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Like Indiana Jones, lone archaeologist David Hatcher Childress has made many incredible trips to the most ancient and remote places on earth. Describing lost cities and ancient civilizations, he published six books: a chronicle of travel from the Gobi Desert to Puma Punki in Bolivia, from Mohenjo Daro to Baalbek. We found him preparing for another archaeological expedition, this time in New Guinea and asked to write the following article specifically for Atlantis Rising magazine.
1. Mu or Lemuria
According to various secret sources, the first civilization originated 78,000 years ago on a giant continent known as Mu or Lemuria. And it has existed for an amazing 52,000 years. The civilization was destroyed by earthquakes caused by a shift in the earth's pole, which occurred approximately 26,000 years ago, or 24,000 BC.
While the Mu civilization did not achieve as high technology as other, later civilizations, the Mu peoples succeeded in erecting mega-stone buildings that were able to withstand earthquakes. This building science was Mu's greatest achievement.
Perhaps in those days there was one language and one government on the whole earth. Education was the key to the prosperity of the Empire, every citizen was well versed in the laws of the Earth and the Universe, by the age of 21 he was given an excellent education. By the age of 28, a person became a full citizen of the empire.
2. Ancient Atlantis
When the continent of Mu sank into the ocean, today's Pacific Ocean was formed, and the water levels in other parts of the Earth dropped significantly. Small islands in the Atlantic during the time of Lemuria increased significantly in size. The lands of the Poseidonis archipelago have formed a whole small continent. This continent is called Atlantis by modern historians, but its real name was Poseidonis.
Atlantis possessed a high level of technology that surpassed modern technology. In the book "The Inhabitant of Two Planets", dictated in 1884 by philosophers from Tibet to the young Californian Frederick Spencer Oliver, as well as in the sequel to 1940 "Earthly Return of the Inhabitant", there is a mention of such inventions and devices as: air conditioners, to clean the air from harmful vapors; vacuum cylinder lamps, fluorescent lamps; electric rifles; monorail transport; water generators, a tool for compressing water from the atmosphere; aircraft controlled by anti-gravity forces.
The clairvoyant Edgar Cayce talked about the use of aircraft and crystals in Atlantis to obtain tremendous energy. He also mentioned the misuse of power by the Atlanteans, which led to the destruction of their civilization.
3. Empire of Rama in India
Fortunately, the ancient books of the Indian Empire of Rama have survived, unlike documents from China, Egypt, Central America, and Peru. Now the remains of the empire are swallowed up by the impassable jungle or rest at the bottom of the ocean. Yet India, despite numerous military devastations, has managed to preserve much of its ancient history.
It was believed that Indian civilization did not appear much earlier than 500 AD, 200 years before the invasion of Alexander the Great. However, in the last century, the cities of Mozhenjo-Daro and Harappa were discovered in the Indus Valley on the territory of modern Pakistan.
The discovery of these cities forced archaeologists to move the date of the emergence of Indian civilization thousands of years ago. To the surprise of modern explorers, these cities were highly organized and a shining example of urban planning. And the sewerage system was more developed than it is now in many Asian countries.
4. The civilization of Osiris in the Mediterranean
In the days of Atlantis and Harappa, the pool Mediterranean Sea was a large fertile valley. The ancient civilization that flourished there was the ancestor of dynastic Egypt and is known as the Osiris Civilization. The Nile previously proceeded in a completely different way than in our days and was called Styx. Instead of flowing into the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt, the Nile turned west, forming a huge lake in the central part of the modern Mediterranean Sea, flowing out of a lake in the area between Malta and Sicily and flowing into Atlantic Ocean at the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar). When Atlantis was destroyed, the waters of the Atlantic slowly flooded the Mediterranean Basin, destroying the great Osirian cities and forcing them to relocate. This theory explains the strange megalithic remains found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.
It is an archaeological fact that at the bottom of this sea there are more than two hundred sunken cities. The Egyptian civilization, along with the Minoan (Crete) and Mycenaean (Greece), are traces of one large, ancient culture. The Osirian civilization left behind huge earthquake-resistant megalithic structures, owned electricity and other amenities that were common in Atlantis. Like Atlantis and Rama's empire, the Osirians had airships and other vehicles, for the most part electrical in nature. The mysterious underwater paths in Malta may be part of the ancient Osirian civilization's transport artery.
Probably the best example of Osirian high technology is the amazing platform found at Baalbek, Lebanon. The main platform is made up of the largest cut rock blocks, each weighing 1,200 to 1,500 tons.
5. Civilization of the Gobi Desert
Many ancient cities of the Uyghur civilization existed during Atlantis on the site of the Gobi Desert. However, now the Gobi is a lifeless land scorched by the sun, and it is hard to believe that the waters of the ocean once splashed here.
So far, no traces of this civilization have been found. However, vimanas and other technical devices were no stranger to the Wiger area. The famous Russian explorer Nicholas Roerich reported on his observations of flying discs in the region of northern Tibet in the 1930s.
Some sources claim that the elders of Lemuria, even before the cataclysm that destroyed their civilization, moved their headquarters to an uninhabited plateau in Central Asia, which we now call Tibet. Here they founded a school known as the Great White Brotherhood.
The great Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote the famous book Tao Te Ching. At the approach of his death, he went west to the legendary land of Hsi Wang Mu. Could this land be the possession of the White Brotherhood?
6. Tiwanaku
As in Mu and Atlantis, construction in South America reached a megalithic scale with the construction of earthquake-resistant structures.
Residential buildings and public buildings were constructed from ordinary stones, but using a unique polygonal technology. These buildings are still standing. Cuzco, the ancient capital of Peru that was probably built before the Incas, is still quite populated city, even after thousands of years. Most of the buildings located in downtown Cusco today are united by walls that are many hundreds of years old (while the younger buildings, already built by the Spaniards, are crumbling).
A few hundred kilometers south of Cusco lie the fantastic ruins of Puma Punca, high in Bolivia's altiplano. Puma Punka - not far from the famous Tiahuanaco, a massive magalitic site where 100-ton blocks are scattered everywhere by an unknown force.
This happened when the South American continent was suddenly subjected to a massive cataclysm, probably caused by a pole shift. The former sea ridge can now be seen at an altitude of 3900 m in the Andes mountains. Possible confirmation of this is the many oceanic fossils around Lake Titicaca.
The Mayan pyramids found in Central America have their twins on the Indonesian island of Java. The Sukukh pyramid on the slopes of Mount Lavu near Surakarta in central Java is an amazing temple with a stone stele and a step pyramid, the place of which is more likely in the jungles of Central America. The pyramid is virtually identical to the pyramids found at the Wasaktun site near Tikal.
The ancient Maya were brilliant astronomers and mathematicians, whose early cities lived in harmony with nature. They built canals and garden cities in the Yucatan Peninsula.
As pointed out by Edgar Cayce, records of all the wisdom of the Maya people and other ancient civilizations are found in three places in the earth. Firstly, this is Atlantis or Poseidonia, where some of the temples may still be found under perennial bottom overlays, for example, in the Bimini region off the coast of Florida. Second, in temple records somewhere in Egypt. And finally, on the Yucatan Peninsula, in America.
It is speculated that the ancient Hall of Records could be located anywhere, probably under some pyramid, in an underground chamber. Some sources say that this repository of ancient knowledge contains quartz crystals that are capable of preserving large quantities information like modern CDs.
8. Ancient China
Ancient China known as China Han, like other civilizations, was born from the vast Pacific continent of Mu. Ancient Chinese records are known for describing celestial chariots and jade production, which they shared with the Maya. Indeed, ancient Chinese and Mayan languages appear to be very similar.
The mutual influences of China and Central America on each other are evident, both in the field of linguistics and in mythology, religious symbolism, and even trade.
The ancient Chinese invented many things, from toilet paper to earthquake detectors and rocket technology and printing techniques. In 1959, archaeologists discovered aluminum strips made several thousand years ago, this aluminum is obtained from raw materials using electricity.
9. Ancient Ethiopia and Israel
From the ancient texts of the Bible and the Ethiopian book Kebra Negast, we know about the high technology of ancient Ethiopia and Israel. The Temple in Jerusalem was based on three giant blocks of cut stone, similar to those found at Baalbek. The Temple of Solomon and the Muslim mosque now exist on this site, whose foundations apparently go back to the civilization of Osiris.
The Temple of Solomon, another example of megalithic construction, was built to preserve the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was an electrical generator, and people who inadvertently touched it were electrocuted. The ark itself and the golden statue were carried from the King's Chamber into Great pyramid Moses at the time of the Exodus.
10. Aroe and the Kingdom of the Sun in the Pacific
While the continent of Mu sank into the ocean 24,000 years ago due to the pole shift, the Pacific Ocean was later re-populated by many races from India, China, Africa and America.
The resulting civilization Aroe on the islands of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia built many megalithic pyramids, platforms, roads and statues.
In New Caledonia, cement columns have been found dating from 5120 BC. to 10950 BC
Easter Island statues were placed in a clockwise spiral around the island. And on the island of Pohnpei, a huge stone city was built.
Polynesians in New Zealand, Easter Islands, Hawaii and Tahiti still believe that their ancestors had the ability to fly and traveled by air from island to island.
11. "Avalon"
In Celtic mythology, Avalon is mysterious island in the Yellow Sea. King Arthur, after completing his healing from the trauma of war, according to legend, fell asleep, but did not die in Avalon. It is believed that he will "sleep" until Britain takes up her sword again
In the XII century, the monks of Glastonbury Abbey, presumably, found the remains of King Arthur and his queen on the island, as well as his Excalibur (King Arthur's sword). They also stated that the island is full of apples (in Welsh, Avalon means "Apple").
However, historians question this claim. In other versions of the legend: Avalon is the seat of the Morgana Fairy. Fairy Melusine was raised on Avalon
There is another interesting point of view about the location of the Country under the waves, which largely reconciles the supporters of the geographical and unearthly location of Avalon ...
12. Eldorado
The conquerors of the New World saw many strange things. Eldorado, in Spanish means "golden place". It is a mythical South American country (or city) made of gold and precious stones. In the fruitless search for El Dorado, the 16th century conquistadors (such as Aguirre and Orellana) forged new paths deep into South America.
The starting point for the creation of the tales of El Dorado could have been the custom of the Chibcha Indian tribe, when the leader during the coronation was coated with clay and sprinkled with golden sand until he turned into a “golden man”. Then he swam in the lake, leaving precious gifts at its bottom.
The Spanish conquerors plundered and drained the kingdom of El Dorado, but did not find what they were looking for. The legends of El Dorado over the centuries attracted numerous explorers to search for the treasures stored there, but instead they lost their property and became beggars. However, treasure hunters still believe that Eldorado is in Colombia.
Using the Google Earth service, scientists have managed to find traces of an ancient civilization that may turn out to be the legendary Eldorado! According to the researchers, in the upper Amazon basin on the border of Brazil and Bolivia, they have found more than 200 massive earthworks. On satellite photographs, they look like large geometric shapes "carved" in the ground, but scientists believe that these are the remains of roads, bridges, ditches, streets and squares. The authors of the scientific work note that in the heart of an ancient civilization, in an area of 155 miles live about 60 thousand people. The approximate dating of the structures still fluctuates between the 3rd century BC and the 13th century AD.
13. Island Buyan and Belovodye
In Slavic mythology, the Buyan island is described as a magical island that appears and disappears into the ocean. Three brothers live on it - western, eastern and north wind... According to some myths, the island is the root of all changes in the weather. In another myth, on an island in an egg, which is in an oak tree, a needle is hidden, at the tip of which lies the death of a koshchei. Some people believe that the island is, in fact, the German island of Rügen. Russian Old Believers have the concept of "Belovodye", which in all its signs resembles theosophical Shambhala - the land of justice and true piety.
Being in 1877 on the shores of the "wandering" Lake Lob-nor, north of the Tarim River in Western China (Xinjiang), the famous Russian traveler Nikolai Przhevalsky wrote a story local residents how a party of Altai Old Believers, numbering more than a hundred people, came to these places in the late 1850s. The Old Believers were looking for the Belovodsk "Promised Land".
Belovodye is another mystery of Central Asian history. Modern researchers believe that this is "not a definite geographical name, but a poetic image of a free land, a figurative embodiment of a dream about it."
Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Russian Old Believers were looking for this "happy peasant country" in a vast area - from Altai to Japan and the Pacific Islands and from Mongolia to India and Afghanistan.
In the second half of the 18th century, the name Belovodye was borne by two settlements in the Bukhtarma and Uimon valleys of southeastern Altai. The power of the "bosses" and priests, the persecutors of the Old Believers, who did not accept the church reform of Patriarch Nikon, did not reach here.
This "neutral land" between the Russian and Chinese empires was incorporated into Russia in 1791. It was then, according to Chistov, that the legend of Belovodye arose, but the reports on the Central Asian routes of Belovodye seekers (Mongolia - Western China - Tibet) are of the greatest interest.
14. Shambhala
According to ancient legends, Shambhala is hidden in the Himalayas, in a quiet, green and beautiful holy land. This place is mentioned in religious Tibetan and Indian texts.
After the 17th century, when Westerners heard about this place, they embarked on one of the most dangerous adventures in search of this place. Some people think that Shambhala actually refers to China, others that it is hiding in the mountains of Kazakhstan.
In Blavatsky's views, Shambhala is the last refuge of the Atlanteans who survived the global catastrophe:
“... Numerous caves and ruins found in both the Americas, as well as the West Indies, are all associated with the sunken Atlantis. While the hierophants of the Old World at the time of Atlantis were connected with the New World by land routes, the magicians of the now non-existent country had a whole network of underground corridors diverging in all directions ... "
“... there is not a single cave temple in this country that does not have its underground passages, diverging in all directions, and that these underground caves and endless corridors, in turn, have their own caves and corridors ... "
In 1920, a Soviet secret expedition and diplomats launched an unsuccessful expedition in search of the site. Currently, most Buddhists believe that Shambhala is a metaphor for the inner world, who love peacefulness. In the West, Shambhala was given a different name: "Shangri-La".
Shambhala was sought after by people striving for unlimited power over the world. All who stand at the top and have valid information knew and are aware of the existence of this monastery, about the existence of the powerful knowledge that is contained in it. They perfectly understand that real power over the world is concentrated in Shambhala, therefore many have searched and are still looking for it, see in more detail in the article of the modern theosophist Nadezhda Urikova ...
According to legend, the city of Is was one of the most beautiful in the world. It was built on the coast of Brittany, below sea level, protected by a dam and gate. Legend has it that the rulers of the city were deceived by the devil and opened the gates during a storm. The city was flooded.
Almost all the inhabitants of Isa died, and their souls remained under water. Only King Gradlon and his daughter survived, deciding to cross the sea, saddling Morvarh's sea horse. However, on the way, Saint Gwenole appeared to them, accusing Dakhut of the destruction of the city. He ordered Gradlon to throw his daughter into the sea, after which she turned into a mermaid.
Escaping, Gradlon founded the city of Kemper, which became his new capital. After his death, in Quimper, between the two towers of the Cathedral of St. Corentin, a statue was erected for him, which has survived to this day.
According to Breton legend, sometimes you can hear the ringing of Isa's bells, warning of the approaching storm.
After the destruction of Isa, the Franks renamed Lutetia Paris, as in Breton “Par Is” means “like Isa”. According to Breton beliefs, Is will emerge when Paris is swallowed up by water.
16. Bermea
Old maps often depict islands and lands that cannot be found now. Some of them are called "islands of fantasy", possibly caused by a mistake in the birth of the geographical craft. But it is believed that Bermeya really existed. Due to a natural disaster, the island disappeared. On old American maps this island was located off the northwestern shores of the Yucatan Peninsula in Gulf of Mexico... In 2009, the Mexican government tried to find Bermea, hoping to expand its oil exploration plans. But they still haven't managed to find this legendary island.
17. Hyperborea, Arctida or the Unknown Southern Land
Hyperborea (ancient Greek. northern country, the habitat of the blessed people of the Hyperboreans ..
This is the land around the South Pole, depicted on most maps from ancient times to the second half of the 18th century. The outlines of the mainland were not accurately depicted, often they depicted mountains, forests and rivers. Name options: Unknown South Land, Mysterious South Land, sometimes simply - South Land. In theory, South Earth corresponds to Antarctica, although no data on it existed at the time.
The map of this fabulous continent does exist. Aristotle said that what is now the Pacific Ocean was once a continent.
Hyperborea corresponded to another supercontinent that existed simultaneously with Gondwana 200 - 135 million years ago million years ago - Laurasia, which began to split into separate continents (North America, Eurasia, separate continental massifs in the Arctic) in the Early Cretaceous era (140 - 135 million years back). However, for a long time after that, there was a land connection between North America and Eurasia through the Arctic (islands of Arctic Canada, Greenland, central and East End The Arctic, which was then dry land). Northern part Hyperborea was the habitat of the white gods (Adityas, Gandharvas, Apsaras (and here), etc.), and later - their human descendants of the Aryans
There is one such place on Earth where white clouds float across the blue sky, where, surrounded by mountains, there is an archaeological site, long forgotten by people. This place is distinguished by pink-purple sunsets and sunrises, and the stars at night are striking in their clarity. Sometimes you can see a galloping deer, and sometimes a whole herd of wild boars. There is some kind of unusual purity, it smells of olives and the scent of the flowers of fig trees, you breathe easily, and you get the feeling that you are standing where more than one page of a history book has been leafed through. The voice of the wind and the chirping of birds only occasionally drowns out the prayer chants coming from the mosques of the surrounding villages. Archaeologists assume that the remains of the buildings belong to the Byzantine period, but most likely they belong to an even more ancient time, as they were dug deep from the ground. This place is called Kfar Rut (that is, the village of Ruth). It is marked on the map with a mosaic on one of the ancient synagogues in Israel. Who were these people, and why did their civilization disappear? We may never know, but we will be able to experience this period while being there, because this whole place breathes with ancient history.
19. Ancient China and Pasifida-Mu
Ancient China known as China Han, like other civilizations, was born from the vast Pacific continent of Mu. As for the continent or the continent of Mu, it could have been North America after its separation from Eurasia 135 million years ago ... Pacifida (or Pasifida, also the Continent of Mu) is a hypothetical sunken continent in the Pacific Ocean. In the ancient myths of different peoples, an island or land in place is often mentioned The Pacific but the "information" varies ... Ancient Chinese records are known for descriptions of celestial chariots and jade production, which they shared with the Maya. Indeed, ancient Chinese and Mayan languages appear to be very similar.
The mutual influences of China and Central America on each other are evident, both in the field of linguistics and in mythology, religious symbolism, and even trade. The ancient Chinese invented many things, from toilet paper to earthquake detectors and rocket technology and printing techniques. In 1959, archaeologists discovered aluminum strips made several thousand years ago, this aluminum is obtained from raw materials using electricity.
20. Europeans of the Tarim Basin
1000 years before any East-West relationship was established, hundreds of human mummies were unveiled in the Chinese desert. In 1988, American scientist Victor Mayer went to the provincial Chinese museum. He had no particular goal, the researcher of ancient Chinese texts just wanted to find something interesting to work with. But what he found amazed him and turned modern ideas about the history of China upside down.
In one of the halls of the museum there were mummies. The bodies looked like people had died recently, but according to the museum, they were several thousand years old. Found in the late 1970s by a Chinese expedition in the Tarim Basin between the cities of Urumqi and Loulan, they have remained unexplored. The most famous of them are the so-called Cherchensky man and the Loulan beauty. Where did these people, who outwardly resemble the European race, come from? Why were they buried in China? How did they end up with tools that did not exist at that time in any part of the globe, and what was their earthly purpose?
This is how the theory of the migration of peoples to the Tarim Basin around 2500 BC arose. e. These peoples brought with them various elements of civilization: a spoked wheel, bronze, thereby providing big influence to the Mongoloid tribes. The theory has many confirmations: in Chinese words denoting a horse, a cow, a cart clearly contain Indo-European roots. In addition, there are legends in local folklore about blue-eyed fair-haired people who were the first rulers of the Celestial Empire.
Until the burials were discovered in 1977, Chinese culture was believed to be unique and autonomous. However, these findings cast doubt on the well-known historical facts- mummies were found next to the ruins, indicating that there was whole city, built by white people, and these ruins go along the Great Silk Road. It turns out that it was the strangers who built the Great Silk Road, and not the Chinese, as previously thought.
Nowadays, batteries are used almost everywhere. But they are not a modern invention. Some scientists believe that the first battery was invented 250 BC. An "ancient battery" was found near Baghdad in 1938. It looks like a large earthenware jug with an asphalt cork, inside which is an iron rod, surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with vinegar or other electrolytic liquid, it produces 0.2 to 2 volts of electricity.
In terms of functionality, this design is similar to our batteries, but has a rougher design. Why were they used? In order for liquid metals such as gold, silver, chromium to adhere to the surface during the gilding process. This technology is still used today, only in a more perfect variation.
The iron pillar in Delhi, which was built more than 1600 years ago, is not considered an indicator of scientific and technological progress, but many scientists are interested in why this column, more than six meters long, has been standing for more than a thousand years and still does not rust?
By itself, it is not considered a unique object, but it reflects the skills of the metallurgists of that time. In Dhara, there are ancient cannons that have not rusted, as well as other similar pillars. This may indicate that the unique methodology by which such projects were developed has been lost. Who knows what heights in the field of metallurgy mankind could achieve if it possessed the lost knowledge.
In ancient times, our ancestors used caves as shelter from predators. After a while, people came to the idea of increasing the living space of the cave. Today, technology allows huge tunnels to be dug.
Longyu Caves were discovered in 1992. A local resident wanted to pump out water from a small hole, but as a result he discovered a huge man-made cave. There are 24 caves in total, which were created by hand. They all begin their history 2500 years ago. Many rooms are symmetrical and have various animals and symbols on the walls that represent nature.
It has been estimated that the Chinese needed to carve a million cubic meters of stone to create them. The interesting thing is what the point is. Since there are no records left, we cannot even guess why this was done.
It is difficult to figure out exactly what this lens was used for, but some scientists hypothesize that it was part of the telescope. This would explain how the Assyrians knew astronomy so well. The lens was created about 3000 years ago, and was found by an archaeologist from England during excavations in 1853.
It has also been hypothesized that Nimrud's lens could have been used as a magnifying glass for simple carvings, or it could have been used to make fire.
A Scottish physicist invented the modern seismograph in 1841. However, it cannot be said that he was the first to create a device for measuring seismic activity. The Chinese created a device that could detect earthquakes in advance as early as 132.
The device was a large bronze vessel with a diameter of just under two meters. He had eight dragons that looked in all directions. Each of the kites pointed to a toad with an open mouth. It is not clear how exactly this device worked, but scientists suggest that a pendulum was placed in the center, which began to move in the direction of the earthquake.
This remarkable find proves once again how much we underestimated our ancestors. Gebekli Tepe is a huge temple complex, which is estimated at 12,000 years old. What makes it so unique? This is a detailed work of stone. Means that at the time, technology allowed humans to handle huge boulders.
Initially, researchers believed that this place was an ancient cemetery, but a long study showed that the construction of the temple lasted for many years, and it was a rich religious building.
Gebekli Tepe is located three hundred meters from the neighboring valley. This is probably the first place for spiritual ceremonies. It is surprising how skillfully the stones are worked, because at that time there were no metal tools yet.
On the this moment you can pave a path through the entire planet using the GPS system. However, the people of that time did not have our technology. Ancient sailors relied on the movement of planets and stars to navigate the sea.
The found device remained unexplored for many years, and only a thorough examination helped to understand what it was used for.
The Antikythera mechanism could track the movements of celestial bodies with incredible accuracy. It has gears, just like modern watches. However, at the time it was created, no such technology existed. Although many parts of the find were lost, it was discovered that the device had seven hands that resemble a clock. Obviously, they indicated the direction of movement of the seven planets that were known at that time.
This is the only find that speaks of the great contribution of the Greeks to science. By the way, the device is over 2,200 years old. How it was used remains a mystery to this day. It is unlikely that this will give us an impetus for the development of new directions, but it has become useful for educational purposes.
The Lycurgus Cup dates back to the fourth century AD. It depicts Lycurgus being trapped. Visually, this is a very beautiful thing. Inside the green glass are millions of incredibly small fragments of gold and silver. The color of the cup depends on the angle from which you look at it.
Damascus steel began to be made around the third century. It was part of the Syrian arms market until the 17th century, then the technology was lost, but some experts believe that it can be restored. You can easily recognize Damascus steel by its characteristic pattern on the product. Steel is considered to be incredibly strong, which makes it resistant to damage.
Due to their rarity, Damascus steel blades are in great demand among collectors to this day.
The first steam engine was patented in 1698 by Thomas Saveni. Indeed, it became useful in 1781 when James Watt adapted it for industrial use. Despite this, about two thousand years ago, the great mathematician Heron had already invented the steam engine.
The water, located in a closed sphere, warmed up at the base, there were pipes at the top, looking in different directions. When ejecting steam, they turned the entire device along its axis due to the torque.
The device was first described in the first century. It is still not clear for what purpose it was created. Perhaps it was just an attribute of the temple of science in which it was kept. Just imagine what the world would be like today if the creator thought of substituting an ordinary wheel for this engine.
Egyptian labyrinth keeps the secrets of ancient civilizations Everyone knows about the existence on the territory of Egypt mysterious pyramids, but not everyone knows that a huge labyrinth is hidden under them. The secrets stored there are able to reveal the secrets of not only the Egyptian civilization, but of all mankind. This ancient egyptian labyrinth was located next to Lake Birket-Karun west of the Nile River 80 kilometers south of modern city Cairo. It was built in 2300 BC and was a building surrounded by a high wall, where there were one and a half thousand above-ground and the same number of underground rooms. The total area of the labyrinth was 70 thousand square meters. Visitors were not allowed to inspect the underground rooms of the labyrinth; there were tombs for pharaohs and crocodiles - animals sacred in Egypt. Above the entrance to the Egyptian labyrinth were inscribed the following words: "Madness or death - this is what the weak or the vicious find here, only the strong and the good find life and immortality here." Many frivolous entered this door and did not leave it. This is an abyss that brings back only the courageous in spirit. The intricate system of corridors, courtyards and rooms in the labyrinth was so intricate that without a guide, an outsider could never find a way or an exit in it. The labyrinth was plunged into absolute darkness, and when some doors were opened, they made a terrible sound, like thunder or the roar of a thousand lions. Before big holidays, mysteries were held in the labyrinth and ritual sacrifices, including human ones, were made. So the ancient Egyptians showed their respect to the god Sebek - a huge crocodile. In ancient manuscripts, information has been preserved that crocodiles actually lived in the labyrinth, reaching 30 meters in length. The Egyptian labyrinth is an unusually large structure - its base measures 305 x 244 meters. The Greeks admired this labyrinth more than any other Egyptian building, with the exception of the pyramids. In antiquity, it was called the "labyrinth" and served as a model for the labyrinth in Crete. Except for a few columns, it is now completely destroyed. Everything we know about him is based on ancient evidence, as well as on the results of excavations carried out by Sir Flinders Petrie, who attempted to reconstruct this structure. The earliest mention belongs to the Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus (about 484-430 BC), he mentions in his "History" that Egypt is divided into twelve administrative districts ruled by twelve rulers, and further gives his own impressions of this structure: “And so they decided to leave a common monument, and having decided this, they erected a labyrinth a little higher than Lake Merida, near the so-called City of Crocodiles. I saw this labyrinth inside: it is beyond description. After all, if you collect all the walls and great structures erected by the Hellenes, then in general it would turn out that less labor was spent on them and Money than this one maze. And yet the temples at Ephesus and at Samos are very remarkable. Of course, the pyramids are huge structures and each of them is worth in size many creations of Hellenic building art put together, although they are also large. However, the labyrinth is larger than these pyramids. It has twenty courtyards with gates facing one another, six facing north and six facing south, adjacent to each other. Outside, there is a single wall around them. Inside this wall there are chambers of two kinds: one underground, others above the ground, numbering 3000, exactly 1500 each. I myself had to go through the above-ground chambers and examine them, and I speak of them as an eyewitness. I know about the underground chambers only from stories: the Egyptian caretakers never wanted to show them to me, saying that there are tombs of the kings who erected this labyrinth, as well as the tombs of sacred crocodiles. That is why I am only talking about the lower chambers by hearsay. The upper chambers, which I had to see, surpass all the creations of human hands. Passages through chambers and winding passages through courtyards, being very confusing, cause a feeling of endless amazement: from courtyards you go to chambers, from chambers to galleries with colonnades, then back to chambers and from there back to courtyards. Everywhere there are stone roofs, as well as walls, and these walls are covered with many relief images. Each courtyard is surrounded by columns of carefully fitted pieces of white stone. And on the corner at the end of the labyrinth there is a pyramid with a height of 40 orgies, with huge figures carved on it. An underground passage leads to the pyramid. " Manetho, a high priest of Egypt from Heliopolis, who wrote in Greek, notes in his surviving work from the third century BC. e. and dedicated to the history and religion of the ancient Egyptians, that the creator of the labyrinth was the fourth pharaoh of the XII dynasty, Amenemhat III, whom he calls Lahares, Lampares or Labaris and about whom he writes: “He ruled for eight years. In the Arsinoi nome, he built himself a tomb - a labyrinth with many rooms. " Between 60 and 57 BC. e. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus lived temporarily in Egypt. In his Historical Library, he claims that the Egyptian labyrinth is in good condition. “After the death of this ruler, the Egyptians again became independent and enthroned a compatriot ruler, Mendes, whom some call Marrus. He did not conduct any military actions, but built a tomb for himself, known as the Labyrinth. This Labyrinth is remarkable not so much for its size as for the cunning and skillfulness of its internal structure, which cannot be reproduced. For when a person enters this Labyrinth, he cannot find his own way back, and he needs the help of an experienced guide. to whom the structure of the building is well known. Some also say that Daedalus, who visited Egypt and was delighted with this wonderful creation, built a similar labyrinth for the Cretan king Minos, in which he was kept. as the myth says, a monster named Minotaur. However, the Cretan labyrinth no longer exists, perhaps it was razed to the ground by one of the rulers, or the time did this job, while the Egyptian labyrinth stood completely intact until our times. " Diodorus himself did not see this building, he only gathered together the data that were available to him. When describing the Egyptian labyrinth, he used two sources and failed to recognize that both of them tell about the same building. Soon after compiling his first description, he begins to consider this structure as a common monument to the twelve nomarchs of Egypt: “There was no ruler in Egypt for two years, and riots and murders began among the people, then the twelve most important leaders united in a sacred union. They met for a council in Memphis and made an agreement of mutual loyalty and friendship and proclaimed themselves rulers. They ruled in accordance with their vows and promises, maintained mutual agreement for fifteen years, after which they decided to build a common tomb for themselves. Their plan was such that, just as during life they cherished a heartfelt disposition to each other, they were given equal honors, so after death their bodies should rest in one place, and a monument erected by their order should symbolize the glory and power of the buried there. This was to surpass the creations of its predecessors. And so, having chosen a place for their monument near Lake Merida in Libya, they built a tomb of a magnificent stone in the shape of a square, but each side of it was equal in size to one stage. Descendants could never surpass the skill of carved decorations and any other work. A hall was built behind the fence, surrounded by columns, forty on each side, and the roof of the courtyard was made of solid stone, hollowed out from the inside and decorated with skillful and multicolored painting. The courtyard was also decorated with magnificent picturesque images of the places where each of the rulers came from, as well as the temples and sanctuaries that were there. In general, it is known about these rulers that the scope of their plans for the construction of their tomb - both in size and cost - was so great that if they had not been overthrown before the construction was completed, their creation would have remained unsurpassed. And after these rulers reigned in Egypt for fifteen years, it happened that the rule passed to one person ... "Unlike Diodorus, the Greek geographer and historian Strabo of Amasa (about 64 BC - 24 AD). B.C.) gives a description based on personal impressions. In 25 BC. e. he, as part of the retinue of the prefect of Egypt, Gaius Cornelius Gallus, traveled to Egypt, about which he narrates in detail in his Geography: “In addition, this nome has a labyrinth - a structure that can be compared with pyramids - and next to it is the tomb of the king , the labyrinth builder. Near the first entrance to the canal, going forward 30 or 40 stadia, we reach a flat terrain in the form of a trapezoid, where the village is located, and Grand Palace , consisting of many palace rooms, as many as there were nomes in former times, because there are so many halls that are surrounded by adjacent colonnades, all these colonnades are located in one row and along one wall, which is like a long wall with halls in front of her, and the paths leading to them are directly opposite the wall. In front of the entrances to the halls there are many long covered vaults with winding paths between them, so that without a guide, no stranger can find either an entrance or an exit. It is surprising that the roof of each chamber consists of one stone, and that the covered vaults, in the same width, are covered with slabs of solid stone of an extremely large size, without any admixture of wood anywhere or any other substance. Climbing the roof of a small height, since the labyrinth is one-story, you can see a stone plain, consisting of stones of the same large size; from here, descending again into the halls, you can see that they are arranged in a row and rest on 27 columns, their walls are also made of stones of no less size. At the end of this building, which occupies more space than a stage, there is a tomb - a quadrangular pyramid, each side of which is about a plephra in width at an equal height. The name of the deceased there is Imandez. They say that such a number of halls were built due to the custom of all nomes gathering here according to the meaning of each, together with their priests and priestesses to perform sacrifices, bring gifts to the gods and for legal proceedings on important matters. Each nome was assigned a hall assigned to him. " A little further, in the 38th chapter, Strabo gives a description of his trip to the sacred crocodiles Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis). This place is located next to the labyrinth, so it can be assumed that he also saw the labyrinth. Pliny the Elder (23 / 24-79 AD) in his Natural History gives the most detailed description of the labyrinth. “Let's also say about labyrinths, the most outlandish creation of human extravagance, but not fictional, as they might think. To this day, the one that was created first, as reported, 3600 years ago, by King Petesuchus or Titoes, still exists in Egypt in the Heracleopolis nome, although Herodotus says that all this structure was created by 12 kings, the last of whom was Psammetichus. Its purpose is interpreted in different ways: according to Demotel, it was the royal palace of Moteris, according to Lycea - the tomb of Merida, according to the interpretation of many, it was built as a sanctuary of the Sun, which is most likely. In any case, there is no doubt that Daedalus borrowed from here the model of the labyrinth that he created in Crete, but reproduced only its one-hundredth part, which contains the rotation of paths and intricate passages back and forth, not as we see on pavements or in Field games for boys, containing many thousands of walking steps on a small patch, and with many built-in doors for deceiving moves and returning to the same wanderings. It was the second labyrinth after the Egyptian, the third was on Lemnos, the fourth in Italy, all covered with hewn stone vaults. In Egyptian, which surprises me personally, the entrance and the columns are made of stone from Paros, the rest of it is composed of blocks of syenite - pink and red granite, which can hardly be destroyed even for centuries, even if only with the assistance of the Heracleopolis who belonged to this structure with extraordinary hatred. It is impossible to describe in detail the location of this structure and each part separately, since it is divided into regions, as well as into prefectures, which are called nomes, and 21 of their names are given as many vast premises, in addition, it contains temples of all the gods of Egypt, and Moreover, in 40 aedicles of closed chapels of funeral temples, Nemesis enclosed many pyramids of forty girths each, occupying six arur 0.024 hectares at the base. Tired of walking, they fall into that famous tangled trap of roads. Moreover, here are the second floors high on the slopes, and the porticoes descending by ninety steps. Inside - columns of porphyrite stone, images of gods, statues of kings, monstrous figures. Some rooms are arranged in such a way that when the doors are opened, a terrible thunder is heard inside. Most of them pass in the dark. And beyond the wall of the labyrinth there are other huge structures - they are called the pteron of the colonnade. From there, passages dug under the ground lead to other underground rooms. Something was restored there only by Kherremon alone, the eunuch of the king Nekteb [Nektaneba I], 500 years before Alexander the Great. It is also reported that during the construction of the vaults of cut stone, the supports were made from the back trunks [of the Egyptian acacia], boiled in oil. " Description of the Roman geographer Pomponius Mela, who in 43 AD e. stated in his essay "On the State of the Earth", consisting of three books, the views of the known world adopted in Rome: “The labyrinth built by Psammetichus encompasses three thousand halls and twelve palaces with one continuous wall. Its walls and roof are marble. The maze has only one entrance. There are countless winding passages inside it. All of them are directed in different directions and communicate with each other. In the corridors of the labyrinth there are porticoes, which are similar to each other in pairs. Corridors go around each other. This creates a lot of confusion, but you can figure it out. " The authors of antiquity do not offer any single, consistent definition of this outstanding structure. However, since in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs only sanctuaries and structures dedicated to the cult of the dead (tombs and burial temples) were built from stone, then all their other buildings, including palaces, were built of wood and clay bricks, so the labyrinth could not be a palace, an administrative center or a monument (provided that Herodotus, speaking of a “monument, a monument”, does not mean “a tomb, which is quite possible). On the other hand, since the pharaohs of the XII dynasty built pyramids as tombs, the only possible purpose of the "labyrinth" remains the temple. According to the very plausible explanation given by Alan B. Lloyd, it probably served as a burial temple for Amenemhat III, who was buried in a pyramid nearby, as well as a temple dedicated to some gods. The answer to the question of how this "labyrinth" got its name also remains unconvincing. Attempts have been made to derive this term from the Egyptian words "al lopa-rohun, laperohunt" or "ro-per-ro-henet", meaning "the entrance to the temple by the lake." But between these words and the word "labyrinth" there is no phonetic correspondence, and nothing similar was found in the Egyptian texts. It has also been suggested that the throne name of Amenemhat III, Lamares, the Hellenized version of which sounds like "Labaris", comes from the name of the temple of Labaris. Such a possibility cannot be ruled out, but this does not explain the essence of the phenomenon. Moreover, a strong argument against such an interpretation is the fact that Herodotus, the author of the earliest written source, does not mention Amenemhat III and his throne names. He also does not mention how the Egyptians themselves called this structure ("Amenemkhet lives"). He simply tells about the "labyrinth", not considering it necessary to explain what it is. He uses a Greek term to describe a huge, awe-inspiring, elaborate stone structure, as if the term expresses some general meaning, a concept. It is this kind of descriptions that are given in all other written sources, and only the authors of a later time mention the danger of getting lost. Therefore, we can conclude that the term "labyrinth" in this case is used metaphorically, it serves as a name for a building, an outstanding structure made of stone. M. Budimir, resorting to historical and linguistic argumentation, came to a similar conclusion, interpreting the labyrinth as a term denoting "a building of great magnitude." The German Jesuit and scientist Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680), known to contemporaries as Doctor of a Hundred Arts (Doctor centum artium), tried to reconstruct the Egyptian "labyrinth" based on ancient descriptions. In the center of the drawing is a labyrinth, which Kircher may have modeled from Roman mosaics. Around there are images symbolizing the twelve nomes - the administrative units of Ancient Egypt, described by Herodotus. This drawing, engraved on copper (50 X 41 cm), is included in the book “ Tower of babel, or Archontology "(" Turris Babel, Sive Archontologia ", Amsterdam, 1679). In 2008, a group of researchers from Belgium and Egypt began to study objects hidden underground, hoping to find and unravel the mystery of the mysterious underground complex of an ancient civilization. The Belgian-Egyptian expedition, armed with scientific instruments, and technology allowing to look into the secret of the rooms hidden under the sand, was able to confirm the presence of an underground temple near the pyramid of Amenemkhet III. Without a doubt, the expedition led by Petri brought one of the most incredible discoveries in Egyptian history out of the darkness of oblivion, shedding light on greatest discovery... But if you think that the opening took place, and you do not know about it, then you are wrong with the conclusion. This significant discovery was hidden from society, and no one could understand why this happened. The results of the expedition, publication in the scientific journal NRIAG, the conclusions of the study, a public lecture at the University of Ghent - all this was "frozen", since the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, banned all reports of the find, allegedly due to the imposed sanctions of the Egyptian service safety, protecting the monument of antiquity. Louis de Cordier, and other researchers of the expedition patiently waited for a response about excavations in the labyrinth area for several years, with the hope of recognition of the find and the desire to make it public, but unfortunately this did not happen. But even if researchers have confirmed the existence of an underground complex, excavations must still be carried out to investigate the incredible conclusion of scientists. After all, it is believed that the treasures of the underground labyrinth can provide answers to the countless historical secrets of the ancient Egyptian civilization, as well as provide new knowledge about the history of mankind and other civilizations. The only question here is why is this undeniably incredible historic discovery fell under the yoke of "default"?
The culture
During its history, mankind has lost many civilizations. Explorers discover huge temples and giant treasure pits that were once stately palaces.
Why did people leave the once prosperous cities, centers and trade routes? There are often no answers to these questions.
Here are 10 civilizations whose disappearance is still a mystery.
1. Maya
The Mayan civilization is a classic example of a civilization that has been completely lost. Her monuments, cities and roads swallowed the jungle Central America, and the inhabitants were scattered in small villages.
Although the Mayan language and traditions have survived to this day, civilization peaked in the first millennium AD, when stately architectural structures and large-scale agricultural projects covered most of the Yucatan. Today this territory stretches from Mexico to Guatemala and Belize.... The Maya made extensive use of writing, mathematics, intricate calendars, and sophisticated engineering to build pyramids and terraced fields.
It is believed that the mysterious decline of the Mayan civilization began around 900, and there are several assumptions about this. Among them there is evidence that climate change in Yucatan and civil wars have led to hunger and abandonment urban centers.
2. Indian civilization
The Indian or, as it is also called, the Harappan civilization is one of the greatest civilizations the ancient world... Thousands of years ago, it stretched across India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan and boasted 5 million inhabitants, which was about 10 percent of the world's population.
Its trade routes, massive multi-storey buildings were abandoned more than 3000 years ago. There are several assumptions about the decline of the Indian civilization. By latest version like Maya, this ancient civilization suffered from gradual changes in rainfall, which made it difficult to grow enough food for the huge population.
3. Easter Island
The inhabitants of Easter Island are yet another classic "lost" civilization made famous by the mysterious, huge statues of human heads that line the island's coastline.
How did the thriving Polynesian civilization disappear after centuries of ancient monuments were built here, sailing hundreds of kilometers across the ocean from one island to another?
According to one hypothesis, the Rapanui inhabitants of Easter Island were very developed and intelligent, but their methods were not rational. At the time they settled on Easter Island between 700 and 1200 AD, they used all the trees and agricultural resources of the island and they had to move.
4. Chatal Huyuk
Chatal Huyuk, often called the most ancient city in the world, was part of a major urban development and agricultural civilization that flourished between 9000 and 7000 years ago in what is now central Turkey.
Chatal Huyuk was distinguished by a unique structure, unlike other cities... There were no roads here, and instead the inhabitants erected what looked like a beehive, where houses were built on top of each other, and the entrance was located on the roof. It is believed that outside the walls, people grew everything that was possible, from almonds to wheat. Residents decorated the entrance to the house with skulls of bulls, and the bodies of the deceased were buried underground on the floor.
Civilization existed even before the Iron Age and before the advent of literacy, but, nevertheless, there is evidence that it was a highly developed society, including art and rituals. Why did people leave the city? There is no answer to this question yet.
5. Cahokia
Long before the Europeans arrived in North America, the so-called Mississippi built a large city surrounded by huge earthen pyramids - mounds and structures of wood, similar to Stonehenge, in order to track the movement of the stars.
The flourishing of civilization fell on AD 600-1400. and the city stretched over 15 sq. km with hundreds of mounds and a huge area in the center. Its population was about 40,000 people, many of whom were skilled artists, architects, farmers, who created amazing works of art from shells, copper and stone. It is not entirely clear what caused people to leave the city, but some archaeologists believe that perhaps disease and hunger have begun in the city and the people went to more favorable places.
6. Gebekli Tepe
One of the most mysterious structures discovered is the Gebekli Tepe complex, built around 10,000 BC. and located in the modern southern part of Turkey.
The complex is a series of round nesting structures decorated with carvings in the form of animals, which is probably served as a temple for nomadic tribes in this area... It was not a permanent residence, although several priests may have lived here all year round. It is the first permanent human-built structure to be discovered, and it probably represents the pinnacle of the local Mesopotamian civilization of that era.
What did people worship? Where did they come to this place? What else were they doing? At the moment, archaeologists are carefully working to provide answers to these questions.
7. Angkor
Many people have heard of the outstanding Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. But this is just a small part of that huge civilization during the Khmer Empire, which was called Angkor. The city flourished during the late Middle Ages in AD 1000-1200 and was supported by about a million people.
There is many reasons for the decline of Angkor, from wars to natural disasters... Most of civilization is now buried in the jungle. It is still not clear how many people actually lived in the city, which was distinguished by its amazing architecture and Hindu culture. Some archaeologists believe that given all the roads and canals connecting many of its regions, it can be assumed that this is him was the largest city in the world at its heyday.
8. Turquoise Mountain
Although not all destroyed monuments represent lost civilizations, the Jama minaret is just such a structure. Built in 1100, this magnificent architectural structure was part of a city in Afghanistan. Archaeological excavations indicate that it was a multinational territory, where many religions coexisted, including Jewish, Christian and Muslim, whose representatives lived harmoniously here for hundreds of years.
Perhaps the unique minaret was part of the lost ancient capital Afghanistan which is called Turquoise Mountain.
9. Nya
Now an abandoned place in the Taklamakan Desert in western China, Nya was a thriving city on the famous Silk Road 1600 years ago. Over the past two centuries, archaeologists have unearthed countless treasures in the dusty and crumbling remains of what was once a majestic city with wooden houses and temples.
In a sense, Nya is a relic of the lost civilization of the Great Silk Road that linked China to central Asia, Africa and Europe. Many people have traveled along the Silk Road, including wealthy merchants, pilgrims and scholars who exchanged ideas and created a complex, enlightened culture wherever the Silk Road passed. The ancient route underwent many changes, but its importance as a trade route declined during the Mongol Empire and fell into decay in the 1300s.
10. Nabta Playa
Around 7000 - 6500 BC An incredible urban community has emerged in what is now the Egyptian Sahara.
The people who live here domesticated livestock, engaged in farming, pottery and left behind stone structures that indicate the study of astronomy. Archaeologists believe that the inhabitants of Nabta Playa were the forerunners of the civilization that reigned in large cities Nile that appeared in Egypt thousands of years ago.
Although the Nabta civilization is now located in an arid region, it originated at a time when rainfall was different, filling the area with a lake, which allowed this culture to flourish.
Lost cities are often mentioned in the literature on past civilizations. The most famous of them is the legendary Atlantis, swallowed up by the sea and lost forever. However, the story of Atlantis is not unique, other cultures have similar legends about cities that disappeared under water, under the sands of the desert, or buried under thick layers of vegetation. Most of these legendary cities have never been found, but with the help of new technologies, some have been discovered and others are waiting to be discovered.
Iram multicolumn: Atlantis of the Sands
Ruins of a fortress in the city of Iram. Photo: Wikipedia
Arabia also has its own legend about a lost civilization, the so-called Atlantis of the Sands - the lost city mentioned in the Quran. It is also known as the Iram of the many columns.
The Qur'an says that Iram has high buildings and is inhabited by Adits. Since they turned away from Allah and became immoral, the Prophet Hood was sent to urge them to return to worship Allah. But the people of Iram did not listen to Hood's words. As a result, the people were punished: a sandstorm was directed at the city, it lasted for seven nights and eight days. After that, Iram disappeared into the sands, as if he had never existed.
The story of Iram says that people should obey Allah and not behave arrogantly. Many believe that such a city really existed.
In the early 1990s, a team of archaeologists led by Nicholas Klapp, an amateur archaeologist and filmmaker, announced that they had found the lost city of Ubar, which had been identified as Iram. This was achieved using remote sensing from NASA satellites, Landsat data and imagery from the Challenger space shuttle. These resources have allowed archaeologists to identify old trade routes and the points at which they converge. One of these points was the famous well in Shisra, Dhofar province in Oman. During excavations, a large octagonal fortress with high walls and high towers was discovered there. Unfortunately, most of the fortress was destroyed by sinking into a sinkhole.
Sunken city of Helik
Excavation of Helika. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The story of the death of Atlantis is one of the most famous. However, there is a similar story about the sunken city of Helik. Unlike Atlantis, there is written evidence about it, which helped archaeologists to determine the true location of the lost city.
Helik was located in Achaia, in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. During its heyday, Helik was the leader of the Achaean Union, which consisted of 12 cities.
Helika's patron god was Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. The city was indeed located in one of the most seismically active zones in Europe. In Helika there was a temple and a sanctuary of Poseidon, where a bronze statue of Poseidon and coins with his image were found.
In 373 BC. the city was destroyed. Prior to that, there were already some signs of the city's doom, including the appearance of "huge pillars of flame" and the massive migration of small animals from the coast to the mountains a few days before the disaster. A strong earthquake and then a powerful tsunami from the Gulf of Corinth wiped out the city of Helik from the face of the earth. No one was left alive.
Although the search for the actual location of Helik began at the beginning of the 19th century, it was not found until the end of the 20th century. This sunken city has been one of the greatest mysteries of underwater archeology. However, it was the belief that the city was somewhere in the Gulf of Corinth that made its discovery impossible. In 1988, the Greek archaeologist Dora Katsonopoulo suggested that the "poros" mentioned in ancient texts could not have been in the sea, but in the inner lagoon. If so, then it is possible that Helik is inland, and the lagoon has been filled with silt for millennia. In 2001, archaeologists discovered the ruins of a city at Achaea in Greece. In 2012, the layer of silt and river sediments was removed, then it became obvious that this is Helik.
Urkesh: the lost city of the Hurrians
Excavations in Urkesh. Photo: Archaeological Institute of America
Ancient Urkesh was once major center the ancient Middle Eastern Hurrian civilization, known in mythology as the home of the primordial god. Little was known about Urkesh and the mysterious Hurrian civilization, as the ancient city had been buried under the desert sands for thousands of years and lost in the pages of history. However, in the 1980s, archaeologists discovered Tell Mozan, a mound that housed the ruins of an ancient temple and palace. A decade later, researchers drew the fascinating conclusion that Tell Mozan is the lost city of Urkesh.
Situated in northern Syria, close to its current borders with Turkey and Iraq, ancient Urkesh was a large city in Mesopotamia that flourished between 4000 and 1300 AD. BC. It is one of the earliest known cities in history.
Excavations have revealed not only brick structures, but also rare stone structures - a monumental staircase and a deep underground mine - "the passage to the underworld" - which was associated with religious rituals.
Urkesh was home to monumental public buildings, including a large temple and palace. Many of them are dated to the Akkadian period (about 2350-2200 BC)
Sunken Guayelod-I-Garth in Wales
Remains of a petrified forest on the coast of Wales. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Guaelod was located between the Ramsay and Barsi Islands in the area known today as Cardigan Bay in western Wales, UK. It is believed that Guayelod jutted out into the bay for 32 km.
In the 6th century, Guayelod was ruled by the legendary king Gwidno Garanhir. Until about the 17th century, Guayelod was known as Maes Gwyddno ("land of Gwydno"), named after this Welsh ruler. An earlier version of the legend associated with Maes Gwyddno claims that the area went under water due to the fact that the locks were not closed in time during a storm.
Legend says that Guyeloda had extremely fertile soil, an acre of land there cost four times more than elsewhere. But the city depended on a dam to protect it from the sea. At low tide, the sluices were opened to allow water to drain, and at high tide, the gates were closed.
A later version states that Gwindo Garanhir appointed his friend Seitennin, who was a drunkard, to guard the dam gate. One night a storm came from the southwest when Seitennin was at a party in the palace, he drank too much and fell asleep, so he did not close the floodgates in time. As a result, 16 villages were flooded. Gwindo Garanhir and his retinue were forced to leave the fertile valleys and seek refuge in less fertile areas.
Some believe in the existence of Guayelod and even plan to organize an underwater expedition to find this lost land. Remnants of prehistoric forests sometimes appear on the surface of the water during stormy weather or during low tides. In addition, there were found fossils with traces of humans and animals on them, as well as some tools.
Searching for the Lost City of the Monkey God
Photo: public domain / Wikimedia Commons
An aerial survey of the dense jungle of Honduras was conducted two years ago. It was attended by scientists inspired by local legends of the lost ancient city... Thereafter, news quickly spread that archaeologists had found La Ciudad Blanca (White City, known as the Lost City of the Monkey God). A ground expedition recently completed, which confirmed that aerial photography did indeed show traces of an extinct civilization. Archaeologists have discovered vast areas, earthworks, mounds, earthen pyramids and dozens of different artifacts belonging to a mysterious culture that is virtually unknown.
La Ciudad Blanca is a mysterious city located, according to legends, in the pristine rainforest of La Mosquitia in eastern Honduras. Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortez said he received "reliable information" about the ancient ruins, but did not find them. In 1927, pilot Charles Lindbergh reported that, flying over the eastern territories of Honduras, he saw monuments built of white stone.
In 1952, explorer Tibor Sekelj went in search of the White City, the expedition was funded by the Ministry of Culture of Honduras, but he returned empty-handed. Research continued and the first significant discovery was made in 2012.
In May 2012, a team of researchers led by documentary filmmaker Steve Elkins conducted aerial photography of La Mosquitia using remote sensing (lidar). Scanning showed the presence of artificial characteristics, all media reported a possible discovery lost city God of the monkeys. In May 2013, additional laser analysis showed the presence of large architectural structures under the canopy. It's time for ground reconnaissance.
The discovery of the long-lost Musasir temple
Iraqi Kurdistan. Photo: Wikimedia
The Musasir temple was dedicated to Khaldi, the supreme god of the kingdom of Urartu, located on Armenian highlands, which extended into the territory where Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Armenia are currently located. The temple was built in the holy city of Ararat in 825 BC. But after Musasir fell, defeated by the Assyrians in the 18th century BC, the ancient temple was lost and only recently rediscovered.
The Musasir Temple dates back to a time when the Urarts, Assyrians and Scythians were at odds trying to gain control of what is now northern Iraq. In ancient scriptures, Musasir is called “the holy city built in the rock”, while the name Musasir means “the exit of the serpent”. The temple is depicted on the Assyrian bas-relief that adorned the palace of King Sargon II in honor of his victory over the "seven kings of Ararat" in 714 BC.
In July 2014, a spectacular announcement was made about the discovery of the long-lost Musasir temple in Kurdistan, in northern Iraq. Life-size sculptures of a man were found, the bases of the columns of the temple dedicated to the god Khaldi.
The discovery was made with the help of locals who stumbled upon the ruins by accident, and Dishad Marf Zamua of Leiden University in the Netherlands researched archaeological finds on site, the most significant of which are the foundations of the columns. Sculptures of bearded men up to 2.3 meters in height are also considered an unusual find. They are made from limestone, basalt or sandstone. Some were partially destroyed over 2,800 years.
Lost city in the jungle of Cambodia
Australian archaeologists have used advanced remote sensing technology to make a remarkable discovery in Cambodia - a 1,200-year-old city older than the famous temple complex Angkor Wat.
Damian Evans, director of the Archaeological Research Center at the University of Sydney in Cambodia, and a small group of scholars work in the Siem Reap area. They obtained permission to use lidar laser technology in the remote jungles of Cambodia. For the first time, the technology was used for archaeological research in tropical Asia, with its help, you can get a complete picture of the area.
The discovery was made when lidar data appeared on a computer screen. “Thanks to this tool, we saw a picture of an entire city that no one knew existed. This is great, ”Evans said.
The amazing find comes after years of searching for Mahendraparvat, a lost medieval city built on Mount Phnom Kulen 350 years before construction began on the famous Angkor Wat temple complex in northwestern Cambodia. The city was part of the Khmer Hindu-Buddhist Empire, which ruled in South-East Asia from 800 to 1400 AD.
The research and excavation of Mahendraparvat is in its early stages, so new discoveries await scientists.
Karal Supe: 5 thousand year old city of pyramids
Karal Supe. Photo: public domain
It is widely believed in historical circles that Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and India are the first civilizations of mankind. However, few know that at the same time, and in some cases even earlier, there was a great civilization of Norte Chico in Soup, Peru - the first famous civilization North and South America. Its capital was the sacred city of Karal - a 5,000-year-old metropolis with a rich culture and monumental architecture - it contained six large pyramidal structures, stone and earthen platforms, temples, amphitheaters, circular squares and residential quarters.
In 1970, archaeologists discovered that the hills, originally identified as natural formations, are stepped pyramids. By 1990 great city Caral was fully manifested. But the most big surprise was ahead - in 2000, radiocarbon analysis of reed bags found during excavations showed that Karal dates from the late archaic period, around 3000 BC. Caral provides ample evidence of the ancient peoples of the Americas.
Karal is one of 18 settlements in the Supe Valley, with an area of about 65 hectares. It is located in the desert in the Supe River Valley. Exceptionally well-preserved, the city impresses with its complex layout and architecture.
Two ancient Mayan cities in the jungle of Mexico
Hellerick / BY-SA 4.0 / wikipedia
In the jungle of Mexico, archaeologists have discovered two ancient Mayan cities: the ruins of pyramidal temples, a palace, an entrance that looks like a monster's mouth, altars and other stone structures. One of the cities was already found several decades ago, but then it was "lost" again. The existence of another city was not previously known - this discovery sheds new light on ancient civilization Mayan.
Expedition leader Ivan Spradzhik from the Research Center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU) explained that the cities were discovered using aerial photographs of the rainforests of central Yucatan in Campeche state, Mexico. Some anomalies were noticed among the dense vegetation of the forest, and a group of scientists was sent there for research.
Archaeologists were stunned when they discovered an entire city between Rio Bec and Chenes. One of the most impressive features of this city is the huge entrance that looks like the mouth of a monster, it is the personification of the deity of fertility. “This is a symbolic entrance to a cave, and in general - a watery underworld, a place of mythological origin of corn and the abode of ancestors,” - Sprajik told Discovery News. Passing through the "underworld", archaeologists saw a large temple-pyramid 20 meters high, as well as the ruins of the palace complex, located around four large squares. There they discovered numerous stone sculptures and several altars with well-preserved bas-reliefs and inscriptions.
Even more startling than the rediscovery of Lagunite was the discovery of ancient ruins nearby, previously unknown, including pyramids, an altar, and a large acropolis surrounded by three temples. These structures are reminiscent of another Mayan city, which was named Tamchen (deep well), as there were found more than thirty deep underground chambers used to collect rainwater.
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