BAARN Jan Best de Vries (1941) is one of the founders of the Alverna Research Group. A group of scholars specializing in deciphering texts unknown until now. The author Best de Vries (the double name is a tribute to the late “love of his life”, and historian and archaeologist Nani de Vries) conducted studies that led to the deciphering of the Byblos text. He looks back on his life’s work.
Retired founder and Puritan historian enjoys the view from his balcony on Baarnse Prins Hendriklaan. The green contrasting beautifully with the blue sky makes him calm, but despite his age, he is still a fighter writing high-quality, beautifully designed notes, which are sent to The Hague to break the deadlock in forming a cabinet. With a fragmented offer of 31 eligible parties, one might consider forming an unprincipled, ideologically colored business cabinet. The advantage of this is that experts can be appointed instead of politicians.”
Jan Best de Vries fills his days with these kinds of meditations. The author is energetic and passionate, and has conducted international research as a primary historian. It investigates the period of transition from prehistoric to classical antiquity, in which the civilization in question itself does not yet have a writing system, but has been described by neighboring peoples who already have a writing system. The Pest de Vries, trained by archaeologist Professor Willem Glasbergen, speaks of Linear A. This writing system has been developed in Crete since 2000 BC. Decades of efforts have been made in vain to decipher this text. I was able to trace the drawing inventory of the scenario to three sources. That was the beginning of Reconstruction to come from this ancient writing.”
Inspired by the Egyptian hieroglyphics and has rebuild Of Linear A and Cretan Hieroglyphic, Best is not only convinced that he succeeded in deciphering the Byblos text. This gave him international fame. De Barnard published his results in 2010 in Decoding the Byblos text. Work received differently in the Netherlands. “My idea that the script called Linear A on the island of Crete has primarily Semitic properties has met with great resistance from colleagues who learned mainly the ancient Greek language. They see Crete itself as the origin of Greek civilization.”
The debate over whether or not Crete was the cradle of Greek civilization prompts the writer to issue a warning. “There is an atmosphere in the humanities in which new insights are stymied. In my opinion, it is about continued progress in science and not about obstacles. The discoveries I have made must be made by universities. I value the freedom of scientific research.”
