Researchers have deciphered text from four ancient Mesopotamian tablets which are roughly 4,000 years old and belonged to the former people of Mesopotamia. Perhaps surprisingly, the messages foretell prophecies of doom and misfortune rather than futuristic peace or harmony.

The clay tablets feature text written in cuneiform, an ancient script generally considered to be the oldest known writing system, and represent the oldest known lunar eclipse omens from any part of the world, study author Andrew George told Newsweek.