Mysterious marks on cave paintings could be earliest form of script, says research

Researchers might have discovered the earliest form of writing in the history of humankind. According to research published in Cambridge Archaeological Journal, a proto-type writing system engraved in cave paintings dating back to 20,000 years is the oldest written script ever.

The research says upper Palaeolithic era hunters used symbols smeared on cave walls to communicate essential information. It suggests that it records animal mating seasons as per lunar months. The recent discovery might push back the most ancient form of writing by homo sapiens to around 14,000 years.

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The researchers have referred to the symbols as a complete unit of meaning.' They skimmed through 800 sequences of different shapes in cave paintings across Europe from the last Ice Age. As per their observations, the symbols were generally next to animal figures, a crucial; cue that helped them during the decoding process.

"The meaning of the markings within these drawings has always intrigued me. So I set about trying to decode them, using a similar approach that others took to understanding an early form of the Greek text," says independent researcher Ben Bacon.

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The frequently appearing symbol Y represented 'giving birth' for the animals, and the other altogether pointed towards mating. It also implies that the Ice Age hunters were visionary enough to record past plans to help them in future.

The research, a result of guessing and interpretation, revealed multiple facts about the paintings that might be potentially correct. It gave the Ice Age people a sense of the calendar.

As we know today, the oldest writing dates back to around 3,330 BCE from Sumer region in Mesopotamia. It was a compilation of pictographic shapes and symbols.

(With inputs from agencies)

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