Phaistos Disc
A language expert claims to have deciphered an ancient Greek archaeological mystery that has baffled researchers for more than a century.
The Phaistos Disc is a clay plate dating back to 2000 BC. The symbols that cover the disc with a spiral ring on both sides have puzzled researchers since its discovery in 1908.
This disc is covered with hundreds of “image” segments created from 45 individual symbols, the meaning of which has been disputed.
In 2018, an expert who had studied the “Phaestus disc” for 30 years said he had “99%” solved the mystery surrounding the artifact’s message.
The key to unlocking the 4,000-year-old artifacts is the Mennonite love god Astarte, said Gareth Owens, a linguist and archaeologist at Crete’s Institute of Technology.
According to his data, the disc is a religious text about a “pregnant goddess” forming in the face of Astarte.
“There is no doubt that we are talking about a religious text,” Owens said. “This is evident from a comparison made with other religious words from other inscriptions from the Holy Mountains of Crete. We have completely identical words.”
He continued, “I think that the Phaestus disc is a hymn to Astarte, the goddess of love. Words like those mentioned on the disc were found in the offerings of Menon.”
Unraveling The Mystery Of A Mysterious 2000-Year-Old Phaistos Disc
The “Phaistos Tablet” was discovered by Italian archaeologist Luigi Bernier in 1908. It was found in “Phaistos”, a palace in Crete built by the Menon, an ancient and advanced civilization.
The message inscribed on the artifact, as well as why it was made, has been a controversial topic among archaeologists since its discovery. This is because it is believed to be written in a language lost when the Minoan civilization was wiped out in 1450 BC under mysterious circumstances.
Owens and his team compared what is known about the two Mennonite languages, known as Linear A and Linear B, with other languages to reach their conclusions.
“We read the Phaestus disc with the phonemic values of Linear B and with the help of comparative linguistics, i.e. comparison with other relative languages of the Indo-European language family,” he said.
The archaeologist believes that one side of the 15-centimeter-wide disk is dedicated to the pregnant mother goddess and the other to Astarte.
The findings sparked controversy among fellow experts, but the mystery surrounding this artifact has not yet been fully resolved.
Over the years, researchers have interpreted the disc as a calendar, astronomy tool, and even a miniature version of a board game.
Some experts believe the piece is a hoax created in 1908 to sell to collectors. Source The Sun
Unraveling The Mystery Of A Mysterious 2000-Year-Old Phaistos Disc
