From the City of Z in the jungles of the Amazon, to the missing wonder of the world, here are
5 ancient cities that are still out there, waiting to be found!!!
5.
The City Of Z Sometimes, a legend grows not just because
of people spreading it around, but because of those who have been lost trying to prove
it!!
Like Colonel Percy Fawcett, and the legend of the City Of Z.
While the Conquistadors were the first to truly try and search for ancient lost cities
in the jungles of South America, one of the more recent explorations for a lost city occurred
in 1925.
Colonel Percy Fawcett and his team went into the jungles of Brazil to find a place he referred
to as "Z", which would later be known as the "City Of Z".
He gave strict orders that should they not give signs of life by 1927, no one should
go looking for them.
So why was he so dedicated to finding this city?
Well, his journey began in 1906, when he was contacted by the Royal Geographical Society
to do some surveying on the lands between Brazil and Bolivia.
He later went on to arrange further expeditions and mapped much of the Amazon.
He earned the reputation of being Britain’s best explorer and his life and stories of
the jungles with spiders the size of Chihuahuas are said to have been the inspiration behind
Indiana Jones.
While doing some research, he found a document by an explorer in 1753.
The explorer wrote that he had found a city within the Mato Grosso region of the Amazon
rainforest.
This place was apparently Greek in style, and laden with silver.
Over the following years, Fawcett set out on many expeditions to continue mapping and
exploring and to find the City of Z.
But with no success.
Anyone who has been to the Amazon or any significant jungle knows that traversing it is not easy.
Maybe even impossible if you're not properly equipped.
Many of the men who joined Fawcett on his expeditions died whether from disease, injury,
or animal attacks.
His final letter before his disappearance noted that he was trekking through the region
and hoped to send good news soon.
No letter ever came and despite his request, rescue parties were sent in after him and
over 100 people lost their lives looking for any sign of him or the City of Z.
Despite this, there have been many expeditions into the jungles of South America since then,
and many cities that had been swallowed by the jungle have been rediscovered.
For example in 2003, a massive pre-Colombian settlement was found called Kuhikugu.
Could this be the Lost City of Z?
4.
Aztlan If history has taught us anything, it's that
where you start is just as important as where you end up.
Which makes the Aztec people one of the biggest mysteries history has to offer.
During their prime, the Aztec Empire was one of the most powerful empires that the world
has ever seen.
But, history is baffled in one singular aspect...they don't know where the Aztecs came from.
History proves that they were from Mexico, where they dominated for a long time, but
originally they migrated there.
So...where did they migrate from?
Many suspect a hidden origin, one lost to time, the island of Aztlan.
What's the basis of this claim?
Well, it comes from a Nahuatl legend.
At one time, seven tribes lived near each other, but did not communicate.
Then eventually they came to live together in caves.
At some point, they realized that they spoke similar languages, so they decided to come
together to live in a place called Aztlan.
Eventually, the people of Aztlan moved from their island home to the Valley Of Mexico
and became the Aztec people.
The migration to Mexico is fact.
So much so that the date of their migration is in the first solar year on their calendar,
1064 AD.
Despite the legend though, and many expeditions to find Aztlan, or even definitive proof of
its existence, nothing has been found.
The name "Aztlan" means "place in the North", so people have not only searched Mexico, but
even parts of the United States for the missing ancient city.
3.
The Hanging Gardens Of Babylon The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are one of
the seven wonders of the ancient world.
However, here's the twist, it hasn’t ever actually been found.
So if it's never been truly found, why is it such a noted piece of history?
Well, this all started with a document written by Berossus of Babylon.
Who noted that in the time of 600 B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar II had the Hanging Gardens
built in honor of his wife, Amytis.
According to the documentation, the gardens didn't actually hang, but, because of how
the plants grew in the gardens, it draped beautifully over the architecture.
However, the topic of the Hanging Gardens is tricky, because Babylon did exist, and
many feel that the city itself was actually in what is now Iraq.
Despite knowing where the city was, where the gardens were is unclear.
Furthermore, outside of Berossus, the only other documented mention of the Hanging Gardens
of Babylon was by a Greek historian named Diodorus Siculus.
There's no other mention of it anywhere.
So was it simply a garden, or was it an extension of the city?
Was it a compound?
It’s quite a historical puzzle and we are talking a long long time ago.
There may be a logical explanation for why no trace of the Hanging Gardens have been
found despite expeditions searching for them.
Some people say that an earthquake destroyed the gardens sometime in the second century.
Another possibility is that the sands of the area eventually consumed the gardens, which
has also been documented to have happened throughout history.
What exactly was this wonder, and what happened to it?
2.
El Dorado The nickname for this legendary city was,
"The City Of Gold".
This city has been lost in history for centuries, and there have been many, many searches for
this place.
But how did the legend begin?
Well, it all started in the 16th century, when explorers from Europe heard about the
"New World" and decided to try and find more of it, and take it for themselves...
The Spanish were one of the more...aggressive nations to want to seek out what was in the
New World, and they sent the Conquistadors to get the job done.
Depending on how well versed in history you are, you know how it went.
In South America, most likely in Colombia, they started to hear a rumor.
A rumor about a place high in the mountains, a city of gold so abundant that the king himself
is actually covered in gold dust.
The Spanish themselves came upon a tribe that would cover themselves in gold.
They called the Chief El Dorado, which meant the golden one because he would cover himself
in gold dust and other gold jewelry from head to toe and bathe in a lake.
The tribe would throw golden objects into the lake during religious ceremonies and so
the Spanish asked themselves, where did the gold come from?
There must be a city just filled with the stuff.
And so the legend of the city was born.
The legends have changed over the years, but the intent was still the same, find the city,
and claim the gold.
As you know, no one has found it yet.
Or maybe they have and jsut kept it quiet!
That might be a good strategy too!
Many famous people have led expeditions to find El Dorado, including famous Brit Sir
Walter Raleigh.
He actually led an expedition twice to find the city!
It...didn't go well...all.
Many TV shows and movies have referenced El Dorado over the years, or even been the focus
of the plot.
Including the fan-favorite animated film "The Road To Eldorado".
It's also been featured in video games too, including Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.
It's not hard to imagine why the myth and the legend of El Dorado persists to this day,
it's an intriguing legend for sure.
A city made entirely of gold...it does make you wonder if a city like this ever did exist.
Maybe it is still covered deep in the jungle, or was swallowed by an earthquake, or a flash
flood...Either way though, the legend continues and the city of gold will always remain out
there for those of you who want to seek adventure, wealth, and true and infinite glory.
To all those who dare to adventure for it.
I salute you.
1.
Atlantis Hands down, the greatest, and longest-reigning
legend of a city that is rumored to be out there, yet still has not been found...is Atlantis.
It is interesting to note that Atlantis has become a key part of our world’s culture.
We talk about Atlantis even though we can't actually confirm that it was a real place.
However, many people think it was, and are searching the oceans, and even dried up deserts
to this day.
It may also be that because we've discovered some lost cities recently, and have new technology,
maybe the idea of Atlantis just doesn't seem that improbable anymore.
The first record of Atlantis ever being mentioned, at all, was in 360 B.C. by the legendary philosopher
Plato.
He described an island nation that had more advanced technology than anyone in the world
before, or possibly since.
Furthermore, it was said to have a Navy that was unmatched.
Then, it was punished by the Gods and it sunk due to a natural disaster.
(Gods or not) Regardless though, there have been many, MANY
expeditions to try and find definitive proof that Atlantis exists, and while that has gone
on, there are many stories and legends within pop culture about Atlantis as a nation.
Disney films, and of course, there is DC Comics and Marvel, who each have their own interpretation
of what Atlantis is and isn't.
In DC Comics, Atlantis was sunk by the gods, or after Neptune used his legendary Trident
to protect the city from danger, it depends on the time period, and has resided in the
bottom of the ocean ever since.
It is indeed a legendary city that has very advanced technology, as well as magic.
And it is one of the homes of Arthur Curry, AKA Aquaman.
Atlantis has played a big role in the DC Comics universe over the years.
As for Marvel, their version of Atlantis isn't as grand, but it is ruled by the Sub-Mariner,
aka Namor, who is actually part Mutant, and is an ally of the X-Men.
To find out where Atlantis might be in real life, be sure to check out the video on What
Happened to Atlantis!!
Archaeologists and Historians are out there right now looking for it!
The grandness of the legend alone, is worth the top spot of cities that are lost and haven't
been discovered yet.
And you just know that IF Atlantis is discovered, and it's even half as grand as we pictured
it, that the world will never be the same.
Thanks for watching!
Be on the lookout for these lost cities!
Which one of them would you like to see found for real?
Let us know in the comments!
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