A basalt tablet with an inscription in a mysterious language was discovered near Lake Bashplemi in the Dmanisi municipality of Georgia. The artifact, measuring 24.1 centimeters by 20.1 centimeters, made of local vesicular basalt, contains 60 symbols, 39 of which are unique.
Researchers could not agree on the meaning and purpose of these symbols, which are arranged in seven registers. The symbols, which were created with a conical drill and smoothed with rounded tools, reflect the high degree of skill of the specialists who worked on them.
Archaeologists speculate that the writing on the basalt tablet may have recorded the number of spoils of war, information about construction projects, or a list of items to be offered to deities, although definitive interpretations remain uncertain.
"In general, the inscriptions on the tablet found near Bashplemi do not repeat any of the known scripts," the scientists said. The researchers, who published their observations in the Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology, emphasize that many of the symbols on the tablet are similar to those used in scripts from the Middle East, as well as remote regions such as India, Egypt and the western part of the Iberian Peninsula.
In addition, partial similarities are noted with Protokartvelian signs dating back to the 4th millennium BC and ancient seals from pre-Christian Georgia. Certain elements also show overlaps with early forms of writing that existed in the Caucasus, such as the Mrgvlovani and Albanian alphabets, as well as with Near Eastern systems, including the Phoenician and Proto-Sinaitic writing systems.
However, the inscription on the found tablet is not a direct copy of any known writing system, suggesting that it represents a unique or locally developed script.
The municipality of Dmanisi, known for its wealth of archaeological finds, including some of the earliest hominin remains in Eurasia, has now added this unusual artifact to its heritage. Although the exact age of the tablet is uncertain, researchers hypothesize that it dates to the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age, based on associated finds such as pottery fragments and stone mortars.
Lake Bashplemi, located on a volcanic plateau, has historically attracted little attention from archaeologists. Surface finds, including pottery fragments,
obsidian and stone mortars, indicate that the area was once a center of human activity. The tablet complicates the cultural history of the Caucasus, a region long considered peripheral in the study of ancient writing systems.
Ancient texts by authors such as Apollonius of Rhodes mention writing in Colchis, located in present-day western Georgia, but there is little direct archaeological evidence of such systems.
The unique tablet of the Dmanisi municipality suggests the existence of ceremonial or administrative writing traditions that may have been inscribed on perishable materials such as wood or leather that could not withstand the humid climate.
Careful analysis confirms the authenticity of the tablet. Its basaltic composition is consistent with the local geology, and traces of wear and tear indicate attempts by modern locals to clean it, probably without realizing the importance of this artifact. The precision of the carvings, made with modern tools and techniques, emphasizes the technical skill of the ancient creators.
This find may indicate cultural exchange or influence between the Caucasus and neighboring regions in the ancient world. Partial similarities with writings from different regions, including India and the Middle East, may confirm a complex interplay of ideas and technologies.