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Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
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Textile worker tablet

Dimensions l. 8.1 cm, h. 4.5 cm
Materials ceramic
Accession AN1910.214
Findspot Knossos
View in Collection

Page-shaped Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos; the lunar sign on the left side of the tablet indicates that the women workers received their rations on a monthly basis (also existence of some sort of calendar); whole text probably a palimpsest; writing also appears at the back.

Drawing of Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Drawing of Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

The transcription is given here. E777 is its unique reference number among all the tablets found at Knossos. LUNA is latin for moon and GRA for wheat, which is a convention for transcribing tablets. These are the monthly wheat rations. The syllables refer to the sounds of the Linear B signs.

E777 ASHM (1910.214) ( - )
.1 ko-no-si-ja / ki-ri-te-wi-ja-i LUNA 1 GRA 100[
.2 a-mi-ni-si-ja LUNA 1 GRA 100 [
.3 pa-i-ti-ja LUNA 1 GRA 100[
verso
.1 a-ze-ti-ri-ja GRA 1…0…[

Further reading

Bendall, Lisa. ‘Two Linear B Tablets from Knossos’, in A. Shapland (ed.), Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth & Reality (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum), p. 160-1.

Drawing of Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Drawing of Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Linear B tablet recording grain rations for women workers at Knossos, c.1350 BCE, Ashmolean Museum AN1910.214 . © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
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