In recent decades, sensational discoveries in archeology can be counted on one hand. However, it is possible that the value of some artifacts, already found and stored in the storerooms of museums, has not yet been realized by humanity. One of these unexpected discoveries was a small golden bird found in Colombia back in the 19th century. This small figurine, only four centimeters long, became a huge sensation, confirming the guesses of scientists about the existence of aircraft in antiquity.
UNEXPECTED FIND
"Golden Colombian airplane", or "golden bird of the Incas", as this graceful object is also called, presumably dates from the first millennium BC. e. Most likely, it served as a piece of jewelry or amulet. Similar to a bird in everything, it still has one fundamental difference. Its tail is not horizontal, like absolutely all birds, but vertical, very similar to the tail of modern aircraft. It is difficult to believe in the existence of ancient aviation, so at first there was a hypothesis that the decoration captured the image of some extinct animal. But biologists have categorically denied this version.
In 1956, the "golden bird of the Incas" was exhibited as an exhibit at the exhibition "Gold of the Pre-Columbian Era". It was then that the exhibit with a deltoid wing and vertical tail feathers first attracted the attention of aircraft designers. The exhibition management has kindly provided it to the researchers for testing in a wind tunnel. At that time, there was an active study of supersonic speeds and, as it turned out, the design of the "birdie" was designed specifically for them. Moreover, the successful technical solutions of the ancients were borrowed by the Lockheed aircraft design bureau to create a supersonic aircraft!
A new wave of interest in the gold figurine emerged in 1969. The reason for this was an article in the journal Argosy describing the research in 1956. For a long time, interest remained at the level of controversy and hypotheses. And in 1996 A. Enbom and P. Belting from German Lehr, engaged in aircraft models, created an exact copy of the "Colombian airplane", 16 times larger than the original. The model was powered by a motor and controlled remotely. At first, the testers themselves did not believe that an airplane of such a design could take off, but it not only took off from the ground, but also performed aerobatics with dignity. In addition, he glanced perfectly even with the engine off! After that, no one had any doubts that the artifact was a small copy of an aircraft.
EGYPTIAN FOOTPRINT
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In search of an answer to the question whether the ancients had aviation, scientists recalled that many archaeological expeditions worked in Egypt in 1848, and one of them discovered many hieroglyphs above the entrance of the Seti I temple in Abydos that could not be deciphered. But one thing was clear - these were not just ancient writings, but an image of some unknown mechanisms.
A century and a half later, the Arab newspaper "Ash Sharq al-Awsat" published photographs taken in the temple of Amun Ra in Karnak, built three thousand years ago, during the reign of Pharaoh Seti I. These photographs clearly showed the drawings made on the bas-reliefs of the temple by the ancient artist … There was no doubt that he portrayed a combat helicopter, a supersonic fighter, and even heavy strategic bombers, very similar to modern aircraft. And the fact that in the 19th century scientists could not decipher the drawings is not surprising. The time for this technique had not yet come.
Pharaoh Seti I himself became famous for always winning wars by expanding his possessions. What exactly made him such a successful warrior? It is not excluded that the same combat aircraft that he had at his disposal. Of course, this is just an assumption, but it is not without foundation.
Egyptologist Alan Alford, interested in the published photographs, traveled to Karnak to personally investigate the mysterious images. As he later told reporters, one of the bas-reliefs really looks like a modern combat helicopter, and it is made in great detail, as if the artist had the original before his eyes.
FIRST AVIATION VICTIMS
And the historian William Deutsch made an absolutely incredible and stunning statement. He is sure that the ancient Egyptians knew how to build balloons, filled them with hot air and rose into the sky. In addition to balloons, they also had primitive gliders. But this was not the main sensation. Deutsch believes that the cause of death of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was … a plane crash! He put forward his version after a detailed study of the mummies of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.
It is clear that only members of the royal family had the right to ascend into the sky, because they were equated with gods. Here is what the scientist says about this: "It is interesting to note that many members of the royal family of Ancient Egypt, including Tutankhamun, died with broken legs and multiple wounds, as if they had died as a result of the fall of an aircraft."
As for the drawings depicting unknown objects with wings, then, according to Deutsch, these are, of course, not modern combat helicopters, but definitely the first aircraft. By the way, he himself created several of these models, which, according to him, were confidently in the air.
"Aeronautics originated in Egypt and soon spread to the territories now known as Tibet, India, Mexico, Turkey, China and Guatemala - that is, where there are powerful updrafts that can keep aircraft in the sky," says researcher W. Deutsch.
But if aviation existed in Ancient Egypt, then an interesting question arises: who helped create it for the Egyptians? However, no answer will relieve us of doubts.
ADVANCED TIME
It is not in vain that at all times and among different peoples, Egypt was considered a country that has accumulated and preserved the experience and knowledge of disappeared civilizations. Some scholars believe that, in addition to aviation, the ancient Egyptians had electricity, with which they illuminated temples and palaces.
For the first time, they thought about this after the tomb of Tutankhamun was opened. It seemed surprising that the well-preserved frescoes on the walls of the burial chamber had no traces of soot. But the ancient artists had to somehow illuminate the place where they worked. What if not torches? But then why is there no trace of them? Ancient chroniclers in their records mention unknown lighting devices - glowing cords several tens of meters long, under which underground works were carried out.
St. Augustine wrote that in the temple of Isis there is a lamp that does not go out from drafts and water. Plutarch described the same lamp that stood on the threshold of the temple of Amun Ra. He referred to the testimonies of the priests of this temple, who claimed that the miraculous lamp had been burning for several centuries.
But there is also earlier evidence that the ancient Egyptians were familiar with electricity. Such proof again was the bas-relief located in the temple of the goddess Hathor in Dendera. In addition to people, it depicts huge flasks, shaped like modern lamps. This, of course, could have been anything if not for the "wavy snakes" standing on the tail inside these flasks. Perhaps this is how the ancient masters depicted the filament. The snake's tails rest on a lotus flower located in the narrow part of the bulb. And here the analogy of a lotus with a base or a patron is clearly visible. Some cords go from the flask to the box on which the god of air is kneeling. Nearby is the figure of a demon with two knives in his hands. Maybe this is some kind of warning about the danger that such an electrical installation can pose? And the boxto which "cables" go - something like a current generator? Someday we will find out about this, but so far the hieroglyphs have not been fully deciphered.
Galina BELYSHEVA