Lost ancient civilizations. Evidence that ancient civilizations had advanced technology. Iron pillar in Delhi
Believe it or not, friends, modern humanity may disappear in a couple of years, and this will not be the first time a civilization has disappeared from the face of the Earth. The disappearance of some ancient civilizations known to us was caused by wars, climate change, disease, invasions, and eruptions. But in most cases, these reasons are most likely the assumption of learned historians.
Clovis
Time of existence: 11500 BC
Location: North America
We know little about Clovis culture. What is known is that this prehistoric Native American culture is believed to have existed in North America. Its name comes from an archaeological site located near Clovis, New Mexico. Artifacts found at the site in the 1920s consist of stone tools and bones.
It is believed that these people arrived from Siberia to Alaska via the Bering Strait towards the end of the last Ice Age. Whether this was the first crop in North America, no one knows. The life of this civilization passed quite quickly. What contributed to her rapid disappearance? Maybe they hunted too much and destroyed their food supply? Or was it caused by climate change, disease, predators, or a meteorite? Or maybe members of this culture simply dispersed to join other Indian tribes? Scientists still have a lot of work to do to unravel this mystery.
Cucuteni-Trypillia culture
Time of existence: between 5500 and 2750 BC.
Location: Ukraine and Romania.
The largest communities of Neolithic Europe were built in Cucuteni-Trypillia, what is now modern Ukraine, Romania and Moldavia. There were almost 15,000 people in the Cucuteni-Trypillia civilization - a huge community of that time that mysteriously disappeared from the face of the Earth.
The Cucuteni-Trypillia culture is famous for its ceramics. They also had the strange habit of burning down their villages every 60-80 years before building new ones on the ashes of the old ones. To date, scientists have identified about 3,000 archaeological sites from this matriarchal society, at the center of which was the mother goddess. Their disappearance may have been caused by dramatic climate change, which led to the worst droughts in European history. Other theories suggest that the people were scattered among different tribes that lived nearby.
Indus Valley Civilization
Time of existence: 3300-1300 BC.
Location: Pakistan.
The Indus Valley Civilization is one of those vast civilizations spread across what is now Pakistan and western India. This is one of the most mysterious ancient civilizations. Little is known about her, mainly because no one has ever been able to decipher their language. We know that people built more than a hundred cities and villages, including the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. Each had their own sewer systems and basic living conditions in their homes. It appears to have been a civilization without classes and without an army that excelled in astronomy and agriculture. It was also the first civilization to make cotton clothing.
The Indus civilization disappeared 4,500 years ago and no one knew about it until ruins were discovered in the 1920s. Several theories try to explain this disappearance. These include changes in their environment, drying up of the Ghaggar-Hakra River, and colder and drier temperatures. Another theory suggests an Aryan invasion of the region around 1500 BC.
Minoan civilization
Time of existence: 3000-630 BC.
Location: Crete.
The Minoan civilization was not known until the early 20th century. Since 1900, careful research has begun, which has revealed many secrets of this mysterious civilization, which existed for about 7,000 years and reached its peak around 1600 BC. Over time, archaeologists have found very interesting places. One of these was the palace at Knossos, a labyrinth associated with the legend of King Minos (hence the name of the civilization). Now it is an important archaeological center.
The Minoans are believed to have been destroyed volcanic eruption on the island of Thera (Santorini today). There is evidence that they would have survived if the eruption had not killed all plant life. This led to the economic decline of the once rich civilization, famine and death. Another hypothesis is that they were captured by the Mycenaeans. The Minoan Civilization is one of the greatest civilizations that has ever existed.
Mayan civilization
Time of existence: 2600 BC before 1520 AD
Location: Central America.
The Mayan civilization is a classic example of a civilization that mysteriously disappeared. Her greatest monuments, its cities and roads were swallowed by the jungle Central America, and its population is scattered among small villages and settlements. The languages and traditions of the Maya people still survive, but the civilization's climax occurred in the first millennium AD, when their greatest architectural monuments were built and their dominance spanned a vast area that would include Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize.
One of the greatest nations ancient civilization used writing, mathematics, developed a calendar and sophisticated technology to build his pyramids and terraced farms. The reason for the disappearance of this highly advanced civilization is one of the great archaeological debates. It is theorized that internal strife, combined with climate change in the Yucatan during the year 900, led to crop failure and famine leading to destruction.
Mycenaean civilization
Time of existence: 1600-1100 BC.
Location: Greece.
Unlike Minoan civilization, Mycenaean prospered not only through trade, but also through conquest. Their empire covered almost all of Greece. The Mycenaean civilization survived five centuries as a dominant force before disappearing around 1100 BC. Several Greek myths center around this civilization. One of them is the myth of the legendary king Agamemnon, who led the Greek army during the Trojan War. The Mycenaean civilization was culturally and economically rich and left behind many artifacts. But the mystery of her disappearance has not yet been solved.
Olmec civilization
Time of existence: 1400 BC
Location: Mexico.
The great pre-Columbian Olmec civilization once flourished in Mexico. The first traces of civilization date back to 1400 BC. The city of San Lorenzo has one of the three main Olmec centers with Tenochtitlan and Potrero Nuevo.
The Olmecs were master builders. In the places where they lived, monuments of giant stone heads were found. This civilization laid the foundation for all subsequent Mesoamerican cultures. The Olmecs are believed to have been the first to develop a written system, and they probably invented the compass and the Mesoamerican calendar. They knew the use of bloodletting, performed human sacrifices and invented the concept of the number zero. This civilization was not discovered by historians until the mid-19th century. Its decline was due to climate change caused by volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and possibly a decline in agricultural activity.
Nabataean civilization
Time of existence: 600 BC
Location: Jordan.
The Nabatean civilization flourished in southern Jordan, the Canaan region, and northern Arabia from the 6th century BC. Semitic peoples built the spectacular city of Petra, carved into the sandstone cliffs of the Jordan Mountains. We also know about their talents in hydraulics and the complex system of dams, canals and reservoirs that allowed them to survive in the desert region.
No written records have reached us, and we know almost nothing about their culture. Nevertheless, it was a prosperous civilization, which, thanks to its geographical location, created a trading network for the trade and exchange of ivory, silk, spices, precious metals and stones, incense, sugar, perfumes and medicines. Unlike other civilizations of that time, the Nabataeans did not know about slavery, and each contributed to the development of their state.
In the 4th century BC. The Nabataeans abandoned Petra and no one knows why. Archaeological evidence suggests that their departure was not hasty, and therefore it was not associated with raids by warlike tribes. It is believed that migration to the north occurred to find better work.
Aksum Empire
Time of existence: 100 AD
Location: Ethiopia.
The Aksum Empire began in the first century AD in the area that is now Ethiopia. Legend has it that this was the birthplace of the Queen of Sheba. Aksum was important shopping center, from where vast agricultural resources and gold were exported to the Roman Empire and India. It was a wealthy state and the first African culture to issue its own currency, which was a sign of a great power at the time.
The most distinctive monuments are the steles of Aksum, giant carved obelisks that act as funeral terminals for kings and nobles. The first Aksumites worshiped many gods, the main of which was Astar. Then, in 324, King Ezana II was converted to Christianity and became Aksum. According to local legend, a Jewish queen named Yodit conquered the Aksumite Empire and burned their churches and books. Others believe that it was the pagan queen Bani al-Hamwiya who caused the decline of the empire. Other theories attribute the collapse of the empire to climate change and overuse of soil, which led to famine. Aksum took second place in the list of the most ancient civilizations that mysteriously disappeared from the face of the Earth.
Khmer Empire
Time of existence: 1000-1400 AD
Location: Cambodia.
Khmer Empire, one of the most powerful empires and greatest lost civilizations in South-East Asia, which occupied the territories of modern Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Malaysia. The capital of Angkor has become one of the most famous archaeological sites in Cambodia. This empire, which included up to a million people, flourished during the first millennium. The Khmers practiced Hinduism and Buddhism and built temples, towers and other complex structures such as Angkor Wat, a temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. The decline of the Khmer Empire was attributed to a combination of factors, although most believe that ruinous wars contributed to the empire's demise. TO XIV century The Khmer Empire ceases to exist.
Whatever happens in the future, my dear reader, each of us can make an effort to extend the life of our fragile civilization. I don’t know what its descendants will call it (if there are any), but I doubt that after its destruction there will be anything left for them. We are standing on the edge of an abyss - this is a fact, and whether a bridge will be built across this abyss depends on you and me.
Culture
Throughout its history, humanity has lost many civilizations. Explorers discover huge temples and giant treasure pits that were once grand palaces.
Why did people abandon once prosperous cities, centers and trade routes? Often there is no answer to these questions.
Here are 10 civilizations whose disappearance still remains a mystery.
1. Maya
The Mayan civilization is a classic example of a civilization that was completely lost. Its monuments, cities and roads were swallowed up by the jungles of Central America, and its inhabitants were scattered among small villages.
Although the Mayan language and traditions survive to this day, the peak of civilization occurred in the first millennium AD, when magnificent architectural structures and large-scale agricultural projects covered most Yucatan. Today this territory extends from Mexico to Guatemala and Belize. The Mayans made extensive use of writing, mathematics, intricate calendars, and sophisticated engineering to build pyramids and terraced fields.
It is believed that the mysterious decline of the Mayan civilization began around the year 900, and there are several speculations about this. Among them there is evidence that climate change in Yucatan and civil wars led to famine and abandonment city centers.
2. Indus civilization
The Indus or, as it is also called, the Harappan civilization is one of the greatest civilizations ancient world. Until thousands of years ago, it stretched across India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan and boasted 5 million inhabitants, about 10 percent of the world's total population.
Its trade routes and massive multi-story buildings were abandoned more than 3,000 years ago. There are several assumptions about the decline of the Indus civilization. According to the latest version, like Maya, this ancient civilization suffered from gradual changes in rainfall levels, making it difficult to grow enough food for the huge population.
3. Easter Island
The Easter Islanders are another classic "lost" civilization, made famous by the mysterious, huge statues of human heads that line the coastline islands.
How did a thriving Polynesian civilization disappear after centuries of building ancient monuments there, sailing hundreds of kilometers across the ocean from one island to another?
According to one hypothesis, the Rapanui people, the inhabitants of Easter Island, were very developed and intelligent, but their methods were not rational. At the time they settled on Easter Island between 700 and 1200 AD, they used all the trees and agricultural resources of the island, and they had to move.
4. Catalhöyük
Çatalhöyük, often called the most ancient city in the world, was part of a major urban development and agricultural civilization that flourished between 9,000 and 7,000 years ago in what is now central Turkey.
Catalhöyük had a unique structure, unlike other cities. There were no roads here, and instead the inhabitants built something similar to a beehive, where houses were built on top of each other, and the entrance was located on the roof. It is believed that outside the walls people grew everything they could, from almonds to wheat. Residents decorated the entrance to the house with bull skulls, and buried the bodies of deceased people underground on the floor.
The civilization existed before the Iron Age and before the advent of literacy, but there is still evidence that it was a very advanced society, including art and rituals. Why did people leave the city? There is no answer to this question yet.
5. Cahokia
Long before Europeans arrived in North America, the so-called Mississippians built a large city surrounded by huge earthen pyramids - mounds and structures made of wood, similar to Stonehenge, in order to monitor the movements of the stars.
The heyday of civilization occurred between 600 and 1400 AD., and the city extended over 15 square meters. km with hundreds of mounds and a huge square in the center. Its population was about 40,000 people, many of whom were skilled artists, architects, and farmers who created amazing objects of art from shells, copper and stone. It is not entirely clear what caused people to leave the city, but some archaeologists believe that perhaps disease and hunger began in the city, and people went to more favorable places.
6. Gobekli Tepe
One of the most mysterious structures discovered was the Gobekli Tepe complex, built around 10,000 BC. and located in modern southern Turkey.
The complex consists of a series of round, nested structures decorated with carvings in the form of animals, which is probably served as a temple for nomadic tribes in this area. It was not permanent place residence, although several priests may have lived here all year round. It is the first permanent structure built by humans to be discovered, and it likely represents the pinnacle of indigenous Mesopotamian civilization of the era.
What did people worship? Where did they come to this place from? What else were they doing? Archaeologists are currently working hard to answer these questions.
7. Angkor
Many people have heard about the outstanding temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. But this is just a small part of that huge civilization during the Khmer Empire, which was called Angkor. The city flourished during the late Middle Ages in 1000-1200 AD and was supported by approximately a million people.
Eat many reasons why Angkor fell, ranging from wars to natural disasters. Now most of civilization is buried in the jungle. It is still not clear how many people actually lived in the city, which was distinguished by its amazing architecture and Hindu culture. Some archaeologists believe that, given all the roads and canals connecting many of its regions, it can be assumed that this is it was the largest city in the world at its height.
8. Turquoise Mountain
While not all destroyed monuments represent lost civilizations, the Jam Minaret is just such a structure. This magnificent architectural structure, built in 1100, was part of a city in Afghanistan. Archaeological excavations indicate that it was a multi-ethnic territory, where many religions coexisted, including Jewish, Christian and Muslim, whose representatives lived harmoniously here for hundreds of years.
Perhaps the unique minaret was part of the lost ancient capital of Afghanistan which is called Turquoise Mountain.
9. Nya
Now an abandoned site in the Taklamakan Desert in western China, as recently as 1,600 years ago Niya was a thriving city located on the famous Silk Road. Over the past two centuries, archaeologists have discovered countless treasures in the dusty and ruined remains of what was once a majestic city of wooden houses and temples.
In a way, Nia is relic of the lost civilization of the Silk Road, which connected China with central Asia, Africa and Europe. Many people traveled along the Silk Road, including wealthy merchants, pilgrims, and scholars, who exchanged ideas and created a complex, enlightened culture wherever the Silk Road passed. The ancient route underwent many changes, but its importance as a trade route declined during the reign of the Mongol Empire and it fell into decline in the 1300s.
10. Nabta Playa
Around 7000 – 6500 BC. In what is now the Egyptian part of the Sahara, an incredible urban community arose.
The people living here domesticated livestock, farmed, made pottery, and left behind stone structures, indicating the study of astronomy. Archaeologists believe that the inhabitants of Nabta Playa were the forerunners of the civilization that reigned in major cities Nila, which appeared in Egypt thousands of years ago.
Although the Nabta civilization is now located in an arid region, it arose during a time when rainfall levels were different, filling the area with a lake that allowed the culture to flourish.
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Like Indiana Jones, solo archaeologist David Hatcher Childress has made many incredible trips to some of the most ancient and remote places on earth. Describing lost cities and ancient civilizations, he published six books: a chronicle of travels from the Gobi Desert to Puma Punka in Bolivia, from Mohenjo-Daro to Baalbek. We found him preparing for another archaeological expedition, this time in New Guinea, and asked me to write the following article specifically for Atlantis Rising magazine.
1. Mu or Lemuria
According to various secret sources, the first civilization arose 78,000 years ago on a giant continent known as Mu or Lemuria. And it existed for an amazing 52,000 years. The civilization was destroyed by earthquakes caused by the shift of the Earth's pole, which occurred approximately 26,000 years ago, or 24,000 BC.
While the civilization of Mu had not reached so far high technology, like other, later civilizations, however, the peoples of Mu succeeded in erecting megastone buildings that were able to withstand earthquakes. This building science was Mu's greatest achievement.
Perhaps in those days there was one language and one government throughout the entire Earth. Education was the key to the prosperity of the Empire, every citizen was versed in the laws of the Earth and the Universe, and by the age of 21 he was given an excellent education. By the age of 28, a person became a full citizen of the empire.
2. Ancient Atlantis
When the continent of Mu sank into the ocean, today's Pacific Ocean was formed, and water levels in other parts of the Earth dropped significantly. The islands in the Atlantic, small during Lemuria, increased significantly in size. The lands of the Poseidonis archipelago formed an entire small continent. This continent is called Atlantis by modern historians, but its real name was Poseidonis.
Atlantis had a high level of technology, superior to modern technology. In the book “The Dweller of Two Planets”, dictated in 1884 by philosophers from Tibet to the young Californian Frederick Spencer Oliver, as well as in the 1940 continuation “The Earthly Return of the Dweller”, there is a mention of such inventions and devices as: air conditioners, for purifying the air from harmful vapors; vacuum cylinder lamps, fluorescent lamps; electric rifles; transport by monorail; water generators, a tool for compressing water from the atmosphere; aircraft, controlled by antigravity forces.
The clairvoyant Edgar Cayce spoke of the use of planes and crystals in Atlantis to generate enormous energy. He also mentioned the misuse of power by the Atlanteans, which led to the destruction of their civilization.
3. Rama's Empire in India
Fortunately, the ancient books of the Indian Rama Empire have survived, unlike the documents of China, Egypt, Central America and Peru. Nowadays, the remains of the empire are swallowed up by impenetrable jungles or rest on the ocean floor. Yet India, despite numerous military devastations, managed to preserve much of its ancient history.
Indian civilization was thought to have emerged not much earlier than 500 AD, 200 years before the invasion of Alexander the Great. However, in the last century, the cities of Mojenjo-Daro and Harappa were discovered in the Indus Valley in what is now Pakistan.
The discovery of these cities forced archaeologists to move the date of the emergence of Indian civilization thousands of years ago. To the surprise of modern researchers, these cities were highly organized and represented a brilliant example of urban planning. And the sewage system was more developed than it is now in many Asian countries.
4. The civilization of Osiris in the Mediterranean
During the times of Atlantis and Harappa the pool Mediterranean Sea was a large fertile valley. The ancient civilization that flourished there was the progenitor of dynastic Egypt, and is known as the Osiris Civilization. The Nile previously flowed completely differently than it does today and was called Styx. Instead of emptying into the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt, the Nile turned west, formed a huge lake in the area of the central part of the modern Mediterranean Sea, flowed out of a lake in the area between Malta and Sicily and flowed into Atlantic Ocean at the Pillars of Hercules (Gibraltar). When Atlantis was destroyed, the waters of the Atlantic slowly flooded the Mediterranean basin, destroying big cities Osirians and forcing them to relocate. This theory explains the strange megalithic remains, found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.
It is an archaeological fact that at the bottom of this sea there are more than two hundred sunken cities. Egyptian civilization, along with Minoan (Crete) and Mycenaean (Greece) are traces of one big, ancient culture. The Osirian civilization left huge earthquake-resistant megalithic buildings, owned electricity and other amenities that were common in Atlantis. Like Atlantis and the Empire of Rama, the Osirians had airships and other vehicles, mostly electrical in nature. Mysterious routes in Malta, which were found underwater, may be part of the ancient transport route of the Osirian civilization.
Probably the best example of the high technology of the Osirians is the amazing platform found in Baalbek (Lebanon). The main platform is made up of the largest hewn rock blocks, weighing between 1200 and 1500 tons each.
5. Civilizations of the Gobi Desert
Many ancient cities of the Uyghur civilization existed during the time of Atlantis on the site of the Gobi Desert. However, now the Gobi is a lifeless, sun-scorched land, and it’s hard to believe that ocean waters once splashed here.
So far no traces of this civilization have been found. However, vimanas and other technical devices were not alien to the Uiger region. The famous Russian explorer Nicholas Roerich reported his observations of flying disks in the region of northern Tibet in the 1930s.
Some sources claim that the elders of Lemuria, even before the cataclysm that destroyed their civilization, moved their headquarters to an uninhabited plateau in Central Asia, which we now call Tibet. Here they founded a school known as the Great White Brotherhood.
The great Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu wrote the famous book Tao Te Ching. As his death approached, he traveled west to the legendary land of Hsi Wang Mu. Could this land be the possession of the White Brotherhood?
6. Tiahuanaco
As in Mu and Atlantis, construction in South America reached a megalithic scale during the construction of earthquake-resistant structures.
Residential buildings and public buildings were built from ordinary stones, but using a unique polygonal technology. These buildings still stand today. Cusco, the ancient capital of Peru, which was probably built before the Incas, is still quite populated city, even after thousands of years. Most of the buildings located in the business part of the city of Cusco today are united by walls that are many hundreds of years old (while younger buildings built by the Spaniards are being destroyed).
A few hundred kilometers south of Cusco lie the fantastic ruins of Puma Punka, high in the Bolivian altiplano. Puma Punka - near the famous Tiahuanaco, a massive mahalic site where 100-ton blocks are scattered everywhere by an unknown force.
This happened when the South American continent was suddenly hit by a huge cataclysm, probably caused by a pole shift. The former sea ridge can now be seen at an altitude of 3900 m in the Andes mountains. Possible evidence of this is the abundance of oceanic fossils around Lake Titicaca.
The Mayan pyramids found in Central America have twins on the Indonesian island of Java. The Sukuh Pyramid on the slopes of Mount Lawu near Surakarta in central Java is an amazing temple with a stone stele and a step pyramid, the place of which is more likely to be in the jungles of Central America. The pyramid is virtually identical to the pyramids found at the site of Washaktun near Tikal.
The ancient Mayans were brilliant astronomers and mathematicians whose early cities lived in harmony with nature. They built canals and garden cities on the Yucatan Peninsula.
As pointed out by Edgar Cayce, the records of all the wisdom of the Mayans and other ancient civilizations are found in three places in the earth. Firstly, this is Atlantis or Poseidonia, where some of the temples may still be discovered under long-term bottom deposits, for example in the Bimini region off the coast of Florida. Secondly, in temple records somewhere in Egypt. And finally, on the Yucatan Peninsula, in America.
It is assumed that the ancient Hall of Records could be located anywhere, probably under some pyramid, in an underground chamber. Some sources say that this repository of ancient knowledge contains quartz crystals that are capable of preserving large quantities information similar to modern CDs.
Ancient China, known as Han China, like other civilizations, was born from the vast Pacific continent of Mu. Ancient Chinese records are known for descriptions of celestial chariots and jade production, which they shared with the Mayans. Indeed, the ancient Chinese and Mayan languages seem very similar.
The mutual influences of China and Central America on each other are obvious, both in the field of linguistics and in mythology, religious symbolism, and even trade.
The ancient Chinese invented many things: from toilet paper, to earthquake detectors and rocket technology and printing techniques. In 1959, archaeologists discovered aluminum tapes made several thousand years ago; this aluminum was obtained from raw materials using electricity.
9. Ancient Ethiopia and Israel
From the ancient texts of the Bible and the Ethiopian book Kebra Negast, we know about the high technology of ancient Ethiopia and Israel. The Temple in Jerusalem was founded on three giant blocks of cut stone similar to those at Baalbek. An earlier Temple of Solomon and a Muslim mosque now exist on the site, whose foundations apparently date back to the civilization of Osiris.
Solomon's Temple, another example of megalithic construction, was built to house the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was an electrical generator, and people who carelessly touched it were electrocuted. The ark itself and the golden statue were taken from the King's Chamber to Great Pyramid Moses during the Exodus.
10. Aroe and the Kingdom of the Sun in the Pacific Ocean
While the continent of Mu sank into the ocean 24,000 years ago due to the pole shift, the Pacific Ocean was later repopulated by many races from India, China, Africa and America.
The resulting Aroe civilization on the islands of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia built many megalithic pyramids, platforms, roads and statues.
Cement columns dating back to 5120 BC have been found in New Caledonia. to 10950 BC
The Easter Island statues were placed in a clockwise spiral around the island. And on the island of Pohnpei a huge stone city was built.
The Polynesians of New Zealand, Easter Island, Hawaii and Tahiti still believe that their ancestors had the ability to fly and traveled by air from island to island.
11. "Avalon"
In Celtic mythology, Avalon is mysterious island in the Yellow Sea. King Arthur, after completing his healing from a war injury, is said to have fallen asleep but not died in Avalon. It is believed that he will "sleep" until Britain takes up her sword again
In the 12th century, the monks of Glastonbury Abbey allegedly found the remains of King Arthur and his queen, as well as his excalibur (King Arthur's sword), on the island. They also stated that the island was full of apples (in Welsh, Avalon means "Apple").
However, historians have questioned this claim. In other versions of the legend: Avalon is the location of the Fairy Morgana. The fairy Melusine was raised on Avalon
There is another interesting point of view about the location of the Country under the waves, which largely reconciles supporters of the geographical and unearthly location of Avalon...
12. Eldorado
The conquerors of the New World saw many strange things. El Dorado, in Spanish means " golden place" This is a mythical South American country (or city) made of gold and precious stones. In their fruitless search for El Dorado, 16th-century conquistadors such as Aguirre and Orellana blazed new trails into the interior of South America.
The starting point for the creation of legends about Eldorado could be the custom of the Chibcha Indian tribe, when during the coronation the leader was coated with clay and sprinkled with gold sand until he turned into a “golden man.” After which he swam in the lake, leaving precious gifts at its bottom.
The Spanish conquerors plundered and depleted the kingdom of Eldorado, but did not find what they were looking for. The legends of El Dorado have attracted numerous explorers over the centuries to search for the treasures stored there, but instead they have lost their property and become beggars. However, treasure hunters still believe that El Dorado is in Colombia.
Using the service Google Earth scientists managed to discover traces of an ancient civilization, which may turn out to be the legendary Eldorado! Researchers say they have found more than 200 massive earthworks in the upper Amazon basin on the border of Brazil and Bolivia. In satellite photographs, they look like large geometric figures “carved” into the ground, but scientists believe that these are the remains of roads, bridges, ditches, streets and squares. The authors of the scientific work note that in the heart of an ancient civilization, in a space 155 miles long, they could about 60 thousand people live. The approximate dating of the buildings so far ranges from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD.
13. Buyan Island and Belovodye
In Slavic mythology, Buyan Island is described as a magical island that appears and disappears in the ocean. Three brothers live on it - Western, Eastern and north wind. According to some myths, the island is the root of all changes in weather. In another myth, on an island in an egg located in an oak tree, a needle is hidden, at the tip of which lies the death of the Koshchei. Some people believe that the island is, in fact, the German island of Rügen of the Russian Old Believers, there is a concept of “Belovodye”, which in every way resembles the theosophical Shambhala - a land of justice and true piety.
While in 1877 on the shores of the “wandering” lake Lob-nor, north of the Tarim River in Western China (Xinjiang), the famous Russian traveler Nikolai Przhevalsky recorded the story of local residents about how a party of Altai Old Believers came to these places in the late 1850s more than a hundred people. The Old Believers were looking for the Belovodsk “promised land.”
Belovodye is another mystery of Central Asian history. Modern researchers believe that this is “uncertain geographical name, but a poetic image of a free land, a figurative embodiment of the dream of it.”
Therefore, it is no coincidence that Russian Old Believers searched for this “happy peasant country” over a vast area - from Altai to Japan and Pacific Islands and from Mongolia to India and Afghanistan.
In the second half of the 18th century, the name Belovodye was borne by two settlements in the Bukhtarminskaya and Uimonskaya valleys of southeastern Altai. The power of the “bosses” and priests - persecutors of Old Believers who did not accept the church reform of Patriarch Nikon - did not reach here.
This “neutral land” between the Russian and Chinese empires was incorporated into Russia in 1791. It was then, according to Chistov, that the legend of Belovodye arose, but the greatest interest is reported about the Central Asian routes of Belovodye seekers (Mongolia - Western China - Tibet)
14. Shambhala
According to ancient legends, Shambhala is hidden in the Himalayas, in a quiet and green and beautiful holy land. This place is mentioned in Tibetan and Indian religious texts.
After the 17th century, when Westerners heard about this place, they went on one of the most dangerous adventures in search of this place. Some people think that Shambhala actually belongs to China, others that it is hidden in the mountains of Kazakhstan.
In Blavatsky’s view, Shambhala is the last refuge of the Atlantean race who survived the global catastrophe:
“...Numerous caves and ruins are found in the Americas, as well as in the West Indian Islands, all of which are associated with the sunken Atlantis. While the hierophants of the Old World during the time of Atlantis were connected with the New World by land routes, the magicians of the now non-existent country had a whole network of underground corridors diverging in all directions..."
“... there is not a single cave temple in this country that does not have its own underground passages diverging in all directions, and that these underground caves and endless corridors, in turn, have their own caves and corridors..."
In 1920, a Soviet secret expedition and diplomats conducted an unsuccessful expedition to find the site. Nowadays, most Buddhists believe that Shambhala is a metaphor for inner peace, loving peacefulness. In the West, Shambhala was given another name: “Shangri-La”.
Shambhala was sought by people seeking unlimited power over the world. Everyone who stands at the top and has valid information knew and knows about the existence of this monastery, about the existence of the powerful knowledge that is contained in it. They understand perfectly well that real power over the world is concentrated in Shambhala, which is why many have sought and are still seeking it, see more in the article by modern theosophist Nadezhda Urikova...
According to legend, the city of Is was one of the most beautiful in the world. It was built on the coast of Brittany, below sea level, protected by a dam and gates. Legend has it that the city's rulers were deceived by the devil and opened the gates during a storm. The city was flooded.
Almost all the inhabitants of Isa died, and their souls remained under water. Only King Gradlon and his daughter were saved, who decided to cross the sea riding the sea horse Morvarh. However, on the way, Saint Gwenole appeared to them, accusing Dahut of the death of the city. He ordered Gradlon to throw his daughter into the sea, after which she turned into a mermaid.
Having escaped, Gradlon founded the city of Quimper, which became his new capital. After his death, in Quimper, between the two towers of St. Corentyne's Cathedral, a statue was erected to him, which has survived to this day.
According to Breton legends, the bells of Isa can sometimes be heard ringing, warning of the approaching storm.
After the destruction of Isa, the Franks renamed Lutetia Paris, since in Breton "Par Is" means "like Isa". According to Breton beliefs, Is will float when Paris is swallowed up by water.
16. Bermeya
On old maps often depicting islands and lands that cannot now be found. Some of them are called "fantasy islands", perhaps caused by a mistake at the birth of the geographical craft. But it is believed that Bermeya really existed. Due to a natural disaster, the island disappeared. On ancient American maps, this island was located off the northwestern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2009, the Mexican government attempted to locate Bermea in hopes of expanding its oil exploration plans. But they still have not managed to find this legendary island
17. Hyperborea, Arctida or the Unknown Southern Land
Hyperborea (ancient Greek Ὑπερβορεία - “beyond Boreas”, “beyond the north”) - in ancient Greek mythology and the tradition that follows it, this is the legendary northern country, the habitat of the blessed people of the Hyperboreans..
This is the land around South Pole, depicted on most maps from ancient times to the second half of the 18th century. The outlines of the continent were not depicted accurately; mountains, forests and rivers were often depicted. Name options: Unknown Southern Land, Mysterious Southern Land, sometimes simply Southern Land. In theory, South Land corresponds to Antarctica, although no data about it existed at that time.
Maps of this fabulous continent really exist. Aristotle said that what is now the Pacific Ocean was once a continent.
Hyperborea corresponded to another supercontinent that existed simultaneously with Gondwana 200 - 135 million years ago - Laurasia, which began to split into separate continents (North America, Eurasia, individual continental masses in the Arctic) in the Early Cretaceous era (140 - 135 million years back). However, for a long time after this, there was a land connection between North America and Eurasia through the Arctic (the islands of Arctic Canada, Greenland, the central and eastern part of the Arctic, which was then dry land). Northern part Hyperborea was the habitat of the white gods (Adityas, Gandharvas, Apsaras (and here), etc.), and later - their human descendants, the Aryans
There is one place on Earth where white clouds float across the blue sky, where, surrounded by mountains, there is an archaeological site long forgotten by people. This place is characterized by pink and purple sunsets and sunrises, and the stars at night are striking in their clarity. Sometimes you can see a galloping deer, and sometimes a whole herd of wild boars. There is some kind of unusual cleanliness there, it smells of olives and the fragrance of fig tree flowers, you can breathe easily, and you get the feeling that you are standing where more than one page of a history book has been flipped through. The voice of the wind and the chirping of birds only sometimes drown out the prayer singing coming from the mosques of the surrounding villages. Archaeologists suggest that the remains of the buildings date back to the Byzantine period, but most likely they belong to an even more ancient time, since they were dug deep from the ground. This place is called Kfar Rut (that is, the village of Rut). It is indicated on the map by a mosaic on one of the ancient synagogues in Israel. Who were these people, and why did their civilization disappear? We may never know, but we will be able to experience this period while being there, because this whole place breathes ancient history.
19. Ancient China and Pacifida-Mu
Ancient China, known as Han China, like other civilizations, was born from the vast Pacific continent of Mu. As for the continent or continent of Mu, it could be North America after its separation from Eurasia 135 million years ago... Pacifida (or Pacifida, also the Continent of Mu) is a hypothetical sunken continent in the Pacific Ocean. Ancient myths of different peoples often mention an island or land on the site of the Pacific Ocean, but the “information” varies... Ancient Chinese records are known for descriptions of celestial chariots and jade production, which they shared with the Mayans. Indeed, ancient Chinese and Mayan languages seem very similar
The mutual influences of China and Central America on each other are obvious, both in the field of linguistics and in mythology, religious symbolism, and even trade. The ancient Chinese invented everything from toilet paper to earthquake detectors to rocket technology and printing techniques. In 1959, archaeologists discovered aluminum tapes made several thousand years ago; this aluminum was obtained from raw materials using electricity.
20. Europeans of the Tarim Basin
1000 years before any relationship was established between East and West, hundreds of human mummies were unveiled in the Chinese desert. In 1988, American scientist Victor Mayer went to a provincial Chinese museum. He had no particular goal, a researcher of ancient Chinese texts just wanted to find something interesting to work on. But what he found amazed him and turned modern ideas about the history of China upside down.
In one of the halls of the museum there were mummies. The bodies looked like they had died recently, but the museum said they were several thousand years old. Found in the late 1970s by a Chinese expedition in the Tarim Basin between the cities of Urumqi and Loulan, they remained unexplored. The most famous of them: the so-called Cherchensky man and the Loulan beauty. Where were these people from who looked like the European race? Why were they buried in China? How did they end up with guns that did not exist in any unit at that time? globe and what was their earthly purpose?
This is how the theory arose about the migration of peoples to the Tarim Basin around 2500 BC. e. These peoples brought with them various elements of civilization: the spoked wheel, bronze, thereby having a great influence on the Mongoloid tribes. The theory has a lot of evidence: in Chinese, the words for horse, cow, and cart clearly contain Indo-European roots. In addition, in local folklore there are legends about blue-eyed, fair-haired people who were the first rulers of the Celestial Empire.
Before the discovery of the burials in 1977, it was believed that Chinese culture unique and formed autonomously. However, these findings cast doubt on the known historical facts- mummies were found next to the ruins, indicating that there was a whole city here, built by white people, and these ruins go along the Great Silk Road. It turns out that it was strangers who built the Great Silk Road, and not the Chinese, as previously thought.
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 on this moment, were based on the work of our ancestors. People used to be much smarter than we might think.
Batteries of Baghdad
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 scientific and technological progress, however, 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 in the field of metallurgy humanity could have achieved 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. Local I wanted to pump water out of a small hole, but as a result I discovered 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 navigate the entire planet using a GPS system. However, the 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 movements celestial bodies with incredible precision. 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 back to 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 durable, 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 into different sides. 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.
At any moment, humanity can disappear, if not all, then part of it. This has happened before, and entire civilizations have disappeared as a result of wars, epidemics, climate change, military invasions or volcanic eruptions. Although in most cases the reasons remain mysterious. We offer an overview of 10 civilizations that mysteriously disappeared thousands of years ago.
Clovis
Lifetime:
11500 BC e.
Territory:
North America
Very little is known about the Clovis culture, the prehistoric Stone Age culture of the tribes that inhabited North America at the time. The name of the culture comes from the Clovis archaeological site, located near the city of Clovis, New Mexico. Among the archaeological finds found here in the 20s of the last century are stone and bone knives, etc. These people probably came from Siberia through the Bering Strait to Alaska at the end of the Ice Age. No one knows if this was the first culture in the territory North America or not. The Clovis culture disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. Perhaps members of this culture assimilated with other tribes.
Trypillian culture
Lifetime:
5500 – 2750 BC e.
Territory:
Ukraine Moldova and Romania
The largest settlements in Europe during the Neolithic period were built by representatives of the Trypillian culture, whose area was the territory of modern Ukraine, Romania and Moldova. The civilization consisted of about 15,000 people and was famous for its pottery art and for burning down its old settlements after living in them for 60-80 years before building new ones. Today, about 3,000 settlements of Trypillians are known, who had a matriarchy, and they worshiped the mother goddess of the clan. Their disappearance may have been the result of dramatic climate change leading to drought and famine. According to other scientists, Trypillians assimilated among other tribes.
Indus civilization
Lifetime:
3300-1300 BC e.
Territory:
Pakistan
The Indian civilization was one of the most numerous and significant in the territory of modern Pakistan and India, but, unfortunately, little is known about it. It is only known that representatives of the Indian civilization built hundreds of cities and villages. Each city had a sewer system and a treatment system. The civilization was non-class, not militant, because it did not even have its own army, but was interested in astronomy and agriculture. It was the first civilization to produce cotton fabrics and clothing. The civilization disappeared 4,500 years ago, and no one knew of its existence until the ruins of ancient cities were discovered in the 20s of the last century. Regarding the reasons for the disappearance, scientists put forward several theories, including climate change and sudden temperature changes from freezing to extreme heat. According to another theory, the Aryans destroyed civilization by attacking in 1500 BC. e.
Minoan civilization
Lifetime:
3000-630 BC
Territory:
Crete
The existence of the Minoan civilization was not known until the beginning of the 20th century, but then it was discovered that the civilization existed for 7,000 years and reached its peak of development by 1600 BC. e. Over the course of many centuries, palaces were built, completed and rebuilt, forming entire complexes. An example of such complexes is the palaces at Knossos, a labyrinth with which the legend of the Minotaur and King Minos is associated. Today it is an important archaeological center. The first Minoans used the Cretan Linear A script, which was later replaced by Linear B, both languages based on hieroglyphs. It is believed that the Minoan civilization died as a result of a volcanic eruption on the island of Thera (Santorini island). It is believed that people would have survived if the eruption had not destroyed the vegetation and caused famine. The Minoan fleet was dilapidated and the trade-based economy was in decline. According to another version, civilization disappeared as a result of the Mycenaean invasion. The Minoan civilization was one of the most developed.
Mayan civilization
Lifetime:
2600 BC – 1520 AD
Territory:
Central America
The Mayans are a classic example of the disappearance of a civilization. Their majestic temples, monuments, cities and roads were swallowed up by the jungle, and their people disappeared. The Mayan language and traditions still exist, but the civilization itself experienced its peak in the first millennium AD, when the magnificent temples were built. The Mayans had writing, people studied mathematics, created their own calendar, studied engineering activities, built pyramids. Among the reasons for the disappearance of the tribe is climate change, which lasted for 900 years and led to drought and famine.
Mycenaean civilization
Lifetime:
1600-1100 BC e.
Territory:
Greece
Unlike the Minoan civilization, the Mycenaeans flourished not only through trade, but also through conquest - they owned the territory of almost all of Greece. The Mycenaean civilization lasted for 500 years before its disappearance in 1100 BC. Several Greek myths are based on the stories of this particular civilization, for example, the legend of King Agamemnon, who led the troops during the Trojan War. The Mycenaean civilization was well developed both culturally and economically and left behind many artifacts. The cause of her death is unknown. Suggest earthquakes, invasions or peasant uprisings.
Olmec civilization
Lifetime:
1400 BC
Territory: Mexico
Once upon a time there was a powerful and prosperous civilization of the pre-Columbian period, the Olmec civilization. Archaeologists date the first finds belonging to her to 1400 BC. e. In the area of the city of San Lorenzo, scientists have found two of the three main Olmec centers, Tenochtitlan and Potrero Nuevo. The Olmecs were skilled builders. Archaeologists during excavations found large monuments in the form of huge stone heads. The Olmec civilization became the ancestor of the Mesoamerican culture, which still exists today. They say that it was she who invented writing, the compass and the calendar. They understood the benefits of bloodletting, sacrificed people and came up with the concept of the number zero. Until the 19th century, historians knew nothing about the existence of civilization.
Nabatea
Lifetime:
600 BC e.
Territory:
Jordan
The Nabateans existed in southern Jordan, in the region of Canaan and Arabia, from the 6th century BC. They built a stunning one here cave city Petra in the Red Mountains of Jordan. The Nabataeans are known for their complexes of dams, canals and water reservoirs that helped them survive in desert conditions. There are no written sources confirming their existence. It is known that they organized an active trade in silk, tusks, spices, valuable metals, precious stones, incense, sugar, perfumes and medicines. Unlike other civilizations existing at that time, they did not keep slaves and equally contributed to the development of society. In the 4th century BC. e. The Nabataeans left Petra and no one knows why. Archaeological finds indicate that they did not leave the city in a hurry, that they did not survive the attack. Scientists think that the nomadic tribe moved north to better lands.
Kingdom of Aksum
Lifetime:
100 AD
Territory:
Ethiopia
The kingdom of Aksum was formed in the first century AD. in the territory of modern Ethiopia. According to legend, the Queen of Sheba was born in this area. Aksum was an important trading center that traded ivory, natural resources, agricultural products and gold with the Roman Empire and India. The Aksumite kingdom was a wealthy society and the founder of African culture, the creator of its own currency, a symbol of power. The most characteristic monuments were in the form of steles, giant cave obelisks, which played the role of burial chambers for kings and queens. At the very beginning, the inhabitants of the kingdom worshiped many gods, among which was the supreme god Astar. In 324, King Ezana II converted to Christianity and began to promote Christian culture in the kingdom. According to legend, a Jewish queen named Yodit took over the kingdom of Aksum and burned churches and books. According to other sources, it was the pagan queen Bani Al-Hamriya. Others believe that climate change and famine led to the kingdom's decline.
Khmer Empire
Lifetime:
1000-1400 AD
Territory:
Cambodia
The Khmer Empire, one of the most powerful empires and largest lost civilizations, was located in modern-day Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Malaysia, Thailand and Laos. The capital of the empire, the city of Angkor, became one of the most famous archaeological centers in Cambodia. The empire, which at the time numbered up to a million inhabitants, flourished in the first millennium. The inhabitants of the empire professed Hinduism and Buddhism, built numerous temples, towers and other architectural complexes, such as the Angkor temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu. The decline of the empire was the result of several reasons. One of them was roads, along which it was convenient not only to transport goods, but also to advance enemy troops.