Minoan Personal Names from Dedicatory Inscriptions

Dedicatory inscriptions are the only Linear A sources where we can be reasonably certain we’re looking at a person’s name, not a place name, an occupation, or a type of goods. These are the names of the Minoan men and women who dedicated an object to their gods. The names are written first in the standard notation for Linear A names, then with spelling that is closer to standard English pronunciation.

  • A-KO-A-NE, Akoane
  • A-RE-PI-RE-NA, Arepirena
  • DI-SI-KA, Disika; or I-ZU-DI-SI-KA, Izudisika (see below)
  • I-DA-MI, Idami
  • JA-DI-KI-TU, Yadikitu
  • JA-I-NWA-ZA, Yainwaza or Yahinwaza
  • MI-DA-MA-RA2, Midamarya
  • O-SU-QA-RE, Osukware/Osuquare
  • PI-TE-RI, Piteri
  • TU-ME-I, Tumei or Tumehi
  • TU-NA-TE, Tunate; or NA-TE, Nate (see below)
  • TU-RU-SA, Turusa
  • U-QE-TI, Ukweti/Uqueti

It’s impossible to assign a gender to most of the names. The only names that offer a hint to their gender are MI-DA-MA-RA2, which was written on a silver hairpin and may be a woman’s name, and O-SU-QA-RE, which has the -ARE/-aro ending common among non-Greek men’s names in Linear B and might be a male name.

For sources and notes about individual names, see below.

How Certain Are We That These Are Personal Names?

[in progress]

The libation formula consists of six elements that recur in the same order. Elements 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are single words, and though there’s considerable variation between versions of each word (because of dialect, grammar, or local spelling), they’re recognizable as variants of the same word. But element 2? Element 2 is a wildcard. Sometimes it’s one word, sometimes several, and every inscription’s element 2 is unique. This is what you’d expect to see if element 2 was the location where the dedicant inserted their name.

Of course, the words might not be personal names. They could be titles, descriptors, or place names. There are several inscriptions with complex second elements, which suggests that some second elements do contain more than a personal name–which, in turn, suggests that [in progress]

These words can be identified as personal names as unambiguously as Linear A allows a name to be identified:

  • I-DA-MI, the only word in the inscription’s second element
  • JA-I-NWA-ZA, the only word in the inscription’s second element
  • O-SU-QA-RE, the only word in the inscription’s second element
  • PI-TE-RI and A-KO-A-NE, two words that follow a common word that’s believed to refer to the religious site of Mt. Dikte. (See “The Problem of Dikte” below.) This is the only inscription that has two words that could be identified as personal names, and one of the other words in the formula has a different ending than its versions all the other inscriptions, suggesting that the different ending is a plural form. This potential conjugation strengthens the likelihood that PI-TE-RI and A-KO-A-NE are two people.
  • TU-ME-I, a word that follows a common word that’s believed to refer to the religious site of Mt. Dikte. Based on its parallel to PI-TE-RI and A-KO-A-NE, TU-ME-I is a personal name.
  • U-QE-TI, the only word in the inscription’s second element

These names are more ambiguous, and will be discussed as I develop this portion of the site:

  • A-RE-PI-RE-NA, Arepirena
  • DI-SI-KA, Disika; or I-ZU-DI-SI-KA, Izudisika (see below)
  • JA-DI-KI-TU, Yadikitu
  • MI-DA-MA-RA2, Midamarya
  • TU-NA-TE, Tunate; or NA-TE, Nate (see below)
  • TU-RU-SA, Turusa

The Problem of Dikte

Several inscriptions have a second section that begins with a variant of (J)A-DI-KI-TE-TE-DU-PU₂-RE, and is sometimes followed by a word that is probably a personal name. DI-KI-TE is believed to refer to Mt. Dikte, a site of deep religious importance. All of the items inscribed with this word were found at Palaikastro, a site at the eastern end of Crete, near one of the possible locations of Mt. Dikte. (Today the word refers to the entire mountain range.) DU-PU₂-RE may mean something like “lord”; it always appears in conjunction with another word, and the associated words are plausibly identified as place names.

These are the inscriptions that contain this element, with the most likely words of the second element bolded:

PK Za 15: [destroyed]JA-DI-KI-TE-TE-DU-PU₂-RE

  • This is the only surviving word on this stone vessel, but it’s clear and complete. Given the poor condition and varying spelling of the other inscriptions, this inscription is valuable evidence that (J)A-DI-KI-TE-TE-DU-PU₂-RE was more or less the full form of this word.

PK Za 8: NU . PA3-E . JA-DI-KI-TE-TE-*307-PU₂-RE . TU-ME-I
JA-SA-U-NA-KA-NA-SI
I-PI[damaged]

  • This is the best-preserved of the inscriptions.

PK Za 11: A-TA-I-*301-WA-E . A-DI-KI-TE-TE .
. [damaged]RE . PI-TE-RI . A-KO-A-NE . A
SA-SA-RA-ME . U-NA-RU-KA-NA-TI .
I-PI-NA-MI-NA SI-RU [damaged] I-NA-JA-PA-QA

IO Za 2: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . JA-DI-KI-TU . JA-SA-SA-RA-ME . U-NA-KA-NA-SI . I-PI-NA-MA .
SI-RU-TE . TA-NA-RA-TE-U-TI-NU . I . [destroyed]

  • An interesting case. Although JA-DI-KI-TU is similar to (J)A-DI-KI-TE-TE-DU-PU₂-RE, it’s missing the DU-PU₂-RE portion that’s sometimes interpreted as “lord.” A variation of (J)A-DI-KI-TE-TE-DU-PU₂-RE? Or a personal name derived from the name of the religious site?

PK Za 12: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . A-DI-KI-TE[damaged] [heavily damaged]SI[heavily damaged]
[damaged]RA-ME[damaged] [damaged]A-NE[damaged] U-NA-RU-KA-JA-SI A-PA-DU-PA [heavily damaged]JA[heavily damaged] JA-PA-QA

  • This inscription is too damaged to learn anything from.

Annotated List of Inscriptions

Through comparison of dozens of inscribed objects, scholars have worked out the pattern of the Minoan libation formula. The various elements recur in a more or less set order, but not all elements need to be present in a single inscription. The only part of the formula that isn’t a standard word (or word form) is the second word, which scholars agree is probably the name(s) of the dedicant(s).

Inscriptions Where Most of the Formula Is Preserved

IO Za 2: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . JA-DI-KI-TU . JA-SA-SA-RA-ME . U-NA-KA-NA-SI . I-PI-NA-MA .
SI-RU-TE . TA-NA-RA-TE-U-TI-NU . I . [destroyed]

A Minoan libation table made of serpentine c. 1700-1450 BCE. This example, which was found in Psychro Cave, a holy site, is only 3.5 in./8.9 cm high.

© The Trustees of the British Museum
  • Square libation table found at Mount Iouktas, Crete. C. 1600-1500 BCE.
  • Possible personal name: JA-DI-KI-TU, possibly related to Mt. Dikte. Brent Davis suggests a relationship to the Linear B anthroponym di-ko-to. [link]

IO Za 6: TA-NA-I-*301-U-TI-NU . I-NA-TA-I-ZU-DI-SI-KA . JA-SA-SA-RA-ME .

  • Orange alabaster cup with inscription written on the outside, found at Mount Iouktas. C. 1600-1500 BCE.
  • J.G. Younger suggests the likely name, I-NA-TA-I-ZU-DI-SI-KA, is two words: I-NA-TA-I-ZU (placename; cf. Inatos) and DI-SI-KA (personal name) [link]. This is supported by PKZa11, in which the sequence that appears where the name should be, A-DI-KI-TE-TE . [damaged]RE . PI-TE-RI . A-KO-A-NE, contains the possible place name A-DI-KI-TE-TE (related to Mt. Dikte?) and two intact personal names, PI-TE-RI and A-KO-A-NE. (But note that in PKZa11, the words are separated.)
  • If the later place name is Inatos, then it seems to me that the Minoan place name would more likely be I-NA-TA, meaning that I-NA-TA-I-ZU-DI-SI-KA represents I-ZU-DI-SI-KA of I-NA-TA.
  • Possible personal name: I-NA-TA-I-ZU-DI-SI-KA, or DI-SI-KA, or I-ZU-DI-SI-KA

KN Zc 7: A-KA-NU-ZA-TI . DU-RA-RE . A-ZU-RA .
JA-SA-RA-A-NA-NE . WI-PI .

  • Ceramic cup. Found in the basement of a house at Knossos alongside KN Zc 6.
  • J.G. Younger suggests this is a “deliberately garbled” religious text: U-NA-RU-KA-NA-TI . DU-PU2-RE . A-ZU-RA . JA-SA-SA-RA . I-PI-NA-MA . A-ZU-RA is the only word without an alternate translation. Would this make it a personal name?

KO Za 1: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA [line break] TU-RU-SA . DU-*314-RE [DU-PU2-RE?] . I-DA-A . U-NA-KA-NA-SI . I-PI-NA-MA . SI-RU-TE

  • Inscribed vessel found at Kophinas, Crete
  • Younger suggests that TU-RU-SA, DU-*314-RE [DU-PU2-RE?], and I-DA-A may all be names. I note that words beginning I-DA are common in libation formulae, so I’m skeptical of I-DA-A.
  • DU-PU2-RE appears three times in inscriptions: PA-TA-DA-DU-PU₂-RE (HTZb160), JA-DI-KI-TE-TE-DU-PU₂-RE (PKZa15), and possibly JA-DI-KI-TE-TE-*307-PU₂-RE (PKZa8). The parallel with TU-RU-SA . DU-*314-RE suggests to me that this is another two-part phrase, with TU-RU-SA modifying DU-PU₂-RE in some unknown way.
    • Possible variants of DU-PU₂-RE appear in Linear B in several men’s names. [link, p. 55]
    • Miguel Valerio (2007) suggests that DU-PU₂-RE means something like “master” [link], although he has since backed off of this hypothesis [link].
  • Steele & Meissner 2017 interpret TU-RU-SA as Linear B place name tu-ri-so.
  • Possible personal name: TU-RU-SA

PR Za 1: TA-NA-SU-TE-[ ]-KE
SE-TO-I-JA
A-SA-SA-*802-ME

  • SE-TO-I-JA is identical to Linear B place name se-to-i-ja.
  • This inscription appears to not have a personal name, unless SE-TO-I-JA is a place name used as a personal name.
  • J.G. Younger suggests the last word is another version of TE-SU-DE-SE-KE-I, from KNZf31.

TL Za 1: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . O-SU-QA-RE . JA-SA-SA-RA-ME . U-NA-KA-NA [damaged] I-PI-NA-MA SI-RU-TE

  • Probable personal name: O-SU-QA-RE
  • -are/-aro is a common ending for non-Greek male Linear B names, so this name may be male.

ZA Zb 3: VIN 32
DI-DI-KA-SE A-SA-MU-NE A-SE
A-TA-I-*301-DE-KA . A-RE-PI-RE-NA . TI-TI-KU

  • Stone vessel, perhaps an offering of wine. Found at Epano Zakros, villa, Crete. LM I (c. 1700-1470 BCE)
  • A-SE appears three times as a list header or item, suggesting it is a place name.
  • TI-TI-KU appears on HT 35 as the header for a list of commodities. Possibly a place name.
  • If A-TA-I-*301-DE-KA is a conjugation of A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA, then A-RE-PI-RE-NA may be a personal name.
  • Possible personal name: A-RE-PI-RE-NA

SY Za 4: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . JA-I-NWA-ZA . PA₃-NI-WI

  • Serpentine libation table. Found in a context suggesting MM IIIB-LM IA (c. 1700-1600 or 1550 BCE).
  • Possible personal name: JA-I-NWA-ZA

Damaged Inscriptions

AP Za 2: [damaged]NA-SI . I-PI-NA-MA . [damaged] I-KU-PA₃-NA-TU-NA-TE[damaged]PI-MI-NA-TE . I-NA-JA-RE-TA . [damaged]QA .

  • Stone libation table from a Minoan villa at Apodolou, Crete. Middle Minoan III-Late Minoan I (c. 1750-1470 BCE).
  • J.G. Younger switches the order of the fragments and suggests that the inscription reads [damaged] KU-PA3-NA-TU-NA-TE [damaged]NA-SI . [I-]PI-MI-NA-TE . I-NA-JA-RE-TA . [damaged]QA . According to this reading, the personal name would be KU-PA₃-NA-TU-NA-TE.
  • Just as J.G. Younger noted that I-NA-TA-I-ZU-DI-SI-KA was long for one name, and proposed dividing it into a place name and a personal name, I propose that KU-PA₃-NA-TU-NA-TE is two words: KU-PA₃-NA, a variant of the common place name and/or personal name KU-PA₃-NU, and TU-NA-TE, the personal name. This would strengthen the identification of KU-PA₃-NU as a place name.
  • Alternatively, KU-PA₃-NA-TU appears on HT 47a and HT 119, both times in lists of commodities in a spot that could be either a personal name or (more probably) a place name. KU-PA₃-NA-TU-NA-TE may represent the personal name KU-PA₃-NA-TU and the secondary name or appellation NA-TE, or the personal name NA-TE from the location of KU-PA₃-NA-TU.
  • Probable personal name: KU-PA₃-NA-TU-NA-TE or TU-NA-TE or NA-TE

KN Za 10: [damaged]TA-NU-MU-TI . JA-SA-SA-RA-MA-NA . DA-WA[damaged] . DU-WA-TO . I-JA[damaged]

  • Dated to LM I (c. 1675-1470 BCE) or LM IA (c. 1675-1550 BCE).
  • [ ]-TA-NU-MU-TI may be the personal name, since it comes before the JA-SA-SA-RA-ME element of the libation formula. Unfortunately, the beginning of the word is lost.
  • Alternatively, Younger interprets [ ]-TA-NU-MU-TI as the first word of the libation formula.

PK Za 8: NU . PA3-E . JA-DI-KI-TE-TE-*307-PU₂-RE . TU-ME-I
JA-SA-U-NA-KA-NA-SI
I-PI[damaged]

  • Possible personal name: TU-ME-I

PK Za 11: A-TA-I-*301-WA-E . A-DI-KI-TE-TE .
. [damaged]RE . PI-TE-RI . A-KO-A-NE . A
SA-SA-RA-ME . U-NA-RU-KA-NA-TI .
I-PI-NA-MI-NA SI-RU [damaged] I-NA-JA-PA-QA

  • Stone libation table from Palaikastro, Crete.
  • Younger suggests that A-DI-KI-TE-TE is a place name, possibly related to Mt. Dikte.
  • Probable personal names: PI-TE-RI and A-KO-A-NE

PK Za 12: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . A-DI-KI-TE[damaged] [heavily damaged]SI[heavily damaged]
[damaged]RA-ME[damaged] [damaged]A-NE[damaged] U-NA-RU-KA-JA-SI A-PA-DU-PA [heavily damaged]JA[heavily damaged] JA-PA-QA

  • Younger suggests that A-DI-KI-TE-[?] is a place name (see PKZa11) and the personal name is SI-[.

PL Zf 1: [damaged]TA . WI-TE-JA-MU . U-QE-TI . JA-SA-SA-RA-ME . TA-NU-NI-KI-NA . NI-NU-NI . [damaged] . [damaged]I[damaged]

  • Silver pin, written right to left
  • Possible personal name: U-QE-TI

SY Za 1: A-TA-I-*301-WA-JA . I-DA-MI . JA[the rest is missing]

  • Libation table, found in Building U, room 8. Found in a context suggesting MM IIIB-LM IA (c. 1700-1600 or 1550 BCE).
  • Probable personal name: I-DA-MI

SY Za 3: A-TA-I-*301-WA-[JA] [damaged] SE?-KA-NA-SI [damaged] SI-[RU]-TE

  • Libation table. Found in a context suggesting MM IIIB-LM IA (c. 1700-1600 or 1550 BCE).
  • SE?-KA-NA-SI is in the right location to be a personal name, but the -KA-NA-SI ending may be a verb form, as in JA-SA-U-NA-KA-NA-SI. [link] This formula may not contain a personal name.

Inscriptions That Are Not the Libation Formula

ARKH Zf 9: JA-KI-SI-KI-NU • MI-DA-MA-RA2 •

  • Hairpin found in a Minoan sacred cave at Arkalochori, Crete. Late Minoan I (1600-1450 BCE)
  • J.G. Younger suggests that MI-DA-MA-RA2 is the personal name. [link]
  • The item is a silver hairpin, raising the possibility that MI-DA-MA-RA2 is a female name.

CR(?) Zf 1: A-MA-WA-SI . KA-NI-JA-MI . I-JA . QA-KI-SE-NU-TI . A-TA-DE

  • Gold hairpin of unknown provenance, possibly Knossos; Late Minoan IA.

KN Zc 6: *34-TI-RI-A-DI-DA-KI-TI-PA-KU .
NI-JA-NU .
JU-KU-NA-PA-KU-NU-U-I-ZU .

  • Inked inscription in the interior of a conical ceramic cup. Found in the basement of a house at Knossos alongside KN Zc 7.

KN Zf 13: A-RE-NE-SI-DI-*301-PI-KE-PA-JA-TA-RI-SE-TE-RI-MU-A-JA-KU

  • Gold ring found at Mavrospilio, Tomb IXe, Crete. The only gold ring with a Linear A inscription. Provisionally dated to MM III-LM I on stylistic grounds.

KN Zf 31: SI-SI-ZA-NE-*310 . DA-DU-MI-NE . QA-MI-*47-NA-RA . A-WA-PI . TE-SU-DE-SE-KE-I . A-DA-RA . TI-DI-TE-QA-TI . TA-SA-ZA . TA-TE-I-KE-ZA-RE .

  • Silver pin

KO(?) Zf 2: A-RA-KO-KU-ZU-WA-SA-TO-MA-RO-AU-TA-DE-PO-NI-ZA

  • Bronze mesomphalos bowl

Updated April 10, 2025