Enigmatic Script Uncovered on Recently unearthed Antiquated Tablet
Enigmatic Script Uncovered on Recently unearthed Antiquated Tablet
A few years ago, fishermen in Dmanisi, Georgia, stumbled upon a stone tablet imbued with an enigmatic language. This script, which could potentially disrupt the historical narrative of ancient Caucasian literature, has left researchers whispering in anticipation.
Scholars from Georgia and France have delved into the intricacies of a tablet crafted with an unreadable script, unearthed by Georgian residents near Bashplemi Lake in 2021. A paper published in the Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology in November proposes that the engraving could be an ancient, native Georgian script. If validated, along with the tentative dating of the artifact to the Early Iron Age or earlier, it would drastically alter our perception of Georgian script origins.
The study declares, "The signs on the tablet undeniably represent a script," hinting at the possibility that it could even be an alphabet. The inscription, nicknamed the "Bashplemi inscription," features 39 unique characters, possibly incorporating numbers and punctuation marks, resulting in 60 signs distributed among seven horizontal lines. Despite the text remaining undeciphered, some characters bear a striking resemblance to others.
The researchers elaborate, "Generally, the Bashplemi inscription does not mirror any script known to us; however, most symbols used resemble ones found in Middle Eastern scripts, as well as those from geographically separate countries like India, Egypt, and West Iberia." They also spot a resemblance to Bronze and Early Iron Age seals excavated in Georgia. Although most comparisons stem from Caucasian scripts, such as the Georgian Mrgvlovani, Albanian, and proto-Georgian scripts, the directionality of the Bashplemi inscription remains elusive. It could be read from left to right, right to left, or even follow a boustrophedon pattern (a text that changes directionality with each line). However, the researchers claim the latter is highly improbable. Due to chipped-off parts of the tablet, the text might be incomplete.
The team, composed of a researcher from Tbilisi State University, conducted a mineralogical analysis, discovering that the tablet was carved from local basalt, a material notoriously challenging to cut or engage with. Their visual examination revealed that the original artist or artists first notched the shape of the symbols and then connected them using a smooth, round-headed tool (reminiscent of connect-the-dots).
The researchers speculate that the tablet's sturdy material and potential incorporation of numbers suggest that the inscription could list military spoils, divine offerings, or significant construction projects. The origin of the stone and similarities with nearby Caucasian scripts might imply that both the artifact and the script are indigenous to the Georgian region where it was discovered.
The researchers were unable to pinpoint an exact age for the tablet but suggested that, based on the inscription's graphic shapes and artifacts uncovered during initial site examinations, it likely hails from the Late Bronze or Early Iron Age.
If this assessment is correct, it would reshape our comprehension of ancient Georgian script history. Although historical records suggest the presence of an ancient written language in Colchis (now western Georgia), the oldest direct evidence of Georgian scripts—as well as all Caucasian scripts—stems from post-Christianity spread in the area, which occurred in the early fourth century, as per the study. The Early Iron Age date back to approximately 1000 BCE, indicating that the Bashplemi inscription could predate these early examples by over a millennium.
In conclusion, the researchers declare, "Deciphering the inscription uncovered in historical Dbaniskhevi can turn out to be an exceptionally intriguing and crucial event." This discovery might challenge popular historical beliefs, and significantly modify key aspects concerning the origin and development of scripts in Caucasus.
Interestingly, they also underscore that it is highly unlikely that the tablet is a forgery. The fishermen who found the artifact scraped the tablet's surface to enhance its inscription visibility using an iron object, leaving shallow scratches.
"No forger would perform such actions, thereby casting doubt on an artifact's authenticity," they protest. Although forgers might take this as encouragement, further archaeological investigations will ultimately confirm whether the tablet possesses the significance that the researchers suspect.
The discovery of potentially ancient and indigenous Georgian script on the Bashplemi inscription could significantly shift our understanding of future studies in the field of script origins and development, especially in the Caucasus region. If validated, this script could be one of the earliest known examples, predating other direct evidences by over a millennium, transforming our perception of ancient Georgian script history.
The technological process used to carve the Bashplemi inscription on local basalt is quite intriguing. While the tool used to connect the symbols was smooth and round-headed, resembling connect-the-dots, the material itself is notoriously difficult to work with, hinting at advanced technological capabilities for the time.