#13 The Voynich Manuscript
The world’s most mysterious manuscript/ was discovered in 1912 in northern Italy,
and its perplexing nature/ is due to the fact that the language, scribe, and author/ still
remain a mystery.
Titled the Voynich manuscript, archaeologists claim that/ out of the 240 pages intact, too
many are missing/ to be able to decipher exactly what information/ this wonderous text may
reveal.
All that is known are through some simple drawings—that is, a variation of herbal
plants/ which make for the most fascinating aspect of the Voynich manuscript.
Until now, no one has been able to match/ these sketches/ to any known plant species.
What’s speculated/ is that the work was written in the 15th century/ and apart from
the herbal section, the document contains astronomical, biological, cosmological, and
pharmaceutical information as well.
What does this mean?
No one has ever been able to tell….
#12 Machu Picchu
Rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, this colossal ‘lost’ Inca citadel/ was built
in the mid-15th century/ on a dramatic mountain top/ overlooking Peru.
Its stunning natural surroundings/ and awe-inspiring standing remains/ make this a truly remarkable
site – a striking reminder of the technological capabilities/ and power of the Inca Empire/
at its peak.
Its terraced platforms and cave cemeteries/ allow a fascinating insight/ into the lives
of the 1000 or so people/ who had once lived here.
#11 Nazca Lines
This curious creation/ is best seen from the sky, as those who fly over the desert of southern
Peru/ have the pleasure of witnessing an anomaly/ better known as Nazca lines.
Here, these unusual formations of white lines/ have made the area a popular UNESCO world
heritage site, as many flock to see the otherworldly sand-inscriptions for themselves.
The ancient, mind-blowing formation/ features the shapes of trapezoids, rectangles, triangles,
and swirls; and by making an even closer observation, one can spot 70 animals, as well as detailed
plant structures/ and 300 other geometrical shapes.
While the purpose of the work of art is unknown, archaeologists have determined/ that Nazca
lines were created by Nazca Indians between 500 B.C.E and 700 C.E.—an estimation/ which
puts these lines at around/ 2000 years old!
It’s amazing that the creations have remained intact for so long, and of course, a large
community of believers/ blame aliens for the nature of such skilled imagery.
#10 Gobekli Tepe
This next find/ marks one of the oldest archaeological sites/ in the world.
Located in Turkey, Gobekli Tepe/ is a construction which serves to remind/ of the high level
of artistic power/ held by the stone age people/ 11,000 years ago.
They used limestone pillars/ weighing 15 to 22 tons/ to build their masterpiece, cut down
from huge blocks of rocks.
And this was no small job, either—the team stumbled upon 200 of these perfectly polished
cylinders/ during their expedition.
Soon the archaeologists put enough data together/ to reason that Gobekli Tepe/ was a temple
of the ancient people—a stark discovery/ which led to more in-depth study/ of the Neolithic
revolution.
#9 Terracotta Army
One of the most fascinating archaeological discoveries to date/ occurred in 1974, when
a group of archaeologists in Xian, China, made an excavation/ which became the discovery
of the greatest funeral art ever—the Terracotta army.
The team/ found thousands of clay soldiers/ buried near the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang,
the first emperor of China.
The clay soldiers were buried with their ruler/ as protection from different forces of nature/
they believed arose after death.
All together/ the ancient complex is presumed to be around 2200 years old.
Along with the soldiers, archaeologists found many different weapons/ alongside the sculptures,
perfectly arranged and laid out/ within the various clay corridors.
Of the four main parts/ that comprise the entire work of art, three pits are filled
with the terracotta army and weapons/ yet the fourth remains completely empty.
There are many parts of the complex/ as well as the tomb of Qin Shi Huang/ that to this
day/ are left unexcavated.
#8 Moai Statues, Easter Island
In the southern Pacific Ocean/ looms a massive volcanic island.
Upon this island/ are giant stone statues—but who put them there?
The Moai statues of Easter Island/ are one of the most mysterious and ionic archaeological
discoveries/ ever made.
These statues are the main attraction/ to this treeless remote abode in Chile.
What is known/ is that the Moai stone-faces/ were carved by the ancient people of Rapa
Nui/ between 1300 and 1500 C.E., and there are 887 of the astonishing relics in total,
situated in various massive stone platforms/ around the island.
The sculptures were thought to be giant, disproportioned heads/ sticking out of the ground, with a
height of 13 feet/ and weight of approximately 80 tons, until/ recent discovery/ showed that
there are bodies attached as well, albeit underground.
The Rapa Nui people/ used volcanic rocks/ to carve the masterpiece/ piece by puzzling
piece, and their mystery/ stems from the mere scope of their size, as anyone who sets eyes
on these astonishing stone figures/ can’t help but ask/ how a primitive group of people
constructed these beings, and more importantly, how did they transport them?
# 7 Tutankhamun’s Tomb, Egypt
While the reign of this ruler may have been short-lived/ and otherwise politically unimportant,
this is arguably/ one of the most spectacular discoveries of all time.
When Howard Carter’s excavation/ at the Valley of the Kings in 1922/ revealed a teenage
King/ who died far too soon, his tomb, packed with the most beautiful objects in the world,
certainly showed off his royal status.
The tomb was such a treasure trove/ with which to show high honor and respect for a Pharaoh,
it was remarkable/ that the loot managed to escape thieving hands/ for all that time.
This epic discovery made King Tut/ more legendary than in the short time he was alive.
#6 Knossos Crete The finds by archaeologist Arthur Evans between
1900- 1905/ uncovered a vast/ Middle Bronze Age palace/ from 1450 B.C.E.
The excavation unearthed some 1300 rooms—many decorated with beautifully detailed: dolphins,
griffins, and athletes/ engaged in the old sport of bull-leaping.
The most important find of all, however, was/ at first glance/ nothing special; Upon further
inspection, however, archaeologists discovered thousands of slabs/ of baked clay.
The tablets bore inscriptions/ in a never-before-seen language, soon to be called Linear B. No one
could read the foreign letters of course, and it wasn't until 50 years later/ when Michael
Ventris cracked the code, making Linear B/ the oldest deciphered language in Europe.
#5 Sutton Hoo, England
For anyone who is into ship burials/ and Viking antiquity, then revel in a find that
shaped history.
When an archaeologist/ by the name of Basic Brown/ excavated a group of low grassy mounds
in Suffolk, England, what he discovered/ was monumental.
A huge intact ship burial/ containing the richest haul of Anglo-Saxon grave goods/ ever
found.
We’re talking: imported Byzantine objects, enigmatic religious symbols, recreational
objects, and weaponry—including the world-famous helmet—which allowed historians/ a vivid
peek into the Anglo-Saxon world/ and what it was like back then.
#4 The Rosetta Stone
This find was remarkable/ in that it lent the key to our understanding of hieroglyphics,
more than 1,000 years after/ knowledge of how to read the ancient Egyptian symbols/
had faded from memory.
Napoleon’s army/ discovered the stone during the construction of a fort/ and quickly took
notice/ that the slab offered a trilingual inscription written in Greek, Demotic, and
hieroglyphs.
The Greek writing/ was all the French schoolteacher, Jean-Francois Champollion needed/ to crack
the code/ and in 1822/ he published a full translation.
#3 The Lost City of Atlantis
Perhaps one of the most mysterious finds ever, the Lost City of Atlantis/ was a myth for
many years/ until divers uncovered a city beneath the waves.
In 360/ Plato wrote of a magic metropolis/ which sank into the ocean, and later researchers
came to believe a Tsunami hit the city/ in the 10th millennium B.C.E., sinking the whole
of Atlantis into the ocean.
The actual truth of the ancient city/ remains unknown, except that traces of a Greek infrastructure/
resembling ancient carvings, pillars, roadways, and steps/ have been found at the bottom of
the sea.
What's more, conspiracy theorists/ swear that Atlantis lies within the Bermuda Triangle,
as traces of a Greek city wall/ have been found embedded in the stone surrounding the
Bimini Islands.
While the story of Atlantis remains a theory, these detailed remnants lend proof/ that a
city baring all likeliness to Plato's, was once very much alive and real.
#2.
Stonehenge
In Salisbury England/ there stands another mysterious formation of rocks/ known as Stonehenge.
The 5000-year-old monument/ is the source of many conspiracies, from everything to aliens/
and cult sacrifice.
While very little is actually known of the purpose of Stonehenge, one fact maintains/
that prehistoric man had a helping hand/ in making this site a sacred place.
Knowing what was so sacred/ lends to its great mystery, although archeologists have found
the site/ to be an ancient burial ground, and others point to the sky: claiming the
mound of rocks/ were a pinnacle for superhighway alien activity.
The monument in total/ is conceived of a number of small and large stones, with the larger/
exhibiting a height of 30 feet/ and a weight of 25 tons.
Constructed between 3000 B.C.E. and 2000 B.C.E., archaeologists have estimated, that Neolithic
builders brought huge stones from Preseli hills, a location, 150 miles from the wondrous
monument.
1.
The Great Pyramids
Pyramids are the greatest ancient structures/ ever seen on Earth, and even though many civilizations
built pyramids, the Egyptian pyramids/ stand out all on their own.
It is this uniqueness/ that makes the Great Pyramid of Giza/ one of the top wonders of
the ancient world.
It is estimated that Egyptians began constructing the pyramids/ in 2700 B.C.E., mainly as a
tomb for preserving the mummified bodies/ of royal members.
The Great Pyramid of Giza/ is the oldest and tallest pyramid in Egypt/ with a height of
481 feet!
This wonder took almost 20 years to build/ using millions of limestones, and inside/
one can revel in the valuable treasures and elaborate exteriors/ hosting intricate paintings
and carvings/ reminiscent of an ancient world.
Thanks for watching.
If you could visit one, the Terracotta Army or Machu Picchu where would you go?