Linear A sign AB023M

A bull or male ox, not a deciphered word. The label “bull sign” comes from its conventional identification as a sign for a kind of animal, rather than a spelling for a sound. Linear A remains undeciphered, so no secure Minoan pronunciation or exact word can be assigned to it.

The clearest practical setting is a commodity record. On a tablet from Haghia Triada, an archaeological site in Crete, AB 23m/BOSm appears with grain, oil, figs, and wine beneath a transaction heading; its entry is interpreted as oxen. That supports reading it as an inventory item, not as a modern emotional or symbolic message.

How does AB023M connect Linear A and Linear B?

The connection is graphic, not a bilingual key. Linear A is securely attested by the end of the nineteenth century BCE in Crete. It coexisted with Cretan Hieroglyphic, another writing system used on Crete, and became predominant during Late Minoan I. Many Linear A signs are thought to adapt Cretan Hieroglyphic forms, but no secure date is known for AB023M itself.

Surviving examples include clay documents tracking goods and people, as well as stone vessels and other objects used for ritual or dedication. Linear B later reused much of Linear A’s sign repertoire, and AB023M is linked with Linear B’s male-bull ideogram. That relationship does not translate Linear A.

What does 𐘖 mean when someone sends it?

Treat it as a specialist reference to Linear A. As of 2026, no documented everyday chat convention is established for 𐘖. In a conversation, take it as a reference to the historical script until the sender gives more context.