10 historical mysteries that archaeologists are puzzling over (11 photos)

There are a large number of ancient mysteries all over the world that, apparently, will never be solved. The reasons for this are many: loss of data and evidence, unfortunate destruction of valuable archaeological sites, and much more. In this post you will see mysterious archaeological discoveries that even today have no logical explanation.





1. River Witham Sword, England



In 1825, a knight's sword was found in the River Witham, near Lincoln, England. It dates from the late thirteenth century and was probably made in Germany. There is an inscription on it that has not yet been deciphered: +NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+. The sword is currently on display in the British Library, an institution that asked the public for help in deciphering the inscription on the blade, as neither cryptographers nor linguists had been able to decipher it.

2. Roman dodecahedra



Large numbers of such beautiful objects made of bronze have been found scattered throughout Europe, the length and breadth of the territory once occupied by the Roman Empire, but to this day it is unknown what their function was. Researchers speculate that ancient sailors may have used them to navigate the seas, but this is little more than a theory, and it is still not known for sure what their purpose was.

3. Double child burial of the Middle Ages: one pagan and the other Christian



In 1992, the remains of a girl believed to have belonged to the Merovingian dynasty and a Scandinavian boy were found, buried between approximately 700 and 730 AD. The double tomb was located in the priest's residence, in the cloister of a small church on the site of what would later become Frankfurt Cathedral, in 1300. The girl wore a tunic and shawl, jewelry for the ears, fingers, hands, neck and chest of gold, silver, bronze and precious stones, and she was buried according to Christian rites, while the boy had a necklace, which was a Scandinavian amulet and he was buried according to pagan rites. The circumstances of death and the history of the double burial of these young children who died in medieval Frankfurt will probably never be known.

4. Manuscript of Sibiu, Romania



The Sibiu manuscript is the first manuscript to describe rockets in detail. Medieval scientist Conrad Haas successfully explained the launch of a multi-stage rocket in 1555 and may be the author of this manuscript. Haas also described modern spacecraft and wrote about rocket fuel. The authenticity of the manuscript raises some doubts, and experts are still studying it.

5. Grave in Pomorie, Bulgaria



This dome-shaped tomb is located on the territory of the necropolis of the city of Anhialo, dating back to Roman rule - one of the ancient burial sites discovered on the territory of Bulgaria. According to archaeologists, the tomb, dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries, once served as the burial place of a wealthy family. The entrance to the tomb begins with a 22-meter-long corridor leading to the tomb itself, which is a round room. Research continues to this day because scientists want to know the true purpose of this building.

6. Mummies of San Bernardo, Colombia



Many tourists visit the Colombian city of San Bernardo every year, and the reason for this is a mystery that scientists still cannot solve. In 1957, the local cemetery was flooded and the remains that were buried there had to be removed. The workers who did this were impressed that some of the bodies were somehow mummified in the coffins, even the clothes were preserved. You can see some of the mummies in the local museum.

7. Tomb of Alexander the Great



According to one version, the commander's body was placed in a golden coffin, which was sent to Memphis, and from there to Alexandria in Egypt, where he disappeared. Alexander's coffin was believed to have been found in Sidon, Lebanon: the lion-helmed warrior depicted on the coffin is indeedousted the commander. It was later discovered that this was the coffin of King Sidon. In 2014, a skeleton was found in Central Macedonia; scientists believe it may be the remains of Alexander. This version can only be confirmed or refuted after DNA analysis and more thorough tests.

8. Rifle 1873



This rifle was found on a tree in Great Basin National Park in Utah, USA. In the 1970s, many mines and ranches appeared in the area. What's amazing is that no one touched the rifle for a century.

9. El Man de la Venta, Mexico



The photograph shows a giant Olmec stone head found in La Venta, Mexico. A total of 17 heads were found, which raises many questions: how did people of that time manage to create such large and heavy statues? What tools did they use? How did they transport materials? And why did they need such large heads? Because there were many small statues next to the 17 giant heads.

10. Tomb of the Red Queen, Mexico



In 1994, archaeologists discovered a burial chamber in Palenque (a Mayan city). They found a coffin containing the remains of a woman covered in red dust. Inside they also found a collection of pearls and jade. Around her skull was a bandage and the remains of what was a funerary mask. Research has shown that the Red Queen was about 60 years old at the time of her death. This is interesting because in that culture only men could inherit power. Women received no such honors and were not buried with treasures like those found in the Red Queen's coffin.