Archaeologists unearth ancient hand that could unlock secrets of language
Story by Catherine Shuttleworth • 3d
A2,000 year old bronze hand has been discovered in the north of Spain by researchers, and the most intriguing aspect about it is the strange symbols that cover the hand.
Across the top of the hand, researchers noticed four lines of strange symbols are inscribed. With a new study suggesting the symbols are related to ancient Paleohispanic languages, and may have been part of the language that has developed into Basque in contemporary Spain.
The hand was discovered in an area populated by a tribe called the Vascones at the time the hand was likely to have been made. Previous assumptions about the tribe believed them to be pre-literate as little writing samples have been found before. But this hand could change that.
"Detailed linguistic analysis suggests that the script represents a graphic subsystem of Palaeohispanic that shares its roots with the modern Basque language and constitutes the first example of Vasconic epigraphy," write the researchers in their published paper.
More:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/archaeologists-unearth-ancient-hand-that-could-unlock-secrets-of-language/ar-BB1iHuFN
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https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/words-etched-into-an-ancient-bronze-hand-hint-at-the-mysterious-origins-of-the-basque-language-180981153/
Words Etched Into an Ancient Bronze Hand Hint at the Mysterious Origins of the Basque Language
Archaeologists unearthed the 2,100-year-old artifact in northern Spain and discovered the inscription contains two words that resemble those of the modern language Euskara.
Sarah Kuta
Daily Correspondent
Updated: February 21, 2024
Originally Published: November 18, 2022
you Tube video of this hand.
Props to Judi Lynn for expanding my horizons.
I've seen so many articles discussing the fact there is only one place in the world where the Basque language is spoken, and that it is starkly unique.
Looking forward every day for those breakthroughs we crave, now that the process of discovery has been accelerated and expanded so greatly.
Thank you, Ford Prefect, for your excellent post. 
It suggests that asking why, and why not, are always relevant questions, even if the answers are not immediately obvious. It is the search for answers to such questions which expands and underlines our understanding of our humanity.
Well, that's how this human sees it. 
