Mysterious cities and settlements are still being found that are changing the perception of the past of our planet. What was considered an indisputable fact, after excavation and study of materials turns out to be a myth, and history has to be rewritten.
Ancient and mysterious Arkaim
In the Chelyabinsk region, by the end of the twentieth century, it was planned to build an irrigation system. Before work in 1987, a scientific expedition was organized to study the area. As a result of research, a sensational find was discovered - an ancient fortification named Arkaim. Scientists have rated this discovery as one of the most significant archaeological events in recent decades. The construction of the irrigation system was postponed for several years.
Scientists believe that the heyday of Arkaim dates back to the XX-XYI centuries BC, to the Middle Bronze Age. It is located at the confluence of the Bolshaya Karaganka and Utyaganka rivers.
In 1991, a thorough study of the fortification began, during which 8,000 sq. m of area, scientists were able to determine the exact layout of the settlement, determine its diameter (170 m) and reconstruct the premises. Considering that the age of the fortification is supposedly 4000 years old, many finds are striking and surprising.
The settlement is surrounded by two rows of walls. The outer wall is over 5 m high and 5 m thick with four entrances. The inner wall, 7 m high and 3 m thick, had only one entrance, and in order to get into the city, one had to walk along the entire street ring, which made a surprise attack impossible. The total area of the walls is 20,000 sq. m, for better protection, the fortress was surrounded by a two-meter ditch. All these structures defended the city from enemy attacks.
In Arkaim, there were apartment buildings, about 60 dwellings, located on the inner and outer sides of the wall. The premises contained storage rooms, bedrooms, kitchens with fireplaces, dishes and other household items. In the courtyards of the houses there were workshops - pottery, saddlery, tailors, blacksmiths. Almost all buildings were made of logs coated with clay on the inside. In the center of the fortification was the central square measuring 25 mx 27 m.
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The remains of people and animals, including horses, were found on the territory of the fortification. After studying the skeletons of people, scientists determined that they belonged to the Caucasian race.
The storm sewer system was especially striking, water was taken out of the fortification, which was rare in those distant times.
How many years the fortress existed is unknown, but it was destroyed as a result of a strong fire. It was not possible to find out whether it was an accident or it was set on fire during an enemy attack.
In these places, on an area of 350 km, other settlements of the Arkaim type, dating back to the same time, were discovered. They were named the Country of Cities. This suggests that in those distant times there was a developed civilization unknown to science, there is no exact information about which yet - excavations are still underway. Arkaim is a historical monument, the mysteries of which are still full of hypotheses and assumptions.
Mysterious steles of Axum
A mysterious city located in the north of modern Ethiopia - Aksum. The Aksumite kingdom is a large power that has ruled this territory since the 1st century BC. era to X century AD era.
The main secret of the ancient city is the steles. There are more than 170 of them in Aksum and the surrounding area. Most of them are small and rough. But there are several (no more than five) massive monolithic structures, the most impressive is the stele, unfortunately broken, whose weight is more than 500 tons, and the length with a pedestal is 33.5 meters.
The most famous obelisk is 24 meters high and weighs 180 tons. In 1937, Ethiopia was captured by the Italian fascists. They cut the obelisk into three pieces and took it to Italy. After the end of the war, the UN recommended that the obelisk be returned to Ethiopia, but this was done only in 2005. The Italian side took upon itself the costs of transportation and installation of the facility - $ 4 million. In the summer of 2008, the stele was installed at the historic site.
The mystery is that the steles are made of solid blocks of basalt. As you know, basalt is one of the hardest rocks. In addition, the huge basalt monoliths were difficult to deliver from quarries that were far from the city.
It is believed that the age of the structures dates back to the beginning of our era, but there is a legend according to which they were erected by colossus who know how to melt stone. The giants poured the softened basalt into wooden molds, where it solidified. Then it was polished with special tools. This is a beautiful legend, how the blocks were actually delivered and processed over considerable distances - so far an unsolved problem.
Scientists are trying to solve the question of what is the point of installing steles - poorly cut or ideally processed and richly decorated, on which they have worked for a long time. Perhaps a strong and wealthy country erected monuments to show the might of the country. According to another version, obelisks made of rough stone were installed over the graves of warriors.
Why did the residents leave Machu Picchu?
Another mysterious place is Machu Picchu in Peru, which means "old peak". In 2007 he was awarded the status of "New Wonder of the World". It is not known exactly when the city appeared, it is assumed that it existed for only 100 years - from 1440. Then, for no apparent reason, the inhabitants of the city mysteriously disappeared somewhere. Some historians suggest that the invasion of the conquistadors was to blame, but other versions are put forward.
The city keeps many mysteries. One of them - who could build a city high in the mountains, if the Incas did not even know the wheel? After all, some of the stone blocks used in the construction of the tiers weighed more than 200 tons.
For what purpose the mysterious city was built. The discoverer of the lost city of Bingham believed that this is a religious center and here was the Temple of the Priestesses of the Sun, which the Incas deified. According to other assumptions: the structure served as a fortress for protection from enemies; the city was built for the ruler Pachacuteca as a summer residence; there is a magical place where heaven meets earth; it is an astronomical observatory for observing the stars. In favor of the fact that astronomical observations were carried out on Machu Picchu, the stone located in the main square speaks - it has the shape of a rhombus in the form of the constellation of the Southern Cross and is oriented towards it. Interestingly, the corners of all buildings in the city are directed strictly to the sides of the horizon.
The ancient Incas, due to their technical capabilities, were unable to cut and process stones. According to legend, the city was built by more powerful and advanced civilizations - the inhabitants of Atlantis and Lemuria.
Machu Picchu facts:
• the city was inhabited by more than 12,000 people;
• it was built over 80 years and lived in it for only 100 years;
• for 380 years no one knew about him;
• opened the city a little over a hundred years ago by Bingham;
• buildings are located at an altitude of 2450 meters.
Why did people leave Machu Picchu? The reasons are presumptive - a smallpox epidemic, the empire lost its importance after the arrival of the Spanish colonialists. One of the priestesses was subjected to violence, after which the culprit and all his relatives should be severely punished, but it was no longer possible to live in this place, so the inhabitants left the city.
They are still looking for Inca gold, according to rumors, it is hidden somewhere in huge quantities. Some believe that he was kidnapped by the Nazis during the Second World War; according to another version - it is in the Vatican near the Catholic Church, others believe that it was taken by the last heir of the Great Inca to Poland. In one of the premises of the city, a secret door was found, behind which, perhaps, treasures were hidden.
Secrets are not always revealed to people, but the more interesting and exciting it is to solve them, penetrating into the very depths of our history.