Ancient discoveries surrounded by mystery capture the public imagination. But while armchair archaeologists are quick to offer solutions, professional sleuths must follow the evidence, not their imagination.
What was Stonehenge for, or how the colossal stones of this ancient monument were moved into place remains unknown. But it’s one of many ancient mysteries still unsolved. Visit https://www.gognasrl.it/antiquariato/acquistiamo-in-tutta-italia/stime-perizie-valutazioni-antiquariato-antichita-a-milano-lombardia/ for more details.
1. Terracotta Army
The discovery of the Terracotta Army is one of the most astonishing archeological finds on record. This massive collection of life-sized clay soldiers, horses and chariots was intended to protect the tomb of China’s first emperor.
The figures were buried with Qin Shi Huang in 210 BCE as a form of funerary art. Pit 1 contains armored infantry; Pit 2 has cavalry units and war chariots; and Pit 3 is believed to represent the command post with high-ranking officers.
Each figure is slightly different from the next and was created using molds and early assembly-line techniques. Yet each has distinct features, showing a remarkable level of artistry and craftsmanship. The terra-cotta army is now a major attraction at the Qin Museum in Xi’an, and has traveled to museums around the world. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of Chinese culture worldwide.
2. Dropa Stones
One of the most famous puzzling ancient finds is a collection of stone spheres that dot the landscape in southern Costa Rica. Known as Las Bolas, these perfectly spherical monuments are believed to have been made by Pre-Columbian people.
In 1938 archaeologists exploring caves in the Bayan Kara-Ula mountains that border China and Tibet discovered skeletal remains of four foot tall humanoids with disproportionately large heads. The team also found a number of 12 inch discs etched with inscriptions that became known as the Dropa stones.
The engraved markings on the Dropa stones bear resemblance to Bi discs, ritual jade objects that date back to the Neolithic period and are commonly associated with snake cults. However, there are no records of the Chinese archaeologist and professor who uncovered them, and the story appears to be fabricated from whole cloth.
3. Saqqara Bird
In 1898 archaeologists discovered a small wood carving in Egypt that strangely resembled an airplane or a glider. Since then, experts have been debating its purpose. Mainstream scholars say it was probably a religious icon or figure since it resembles the falcon, which is often used to represent various Egyptian gods. It may also have been a child’s toy, a boomerang or an early weather vane.
But others believe it shows that ancient Egyptians understood the principles of flight centuries before it was known. For example, Egyptian physician, archaeologist, parapsychologist and dowser Khalil Messiha has speculated that the Saqqara Bird was actually a model of an airplane. He even went so far as to test out its flying capabilities by attaching a tail wing stabilizer and by running it through wind tunnels designed to simulate air steams and desert conditions.
4. Antikythera Mechanism
The Antikythera Mechanism is a mysterious machine whose complex gears and dials hint at its use for calculating astronomical data. Discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera more than a century ago, the device is considered the world’s first computer—though scholars debate its exact starting date. Some think it began in 205 B.C., while others point to a different date, citing the work of an astronomer named Hipparchus who blended the arithmetic calculations of Babylonia with geometric theories preferred by the Greeks.
At a glance, the flat, misshapen fragments of bronze in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens look like rocks covered in mold. But closer inspection reveals interlocking gears that are so finely carved and precise that they look utterly modern. And inscriptions reveal that the device was meant to predict eclipses and other events.
5. Benin Bronzes
Most archaeologists don’t find themselves stumped by what their finds were created for, but a few items remain mysteries. The Benin Bronzes, a group of metal plaques and sculptures that decorated the Kingdom of Benin in what is now Nigeria, are one such example.
The sculpted plaques, animal and human figures, and other personal ornaments were created by the Edo people between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. They were looted in 1897 by British colonial troops during an expedition that brought the Kingdom to an end.
Today, a number of institutions hold pieces from the Benin Bronzes, including the British Museum and Berlin’s Humboldt Forum. Repatriation advocates are pushing for some of the objects to return to Nigeria. But is this a case of righting a wrong? In fact, the ruthless way Britain sought to plunder the Benin kingdom shows why repatriation cannot be used as a form of forgiveness.
6. Nazca Lines
Puzzling ancient finds have a way of capturing the public’s imagination, and sometimes even leave scientists scratching their heads. But some discoveries are so baffling that they defy explanation altogether.
The Nazca Lines are giant geoglyphs etched into the earth’s surface over a 2,000-year span by the pre-Inca Nazca culture in the arid Peruvian coastal plain. The massive shapes range from simple geometric lines to complex depictions of plants, animals and imaginary figures that can only be viewed from the air.
Archaeologists, historians and mathematicians have attempted to solve the mystery of the Nazca Lines, but they remain unconvinced about how the figures were etched or what purpose they served. A theory advanced by researchers Johan Reiche and Robert Kosok suggests that the glyphs were used as an ancient astronomical map, showing where the sun or other celestial bodies rose at certain dates.
7. Dog Cemeteries
In ancient Egypt, it was not uncommon for pets like dogs or cats to be interred with their owners. This tradition continued into the Persian and Greek worlds, and even today it is common to bury domestic pets like cats, dogs, or rabbits alongside their owners in pet cemeteries.
In contrast, cemetery grounds reserved specifically for pets did not become widespread until the late 19th century. Eric visited four different pet cemeteries, documenting gravestones with the same systematic approach archaeologists take when surveying human burial sites.
One such location was Hartsdale, New York. The site was the first to be recognized as a historic place, and it is the world’s oldest and largest pet cemetery. The origins of the Hartsdale pet cemetery remain mysterious, however. Some experts speculate that pet burials may have evolved from ritual sacrifice, or simply as a way to get rid of rotting carcasses.
8. Benin Artifacts
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, brass casters in Benin City created a remarkable series of some 900 rectangular relief plaques to adorn wooden pillars in the court. These works offer an unparalleled visual record of Benin’s history and its court customs.
On an early April morning in 2016, two men walked into Barclays Bank on London’s Park Lane to retrieve a bronze head, possibly depicting a former Benin oba (king). The men recognized it as an object of considerable historical importance, even though it had been stored away for 63 years.
The work is a lost-wax cast using the intricate technique that members of the brass casting guild had mastered for centuries. It was made in the mid-16th century. The British Museum is now attempting to return the object to Nigeria. The request has caused a great deal of controversy and public debate.
9. Antikythera Spheres
Imagine an enormous stone wall stretching for miles, or a set of rocks arranged in a circle. These are the enigmatic traces left by ancient people across the United States—but they’re not nearly as famous as the Great Wall of China or Stonehenge.
In 1900, a shipwreck near the Greek island of Antikythera brought to shore a remarkable artifact. Initially, it befuddled archaeologists—who were unsure what it was or how it worked. Then, advances in technology revealed more and more about this device—which may be the oldest known analogue computer. It had multiple gears and shafts, and it even predicted astronomical events. Experts believe the Antikythera Mechanism was built by a mastermind, someone like a Leonardo DiVinci of their time. But, then it disappeared.
10. Nazca Geoglyphs
The Nazca Lines are a series of geometric lines, animal shapes and other figures that are etched into the Peruvian desert. The longest straight line stretches over nine miles across the plain. The origin of the lines remains mysterious and has inspired conspiracy theorists to propose everything from alien landings to ancient astrology.
Researchers have recently been using drones to discover new glyphs and figure out what they mean. One of the most interesting discoveries was the figure of a whale. The glyph suggests that the whale was an important symbol for the Nazcan people, and it could be associated with water, an important resource in the arid environment.
The glyphs may have also served as navigational tools for the locals, helping them navigate between their farms and villages. They also might have been used to mark religious or ritualistic activities.