Deciphering the sphinx: A century-long quest reveals mystery message within Romanian artifact

The Romanian sphinx is an archaeological find. It was discovered amid the ruins of a 19th-century Roman military camp in Potaissa. Although the statue disappeared in 1848, it continuously intrigued scientists who made relentless attempts at deciphering the transcript on its body. The piece was crafted approximately in the third century, and the intriguing inscription was a blend of symbols, previously unknown to anyone. Eventually, a perceverent team of scientists from the University of Nebraska took it upon themselves to crack the code. This demanding task required intense efforts coupled with deep immersion in ancient cultures.

The engravings on the statue were Greek in origin but all attempts at deciphering them hit a deadlock. The words were nonsensical, leaving researchers clueless about how to break the code. A breakthrough was made in 1980 when it was found that the message should be read from left to right, contradictory to the norm of the ancient Greek alphabet. Further investigation revealed that some symbols were derived from Dipylon inscriptions, which are the oldest known form of Greek.

Upon this realization, it was concluded that Greek was a foreign language to the author of the inscription, and he likely attempted to write in his native tongue. Archaeologists began contemplating various possibilities and deduced that at that time, the Proto-Hungarian language was likely in circulation. After connecting the Greek symbols with the Proto-Hungarian language, they deciphered the encrypted message, which read: "Behold and admire. Here is the sacred lion."

As per the inscription, the sphinx was a highly venerated figure, deserving of its monument. Devotees worshipped it as a deity and often presented offerings for blessings. Despite commonly associating the lion with ancient empires and Egypt, it appears that its cult-like following was spread across the entire Mediterranean region. This revelation explains the discovery of numerous sphinx statues in territories far removed from Egypt.

It took an entire century to piece together myriad insignificant facts and distinguish individual words carved on the figure. The "sacred lion" has left an indelible mark in world history and will forever be a cultural icon, regardless of how much we wish to disregard it. There once existed a unique Sphinx cult, now reduced to an intriguing trivia. Still, these remnants of ancient civilizations grant us a glimpse of what the world looked like thousands of years ago.