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"Evidence for a Left-to-Right Reading Direction of the Phaistos Disk" is a 2022 journal article by the renowned computational linguistics researcher, Peter Revesz. The article provides exhaustive evidence to demonstrate that the inscription on the Phaistos Disk is to be read left-to-right. This work builds upon Revesz' prior work on the same artifact, wherein he translated the contents according to objective scientific methods and data analyses.
Source: OMNIKA
Abstract: This paper provides conclusive experimental evidence that the Phaistos Disk was printed in a left-to-right or center-to-periphery direction. The paper gives a thorough analysis of six different aspects of the Phaistos Disk: (1) overstamped signs, (2) crowded signs, (3) bent dividing lines, (4) direction of strokes, (5) direction of faces, and (6) sequence matches among the Phaistos Disk, Arkalochori Axe, and Cretan Hieroglyphic inscriptions. The techniques used in the analysis are observations and two novel experiments. The first experiment uses clay and different stamps. This experiment demonstrates that if stamp A is pushed deep into the clay and afterwards stamp B is pushed shallower into the clay, then it creates the false impression of stamp A overstamping stamp B. The second experiment asked subjects to copy a sequence of signs that had strokes bellow them like the downward strokes bellow some of the Phaistos Disk signs. The given sequence of signs contained both downward and upward strokes. The subjects, who were all used to reading and writing in a left-to-right direction, tended to change the upward strokes to downward strokes. Hence downward strokes seem associated with left-to-right writing, while upward strokes are associated with right-to-left writing. This experiment demonstrates that the Phaistos Disk scribe also wrote left-to-right because the Phaistos Disk contains only downward strokes. The paper also reviews the history of the controversy about the reading direction of the Phaistos Disk. With the conclusive proof that the Phaistos Disk needs to be read left-to-right, that is, from the center to the periphery, all previous attempts to read the inscription from the periphery to the center can be discarded.
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Myth
On Side A, the solar figure is first affirmed as the chief ruler. The author then asks for the figure to shine warmth and show its rays in order that the people can be assisted while sailing. On Side B, water is described as flowing westward to Iberia. An Iberian king's twenty daughters are described as watching (perhaps lamenting) the horizon as the sun is chased away by the other stars. Arrows are described as being shot, perhaps toward or from Sagittarius. Finally, the light drifts away to Asia and ascends again when the stars chase it back, ending the poem.
Belief system
Minoan culture refers to spiritual beliefs and customs practiced by peoples living in Crete and some Aegean islands between ca. 2800-1450 BCE.
Deity
The Minoan Solar Proto-Deity may represent the sun according to proto-myths in Linear A or Cretan Hieroglyphs. The figure may also be visible in Minoan material culture.
Translation
The "Minoan Sun Hymn" is an English translation of The Phaistos Disk in 2016 by Peter Z. Revesz. According to Revesz, the inscription on the Minoan artifact represents Cretan Hieroglyphs meant to be read from the inside-out. Moreover, the transliterated syllables may belong to the Proto-Hungarian or Proto-Finno-Ugric family of languages. According to Revesz's translation and transliteration, the inscription is a sun hymn, a form of proto-mythology, to a Minoan solar deity.
Myths cited
It looks like only the main myth was referenced in this work.
Belief systems cited
It looks like only the main belief system was referenced in this work.
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Artifacts cited
It looks like only the main artifact was referenced in this work.
Other works
Journal article · 2022
"Evidence for a Left-to-Right Reading Direction of the Phaistos Disk" is a 2022 journal article by the renowned computational linguistics researcher, Peter Revesz. The article provides exhaustive evidence to demonstrate that the inscription on the Phaistos Disk is to be read left-to-right. This work builds upon Revesz' prior work on the same artifact, wherein he translated the contents according to objective scientific methods and data analyses.
Journal article · 2016
In IJOC 10, Peter Revesz published a methodology, transliteration, and translation of the Phaistos Disk, which is categorized as containing an inscription in Linear A script. Published in 2016, Revesz applied a computer science methodology to the task of deciphering the script of Linear A. The translation method indicated a five-step process, whereby related families of languages and scripts were used as guidance. Revesz's findings suggest that the Linear A script is of Proto-Finno-Ugric and Hungarian origins; and, the text is to be read from the center-out (in contrast to some other scholars' interpretations). In sum, Revesz's data suggest that the inscription is a hymn to a heretofore unknown solar deity.
Journal article · 2019
"Data mining ancient scripts" is a 2019 conference paper that was published in subsequent proceedings. The paper was presented at the 23rd International Database Engineering & Applications Symposium in Athens, Greece, on June 10-12, 2019. Peter Revesz and Shruti Daggumati shared their findings concerning ancient scripts and their similarities. They employed a data mining approach in order to discover similarities among ancient scripts: Sumerian, Cretan, Indus Valley, and others.
Library works
Journal article · 2016
In IJOC 10, Peter Revesz published a methodology, transliteration, and translation of the Phaistos Disk, which is categorized as containing an inscription in Linear A script. Published in 2016, Revesz applied a computer science methodology to the task of deciphering the script of Linear A. The translation method indicated a five-step process, whereby related families of languages and scripts were used as guidance. Revesz's findings suggest that the Linear A script is of Proto-Finno-Ugric and Hungarian origins; and, the text is to be read from the center-out (in contrast to some other scholars' interpretations). In sum, Revesz's data suggest that the inscription is a hymn to a heretofore unknown solar deity.
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Cite this work
ChicagoRevesz, Peter Z. "Experimental Evidence for a Left-to-Right Reading Direction of the Phaistos Disk." Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 22, no. 1 (2022): 79–96.