ZU

Status: proposed. A proposed value.

Evidence: ṯ 15/21, n and m 16/21; A-ZU-RA yields a root under every rival. ṯ reads 6 of 8 context words, z reads RU-ZU-NA (PS *z), so ZU writes both

Phonetic value

Value	Evidence
/zu/	RU-ZU-NA = rāzin 'dignitary' (HALOT 1210), PS z; Linear B 79 zu (Davis 2026, 174 n. 641)
/ḏu/	ZU writes the interdental range: voiced ḏ beside ṯ (di Mino)
/ṯ̣u/	ZU writes the interdental range: emphatic ṯ̣, keyed ẓ (di Mino)

A-ZU-RA = ʾAṯirat (KNZc7 incantation bowl)—divine name on ritual vessel
Linear B *79 = zu (Davis 2026, 174 n. 641), 3–4 attestations—the rarity an interdental value predicts
No ṯ→z merger in Semitic typology
Phonemic gap: ZU writes the interdentals before every vowel
Complementary distribution: ZA-SI-ZU (ARKH4b)—ZA and ZU in the same word
MA-ZU = maṯu 'child/male' (HT102)—supportive PS #1702 match
Cross-script parallel: Linear B ma-*79 ↔ Linear A MA-ZU—potential independent confirmation
KU-ZU-NI = Kuṯinu (HT 13, HT 85a), the Ugaritic personal name kṯn, syll. ku-ši-nu (DULAT 467)
ZU-JU-PU₂ = ṯulpu 'flute(-player)' (HT 25a), sign for sign PS *ṯulp-, Ugaritic ṯlb (DULAT 892), Akk. ša šulpi (CAD Š/3 257)

Updated 24 October 2026