Lost Languages investigates the most famous examples, leading us back to a far-distant past obscured by the ravages of time and haunted by code breakers hungry for glory.

Whatever the reasons, undeciphered ancient scripts have long tantalized the public. Perhaps it's the puzzle solver's relish for the challenges posed by breaking codes. Maybe it's the possibility of 'speaking with the dead,' of hearing the voices of long-silent peoples and civilizations. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title. Lost Languages is an archaeological and linguistic detective story that will appeal to anyone interested in ancient peoples and the intricacies of language.Īndrew Robinson's many books include The Story of Writing. The struggle to decipher these three scripts and six others-including the Phaistos disc of Crete and the Zapotec script of Mexico-is recounted with extraordinary depth and erudition in this wonderfully illustrated book. And on isolated Easter Island, the Rongorongo script, inscribed on wood with sharks' teeth, has long been an irresistible magnet for ambitious scholars. Yet the language spoken by the Etruscans remains wrapped in mystery. Then there are the Etruscans, builders of sensational tombs and the cultural conduit through whom the Greek alphabet reached Rome and the rest of Europe. Perhaps the greatest challenge is the Indus script, the onl writing of the four 'first' civilizations that cannot be read and a potential key to better understanding the impressive Indus Valley civilization. He then tackles the important scripts that have yet to be cracked. Here, Andrew Robinson investigates the most famous examples, beginning with the stories of three great decipherments: Egyptian hieroglyphs, Maya glyphs, and the Minoan Linear B clay tablets. Whether it's the possibility of hearing the voices of ancient peoples or the puzzle solver's taste for the challenges posed by breaking codes, undeciphered scripts have long tantalized the public. He then covers the important scripts that have yet to be cracked, such as the Etruscan alphabet and Rongorongo from Easter Island. Undeciphered scripts have long tantalized the public, whether it’s the possibility of hearing the voices of ancient peoples or the puzzle solver’s taste for the challenges posed by breaking codes.

Lost languages w andrew robinson