Arkalochori Axe
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The Arkalochori Axe is a votive double axe excavated in the Arkalochori cave by Spyridon Marinatos. It is notable for being engraved with an inscription of 15 symbols. Some of the symbols may be identified as Linear A characters, while others are reminiscent of those found on the Phaistos Disc: in particular, the "Mohican" glyph (D02), the most frequent character of the Phaistos Disc, appears on the axe inscription both in profile and face-on.
The axe is on exhibit in the Iraklion Archaeological Museum.
[edit] The inscription
Of the 15 signs, 12 appear to be unique. The suggestions for comparison with Linear A and Phaistos Disc glyphs are due to Timm (2005)[1]
Reading right to left, top to bottom, the symbols are as follows.
| № | Sign | Comment | Linear A | Phaistos Disc |
| 01 | A 304  ? |
|||
| 02 | AB28  I |
D39  |
||
| 03 |  |
AB01  DA |
||
| 04 |  |
D02  |
||
| 05 |  |
|||
| 06 |  |
AB05  TO ? |
||
| 07 |  |
cf. 04 | D02 |
|
| 08 |  |
AB80  MA |
||
| 09 |  |
AB04  TE |
D35  |
|
| 10 |  |
cf. 04 | D02 |
|
| 11 |  |
AB31  SA |
D19  |
|
| 12 | cf. 08 | AB80 MA |
||
| 13 |  |
AB06  NA |
D23  |
|
| 14 |  |
|||
| 15 |  |
A338  ? |
