An ancient Iranian mystery has finally been solved, according to a French archaeologist who reports successfully cracking the code to an enigmatic, undeciphered writing system.
Known as Linear Elamite, the 4000-year-old script—once considered impossible to decode—has now been unlocked by François Desset, in an achievement that has drawn comparisons to Jean-François Champollion’s famous deciphering of the enigmatic Rosetta Stone.
Desset, a 43-year-old archaeological researcher based at the University of Liege in Belgium, says the remarkable ancient script is the only truly “local” writing system from the country’s early history, which is currently embattled.
The Enigma of Linear Elamite
Originally discovered more than a century ago during archaeological reconnaissance at the Iranian Susa site, Desset’s first encounters with the ancient script occurred two decades ago, while working in the country’s southern region.
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