The Acceptance of the Greek Solution for Linear B

Abstract:This article focuses on the acceptance of Michael Ventris's decipherment of Linear B as an early form of Greek and concentrates primarily on its initial reception in North America. It highlights the significant roles in the process played by two American scholars, Carl Blegen of the University of Cincinnati and Sterling Dow of Harvard University. Use is made here for the first time of personal letters of Ventris, Dow, Blegen, and Emmett Bennett. An appendix details the efforts Blegen made in order to see that the crucial evidence of the tablets found at Pylos was made available as soon as possible.