Ancient tech was a lot more advanced - and a lot stranger - than you might know.
Here are some of the craziest ancient inventions scientists STILL can’t explain!
#11.
The Calendar of Warren Field
The Scottish team responsible for preserving ancient and historical sites in the region
wasn’t looking for a historic discovery when they were exploring the grounds of Crathes
Castle near Aberdeenshire in 2004.
But that’s exactly what they found when they discovered some anomalous terrain as
they flew overhead.
A closer exploration revealed that it wasn’t just uneven ground - it was large pits, twelve
in fact, arranged in a precise way as if they meant something.
And as the team examined their location, it became clear they had a much deeper meaning.
And what they discovered has thrown everyone’s understanding of ancient cultures for a loop.
The pits aligned along the southeast horizon, and seemed to point to a precise topographic
point that matches with where the sun rises during the midwinter solstice.
This meant that in a very rudimentary way, the people using it could use the location
of the pits to gauge the passage of time - and more importantly, the passage of seasons.
The earliest calendars known to man were previously believed to be made in Mesopotamia around
five thousand years ago, but when the scientists dated the grounds, they were in for a big
shock.
Because the Calendar of Warren Field dates back a whopping TEN thousand years.
During this time in Scotland, not only weren’t there scientists and astronomers, there weren’t
even villages!
The people who used the calendar were most likely hunter-gatherers and nomads who relied
on migrating animals for food and pelts.
Thus, they had likely used the calendar to predict when in the season they would pass
by - after plenty of trial and error.
What scientists can’t explain is how this VERY early lunar calendar was designed, and
how the knowledge was passed down to build it.
And it’s led many to ask - exactly how much did prehistoric people understand that we
don’t know?
But sometimes, the biggest mysteries are the most humble.
#10.
Roman Concrete
The buildings of ancient Rome are stunning.
Tall, detailed, and incredibly durable.
Wait, how are they still standing and looking habitable two thousand years after they were
built?
Your local school was just built twenty years ago and you’re pretty sure raccoons have
eaten their way into the walls!
Sure, maybe the school cut some corners, but Rome had their own secrets - the concrete
used to build their buildings is so strong and durable that even buildings submerged
under water haven’t degraded much, and many buildings like the Pantheon could be mistaken
for a modern masterpiece.
And the secret is all in the construction.
Roman concrete was mostly similar to the concrete used today, working as a binder that could
seal stones and prevent water from leaking in.
But there were some key differences - for one thing, it was usually coated with stone
or brick, and its components were larger than the sand-like texture of modern concrete.
It hardened over time - but unlike today’s concrete, cracks didn’t form.
This was mostly due to the inclusion of Pozzolanic ash, an ash from a nearby volcano.
Together, it created a waterproof, highly resistant seal that holds up even today after
thousands of years of exposure.
So why aren’t we using it today?
The problem is, scientists know the basic components, but they don’t know the secret
sauce.
It’s been two thousand years, and many chemical components have changed.
The volcanic ash used then isn’t available now - and whatever the exact formulation of
the Roman concrete was, scientists and architects haven’t quite managed to crack it yet.
However, because it would be so cost-effective, tests are ongoing to find the next best thing.
Tests mixing concrete with coal fly ash are ongoing, and it’s believed that this could
make buildings last longer and cost less to build.
Who knows, maybe they’ll keep those raccoons out one of these days.
It’s not the only technology people would love to have today.
#9.
The Ulfberht Swords
Discovering weapons in Europe dating back a thousand years isn’t rare - it was a bloody
place, with constant wars between Kings and skirmishes between tribes.
But in northern Europe, archaeologists started noticing something odd.
They were discovering ancient swords throughout Scandinavia.
They were unusually well-preserved and covered with runes and inscriptions.
And they also had one major thing in common - every single one of them was marked with
the name “Ulfberht”.
But who the heck is Ulfberht?
Historians investigating the swords quickly dated them back to the 9th to 11th centuries,
and noticed that not all of them seemed to have the same production methods.
However, many of them used production methods that weren’t common in Europe at the time.
One even used a unique type of steel that was typically found in Central Asia - thousands
of miles away.
Which made it all the stranger that they had the same inscription and had found their way
to northern Europe.
The name carved in them was of Frankish origin, so scientists believe they may have come from
what’s now the Rhineland.
But that still left many unanswered questions.
Ulfberht swords kept showing up around Europe, mostly in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea,
and soon there were a grand total of 167.
While some were in fragments, all were in good enough condition to be analyzed for their
construction and dating - and that didn’t give many more answers.
The most common solution for the origin of the swords is that the steel may have been
looted or traded, and was then altered into blades - but that doesn’t explain the varying
techniques used, or who the name belongs to.
It could have been a traveling swordsmith who put his marks on the swords he made - or
maybe a chieftain with a very big ego who wanted everyone to know the sponsor of the
blade who killed them.
We know what the swords are for - but this next item is a complete mystery.
#8.
The Phaistos Disc
The Palace of Phaistos is one of the most important archaeological sites on the modern-day
island of Crete, dating back to the Minoan era.
Inside, archaeologists found thousands of items of interest, many that helped illuminate
how the people of the era lived - and one item that they couldn’t explain at all.
It was an ornately decorated clay disc, carefully shaped and covered with hundreds of markings.
It was clearly something that whoever carved it put an enormous amount of effort into,
and the odds are that every mark on the disc has a deep, profound meaning.
The problem is, we have no clue what any of it means.
Discovered in 1908 by an Italian archaeologist, it has a total of 242 markings and 45 different
signs, all made while the clay was still soft by pressing hieroglyphic stamps into it.
It dates back over two thousand years - and much like the famous Voynich Manuscript, it
has proven to be completely indecipherable.
Some claim it is likely a script reflecting a story, maybe a religious text.
Others argue it is more likely an alphabet or a system of symbols reflecting locations
or events.
But no one has gotten any closer to the clue - because it’s the only item of its kind,
and no other item with these symbols was found in the palace or anywhere else.
Which has led some scholars to come up with an alternative theory.
Could the Phaistos Disc be a forgery?
While some insist that the entire thing might be a wild goose chase, most people who have
explored it up close and personal do think that it holds up.
The clay seems to match with other items from the same time period, and a forgery of this
level would be extremely hard.
Many of the markings do reflect current things like people walking, tools, ships, and animals
- but no one is sure how they work together or what they mean.
With no additional context to work of, it seems like the Phaistos Disc will be keeping
its secrets for a good while longer - unless a codex is waiting somewhere deeper in the
island of Crete.
Sometimes, few things are more mysterious than the written word.
#7.
The Codex Gigas
Medieval manuscripts were normally short and to the point, because before the invention
of the printing press even the smallest text was an effort.
The craftsmen would usually work on a single piece of parchment, painstakingly writing
words and making illustrations - and even the slightest slip-up could ruin days of work.
They were typically crafted by monks, who devoted their lives to this challenging task
- but nothing was ever found on the level of the Codex Gigas, the largest illuminated
manuscript in the world at a whopping three feet long, twenty inches wide, and 310 pages.
The illustrations are more detailed than the average - and very vivid and in some places
terrifying.
That’s earned it the sinister nickname “The Devil’s Bible”.
Not just for the distinct portrait of a wide-mouthed, reptilian Satan, but for one factor - most
analysts of the text believe it was put together in a relatively short period, faster than
a single monk could have done it.
The similarity of the illustrations indicate it was likely one hand that crafted it, and
that’s led to a dark legend about the creation.
They say a monk had broken his vows and was about to be put to death, but vowed to create
a manuscript that would bring glory to the monastery.
When his hand was about to give out, he asked for help - from Satan himself, who gave him
the energy and vision he needed to complete it.
After all, how else would he have such a clear picture of the devil?
Needless to say, this is probably all medieval lore, but the book is so large and detailed
that it likely would have been a lifetime opus for any single monk - and the analysis
of the text does not indicate it was crafted over that long.
That means it was either a team of monks with an uncanny ability to mimic each others’
style, or one monk with the world’s strongest work ethic.
The Codex survived being taken as spoils of war, and even reportedly once survived a fire
at the Royal Library in Sweden - and injured a bystander when the massive tome was thrown
out the window!
Kind of puts those book reports you had to do into perspective.
It wasn’t the only ancient text with a lot of unanswered questions.
#6.
The Sumerian King List
Most artifacts don’t go back much further than Sumer, one of the first great Kingdoms.
Based in what’s now Iraq, it was a powerful nation that had many Kings - and like other
nations, they were proud of their history.
Proud enough to keep their names on one of the most impressive architectural and artistic
feats of the Kingdom - the Sumerian King List.
This epic work of the kingdom’s history was carved on clay tablets - and unlike the
Phaistos Disc, we know enough about the Sumerian script to be able to decipher it and unlock
the many secrets of the kingdom’s history.
But in some places, the text raises more questions than it answers.
Many of the Kings it mentions are known to be historical figures.
Others have little record of them beyond the clay tablets.
But what makes the list odd is that it isn’t limited to historical fact.
It contains references to mythological figures like the ancient demi-god Gilgamesh - one
of the very first fictional or mythological figures to ever have stories written about
them.
And that’s not the only place where it diverges from known history - because the tablet features
a story of the Great Flood that sounds suspiciously like the iconic tale of Noah’s Ark.
What’s up with this strange mix of real figures, fictional figures, and tales that
cut across cultural lines?
There are a number of theories, one being that it might be a mix of fact and fiction
akin to how many scientists view the Bible - tales of historical figures and events combined
with cultural myths.
But how did two societies hundreds of years apart come up with the same story about a
Great Flood wiping away everything that came before, possibly as a symbol of divine wrath?
It might be that a great flood did come, devastating the region - enough to affect multiple kingdoms
and have the tale passed down from generation to generation.
If there was a greater explanation for it, every society might come up with its own.
It’s probably the most famous ancient building of all time - except it’s in the wrong place.
#5.
The Pyramid of Hellinikon
The Great Pyramid of Giza and other Egyptian pyramids are among the biggest tourist attractions
in the world, and everyone knows what they’re for - ancient, ornate burial grounds for Pharaohs,
usually made to be just a little bit bigger than the other guy’s.
Other pyramids around the world are usually known to be temples.
But located in the plains of Greece, the remnants of two Pyramids stand.
They look suspiciously like the Egyptian ones, have the same basic structure, and enough
of the pyramids remain for exploration.
There’s just one problem.
No one has any clue what it was meant for.
The most well-known of these pyramids, the Pyramid of Hellinikon, was initially assumed
to be a tomb like its neighbors.
But you know what they say about assuming.
No bodies were found inside, nor any alternative pieces of evidence like cremation urns.
If this was a resting place for a very important person, all evidence of them was long gone.
Also surprising, there were no references to the massive structures in any major Greek
texts.
A similar building was mentioned in a text by Pausanias as a mass grave for soldiers
who died during a particularly pitched battle - but that structure is gone, and evidence
of the larger pyramid’s purpose is long gone.
And the search for answers continues.
The pyramid was first fully excavated in 1937, and the archaeologists exploring raised the
possibility that it may have served as a heavily fortified guard house for soldiers to keep
watch.
The only foreign objects found inside were shards of ceramics and lamps, which might
indicate that the place was occupied by living beings rather than deceased ones.
However, a lot of debate remains over the dating of the pyramids and ultimately their
purpose.
These pyramids were much smaller than their Egyptian counterparts - but maybe even more
mysterious.
But no archaeological site puzzled scientists like one in Bolivia.
#4.
Tiwanaku and Puma Punku
Stonehenge.
Easter Island.
The world is full of ancient sites that seem to be made out of stones far too large to
be transported by humans with no mechanical help.
Some might have been assembled by pulley systems - and a lot of elbow grease - but the fifteen-hundred-year-old
site in rural Bolivia is on another level.
Not only is the ancient construction made out of massive carved stones that weigh hundreds
of tons each, but the stones seem to be extremely even and polished - and don’t display any
telltale chisel marks that would represent the humble method of construction at the time.
And that’s not the only strange thing about it.
Located at the edge of a lake in the Bolivian Andes, these sites are believed to be sacred
locations for the Inca people - with those following the traditional faith holding it
as the location where the world began.
The massive structures are far more advanced than those found in other Inca buildings - leading
scientists to believe they may have had help from other local cultures in pre-colonial
South America.
A close relationship with the local Wari tribe, who had more advanced architecture, may have
made the difference.
But that still doesn’t answer the question - how the heck was this massive temple built?
The largest of the temple’s stone blocks is around 131 tons, with hundreds of these
multi-ton blocks being placed in shape.
While the site has degraded significantly since it was built, and access today is strictly
controlled to avoid any more damage to the structure, those allowed access have found
ornate carvings on the buildings and statues of Gods and mythological figures are found
throughout the site.
While scientists can speculate on how the massive structure was put together, those
responsible have taken their secrets with them into the annals of history.
But this next site seemed to defy the laws of physics.
#3.
The Oracle Room of Hal Saflieni
The Maltese temple-building culture was among the most impressive in the ancient world,
with them building massive structures over five thousand years ago that still have impressive
remnants today.
Serving as a sanctuary and a necropolis, the Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni has been fascinating
archaeologists since it was rediscovered in 1902.
The early days of the excavation were chaotic, with workers throwing out artifacts and remains
to avoid construction on a new housing process being derailed - but it was eventually discovered,
and what was left turned out to be one of the most impressive finds in archaeological
history.
But it was one room in the building that continues to fascinate and confuse.
Constructed in three levels entirely underground, the upper level contained many rooms for burial
or residence.
The lower level seemed to be a grain storage facility.
However, the middle room was the most ornately decorated, and seems to be a massive religious
facility.
One room, named the Oracle Room, was the smallest of the four and had a heavily painted ceiling.
It wasn’t until people entered the room and discussed their findings that they realized
what made it so unique.
Because the second they opened their mouths, their words were projected across the temple.
The Oracle Room has a unique property of magnifying and producing a powerful acoustic boost for
any sound made within it.
It’s believed that this was a way to spread prayers or holy texts to everyone within the
massive facility - but how was this actually achieved?
Perhaps it was just a quirk of the construction - or maybe the ancient Maltese designers actually
understood the science of acoustics far better than people thousands of years later.
The chamber is only explored carefully to avoid causing further damage - and don’t
speak too loudly or you might hear a rumble.
The next invention has home decor specialists everywhere green with envy - or is it red?
#2.
The Lycurgus Cup
It sounds like something out of Harry Potter - a glass chalice that appears to be red in
color.
But when you tilt it the other way, it suddenly transforms - and is a bright, comforting shade
of green.
But it’s not a magical artifact - it’s a real cup dating back to the fourth century
Roman Empire, and it was one of the most puzzling ancient artifacts ever discovered.
This kind of optical illusion is hard to pull off even today - so how did Roman designers
manage to pull it off thousands of years ago?
The secret is something that is thought not just to be far beyond the Romans - but a tool
of the future.
The cup’s magic trick isn’t the only impressive thing about it - the glass carvings on it
are incredibly detailed and focus on a bloody battle of the mythical king Lycurgus.
But the secret of the glass isn’t obvious - it’s buried deep inside.
The crafting of the glass has multiple levels, and starts with the traditional roman glass.
But it has a secret - mixed into the formula is a tiny portion of silver and an even more
minuscule percentage of gold.
They combine together into an alloy, and that creates an effect that changes the color of
the glass as it reflects light.
Sounds simple - but not so much.
Analyzing the glass gave away the secret - so why can’t anyone recreate it with today’s
glass?
If designers had their way, there would be a modern Lycurgus Cup on every kitchen table
next to the bobbleheads.
There have been many attempts, and a 3D-printed material came the closest, but the exact proportion
and makeup of the glass was incredibly hard to recreate - and the Lycurgus Cup remains
one of the most fascinating artifacts of the ancient world.
But no ancient technology has captivated the world like this one.
#1.
The Antikythera Mechanism
The year was 1901, and a group of divers near the Greek island of Antikythera discovered
an ancient shipwreck.
They hoped to find treasure - but they found something else entirely.
It looked like a collection of heavily degraded trash - but upon cleaning it, it became clear
that it wasn’t just scrap metal.
It was a carefully designed machine full of massive gears, although it had obviously been
degraded due to all the time it spent underwater.
It belonged to a large machine - but it was from an era where massive machines shouldn’t
exist.
What strange secret had the divers just discovered?
The device nicknamed the Antikythera Mechanism had long since fallen apart, so the bigger
question was - what the heck was it?
Multiple components of the machine were recovered from the shipwreck, and scientists went to
work on what was essentially the most high-stakes jigsaw puzzle of all time.
Some theorized it was an astronomical clock, but others said that didn’t make sense for
the time period.
Options for recreating the device were limited in the early 1900s, so it went into storage
for decades.
But time marched on - and so did answers.
It would be almost seventy years later when scientists created x-ray and gamma-ray images
of the 82 broken fragments.
And from that came a theory - the Antikythera Mechanism may have been the world’s first
computer.
It used over three dozen gears to follow the movements of the moon and sun, predict eclipses,
and mirror the orbit of the moon to help the ships in navigating.
At least, that’s the best guess - and this strangely advanced technology dates back to
over two thousand years ago.
That raises the question - what other advanced technologies were created by the ancient Greeks,
and are lurking in shipwrecks deep below?
Want to know more secrets about the ancient world?
Check out “Scientists Finally Crack Stonehenge Mystery”, or watch this video instead.