4000-year-old map of treasures of the ancient world found in France (photo)

Researchers in northern France are uncovering the secrets of the ancient world thanks to the ancient Saint-Bélec slab, which may be the key to archaeological treasures of the past.

According to an article in Nature Cancer, this artifact may turn out to be a real world-class "treasure map," IFLScience reports.

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The ancient stone, known as the St. Belec slab, was first discovered by local archaeologists back in 1900 during excavations at a prehistoric site in Finistère, France. However, it was lost for more than a century and was only accidentally discovered in 2014.

The slab contains unusual engravings that archaeologists believe reveal details of the Odette River and its valley. Researchers estimate that 80% of the marks on the slab correspond to an approximately 29-kilometer (18-mile) stretch of the Odet, so in 2021, the Saint-Bélec slab was recognized as the oldest 3D map in Europe.

Since then, archaeologists have been overcoming challenges by trying to decipher the cartographic symbols to begin the search for other Bronze Age artifacts. Ivan Pyler, a professor at the University of Western Brittany, emphasizes the significance of using this artifact in archaeology, especially when compared to modern technologies such as radar equipment and aerial photographs.

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Typically, archaeologists use these modern methods, but the Saint-Bélec plate offers a new approach that sometimes involves a time factor. "It's a treasure map," Peyler assured.

Archaeologists recognize that this is only the beginning. In order to uncover all the secrets indicated on the slab, the team will have to examine each zone and then compare their results with the engravings. The process may take at least 15 years, but they are confident that it will be worth every hour.

Initially, archaeologists did not have a clear picture of the significance of the St. Belek slab. But experts who studied it after its rediscovery in 2014 immediately recognized its potential.

"Some of the engraved symbols immediately made sense," said Pyler. The archaeologists made out the rivers and mountains of the Roudoualec region of Brittany, leaving a path more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Paris in the rough bumps and lines of the slab. Small pits have also been found on the slab, which may indicate the presence of mounds, dwellings, or other archaeological sites. If archaeologists are able to find these objects, it could lead to the discovery of priceless archaeological finds.

In the meantime, Peyler and his colleagues returned to the site where they first found the slab. They found other fragments of the slab that had broken off from it in historical past, which may indicate the evolution of power in the Bronze Age in these lands.

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"The engraved slab has lost its original purpose and was used as a building material," added Clement Nicolas of the French National Center for Research Institutes (CNRS). This process may reveal the material history and cultural heritage of ancient communities in northern France.

As a reminder, scientists managed to decipher 3500-year-old mysterious hieroglyphs.

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