des Études Anciennes, volume 77, issues 1-4, pages 9-19. doi:10.3406/rea.1975.3981
  50. Jean Faucounau (1999): Le déchiffrement du Disque de Phaistos. Paris.
  51. Jean Faucounau (2001): Les Proto-Ioniens : histoire d'un peuple oublié. Paris.
  52. Steven R. Fischer (1988): Evidence for Hellenic Dialect in the Phaistos Disk. ISBN 3-261-03703-2
  53. Derk Ohlenroth (1996): Das Abaton des lykäischen Zeus und der Hain der Elaia: Zum Diskos von Phaistos und zur frühen griechischen Schriftkultur. ISBN 3-484-80008-9
  54. Adam Martin (2000): Der Diskos von Phaistos – Ein zweisprachiges Dokument geschrieben in einer frühgriechischen Alphabetschrift ISBN 3-9807169-1-0.
  55. "daidalika/07_chapter_85-99" (PDF).
  56. van Meerten, Rainer J (1977). "Decipherment of the Phaistos Disc with help of a Probability Method". SMIL Journal of Linguistic Calculus. 1977 (1): 29–104.
  57. Peter Aleff (1982): interpretation as ancient gameboard Archived 2021-01-26 at the Wayback Machine
  58. "The Phaistos Disc: Roll 'em". Archived from the original on 2017-04-18. Retrieved 2006-05-05.
  59. Ole Hagen (1988): interpretation as calendar
  60. Bernd Schomburg (1997): calendar interpretation, logograms Archived 2017-11-20 at the Wayback Machine
  61. Hermann Wenzel(1998): astronomical interpretation Archived 2021-02-24 at the Wayback Machine
  62. Reczko, Wolfgang (1 December 2009). "Analyzing and dating the structure of the Phaistos Disk". Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. 1 (4): 241–245. Bibcode:2009ArAnS...1..241R. doi:10.1007/s12520-009-0015-2. ISSN 1866-9565. S2CID 129823808.

Further reading

General

  • Bennett, Emmett L. (1996) — Aegean Scripts, (in The World's Writing Systems, Peter T. Daniels and William Bright (Eds.) Oxford: University Press. ISBN 0-19-507993-0
  • Chadwick, John. The Decipherment of Linear B, Cambridge University Press, 1958.
  • Faure, P. "Tourne disque", l'énigme du disque de Phaistos, Notre Histoire n°213, October 2003 (PDF 0.7 Mb).
  • Gaur, Albertine. 1984 — A History of Writing — Charles Scribner's Sons.
  • Kober, Alice. The Minoan Scripts: Facts and Theory, American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 52, No. 1 (1948), pp. 82–103.
  • Sornig, Karl (2006). "The ultimate assessment". Grazer Linguistische Studien (65): 151–155.
  • International Phaistos Disk Conference 2008, sponsored by Minerva Magazine. abstracts

Attempted decipherments

  • Aartun, Kjell, 'Der Diskos von Phaistos; Die beschriftete Bronzeaxt; Die Inschrift der Taragona-tafel' in Die minoische Schrift : Sprache und Texte vol. 1, Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz (1992) ISBN 3-447-03273-1
  • Ephron, Henry D, (1962), "Tharso and Iaon: The Phaistos Disk, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, Vol. 66. (1962), pp. 1–91. JSTOR 310736
  • Gordon, F. G. 1931. Through Basque to Minoan: transliterations and translations of the Minoan tablets. London: Oxford University Press.
  • Hausmann, Axel, Der Diskus von Phaistos. Ein Dokument aus Atlantis, BoD GmbH (2002), ISBN 3-8311-4548-2.
  • Thomas G. Palaima, Emmet L. Bennet, Jr., Michael G.F. Ventris, Alice E. Kober, "Cryptanalysis, Decipherment and the Phaistos Disc.", in M.-L. Nosch and H. Landenius-Enegren eds., Aegean Scripts, (Incunabula Graeca 105, Rome: 2017) vol. 2, pp. 771–788
  • Polygiannakis, Ο Δισκος της Φαιστού Μιλάει Ελληνικά (The Phaistos disk speaks in Greek), Georgiadis, Athens (2000).
  • Pomerance, Leon, The Phaistos Disk: An Interpretation of Astronomical Symbols, Paul Astroms forlag, Goteborg (1976). reviewed by D. H. Kelley in The Journal of Archeoastronomy (Vol II, number 3, Summer 1979)
  • Whittaker, Helène (2005). "Social and Symbolic Aspects of Minoan writing". European Journal of Archaeology. 8 (1): 29–41. doi:10.1177/1461957105058207. S2CID 162881074.

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