The world is a wonderful and sometimes even unknown place. Even today, our world still contains artwork, temples, and cities about which we know little. Their secrets have seemingly vanished in the proverbial mists of time. Indeed, thousands of years after their creation, there are still numerous ancient unsolved mysteries of the world. Here are some of them. 

Ancient Unsolved Mysteries Of The World

1.  What Exactly Do The Carnac Stones Represent?

Local legend has it that the megaliths known as the Carnac Stones are in actuality the totally petrified remains of a long-ago Roman legion that was turned to stone by the legendary wizard Merlin. Nestled in Brittany in northern France close to the village of Carnac, this 40-hectare area is home to almost 3,000 standing stones that harken back to between 3,000 to 4,500 BC. These hand-hewn granite stones are up to 6.5 meters high and had to be moved as far as 50 kilometers.  

Scientists and historians still are stymied. One theory is that they were ancient earthquake detectors. Others think they are calendars or astrological devices. Still, others believe the stones formed a temple honoring the dead. 

(Continued on next page)

Whatever Happened To The Denizens Of Angkor Wat?

French explorer Henri Mouhot discovered this forgotten temple complex in the Cambodian jungle (near what’s now Siem Reap) in 1860. The few locals knew nothing about it. Historians have determined that between AD 800 and 1401, this was once a great empire. Why was it left to fall to ruin sometime in the 1400s?

The temple was only a part of a large city. It was populated by the Khmer, the Hindu natives. The main temple was decorated with pictures of fighting and various legends written in ancient Sanskrit. Satellite images indicate the majority of the city is now under the jungle.

The city fell quickly due in part to battles with the Thai and Vietnamese. By 1450, the city was abandoned. Did the Khmer accidentally denude their only food source? Did a change in faith, from Hinduism to Buddhism, create a lack of unity and divide them? To this day, no one knows.

(Continued on next page)

Was Ages-Old Gobekli Tepe Really The Garden Of Eden?

Gobekli Tepe, high atop a ridge in southeastern Turkey, was constructed 12,000 years ago, near the end of the last Ice Age. Because it was founded so early in human history, some sources suggest it might be the actual site of the Garden of Eden.

It’s believed the area was once temperate and forested at a time when people were hunter-gatherers. Yet these people were apparently building rather elaborate temples complete with striking carvings at a time when saber-toothed tigers existed. While only a small portion of the site has been excavated, there are presently at least 43 large stone-walled temples.  

Incredibly, it was erected before the use of fire, pottery, the wheel, metal tools, and domesticated animals. The Bible notes nothing of buildings and says that Adam and Eve were banished and weren’t permitted to go back, so they couldn’t have built anything later. Still, Gobekli Tepe’s age makes it the oldest human site discovered.

(Continued on next page)

Why Is The Ancient Bent Pyramid Shaped Like This?

Pyramids are supposed to have a soiree base that rises up to a perfect point. So why does this particular pyramid slope roughly two-thirds of the way to its top? It was constructed under the reign of Pharaoh Snefru.

The pyramid has a simple square base and is 105 meters high. It has a pair of inner compartments that are connected via a narrow hallway. While the outside seems to indicate the lower section was built in the usual manner, for some unknown reason, the construction crew suddenly changed the specific angle of its slope.

Some suspect the sudden death of the ancient tomb’s occupant necessitated a quick conclusion to the construction. Maybe a nearby pyramid collapsed and made the architect aware of a design flaw. Perhaps this was an ancient prototype that provided builders with insight on how to erect the later pyramids.

(Continued on next page)

What Is The Secret Behind The Pictish Stones?

These ancient, enigmatic free-standing stones are located in Scotland on the eastern side of the country and north of the Clyde-Forth line. They date back to between AD 500 and 900 and include almost 50 hand-carved symbols of animals, everyday objects, and strange symbols. Before the Scots, the area north of Hadrian’s Wall was inhabited by the Pictish people.  

They had no known writing system. The stones may be mysterious tombstones, territory markers, or symbols representing clans or married couples. The stones may also be symbolic political protests against the then-new religion known as Christianity. Although the symbols might be the remnants of a symbolic writing system, we’ll probably never know.

(Continued on next page)

What Is The Story Behind The Plain Of Jars?

This archeological Laos landscape in the ancient Xiangkhoang Province. Here you’ll discover thousands of large stone jars between one- and three-meters tall dotting the plain. They may date back to the Iron Age, roughly 500 BC to 500 AD.

In the 1930s researchers found beads, bronze jewelry, ceramics, iron implements, and even human skeletal remains. Most of the jars, however, were empty. They may have had lids composed of perishable material.

They may have been used to hold water, served as funeral urns, or were meant to be memorials. Were the jars, which may be in up to 90 different sites, carved before or after transporting them? How the jars, weighing up to 30 tonnes, were relocated from a quarry eight kilometers away is another unsolved mystery. 

(Continued on next page)

Why Was The City Of Teotihuacan Abandoned?

This ancient, abandoned city is located 48 kilometers from Mexico City. It spans an area of 20 square kilometers. It includes ruined, deserted palaces, pyramids, sophisticated irrigation systems, and roads. 

Indeed, they were discovered deserted by the Aztecs in the 1100s who called it Teotihuacan. (In English, it’s “the place where one becomes a god.”)  There’s no written record regarding its past but it was reportedly abandoned circa AD 700.

Before that, however, it had been a thriving city with almost 200,000 residents. It featured the Pyramid of the Sun, the third largest on the planet, the Pyramid of the Moon, the Avenue of the Dead, palaces, and temples. No one knows why the city was abandoned.  

Could the soil have become barren? Was there a civil war? Were they attacked by other tribes? All we know is the original residents left following an unexplained citywide fire.

(Continued on next page)  

Do Rivers Of Mercury Really Protect Emperor Qin’s Tomb Complex?

This massive mausoleum was accidentally discovered by a farmer Xi’an in Shaanxi in 1974. Specifically, he found human figures composed of terracotta. Archeologists still on-site believe there are 130 chariots, 150 cavalry, 520 horses, and an army of 8,000 soldiers.

Each soldier is unique but they all have swords and sophisticated crossbows. The army was created for the famous Emperor Qin Shi Huang who died back in 210 BC. He was the emperor who united the country.

An underground necropolis was created to memorialize him. The 98 square mile complex was protected by the army. While Huang’s tomb is in the center, the tomb remains sealed because of alleged booby-trapped weapons protecting the entrance as well as rumors of rivers of mercury around the tomb. In ancient times, the Chinese believed mercury gave one eternal life. The emperor drank it daily and probably caused his own death. If the tomb is contaminated, it would be dangerous to enter it. This looks like a job for Indiana Jones!

(Continued on next page)

How Does Notorious Newgrange Actually Channel The Winter Solstice?

On December 21st every year, a beam of sunlight shines into an opening at Ireland’s Newgrange Tomb in County Meath. It lights up the tomb’s floor and as the sun continues to rise it slowly covers the entire chamber in light. Somehow the neolithic farmers who lived 5,200 years ago were able to determine just how to position the construct accurately enough for this to happen.

Newgrange is a huge mound that is 13 meters tall,85 meters in diameter with a 19-mile passage and inner chambers. It’s surrounded by 97 large decorated kerbstones. Some think it was not only a place of burial but of worship. Only the elite was buried there.

(Continued on next page)

Why Did The Ancient Easter Islanders Turn On Their Statues?

Upon seeing the huge stone heads, or moai, on Easter Island in 1774 Captain James Cook wrote: “We could hardly conceive how these islanders, wholly unacquainted with any mechanical power, could raise such stupendous figures.” 

Polynesians arrived on this isolated volcanic island 3,200 kilometers from Chile sometime between the first and the sixth century AD. It is 11 kilometers wide and 23 kilometers long and includes almost 900 sculptures that have an average height of four meters. Some claim the moai once had coral eyes and were painted too.

Researchers have determined the scarlet top knots were added after the statues were erected. They also established the sculptures were always located near clean water and possibly were meant to give thanks for it. By 1701, only 600 people remained there and had begun to topple them. Did deforestation bring about starvation, civil war, starvation, and anger towards their old gods? No one knows.  

(Continued on next page)

 Just Why Is There A Huge Void In The Pyramid Of Giza?

Built roughly 4,500 years ago, scientists still debate about how it was built. In 2017, scientists discovered a hidden space 30 meters long. Now they debate the purpose of the space. Some think it was an inner ramp to move stone blocks. Others have suggested it was originally a hidden tomb. The truth may forever remain a mystery since the authorities in Egypt have not permitted archeologists to drill in order to access this Great Void. 

(Continued on next page)

What Is The Salzburg Cube?

Salzburg Cube was discovered in a foundry in Austria in 1885. It had a strange color, numerous cracks, and small holes in it. It was initially thought to be a piece of meteorite. An additional study proved it was actually something that had been artificially manufactured.  

The coal in which it was discovered was over 60 million years old. The cube was later believed to have mysteriously disappeared. Some believe it was part of a conspiracy theory while others think it was eventually discovered to be nothing more than a piece of rock and discarded. Despite its alleged disappearance, it is now reportedly on display in Vienna’s Heimathaus Museum.

(Continued on next page)

Why Is The Screaming Mummy Screaming?

The screaming mummy was discovered in 1886. Why does it have an agonized expression? Why, unlike most mummies, does it have all its organs intact?

Archaeologist Bob Brier believes the mummy’s facial expression is the result of being murdered, while an accomplice made sure the body was fully preserved. Other researchers think the scream is the result of poisoning or being buried alive. In 2008 National Geographic looked into the theory that the mummy was the son of Pharaoh Ramses III, Prince Pentewere, who was allegedly planning patricide.  

Ancient documents from the 1100s report that one of the Pharaoh’s wives found out about the plan, and poisoned Pentewere. Thus, the scream is a result of the pain from the poison. The simplest theory suggests the mummy’s jaw fell open when his head rolled back after death. 

(Continued on next page)

The Mystery Of The Hidden Shoes

In 2004, archeologists discovered something unusual during an expedition in Egypt. In an ancient jar in a little open space between a pair of walls, they found seven shoes. Specifically, four of them were children’s shoes, and the other three belonged to an adult that might have had a limp.

The jar of shoes had been hidden over 2,000 years ago. An expert in ancient footwear, Andre Veldmeijer, reports the shoes were in “excellent condition”, expensive and meant for the elite. He speculated there was some trouble and the owners, for reasons yet known, hid the shoes, fled, and never returned.   

The post Ancient Unsolved Mysteries Of The World appeared first on Add to Bucketlist , Vacation Deals.

There are many places in the world that are shrouded in mystery and instilled in an enigma. If you are inspired by the unexplainable and stirred by the surreal, then by all means stay with us, fellow wanderer, as we embark on a “journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of the imagination. That’s a signpost up ahead.” Our next stop: the most mysterious places in Europe. 

Most Mysterious Places In Europe

1.  Houska Castle, Czech Republic

Local legend has it that this castle in Blatce could actually be “the gateway to Hell.” Constructed in the 1200s, it is one of the world’s most haunted places. Folklore has it that Houska Castle was built over an unholy hole so dark and deep that it was impossible to see the bottom. Beware the dark denizens that spring nightly from this pit!  

2.  Stonehenge, United Kingdom

One of Europe’s most popular mysterious places is the prehistoric monument Stonehenge. Situated on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, it harkens back to 2500 BC. Although theories abound, historians still don’t know their origins. After all, the larger sarsen stones here came from 32 kilometers away and weigh an average of 25 tonnes each. The smaller bluestones there were sourced from Wales’ Preseli Hills.

(Continued on next page)

3.  Crooked Forest, Poland

The appropriately christened Crooked Forest in Gryfino, south of Szczecin. These 400 pine trees are not like any others on the planet. Each one has a bent, sweeping trunk. Numerous arboriculturists have different opinions as to what created this odd, otherworldly landscape. Some suggest strong snowstorms caused this, others point to local lumberjacks experimenting with growing techniques, but none have proven anything.

4.  Blue Grotto, Italy

Travel to the isle of Capri where you can explore a stunning sea cave that some say is “in a league of its own.” This grand grotto, nearly too narrow to enter, gives off a gorgeous glow that the locals credit to some sort of blue meanie. Indeed, the magical monsters here once frightened them so much they avoided it entirely.

(Continued on next page)

5.  Fairy Glen, United Kingdom

Found on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, Fairy Glen has been connected to magical, mythical creatures for centuries. (Fans of the fantasy film Stardust might recognize it.) Oddly, fairies aren’t legendarily linked to this place, locals still think Fairy Glen was born of “otherworldly forces.” Although the topography is credited to an ancient avalanche, some still say they’ve been observed by “unseen creatures” here.

6.  Bran Castle, Romania

Travel to Transylvania, to the infamous Bran Castle. This castle is connected to the classic 1897 horror novel known as “Dracula.” Often encircled in an uncanny mist, local legend has it that Vlad the Impaler, the bloodthirsty ruler, was actually imprisoned in the manse’s medieval walls in the 1400s. Romanian residents also state strigoi (troubled spirits) arise from their graves nightly to feed on human blood.

(Continued on next page)

7.  Devil’s Bridge, Germany

Riddle me this! Why is this idyllic attraction in Kromlau Park named Devil’s Bridge? Answer: This local landmark in Saxony is said to have been set up by none other than Satan himself. The Saxons say the perfect semi-circle bridge built it and then immediately “claimed the soul of the first” person to cross it as a perverse prize for his wicked work. To this day, no one is permitted to walk on it.

8.  The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland

Fans of the rock band Led Zeppelin will recognize this mysterious place. Head for the comely coast of County Antrim to get a gander at the natural treasure known as the Giant’s Causeway. The site spans 173 acres and includes about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns that appear to slowly disappear into the sea. Still, right across the water, is Scotland’s own Isle of Staffa. There, you’ll see similar columns as if they all were once part of a single formation.

(Continued on next page)

9.  Fingal’s Cave, United Kingdom

Legend has it that two giants, Benandonner and Finn McCool built a road joining Scotland and Northern Ireland so they could meet for a fight. McCool disguised himself as an infant. Upon seeing the baby’s size, Benandonner figured Finn would be too large to fight. He rushed back to Scotland, wrecking the connecting road as he went. In fact, the columns in Fingal’s Cave on the famous Isle of Staffa were created by an ages-old volcanic eruption.

10.  Pindus Mountain and Vikos Gorge, Greece

Pindus Mountain has been called both “surreal” and “mesmerizing.” Here you can explore what the Guinness World Records book reports to be the world’s deepest gorge, Vikos Gorge. You’ll also find crystal-clear Dragon Lake. According to Greek folklore, a pair of large dragons once resided in the mountains. In the midst of a battle, they tossed huge rocks down into the valley, creating the body of water below.

(Continued on next page)

11.  Wistman’s Wood, United Kingdom

Take a trip to Devon, England. Stroll through a Tolkien-like land of moss-covered rock formations and ancient oaks known as Wistman’s Wood. It dates back to a post-Ice Age period roughly 12,000 years past. This woodland is reputed to be a place fraught with mystical occurrences including sacred Druid rituals, and the residence of dire demon dogs that prey on solo travelers and is located along a path once used to carry coffins to the graveyard.

12.  Lyngen Fjord, Troms and Finnmark, Norway

Lyngen Fjord near the city of Tromsø. In 2015, this fjord was suddenly covered in an unusual, unexplainable purple slime. It created problems for the resident fishermen too as it stuck to their sonar equipment as well. Scientists have still been unable to explain it. One theory is that it could have been caused by a group of dead jellyfish.

(Continued on next page)

13.  Highgate Cemetery, United Kingdom

This cemetery in London, England is certainly striking. This is more than the final resting place for roughly 53,000 people, but the graves of such celebrities as George Eliot and Karl Marx, it’s been an offbeat tourist spot too. During WWII it was reportedly used for cult ceremonies and the rumored home of ghosts and vampires.

14.  Château De Brissac, Brissac-Quincé, France

Located in the Loire Valley, Château de Brissac is arguably France’s tallest castle. According to local lore, this building from the 1400s was where the Green Lady was murdered centuries ago. “La Dame Verte” was not able to move on to the afterlife and thus remains here, roaming the castle towers and grounds moaning.

(Continued on next page)

15.  Ochate, Spain

Situated on the quiet outskirts of Burgos, Spain, this ghost town was abandoned in the late 1800s. While bad weather, the Spanish Flu, and a murder may have helped empty this village, no one knows for sure. Ever since it has allegedly been haunted by an unnamed murdered shepherd, and UFOs were reportedly seen there in the 1980s.

16.  The Eisriesenwelt Ice Caves, Austria

Austrians claim this group of caves is the gateway to Hell. They are the world’s largest and stretch for 42 kilometers into the mountain. Locals have historically avoided this network of crystalline structures and awesome auditoriums. Scientists say they were formed during a shift in the tectonic plates.

(Continued on next page)

17.  Cadair Idris, United Kingdom

This iconic mountain in Wales’ Snowdonia National Park has a peak that is 914 meters high and supposedly the official seat of the mighty giant, Idris. Visitors are warned not to camp there because if you are found actually sleeping there you will be rudely awakened by a madman or a poet.

18.  Mother Shipton’s Cave and Petrifying Well, United Kingdom

North Yorkshire’s Petrifying Well and Mother Shipton’s Cave are located in the popular spa town of Knaresborough. It’s said to be where the prophetess, Mother Shipton, was born. Her mysterious well could turn anything into stone. England’s oldest tourist attraction, the well water’s power is reportedly “the result of its [significantly] high mineral content.”

(Continued on next page)

19.  The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland

This landmark in County Antrim remains mysterious despite being made famous as the Kingsroad in the television program “Game of Thrones”, this tree-lined lane is haunted by the Grey Lady, who is said to float between the branches every evening. The locals say she’s actually the ghost of a maid who died under unknown circumstances years ago.

20.  Reynisdrangar, Iceland

Reynisfjara in Vík í Mýrdal is a beach highlighted by sea stacks protruding out of the water. Local lore has it that these columns of rock, named Reynisdrangar, were once terrible trolls that went into the sea to lure ships to their doom. Luckily for the sailors and fishermen, the trolls turned to stone when caught in the early morning sunlight.

(Continued on next page)

21.  Mermaid’s Pool, United Kingdom

Discover the Mermaid’s Pool deep within The Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England. Rumor has it that this place harbors two pretty mermaids, one of which resides in the majestic Mermaid’s Pool. The locals say that if you’re fortunate enough to see her, you’ll be given immortality. Ah, but she only makes an appearance every Easter at midnight. 

22.  Blå Jungfrun, Sweden

Blå Jungfrun, a.k.a. “The Blue Maiden”, is a little island in the Baltic Sea. Its cerulean granite dome is approximately 570 million years old. The isle is linked to black magic, cult rituals, and witches. It’s also home to the “cursed” Trojeborg Labyrinth. Its origins are unknown, but some believe stealing one stone will bring you eternal bad luck.

(Continued on next page)

23.  The Kaali Meteorite Crater Field, Estonia

This field of nine huge holes in Saaremaa was created by falling meteorites about 7,500 years ago. The cosmic origins of this place have many believing this was once sacred ground. The discovery of various animal bones also has researchers pondering that it was once the home of an unknown ancient cult.

24.  Loch Ness, United Kingdom

Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands is a famous freshwater lake said to be the home of an unknown creature nicknamed Nessie. Originally “sighted” in 1933, the local press claimed it was a duck fight. In 1934, a photograph surfaced but was eventually debunked. Today some believe she’s a huge eel.

(Continued on next page)

25.  The Chanctonbury Ring, United Kingdom

The Chanctonbury Ring in West Sussex is a ridgeway carved into the ground. Legend says it was made by Satan when the locals gave up paganism. Additionally, if someone runs around the trees here seven times at midnight, the Devil will appear. Resident UFOlogists think this is a popular place with extraterrestrials. 

26.  Harz National Park, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, Germany

This park is well-known for its enchanting castles but is also a setting for torrid tales. Local lore claims that one evening, atop Brocken Mountain, a coven of witches met with Satan. Centuries of sinister stories involving dark, deep tunnels, mysterious mountain men, and pagan rituals are linked to this place.

27.  Wookey Hole Caves, United Kingdom

Situated in Somerset, Wookey Hole Caves are a group of limestone caverns. Their 50,000-year history includes the story of a witch who used to cast spells of misfortune from inside them. Visitors can spy her frigid figure (or is it really a stalagmite?) inside the infamous Witch’s Kitchen, a huge cave complete with its own murky, mysterious pool.

(Continued on next page)

28.  Tintagel Castle, United Kingdom

What’s left of Tintagel Castle is perched on a particular peninsula in Cornwall, England. Folks claim the legendary King Arthur was both conceived and born here. Folklore also states that the famous wizard, Merlin, helped Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s father, seduce his love Igraine, who was already married to another.

29.  The Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania

This 729-acre forest in Transylvania comes complete with a mysterious mist that carpets the ground, and an assortment of eerie trees. Multiple mysteries concerning unexplained disappearances and even alien encounters garnered this weird woodland the moniker “the Bermuda Triangle of Romania”. The most popular perplexity is the forest’s heart where–inexplicably–nothing ever grows.

30.  Brimham Rocks, United Kingdom

Once upon a time, over 400 million years ago. near Nidderdale in England’s North Yorkshire, there stood a massive mountain. As centuries passed, erosion ripped through its peak, giving birth to a river delta that went on to create these unique rock formations. Despite a valid scientific explanation, some still link their strange shapes to ancient druids, while other people think Satan himself dropped the mysterious, strange stones into their places.  

The post The Most Mysterious Places In Europe appeared first on Add to Bucketlist , Vacation Deals.