13 mystical artifacts, secrets that have not yet been solved

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

There are so many mysterious and interesting things in the world that are not always subject to human logic and that, perhaps, will remain unsolved even after many millennia. Not only the pyramids, myths and beliefs of other peoples raise a whole host of questions in the "was or not" style, but also interesting archaeological finds, often confusing and making you think about how everything really happened. Your attention - 13 of the most mysterious places and objects, over which modern scientists work.

1. Death of King Tutankhamun

Not all archaeological mysteries raise as many questions as the mysterious mummy of the boy-pharaoh Tut. His grave was discovered in 1922 by the British scientist-Egyptologist Howard Carter, and since then stories and horror stories about the curse of the pharaoh, which kills everyone who dared to approach the grave, have been spreading around the world. However, this is not the reason for such close attention to the burial. Archaeologists all agree that the unexpected death of the boy-king was unnatural and rather strange. Research suggests that viruses or infections, as well as injuries sustained during chariot races, could be the cause. It is also noted that his early death could explain the state in which his mother was at the moment when her tomb was discovered.

Scientists found out that the boy's mummy caught fire after she went to the tomb and it was sealed. Experts who studied his remains believe that the linen bandages in which Tut was wrapped were impregnated with flammable oils, which could easily react with oxygen, thereby igniting the mummy and "roasting" it at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius Probably, the main reason for this was the embalmer's mistake, since scientists believe that Tutankhamun was buried in an insane haste. However, this gives rise to a whole host of questions and theories. Perhaps the tomb was actually built for someone else, and many more hidden passages and even mummified bodies can be found in it.

2. Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant was a gold-encrusted chest that contained the tablets with the ten commandments, which correspond to the Book of Exodus. In ancient times, this chest was kept in the First Temple - a Jewish religious place of worship, which is located on the territory of Jerusalem. However, this temple was destroyed in 587 BC by the Babylonian army, which was ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar II. No one knows exactly what really happened to the Ark, but after its disappearance, many people went in search of it.

To this day, no one has found this holy relic (except for Indiana Jones, of course). Some historical sources claim that he went to Babylon after being kidnapped by the people of the then king. Others argue that the Ark was probably hidden and buried so that it would not be found and sent to Babylon. The third theory even says that he himself was destroyed along with the First Temple. Modern studies, however, seem to hint that he may be in one of the Ethiopian monasteries.

Note that one of the ancient Hebrew texts, which was recently translated by historians, says that the Ark will appear before the Messiah, the son of David, appears on Earth.

3. The Voynich manuscript

In the 20th century, everyone heard this manuscript as a text that no one can read. It was discovered by an antiques dealer in 1912 and has since become an archaeological legend. The book contains 250 pages, which are inscribed in an alphabet unknown to the world, as well as various images that range from medicinal herbs to naked female bodies and even the signs of the zodiac. This manuscript is now kept in the Library of Rare Books and Manuscripts at Yale University, where it is estimated that it is about 600 years old and was probably written in Central Europe. Many scholars also agree that this manuscript is just a clever deception of the Renaissance, full of incomprehensible words and terms in an invented and unknown language. Others believe that it is not just an ancient language, but a real cipher, a code that needs to be unraveled. In 2014 Stephen Bucks, professor of applied linguistics at a university in England, made a sensational statement, claiming that he managed to decipher 14 characters of this manuscripts. According to him, this book is a treatise on nature, written in one of the ancient Far Eastern languages.

4. Hobbits

Many archaeological discoveries are actually more like fiction than truth. For example, the discovery in 2003 of "hobbits" on the remote Indonesian island of Flores. And the point is not at all that scientists have unearthed the real version of the Shire from "The Lord of the Rings", rather they have found miniature bones of an ancient hominin, which was given the name Homo floresiensis, for short - hobbit. The first skeleton found belonged to a thirty-year-old woman who was approximately 1, 06 meters tall. At first, scientists believed that she probably suffered from microcephaly, which is why she had a small head and rather short, even dwarf growth. However, later discoveries helped to understand that the hobbit is a separate species rather than a mutation. To this day, the place of Homo floresiensis in the family tree of modern humans remains a mystery.

5. Disappearance of Sanxingdui

Not every archaeological discovery is made by people with a historical education. So, in 1929, a man who was repairing a sewer ditch in the Chinese province of Sichuan discovered a treasure consisting of stone and jade artifacts. Of course, these treasures immediately fell into the hands of private collectors, and in 1986 archaeologists who went in search of these areas discovered two more treasures, which contained not only jade, but also ivory and metal sculptures dating back to the Bronze Age. However, many wondered who created all these finds. Archaeologists suggest that they belong to the Sanxingdui culture, which disappeared about 3000-2800 years ago. Thanks to these findings, historians can now say with precision that representatives of this culture inhabited the city-fortress off the coast of Minjiang. However, the reason why they buried all their treasures in deep pits before leaving the city is still a subject of heated debate to this day. In 2014, a group of researchers from San Francisco suggested that the disappearance of the entire culture was due to a powerful earthquake that happened about 3,000 years ago and was the reason why the river overflowed its banks and caused people to move in panic.

6. Noah's ark

Many things are so good and mysterious that people discover them over and over again. And one of these is Noah's ark. This biblical boat was discovered by many people who claimed to have found it. Or not? For centuries, amateur archaeologists have vied with each other that they have found accurate evidence of the presence of the ark on Mount Ararat in Turkey, where, according to the Bible, he moored. But many more experienced archaeologists question whether Noah's ark was ever built. Today, Noah's Ark, along with Atlantis, is one of the main mysteries of mankind, which is likely to be "unraveled" over and over again.

7. The disappearance of the Maya

One of the main mysteries not only of antiquity, but also of modernity, is the disappearance of the highly developed Mayan tribe, which lived and flourished for over six centuries. Archaeologists from Mexico and Central America are trying to unravel it, trying to find the remains of this civilization. In 900 AD, the Mayan civilization suddenly disappears, and to this day the reasons for this are not entirely clear. Many scientific studies argue that a phenomenal drought could have caused this, which could deprive the Maya of their food and water sources. In 2012, Science published a study that says that the Maya, who cut down part of the forests in order to build their temples, villages and thereby clearing places for rural land, could harm the environment and the climate in general, which caused such a catastrophic drought. Other researchers argue that the cause may have been a change and degradation of the soil, or the disappearance of some species, such as the white-tailed deer, which was the most popular participant in sacrifices. Another group of scientists argues that the change in trade routes and internal political conflicts could also hasten the process of death and destruction of the great empire.

8. Wall of Hutt Shebib

You can say that the main purpose of such walls is very clear, but this does not apply to such an ancient structure as the Hatt Shebib. For the first time this mysterious wall 150 kilometers long was discovered in 1948 in Jordan, and since then archaeologists have been wondering who, how and why built such a marvelous structure. The wall moves from northeast to southwest, and also has special areas. where it branches off, following a different route. Despite the fact that most of the wall today is in ruins, at the time of its construction it was about 1 meter high and 0.5 meters wide. That is why many historians do not believe that it was built in order to protect the land from enemy raids and armies. Nevertheless, it is quite possible that she did not allow special "enemies" to a certain territory, for example, wild animals and hungry goats. Historians also found traces of an ancient farm to the west of the wall, and therefore it is quite logical to assume that the Hutt Shebib is the border between rural land and the pastures of nomadic farmers.

9. Large circles

Hatt Shebib, mentioned earlier, is not the only archaeological find in Jordan that makes archaeologists pore over the idea of what it is. Another such find was the large circles, which, according to historians, are about 2000 years old, and which evenly dot the entire territory of the countryside. Known by the simple name "Big circles", they represent about 11 objects. They have a fairly large diameter of 400 meters, while their height is only a few feet. At first it was thought that it was just a corral for livestock, but archaeologists were unable to find passages between the walls, which would allow animals to enter there. And therefore, to this day, no one knows their main purpose. Modern scientists often compare the Great Circles with other similar buildings in the Middle East, trying to figure out their main purpose.

10. Stone of Kochno

There are many amazing stone sculptures in the world, but this one surpassed them all. In 2016, archaeologists from Glasgow, Scotland, excavated an incredible stone slab, which they believe is about five thousand years old. The Kochno stone has a rather impressive size - 13 by 8 meters, and also boasts interesting vortex patterns, which, according to scientists, are traces and imprints from cups and rings previously found in other excavations around the world. According to Kenny Brophy, senior lecturer and archaeologist at the University of Glasgow, this slab may be nothing more than an example of prehistoric art. Scientists who have previously studied this stone have suggested that the inscriptions and patterns on the stone may have something to do with certain astronomical phenomena, but Brophy has a different opinion. Currently, Kenny and his team of experienced professionals are carefully examining the surface of the stone, trying to figure out its true purpose.

11. Superhenge

Continuing the theme of mysterious stones, it is worth remembering about Superhenge, which was found just a few kilometers from the well-known British Stonehenge. This huge monument, which includes an entire collection of stone monoliths, was discovered in 2015. Archaeologists have discovered these monoliths off the coast of the Darrington Embankment. According to their words, this stone structure was probably once part of a larger Neolithic monument. they were pushed off a cliff about 4,500 years ago. This giant monument stands right on the site of the natural depression of the Avon River, and therefore it is quite possible that the stones helped to form a C-shaped arena for some ancient needs.

12. Underwater cairn

In 2003, Israeli scientists made a phenomenal discovery: they discovered a huge stone structure in the Sea of Galilee. This find, which consists of huge stones placed on top of each other, weighs approximately 60,000 tons and is about 10 meters high. Scientists who discovered this place have no idea what it was used for, despite the fact that the pyramids around the world served as a classic burial place and paid tribute to the gods or the dead. In addition, there are several more stone structures nearby, which, however, are located on land. It is likely that the rise in sea level flooded what was previously located on the ground and was a land pyramid of ancient origin. Yitzhak Paz, a scientist at the Israel Antiquities Authority, estimates that the pyramid may be about 4,000 years old. As he said in 2013, it may well be the remains of some kind of fortified ancient settlement.

13. The Leaky Jug

Archaeologists often stumble upon finds such as household items, plates, pots and even jugs, but this leaky jug has puzzled scientists from all over the world. This container was found in a bomb pit from the Second World War in London. It is believed that its age allows us to attribute it to the times of Roman Britain, which is approximately 43-41 AD. Scientists speculate that it could be used as a kind of lamp or cage for small animals, rodents or snakes. However, despite such a simple and logical version, many archaeologists argue that the exact purpose of the jug is still unknown. This strange object is today exhibited at the Museum of Archeology in Ontario, Canada, where it awaits its finest hour, until someone has an idea. about what it could serve and why it was invented.

Continuing the theme - the curses of which people still fear today.