Planning a Feast in Neopalatial Crete: A Look at the Linear A Evidence

Five Linear A tablets, which were found in the so-called “Villa Reale” at Haghia Triada and dated to the LM IB period, are analyzed and compared to Linear B records of equipment and agricultural commodities intended for feasting, in order to recognize similarities and differences. The first (HT 31) is a list of large and regular amounts of different types of vessels. It is analyzed in detail in an attempt to recognize the vessel shapes by means of comparing ideograms and archaeological evidence, and of understanding the aim of such a list. The other four tablets (HT 27a, 89, 94a and 100) are lists divided in two sections, the first recording personnel (ideogram *100/102 and variants) and the second recording three or four agricultural commodities in the same order. Besides the detailed analysis, a new reading, based on a personal examination of the tablet, is suggested for HT 94a.5. Moreover, we try to distinguish between tablets recording food given regularly as substantial rations and tablets recording food offered on a specific occasion, by examining the quantity and quality of the products and comparing them with meaningful Linear B examples. HT 27, 89, 94 and 100 seem linked to specific occasions and record participants and provisions of food, drink and, in one case, perfumed oils. On the other hand, HT 31 seems to be the auditing or collection of the vessels required for feasting. Our general conclusion is that these five tablets reflect the preparation of large Minoan feasts, which served also to reward the workforce and might be given in the context of religious ceremonies.