Still controversial, but definitely interesting and thought provoking: Do the carvings on the 1,500 years old “Pictish Stones” found in Scotland, present “written words” of an ancient language, rather than being “just pictures”? Professor Rob Lee from Exeter University thinks so, while French linguist Arnaud Fournet does not agree.

Amplify’d from www.archaeologydaily.com

A linguistic mystery has arisen surrounding symbol inscribed stones in Scotland that predate the formation of the country itself.
The stones are believed to have been carved by members of an ancient people known as the Picts, who thrived in what is now Scotland from the 4th to the 9th Centuries.

These symbols, researchers say, are probably “words” rather than images.
Many of the stones are believed to have been carved during the 6th Century

But their conclusions have raised criticism from some linguists.

The research team, led by Professor Rob Lee from Exeter University in the UK, examined symbols on more than 200 carved stones.

They used a mathematical method to quantify patterns contained within the symbols, in an effort to find out if they conveyed meaning.

Professor Lee described the basis of this method. (more…)