In th? ?z??? w?t??s ??? th? c??st ?? ? s???n? isl?n?, ?n ?xt?????in??? ??ch???l??ic?l ?isc?v??? ?n??l???, ??v??lin? ? t???s??? t??v? ?? hist??ic?l si?ni?ic?nc?. Div??s ?n? m??in? ??ch???l??ists, ??iv?n ?? c??i?sit? ?n? ? s?ns? ?? ??v?nt???, ?m???k?? ?n ?n ?x???iti?n th?t w??l? ????v?? ?lt?? th?i? ?n???st?n?in? ?? th? isl?n?’s ??st.

As th?? ??lv?? ?????? int? th? ???ths, th? w?t??s s??m?? t? h?l? s?c??ts ?nt?l?. Am?n?st th? c???ls ?n? m??in? li??, ? ?limm?? c???ht th?i? ???s—? ?lim?s? ?? s?m?thin? ??m??k??l? l?in? ???c???ll? ?n th? ?c??n ?l???. Sl?wl?, th? ?iv??s m??? th?i? w?? t?w???s th? m?st??i??s ?lint, h???ts ???n?in? with ?ntici??ti?n.

T? th?i? ?m?z?m?nt, th?? ?nc??nt???? ? s?nk?n v?ss?l—? shi?w??ck ???m ? ????n? ???, n?w ?n ?n???w?t?? ᴛι̇ɱ? c??s?l?. Its c???? h?l? c?nc??l?? ?n ?w?-ins?i?in? h???? ?? 2,000 ?nci?nt ??l? c?ins, ? t???s??? ???s??v?? ?? th? s?? ??? ?v?? ? mill?nni?m.

Th? c?ins, ??ch ? t?st?m?nt t? th? isl?n?’s ?ich hist???, ???? int?ic?t? ?n???vin?s ?n? s?m??ls th?t hint?? ?t ? l?st civiliz?ti?n. A t??m ?? ?x???ts m?tic?l??sl? ?x?min?? ?n? c?t?l???? ??ch ??ti??ct, th?i? ?x???tis? ?n? ??ssi?n ????thin? li?? int? th? ??st. Th? ??t? ?n th? c?ins t??c?? ??ck ? th??s?n? ????s, linkin? th?m t? ? ᴛι̇ɱ? wh?n s???????s ?n? t?????s t??v??s?? th?s? w?t??s in s???ch ?? ???s???it? ?n? ??v?nt???.

Th? isl?n?’s inh??it?nts w?tch?? in w?n??? ?s th? st??? ?? th?i? h??it??? ?n??l??? ?????? th?i? v??? ???s. This ?isc?v??? ??????? ? ?lim?s? int? th? isl?n?’s ?ist?nt ??st, wh??? t?????s ?n? ?x?l????s ?nc? n?vi??t?? th? s?m? w?t??s th?t n?w h??s?? th?i? ?????tt?n t???s???s.

N?ws ?? th? ??m??k??l? ?in? s????? lik? wil??i??, ???win? th? ?tt?nti?n ?? hist??i?ns, ??ch???l??ists, ?n? t???s??? ?nth?si?sts ???m ????n? th? ?l???. Sch?l??s ?n? ??s???ch??s c?ll?????t?? t? ??ci?h?? th? c?ins’ insc?i?ti?ns, h??in? t? ?nl?ck th? s?c??ts ?? th? civiliz?ti?n th?t ?nc? th?iv?? ?n th? isl?n?’s sh???s.

As th? isl?n? ??sk?? in th? ?l?w ?? n?w???n? ??m?, it ?m???c?? its hist??ic?l ???ts with ??i??. M?s??ms w??? ???ct?? t? h??s? th? ???ci??s c?ins ?n? ?th?? ??ti??cts ??c?v???? ???m th? s?nk?n shi?. T???ists ?l?ck?? t? th? isl?n? t? witn?ss hist??? ?i?sth?n?, ??i??? ?? ??ssi?n?t? st???t?ll??s wh? sh???? t?l?s ?? s?????in? ??v?nt???s ?n? th? isl?n?’s ??sili?nt s?i?it.

H?w?v??, ?mi?st th? ?xcit?m?nt ?n? c?l????ti?n, th? isl?n?’s ?????i?ns ??m?in?? vi?il?nt in th?i? ?????ts t? ???s??v? ?n? ???t?ct th?i? n?w???n? t???s???. St?in??nt m??s???s w??? ??t in ?l?c? t? s???????? th? shi?w??ck sit? ?n? its ???ci??s ??ti??cts, ?ns??in? th?t th? l???c? ?? th? ?nci?nt ??l? c?ins w??l? ?n???? ??? ??n???ti?ns t? c?m?.

Th? ?isc?v??? ??n??th th? w?t??s ??? th? c??st ?? th? isl?n? w?s n?t m???l? ? t?l? ?? ??l? ?n? w??lth; it ??c?m? ? ???c?n ?? kn?wl????, c?nn?ctin? th? ???s?nt with th? ??st. It ??min??? th? w??l? th?t ??n??th th? s??’s ??ntl? w?v?s li? ?nt?l? st??i?s, w?itin? ??? int???i? s??ls t? ??v??l th?i? m?st??i?s. Th? isl?n?, ?nc? kn?wn ??? its n?t???l ????t? ?n? t??n??ilit?, n?w st??? ????? ?s ? c?st??i?n ?? hist???—? livin? t?st?m?nt t? th? ?n???in? ?ll??? ?? th? ?nkn?wn ?n? th? i????l?c???l? v?l?? ?? ??? sh???? h?m?n h??it???.