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Mysterious tablet with unknown language unearthed in Georgia

A basalt tablet inscribed with an enigmatic language has been unearthed near Lake Bashplemi in Georgia's Dmanisi region.

Credit: R. Shengelia et al., Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology (2024)The symbols, created using a conical drill and smoothed with rounded tools, reflect a high degree of craftsmanship. Ancient texts from authors such as Apollonius of Rhodes reference writing in Colchis, a part of modern-day western Georgia, but direct archaeological evidence for such systems has been scarce. The Bashplemi tablet raises the possibility of ceremonial or administrative writing traditions that might have been recorded on perishable materials, such as wood or leather, which failed to survive the humid climate.

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