Clay records come in several shapes, and the shape tells you what kind of record it is. You saw in Clay, Fire and Survival that tablets were working notes. Here are the main formats a reader meets.
Key idea
Page-shaped tablets hold lists; narrow "palm-leaf" tablets hold a single entry about one transaction; clay labels were pressed onto baskets of tablets; sealings carry a seal impression and sometimes a word; and some words were painted on jars before firing.
| Format | Shape | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Palm-leaf tablet | Long and narrow, a line or two | One entry: one shepherd's flock, one set of chariot parts |
| Page-shaped tablet | Taller, many ruled lines | Lists and totals: workers, offerings, rations |
| Label | A small lump of clay pressed onto a basket | Naming the contents of a basket of tablets |
| Sealing | Clay pressed over a knot, stamped with a seal | Proving a package was checked; a word or logogram may be added |
| Painted jar | Signs painted on a stirrup jar before firing | A name or place, perhaps the maker or the source |
Why it works
Why the different shapes? Each fits a step of the bookkeeping. A scribe in the field or the storeroom wrote one transaction on a leaf. Back in the office, leaves were sorted into baskets with labels, and summaries were written on pages. So the format tells you where a record sits in the process, from a first note to a summary.
Common mistake
Picturing all tablets as big pages of text. Many are narrow "palm leaves" with a single line about one transaction. Check: when you see a leaf-shaped tablet, expect one entry, often a name, a logogram and a number; when you see a page, expect a list.
Words on jars
Not every record is a tablet. Large stirrup jars, used to ship oil and wine, sometimes carry painted Linear B words, often a name or a place. Many were found at Thebes, and analysis of their clay suggests that many of them were made on Crete. They show that writing traveled with goods between Crete and the mainland.
Worked example: Which format?
A record names one shepherd, his place, the sheep logogram and a number. Which format is most likely?
- One transaction, one line.
Answer: A palm-leaf tablet.
Worked example: Which format?
A record lists twenty groups of women workers with their rations, and a total at the bottom. Which format?
- Many lines and a total: a list.
Answer: A page-shaped tablet.