Linear B

Linear B is a syllabic script that was used to write the Mycenaean language during the Bronze Age in this alternate timeline. Unlike our timeline, Linear B was not adapted from Linear A. Instead, it was an independent creation of the Mycenaean ruling class. The script was used primarily for administrative tasks such as accounting, record-keeping, and legal documents. Linear B was employed for inscriptions on clay tablets, while Hellenic Greek was used for religious texts and artistic works.

Development and Use of Linear B

Mycenaean civilization flourished until approximately the 12th century BCE when its civilization collapsed. While many aspects of Mycenaean culture were lost to history, Linear B managed to survive due to a group of Mycenaeans who migrated to Cyprus and established a new society that preserved the use of Linear B. This migration allowed Linear B to avoid the same fate as cuneiform and hieroglyphics, becoming one of the few examples of a Bronze Age script to remain in continuous use to the present day.

Influence on Other Writing Systems

Linear B's survival and development in Cyprus had a significant impact on the evolution of other writing systems. The migration to Cyprus led to interactions between Linear B and the Phoenician script, resulting in the creation of the Aramaic alphabet. This synthesis of scripts allowed for the development of numerous other scripts, including the classical Greek alphabet, which in turn influenced the Latin, Cyrillic, and Arabic alphabets.

Linear B Today

Today, Linear B continues to be used on Cyprus and is recognized as an official language of the island. As scholars continue to examine its relationship to other early writing systems, the study of Linear B remains an active area of research. Its survival and development offer unique insights into the cultural and linguistic history of the Aegean region during a pivotal period that straddled the transition between the Bronze Age and Iron Age.