Arkalochori Axe

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The Arkalochori Axe is a second millennium BC Minoan votive double axe excavated in the Arkalochori cave on Crete 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), which is 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 10px‎ ?
02 AB28 10px‎ I D39 Image:Phaistos glyph 39.png
03 03 AB01 10px‎ DA
04 04 D02 Image:Phaistos glyph 02.png
05 05
06 06 AB05 10px‎ TO ?
07 07 cf. 04 D02 Image:Phaistos glyph 02.png
08 08 AB80 10px‎ MA
09 09 AB04 10px‎ TE D35 Image:Phaistos glyph 35.png
10 10 cf. 04 D02 Image:Phaistos glyph 02.png
11 11 AB31 10px‎ SA D19 Image:Phaistos glyph 19.png
12 cf. 08 AB80 10px‎ MA
13 13 AB06 10px‎ NA D23 Image:Phaistos glyph 23.png
14 14
15 15 A338 10px‎ ?

[edit] References

  1. ^ The inscription on the Arkalochori axe

[edit] Sources