Minoan Linear A Temple Workshop Tags from Malia (1700 BCE)

For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts

Eastern Minoan Crete. Malia is located in the upper center part of this map. It was destroyed by an earthquake around 1700 BCE which preserved a moment in time. This earthquake was not due to the volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini which has recently been dated to 1620 BCE (Höflmayer 2012).
Malia’s earliest palace-temple complex had an adjacent workshop area. Both were built starting around 1900 BCE in what is known as the Minoan First Temple Period or Proto-palatial Period which lasted until about 1700 when the earthquake destroyed most buildings. The new rebuilt temples were larger and in the style of Knossos suggesting that the city of Knossos now controlled the territory.

References

Höflmayer (2012) The Date of the Minoan Santorini Eruption: Quantifying the “Offset” Radiocarbon, volume 54, Issue 3-4. Cambridge University Press. Published online on July 18, 2016 at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/radiocarbon/article/date-of-the-minoan-santorini-eruption-quantifying-the-offset/F2FB5ECEE5D46FCF9272EA357364CCDF

The Minoan City of Malia

(July 11, 2022), The Minoans were a trading culture. This is certainly demonstrated by the trading texts found at Malia on the north coast of Crete. Most of the Linear A texts presented here were found in the workshop area adjacent to Malia’s first large temple/palace complex. The workshop area consisted of two large buildings of some importance as well as workshops, courts and paths linking the various parts of the area together. The workshops produced seals, pottery, ceramic ware, stone vases, and bronze goods. The workshops themselves seem to have been located on the second floor of the buildings which left the ground floor for living space and/or public trading.

Top image shows ash amounts in cm that fell from the Thera (Santorini) volcanic eruption in either 1562 BCE. Bottom image of Crete shows where tsunami evidence has been found prior to its discovery on Malia. The height of the Tsunami which hit Crete was probably around 5 meters (15 feet so it did not go far inland.
Image from: Lespez and all (July 29, 1921) Discovery of a Tsunami deposit from the Bronze Age Santorini eruption at Malia (Crete): impact, chronology, extension. Online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94859-1#Sec2

Thera Eruption in 1562 BCE Ended Minoan Trading Power and Allowed the Rise of Greeks and Phoenicians

(April 15, 2022) In 2021 the dating of the Thera eruption was resolved into two possibilities by Erlich, Regev, and Boaretto, (2021). They show that calibrated radio carbon dating for the event has two probability peaks, one at 1628 BCE and the other at 1567 BCE.

By 2023 a very significant dating methodology had matured which identified spikes of radioactive Carbon 14 in tree rings from solar flare events to anchor isolated tree ring data. These carbon 14 spikes are called Miyake events after the researcher, Fusa Miyake, who developed the procedure. This determined that the Thera eruption occurred in 1562 BCE.

References

Erlich, Y., Regev, L., and Boaretto, E. (2021) Discovery of annual growth in a modern olive branch based on carbon isotopes and implications for the Bronze Age volcanic eruption of Santorini. Online at: https://www.pubfacts.com/detail/33436660/Discovery-of-annual-growth-in-a-modern-olive-branch-based-on-carbon-isotopes-and-implications-for-th
Price, Michael (13 April 2023) Marking time - Radiocarbon timestamps left in ancient tree rings by cosmic ray bombardments can date historical events with unprecedented precision. Science. Online at: https://www.science.org/content/article/marking-time-cosmic-ray-storms-can-pin-precise-dates-history-ancient-egypt-vikings

Minoan workshop tag with inscriptions from Malia

Notice the hole for twine at the tip just like modern shipping tags. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

Modern shipping tag

Minoan Malia Tag 3 Side A: For Energy 1700 BCE

(July 11, 2022, updated December 6, 2024) It reads from point to flat (right to left):

Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.3.1)

(read point to base. Large letters on items, small letters are inferred inner vowels. Verb in italic bold)

Gi Pu Qi Ya |

Into English

For emotional-energy not to thread the openings | ____

This tag describes some ritual product for inhibiting emotional-energy from affecting the establishment of openings through the sky-shell which brings the rain.

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan workshop tags with inscriptions from Malia

Minoan shipping tag about ritual knives (athames). The center sign Nun (N) means "to reveal" when applied to inanimate objects. It spiritual contexts it often refers to the revelations of fate. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan Malia Tag 3 Side B: For Revealing Hidden Activities 1700 BCE

(July 11, 2022, updated December 6, 2024) It reads from point to flat (right to left):

Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.3.2)

(read point to base. Large letters on items, small letters are inferred inner vowels. Verb in italic bold)

Ṣu Nu Ya | (3 knives) Nu

Into English

For activities not being revealed | (3 ritual knives) for revealing.

This trade tag is a combination of text and pictures. These 3 athames (ritual knives) are to be used in a divining ritual.

Minoan Athame now at the Heraklion Museum

Minoan Athame on display at the Heraklion Museum in Crete. It was found in work quarter Mu at Malia. This is a different work quarter than where the shipping tag was found.

Minoan workshop tags found in quarter M1. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan Malia Shipping Tag: For Life-Manifestations 1700 BCE

(July 11, 2022) These are read left to right.

Tag 1a Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.1.1)

Du

Into English

For life-manifestations

____________________

Tag 1b Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.1.2)

Su

Into English

For Su (full moon motion power source)

One side of this tag labels items for the life powers while the other side labels them for the motion powers. This indicates these tags were reused.

Minoan workshop tags found in quarter M1. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan Malia Shipping Tag 2: for the Opener and Revealer 1700 BCE

(August 13, 2022, updated December 6, 2024) These are read left to right.

Tag 2a Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.2.1)

Pu | WaPu \ 7

Into English

For the Opener (crescent moon goddess Ayu) | Exposing-items \ 7

Exposing items are for making visible any veiled powers from the underworld goddess Kate/Hekate

_________________

Tag 2b Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.2.2)

Nu | Pu \ 8 Bu

Into English

For the Revealer (Kate/Hekate) | Opening-items \ 8 nourishments

Opening items are for opening up the mortal realm for her powers. This items are the opposite of exposing items mentioned on the other side of this tag.

Minoan workshop tags found in quarter M3. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

Minoan Malia Shipping Tag 317: For Items Involving a Drought 1700 BCE

(August 13, 2022) These are read point to flat.

Tag 317 Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.4.1)

EPu

Into English

For the drying

This is something for opposing a drought.

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan workshop tag found in quarter M3. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

Minoan Malia Shipping Tag 318: For Protection Against the Revealer

(August 13, 2022) These are read point to flat.

Tag 318 Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.4.2)

[missing sign] Ya Nu

Into English

[missing word] not the Revealer (Kate/Hekate)

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan workshop tag found in quarter M3. Sign assignments by Olmsted (Image from foldout 3 of Goldart and Poursat 1978)

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan Malia Shipping Tag 319: For Items Aiding the Magic Crafters

(August 13, 2022) These are read point to flat. Being a double sided tag the items it mentions must be opposites in some way.

Tag 319A Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.4.3)

Pu AKu

Into English

For opening with emotion-owls

________________

Tag 319B Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.4.4)

Ṣu Ya Tu

Into English

For not activating astrology-magic

Round Minoan tag at Heraklion Museum with Inscription

Round Tag displayed at Heraklion Museum in Crete. (Personal photo of Olmsted)

Minoan Round Temple Tag at Heraklion Museum - 1700 BCE

(August 13, 2022, Updated January 3, 2025) Read left to right. This is not a workshop tag but seems to be a temple tag with a religious phrase. The letter style is Minoan Linear A.

Translation into Akkadian (Minoan Text 1.5)

Su Lu. Ḫu Wa

Into English

Su is lacking. Hu is being crimped

Find location was not listed

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230