A 2,100-year-old bronze hand has unveiled rare evidence of a mysterious ancient language, establishing it as the oldest and longest example of Vasconic to date, according to a study published in the journal Antiquity.

Discovered at the Irulegi site, an Iron Age hillfort in Navarre, northern Spain, the inscription on the artifact is believed to be linked to the modern-day Basque language.

Vasconic was spoken by the Vascones, a pre-Roman people in the western Pyrenees, encompassing present-day Navarre, parts of La Rioja, and Aragon.

As one of the few known examples of Vasconic, this inscription provides valuable insights into one of Europe’s least understood ancient languages, Newsweek reported.

While the Vascones were previously thought to be a pre-literate society, this discovery challenges that notion, suggesting a level of literacy among this ancient group.

The linguistic analysis of the script on the bronze hand indicates a potential connection to the Basque language, predominantly spoken in the western Pyrenees region on both sides of the Spain-France border.

Written by B.C. Begley