(N.Morgan) Tourists travel to exotic places and ancient destinations in the hopes of finding a deeper understanding of the mysteries that surround us, in our vast world. Hoping they can feel what went on decades before their feet tread upon the ground they seek. But sometimes, strange things happen to ordinary people in their own town. Finding out exactly what happened and why it happened remains of interest to millions around the world, especially when it seems that no logical explanation can be found.

 

 

 

10} Salzburg Cube

 

 

 

 

The Wolfsegg Iron, also known as The Salzburg Cube, is a small cuboid mass of iron that was found buried in Tertiary lignite in Wolfsegg am Hausruck, Austria, in 1885. It weighs 785 grams and measures 67 x 67 x 47mm. Four of its sides are roughly flat, while the two remaining sides (opposite each other) are convex. A fairly deep groove is incised all the way around the object, about mid-way up its height. The Wolfsegg Iron became notable when it was claimed to be an out of place artifact: a worked iron cube found buried in a 20 million year old coal seam. It was originally identified by scientists as being of meteoric origin, a suggestion later ruled out by analysis. It seems most likely that it is a piece of cast iron used as ballast in mining machinery, deposited during mining efforts before it was found apparently within the seam.

 

 

In 1885, Reidl, an employee at an Austrian foundry, discovered the mysterious Salzburg Cube (also known as the Wolfsegg Iron). He cracked open a seam of coal to find a strange-looking iron cube inside it. It had many cracks and little holes in it, as well as a strange color and a deep fissure down the middle. Reidl had never seen anything like it before, so after showing it to his boss, they turned it over to the Heimathaus Museum.

 

The next year, a professor at the museum named Adolf Gurlt studied the cube and determined it to be part of a meteorite. But further studies by the Natural History Museum in Vienna proved that it was not in fact a meteorite, but artificially manufactured from an unknown source. It is thought that the coal that “produced” the Salzburg Cube was at least 60 million years old. Adding to the mystery of the Cube is how some people actually believe it to have vanished. The reasons for this range from it being part of a shadowy conspiracy to it simply being debunked as a worthless piece of rock and tossed away as such. This, of course ignores the fact that the Cube does in fact exist, and can be found safely on display at its usual home, the Heimathaus Museum in Vienna.

 

 

9} Screaming Mummy

 

 

 

 

 

Discovered in 1886, a mummy with an agonized expression on his face has long since been the object of speculation. This mummy has all his organs intact, which is not customary with mummification. Many interesting theories have arisen, though none have been proven right or wrong. Bob Brier, a University of Long Island archaeologist, speculated that two parties were responsible for the mummy’s agonized expression. One was the murderer, while the other ensured full preservation of the body (possibly due to a personal relationship with the victim). Other researchers and archaeologists have come up with theories ranging from cold-blooded murder to poisoning to being buried alive.

 

 

A 2008 National Geographic documentary special investigated the possibility that the mummy could be Prince Pentewere (son of Pharaoh Ramses III), who was suspected of planning his father’s murder. Ancient documents from the 12th century claimed one of Pharaoh Ramses III’s wives was tried for conspiring to kill him, due to her desire for Pentewere to take over the throne. It is thought that when this plan was discovered, she poisoned Pentewere as punishment and rolled him up in sheepskin after being mummified. If that was the case, the “scream” could have been due to the pain from the poison ingested. However, only a CT scan had been done of the screaming mummy, and it remains pure speculation whether the mummy was in fact Prince Pentewere.

 

 

Less sensational theories suggest that the mummy’s jaw is open simply because his head most likely rolled back after death occurred. But even that bit of realism is as good a guess as anybody else’s.

 

 

 

 

8} Ever-Burning Lamps

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine that you find a small burning lamp hidden deep in an ancient vault. This mysterious lamp, which is in perfect preservation, has burned continuously without fuel for the last 2,000 years. What would you think of your remarkable discovery? Most likely you would wonder whether the precious lamp that you are holding in your hands is a magical object, a work of God, or perhaps some evil powers. Could this ancient treasure be a proof of highly advanced technology? Did our ancestors discover the secret of eternal light?

 

 

Although it might sound amazing, and for some even impossible certain extraordinary findings clearly show that perpetual light was rather common in prehistory. I deal with advanced ancient technology in “Voices from Legendary Times” to a large extent. In my book I uncover a number of strange enigmas from all over the world. Perpetual light is an ancient technology that to this today remains a mystery.

 

 

During the Middle Ages a number of ever-burning lamps were discovered in ancient tombs and temples. Based on ancient records we learn that these mysterious objects were found all over the world, in India, China, South America, North America, Egypt Greece, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland, France and many other countries. Unfortunately, looters, vandals, and superstitious diggers who feared that these objects possessed supernatural powers destroyed many of the lamps.

 

 

 

 

7} Panxian Caves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady of the Spiked Throne is the fitting name given to a mysterious and unique artifact dating back to 2700 B.C. The artifact remains one of the strangest ancient objects ever found. After ensuring that it was not a fake, Italian archaeologist Massimo Vidale and his team noted the Lady’s unique look for posterity. The object is shaped like a large vehicle—most likely a chariot or boat—ending at the front with the figurine of a large bull’s head. Inside the vehicle are 15 figures forming what can be described as a procession. There are traces of yellow, red, and black on these figures.

 

 

Some of the male figurines share the same adornments around the neck and on their head. Conical gowns are “worn” that have not been observed in other similar figurines. You can also see a female figurine can be seen seated on a “throne of spikes,” therefore the name Lady of the Spiked Throne. Vidale’s studies concluded the Lady was created by the ancient Indus civilization, but its meaning and purpose is a mystery. No evidence suggests Indus used any four-wheel vehicles, and it is unknown whether the artifact was made for ritual use or another, more practical reason.

 

 

5} Ancient Structure Underneath Sea Of Galilee

 

 

 

 

In 2003, scientists accidentally discovered a circular structure underneath the Sea of Galilee. Publishing the findings almost 10 years later, geophysicist Shmuel Marco told CNN that they were very surprised to see what looked like a Bronze Age statue on the ocean floor. Marco speculated that the ancient structure may have been a marine nursery. Most archaeologists, however, believe it was situated on land and became submerged by the water over time. The structure is made up of basalt and shaped like a cone. Measuring 70 meters (230 ft) at the bottom, the structure is 10 meters (33 ft) tall, and is estimated to weigh 54.5 million kilograms (60,000 tons). It can be compared to the size of two Stonehenges. Its age is estimated to be between 2,000-12,000 years old, a range determined by calculating the amount of sand that accumulated over the base of the structure, as well as comparing it to similar structures.

 

 

Archaeologist Dani Nadel has interestingly noted that the structure has similar features to that of other ancient burial sites in the area. Calling it a truly unusual find, Nadel theorized that the structure could have been used for ceremonial purposes. He also pointed out how the structure being built using large stones weighing almost 100 kilograms (220 lb) each was a very impressive feat. He stressed, however, that the true purpose and age of the structure will likely remain unknown.

 

 

 

4} Hidden Shoes In Egyptian Temple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than 2,000 years ago, at a time when Egypt was ruled by a dynasty of kings of Greek descent, someone, perhaps a group of people, hid away some of the most valuable possessions they had — their shoes. Seven shoes were deposited in a jar in an Egyptian temple in Luxor, three pairs and a single one. Two pairs were originally worn by children and were only about 7 inches (18 centimeters) long. Using palm fiber string, the child shoes were tied together within the single shoe (it was larger and meant for an adult) and put in the jar. Another pair of shoes, more than 9 inches (24 cm) long that had been worn by a limping adult, was also inserted in the jar. The shoe-filled jar, along with two other jars, had been “deliberately placed in a small space between two mudbrick walls,” writes archaeologist Angelo Sesana in a report published in the journal Memnonia.

 

 

 

3} Baiae Tunnels

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than 2,000 years ago, the Baiae temple in Rome was a popular destination, known alternately for minerals with supposed immortality-bestowing powers, and possibly housing the entrance to Hades. Now, just the mysterious ruins remain. In the 1960s, Robert Paget and Keith Jones decided to explore these ruins. After struggling to get through the narrow opening, they found themselves in a narrow tunnel and smelled volcanic gas. Paget found the start of the tunnel complex was pointed toward the summer sunrise, and the tunnels ran perfectly from east to west toward the equinoctial sunrise. This indicated rituals were a factor during the building of the tunnels.

 

 

The pair found many niches meant for lamps along the tunnels and indications that great thought went into the building and setting out of the tunnels in order to keep them hidden. They also found what seemed to be a ventilation system inside a blockage within the tunnel system. However, it was when they reached the end of a steep tunnel that the real mystery presented itself. Just after a sharp bend ran a stream of boiling hot water. A stone landing projected out into the water and seemed to vanish into the dark. The men decided that if Hades did in fact exist, they had just found its mythical entrance.In 1965, the two men, with the help of Colonel David Lewis, determined the boiling water was due to underground volcanic chambers that produced hot springs. However, even with that new knowledge, they still could not solve the mystery of who built the tunnels of Baiae, or what their real purpose was.

 

 

 

2} Antelope Springs Footprint

 

 

 

 

 

On June 1, 1968, amateur fossil hunter William J. Meister Sr. took his family on a trip to Antelope Springs. Meister couldn’t take off his fossil-hunting jacket, though, and went in search of trilobite fossils. He eventually found a fossil with what looked like a shoe imprint, the heel digging in deeper than the rest of the foot. Below the imprint, he found two trilobite fossils. Meister immediately thought that the person wearing the shoes had stepped onto the fossils. Taking it for examination, Meister and fellow researchers dated the fossil at almost 600 million years old and determined it was likely formed in Middle Cambrian Wheeler Shale. When they explored the area, they discovered slabs of mudstone that had, once upon a time, formed an entire land area.

 

 

The mystery, however, is that while the shoe print clearly indicates someone standing or stepping on the trilobites, there is no evidence indicating any pressure on the trilobites themselves. Also, the trilobites were marine creatures, meaning that whoever created the shoe print had entered their area. Why exactly, nobody knows.

 

 

1} The Pyramid Of Hellinikon

 

 

 

 

Greek pyramids, also known as the Pyramids of Argolis, refers to several structures located in the plain of Argolid, Greece. The best known of these is known as the Pyramid of Hellinikon. In the time of the geographer Pausanias it was considered to be a tomb. Twentieth century researchers have suggested other possible uses. Although these structures are of great interest, written references are rather scarce and they are not mentioned in ancient sources. Pausanias (2nd century AD) mentions two buildings resembling pyramids, one, twelve miles southwest of the still standing structure at Hellinikon, a common tomb for soldiers who died in a legendary struggle for the throne of Argos and another which he was told was the tomb of Argives killed in a battle around 669/8 BC. Neither of these still survive. 

 

 

On the way from Argos to Epidauria there is on the right a building made very like a pyramid, and on it in relief are wrought shields of the Argive shape. Here took place a fight for the throne between Proetus and Acrisius; the contest, they say, ended in a draw, and a reconciliation resulted afterwards, as neither could gain a decisive victory. The story is that they and their hosts were armed with shields, which were first used in this battle. For those that fell on either side was built here a common tomb, as they were fellow citizens and kinsmen.

 

 

 

 

Photos:

 

Franco M. Giani

 

National Geographic Society

 

Liu Wu

 

Massimo Vidale

 

Shmuel Marco

 

Bobbylamouche

 

 Clifford Burdick

 

Schuppi

 

 

References:

 

Liveverse

 

Wiki

 

Live Science

 

 

 

 

 

More Stories Contributed By N. Morgan