Linear B ideogram B234

It probably records a ritual knife; “sword” remains disputed. The sign appears on Pylos tablet Ta 716, beside a Linear B spelling transcribed as qi-si-po and the quantity 2. The tablet’s list has been interpreted as ritual equipment, which supports a more specific reading than simply “weapon.”

As of 2026-09-14, Ta 716 is the earliest known attestation of B234; no Linear A ancestor has been securely identified. The tablet belongs to the Late Bronze Age record-keeping tradition of Linear B. Its ideograms marked item classes in palace inventories and accounts, rather than spelling spoken words.

Why is 𐃊 sometimes called a sword?

“Sword” is traditional, but B234’s object reading is unsettled. In the same catalog, B233 is the standard sword label, while B234 appears with the Linear B spelling transcribed as qi-si-po. Scholars connect that spelling to the later Ancient Greek word ξίφος, meaning “sword,” but the later word does not settle what the Bronze Age entry meant.

A 2020 re-examination describes B234 as a single-edged implement with a convex blade and argues for a ritual reading based mainly on the tablet’s list order and context, not its shape alone. Earlier proposals ranged from a rapier-like sword to a knife or sickle; comparison with the tablet image rules out the sickle match. “Probably a ritual knife” is the cautious verdict, not a definitive translation.

Should I use 𐃊 as a sword symbol?

Treat it as a catalog sign, not a settled synonym for “sword.” An isolated 𐃊 does not show which scholarly reading its sender intends. If the distinction matters, ask what they mean; when using the sign yourself, label the intended reading.