Spanish archaeologists must feel like they’re in an Indiana Jones movie after discovering an ancient stone tablet adorned with perplexing symbols at the Casas del Turuñuelo site, known for its Tartessian ruins in the southwestern Spanish province of Badajoz. This unearthed relic, dating back to roughly 600 B.C., has left scientists and historians abuzz with excitement—and perhaps a bit puzzled, as they ponder its significance (Fox News, New York Post).

Casting aside for a moment the notion that this could be the world’s oldest known grocery list, the symbols on this ancient stone are believed to be part of an early alphabet. That’s right; the ancients weren’t just drawing pretty pictures; they were writing. According to reports (Fox News, New York Post), this slab is the third-ever example of a 'southern Paleo-Hispanic alphabet' with evidence, making it a linguistic Rosetta Stone for scholars of antiquity.

The discovery is part of a project with an impressively dramatic name—Building Tartessus. One might imagine an archaeological team donning hard hats and holding blueprints, planning to reconstruct an ancient civilization. But instead, they unearthed this tablet, which holds a sequence of 21 signs drawn within its framework. Among these signs, figures of warriors were also found, adding a touch of ancient valor to the mystery (Fox News, New York Post).

The stone tablet, blessedly intact for the most part, bears a total of 27 signs, making it the only complete example known to date (Fox News, New York Post). However, all is not perfect in the land of archaeology; the artifact is considered incomplete. Tragically, at least six signs have been lost in the split area of the piece. This may leave future generations forever pondering what secrets those lost symbols might have held. Perhaps they were ancient reviews of the local tavern: “Mead was warm. 2/5 stars.”

Experts have theorized that if the signs occupied three of the four sides of the plate, the alphabet might have had up to 32 signs (Fox News, New York Post). And just like that, they’ve thrown down the gauntlet for Starbucks baristas everywhere. Try fitting that on a coffee cup.

A few letters of the Tartessian alphabet, much like many of our car keys, are still considered lost. Experts are busy decoding this ancient alphabet, hoping to reacquaint us with a civilization considered 'lost' due to how few remnants of it survive (Fox News, New York Post). It’s a bit like trying to piece together an IKEA manual after half of it’s been eaten by the dog.

But don’t let the mythic allure of the term “lost civilization” fool you into thinking they’re not with us in some capacity. The Tartessians have, through these symbols, left behind what could well be the equivalent of a text message from 600 B.C. Spain to modern-day archaeologists. All that’s left is to decode it. Whether it ends up being ancient wisdom or simply, “Bring home eggs,” this discovery promises to enrich our understanding of these ancients who dared to write.

So the next time your WiFi drops out, and you have to put up smoke signals to get help, just remember: the Tartessians were already ahead of the curve. As this newly discovered stone shows us, sometimes shot-in-the-dark messages from the past can light the way to a whole era of discovery.

Ladies and gentlemen, raise your relic-reading glasses and toast to the unearthing of the Tartessian’s not-so-cryptic past!

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