Linear A

noun

1. an ancient system of writing, not yet deciphered, inscribed on clay tablets, pottery, and other objects found at Minoan sites on Crete and other Greek islands.

Linear A

noun

1. a hitherto undeciphered script, partly syllabic and partly ideographic, found on tablets and pottery in Crete and dating mainly from the 15th century bc

Word History and Origins

Origin of Linear A¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Linear B was adapted by the Mycenaean Greeks from Linear A, used by the Minoans.

From New York Times

For the same reason, we can be sure that the Linear B syllabary of Mycenaean Greece had been adapted by around 1400 B.C. from the Linear A syllabary of Minoan Crete.

From Literature

Even more ancient are tablets in Linear A, a style of writing used on Crete, and Linear B, employed in Mycenae.

From Washington Post

Notably, they then adapted Linear A, the script in which the Cretans wrote their own language, into Linear B, a script for writing Greek.

From New York Times

The Linear A sample is too small to decipher.

From Seattle Times