First, it looks at the unusually shaped skull of the Star Child which seems to suggest that aliens once walked the planet. It then looks at the mysterious Peruvian Ica stones that seems to indicate that dinosaurs lived alongside human beings. Finally, it examines the Saqqara Bird which some claim proves that ancient Egyptians invented modern flight.
The Bible Describes Some Incredibly Bizarre Creatures
There are some fascinating creatures mentioned in the Bible, and some of them have had scholars debating for centuries. While a few of the most bizarre creatures in scripture probably owe a bit to poetic license (especially the ones that people see in visions), others seem to be real animals that existed at the time.
The beasts in Revelation with multiple heads are hopefully just symbolic, but the huge animals described in the book of Job sure sound real. From the biblical depictions of angels that are decidedly not kid-friendly to the mentions of unicorns and dragons (yes, seriously), let’s take a look at some incredibly bizarre creatures described in the Bible.
Prehistoric art hints at lost Indian civilisation
The discovery of rock carvings believed to be tens of thousands of years old in India's western state of Maharashtra has greatly excited archaeologists who believe they hold clues to a previously unknown civilisation, BBC Marathi's Mayuresh Konnur reports.
The rock carvings - known as petroglyphs - have been discovered in their thousands atop hillocks in the Konkan region of western Maharashtra.
Mostly discovered in the Ratnagiri and Rajapur areas, a majority of the images etched on the rocky, flat hilltops remained unnoticed for thousands of years.
Most of them were hidden beneath layers of soil and mud. But a few were in the open - these were considered holy and worshipped by locals in some areas.
The sheer variety of the rock carvings have stunned experts - animals, birds, human figures and geometrical designs are all depicted.
The way the petroglyphs have been drawn, and their similarity to those found in other parts of the world, have led experts to believe that they were created in prehistoric times and are possibly among the oldest ever discovered.
"Our first deduction from examining these petroglyphs is that they were created around 10,000BC," the director of the Maharashtra state archaeology department, Tejas Garge, told the BBC.
The credit for their discovery goes to a group of explorers led by Sudhir Risbood and Manoj Marathe, who began searching for the images in earnest after observing a few in the area. Many were found in village temples and played a part in local folklore.
"We walked thousands of kilometres. People started sending photographs to us and we even enlisted schools in our efforts to find them. We made students ask their grandparents and other village elders if they knew about any other engravings. This provided us with a lot of valuable information," Mr Risbood told the BBC.
Together they found petroglyphs in and around 52 villages in the area. But only around five villages were aware that the images even existed.
Apart from actively searching for them, Mr Risbood and Mr Marathe have also played an important role in documenting the petroglyphs and lobbying authorities to get involved in studying and preserving them.
Mr Garge says the images appear to have been created by a hunter-gatherer community which was not familiar with agriculture.
"We have not found any pictures of farming activities. But the images depict hunted animals and there's detailing of animal forms. So this man knew about animals and sea creatures. That indicates he was dependent on hunting for food."
Dr Shrikant Pradhan, a researcher and art historian at Pune's Deccan College who has studied the petroglyphs closely, said that the art was clearly inspired by things observed by people at the time.
"Most of the petroglyphs show familiar animals. There are images of sharks and whales as well as amphibians like turtles," Mr Garge adds.
But this begs the question of why some of the petroglyphs depict animals like hippos and rhinoceroses which aren't found in this part of India. Did the people who created them migrate to India from Africa? Or were these animals once found in India?
The state government has set aside a fund of 240 million rupees ($3.2m; £2.5m) to further study 400 of the identified petroglyphs.
It is hoped that some of these questions will eventually be answered.
The 2,000-year-old Herculaneum scrolls might have belonged to Julius Ceasar’s father-in-law
In a quest reminiscent of an archaeological thriller, a British research team is employing cutting-edge technology to unravel the mysteries contained within a pair of 2,000-year-old Roman scrolls, believed to have been charred in the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. These scrolls, buried and preserved amidst the ruins of Herculaneum, have long tantalized scholars with their enigmatic contents, offering a rare glimpse into the intellectual riches of the ancient world.
Discovered in 1752 within a villa near the Bay of Naples, purportedly linked to the family of Julius Caesar, these fragile artifacts have eluded interpretation due to their delicate state. However, recent advancements in scientific innovation are breathing new life into this ancient puzzle.
At the forefront of this endeavor is the Diamond Light Source, a pioneering science facility in the UK, renowned for its groundbreaking research. Armed with light more intense than the sun itself, researchers are embarking on a journey to unlock the secrets concealed within the charred scrolls. Utilizing a technique akin to a CT scanner, they aim to create a three-dimensional reconstruction of the scrolls, illuminating the ancient text in a non-destructive manner.
The ink on these scrolls, crafted from carbon-based materials, presents a unique challenge for decipherment. Traditional methods have proved inadequate in penetrating the veil of time and revealing the hidden script. However, scientists are optimistic that the density variations within the papyrus itself may hold the key to unlocking the elusive message.
Leading the charge is Professor Brent Seales, whose pioneering work in digital restoration has garnered international acclaim. Harnessing the unparalleled brightness and precision of the Diamond Light Source, Seales and his team are poised to make a breakthrough in the field of ancient manuscript studies. By employing sophisticated algorithms and image processing techniques, they aim to visualize the carbon ink, thus bringing to light the wisdom of antiquity.
Yet, the journey towards understanding is fraught with challenges. The scrolls, dispersed among prestigious institutions such as the Biblioteca Nazionale di Napoli and the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, are scattered fragments of a bygone era. Each fragment tells a fragmentary tale, offering tantalizing glimpses into the past while withholding its deepest secrets.
As the scanning process unfolds, anticipation mounts within the scholarly community. The prospect of deciphering ancient texts, long consigned to the realm of speculation, holds the promise of a profound intellectual revelation. Through the convergence of science and history, the Herculaneum scrolls may yet yield their treasures, enriching our understanding of the ancient world and illuminating the path to human knowledge.
In the words of Dr. Thomas Connolley, principal Beamline scientist at Diamond, "We are on the brink of a major step forward in unlocking the secrets that the scrolls contain." With each beam of light, with each pixel illuminated, we inch closer to unraveling the mysteries of the past and embracing the wisdom of our ancestors.
As the journey continues, let us remain steadfast in our pursuit of knowledge, guided by the light of discovery and fueled by the curiosity that has propelled humanity forward since time immemorial. For within the scrolls of Herculaneum lie the echoes of civilizations past, waiting to be heard once more in the annals of history.
Who were the ferocious warriors known as the Celts who destroyed Rome?
The ancient Celts were fierce warriors who lived in mainland Europe. But during the Renaissance, an idea took hold that they lived in the British Isles.
The term "Celts" is used today to describe the cultures, languages and peoples that are based in Scotland; Ireland; other parts of the British Isles; and Brittany, in France.
"Today six Celtic languages survive — the Gaelic group comprising Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx and the Britonic group comprising Welsh, Breton and Cornish," Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, a former professor of Irish folklore at University College Dublin, wrote in his book "The Celts: A History" (The Collins Press, 2002). Manx and Cornish originally died out but have been revived.
How much modern-day Celtic peoples, languages and cultures are related to the ancient Celts is an open question that is often debated.
Ancient Celts
The earliest surviving references to the Celts were recorded by Greek geographer Hecataeus of Miletus in the sixth century B.C., and in the centuries that followed, "the Celts are mentioned with increasing frequency by Greek and Roman writers," Barry Cunliffe, emeritus professor of European archaeology at the University of Oxford, noted in his book "The Ancient Celts, Second Edition" (Oxford University Press, 2018).
Celts inhabited a vast area of continental Europe as far east as modern-day Turkey. They were never politically united as a single people but consisted of different groups, including Gauls (from areas including France) and Celtiberians (based in Iberia).
They spoke different languages that might not have been mutually understood, according to "Art of the Celts: 700 B.C. to A.D. 700" (Cornell University Press, 2009).
Identifying particular works of art as "Celtic" can also be challenging, though many pieces were incredibly detailed and accomplished, according to the book. More than 2,500 years ago, at a burial mound at Ins in western Switzerland, they left behind a golden globe-shaped object, less than an inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter, that was "decorated with approximately 3,600 granules," an example of the incredibly intricate gold work the Celts could produce.
Ancient writers described the Celts as fierce warriors. Gauls had sacked Rome in 390 B.C. And when Alexander the Great was campaigning, he received a party of Celts.
"The king received them kindly and asked them when drinking what it was that they most feared, thinking they would say 'himself,' but that they replied they feared no one, unless it were that Heaven might fall on them," wrote the first century B.C. Greek writer Strabo, as translated by Horace Jones.
By the third century B.C., Celts occupied a large portion of Europe, Cunliffe wrote.
Celts were depicted in Greek and Roman art. For instance, the third century B.C. sculpture (known only from later Roman copies) now called The Dying Gaul shows a Celtic warrior dying by suicide with a sword beside his dead wife, Cunliffe wrote.
Celtic territory began to wane after that time. After the Romans defeated the Carthaginians in the second Punic war (fought between 218 B.C. and 201 B.C.), they expanded into Celtic-controlled Iberia, and by 50 B.C., Julius Caesar had conquered most of Gaul (modern-day France).
Fighting in the Buff?
Legend had it that, to scare their enemies, some Celts would strip naked before going into battle.
"Very terrifying too were the appearance and the gestures of the naked warriors in front, all in the prime of life, and finely built men, and all in the leading companies richly adorned with gold torques and armlets," Greek historian Polybius (200-118 B.C.) wrote, as translated by W.R. Paton.
Fighting in the buff was not the only way the Celts intimidated their enemies. In 2018, archaeologists in France reported finding 2,000-year-old embalmed human heads. Researchers think the Celts severed the heads from the bodies of dead enemies and hung them around their horses. They wore them "as trophies to increase their status and power, and to frighten their enemies," study senior author Réjane Roure, an archaeologist at Paul Valéry University of Montpellier in France, told Live Science in 2018.
Celtic Religion
The Celts would eventually be Christianized along with much of the Roman Empire (in time, the Romans would conquer many of their lands), but ancient sources provide hints at the religious beliefs of the Celts.
A poem by Lucan (A.D. 39-65) describes a grove that was sacred to the Celts. Along with other sources, the poem suggests that human sacrifice was practiced.
At least some of the Celts followed druidism. In A.D. 43 the Roman geographer Pomponius Mela wrote that the druids claimed to know the size and shape of the Earth and the movements of the stars and sky, noted Robert Wisniewski, a historian at the University of Warsaw, wrote in a 2007 article in the journal Palamedes.
Caesar, who waged a series of military campaigns against the Gauls, also noted the influence of the druids, saying the druids would be called on to settle disputes. "If any crime has been perpetrated, if murder has been committed, if there be any dispute about an inheritance, if any about boundaries, [the druids] decide how to settle it," Caesar wrote in "The Gallic Wars" (Translation by W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn).
No Celts in Ancient Britain?
Ancient Celts did not live in Britain; they were confined to the European continent, with settlements located as far east as Turkey, many scholars now believe.
John Collis, an archaeology professor at the University of Sheffield, wrote in "The Celts: Origins, Myths and Inventions" (Tempus, 2003) that ancient writers refer to Celtic people living in continental Europe but not the British Isles. He noted that Strabo actually "distinguished Britons from Celts."
Collis wrote that terms such as "Celt" and "Gaul" were "never used for the inhabitants of the British Isles except in the most general way for all the inhabitants of western Europe including non Indo-European speakers such as Basques."
His analysis is backed up by University of Leicester archaeology professor Simon James. "Many people are startled to discover that although they 'know' Britain in pre-Roman times was populated by Ancient Celts, most British Iron Age specialists abandoned the idea decades ago," James wrote in a 2004 review of Collis' book published in British Archaeology magazine.
The "question is not why have so many British [and Irish] archaeologists abandoned the notion of ancient island Celts, but how and why did we come to think there had ever been any in the first place?" he wrote. "The idea is a modern one; the ancient islanders never described themselves as Celts, a name reserved for some continental neighbours."
Not all scholars agree with this idea, however. While surviving ancient accounts didn't include the people of the British Isles among the Celts, they noted religious and linguistic similarities. For instance, Roman historian Tacitus (A.D. 56-120) recognized similarities between those in what is now Britain, Ireland and Celts on the continent, Alice Roberts, an anthropologist and professor of public engagement in science at the University of Birmingham, wrote in her book "The Celts: Search for a Civilization" (Heron Books, 2015).
Celts in Turkey?
While Celts may not have lived in Britain, they may have lived in Turkey, according to a 2002 article in the journal Archaeology magazine.
In excavations at Gordion, Turkey, archaeologists found evidence of cultural practices that they interpret as Celtic. They found "chilling evidence of strangulation, decapitation, and bizarre arrangements of human and animal bones," a team of researchers wrote in the magazine article. "Such practices are well known from Celtic sites in Europe and are now documented for Anatolian Celts as well."
Celtic Rebirth
References to the Celts disappeared after the fifth century A.D., Joanne Parker, an associate professor of Victorian literature and culture at the University of Exeter, noted in a paper published in the book "The Harp and the Constitution: Myths of Celtic and Gothic Origin" (Brill, 2015). It was during the Renaissance that Scottish scholar George Buchanan argued that the Celts had inhabited Britain and Ireland, Parker wrote.
In the 18th century, "the words 'Celt' and 'Celtic' began to be used [to describe] modern peoples speaking languages which were believed to be akin to that of the ancient Gauls — including the Bretons in France, and the Cornish, Welsh, Irish, Manx, and Scots-Gaelic in the British Isles," she wrote. "In the wake of the so-called 'Celtic Revival' of the 1960s — when the music, artwork and folklore of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Isle of Man became increasingly valorised — 'Celtic' began to be used in marketing everything from cardigans to cushions."
Ancient mural rediscovered in northern Peru after more than a century
A team of student archaeologists has rediscovered a 1,000-year-old multicoloured mural depicting a deity surrounded by warriors which was last seen a century ago in northern Peru.
Known as the Huaca Pintada, the 30-metre-long wall painted with fantastical images depicting mythical scenes was first found in 1916 by a band of treasure-hunting tomb raiders in Illimo near the city of Chiclayo.
The full splendour of the mural was captured in photographs taken at the time by Hans Heinrich Brüning, a German ethnographer whose work galvanised the archaeological study of the pre-Columbian ruins and relics in the region.
But then the grave robbers destroyed part of the wall after being forbidden from looting their find, and the site fell back into obscurity.
More than a century went by until a Swiss-Peruvian team led by Sâm Ghavami from the University of Fribourg decided to take on the mystery and rediscover the lost mural which had disappeared from view under carob trees and undergrowth.
“When we got access to the site, it was a huge relief,” Ghavami, 33, told the Guardian by phone from northern Peru. One of the main challenges was accessing the site which is located on private land, he explained. It took two years to persuade the fiercely protective landowning family to allow them to excavate.
The Swiss archaeologist and some 18 Peruvian students began excavations in 2019, thanks to a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation. After a pause in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they were able to continue in 2021 completing the dig in November 2022.
“The first time we saw the huge wall, it was by just scratching the sand,” said Ghavami. “We could see the walls were unexcavated.” In the final two months of the dig, the team rediscovered the murals that had been lost during Brüning’s time, as well as new panels stretching some 11 to 12 metres that had not been uncovered by the looters.
“It was a lot of work,” said Ghavami. “No one could see its monumentality when it was covered by trees.
“When that was cleared away, people start to see it in a new way,” he added.
Archaeologists believe the mural dates back to the Lambayeque culture of the 9th century AD. It was buried in a pyramidal mound in La Leche valley near another site called Túcume, in the Lambayeque region.
“It’s the most exciting and important find of recent years,” said Luis Jaime Castillo, an archaeology professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. “The long-lost murals of Huaca Pintada have been recuperated after more than 100 years.”
“The depictions have a mixture of Mochica and Lambayeque iconography,” said Castillo. The Mochica civilization flourished in the region between AD100 and 700. “They show a transition, and maybe changes in the cosmologies.
“They give us a unique opportunity to contemplate the ancient societies of northern Peru, their deities and myths,” he added.
For now, the site has been covered up to preserve it but Ghavami – who is writing his doctoral thesis about the sociocultural changes that occurred in Lambayeque at the time when the mural was made – would like it to be restored to its former glory and, eventually, opened to the public.
Mexico's Enchanted Crystal Cave
Mexico's Enchanted Crystal Cave, also known as the Cave of the Crystals, is a natural wonder located about 1,000 feet below the surface in Naica mine in the state of Chihuahua. The cave was discovered in 2000 by miners who were drilling through a lead-zinc mine. The cave's name comes from its incredible crystal formations, which are among the largest in the world.
The cave's crystals are made of gypsum and range in color from transparent to white to golden. The largest crystals are up to 36 feet long and weigh up to 55 tons. The cave is incredibly hot, with temperatures reaching up to 136 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius) and humidity levels near 100%. The conditions in the cave are so extreme that visitors can only stay for a short time, and must wear special suits and equipment to protect themselves from the heat and humidity.
Despite its challenging conditions, the Enchanted Crystal Cave has become a popular destination for scientists and tourists alike. The cave's crystals are studied by researchers to learn more about the formation of crystal structures, while tourists come from around the world to marvel at the cave's stunning natural beauty. The cave is also considered to be a sacred site by some indigenous groups, who believe that the crystals have spiritual and healing properties.
When Scientists Explored An African Quarry, They Dug Up A Lost Link To Egypt
Egyptian researchers dig up quarry and what they find is as mysterious as it is amazing. Not far from the edges of the River Nile in Egypt, a team of excavators from Sweden’s Lund University are hard at work. The focus of their efforts is an old quarry dating back thousands of years – and it’s about to bear fruit. You see, the group are in the midst of uncovering something important. And though they don’t know it yet, their discovery seemingly has a connection to one of ancient Egypt’s most famous leaders.
12 Most Incredible Archaeological Finds
In this video, we'll take you on a journey through time as we explore some of the most amazing and breathtaking discoveries ever made by archaeologists. From ancient civilisations to lost treasures, we'll showcase some of the most remarkable discoveries that have helped us uncover the mysteries of the past. So sit back, relax, and get ready to be amazed by these wonders.
Archaeologist Gets Lowered Down Into A Concealed Egyptian Chamber And Makes A Dream Discovery
It’s been millennia, but the time has come. This ancient Egyptian sarcophagus has been hidden away for untold centuries, but it’s about to be brought into the light once again. A team of experts have been exploring a necropolis near Cairo, and their efforts are finally about to bear fruit. This discovery will truly break new ground. And it all begins with a lone archaeologist descending into the dark…
What a Samurai vs. Mongol Battle Really Looked Like
The clash of two legendary and feared classes of warrior: the Mongols and the samurai. They meet on the beaches of Tsushima. What did combat between them look like? Misconceptions persist about this question: from the belief that samurai attempted “single combat” dueling to the idea that Mongols utterly dominated the samurai on the battlefield. Today, we look at the fascinating warfare that characterized the first and second Mongol invasions.
Indigenous people’s fight to preserve their way of life: Amazon
Selva Rainforest of the Amazon in Ecuador is home to Guarani people, who have preserved their traditional customs in their indigenous territory. Today, the Guarani community struggles to preserve its way of life as the rainforest is exploited and destroyed by oil companies and loggers.
Today, of the 120,000 indigenous Equatorial ethnicities, only the 87 people making up the Guarani community of Bameno still live according to tradition. Follow the last community of Guarani people who live according to their traditions.
The Bronze Age Collapse (approximately 1200 B.C.E.)
In this video we will be analyzing the Bronze Age collapse. Watch the video for more and enjoy!
Scientists Discover a 3 Million Year Old Cave and Find Something Incredible Inside
Caves are some of the most mysterious places on Earth. They are dark, damp, and often difficult to access. But that doesn’t stop scientists from exploring them. In fact, many caves have yielded some incredible discoveries giving us a glimpse into the past. They have also yielded some more unusual finds.
From the scary giant anaconda to the mysterious kabayan mummies, these are the 15 Strangest Things Found in Caves.
20 Mysterious Things You Have Never Seen Before
We love taking a look at new and unknown things all of the time! It seems like every day a new discovery completely flips our whole world view upside down! From a blazing red sky to a river that flows beneath the ocean waves, today we’re going to be checking out 20 Mysterious Things You Have Never Seen Before!
Mysterious & Bizarre Discoveries
In today’s video we will be exploring some mysterious and bizarre discoveries. Enjoy!
Impossible Entrance Into Giza's Pyramid Found?
The menkura pyramid in its entirety It is said that the Egyptian pharaoh Mankura constructed the third pyramid at Giza around 4000 years ago. Although it is the smallest of the great pyramids at Giza, it is by no means the least interesting. The pyramid's beginnings, on the other hand, are similar to those of a great number of other enormous and masterfully carved monuments and statues located all around the Giza plateau. Nobody seems to be able to explain how or why certain historical personalities who are well-known and have been thoroughly researched were able to accomplish such remarkable things. Our copper-welding ancestors would have had a difficult time constructing this structure some four thousand years ago.
12 Most Ancient Technology And Mysterious Artifacts Finds Scientists Still Can't Explain
How much technology was at the disposal of our ancient ancestors, and what did that technology look like? The answers to those questions are "more than we think" and "we don't know." Our ancestors used their technology to create artefacts that we barely understand even with all the benefits of our modern technology, and we're going to check some of those artefacts and technologies out right now.
Salamis 480 BC: The Battle for Greece
The Battle of Salamis was one of the decisive battles of world history, in which the small city-states of ancient Greece joined forces to take on the mighty Persian Empire. After the defeat and death of the Spartan King Leonidas at Thermopylae, the Persians burned Athens, and the Greek alliance seemed close to collapse. But thanks to the foresight of Athenian general Themistocles and the heroism of the Greek fleet, the Persians would meet with disaster in the narrow straits of Salamis.
40 Facts About Jesus That Many People Don't Know
In this video we will discuss 40 facts about Jesus that many people don’t know. Watch the video for more and enjoy!
