Scalar's 'additional metadata' features have been disabled on this install. Learn more.
Nikos Samartzidis Collection: Linear B Paintings and PoetryMain MenuSplash: Nikos Samartzidis Collection, Linear B Paintings and PoetryThe goal of this project is to create an online exhibit of Linear B paintings produced by Nikos Samartzidis.Nikos Samartzidis CollectionPaintings and Poetry in Linear BWhat Is Linear B?Information on the Linear B scriptForgotten ScriptsLinear B disappearance and SamartzidisGreek Oral PoetryEchoes of Greek oral tradition in SamartzidisSamartzidis Painting GalleryAnnotated Paintings of SamartzidisCitations and CreditsInformation on the creation of this Scalar and where to find more informationThe Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory, University of Texas at Austin
Painting 01 - Anadyomene
12017-11-11T09:46:07-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408250536«ΑΝΑΔΥΟΜΕΝΗ» “Anadyomene” «Κύπρος - Αφροδίτη» “Cyprus - Aphrodite“plain2017-12-07T16:50:40-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408
This page has annotations:
12017-11-11T09:47:26-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408ku-po-roThe Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory9plain2017-12-11T16:25:44-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408
12017-11-11T09:47:46-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408a-po-ro-di-teThe Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7plain2017-12-11T16:25:46-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408
12017-12-07T17:14:04-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408Anadyomene, 2017The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory6plain2017-12-11T16:25:48-08:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408
This page has tags:
12017-10-25T17:34:48-07:00The Program in Aegean Scripts and Prehistory7a131294dc4e7f7f6a5ad0405218a6f222f3c408Samartzidis Painting GalleryKevin Stuart Lee31Annotated Paintings of Samartzidisstructured_gallery2018-04-02T14:52:40-07:00Kevin Stuart Leebeced6b3cba217be436e57a3030fc1611bddbcaa
This page is referenced by:
1media/Header3.1.jpg2017-11-11T11:08:43-08:00What Is Linear B?57Information on the Linear B scriptimage_header5664542018-04-02T14:44:13-07:00
What Is Linear B?
Linear B along with Linear A make up the ‘linear scripts’ used by Cretan and Mycenaean palace record-keepers. Its use has been recorded from approximately 1500 B.C. to 1200 B.C. In a 2006 presentation, PASP Director Dr. Thomas G. Palaima stated they are "a kind of picture writing known as Cretan hieroglyphic, because this style of writing reminded the earliest scholars of Egyptian hieroglyphs….” The Cretan hieroglyphic scripts were no longer used by 1100 B.C.
Rediscovery in 20th Century
The script was rediscovered in A.D. 1900 during the archaeological digs of Sir Arthur Evans on the island of Crete. Since then, thousands of Linear B tablets have been recovered on Crete and on mainland Greece at the sites of Pylos, Mycenae, Thebes, among other spots.
The tablets of Crete are located at the Heraklion Museum, where Nikos Samartzidis first encountered them in the late 1970s.
In 1952, Linear B was deciphered by Michael Ventris and John Chadwick with significant contributions by Alice Kober and Emmett Bennett, Jr. Linear A remains undeciphered.
Interested in more? The Program in Aegean Scripts at UT-Austin houses the archival collections of the Linear B decipherers with their manuscripts, notes, correspondence. Some materials have been digitized and can be accessed from UT's online repository here.
Linear B Syllabary
Linear B has 87 syllabic signs and over 100 ideographic signs. Each sign represents a syllable that is either a pure vowel (like a, e, i, o, u) or a consonant and a vowel (like du, ko, ri).
Linear B is a very ancient form of the Greek language. For Samartzidis, these characters are part of his homeland's language.
How can I read the paintings?
The Samartzidis paintings on Scalar are presented with translations into English and Greek. Mousing over the script presents the transliteration for each line of poetry. Hovering your mouse in the top right margins of the painting will reveal full texts in Linear B, modern Greek and an English translation.
You can decipher them too. The painting below is called Anodymene and spells out the words "Cyprus" and "Aphrodite" in Linear B. Each symbol corresponds to a syllable. Use the syllabary above to identify the symbols Samartzidis uses and start deciphering his poetry.
