Exploring the Unexplainable – Ancient Mysteries from Around the World
As a kid I was a huge fan of invisible-ink pens, ghost stories and ancient Egypt. The idea of something secret and mysterious just always appealed to me…
Ancient sites from around the world have been a source of interest and speculation for centuries. What’s more, they pose fascinating questions about past civilizations, miracles, and even contact with other life forms (err I’m not an alien anorak, honest…)
Some of the most famous have been adequately explained, but others haven’t.
Here is my run down of the top four mysterious landmarks and archaeological finds from around the world.
Nazca Lines, Peru
Palpa Figures at the Nazca Lines
Created by the Nazca civilization between 400 and 650 AD, these ancient geoglyphs are carved into the landscape of southern Peru (see above picture).
The hundreds of images represent geometric shapes and animals, and can only be seen from above. The largest is a staggering 200m across!
The exact purpose of the lines is still quite uncertain.
Scholars speculate that they are a calendar of some sort, indicate water flow, or represent symbols for the gods to see from above.
There is no clear answer as to what the symbols represent. The so called ‘astronaut’ shown in the first picture here is a prime example of this.
It’s unsurprising that he’s caught the attention of so many alien enthusiasts!
But how were the lines so accurately created?
Some experts have asserted that the Nazca people would have needed air craft to design the figures so precisely.
But surely there was no such technology at the time?
The Statues of St Augustine, Colombia
The Statues of St Augustine
Virtually nothing is known of the civilization who crafted the hundreds of unique statues that can be found in the Valley of the Statues close to St Augustine, Colombia.
It is known that the earliest statues date back to 3,300 BC but everything else is speculation.
Gods, mythical animals and men are represented.
One of the most famous statues, pictured here, appears to be wearing some kind of head gear and a ‘back pack’ with straps.
Other statues seem to represent animals from Africa, people from Asia and complex medical procedures such as C-sections.
But still, we don’t know who this phenomenally advanced civilization was… Maybe more of their secrets and treasures will be uncovered with further excavation?
The Crystal Skulls of Mesoamerica
The Crystal Skulls of Mesoamerica
The origin of these hand-crafted, crystal skulls has been hotly debated for decades.
Granted, there are now hundreds of replicas of these objects, contemporary and no doubt made recently in Brazil.
However, there are twelve or so in private collections that are said to have been excavated on archaeological digs in Mexico and Central America.
Despite claims that these skulls are fake, there is no way of dating them, and no one knows who made them, where or how.
Anybody out there got the answer?
Stonehenge England
Stonehenge, England
Constructed sometime around 3,100 BC, Stonehenge is an ancient stone circle with enduringly mysterious qualities.
Based on the technology available at the time, it is thought that thirty million hours of man-power would have been necessary for construction.
But what was it built for?
Site of human sacrifice?
Calendar?
Nobody knows.
But we do know the massive stones were brought all the way from South Wales to Wiltshire.
How!?
There are theories, but the mystery goes on…
Does anybody have the answer?
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