Ancient Bronze Hand Discovery May Shed Light on Basque Language Origins

The 2,100-year-old artifact, inscribed with Vasconic script, offers potential insights into the enigmatic language's history.

A 2,100-year-old bronze hand found in northern Spain may provide insights into the origins of the Basque language, a unique linguistic isolate with no known living relatives.
The artifact, inscribed with the oldest and longest example of Vasconic script, suggests a link between ancient Vasconic languages and modern Basque.
Researchers believe the bronze hand, likely used as a symbol of good fortune or a ritualistic object, indicates the use of writing by pre-Roman Vasconic communities.
Linguists are divided on the connection between the inscriptions on the hand and the Basque language, with some arguing there isn't enough evidence to establish a direct link.
The discovery opens new avenues for understanding the history of one of Europe's most enigmatic languages and its survival amidst the dominance of Indo-European languages.