Mysterious stone tablet at the bottom of the lake carries a language previously unknown to science

Inscriptions that may belong to a language lost thousands of years ago have been found on a stone tablet in Georgia.

Writing in the scientific journal Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology , Georgian scientists said that a stele with a mysterious language was found at the bottom of Bashplemi Lake in Manisi City, Georgia.

Mysterious stone tablet bearing the "Bashplemi inscription" - (Photo: Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology).

The stele measures 24.1 x 20.1 cm and is made from locally sourced basalt, according to Heritage Daily.

On the stele there are 60 symbols or characters, of which 39 are different, seemingly written from top to bottom in 7 vertical columns, but it is not clear which side to read from.

More importantly, the language written on the stele does not match any known language.

It is tentatively called the "Bashplemi inscription" by archaeologists , after the lake where the stele was exposed.

The Bashplemi inscriptions actually include symbols quite similar to those found in Middle Eastern scripts.

However, it also contains symbols resembling Indian, Egyptian, and West Iberian scripts.

Some of the symbols on the stele resemble Proto-Kartvelian, a language spoken in the fourth millennium BC, and others resemble seals used by officials in Georgia centuries ago.

This strange mix has left scientists baffled.

Experts believe the stele may date from the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age. Specific dating has yet to be done.

Ancient craftsmen created this strange writing in two steps: First, they used a sharp drill to outline the edges of the writing, then used a round-tipped tool to smooth it out, adding intricate shapes, lines, and dots.

"The technique used shows a level of skill and sophistication that was beyond that era," said Dr Giorgi Tsirekidze, a member of the research team.

According to the study authors, the Bashplemi inscriptions contain several frequently repeated symbols that may represent military spoils, an important building project, or offerings to a deity.

Therefore, further research on it promises to bring new understanding about a tribe or a population that history has overlooked.