A basalt tablet unearthed in Georgia bears 39 completely unknown symbols. It could completely rewrite our understanding of the origins of writing. Discovered near Bashplemi Lake in Georgia, this remarkable basalt artifact dates to the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age (roughly 3,000–3,500 years ago). Measuring about 24 × 20 cm, the tablet features 60 finely carved characters arranged in seven neat rows. What makes this find extraordinary: 39 of these symbols appear nowhere else in any known ancient script or language — they are entirely unique. The exceptional craftsmanship, achieved with precision tools such as conical drills, indicates the work of a highly advanced society with sophisticated administrative, religious, or scribal traditions. While the script remains completely undeciphered, researchers speculate it may represent: - A lost ancestor of the Proto-Kartvelian language family (from which modern Georgian descends) - An independent local writing system that developed and disappeared in the region Although some characters superficially resemble signs from ancient Near Eastern, Anatolian, or even Egyptian scripts, they do not align with any established linguistic system. The tablet might contain records of military victories, construction projects, royal decrees, or ritual offerings — but for now, it remains an enigmatic, silent puzzle. This discovery underscores Georgia’s crucial — and often overlooked — role as a cradle of early civilization and raises a profound question: how many other lost languages and writing systems still lie hidden beneath the soil? [Shengelia, R., & Gordeziani, L. (2025). Discovery of unknown script characters in Georgia: The Bashplemi Lake tablet. Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology, 11(3), 108–121. DOI: 10.14795/j.v11i3.1035]