Archaeologists have found an ancient tablet with 39 letters from an unknown language.

In the area of Lake Bashplemi in Georgia, archaeologists have discovered an ancient basalt tablet on which 39 characters are carved that do not belong to any known alphabet. Researchers believe that the inscriptions may be the key to unraveling an unknown language. This was reported by Popular Mechanics magazine on November 22.

"This tablet, which contains 60 characters, 39 of which differ from each other, raises the question of the origin of the Georgian script, proto-Georgian. Although it is known that the basalt on which it is based is of local origin, its significance is unknown, and there is still a long way to decipher it," the authors of the study noted.

The study claims that 39 out of 60 characters are unique and are not repeated in known writing systems. Based on an initial comparative analysis with more than 20 languages, scientists have found that the symbols have similarities with Semitic, Brahmanic and Northern Iberian scripts. However, none of them is an exact analogue.

Scientists suggest that the tablet may be part of the proto-Kartvelian script of the IV century BC, which was used in Georgia and Iberia. There are also similarities with the writing of the Bronze Age — the Phoenician, Aramaic and Greek alphabets.

This find attracts the attention of not only archaeologists, but also specialists in ancient languages, as it can reveal new information about the development of writing in this region and help decipher the unknown language used by the ancient inhabitants of the Caucasus.

According to the study, 60 characters on the plaque were executed with a high degree of skill, which indicates the use of modern tools for that time. Archaeologists believe that whoever carved the text used a cone-shaped drill bit for the contours and a "smooth and round-edged tool" to complete the work.

The exact meaning of the symbols remains unknown, but researchers suggest that they may be associated with "military booty, an important construction project, or an offering to a deity."

Earlier, on November 13, Popular Science magazine reported on the disclosure of the meaning of the signs on luxurious Roman bowls. According to the publication, the tags turned out to be a brand of antique masters.

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