Walter Finch
A RECENTLY unearthed tablet in southern Spain from 2,400 years ago could be about to re-write ancient history.
Pre-dating the famous Rosetta Stone by 400 years, the discovery could be evidence of a previously unknown written language used by the lost Tartessian civilization.
The artefact, which was unearthed at the Casas del Turuñuelo dig site in Badajoz, appears to be inscribed with an alphabetic sequence of 21 signs.
If confirmed, it would indicate the presence of a sophisticated and literate society in pre-Roman Iberia.
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) believes the tablet may be a practice slate used by artisans to hone their skills before engraving on more permanent materials.
The inscription features repeated illustrations of faces, geometric shapes, and warriors in combat.
Researchers are particularly interested in the tablet’s alphabetic symbols.
While some signs resemble known southern Paleo-Hispanic dialects, others are entirely new.
University of Barcelona researcher Joan Ferrer i Jane believes the tablet ‘could reach 32 signs if complete.’
It would potentially represent a brand new sister language to the existing southern Paleo-Hispanic family.
The find is crucial for historians and archaeologists as it fills a gap in understanding the transition between ancient Iberian scripts and the later fully developed writing systems of the Roman era.
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It also raises intriguing questions about the extent of cultural and trade exchanges between the Tartessians and other ancient civilizations across the Mediterranean.
The Tartessian culture, known for its wealth and sophistication, flourished from the 9th to 6th centuries BC in what is now modern-day Andalucia.
Their mysterious disappearance has long been a source of fascination, with some attributing it to earthquakes or tsunamis.
The Casas del Turuñuelo excavations, ongoing for at least six years, offer a new window into this lost civilization.
The tablet, along with continued work at the site, promises to shed light on the language, customs, and daily life of the Tartessians.
