The study of the ruins of Nineveh discovered in 1849 leads to the discovery of more and more mysterious artifacts. Even skeptical historians are convinced that the sages of the Assyrian empire that disappeared millennia ago possessed amazing knowledge about the world around them.
The 3000-year-old Nimrud lens is still controversial. For one and a half hundred years of studying it, scientists have not been able to establish for certain the exact purpose of this translucent disk, created from a single piece of rock crystal.
The antique lens has a slightly oval shape. The distance from the flat side to the focal point is 11 cm, which makes it possible to obtain a threefold increase in the objects under consideration. It has been experimentally proven that this ancient "glass" is capable of focusing the sun's rays.
Even the very definition that this object is a lens is controversial among some researchers. It can be seen with the naked eye that a piece of crystal was artificially processed and polished, but the transparency of the material is rather mediocre. Opponents believe that in those days there was no normal glass magnifier or other magnifying devices. However, if desired, the lens of Nimrud could be used for a detailed examination of small hieroglyphs on a clay tablet.
It is known, for example, that Seneca, due to his poor eyesight, resorted to the help of a glass ball to read ancient Roman treatises. By the way, a rather strong 5th century rock crystal lens was found in Crete, exceeding the quality of the artifact from Nineveh.
In total, several hundred such objects have been discovered, the oldest of which are more than 4500 years old. It is likely that they were periodically used as magnifying devices.
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There is a hypothesis about the use of the Nimrud lens or its higher quality analogs as a part for optical devices. This theory is supported by the amazingly accurate knowledge of the Assyrians in the field of astronomy, despite the fact that the telescope was officially invented in 1608 by the Dutchman Johann Lippersgey.
For example, in ancient manuscripts, Saturn is depicted as a deity surrounded by a ring of snakes. According to the most daring researchers, these drawings symbolize real rings around the planet, which simply cannot be seen without a primitive telescope.
