# QE (qê)

> measure unit (dry/liquid capacity ≈ 1.2 liters)—metrological logographic abbreviation

A Linear A word in the Linear A Lexicon. The reading is a proposal and carries its tier.

- Reading: qê
- Confidence: Speculative. A proposed reading on a word too rare to test. Most occur only once.
- Root: [\*ḳū-](<https://linear-a.ai/roots/3853/index.md>) 'a measure of capacity'
- Kind: Administrative
- Language: Semitic
- Signs: QE (qe)

## Compared forms

- Akkadian: *qû* — qû B 'measuring vessel; a measure of capacity', gen. qê (CAD Q 288)
- Hebrew: קַב *qab* — קַב qab 'qab-measure' (HALOT 1060; 2 Kgs 6:25 רֹבַע הַקַּב 'a quarter of a qab')

## Attestations

- [HT Wc 3014](<https://linear-a.ai/texts/HTWc3014/index.md>): QE CAP

## Commentary

HT Wc 3014, a roundel: side a KU-MI-NA, side b QE · CAP (GORILA II 76), QE before the caprid logogram. QE writes qê, the genitive of Akk. qû in measure phrases, šá 2 qe-e 'of 2 q.' (Hh. X 261ff.; CAD Q 288–289); Heb. qab (2 Kgs 6:25). THE Zg 16 (Akrotiri faience triton, Doumas, PAE 2019, fig. 9) opens QE · at the broken left edge. Every tablet QE is broken or dotted (HT 27a, 37, 55b, 111b, 146; KH 50). Weak point: a measure before CAP, not before the cumin of side a. Rival: QE an adjunct or abbreviation qualifying CAP. One complete attestation.

## References

- Reading: di Mino
- HALOT: Koehler, Ludwig; Baumgartner, Walter; Stamm, Johann Jakob; Richardson, M. E. J. (trans. and ed.) (1994), The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vols. I–IV. E. J. Brill, Leiden · New York · Köln
- CAD Q: Oriental Institute (Erica Reiner, ed.) (1982), The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, vol. 13, Q. The Oriental Institute, Chicago; J. J. Augustin, Glückstadt
- GORILA II: Godart, Louis; Olivier, Jean-Pierre (1979), Recueil des inscriptions en linéaire A, volume 2: Nodules, scellés et rondelles édités avant 1970 (GORILA II). École française d'Athènes (Études crétoises XXI, 2); Librairie orientaliste Paul Geuthner, Paris

---

Page: https://linear-a.ai/lexicon/QE/
Licence: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cite as: di Mino, Tom. 2026. Linear A Lexicon. Plasma AI. https://linear-a.ai/. Data: kaphtor, commit 50525edd.