The Vasli Fragment is the only known remnant of a stone stele theorized to have been created on Terra around 43,000 SEY ago. A script that has yet to be deciphered is engraved upon it on one side. It was most likely sculpted by the original inhabitants of Terra (nicknamed "Atlanteans" by Terrans), who disappeared under unknown circumstances millennia before Human colonization. In the years since it was discovered in 2832, the fragment has been the focus of debate among archaeologists, linguists, and the scientific community.
Description
The Vasli Fragment is a large granodiorite stone bearing an inscription on the face. The stone is dark grey in tint, with yellow crystalline streaks and swirls. The front surface is polished with an archaic script deeply incised upon it. A splash of silver and spots of polished yellow agate coat the left-side of the fragment, obscuring some of the text. The sides of the stone are smoothed from water erosion and show evidence of having been attached to a larger monument at some point, although no other fragments have ever been discovered.
Discovery
In the Summer of 2832, the University of Earth at Australia conducted an archaeological expedition to Zaffre Bay near Prime on Terra. The fragment was discovered around 150 km from the city, amid a haul of otherwise unremarkable debris. The leader of the expedition, Dr. Kleina Vasli, identified the markings on the stone as an inscription in an unknown language that she later named Terran A.
The fragment was taken to the Quasi Institute for Xenological Studies for analysis. Dr. Vasli and the linguists at QIXS connected the script to markers found at the Quasi ruins. This was the first time substantial writing samples had been discovered from the civilization that once inhabited Terra. Over the next two years, linguists attempted to decipher the script but were unable to crack it.
From Earth to Terran Possession
In 2834, Dr. Vasli brought the fragment back with her to the UEA for further study. This decision was lambasted by the Terran academic community; many Terrans felt that the stone should remain where it was discovered. Upon Dr. Vasli’s retirement in 2859, the UEA donated the stone to the Museum of Earth. It remained on display there for 75 years while the Terran government continually submitted requests for its repatriation.
The Vasli Fragment was finally returned in 2934. To commemorate this event, the Puglisi Collection commissioned Dr. Amelia Kesh, head chair of the Prime Linguistics Institute, and master sculptor Shinji Torusa to construct an exact copy of the Fragment. Replicas were made available for public sale in 2945.
In Popular Culture
While the purpose of the Vasli Fragment is still unclear, it has been adopted by several movements in popular culture: Terran separatists use it as a symbol of their desire to break away from the United Empire of Earth, while Transitionalists tout the fragment as evidence that Humanity has many more things left to discover. Fringe groups also claim that the Vasli Fragment details the so-called Atlantean’s conscious decision to leave Terra and influence the growth of all known civilizations. As the Fragment has yet to be translated, their claim is spurious at best.[1]
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