Open Lecture: One Linear B Tablet, 3000 Years Of Greek Language And Culture

Location: Mezzanine Level, Greek Centre, 168 Lonsdale Street
Date: THURSDAY 18/10/2018 @ 6:45pm
Presenter: Dr. Stavroula Nikoloudis

Language of Presentation: English | R.M.L.G.*: 0 - No knowledge of Greek required.
Entry: FREE

Synopsis

Linear B is a syllabic script that was used for writing Mycenaean Greek, the earliest attested form of Greek. The script predates the 'modern' Greek alphabet by several centuries. Linear B, found mainly in the palace archives at Knossos, Cydonia, Pylos, Thebes and Mycenae, disappeared with the fall of Mycenaean civilization during the Late Bronze Age collapse.

Linear B consists of around 87 syllabic signs and over 100 ideographic signs. These ideograms or "signifying" signs symbolize objects or commodities. They have no phonetic value and are never used as word signs in writing a sentence.

Dr Nikoloudis  will take us for a trip back in time to the Mycenaean Period in Greece and draw a line connecting this ancient Greek script to its modern descendants.

Bio

Stavroula (Stephie) Nikoloudis is an archaeologist, specialising in the Aegean Bronze Age (ca. 3000-1000 BCE).

Her research focuses on Mycenaean society and Mycenaean Greek textual studies (Linear B script).

She holds a doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin and has excavated in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Australia.

She is an Honorary Fellow of The University of Melbourne (School of Historical and Philosophical Studies) and a member of the Eastern Boeotia Archaeological Project (EBAP), excavating a Late Bronze Age site ideintified as ancient Eleon, located near Thebes in central Greece.