The pictographs below are exact tracings by me of the pictographs on the Phaistos Disk. Apparently, I am the only person to ever go to the trouble to do this. Before I began working on the disk I traced each pictograph because the only other pictograph images I could find were Sir Arthur Evans' freehand drawings of the pictographs, which obviously he did in a hurry. But Evans did not have the advantage of a copy machine as I did, nor did the artist of the Disk who etched each one individually into the Disk before the clay dried.

I duplicated each pictograph tracing times the number of times it appears on the Phaistos Disk and then I taped each one onto my tracing of the disk spirals, to pinpoint their exact locations. Because each repeated pictograph on the Phaistos Disk was intended to appear exactly identical, the only way to exactly duplicate the disk is by using a copy machine to duplicate each pictograph. I include Evans' pictograph drawings to the left of each one that I traced.

These are pictographs, not hieroglyphs. Sir Arthur Evans makes the case for Cretan pictographs in his book Cretan Pictographs and Prae-Phoenician Script. I read it thoroughly; I highly recommend it. I would add to it that I think many of the pictographs are abbreviations for the constellations (Arktypes, Ships/Arks of the Sky).

Position = location of the sign on the disk; Segment = the line segment in which the sign occurs. Both are relative to the center of the disk spiraling out. A = Side 1, B = Side 2. Geometry = created by sign(s)

4 Flower, Sun, Life, Island of Crete, Heliacal rising of Sirius Similar to this 8-petal flower is center the wave spirals on a Minoan ceiling, and the Queen's Bathroom, Palace at Knossos and (below) 8-petal Flower of Life guarded by god Horus (death) and goddess Mut (life) on Egyptian limestone relief (with Disk pictograph Falcon/Hawk on the perch) Horus, Mut, three stars Sirius (Side 1, Disk) 3A--Position - 1, 13, 76; Segment - 1, 4, 19; 1B--Position - 72; Segment - 19, Geometric Point

2 Man with Shaved Head and figure 8 tattoo, Daedalus, Priest, Astronomer-Priest, Sailor 2A--Position - 2, 14; Segment - 1, 4, Connect for Straight Line

4 Oar of the Argo, Thoth's Feather, 3 Stars in Argo that make the Oar, Aspidiske and Markeb 4A--Position - 3, 15, 45, 70; Segment - 1, 4, 12, 18, Connect for Quadrilateral

11 Evans gave his runner a little something extra, Constellation Herakles/Hercules Runner Mural, Knossos 6A--Position - 4, 19, 41, 66, 84, 118; Segment - 2, 6, 11, 17, 20, 30; Connect for Polygons, 5B--Position - 51, 60, 71, 88, 94; Segment - 14, 16, 19, 23, 24 Constellation Taurus (see bottom of this page), drawn by connecting the 11 "Walker" pictographs, 6 side A and 5 side B. Where are these runners going?

6 Evans really modified this pictograph. Spindle, phallas of Osiris chewed by Sharpsnout Fish 3A--Position - 5, 20, 119; Segment - 2, 6, 30, Connect for Acute Triangle. 3B; Position - 44, 89, 95; Segment - 12, 23, 24, Connect for Isosceles Triangle

2 Minoan Pictograph Maze, Tool, Ziggurat symbol meaning "Home of the God" 2A--Position - 6, 55; Segment - 3, 15, Connect for Straight Line

4 Evans must have thought this pictograph was a papyrus.Thistle or Thyrsi carried in the Festival of Dionysus 2A--Position - 7, 56; Segment - 3, 15; Straight Line, 2B--Position - 85, 109; Segment - 22, 28, Connect for Diameter Diameter

11 Five-Branched Tree, a part of Isis-Osiris myth 5A--Position - 8, 16, 57, 85, 90; Segment - 3, 5, 15, 21, 22; Connect for Irregular Pentagon, 6B--Position - 9, 29, 58, 66, 79, 111; Segment - 3, 8, 15, 18, 21, 29, Connect for Polygon

15 Fleece, Goat skin, Golden Fleece 10A--Position - 9, 10, 30, 34, 47, 58, 59, 72, 99, 103; Segment - 3, 3, 9, 9, 12, 15, 15, 18, 24, 25; Connect for Great Pyramid Interior, 5B--Position - 35, 52, 74, 104, 114; Segment - 9, 14, 19, 27, 29; Connect for Polygon Great Pyramid Interior

16 Evans did not copy the shield to the hexagonal pattern. Shield with Hexagon 15A--Position - 11, 21, 23, 35, 39, 51, 60, 64, 79, 88, 95, 100, 114, 120; Segment - 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 29, 30; Connect for Star Sirius and the 7 Planets, Heliacal Rising of Sirius, Pentagram, Heptagram, Heptagon, 2B--Position - 100, 118; Segment - 26, 30; Connect for Straight Line Star Sirius and 7 Planets, Heliacal Rising of Sirius

19 Minyae, Warrior, Crested Dancer, Cave of Zeus, Warriors Patrolling the Perimeter 14A--Position - 12, 22, 36, 40, 48, 52, 61, 65, 73, 80, 89, 96, 107, 121; Segment - 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 26, 30; Connect for Nested Geometry, 5B--Position - 11, 54, 78, 110, 119; Segment - 3, 14, 20, 28, 30; Connect for Polygon Warriors at the Perimeter Disk is spinning clockwise but center triangle appears to spin counterclockwise, a wagon wheel illusion

3 Evans may have seen this as the intersection of a road. Adjacent Angle, Carpenter's Tool 3A--Position - 17, 26, 86; Segment - 5, 8, 21; Connect for Obtuse Triangle

9 Pillar, Tool, Awl, Telescope 5A--Position - 18, 44, 53, 69, 77; Segment - 5, 12, 14, 18, 19; Connect for Quadrilateral, 4B--Position - 4, 24, 98, 108; Segment - 2, 6, 25, 28; Connect for Obtuse Triangle

6 Constellation Capricorn, Horn, Serpent's Tail 5A--Position - 24, 37, 49, 62, 91; Segment - 7, 10, 13, 16, 22; Connect for Quadrilateral, 1B--Position - 77; Segment - 20; Geometric Point

5 Constellation Aquila, Winged Disk, Vulture, Hawk Flying with the Bone of Horus in its Claws 5A--Position - 25, 38, 50, 63, 92; Segment - 7, 10, 13, 16, 22; Connect for Quadrilateral

1 Did Evans think this is a UFO? Hill, Hat 1A--Position - 27; Segment - 8; Geometric Point

12 Evans may have used a straight edge to draw this pictograph. Pyramid, Carpenter's Square 6A--Position - 28, 31, 43, 68, 93, 117; Segment - 8, 9, 12, 18, 23, 30; Connect for Great Pyramid Exterior, 6B--Position - 13, 23, 30, 63, 87, 97; Segment - 4, 6, 8, 17, 23, 25; Connect for Irregular Pentagon Great Pyramid Exterior

4 Nurse, Goddess Rhea, Isis Nursing Diktys 2A--Position - 29, 94; Segment - 8, 23; Connect for Straight Line 2B--Position - 10, 59; Segment - 3, 15; Connect for Straight Line; Together Rhea's Veil Rhea's Veil

3 Constellation Corvus, Falcon on the Perch, Horus 2A--Position - 32, 78; Segment - 9, 19; Connect for Straight Line, 1B--Position - 57; Segment - 15; Geometric Point

2 A yoke at the least, but it seems Evans saw breasts. Astronomy Glasses, Binoculars 1A--Position - 33; Segment - 9; Geometric Point, 1B--Position - 64; Segment - 17: Connect for Geometric Point

2 Evans perhaps recognized it as a bull's foot but drew it facing the wrong way. Constellation Taurus, Bull's Foot, Minotaur, the God with the Bull's Foot, Osiris Bull's Foot 2A--Position - 42, 67; Segment - 11, 17; Connect for Straight Line

7 Constellation Argo, Skiff, Skiff of Isis 2A--Position - 46, 71; Segment - 12, 18; Connect for Straight Line, 5B--Position - 3, 32, 73, 83, 105; Segment - 2, 9, 19, 22, 27; Connect for Quadrilateral

6 Evans drew this as a Sawfish. Constellation Pisces, Sharp-Snout Fish, ate the phallus of Osiris 2A--Position - 54, 104; Segment - 14, 26; Connect for Straight Line, 4B--Position - 55, 61, 92, 103; Segment - 15, 16, 24, 26; Connect for Quadrilateral

1 Evans apparently identified this pictograph as a bow. Constellation Cancer, Nile Crab that ate the phallus of Osiris 1A--Position - 74; Segment - 18B (Side A overlap); Geometric Point

4 Evans modified this pictograph to a type of trident. Grass 1A--Position - 75; Segment - 18B (Side A overlap); Geometric Point, 3B--Position - 14, 56, 93; Segment - 4, 15, 24; Connect for Scalene Triangle

18 Evans perhaps saw this pictograph as a woman's breast. Pomegranate/Star, Honey Pot 3A--Position - 81, 101, 111; Segment - 20, 25, 28; Connect for Triangle, 15B--Position--1,7,12,18,25,26,28,31,37,41,48,82,90,112,115; Segment - 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 21, 23, 29, 30; Connect for Constellation Argo Constellation Argo

6 Egyptian Coffin Chest, Daedalus, Wings of Icarus 3A--Position - 82,105,115, Segment - 20,26,29; Connect for Right Triangle, 3B--Position - 75, 80, 116; Segment - 20, 21, 30; Connect for Obtuse Triangle Right Triangle

2 Roll-Up, Amphora 2A--Position - 83, 85, Segment - 20, 21, Connect for Straight Line

5 Hand Wrap, Glove, Dactyloi (Five Fingers - Cretan) 1A--Position - 97; Segment - 24; Connect for Geometric Point, 4B--Position - 17, 36, 45, 47; Segment - 5, 10, 12, 13; Connect for Cone

1 Stylized Pig 1A--Position - 98; Segment - 24; Geometric Point

6 Water Wave, Nile River, Aegean 2A--Position - 102, 112; Segment - 25, 28; Connect for Straight Line, 4B--Position - 2, 27, 42, 113; Segment - 1, 7, 11, 29, Connect for Quadrilateral

1 Evans removed the shield this warrior is holding and portrayed him as a captive instead. Very early concept of Zeus , Constellation Orion, Could be the signature of the artist of the disk, whose name might mean "Hand Shield," like King Pacal of the Maya 1A--Position - 106; Segment - 26; Geometric Point

1 Evans omitted this pictograph.Constellation Canis Major, Dog Scratching 1A--Position - 108; Segment - 27; Geometric Point

10 Constellation Leo, Dog, Lion, Goddess 2A--Position - 109, 113; Segment - 27, 28; Connect for Straight Line, 8B--Position - 6, 20, 39, 43, 46, 50, 62, 70, Segment - 2, 5, 10, 11,12,13, 16, 18; Polygon

1 Evans did not notice the difference between these dogs, all of them with mouth closed except the second one with mouth open as though barking, Dog Barking anmation 2A--Position - 110; Segment - 27; Geometric Point

6 Minoan palanquin, Knossos Fresco Evans gave the second level four sections instead of three. Palanquin, Pasiphae's Bed? 1A--Position - 116; Segment - 29; Geometric Point, 5B--Position - 22, 68, 69, 81, 102; Segment - 6, 18, 18, 21, 26; Connect for Polygon

2 Evans seemed to think this pictograph is a bug. Ant, Bug 2B--Position - 5, 34; Segment - 2, 9; Connect for Straight Line

2 Evans omitted this pictograph. Hoe, Tool, Sweep of Osiris 2B--Position - 8, 33; Segment - 3, 9; Connect for Straight Line

1 Evans gave the ram an ear and omitted the nose. Constellation Aries, Ram 1B--Position - 15; Segment - 4; Geometric Point

2 Sacred Cave Entrance, Hoodwink of a Priest's Robe, Initiate 2B--Position - 16, 53; Segment - 4, 14; Connect for Straight Line

4 Evans saw this pictograph as an olive branch. Plant, Grass 4B--Position - 19, 38, 49, 76; Segment - 5, 10, 13, 20; Connect for Rectangle

5 Tool, Gauge 5B--Position - 21, 40, 86, 106, 117; Segment - 5, 10, 22, 27, 30; Connect for Great Pyramid Apex, Base, Two Sides Great Pyramid Apex, Base and Two Sides

2 Shell, Trumpet, Festival of Dionysus 2B--Position - 65, 99; Segment - 17, 25; Connect for Straight Line

2 Constellation Aquarius, Vase 2B--Position - 67, 101; Segment - 18, 26; Connect for Straight Line Connect for Straight Line

1 Milky Way, Half Moon 1B--Position - 84; Segment - 22; Geometric Point

1 Axe, Tool, Typhon's Hatchet, Labrys or Labyrinth (Maze) also meant "Axe" 1B--Position - 91; Segment - 22, Geometric Point

1 Triangle, People inside the Great Pyramid, Volcano 1B--Position - 96; Segment - 23; Geometric Point

1 Constellation Gemini, Child, Daedalus, Person 1B--Position - 107; Segment - 28; Geometric Point

Copyright Notice - Disk of the World - Text and images copyrighted March 21, 1993-2025, Claire Grace Watson, B.A., M.S.T., U.S. Copyright and under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, All rights reserved. No part of this web page may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.