What 𐚬 means
A vessel-related sign, not a deciphered word.
A412-VAS is a catalogue label in the vessel-shape group. “VAS” describes the sign’s apparent category; it is not a translation from an ancient inscription.
Linear A is attested on Crete and nearby Aegean sites from around 1800 BCE. It appears on clay tablets, roundels and sealings used in palace records of goods, and on other objects in religious or practical settings. Some signs stand for a whole item (a logogram); others represent a spoken syllable.
Why is its ancient pronunciation unknown?
Linear A remains undeciphered as of 2026.
Linear B came later and is related to Linear A. Similarities between some sign shapes let scholars suggest sound values for Linear A sequences, but this comparison is a clue, not a key that assigns a sound to every sign.
The A400–A418 vessel-sign series has no established predecessors in Cretan Hieroglyphic as of 2026. The writing traditions are related. 𐚬 also appears within catalogue compounds A524, A658 and A659, but a compound occurrence does not settle how the sign reads alone.
This is specialist inscription terminology; the catalogue label gives a category, not a sound.
Read “VAS” as a catalogue category, not a Minoan translation or pronunciation.
Part of the collection
Who writes 𐚬
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Related characters
2
Questions people ask
2Can Linear B tell us how 𐚬 sounded?
It offers a comparison, not a full key. Similarities between some Linear B and Linear A signs can suggest readings for sequences, but they do not identify every sign’s value.
Why might 𐚬 appear as a box?
The active font may not contain a Linear A glyph; choose one that covers the script. The character’s identity is still 𐚬.
More like this
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How to type or find 𐚬
- Also called
- A412-VAS · A412 VAS · 412-VAS
- Search it as
- A412 · VAS · Linear A vase sign · Linear A vessel sign · Minoan vase sign · Minoan script
- Shows up in
- Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws
𐚬\106ACCodes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.