Sumerian7 minHow Sumerian Tablets Are Read and Translated
How do scholars read Sumerian cuneiform? Follow the process from identifying signs and transliteration to grammar, lexical lists, parallel texts and translation.
Research cluster · 6 articles
Undeciphered Scripts
Writing systems, inscriptions and the hard limits of decipherment, from Linear A to Rongorongo.
Sumerian7 min
Cuneiform2 minBehistun Inscription Decipherment: How Cuneiform Was Read
How the multilingual Behistun Inscription gave scholars a comparative key for reading Old Persian, Elamite and Babylonian cuneiform.
Indus Civilization7 minIndus Script: Why It Has Not Been Deciphered
The Indus script appears on thousands of objects, but most inscriptions are extremely short. See why the unknown language, short texts and lack of a bilingual inscription block decipherment.
Rongorongo7 minRongorongo: Why Rapa Nui’s Script Is Still Undeciphered
Rongorongo survives on a small number of inscribed Rapa Nui objects. Learn how the signs are arranged, what scholars can identify and why no accepted decipherment exists.
Linear A7 minLinear A: Why the Minoan Script Is Still Undeciphered
Linear A can be partly sounded out by comparison with Linear B, but the underlying Minoan language remains unknown. See exactly what scholars can and cannot read.
Phaistos Disc7 minPhaistos Disc: Why Its 45 Symbols Are Still Unsolved
The Phaistos Disc carries repeated stamped signs but only one short text of its kind. See why 45 sign types are not enough for a secure decipherment and what scholars can test.