In the world we live in today, incredible feats in architectural engineering has become
commonplace thanks to humanity’s innate flair for creativity and the advancements
mankind has achieved for the last hundred years in terms of modern technology and machinery.
Since we encounter these towering, beautiful and breathtaking structures almost on a daily
basis, it’s difficult to picture a time when our streets weren’t filled with museums,
coliseums, stadiums and skyscrapers.
And because we consider the modern society we have today as the most advanced human civilization
we have seen for thousands of years, most of us find it impossible to imagine that our
“primitive” ancient ancestors were capable of building equally if not more impressive
structures than what we have today.
However, our underestimation and underappreciation in the abilities of ancient builders is negated
by the several age-old structures that managed to withstand the rigors of time and remain
erected to this day.
These ancient structures completely go against a lot of people’s notion that our ancestors
possessed insufficient knowledge and were largely governed by their instinctive propensity
for savagery.
But while the fact that these advanced ancient structures stand today force many of us to
acknowledge their existence, some still deny the possibility that they were constructed
by sheer human will.
And so, in this video, let us briefly talk about six (6) of these ancient structures
that are so advanced, they should not have been built at all.
Number 1 - Ancient Roman Aqueducts.
The ancient Roman civilization boasts of many achievements in terms of engineering and construction,
and among the most advanced of them all is probably their aqueduct system.
They may not have been the originator of irrigation and water transport systems, but they most
definitely perfected it.
The first Roman aqueducts are believed to have been developed around 312 B.C., and they’re
considered as engineering marvels for utilizing gravity in transporting waters through stone
and concrete pipelines and into the city, supplying fresh flowing water to residential
houses, public baths and fountains.
While most of these aqueducts were eventually abandoned, a few of them are still in use
today, which speaks volumes to how the design and function of these aqueducts were definitely
ahead of their time.
Number 2 - Marib Dam in Yemen.
The earliest versions of dams are believed to have been built as early as 2000 BC, and
the Great Dam of Marib is regarded as the world’s oldest known dam as its initial
construction dates as far back as around 1700 BC.
The dam as we see it today, however, was built by the Sabeans of the ancient Kingdom of Saba
sometime in the 8th century BC in order to capture and store occasional monsoon rains.
The Marib Dam is regarded as a world wonder of ancient water engineering since it managed
to fulfill its purpose of storing and transporting water for more than a thousand years until
the dam’s eventual destruction sometime in 600 A.D.
Number 3 - Stone City of Petra in Jordan.
Between 400 B.C. 106 A.D., Petra was the capital of the Nabataean empire and was once home
to around 20,000 people.
It was also a very active trading post in the region until it was occupied by Rome and
international trade started to decline.
What makes this ancient city so popular is its stone-cut architecture and its innovative
network of water transport and irrigation systems.
So far, only 15 percent of the stone city has been excavated, which means most of its
gigantic stone dwellings remain unexplored and buried underground.
Number 4 - Goseck Circle in Germany.
Also referred to as the German Stonehenge, the Goseck Circle is a Neolithic circular
enclosure which dates back to 49th century BC.
To others, this 7000-year-old ancient site is also the world’s oldest known solar observatory
for lying on almost the same latitude as the famous Stonehenge and for its connection with
the Nebra Sky Disk - the oldest known concrete depiction of the cosmos.
Aside from that, the Goseck Circle is considered to be a major discovery because its existence
and age suggest that the farmers of ancient Europe around that time were far more advanced
than previously assumed.
The enclosure also provides clues to the spiritual and religious beliefs of the European farmers
that lived during that era.
Number 5 - Derinkuyu’s Underground City in Turkey.
The massive underground city of Derinkuyu has always been shrouded with mystery since
its accidental discovery in 1968.
This 18-storey city built beneath the surface is found in Turkey’s Cappadocia region - an
area that has gained global renown for the vast network of labyrinths which lead to several
underground cities.
Derinkuyu’s underground city in particular was so large, it could hold as many as 20,000
people.
Moreover, its chambers served various purposes, functioning as living quarters, temples, shops,
tombs and more.
Interestingly, it also had sophisticated water and security systems, ensuring the survival
and safety of those who live within this hidden city.
No one knows for sure who built the city and why, but some experts say that only someone
with advanced knowledge in geography, stonework, architecture as well as engineering could
have accomplished such a feat.
And finally, Number 6 - Pumapunku in Bolivia.
This temple complex found within the expansive ancient city of Tiwanaku is regarded as among
the most enigmatic ancient sites on the face of the planet.
Mainstream historians and archaeologists estimate that Pumapunku dates to around 536 A.D. or
later.
However, less conventional experts are of the opinion that the temple complex is much
older and was probably erected some 17,000 years ago.
What makes the Pumapunku so special is that it is built with interlocking stones that
fit together so perfectly as if they were carved using hi-tech laser cutters instead
of rudimentary tools like chisels and rulers.
This led to speculations that the temple complex was either built by a technologically-advanced
prehistoric civilization or through the aid of extraterrestrials who were then revered
as gods.
Because these ancient buildings look too sophisticated for their supposed age, those outside the
realm of mainstream academics believe that the knowledge and technology required to construct
these surprisingly advanced structures came from an extraterrestrial source or from a
bygone human civilization that’s far superior in many aspects compared to what we’re capable
of today.
But regardless of our personal opinion on whether our ancestors as we know them today
could have been capable of building these amazing buildings on their own, we cannot
deny their indispensable value in providing better insight to mankind’s history and
development over the centuries and millennia that passed.
And more than conjecture, perhaps it is also time to regard our ancient ancestors less
as primitive builders and more as enlightened engineers.