NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — A mysterious piece of rock has been discovered in Northwestern France that lay virtually unexplored for 4,000 years. Researchers are now calling this find a “treasure map” and have used it to find ancient sites in the region.
In 2021, the so-called Saint-Belec plate was declared by researchers to be the oldest map of Europe. Since then, they have been working to decipher her engraving so they can use it to find lost archaeological treasures.
Professor Ivan Payler from the University of Western Brittany (UBO) emphasized that using such a map for archaeological research is a new approach.
Typically, ancient sites are discovered using sophisticated radar devices or aerial photography. However, the “treasure map” provides archaeologists with a unique opportunity. Pyler said they are just beginning their research.
The ancient map covers an area of approximately 30 by 21 kilometers, and a team of researchers, including Clement Nicholas from the CNRS research institute, is going to carefully study every mark on the slab. This process can take approximately 15 years.
In 2014, Nicholas and Pyler, along with other researchers, figured out the meaning of the slab. It was first discovered in 1900 by a local historian who never understood its true value.
Experts discovered symbols on the slab that turned out to be the key to unraveling the secrets of this ancient map. Rough protrusions and lines on the slab turned out to be images of the rivers and mountains of Rouduallec in the Brittany region. Comparison of this map with modern maps showed an agreement of approximately 80 percent.
However, the team still has a lot of work to do to identify all the geometric symbols and the legend associated with them. The slab is dotted with tiny depressions, which, according to researchers, may indicate mounds, dwellings or various geological features.
Deciphering all these points could lead to new finds that could rewrite the history of ancient monasteries in northwestern France.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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