Ancient Greek Inscriptions
This is collection of inscriptions from Ancient Greece. They were photographed in museums and archaeological sites.
Dipylon Oinochoe Detail of InscriptionThe inscription on the Dipylon oenochoe closeup. It is the earliest known sample of the Greek Alphabet, incised on the jar in its early form, left to write. Circa 740 BCE
Newton Papers MS-ADD-03996-000-00007Isaac Newton was well versed in Ancient Greek. Page from Add. 3996, a notebook that Newton used as an undergraduate student from about 1661 to 1665 CE.
Antikythera Mechanism Fragment with Greek Inscription and GearsAntikythera Mechanism Fragment A back close-up view of the Greek Inscription and Gears. Circa 2nd – 1st c. BCE.
Antikythera Mechanism Fragment with Greek InscriptionAntikythera Mechanism bronze fragment B (back) with Greek Inscription. Circa 2nd – 1st c. BCE.
Antikythera Mechanism – 2Antikythera Mechanism bronze fragment A (back). The Greek inscription, gears, and markers are visible. Circa 2nd – 1st c. BCE.
Early Greek writing inscription on a cup – FeaturedEarly Greek writing inscription on a cup. 7th c. BCE. Archaic Era. The Greek alphabet was developed sometime between 950 and 750 BCE.
Kerameikos Museum – Lead inscription with a curseEnclosure of Aristion. Lead inscription with a curse (graffito curse). 420-410 BCE.
Kerameikos Museum – Base of a monument with Ancient Greek inscriptionBase of a monument with Ancient Greek inscription. 525-500 BCE.
British Museum – Rosetta StoneThe Rosetta Stone at the British Museum. 196 BCE. Hellenistic Era. The Rosetta Stone is inscribed with Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Greek script, and it was instrumental in the decipherment of ancient Egyptian scripts.
Doric capital with relief patternDoric capital with relief pattern. 6th c. BCE.
Stele with inscription about the Erectheion constructionStele with inscription about the Erectheion construction.
Wooden plaque with painting fragmentWooden plaque with painting, fragment. 540-530 BCE.
Early Greek writing inscription on a cupEarly Greek writing inscription on a cup. 7th c. BCE.
Wooden plaque with painting of a procession to an altarWooden plaque with painting from a cave near ancient Sikyon, in Corinthia. 540-530 BCE.
Detail of the stele with a report of the State AuctioneersDetail of the stele with a report of the State Auctioneers (pletai). It records the leasing of mines near Lavrion. 367-6 BCE.
Stele with a report of the State AuctioneersStele with a report of the State Auctioneers (pletai). It records the leasing of mines near Lavrion. 367-6 BCE.
Delos Archaeological Museum – Large Phallic Marble SculplureLarge phallic marble sculplure with inscription.
Delos Archaeological Museum – InscriptionAncient Greek inscription detail from Large phallic marble sculpture.
Linear B Script Clay TabletsLinear B script clay tablets from Knossos. 14-13 c. BCE.
Linear B Script Clay TabletLinear B Script Clay Tablet from Knossos. 14-13 c. BCE. Bronze Age Greece. Linear B, an primitive form of Greek, was used in the late Bronze Age and was deciphered in 1953.
Sitia Archaeological Museum – Linear A TabletsLinear A tablets. Circa 1450 BCE.
Linear A TabletLinear A tablet from Zakros palace. 1450 BCE. Linear A is the first syllable based script in Bronze Age Greece.
Sitia Archaeological Museum – Linear A TabletClay tablet with Linear A inscription. 1450 BCE.
Linear A Inscription on Ceramic JugLinear A Inscription on Ceramic Jug. From Akrotiri, Thera. 17th c. BCE.
Inscriptions of the Polygonal WallMuch of the polygonal wall at Delphi is covered with inscriptions on the freeing of slaves.
Monument of King Prussias IIThe pedestal upon which the statue of King Prussia’s II of Bithynia stood. 2nd c. BCE.
Music NotationInscription with the oldest written Greek notation of a melody. From the Athenian treasury. 128 BCE.
Phaistos DiskThe Phaistos Disk is the earliest, and only script of its kind we have from the Minoans. It is dated to 1700 BCE and resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Dodona oracle inquiryLead sheet with pilgrim’s inquiry to the oracle.
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