Omnilingual

"Omnilingual" is a sci-fi short story written by H. Beam Piper. The story was originally published in 1957 in magazine-form. The work is unusual in focusing on the problem of archaeology on an alien culture... An expedition from Earth to Mars discovers a deserted city, the remains of an advanced civilization that died out 50,000 years before! The human scientists recover books and documents left behind, and are puzzled by their contents. Earnest young archeologist Martha Dane deciphers a few words.