Top 10 Archaeological DISCOVERIES We STILL
Don’t Get
10.
The Voynich Manuscript
Ok, so in the Yale University library, there’s
this mysterious document, right?
And nobody can decode the writing, as it’s
no writing system known to humans (we presume).
The vellum on which the manuscript was written
on was determined to be of 15th Century origin.
Naturally, we conclude that the document was
created at that time.
But not so fast, buddy.
The manuscript, named after the book dealer
who found this “undecipherable text” in
1912, has continued to stump Cryptologists
to this day.
With the advent of the Internet, professionals
and amateurs exchange scores of information
in an attempt to “crack the code” once
and for all.
The major question is: where did the document
come from?
Are we able to trace its ownership and/or
existence to one or more historical people?
Not all who encounter the Voynich Manuscript
are convinced that the document is authentic.
Some believe that Voynich himself had knowledge
enough to create a false document.
But nobody could make up an entire language
and system of writing not known to man, right?
Well, Dr. Marc Orkrand DID manage to create
the Klingon language…
9.
Stone Spheres of Costa Rica
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
the purpose of the Stone Spheres of Costa
Rica continues to elude researchers.
Locally known as Las Bolas, these perfectly
round balls made from indigenous lava seemingly
have no reason to be there.
First re-discovered in various parts of the
later 19th/early 20th century, all of the
spheres pre-date the arrival of the Spanish.
There’s speculation that many spheres were
destroyed after the Spanish took over the
area, leaving researchers with fewer clues
than before.
Dr. Sam Lathrop was one of the earlier archaeologists
who studied the spheres in situ, who theorized
that the stones had some connection to religion
and astronomy.
(Anthro-speak for “I don’t know.)
With much evidence gone due to the Spanish
invasion of Costa Rica, will we ever find
out?
8.
Cocaine and Tobacco Residue On Mummies
In 1992, it was reported that a team of German
researchers found both cocaine and nicotine
residue on Egyptian mummies, as part of an
ongoing study “investigating the use of
hallucinogenic substances in ancient societies.”
Nicotine and cocaine are plants that can only
be found in the Americas, leading Dr. Balabanova
and her team to speculate that Egyptians had
cross-cultural contact with people in the
Americas.
If so, that would mean the Egyptians “discovered”
the Western Hemisphere long before the Europeans.
Detractors from this theory state that cross-contamination
of the specimens were a logical explanation
of the phenomenon.
7.
Baltic Sea Anomaly
Here we go with the “aliens from Outer Space”
theory again.
A fossil found on the bottom of the Baltic
Sea in 2011 is obviously a UFO that crashed
on Earth.
Because what else could it be?
Maybe a natural, geographically formed object
perhaps?
Nah.
Live Science cites that Peter Lindberg, the
leader of the dive team claiming to have found
this “UFO,” has failed to disclose the
exact location of where the “discovery”
was made.
He has also provided contradictory “evidence”
to support his claim and says he will “reveal
more” in a planned documentary.
However, Stockholm University’s associate
professor of geology Volker Brüchert states
the anomaly is a piece of basaltic rock, deposited
in the location my a glacier.
6.
China’s First Emperor’s Pyramid and the
Terra Cotta Army
Looking for that perfect real estate for the
afterlife?
Are you looking for thousands for workmen
to make your dream become a reality?
Do you need an army of soldiers and dozens
of beautiful dancers to faithfully accompany
you?
Have we got a deal for you!
The tomb of the First Chinese Emperor Qin
Shi Huang Di, discovered in 1974, was declared
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The site was named upon discovery of an army
of soldiers made from terra-cotta clay, numbering
in the thousands.
Only four pits in this sprawling complex have
been excavated so far, yet over 8,000 of these
soldiers are estimated to exist.
Despite the vast discoveries made, the tomb
of the Emperor himself has not been excavated.
While underground chambers are thought to
exist, archaeologists are refraining from
opening the cavern due to concerns over disturbing
the contents and environment within.
5.
Interlocking Stones as Puma Punku
Although these ancient structures are not
included in the list of the world’s wonders,
they are believed to be the oldest ruins on
Earth’s surface.
They are located in Tiahuanaco, South America
and represent achievement that seems unattainable
for the local population, Aymara Indians during
those ancient times.
The stone structures amaze and confuse archaeologists,
who cannot explain how the separate stones
have been created with the techniques for
cutting existing in those days.
Interlocking Stones as Puma Pinnnku are made
of granite and diorite.
An interesting fact about them is that only
diamond is harder than these two minerals.
If the people who built this place have made
the stones themselves, they should have used
diamond tools.
One more intriguing fact about the stone structures
is their weight, which exceeds 800 t per a
stone.
This is amazing, given that the nearest quarry
is about 10 miles away.
It is very difficult even for the most modern
technology and equipment to lift and move
such a heavy load.
4.
Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin is one of the world’s most
famous Christian relics.
It is believed that the body of Jesus Christ
had been wrapped in it when he has been in
the grave.
The shroud provoked even greater interest
in 1898, when with the help of special tools
an image of a human face has been found on
it.
Now scientists reveal interesting details
about how according to them this mysterious
image could appear.
Some of the experts believe that the image
has appeared as a result of a strong radiating
during the earthquake that happened in Old
Jerusalem in 33 AD.
They also think that the neutron radiation
has affected carbon content in the fabric,
which changed the results of the artifact
date of origin.
The researchers explain that when the neutrons
interact with nitrogen atoms, the result is
protons generation.
This can lead to the appearance of an image
on the shroud.
However, as you may suppose, this is an unconfirmed
theory that might be far away from the truth.
3.
Great Pyramid of Giza
Being one of the world’s seven wonders,
Great Pyramid in Giza is still attracting
the attention of dozens of archaeologists,
physicists and astrologers, who have worked
for centuries and are still working today
to unravel the truth and mysteries of this
amazing monument.
For the construction of the Great Pyramid
of Giza, workers had to move and stack stone
blocks of 6.5 million tons each, some of which
weighed even up to 9 tons.
All that the workers had to perform this work
have been woods and ropes.
According to analysis, the stone blocks used
to build the Sphinx temples have been taken
from a moat that surrounds it on its three
sides.
Many of these blocks, some of which weighing
more than one hundred tons, are so large that
they contain two or three different geological
layers.
There are theories, according to which aliens
have built the pyramids.
2.
Stonehenge
Undoubtedly, Stonehenge is the most popular
European ancient monument that presents a
magnificent megalithic composition that impresses
visitors not only with its appearance, but
also with its mystical past.
The stone ruins of Stonehenge are located
in the Salisbury valley.
It is believed that some of the rocks have
been brought all the way from the South Wales,
although some of them weight 4 tons.
Most of the stones are equal in size and are
grouped in pairs.
On the top of each pair of stones, an equal
to them stone is placed horizontally.
An altar stone is situated in the center of
the ancient monument, and the inner circle
of two horseshoe-shaped structures is located
around it.
What exactly does Stonehenge symbolize and
what has been the purpose of its building
remains a mystery.
There are three main theories, one of which
supposes that this is a place for ritual ceremonies
and funerals near a city of the dead or probably
a Temple of the Sun.
1.
Nazca Lines
Nazca Lines are called drawings and represent
ancient lines drawn on the ground in the territory
of Nazca desert, Peru.
They have been discovered in 1927 and were
the most extraordinary heritage left from
a 2000-year old culture.
These lines and figures represent a sequence
of complex designs, some of which are many
miles long and can be seen in their true dimensions
only by plane.
The experts exclude the possibility that the
people in the ancient Nazca culture have been
able to fly, but the questions how these drawings
has been made, what kinds of technologies
have been used and what has been their purpose
remain.
These lines represent simple lines, triangles,
spirals and even more complex drawings of
a spider, hummingbird, llama, monkey, fish,
etc.
The largest ones are 270 meters in length.
They are located on 500 square kilometers
in total.
Lines are made by removing the reddish stones,
so the pale, nearly white soil underneath
could appear.
