Mysterious 2,400-year-old stone slab

In the peaceful setting of northeastern Italy, in the Karst region, Rupinpiccolo is one of the best preserved castles, a 2,400-year-old disc-shaped stone slab, engraved with mysterious figures resembling a newly discovered celestial map.

Mundane in appearance yet mysterious in its essence, this ancient relic may hold the key to a glimpse of what people might have seen thousands of years ago. The disc-shaped stone is about 50cm in diameter and 30cm thick. It was found near the entrance to Castelliere and unexpectedly caught the attention of archaeologists.

Mysterious 2,400-year-old disc-shaped stone tablet is the oldest celestial map ever found. (Photo: Federico Bernardini/ Paolo Molaro)

The mysterious stone, about the size of a car tire, has captured the imagination of researchers. It features intricate carvings, meticulously carved by ancient human hands, depicting constellations such as Scorpius, Orion, Cassiopeia and the Pleiades.

According to some estimates, the object was made with a hammer and some kind of ancient chisel. It contains 29 engravings spread across the disc-shaped stone. Researchers used a software program that can compare the markings on the stone with modern-day constellations, and they say it is quite accurate. The conclusion is that what the stone shows is not random, and these engravings could be used to track the changing of the seasons in the past.

Researchers Federico Bernardini and Paolo Molaro, upon observing this relic, both proposed a very convincing theory, claiming that this disc-shaped stone could be one of the oldest known celestial maps in human history, dating back at least 2,400 years, whose existence remains a mystery to this day.

Beyond the mysteries of the celestial body, this artifact represents a connection between modern science and the mysterious wisdom of a civilization that has been lost to time. The journey to discover the secrets of the universe from this mysterious stone continues, promising to bring a glimpse of the ancient sky and interesting, meaningful astronomical stories about them.

The discovery was announced in a press release by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF).

HUYNH DUNG (Source: Interestingengineering)

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