Lost cities are often mentioned in literature about past civilizations. The most famous of them is the legendary Atlantis, swallowed up by the sea and lost forever. However, the story of Atlantis is not unique; other cultures have similar legends of cities that disappeared underwater, under desert sands, or buried under thick layers of vegetation. Most of these legendary cities have never been found, but with the help of new technologies, some have been discovered and others are waiting to be discovered.
Iram multi-columned: Atlantis of the sands
Ruins of a fortress in the city of Iram. Photo: Wikipedia
Arabia also has its own legend about a lost civilization, the so-called Atlantis of the Sands - a lost city mentioned in the Koran. It is also known as Iram multi-column.
The Koran says that Iram has tall buildings and is inhabited by Adits. Because they turned away from Allah and became immoral, the Prophet Hud was sent to call them back to the worship of Allah. But the people of Iram did not listen to Hud's words. As a result, people suffered a punishment: a sandstorm was directed at the city, it lasted for seven nights and eight days. After that, Iram disappeared into the sands as if he had never existed.
The story of Iram suggests that people should obey Allah and not behave arrogantly. Many believe that such a city really existed.
In the early 1990s, a team of archaeologists led by Nikolai Clapp, an amateur archaeologist and filmmaker, announced that they had found the lost city of Ubar, which was identified as Iram. This was achieved using remote sensing from NASA satellites, data from the Landsat program and images taken by the Challenger space shuttle. These resources have allowed archaeologists to identify old trade routes and the points at which they converged. One of these points was the famous well in Shisr, Dhofar province of Oman. During excavations, a large octagonal fortress with high walls and tall towers was discovered there. Unfortunately, most of the fortress was destroyed, plunging into a karst sinkhole.
Sunken City of Helik
Helik excavations. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The story of the death of Atlantis is one of the most famous. However, there is a similar story about the sunken city of Helik. Unlike Atlantis, there is written evidence about it, which has helped archaeologists determine the true location of the lost city.
Helic was located in Achaia, in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. During his heyday, Helic was the leader of the Achaean League, which consisted of 12 cities.
Helicus' patron god was Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. The city was indeed located in one of the most seismically active zones in Europe. There was a temple and sanctuary of Poseidon in Helica, where a bronze statue of Poseidon and coins with his image were found.
In 373 BC. the city was destroyed. Before this, some signs of the city's doom had already appeared, including the appearance of "huge pillars of flame" and a mass migration of small animals from the coast to the mountains a few days before the disaster. A strong earthquake and then a powerful tsunami from the Gulf of Corinth wiped out the city of Helik from the face of the earth. No one was left alive.
Although the search for the actual location of Helik began at the beginning of the 19th century, it was only at the end of the 20th century that it was found. This sunken city has been one of the biggest mysteries in underwater archaeology. However, it was the belief that the city was located somewhere in the Gulf of Corinth that made its discovery impossible. In 1988, Greek archaeologist Dora Katsonopoulo suggested that the "poros" mentioned in ancient texts could not be in the sea, but in an inland lagoon. If this is the case, then it is possible that Helik is inland and the lagoon has been filled with silt for millennia. In 2001, archaeologists discovered the ruins of a city in Achaia in Greece. In 2012, the layer of silt and river sediments was removed, then it became obvious that this was Helik.
Urkesh: the lost city of the Hurrians
Excavations in Urkesh. Photo: Archaeological Institute of America
Ancient Urkesh once was major center ancient Near Eastern Hurrian civilization, known in mythology as the home of the primordial god. Little was known about Urkesh and the mysterious Hurrian civilization, as the ancient city was buried under the desert sands for thousands of years and lost to the pages of history. However, in the 1980s, archaeologists discovered Tell Mozan, a mound under which were the ruins of an ancient temple and palace. Ten years later, researchers have come to the exciting conclusion that Tell Mozan is the lost city of Urkesh.
Located in northern Syria, near its current borders with Turkey and Iraq, ancient Urkesh was big city Mesopotamia, which flourished between 4000 and 1300 BC. BC. It is one of the earliest known cities in history.
Excavations revealed not only brick buildings, but also rare stone structures - a monumental staircase and a deep underground shaft - a “passage to the underworld” - which was associated with religious rituals.
Urkesh contained monumental public buildings, including a large temple and a palace. Many of them date from the Akkadian period (around 2350-2200 BC)
Wreck of Gwaelod Y Garth in Wales
Remains of a petrified forest on the Welsh coast. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Gwaelod was located between the islands of Ramsay and Barsey in the area known today as Cardigan Bay, in west Wales, UK. It is believed that Gwaelod extended 32 km into the bay.
In the 6th century, Gwaelod was ruled by the legendary king Gwydno Garanhir. Until about the 17th century, Gwaelod was known as Maes Gwyddno ("land of Gwyddno"), named after this Welsh ruler. An earlier version of the legend associated with Maes Gwyddno claims that the area sank because the floodgates were not closed in time during a storm.
Legend says that Gwaelod had extremely fertile soil, and an acre of land there was worth four times more than elsewhere. But the city depended on a dam to protect it from the sea. At low tide the gates were opened to allow the water to drain out and at high tide the gates were closed.
A later version says that Gwindo Garanhir appointed his friend Seitennin, who was a drunkard, to guard the dam gate. One night, a storm came from the southwest while Seitennin was at a party in the palace, he drank too much and fell asleep, so he did not close the floodgates in time. As a result, 16 villages were flooded. Gwindo Garanhir and his retinue were forced to leave the fertile valleys and seek shelter in less fertile areas.
Some believe in the existence of Gwaelod and even plan to organize an underwater expedition to find this lost land. Remains of prehistoric forests sometimes appear on the surface of the water in stormy weather or during low tides. In addition, fossils with traces of humans and animals on them, as well as some tools, were found there.
Finding the Lost City of the Monkey God
Photo: public domain/Wikimedia Commons
Two years ago, an aerial survey of the dense jungles of Honduras was carried out. It was attended by scientists inspired by local legends about the lost ancient city. After this, news quickly spread that archaeologists had found La Ciudad Blanca (The White City, known as the lost city of the Monkey God). A ground expedition was recently completed, which confirmed that aerial photography indeed showed traces of the disappeared civilization. Archaeologists have discovered vast areas, excavations, mounds, earthen pyramids and dozens of different artifacts belonging to a mysterious culture that is virtually unknown.
La Ciudad Blanca - mysterious city, located, according to legend, in the virgin rainforest of La Mosquitia in eastern Honduras. Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés reported that he received “reliable information” about the ancient ruins, but did not find them. In 1927, pilot Charles Lindbergh reported seeing monuments made of white stone while flying over eastern Honduras.
In 1952, explorer Tibor Szekelj went in search of the White City, an expedition financed by the Honduran Ministry of Culture, but he returned empty-handed. Research continued, and in 2012 the first significant discovery was made.
In May 2012, a team of researchers led by documentary filmmaker Steve Elkins conducted aerial photography of La Mosquitia using remote sensing (lidar). Scanning showed the presence of artificial characteristics, all media reported a possible discovery lost city Monkey God. In May 2013, additional laser analysis revealed the presence of large architectural structures beneath the forest canopy. It's time for ground reconnaissance.
Discovery of the long-lost Musasir Temple
Iraqi Kurdistan. Photo: Wikimedia
The Musasir Temple was dedicated to Khaldi, the supreme god of the kingdom of Urartu, located on the Armenian Highlands, which extended into what is now Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Armenia. The temple was built in the holy city of Ararat in 825 BC. But after Musasir fell, defeated by the Assyrians in the 18th century BC, ancient temple was lost and only recently rediscovered.
The Musasir Temple dates back to a time when the Urartians, Assyrians and Scythians were at odds trying to gain control of the area that is now northern Iraq. In ancient scriptures, Musasir is called "the holy city built in the rock", while the name Musasir means "the coming out of the serpent". The temple is depicted on an Assyrian bas-relief that decorated the palace of King Sargon II in honor of his victory over the “seven kings of Ararat” in 714 BC.
In July 2014, an exciting announcement was made about the discovery of the long-lost Musasir Temple in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. Life-size sculptures of a man and the bases of columns of a temple dedicated to the god Khaldi were found.
The discovery was made with the help of local residents who stumbled upon the ruins by chance, Dishad Marf Zamua from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands examined archaeological finds at the site, the most significant of which are the bases of the columns. Sculptures of bearded men up to 2.3 meters in height are also considered an unusual find. They are made of limestone, basalt or sandstone. Some were partially destroyed within 2800 years.
Lost city in the jungle of Cambodia
Australian archaeologists using cutting-edge remote sensing technology have made a remarkable discovery in Cambodia - they have discovered a 1,200-year-old city that is older than the famous temple complex of Angkor Wat.
Damian Evans, director of the archaeological research center at the University of Sydney in Cambodia, and a small team of scientists working in the Siem Reap area. They have received permission to use lidar laser technology in the remote jungles of Cambodia. For the first time, the technology was used for archaeological research in tropical Asia, with its help it is possible to obtain a complete picture of the area.
The discovery was made when lidar data appeared on a computer screen. “Thanks to this tool, we saw a picture of an entire city that no one knew existed. It's wonderful," Evans said.
Amazing discovery made after years of searching for Mahendraparvat, lost medieval city, built on Mount Phnom Kulen, 350 years before construction began on the famous Angkor Wat temple complex in northwestern Cambodia. The city was part of the Hindu-Buddhist Khmer Empire, which ruled Southeast Asia from 800 to 1400 AD.
The exploration and excavation of Mahendraparvat is in its early stages, so scientists are waiting for new discoveries.
Caral Supe: 5,000-year-old city of pyramids
Karal Supe. Photo: public domain
It is widely believed in historical circles that Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and India are the first civilizations of mankind. However, few know that at the same time, and in some cases even earlier, there was the great civilization of Norte Chico in Supa, Peru - the first known civilization of Northern and South America. Its capital was the holy city of Caral - a 5,000-year-old metropolis with a rich culture and monumental architecture - it had six large pyramidal structures, stone and earthen platforms, temples, amphitheaters, circular plazas and residential areas.
In 1970, archaeologists discovered that the mounds, originally identified as natural formations, were step pyramids. By 1990 great city Karal manifested himself in full. But the biggest surprise was yet to come - in 2000, radiocarbon dating of reed bags found during excavations showed that Caral dates back to the late Archaic period, around 3000 BC. Caral provides numerous evidence of the life of ancient people in the Americas.
Karal is one of the 18 settlements in the Supe Valley, with an area of about 65 hectares. It is located in the desert, in the valley of the Supe River. Exceptionally well preserved, the city is impressive in its complexity of layout and architecture.
Two ancient Mayan cities in the jungles of Mexico
Hellerick/BY-SA 4.0/wikipedia
In the jungles of Mexico, archaeologists have discovered two ancient Mayan cities: the ruins of pyramidal temples, a palace, an entrance similar to the mouth of a monster, altars and other stone structures. One of the cities had already been found several decades ago, but then it was “lost” again. The existence of another city was previously unknown - this discovery sheds new light on ancient civilization Mayan.
Expedition leader Ivan Spradzik from the research center of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU) explained that the cities were discovered using aerial photography tropical forests central Yucatan in the state of Campeche, Mexico. Some anomalies were noticed among the dense vegetation of the forest, and a group of scientists was sent there to investigate.
Archaeologists were stunned when they discovered an entire city between Rio Bec and Chenes. One of the most impressive features of this city is the huge entrance, similar to the mouth of a monster, this is the personification of the deity of fertility. “It is a symbolic entrance to the cave, and in general to the watery underworld, the place of the mythological origin of corn and the abode of the ancestors,” Spragic told Discovery News. Having passed through the “underworld”, archaeologists saw a large pyramid temple 20 meters high, as well as ruins palace complex, located around four large squares. There they discovered numerous stone sculptures and several altars with well-preserved bas-reliefs and inscriptions.
Even more stunning than the rediscovery of Lagunite was the discovery of ancient ruins nearby that were previously unknown, including pyramids, an altar, and a large acropolis surrounded by three temples. These structures are reminiscent of another Mayan city, which was called Tamchen (deep well), as more than thirty deep underground chambers were found there, used to collect rainwater.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Over the last century, humanity has become a powerful technological civilization. And many believe that our ancient ancestors did nothing to help us with this. Of course this is not true. All the technologies we have today were based on the work of our ancestors. People used to be much smarter than we might think.
Baghdad Batteries
Nowadays, batteries are used almost everywhere. But they are not a modern invention. Some scientists believe that the first battery was invented 250 BC. The "ancient battery" was found near Baghdad in 1938. It looks like a large clay jug with an asphalted stopper, inside of which there is an iron rod surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with vinegar or other electrolytic liquid, it produces 0.2 to 2 volts of electricity.
This design is similar in functionality to our batteries, but has a rougher design. Why were they used? To allow liquid metals such as gold, silver, chromium to adhere to the surface during the gilding process. This technology is still used today, only in a more advanced variation.
Iron pillar in Delhi
The iron pillar in Delhi, which was built more than 1600 years ago, is not considered an indicator of scientific and technological progress, but many scientists are interested in why this column, more than six meters long, has stood for more than a thousand years and still does not rust?
In itself, it is not considered a unique object, but it reflects the skills of metallurgists of that time. In Dhar there are ancient cannons that have not rusted, as well as other similar pillars. This may indicate that the unique methodology by which such projects were developed was lost. Who knows what heights humanity could have achieved in the field of metallurgy if it had possessed the lost knowledge.
Longyou Caves
In ancient times, our ancestors used caves as shelter from predators. After some time, people came to increase the living space of the cave. Nowadays, technology makes it possible to dig huge tunnels.
Longyou Caves were discovered in 1992. A local resident wanted to pump water out of a small hole, but ended up discovering a huge man-made cave. There are 24 caves in total, which were created by manual labor. They all begin their history 2500 years ago. Many rooms are symmetrical and have various animals and symbols representing nature on the walls.
It was estimated that the Chinese needed to cut out a million cubic meters of stone to create them. What remains interesting is what is the point of this. Since there are no records left, we cannot even guess why this was done.
Lens of Nimrud
It is difficult to figure out what exactly this lens was used for, but some scientists hypothesize that it was part of a telescope. This would explain how the Assyrians knew astronomy so well. The lens was created approximately 3,000 years ago, and was found by an archaeologist from England during excavations in 1853.
It is also hypothesized that the Nimrud lens could be used as a magnifying glass for simple carvings, or it could also be used to make fire.
Chinese earthquake detector
A Scottish physicist invented the modern seismograph in 1841. However, it cannot be said that he was the first to create a device for measuring seismic activity. The Chinese created a device that could detect earthquakes in advance back in 132.
The device was a large bronze vessel with a diameter of just under two meters. He had eight dragons that looked in all directions. Each of the kites pointed at the toad with its mouth open. It is not clear how exactly this device worked, but scientists suggest that a pendulum was placed in the center, which began to move in the direction of the earthquake.
Göbekli Tepe
This remarkable find once again proves how much we underestimated our ancestors. Gobekli Tepe is huge temple complex, whose age is estimated at 12,000 years. What makes it so unique? This is a detailed stone work. Means that at that time technology allowed people to process huge blocks.
Initially, researchers believed that this place was an ancient cemetery, but long-term study showed that the construction of the temple continued for many years, and it was a rich religious building.
Gobekli Tepe is located three hundred meters from the neighboring valley. This is probably the first place for spiritual ceremonies. It is surprising how skillfully the stones are processed, because at that time there were no metal tools yet.
Antikythera Mechanism
At the moment, it is possible to plot a path across the entire planet using a GPS system. However, people of that time did not have our technology. Sailors in ancient times relied on the movements of the planets and stars to navigate the seas.
The found device remained unstudied for many years, and only a thorough examination helped to understand what it was used for.
The Antikythera mechanism could track the movements of celestial bodies with incredible accuracy. It has gears, just like modern watches. However, at the time it was created, no such technology existed. Although many parts of the find were lost, it was discovered that the device had seven hands that resembled a clock. Obviously, they indicated the direction of movement of the seven planets that were known at that time.
This is the only find that speaks of the great contribution of the Greeks to science. By the way, the device is more than 2200 years old. To this day, exactly how it was used remains a mystery. It is unlikely that this will give us impetus for the development of new directions, but it has become useful for educational purposes.
Lycurgus Cup
The Lycurgus Cup dates from the fourth century AD. It depicts Lycurgus who has fallen into a trap. Visually this is a very beautiful thing. Inside the green glass are millions of incredibly small fragments of gold and silver. The color of the cup depends on the angle from which you look at it.
Damascus steel
Damascus steel began to be made around the third century. It was part of the Syrian arms market until the 17th century, then the technology was lost, but some experts believe that it can be restored. You can easily recognize Damascus steel by the characteristic pattern on the product. Steel is considered incredibly strong, making it resistant to damage.
Due to their rarity, Damascus steel blades are still in great demand among collectors.
Ancient Greek steam engine of Heron
The first steam engine was patented in 1698 by Thomas Saveney. It really became useful in 1781 when James Watt adapted it for industrial use. Despite this, approximately two thousand years ago the great mathematician Heron had already invented the steam engine.
The water, located in a closed sphere, was heated at the base; at the top there were tubes looking in different directions. When releasing steam, they rotated the entire device along its axis due to torque.
The device was first described in the first century. It is still not clear for what purpose it was created. Perhaps it was simply an attribute of the temple of science in which it was kept. Just imagine what the world would be like today if the creator had thought of attaching an ordinary wheel to this engine.
Nowadays, batteries are used almost everywhere. But they are not a modern invention. Some scientists believe that the first battery was invented 250 BC. The "ancient battery" was found near Baghdad in 1938. It looks like a large clay jug with an asphalted stopper, inside of which there is an iron rod surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with vinegar or other electrolytic liquid, it produces 0.2 to 2 volts of electricity.
This design is similar in functionality to our batteries, but has a rougher design. Why were they used? To allow liquid metals such as gold, silver, chromium to adhere to the surface during the gilding process. This technology is still used today, only in a more advanced variation.
The iron pillar in Delhi, which was built more than 1600 years ago, is not considered an indicator of scientific and technological progress, but many scientists are interested in why this column, more than six meters long, has stood for more than a thousand years and still does not rust?
In itself, it is not considered a unique object, but it reflects the skills of metallurgists of that time. In Dhar there are ancient cannons that have not rusted, as well as other similar pillars. This may indicate that the unique methodology by which such projects were developed was lost. Who knows what heights humanity could have achieved in the field of metallurgy if it had possessed the lost knowledge.
In ancient times, our ancestors used caves as shelter from predators. After some time, people came to increase the living space of the cave. Nowadays, technology makes it possible to dig huge tunnels.
Longyou Caves were discovered in 1992. A local resident wanted to pump water out of a small hole, but ended up discovering a huge man-made cave. There are 24 caves in total, which were created by manual labor. They all begin their history 2500 years ago. Many rooms are symmetrical and have various animals and symbols representing nature on the walls.
It was estimated that the Chinese needed to cut out a million cubic meters of stone to create them. What remains interesting is what is the point of this. Since there are no records left, we cannot even guess why this was done.
It is difficult to figure out what exactly this lens was used for, but some scientists hypothesize that it was part of a telescope. This would explain how the Assyrians knew astronomy so well. The lens was created approximately 3,000 years ago, and was found by an archaeologist from England during excavations in 1853.
It is also hypothesized that the Nimrud lens could be used as a magnifying glass for simple carvings, or it could also be used to make fire.
A Scottish physicist invented the modern seismograph in 1841. However, it cannot be said that he was the first to create a device for measuring seismic activity. The Chinese created a device that could detect earthquakes in advance back in 132.
The device was a large bronze vessel with a diameter of just under two meters. He had eight dragons that looked in all directions. Each of the kites pointed at the toad with its mouth open. It is not clear how exactly this device worked, but scientists suggest that a pendulum was placed in the center, which began to move in the direction of the earthquake.
This remarkable find once again proves how much we underestimated our ancestors. Gobekli Tepe is a huge temple complex, estimated to be 12,000 years old. What makes it so unique? This is a detailed stone work. Means that at that time technology allowed people to process huge blocks.
Initially, researchers believed that this place was an ancient cemetery, but long-term study showed that the construction of the temple continued for many years, and it was a rich religious building.
Gobekli Tepe is located three hundred meters from the neighboring valley. This is probably the first place for spiritual ceremonies. It is surprising how skillfully the stones are processed, because at that time there were no metal tools yet.
At the moment, it is possible to plot a path across the entire planet using a GPS system. However, people of that time did not have our technology. Sailors in ancient times relied on the movements of the planets and stars to navigate the seas.
The found device remained unstudied for many years, and only a thorough examination helped to understand what it was used for.
The Antikythera mechanism could track the movements of celestial bodies with incredible accuracy. It has gears, just like modern watches. However, at the time it was created, no such technology existed. Although many parts of the find were lost, it was discovered that the device had seven hands that resembled a clock. Obviously, they indicated the direction of movement of the seven planets that were known at that time.
This is the only find that speaks of the great contribution of the Greeks to science. By the way, the device is more than 2200 years old. To this day, exactly how it was used remains a mystery. It is unlikely that this will give us impetus for the development of new directions, but it has become useful for educational purposes.
The Lycurgus Cup dates from the fourth century AD. It depicts Lycurgus who has fallen into a trap. Visually this is a very beautiful thing. Inside the green glass are millions of incredibly small fragments of gold and silver. The color of the cup depends on the angle from which you look at it.
Damascus steel began to be made around the third century. It was part of the Syrian arms market until the 17th century, then the technology was lost, but some experts believe that it can be restored. You can easily recognize Damascus steel by the characteristic pattern on the product. Steel is considered incredibly strong, making it resistant to damage.
Due to their rarity, Damascus steel blades are still in great demand among collectors.
The first steam engine was patented in 1698 by Thomas Saveney. It really became useful in 1781 when James Watt adapted it for industrial use. Despite this, approximately two thousand years ago the great mathematician Heron had already invented the steam engine.
The water, located in a closed sphere, was heated at the base; at the top there were tubes looking in different directions. When releasing steam, they rotated the entire device along its axis due to torque.
The device was first described in the first century. It is still not clear for what purpose it was created. Perhaps it was simply an attribute of the temple of science in which it was kept. Just imagine what the world would be like today if the creator had thought of attaching an ordinary wheel to this engine.
For the majority of people ancient history limited to only three civilizations - Egypt, Rome and Greece. Beyond those three pillars, our map of the ancient world is just a blank space. However, many vibrant and exciting cultures existed outside this narrow center. Filling in the gaps, in this collection we will tell you about 10 forgotten ancient civilizations.
Aksumite kingdom
The Kingdom of Aksum has been the subject of countless legends. among them the home of the mythical Prester John, the lost kingdom of Queen Saba, or the burial place of the Ark of Covenant, Aksum has long been at the center of the Western imagination. Far from being a myth, the Ethiopian kingdom once held international trading power. With access to the Nile and Red Sea trade routes, trade flourished, and by the beginning of the Common Era, most of the Ethiopian peoples were under Aksumite rule. Aksum's power and prosperity allowed it to expand into Arabia. In the third century AD, a Persian philosopher wrote that the kingdom of Aksum was one of the four largest kingdoms in the world, along with Rome, China and Persia. Aksum converted to Christianity immediately after the Roman Empire and continued to flourish into the early Middle Ages. If not for the expansion of Islam, the kingdom would have continued to dominate East Africa. After Arab conquest coastline Red Sea Axum lost its main trading advantage over its neighbors. But they only had themselves to blame. Just a few decades earlier, the king had given refuge to Muhammad's early followers, thus ensuring the expansion of the religion that would destroy the kingdom of Aksum.
Kingdom of Kush
Known in ancient Egyptian sources for its abundance of gold and other valuable natural resources, the kingdom of Kush was conquered and exploited by its northern neighbor for nearly half a millennium (ca. 1500–1000 BC). But Kush's origins extend much further back - ceramic artifacts dating back to 8000 BC have been discovered in the area of its capital, Kerma, and as early as 2400 BC. Kush had a highly stratified and complex urban society supported by large-scale agriculture. In the ninth century BC, instability in Egypt allowed the Kushites to regain their independence. And in one of the greatest conquests in history, Kush captured Egypt in 750 BC. Over the next century, a series of Kushite pharaohs ruled territory that far surpassed their Egyptian predecessors. These were the rulers who resumed the creation Egyptian pyramids and contributed to their construction in Sudan. They were eventually driven out of Egypt by the Assyrian invasion, ending centuries of cultural exchange between Kush and Egypt. The Kushites fled south, settling on the southeastern bank of the Nile. Here they broke away from Egyptian influence and developed their own form of writing, now called Meroitic. The manuscripts still remain a mystery and have not yet been deciphered, hiding much of Kush's history. The last king of the kingdom died in 300 AD, although the fall of his kingdom and the exact reasons for its decline remain a mystery.
Yam Kingdom
The Kingdom of Yam existed as a trading partner and possible rival to the Kingdom of Egypt, but its exact location proved almost as elusive as the mythical Atlantis. Based on the funerary inscriptions of the Egyptian explorer Harkhuf, it appears that Yam was the land of “incense, ebony, leopard skins, elephant tusks and boomerangs.” Despite Harkhuf's claims of possible overland travel exceeding seven months, Egyptologists have long placed the land of boomerangs just a few hundred miles from the Nile. The conventional wisdom was that there was no way the ancient Egyptians could have crossed the inhospitable expanse of the Sahara Desert. But it seems we have underestimated the ancient Egyptian traders because hieroglyphs recently discovered more than 700 kilometers southwest of the Nile confirm the existence of trade between Yam and Egypt and point to Yam's location in the Scottish Highlands of Chad. It is not known exactly how the Egyptians crossed hundreds of miles of desert before the invention of the wheel, using only donkeys as beasts of burden.
Xiongnu Empire
The Xiongnu Empire was a confederation of nomadic peoples who dominated northern China from the third century BC. to the first century BC Imagine the Mongol army of Genghis Khan, but a thousand years earlier... and with chariots. Many theories exist to explain the origins of the Xiongnu, and some scholars once claimed that they were the ancestors of the Huns. Unfortunately, there are few left historical information about this people. What we do know is that the Xiongnu raids on China were so destructive that Emperor Qin ordered the earliest construction work on the Great Wall. Nearly half a century later, constant Hongwu raids forced the Chinese, this time under the Han dynasty, to refortify and expand the Great Wall even further. In 166 BC, more than 100,000 Xiongnu horsemen made it 160 kilometers to the Chinese capital before finally being stopped. The Chinese finally gained some semblance of control over their northern neighbors. However, the Xiongnu were the first and longest lasting Asian nomadic empire.
Greco-Bactria
Too often, in stories about the life and conquests of Alexander the Great, we do not remember those people who followed him in battle. The fate of Alexander is well known, but what is known about those people who died for the conquests of the young general? When Alexander died unexpectedly, the Macedonians didn't just go home. Instead, their generals fought with each other for supremacy in running the empire. Seleucus I Nicator was quite successful in this, capturing everything from the Mediterranean in the west to what is now Pakistan in the east. However, even the Empire of Seleucus is quite well known, compared to Greco-Bactria. In the third century BC. The province of Bactria (which is now Afghanistan and Tajikistan) became so strong that it declared independence. Sources describe the rich land as “a thousand cities,” and artifacts unearthed span centuries. Greco-Bactria's location made it a melting pot for a whole host of cultures: the Persians, Indians, Scythians and many nomadic groups all contributed to the development of a completely unique kingdom. Of course, location and wealth also attracted unwanted attention by the early second century BC. pressure from nomads from the north forced the Greeks to travel south to India. At Alexandria Oxiana, or Ai Khanum as it is now known, spectacular evidence of this radical combination of Greek and Eastern culture was excavated, before the Afghan war destroyed the site in 1978. During the excavation period, Indian coins, Iranian altars and other finds were found among the ruins of this Greek city, complete with Corinthian columns, a gymnasium, an amphitheater and a temple combining Greek and Zoroastrian elements.
Yuezhi
The Yuezhi are known for having fought with so many nations. For several centuries they appeared in the background of an incredible number of significant events in Eurasia. The Yuezhi originated as a confederation of several nomadic tribes on the steppes north of China. Traders traveled long distances to exchange jade, silk and horses. Their thriving trade brought them into direct conflict with the Xiongnu, who eventually forced them to abandon the trade. The Yuezhi then headed west, where they encountered and defeated the Greco-Bactrians. By the first and second centuries AD, the Yuezhi were fighting the Scythians, in addition to occasional warfare in Pakistan and Han China. During this period, the tribes unified and established their own agricultural economy. This empire survived for three centuries until armies from Persia, Pakistan and India re-conquered their old territories.
Kingdom of Mitanni
The Mitanni state existed from approximately 1500 BC. to 1200s BC and consisted of what is now Syria and northern Iraq. You know of at least one Mitannian, as there is evidence that the famous Queen of Egypt, Nefertiti, was born in the Mesopotamian state. Nefertiti married the Pharaoh to improve relations between the two kingdoms. The Mitanni are believed to be Indo-Aryan in origin, and their culture demonstrates the extent to which ancient Indian influence permeated through Near Eastern civilization. They supported Hindu beliefs in fate, reincarnation and cremation, which support the connection between Mitanni and Egypt. Nefertiti and her husband, Amenhotep IV, were at the center of the religious revolution in Egypt and had great influence over the pharaoh. While much of the above remains unconfirmed, scientists hope that early excavations will reveal Mitanni's capital and reveal more about the ancient kingdom.
Tuvana
There is no more lost or forgotten kingdom in the world than Tuwana. When the Hittite Empire collapsed, Tuwana was one of a handful of city-states that helped fill the power vacuum in what is now Turkey. During the ninth and eighth centuries BC, Tuwana rose to prominence, strengthening its position between the Phrygian and Assyrian empires to facilitate trade throughout Anatolia. As a result, substantial wealth was accumulated. It is likely that Tuwana's central location and the lack of unity among the Anatolian city-states made the kingdom weaker when it emerged in early 700 BC. conquest took place. As the Assyrian Empire expanded westward, it overthrew each of the post-Hittite city-states along its path. Up until 2012, all that was known about Tuvan was based on a handful of inscriptions and a few mentions in some Assyrian documents. The recent discovery of a massive city believed to be the power base of Tuvana changes all of this. With such a large and well-preserved find, archaeologists began to piece together the history of a strong and wealthy kingdom that controlled the region's trade for several centuries. Since the city was located along the Great Silk Road, the archaeological potential of Tuvana is enormous.
Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta Maurya was essentially the Alexander the Great for India. It is not surprising that they soon met. Chandragapta requested Macedonian assistance in his quest to control the subcontinent, but Alexander's troops were too busy mutinying. The undaunted ruler unified most of India under his rule and defeated all conquerors in the subcontinent. He did all this by the age of 20. After Alexander's death, it was the Mauryan Empire that prevented his successors from expanding deeper into India. Chandragapta personally defeated several Macedonian generals in a battle, after which the Macedonians chose agreement rather than risk open war. Unlike Alexander, Chandragupta left behind a carefully constructed government to ensure the duration of his inheritance. And it might have lived longer if not for a coup in 185 BC that left India divided, weak, and open to Greek invasion.
Indo-Greeks
Impossible to talk about ancient world, without mentioning the Greeks - the Greeks were everywhere. As mentioned before, external pressure doomed the Greco-Bactrians, but the Indo-Greek kingdom carried the torch of Hellenistic culture for another two centuries in northwestern India. The most famous of the Indo-Greek kings, Menander, supposedly accepted Buddhism after long debates with the philosopher Nagasena. Greek influence can be clearly seen in the fusion of artistic styles. The collapse of the Indo-Greek kingdom was most likely a combination of the Yuezhi invasion from the north and Indian expansion from the south.
Over the last century, humanity has become a powerful technological civilization. And many believe that our ancient ancestors did nothing to help us with this. Of course this is not true. All the technologies we have today were based on the work of our ancestors. People used to be much smarter than we might think.
Nowadays, batteries are used almost everywhere. But they are not a modern invention. Some scientists believe that the first battery was invented 250 BC. The "ancient battery" was found near Baghdad in 1938. It looks like a large clay jug with an asphalted stopper, inside of which there is an iron rod surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with vinegar or other electrolytic liquid, it produces 0.2 to 2 volts of electricity.
This design is similar in functionality to our batteries, but has a rougher design. Why were they used? To allow liquid metals such as gold, silver, chromium to adhere to the surface during the gilding process. This technology is still used today, only in a more advanced variation.
Iron pillar in Delhi
The iron pillar in Delhi, which was built more than 1600 years ago, is not considered an indicator of scientific and technological progress, but many scientists are interested in why this column, more than six meters long, has stood for more than a thousand years and still does not rust?
In itself, it is not considered a unique object, but it reflects the skills of metallurgists of that time. In Dhar there are ancient cannons that have not rusted, as well as other similar pillars. This may indicate that the unique methodology by which such projects were developed was lost. Who knows what heights humanity could have achieved in the field of metallurgy if it had possessed the lost knowledge.
Longyou Caves
In ancient times, our ancestors used caves as shelter from predators. After some time, people came to increase the living space of the cave. Nowadays, technology makes it possible to dig huge tunnels.
Longyou Caves were discovered in 1992. A local resident wanted to pump water out of a small hole, but ended up discovering a huge man-made cave. There are 24 caves in total, which were created by manual labor. They all begin their history 2500 years ago. Many rooms are symmetrical and have various animals and symbols representing nature on the walls.
It was estimated that the Chinese needed to cut out a million cubic meters of stone to create them. What remains interesting is what is the point of this. Since there are no records left, we cannot even guess why this was done.
Lens of Nimrud
It is difficult to figure out what exactly this lens was used for, but some scientists hypothesize that it was part of a telescope. This would explain how the Assyrians knew astronomy so well. The lens was created approximately 3,000 years ago, and was found by an archaeologist from England during excavations in 1853.
It is also hypothesized that the Nimrud lens could be used as a magnifying glass for simple carvings, or it could also be used to make fire.
Chinese earthquake detector
A Scottish physicist invented the modern seismograph in 1841. However, it cannot be said that he was the first to create a device for measuring seismic activity. The Chinese created a device that could detect earthquakes in advance back in 132.
The device was a large bronze vessel with a diameter of just under two meters. He had eight dragons that looked in all directions. Each of the kites pointed at the toad with its mouth open. It is not clear how exactly this device worked, but scientists suggest that a pendulum was placed in the center, which began to move in the direction of the earthquake.
Göbekli Tepe
This remarkable find once again proves how much we underestimated our ancestors. Gobekli Tepe is a huge temple complex, estimated to be 12,000 years old. What makes it so unique? This is a detailed stone work. Means that at that time technology allowed people to process huge blocks.
Initially, researchers believed that this place was an ancient cemetery, but long-term study showed that the construction of the temple continued for many years, and it was a rich religious building.
Gobekli Tepe is located three hundred meters from the neighboring valley. This is probably the first place for spiritual ceremonies. It is surprising how skillfully the stones are processed, because at that time there were no metal tools yet.
Antikythera Mechanism
At the moment, it is possible to plot a path across the entire planet using a GPS system. However, people of that time did not have our technology. Sailors in ancient times relied on the movements of the planets and stars to navigate the seas.
The found device remained unstudied for many years, and only a thorough examination helped to understand what it was used for.
The Antikythera mechanism could track the movements of celestial bodies with incredible accuracy. It has gears, just like modern watches. However, at the time it was created, no such technology existed. Although many parts of the find were lost, it was discovered that the device had seven hands that resembled a clock. Obviously, they indicated the direction of movement of the seven planets that were known at that time.
This is the only find that speaks of the great contribution of the Greeks to science. By the way, the device is more than 2200 years old. To this day, exactly how it was used remains a mystery. It is unlikely that this will give us impetus for the development of new directions, but it has become useful for educational purposes.
Lycurgus Cup
The Lycurgus Cup dates from the fourth century AD. It depicts Lycurgus who has fallen into a trap. Visually this is a very beautiful thing. Inside the green glass are millions of incredibly small fragments of gold and silver. The color of the cup depends on the angle from which you look at it.
Damascus steel
Damascus steel began to be made around the third century. It was part of the Syrian arms market until the 17th century, then the technology was lost, but some experts believe that it can be restored. You can easily recognize Damascus steel by the characteristic pattern on the product. Steel is considered incredibly strong, making it resistant to damage.
Due to their rarity, Damascus steel blades are still in great demand among collectors.
Ancient Greek steam engine of Heron
The first steam engine was patented in 1698 by Thomas Saveney. It really became useful in 1781 when James Watt adapted it for industrial use. Despite this, approximately two thousand years ago the great mathematician Heron had already invented the steam engine.
The water, located in a closed sphere, was heated at the base; at the top there were tubes looking in different directions. When releasing steam, they rotated the entire device along its axis due to torque.
The device was first described in the first century. It is still not clear for what purpose it was created. Perhaps it was simply an attribute of the temple of science in which it was kept. Just imagine what the world would be like today if the creator had thought of attaching an ordinary wheel to this engine.
