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Experts trying to decipher ancient language
Ap via Excite.com ^
| Feb 28, 2009
| By BARRY HATTON
Posted on 02/28/2009 12:35:50 PM PST by ApplegateRanch
When archaeologists on a dig in southern Portugal last year flipped over a heavy chunk of slate and saw writing not used for more than 2,500 years, they were elated.
The enigmatic pattern of inscribed symbols curled symmetrically around the upper part of the rough-edged, yellowish stone tablet and coiled into the middle in a decorative style typical of an extinct Iberian language called Southwest Script.
"We didn't break into applause, but almost," says Amilcar Guerra, a University of Lisbon lecturer overseeing the excavation. "It's an extraordinary thing."
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.excite.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: archeology; celtiberians; epigraphyandlanguage; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; herodotus; linguistics; misnomer; portugal; spain; tarshish; tartessian; tartessians; tartessos
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To: SunkenCiv
2
posted on
02/28/2009 12:36:52 PM PST
by
ApplegateRanch
(If Liberalism doesn't kill me, I'll live 'till I die!)
To: ApplegateRanch
3
posted on
02/28/2009 12:39:41 PM PST
by
pabianice
To: ApplegateRanch
"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."
4
posted on
02/28/2009 12:45:52 PM PST
by
AHerald
("Be faithful to God ... do not bother about the ridicule of the foolish." - St. Pio of Pietrelcina)
To: pabianice
5
posted on
02/28/2009 12:47:19 PM PST
by
AFreeBird
To: ApplegateRanch
I read that they translated the tablet just today. It says “People of the future, beware of The One named Obama if you value your culture, freedom and wallet.”
6
posted on
02/28/2009 12:48:10 PM PST
by
LostInBayport
(When more than 98% of the Republicans on Capitol Hill vote against a bill, it is not bipartisan.)
To: AFreeBird
Daniel? Jack? Sam? Teal'c?
7
posted on
02/28/2009 12:50:48 PM PST
by
filbert
(More filbert at http://www.medary.com)
To: ApplegateRanch
8
posted on
02/28/2009 12:53:16 PM PST
by
wastedyears
(April 21st, 2009 - International Iron Maiden Day)
To: pabianice
9
posted on
02/28/2009 12:59:03 PM PST
by
An Old Man
(Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without.)
To: ApplegateRanch
10
posted on
02/28/2009 1:07:38 PM PST
by
greyfoxx39
(buckle in for 4 more years of detached, grandstanding flourish left untethered by an incurious media)
To: greyfoxx39
11
posted on
02/28/2009 1:18:12 PM PST
by
Netizen
To: ApplegateRanch
Southwest Script?
Maybe the Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine will have an article on this.
To: ApplegateRanch
Iway uspectsay itway isway anway ancientway ormfay ofway igpay atinlay.
13
posted on
02/28/2009 2:29:17 PM PST
by
bgill
To: AHerald
LOL
I was going to go for
Drink more Olv....
or
Eat at Joes
14
posted on
02/28/2009 2:30:08 PM PST
by
ASOC
(This space could be employed, if I could only get a bailout...)
To: Netizen
¿¿¿ɔıxǝןsʎp sɐʍ oɥʍ ǝuoǝɯos ʎq uǝʇʇıɹʍ uǝǝq ǝʌɐɥ pןnoɔ ʇı ʎןqıssod
15
posted on
02/28/2009 3:10:24 PM PST
by
greyfoxx39
(buckle in for 4 more years of detached, grandstanding flourish left untethered by an incurious media)
To: ApplegateRanch
"We didn't break into applause, but almost," says Amilcar Guerra ...Slightly off subject but I'm struck by this gent's name. Anybody remember the 1st great Carthaginian General of the Punic Wars? Hamilcar Barca was both that and the father of the famous Hannibal Barca of 'over the Alps with Elephants' and crushing Rome [almost]. Hamilcar conquered much of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain & Portugal) before dying. Given the frequently silent 'h', one wonders if history lives in his name?
Also commend to Alternative History SF aficionados the S.M.Stirling Trilogy, "Island in the Sea of Time" where a main opposition character is a native Tartessian. This is a well done series about Nantucket Island being transposed to 1350 BC and encounters with an active Stonehenge community and Troy and Odysseus. The Tartessian antagonist is motivated because the modern history books of 1999 AD have bare mention of his nation and culture!
16
posted on
02/28/2009 3:13:41 PM PST
by
SES1066
(Cycling to conserve, Conservative to save, Saving to Retire, will Retire to Cycle.)
To: SES1066
... I’m struck by this gent’s name.
Good catch!
17
posted on
02/28/2009 3:24:29 PM PST
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: ApplegateRanch
The enigmatic pattern of inscribed symbols curled symmetrically around the upper part of the rough-edged, yellowish stone tablet and coiled into the middle in a decorative style typical of an extinct Iberian language called Southwest Script.Perhaps now we'll get to the bottom of this Dighton Rock business.
18
posted on
02/28/2009 3:33:14 PM PST
by
Oratam
To: ApplegateRanch
We are going to find out that this is not a language, but simply early gang symbols/graffiti.
To: ApplegateRanch
All I can say about this is, bilaketak egitean edozein alfabeto erabili ahal duzu eta datu-basean agertzen diren erdal formak ere aurkitzen ahaleginduko da bilatzailea.
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