Agean, commonly known as the Language of the Failed Explorers, is a simple but mysterious symbol-based language found on dozens of planets in several quadrants of the inner sectors of Delta Space. Little is know about the language currently, both in our abilities to translate it and in our knowledge of its original writers. In fact, even the name Agean, does not come from a deciphered symbol or found clue, it comes from the explorer, Iphor Agean, who first found this writing carved in the side of a stone hill on the planet Obur.
Agean, the explorer not the language, has found hundreds of examples of Agean, the language not the explorer, over the years since its initial discovery. He, and other linguistics specialists, have come to believe that the language was used by a race or series of races, that explored the inner sector of Delta Space well before official charting began.
The name Failed Explorers became popular in discussions of this language because, well, no trace of these explorers has ever been found, not the information they were collecting, objects in their possession including their ships, there are not even traces of their remains. This has come to be deciphered as the species failing in their pursuits, as their exploration has had little known effect on modern life, and the species themselves are nowhere to be found. Some theorize that they may have encountered a sudden and cataclysmic end, though this has been refuted as the species was obviously well spread out over several quadrants so a single event ending their run is unlikely.
This language is fairly simple looking and is comprised of simple straight and curved lined symbols of no more complexity than three to four lines intersecting with each other. So far, thirty-two distinct symbols have been found, it is believed they each mean something unique when placed alone, or with slightly adjusted meanings when placed close to one another. Though these meanings have yet to be determined.
When found, they are often placed in grid-like structures, with the most frequent one being a two-by-two-column/row formation. They are usually carved in stone, or similar hardy material, it is unknown if it was written on anything else as no examples have been discovered. Analysis has found that the symbols were carved into the stone using a high-energy laser emitting device. Scientists were able to determine this fact after noticing faint traces of carbon scoring in rock surfaces where the symbols were found.
One generally agreed-upon theory about this old language is that it was likely not used for or as a daily form of written communication. Linguistics specialists believe this mainly because of the location in which these symbols were found, usually carved on hard surfaces near locations that showed trace chemical signs of ship fuel, potentially locations in which ships had landed or taken off.
Due to the low number of known symbols, and the location in which they have been found, it is theorized that they must be used for a specific purpose, as opposed to complex daily language. Typically, languages used for daily communications require a much more diverse range of verbiage to be of any use for a species, or series of species, who were advanced enough for space travel. Though this doesn't account for species that use different forms of communication like telepathic, emotional, and smell.
The most prevailing and popular theory on the purpose of this old language is that it was used to mark important information about the planet for future explores of the same congregation. With symbols potentially marking important data like air quality, how dangerous the flora or fauna are, or simpler data like whether or not it had been logged by an explorer yet. Despite this strong theory most of the symbols are so degraded that no one has been able to decipher a single symbol and confirm this theory.
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