DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1793#0045
LINEAR SCRIPT B: THE PALACE ARCHIVES OF KNOSSOS
B 1-1650: 04. 1-95
DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTARY
The Numerical Order of the Tablets. In the manuscript inventory of the Candia Museum, where the
tablets are preserved, they are numbered without any attempt at classification, probably in the order
in which successive consignments were received from the excavator. As the tablets, though safe in the
strong-room of the Museum, have been inaccessible since 1939, it has not been possible to make use
of these numbers. But a concordance has now been prepared by Dr. Emmett M. Bennett (p. 90).
Evans seems to have contemplated a more systematic numeration—to which he occasionally refers
as his 'Hand-list'-—but he only carried it as far as No. 1567, and began a fresh series of numbers
(04. 1-95) for the tablets from the 'Arsenal' building, excavated in 1904; and it is not quite clear what
the order eventually adopted represents. The earlier numbers are grouped according to the place of
discovery within the Palace, in the order of the course of excavation. But the tablets from the 'Area
south of the Bay of the Seal-Impression' (1064 ff.) pass over into a list of 'live-stock' tablets in an
order of the personal names which they contain, where these are preserved—'subsidiaries' where the
'principal' name is missing (1064-1383)—'principal' name where this is preserved (1384-1515).
Finally (1516-32) there are a few large tablets, written transversely, and a miscellaneous group (1533—
68) including the Sword-tablets (1540-60). This numeration was not quite final; a few numbers
being duplicated or omitted: and these omissions are now numbered after 1568. But the 04
numbering is retained.
Only when the text of the present volume was almost ready for press, was it possible to supple-
ment this inadequate numeration by the classified Inventory prepared by Dr. Alice E. Kober, and its
Index, the arrangement of which is as follows (cf. pp. 83 ff.):
Inventory of the Tablets, classified by their contents
Primary Groups:
A. Inscriptions with the 'man' sign (B 75).
B. Inscriptions with the 'woman' sign (B 76).
C. Inscriptions with the 'sitting-figure' sign (B 74).
D. 'Live-stock' tablets, exclusive of 'cattle' tablets.
E. F, G, H. 'Cattle' tablets (B 91) further subdivided below.
I. 'Tree' tablets (B 123).
J. 'Cereal' tablets (B 89 a, b, c).
K. Other 'commodity' tablets; (B 88); saffron Kd.
L. 'House', 'granary', or 'container' tablets (B g/\.a-f).
M. 'Vase' tablets (B 80 and pictorial vessels).
N. 'Chariot' tablets and related subjects (B 117-20, 122).
O. 'Adze', 'ingot', 'arrow' 'sword', and smaller groups.
P, Q. Provisionally blank.
R. 'Containers', 'banner-signs', &c. (B 94 c, 8).
S. 'Value' signs (B 51, 60), and others.
B 1-1650: 04. 1-95
DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTARY
The Numerical Order of the Tablets. In the manuscript inventory of the Candia Museum, where the
tablets are preserved, they are numbered without any attempt at classification, probably in the order
in which successive consignments were received from the excavator. As the tablets, though safe in the
strong-room of the Museum, have been inaccessible since 1939, it has not been possible to make use
of these numbers. But a concordance has now been prepared by Dr. Emmett M. Bennett (p. 90).
Evans seems to have contemplated a more systematic numeration—to which he occasionally refers
as his 'Hand-list'-—but he only carried it as far as No. 1567, and began a fresh series of numbers
(04. 1-95) for the tablets from the 'Arsenal' building, excavated in 1904; and it is not quite clear what
the order eventually adopted represents. The earlier numbers are grouped according to the place of
discovery within the Palace, in the order of the course of excavation. But the tablets from the 'Area
south of the Bay of the Seal-Impression' (1064 ff.) pass over into a list of 'live-stock' tablets in an
order of the personal names which they contain, where these are preserved—'subsidiaries' where the
'principal' name is missing (1064-1383)—'principal' name where this is preserved (1384-1515).
Finally (1516-32) there are a few large tablets, written transversely, and a miscellaneous group (1533—
68) including the Sword-tablets (1540-60). This numeration was not quite final; a few numbers
being duplicated or omitted: and these omissions are now numbered after 1568. But the 04
numbering is retained.
Only when the text of the present volume was almost ready for press, was it possible to supple-
ment this inadequate numeration by the classified Inventory prepared by Dr. Alice E. Kober, and its
Index, the arrangement of which is as follows (cf. pp. 83 ff.):
Inventory of the Tablets, classified by their contents
Primary Groups:
A. Inscriptions with the 'man' sign (B 75).
B. Inscriptions with the 'woman' sign (B 76).
C. Inscriptions with the 'sitting-figure' sign (B 74).
D. 'Live-stock' tablets, exclusive of 'cattle' tablets.
E. F, G, H. 'Cattle' tablets (B 91) further subdivided below.
I. 'Tree' tablets (B 123).
J. 'Cereal' tablets (B 89 a, b, c).
K. Other 'commodity' tablets; (B 88); saffron Kd.
L. 'House', 'granary', or 'container' tablets (B g/\.a-f).
M. 'Vase' tablets (B 80 and pictorial vessels).
N. 'Chariot' tablets and related subjects (B 117-20, 122).
O. 'Adze', 'ingot', 'arrow' 'sword', and smaller groups.
P, Q. Provisionally blank.
R. 'Containers', 'banner-signs', &c. (B 94 c, 8).
S. 'Value' signs (B 51, 60), and others.