Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Seven writing traditions remain undeciphered in the broad sense used by a NASA-published volume: the Indus script, Rongorongo, Linear A, Linear Elamite, Jurchen, Khitan, and some Mesoamerican scripts. That does not mean researchers know nothing about them—or that every sign and fragment is unreadable. It means a reliable, broadly accepted reading has not been established for the scripts or corpora in question. The evidence differs from case to case, so “science has failed to crack them” is too sweeping a verdict.
What does “undeciphered” mean?
Decipherment is not the same as identifying marks, cataloguing signs, or proposing a translation. Researchers can study the objects that bear writing, compare recurring patterns, and investigate historical context without being able to read the text with confidence. A proposed reading is not a consensus decipherment simply because it produces a plausible interpretation.
Decipherment can be obstructed by a small or damaged corpus, an unknown underlying language, or the lack of a bilingual text or other dependable key. The NASA-published volume discussing these scripts emphasizes the value of accurate copies, known languages, names, and bilingual texts. Those aids are not equally available in every case.
Seven script traditions that remain undeciphered
NASA’s volume names the seven examples below as scripts that have yet to be deciphered. That is a useful high-level classification, not a claim that every sign has resisted analysis or that the same obstacle applies to each one.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
1. Indus script
The Indus script is included in NASA’s list of undeciphered scripts. The cited overview does not establish a definitive language, reading direction, or translation, so none should be presented as settled on that basis.
2. Rongorongo
Rongorongo appears on the same list. Its reading remains an open question, distinct from the separate question of how the script originated. A 2024 study in Scientific Reports considers radiocarbon evidence but does not settle whether Rongorongo was independently invented or arose through external influence. A date or origin theory alone would not amount to decipherment.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
3. Linear A
Linear A is listed as undeciphered. The NASA overview discusses general barriers to decipherment, including missing language context and insufficient evidence, but does not establish which specific barrier is decisive for Linear A. The careful conclusion is that a reliable reading has not been established by the source cited here.
4. Linear Elamite
Linear Elamite is also named in NASA’s list. That category-level statement supports describing it as undeciphered; it does not establish that no signs, words, or passages have ever been interpreted. Claims about particular proposed or partial readings need more specific evidence than the overview provides.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
5. Jurchen
NASA includes Jurchen among scripts not yet deciphered. The overview does not say that every surviving inscription or sign is unreadable, so the broader claim that nothing in Jurchen writing has been read would go beyond the available evidence.
6. Khitan
Khitan is another script named in NASA’s overview. Its classification should not be expanded into a claim that all writing associated with Khitan traditions is equally unreadable; the source makes a broad statement about decipherment status, not a detailed account of every corpus or reading.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
7. Some Mesoamerican scripts
NASA’s wording is deliberately limited to “some Mesoamerican scripts.” Mesoamerica had multiple writing traditions, and the status of decipherment varies among scripts and corpora. It is inaccurate to call all Mesoamerican writing undeciphered.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why can material evidence still matter when a text cannot be read?
An undeciphered text can still yield evidence. The material carrying it may be dated or studied archaeologically; repeated signs can be catalogued and compared; and a text’s physical and visual context can help constrain what researchers investigate. These methods can narrow possibilities without producing a translation.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Dates need the same care as readings. Radiocarbon dating applies to the sampled material, not automatically to the moment someone wrote on it, the object’s full history, or the meaning of its text. In the Rongorongo case, the 2024 study’s radiocarbon evidence informs the origin discussion but does not resolve it.
Two useful comparisons: the Voynich manuscript and Antikythera mechanism
The Voynich manuscript remains unread, despite extensive analysis
Yale’s Beinecke Library catalogues the object as Beinecke MS 408, written in an unidentified script by an unknown author. Its meaning has been debated since it appeared on the rare-book market in 1912. Yale says cryptographic approaches have not deciphered it, if it is encoded at all. The illustrations suggest sections concerned with plants, astronomy or astrology, bathing, cosmology, pharmaceuticals, and recipes, but images do not translate the text.
A 2021 review by Claire L. Bowern and Luke Lindemann discusses linguistic approaches and argues that there are reasons to treat the text as natural language rather than a medieval hoax. Statistical properties can be analyzed even though the content remains undeciphered. These are scholarly arguments about how to approach the manuscript, not a settled reading.
Yale describes scientific testing as consistent with fifteenth-century materials. That phrasing concerns the manuscript’s materials; it does not by itself prove when the writing was added or establish its provenance.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe Antikythera mechanism is not wholly unexplained
The Antikythera mechanism is a useful corrective to the idea that every historical puzzle remains untouched by science. The National Archaeological Museum of Greece and the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project describe a geared ancient device associated with astronomical and calendrical calculations. Its inscriptions include astronomical content and instructions for use. Tomography and other imaging have helped reveal inscriptions and reconstruct aspects of how it worked. Research continues, but describing the mechanism as wholly unexplained would erase substantial findings.
Quick Recap
How to judge claims that a mystery has been solved
- Separate reading from context. Knowing an object’s approximate date or likely use does not necessarily reveal what its writing says.
- Check what was dated. A date for parchment or another material is not automatically the date of writing.
- Distinguish a proposal from acceptance. A proposed decipherment needs evidence that other specialists can test; a plausible translation alone is not enough.
- Keep the scope precise. A statement about one script, corpus, or group of inscriptions should not become a claim about an entire region or every related tradition.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
