The Phaistos Disc as a Standardized Ritual Text: A Performative--Liturgical Interpretation Centered on the Feminine Matrix
Abstract
This paper proposes a structural and performative interpretation of the Phaistos Disc as a standardized ritual text produced through early printing techniques and intended to enact, rather than describe, a generative process. By integrating technical production evidence, spatial topology, iconographic sequencing, and comparative ritual analysis, the study argues that the Disc functions as a procedural protocol governing cyclical transformation. An experimental, non-linguistic validation demonstrates that the Disc operates coherently as a bidirectional state-transition system structured around containment, suspension of intervention, and managed emergence. A supplementary agricultural mapping further strengthens the model by showing that the same protocol can govern both reproductive–ritual and agricultural–productive cycles without altering its internal logic. This convergence suggests that the Disc encodes an abstract generative system applicable across multiple domains recognized as homologous within Minoan culture. Rather than seeking semantic decipherment, the paper reframes the Disc as a performative artifact whose meaning emerges through execution, spatial order, and enforced procedural flow.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History
Historical
Religious
and Philosophical Studies
Classical Antiquity Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 13 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint