Discovered over 100 years ago, the Phaistos Disc features mysterious spiral symbols that continue to baffle experts to this day.
The Phaistos Disc was unearthed by Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier in the ruins of a palace at Phaistos, an archaeological site on the southern coast of the island of Crete, Greece, in 1908. This disc, made of fired clay, is inscribed with mysterious symbols that have never been deciphered. Initially, some scholars suggested that the Phaistos Disc was a forgery, but today, most accept it as authentic. They believe this artifact originates from the Minoan civilization and was created over 3,000 years ago.
More than 100 years after the discovery of the Phaistos Disc, the scientific community still hasn’t decoded this artifact. (Photo: Leemage).
The Minoans were a Bronze Age civilization that lived on the island of Crete and surrounding islands in the eastern Mediterranean. Their civilization is famous for its art and architecture, believed to have inspired the Mycenaean civilization in Greece.
In the 19th century, when excavating their remarkable ruins, experts named this civilization Minoan after King Minos from Greek mythology. King Minos imprisoned the Minotaur in a labyrinth beneath his palace in Knossos, Crete, until the monster was slain by the hero Theseus. However, experts believe the Minoans inhabited Crete around 3100 – 1150 BCE, many centuries before Minos and Theseus were said to have existed.
The Phaistos Disc has a diameter of about 15 cm, inscribed with symbols arranged in two spirals on both sides. Most experts believe these symbols represent a form of writing. Yet, despite numerous efforts over the past century, they have been unable to determine their meaning.
In total, the disc features 45 symbols appearing 241 times. Some symbols clearly depict humans, while others illustrate animals, plants, weapons, tools, and various objects. They are grouped into “words” with vertical strokes, but there is no information about their pronunciation or function.
Initial interpretations suggested that the symbols on the Phaistos Disc were an ancient form of Greek writing, depicting animal sacrifice rituals occurring in temples. However, a 2004 interpretation proposed that the symbols formed a letter regarding a land dispute written in the Luwian language of ancient Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Other scholars believe the disc may be written in Hittite, Egyptian, or as a prayer to a goddess, or a lamentation song composed in an unknown language.
