Evo, referat italijanskog istoricara iz Sankt Peterburga, na engleskom:Historical event – Sankt Peterburg, Russia, May 11th – 14th 2008
EVIDENCE FOR EARLY SLAVIC PRESENCE IN MINOAN CRETE.
NEW READING OF THE LINEAR A INSCRIPTION ON THE
GOLDEN SIGNET RING OF MAVRO SPELIO
Pavel Serafimov1, Giancarlo Tomezzoli2 Cederstraat 33,8924 С A Leeuwarden, Holland
(pserafimov @ chello.nl)
2 Zeppelinstrasse 43, D-81669 Munich, Germany (gtomezzoli@epo.org)
Introduction
In his paper [1], p. 134, about the Palaeolithic Continuity Theory (PCT), prof. Alinei sets out that the thesis of the so called late arrival of Slavs in Europe is totally absurd and "must be replaced by the scenario of Slavic continuity from Palaeolithic, and the demographic growth and geographic expansion of the Slavs can be explained, much more realistically, by the extraordinary success, continuity and stability of the Neolithic cultures of South-Eastern Europe". However, the PCT theory does not precisely states which areas of South-Eastern Europe or outside were actually settled by the Slavs in the antiquity. Thus, it is sometime surprising to recognise that artefacts with inscriptions attributed to other cultures [2], [3], [4], [5], European tribe names [6], toponyms and hydronyms [6], [7] in areas not traditionally admitted as settled by Slavs actually preserve evidences of their ancient Slavic origin. In this paper we intend to deal with facts supporting a Slavic presence in the ancient Minoan Crete.
Facts supporting a Slavic presence in the ancient Crete
Several relevant facts indicate a Slavic presence in Crete in the 2nd millennium ВС.
a) The amazing resemblance of the Cretan writing systems: Hieroglyphic and
Linear А, В with the older Vinca, Gradeshnitsa, Karanovo culture writing
systems. According to Georgiev [8], pp. 157-158, these last three represent
Thracian-Pelasgian cultures. The identity between Thracian and Slavs is
admitted by Simokates, cited by Tsenov [9], p. 14, according to whom, Slavs
and Thracians are two names of one and the same people, used in different ages.
Moreover, Thracians, Pelasgians and Illyrians, according to Duruy [10], pp. 23-
24, were three branches of one and the same ethnos.
b) The well archaeologically attested arrival in Crete of peoples from the
Balkans (Thrace, Scyhtia, Illyria) in the 3rd and 2nd millennium B.C., Hrozny
[11], p. 220. Hrozny connects the spread of the so called band pottery with Thracian migrations.
c) The Slavic interpretation of the Cretan Linear A inscripted tablets made by Kozel'skij [12].
d) The presence of Thracian personal names in Linear A inscriptions_attested by Porozhanov citing Soesbergen [13], p. 18.
e) The, in our opinion, Slavic ethnonym/anthroponym - Rusa, on the Linear A tablet HT 96 - reading by Georgiev [14], p. 40, meaning: family, and related to the Slavic ethnonyms Ruteni/Rusini/Russians and to the Bulgarian anthroponyms Rod, Rodoslav, all derived from Gen. SI. verb RODITI - to give birth, having variant J\A FYJIfi in dial. Bulgarian (Plovdiv region).
f) The, in our opinion, Slavic ethnonyms/anthropnyms: Enetijo, Rusi on Linear B tablets in the times of the Mycenaean supremacy - reading by Chadwick [15], p. 543, and later, 3rd -2nd century BC, the Slavic ethnonym Eneti in the Epioi inscription, reading by Serafimov [7], pp. 199-206.
g) The name of the Cretan capital Knossos ( KO-N-SO in Linear B writing) having no meaning in Greek, but corresponding well to the Thracian word knisa - eroded place, attested also in the Bulgarian toponym KminiaBa according to Duridanov [16], p. 56. Strabo [17], X 4-8, testifies that the city was cut in two by the river Caeratus as can be seen also today by visiting the site of the Knossos palace. The root in Knossos is KAN which can be found in the Sanskrit word KANI - mine, and Old Ch. SI. KAHABT> - ditch, excavated place. The hydronim Caeratus is, in our opinion, linked to the similar ancient Thracian toponym Kurpisos, that was an ancient settlement in the vicinity of Chirpan, Bulgaria. According to Duridanov [16], p. 40 , the root is KURP - to dig, related to the Old Ch. SI. KLPHATH: to dig, Russ. KOPI1ATT>: to dig, Ukrainian KOPI1ATH - to dig, Lith. KUPTI: to dig. Toponyms having a similar root are the Bulgarian KBPIIEIJ and the Croat KRPEC [16], p. 40.
h) The Minoan royal symbol - the double axe widely used by the Thracians. Its most ancient name DAPURO [18], corresponding to the generally Slavic word TOnOP - axe.
The inscription on the signet of Mavro Spelio
To the above facts, we have to add the inscribed golden signet ring found in the chamber tomb IX E. 1 of Mavro Spelio cemetery, near Knossos (Crete), described by Evans [19], p. 24, Plate XXX, V-14, which, in the time of Evans, was shown in the Museum of Heraklyon.
Fig. 1 shows the layout of the inscribed signet ring. Evans [19], p. 24, classified the object as "Gold Signet-Ring", but this appears to us merely a formal definition. In fact, the signs of the inscription are too small (approx. 2,5 - 3 mm) for being imprinted on clay and representing a recognizable sign of property. Also the inscription is too long, a single name and a title would be enough for expressing possession of goods property. Examples of this are the personal names on Linear A seals: Mirelo (Cr. IV la), Relo (Cr. IV lib), Danka (Cr. Ill 2), [19], Plate XIV, and in the Linear B inscription: oduruwijo wanakatero -to Odyr, the king, [20], p. 210, on an amphora.
The reading direction of the inscription, along the spiral from the outside to the inside of the signet, is suggested by the orientation of the 3rd, 11th, 13th 16th and 19th signs in said direction. The 3rd', 4th, 7th, 8th and the 16th sign in said direction, are unknown in Linear B but known in Linear A, so the inscription conforms to the Linear A writing. In addition, the signet itself is described by Evans [19] together with the other artefacts of the Minoan stratum.
Fig. 1: inscription on the Golden signet of Mavro Spelio Parsing and Interpretation
The phonetic value of the signs is the following: 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
A RE U SI TA2 RA KE KE TO JA TA PO SE TENAUA JA KU
The 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th- 11th, 13th - 15th, 17th - 19th are set in agreement with [21], Fig. 5. The 4th and 15th signs deviate a bit in form, perhaps local variants, from the corresponding signs presented in [21], Fig. 5, however we can reasonably assume that they have respectively the phonetic value SI and NA [21]. The 3rd, 6th, 12th, 16th signs are not included in [21], Fig. 5. The 3rd and 16th signs according to [22], have phonetic value AU but we have chosen U because of the acrophony of the signs - bird, chicken with the Russian word UTKA -duck, meaning originally winged animal. The 6th, 12th signs have phonetic value respectively RA and PO [22]. The 12th and 15th signs are written upside down. The reason of this could be the unusual way to write along a spiral, that have confused the writer. But they could also represent a local variant of said signs. Note that, for example, the sign DE has up to 17 variants [19], Table III.
Accordingly, our transcription of the inscription is:
A-RE-U-SI-TA-RA-KE-KE-TO-JA-TA-PO-SE-TE-NA-U-A-JA-KU
which can be subdivided in words as: Areu Sitarake Keto Jata Posetenau Ajaku, and translated in English as:
To Arei, the chief, first son of the honourable Ajak.
Concerning the subdivision in words, we have to observe:
AREU - corresponds to the generally Slavic Dative of the personal name AREI, meaning: to Arei. This anthroponym is undoubtedly Thracian [13], p. 19. Arei is the older variant of the Slavic name Jarei, having also variants as Jara, Jaro, Jarilo, Jarognev, Jaromir, Jaroslav, Jarovit. All these names have the gen. SI. common root JAR/OST - fury, rage.
SITARAKE - corresponds to the Thracian STARA - old and, of course, to the gen. SI. STAR - old, here in the meaning of elder, chief, noble one. Note that the Old Church Slavonic word CTAPEIJTJ means chief, commander, however, the best phonetic match to sitarake is the Russian word CTapiiK - old, wise person.
Али за том иронијом нема потребе, можемо сасвим лепо разговарати и без тога.
