Linguists have a concept of "dead language", meaning that it is no longer passed down from one generation to the next. This does not mean that it is lost at all - Latin, for example, is considered a dead language, but is used by science and the Catholic Church. Moreover, a dead language may well change its status, as happened with Hebrew, Cornish and Manx. But there are also such adverbs that scientists cannot decipher in any way. They are not associated with any existing dialect and are not understandable in principle. Could it be that the Tower of Babel really existed? Let's try to figure it out.
Meroitic language
Once upon a time on the territory of modern Egypt stood the ancient city of Meroe, whose culture was closely associated with Ancient Egypt. But for some reason they had their own language, but so unusual that scientists still cannot find a connection with any other language in the world. Today the meanings of a little more than a hundred Meroite words are known, but for reading texts this is very little.
Etruscan
The country of Etruria has become part of the Roman Empire since time immemorial. However, the Etruscan language remained isolated for some reason. From about the 8th century BC, it was spoken from Corsica to the Alps, but by the 1st century, the language suddenly died. Scientists still cannot decipher the Etruscan texts.
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Hutt language
The Hutt culture, despite its wide distribution, remained unwritten. The Hutts preferred to employ foreign scribes who used the Akkadian language. Some words have remained on ancient monuments, but we will never be able to decipher them.
Banana tongues
This is a group of ancient languages of the peoples of the Tigris valley, which disappeared with the arrival of the Sumerians. Scientists know about the existence of these languages only thanks to the names that have survived to our times, and even then only in the Sumerian transcription.
North Pitcensky language
The famous "Stella of Novilara" contains mysterious inscriptions in this ancient language. It is believed that the North Pitcene language is a kind of derivative of Etruscan, and this only complicates its deciphering.
Cassite language
The ancient tribe of the Kassites was located in northern Mesopotamia. In the XVIII-IV centuries BC, the Kassites managed to seize power in Babylon, but fell with the invasion of the Elamites. The language died with them.
Pictish language
At the dawn of the Middle Ages, the Pictish tribes inhabited Scotland, the Hebrides and the Orkney Islands. The Picts borrowed their writing from the Irish, distorting the language beyond recognition. Today scientists have about 40 inscriptions made in this dead language - they have been read, but with an unambiguous translation, everything is much more difficult.
Iberian language
In the south of France and in the territory of modern Spain, the Iberian language was spoken. There are very few written sources to this day and they are too short for deciphering. Scientists cannot even understand exactly what peoples the Iberians were in kinship with: someone talks about the Basques, while others, relying on the testimony of Julius Caesar, mention the Pictish.
Sikan language
Even before the arrival of the Indo-European peoples, the Sicans, the indigenous population of the island, lived in Sicily. These representatives of one of the most ancient nationalities of the world somehow did not bother with written language - scientists learned about it only by some of the toponyms and names that have survived today.
Tasmanian languages
Today, researchers believe that in ancient times, up to 6 completely different languages existed on the territory of Tasmania. The last native speaker, Fanny Cochrane Smith, passed away in 1905, having made several recordings of the language on wax cylinders.