ISSN: 2534-5192 (electronic) – 2681-8566 (print)

◀ Guy Boursier▲ ProceedingsYannis Haralambous ▶



ISBN: 978-2-487055-10-0
e-ISBN: 978-2-487055-11-7

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Reviving Linear Elamite (2300–1880 BCE), The oldest known phonetic writing system.
Sina Fakour
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Abstract. This paper presents the outcome of a two-year research and design project centered on the Linear Elamite script, an ancient phonetic writing system used in Elam (present-day Iran) at the end of the 3rd millennium BCE. Although first discovered in the early 20th century, Linear Elamite remained undeciphered until 2017, when French archaeologist François Desset began its systematic study. In 2020, Desset, along with Kambiz Tabibzadeh, Matthieu Kervran, Gian Pietro Basello, and Gianni Marchesi, announced the successful decipherment of approximately 95% of the script. This significant achievement repositions Linear Elamite as the earliest known phonetic writing system, transforming our understanding of the origins of writing.
In 2021, as part of the “Missing Scripts” program at ANRT (Atelier National de Recherche Typographique), I began a typographic research project aimed at developing a digital typeface for Linear Elamite. The project involved a detailed analysis of the inscriptions, materials, and engraving tools used, in order to create an inclusive typographic solution. The result is Hatamti, a font family consisting of approximately 400 glyphs in four styles. This paper documents the design process, the visual characteristics of the script, and the rationale behind each design decision, with the goal of supporting archaeologists, linguists, historians, philologists, and type designers in preserving and working with this ancient script.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36824/2024-graf-fako


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Sina Fakour (2024), “Reviving Linear Elamite (2300–1880 BCE), The oldest known phonetic writing system.,” in Proceedings of Grapholinguistics in the 21st Century, 2024 (Yannis Haralambous, Ed.), Grapholinguistics and Its Applications, Vol. 11, Brest: Fluxus Editions, 247–296.


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   AUTHOR = {Sina Fakour},
   EDITOR = {Haralambous, Yannis},
   TITLE = {{Reviving Linear Elamite (2300–1880 BCE), The oldest known phonetic writing system.}},
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