Archaeologists have discovered thousands of underground tunnels dating back to the Stone Age, stretching across Europe from Scotland to Turkey, and have baffled scientists with the mystery of their original purpose. German archaeologist Dr. Heinrich Kusch in his book "Secrets of Underground Doors in ancient world”Says that the tunnels were dug under literally hundreds of Neolithic settlements across Europe, and the fact that so many tunnels survived 12,000 years shows that the original network was incredibly large. “In Bavaria, Germany alone, we found 700 meters of these underground tunnels. We found 350 in Austrian Styria, ”he says. "There were thousands of such tunnels all over Europe, from the north of Scotland to the Mediterranean."
The discovery of a vast network of underground tunnels indicates that Stone Age people apparently spent their days not only hunting and gathering. However, the real purpose of these tunnels is still a complete mystery. Some researchers believe that their task was to protect humans from predators, while others believe that their goal was to provide an opportunity safe travel protected from the effects of weather disasters, and even wars and violence. At the moment, scientists can only guess about their purpose, since the tunnels have not yet revealed all their secrets.
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It is not for nothing that ancient buildings are called portraits of the civilizations that built them. Moreover, these portraits are fraught with the mysteries of entire cultures. After all, these structures stood for thousands of years after their builders disappeared from the face of the earth. It is a strange burial place until recently unknown cities - all these architectural artifacts sometimes reveal ancient secrets, and sometimes even more confuse scientists.
1. Tunnels of Teotihuacan
Mexico
In 2017, a restoration project was launched to renovate one of the most famous places Mexico - the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan. During work on central square archaeologists have used non-invasive techniques to view underground voids. An electrical impedance tomography scan revealed the unexpected - under the square there was a tunnel leading to the neighboring pyramid. Scientists are still wondering why the Pyramid of the Moon, which is a colossal feat ancient architecture, could be connected to something else by the underground tunnel.
It is impossible to explore it yet, and one of the reasons is the depth at which the tunnel passes - 10 meters. Curiously, this tunnel is very similar to another one previously discovered in one of the temples of Teotihuacan. Given that they were built by people who lived 2,000 years ago, it is difficult to say today whether the tunnels served a practical or mystical purpose.
2. Tungundzhi burial mounds
Australia
A number of large mounds can be seen for over 60 kilometers along Western Cape York, the coastal zone of Australia. Researchers have debated the specifics of this phenomenon for many years. Apparently, they did not take the local Aboriginal community seriously (the Tungunja people claimed that their ancestors were buried in mounds). Unsurprisingly, a number of strange theories have emerged. For example, some have suggested that the 250 mounds were created by ... birds.
In 2018, when the mounds were illuminated with radar, it turned out that locals and the archaeologists who thought the mounds were artificial were right. Eleven sand structures were scanned, and many of them still contained human remains. Comparison of the interior also showed how funeral procedures changed over time. But even in different time all the tombs were filled with various things such as flowers, spears and corals. The age of the mounds is still unknown, but some may be about 6,000 years old, i.e. they were created around the same time when the Egyptians were building the pyramids.
3. Tel Edfu City Complex
Egypt
In 2018, during excavations in the Egyptian Tel Edfu, a two-story complex, 4000 years old, was found, which was one of the earliest among the many large ruins in this region... Archaeologists have identified the rooms that were used for storage, for smelting copper, for making beer and bread. However, the purpose of the other premises has not been determined. The exterior of the building was typical of ancient Egypt, but it was very skillfully constructed. Another mystery is why people abandoned the complex after it was built.
Usually such abandoned places were dismantled into bricks for other construction projects. The same complex not only retained its walls 1.5 - 2 meters thick, but also the entrance doors. Considering that they were made of extremely rare wood in Egypt, the doors should have been stolen a long time ago. This brewery-bakery is unlike any other that has survived from the times Of the ancient kingdom... Scientists believe that the ancient city of Edfu was an important settlement and was the starting point for expeditions to distant places.
4. Villa in Warwick
England
V English city Warwick recently decided to move high school... The builders who dug the foundation pit discovered a large Roman villa. Its size was 28 meters long and 14.5 meters wide. In their own words, this villa was "the size of a medieval church." Carved from local sandstone, it was likely part of a vast estate in the second century AD.
The villa itself was a very imposing building. In addition to being the largest structure in the region, it was linked to a Roman road. The discovery of the corn drying chambers showed that the building, in addition to being someone's home, was used for agriculture. Whoever lived in the villa left about 200 years later.
5. Camp of builders of Stonehenge
England
Within walking distance of Stonehenge there is military base in Larkhill. During preparations for a new army exercise in 2018, the remains of an ancient fence were discovered. It is believed that ancient trade and meetings took place in such places. Nine wooden pillars stood in exactly the same position as the dolmens in stone ring Stonehenge.
This revealed that Larkhill was a kind of design center for the overhaul of the famous temple, which was also once also a modest ring of wooden pillars. The original version of Stonehenge was built around 3000 BC, but archaeologists believe the fence is six to seven centuries older. It was probably a builders' camp.
6. Fort Hardnott Pass
England
During the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD), the territory of the empire included part of Britain. Several forts were built to defend this border. One fortress stands near the Hardnott Pass in Cumbria. It wasn't until 2015 that scientists noticed that its gates were perfectly aligned with the Sun at the time of the solstices. Located in a square building, the gates face each other in two pairs.
On the longest day of the year (summer solstice), the Sun shines through the northeastern gate at sunrise, and at the southwest gate at sunset. On the shortest day (winter solstice), the process is repeated, but vice versa. Why this particular fort was made this way is unknown. It is also unclear why the four towers of the fort were built ideally in accordance with the cardinal points. One plausible idea suggests a connection between the fort and religion (similar to that found in several ancient religions).
7. Ritual hall and throne of Moche
Peru
In 2018, news of the remarkable find appeared in the press after Peruvian archaeologists examined the Huaca Limón de Ucupe monument. They found two rooms of a mysterious culture. Long before the Incas, the Moche culture flourished in Peru. Existed for many centuries until 700 AD. this magnificent culture has left behind monuments, gold artifacts and advanced agricultural technology. Any new findings could help explain the culture's mysterious disappearance, or at least provide more knowledge about it.
There was a beautiful ritual hall in one room. Unlike the geometric and mythical murals found elsewhere, the walls of the hall were decorated with realistic nautical scenes. One painting was 10 meters in size. More than 100 tables once had plates, hinting at large and varied banquets. The two stepped thrones looked at each other. The taller one was intended for the ruler, while the other was probably intended for the patron saint of the holiday. There was a podium next to the door of another room, possibly to make announcements during meetings.
8. The sinister burial of the Stone Age
Sweden
In 2009, a strange grave was found in Sweden that puzzled even experts. In it, on a huge limestone platform measuring 12 by 14 meters, 11 skulls without jaws rested. Moreover, when this burial was created 8000 years ago, it was at the bottom of a lake. The skeleton of a newborn and animal bones were also found. Why they were "buried" underwater is just one of the mysteries of the grave. Blunt trauma was found on seven turtles. Men were hit from above or in front, and women from behind.
The sacrifice was unlikely. All injuries were clearly healed, and people lived for some time. The bones were also oddly laid out. Human skulls were in the middle, with two of them pierced with stakes. In the south, there were bear bones. Wild boar, deer and elk “adorned” the southeastern part. Besides, most of bone was taken from the right side of the body. In truth, researchers cannot understand the location or meaning of the ritual.
9. Iconic sites in the mountains of Eilat
Israel
In 2015 in israeli mountains About 100 ritual objects were discovered in Eilat. In the Negev Desert, stone circles and phallus-like structures were located in dense clusters. On an area of 80 hectares, archaeologists have counted 44 places of worship. Although little is known about what happened in these places, themes of fertility and death were especially common. About 8000 years ago, male symbols were created on these objects, such as stone phalluses, indicating "female" stone circles with a diameter of 1.5-2.5 meters.
Flat areas with good view to the surroundings. Given the small population and the desert around, the sheer number of monuments is a mystery. In addition, similar finds continue to be made in other places. During one study alone, 349 ritual sites were found outside the Eilat mountains.
10. Mayan archeology
Guatemala
A recent aerial survey of northern Guatemala added over 60,000 unknown Mayan archaeological sites to the map. Under the dense forest cover, they found pyramids, walls, city fortifications, dams and defensive structures - all within 2,100 square kilometers. The study revealed entirely new places to explore, but also immediately hinted at other aspects of civilization.
The sheer number of private homes suggested that the Maya outnumbered those who live in the area today. They avoided deforestation and fell out of forests for agriculture like modern farmers, proving that large populations can thrive without deforestation. One fortress was strong enough to claim that the Maya fought serious wars. While most of the new structures are houses, the number of roads is just as amazing.
The knowledge of modern man about ancient cultures is very limited. But the architectural artifacts that have come down to our time give reason to believe that many millennia ago, developed civilizations existed on our planet, which were forgotten. This review contains 10 archaeological finds, the secrets of which still remain unsolved.
1. Ancient devices
Ancient civilizations knew much more and were more advanced than scientists assumed 20 years ago. Archaeologists have discovered a number of ancient devices, from planispheres to prototypes of batteries. The most famous finds are the Nimrud lens and the Antikythera mechanism.
The lens of Nimrud, estimated to be about 3,000 years old, was discovered during excavations in the ancient Assyrian capital of Nimrud. Some experts believe that the lens was part of an ancient Babylonian telescope. This means that they had advanced knowledge in astronomy.
The famous Antikythera Mechanism (200 BC) was created to calculate the movement of the sun, moon and planets. Unfortunately, people can only guess why and how many ancient devices were created, and why ancient knowledge about them disappeared.
2. Empire Rama
For a long time, it was believed that Indian civilization emerged only in 500 BC. However, discoveries made in the last century have pushed back the origins of Indian civilization by several thousand years.
In the Indus Valley, the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were discovered, which were perfectly planned even by modern standards. Harappa culture also remains a mystery. Its roots are hidden for centuries, and the language has not yet been unraveled by scientists. There are no buildings in the city that would indicate different social classes, there are no temples or other places of worship... No other culture, including Egypt and Mesopotamia, has had this level of urban planning.
3. Longyu Caves
Longyu - the Chinese call another wonder of the world. The system of 24 caves was discovered by accident in 1992. The time of the emergence of the caves dates back to the 2nd century BC. Despite its titanic volume (about a million cubic meters of stone would have to be removed to carve out such caves in hard rock), no evidence of construction has been found. The carvings covering the walls and ceilings of the caves are made in a special manner and are full of symbols. According to officially unconfirmed information, the seven discovered grottoes repeat the location of the seven stars in the constellation Ursa Major.
4. Nan Madol
On an artificial archipelago in Micronesia, not far from Pohnpei Island, there are the ruins of the ancient prehistoric city of Nan Madola. The city is built on a coral reef made of basalt boulders weighing up to 50 tons. The city is crossed by many canals and underwater tunnels. Part of its streets are flooded. The scale of this structure can be compared with the Great Wall of China or Egyptian pyramids... At the same time, there is not a single record of who built the city and when it was built.
5. Tunnels of the Stone Age
From Scotland to Turkey, archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a vast network of underground tunnels beneath hundreds of Neolithic settlements. In Bavaria, some tunnels are up to 700 meters long. The fact that these tunnels have survived for 12,000 years is a testament to the extraordinary skill of the builders and the sheer size of their original network.
6. Puma Punku and Tiwanaku
Puma Punku is a megalithic complex near the ancient pre-Incan city of Tiwanaku in South America... The age of the megalithic ruins is highly controversial, but archaeologists are unanimous that they are older than the pyramids. The ruins are believed to be 15,000 years old. The massive stones used in the construction were cut and fitted to each other so precisely that there is no doubt that the builders clearly had developed knowledge of cutting stones, geometry, and they had the tools to do this. The city also had a functioning irrigation system, sewerage and hydraulic mechanisms.
7. Metal mount
Continuing the conversation about Puma Punku; it is worth noting that at this construction site, as well as in the Korikancha temple, ancient city Ollantaytambo, Yurok Rumi and in ancient egypt special metal fasteners were used to fasten the huge stones. Archaeologists found that the metal was poured into grooves cut in the stones, which means that the builders had portable factories. It is unclear why this technology and other megalith construction methods have been lost.
8. The riddle of Baalbek
As a result archaeological site some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world were found in Baalbek, Lebanon. The megalithic mound, on which the Romans built their temples, makes this place especially mysterious. The stone monoliths of this mound weigh up to 1,200 tons each and are the largest processed stone slabs in the world. Some archaeologists believe that Baalbek's history goes back about 9000 years.
9. Giza plateau
The Great Pyramid of Egypt is geometrically perfect. How the ancient Egyptians achieved this is unknown. It is also interesting that the erosion of the Sphinx, as scientists have proven, occurred due to precipitation, and this area of the camp was only 7,000 - 9,000 years ago. The pyramid of Mikerin also belongs to the pre-dynastic period. It was also built from blocks of limestone and has exactly the same erosion marks as the Sphinx.
10. Göbekli Tepe
Dating from the end of the last ice age (12,000 years ago) temple complex in the southeastern part of Turkey was named the most important archaeological discovery of our time. Ancient ceramics, writing, the already existing wheel and metallurgy - its construction implies a level of development that goes far beyond the development of Paleolithic civilizations. Göbekli Tepe consists of 20 circular structures (so far only 4 have been excavated) and skillfully carved columns up to 5.5 meters high and weighing up to 15 tons each. No one can say with certainty who created this complex and where its creators had advanced knowledge of masonry from.
The work of a true archaeologist is full of routine, but there are discoveries even cooler than the Ark of the Covenant.
L'ANS-o-Meadows
Traditionally it was believed that New World discovered by Columbus, but this settlement in Newfoundland proves that the Vikings were the first. The settlement was built 1000 years ago for 30-160 Vikings.
Saxayhuaman
A fortress complex on the outskirts of Cuzco, Peru, the former capital of the Inca empire. It is impossible to push even paper between the pieces of rock, and, by the way, this complex was built without mortar.
Mohenjo-daro
The city was built in 2600 BC. NS. on the territory of modern Pakistan. It has roads and even a drainage system similar to a sewer. It was abandoned after 7 centuries and was found only in 1922.
Gate of the Sun
Located in Western Bolivia, the symbol of the Tiwanaku Empire (stretched from Peru to Bolivia about 1500 years ago). The gate is carved from megalithic rock. Scientists believe that they were not originally standing here.
Tunnels of the Stone Age
Several years ago, archaeologists found an underground network of tunnels created by Stone Age people. It stretches from Scotland across Europe to Turkey.
Longue Grottoes
Located in Zhejiang Province, China, the man-made caves date back to 212 BC. The most interesting part of them is the carefully made markings along the walls and ceiling, evenly spaced along an axis of 60 degrees.
Göbekli Tepe
Perched on top of a mountain in modern Turkey, the ancient structure changed the idea of the origin of human society: it turns out, Agriculture originated around 9,000-10,000 BC, the church and worship stood at the origins of civilization.
Stone Spheres in Costa Rica
Probably made in AD 700-1530. There is a local myth that they are relics from the lost city of Atlantis.
Yonaguni monument
Disputes over the man-made or non-man-made origin of monolithic slabs at the bottom off the coast of Japan continue to this day.
Unfinished obelisk of Hatshepsut
Recently found in Aswan, Egypt. Could have become the largest Egyptian obelisk if completed in 1500 BC
Underneath Europe there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of underground tunnels, the origin of which remains a mystery. This type of tunnel is called "erdstall" and is very narrow. 1 to 1.2 m in height and about 60 cm in width.
There are also connecting tunnels, which are even smaller and are unlikely to be passed through by an adult or overweight person. Some tunnel systems are rings, most tunnels in such systems are less than 50 m long.
The tunnels are roughly dated to the early Middle Ages. Since no historical artifacts have been found in the tunnels, it is difficult to determine the exact age. For the same reason, it is unlikely that these tunnels were ever used as hiding places or as housing. Although this possibility cannot be completely ruled out.
The most common theory is that these are structures of religious significance, and that they may have belonged to some kind of non-Christian cult. Adding to the mystery is the fact that these tunnels have never been mentioned in historical texts. We may never know where they came from.
According to the German archaeologist Dr. Heinrich Kusch, who recently published a book entitled "Secrets of the Underground Door to the Ancient World", the tunnels appeared in the Stone Age - 5000 years ago, in the Neolithic period, since they are usually located near the sites of people of that time. They also talk about earlier times - 12,000 years ago.
There is data from radiocarbon analysis that the Bavarian tunnels are about 1500 years old, there are also later, medieval ones. Some have been known for a long time, others, like Erdstall, were discovered by accident. A cow nibbled grass on an alpine meadow - and suddenly fell into the ground. This is not to say that they did not know about these tunnels before the book was published, but somehow this was not too advertised, if not to say frankly, it was hushed up. Dark tunnels are still largely unknown to scientists. In this respect, the book was a real event.
“We would like to use the help of physicists for radiocarbon dating, expertise; theologians and specialists in prehistoric times, ”says one of the researchers Alborn. No dissertation has yet been written on this topic to date.
At least 700 of these tunnels have been found in Bavaria alone, and about 500 in Austria. They have fancy names among the people, such as "Schrazelloch" ("hole of the goblins") or "Alraunenhöhle" ("mandrake cave"). Some sagas say that they were part of the long tunnels connecting the castles.
European tunnels, as a rule, have the same vaulted structure, the height is about 70 centimeters, often the tunnels are connected by passages with a diameter of 40 centimeters, into which a normal person can barely squeeze. Kushch supposes that before the underground network was even larger, but part of it gradually collapsed. Or not found yet.
Some experts believe the web was a way of protecting humans from predators, while others think that some of the connected tunnels were used as crossings to travel safely regardless of war, violence, and even weather over land. One thing is true - obviously this method of traveling underground was extremely popular. True, it is not very clear to whom.
The book notes that chapels were often built at the entrances to the tunnels, perhaps because the Church feared the pagan heritage, or perhaps in order to thus eliminate its influence. Many tunnels were filled up, their entrances were walled up. Sometimes in the caves you come across reliefs, as for example at Bösenreutin near the city of Lindau on Lake Constance.
It depicts a goblin with a tail. Perhaps some galleries were temples for the followers of some pagan rituals, it is quite possible that these people simply used what they did not build. In some chronicles, references to these tunnels were found, as on the way to the underworld.
But looking at these underground passages, and they are clearly artificial, one cannot get rid of the thought that a person must have been clearly uncomfortable and uncomfortable in them. Try to crouch down at least ten meters. And on your knees, you also do not travel for a long time. It is difficult to breathe there and a long siege, hiding from enemies, cannot be sustained.
All this gives the impression that the myths about gnomes (or dwarfs, hobbits, goblins - call it what you want) really have real ground, or rather, have proof of what is underneath.
