Buzz
From time to time, archaeologists uncover significant findings. They reveal ancient civilizations, uncover pivotal artifacts, or unearth the remains of notable historical individuals. However, these discoveries are often shrouded in mystery due to factors like the absence of written records, leaving many archaeological puzzles unsolved.
Fortunately, advancements in science and technology are ongoing. These tools empower archaeologists to conduct detailed analyses and deeper research, helping them reconstruct a clearer image of history. Gradually, they are solving the enigmas that have intrigued humanity for generations.
10. The Puquios Of Peru
Puquios are spiral-shaped, stone-lined holes situated in Peru's Nazca region, home to the renowned Nazca Lines. For years, researchers were puzzled by their origin and function. Carbon dating is ineffective on puquios because their construction materials match the surrounding environment. Additionally, like many South American cultures, the Nazca left no written records.
In 2016, a group of Italian researchers from the Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis solved the enigma of the puquios. By studying satellite imagery, Rosa Lasaponara and her team concluded that these spiral, stone-lined formations were integral to a comprehensive hydraulic network, channeling water through underground tunnels to agricultural fields and settlements for drinking purposes. The scientists proposed that the spiral holes acted as ancient pumps, ensuring a consistent water supply for the Nazca people. Despite inhabiting one of the driest regions on Earth, prone to prolonged droughts, the Nazca thrived by utilizing the puquios for their water needs.
Lasaponara’s findings also highlighted the exceptional organization and technical expertise of the puquios' builders. These spiral structures were crafted with such precision that many remain operational even today.
9. The Mummified Lungs Of Queen Arnegunde
In 1959, Michel Fleury unearthed the remains of Queen Arnegunde, a Merovingian queen and mother of King Chilperic I, in Paris’s Basilica of St Denis. Alongside her skeleton, artifacts such as jewelry, leather and textile fragments, and a lock of hair were discovered. The standout find, however, was her mummified lungs. While her body had fully skeletonized, her lungs remained remarkably intact. For decades, scientists debated whether her lungs were artificially embalmed or naturally preserved, a mystery only recently resolved.
A global research team, headed by bio-anthropologist Rafaella Bianucci from the University of Turin, analyzed Queen Arnegunde’s lungs and confirmed she was deliberately mummified. Biochemical tests revealed the presence of copper oxide and traces of benzoic acid in her lungs. Benzoic acid is naturally occurring in plants, while copper, known for its preservative qualities, was often used in jewelry. (The queen was buried with an elaborate copper belt.) The team theorized that Queen Arnegunde might have been administered a liquid infusion of spices or aromatic plants. They also suggested that the “combination of copper’s preservative properties and the spice-based embalming process likely contributed to the preservation of her lungs.
The use of aromatic plants and spices for mummification was widespread in sixth-century France. The Merovingians adopted this practice from the Romans, who, in turn, learned it from the Egyptians. However, the Merovingian method was less refined, which may explain why only Queen Arnegunde’s lungs survived intact while the rest of her body did not.
8. The Cause Of Irtyersenu’s Death
Irtyersenu, an Egyptian woman from Thebes around 600 BC, was approximately 50 years old at her death. She gained historical significance after gynecologist Augustus Bozzi Granville conducted an autopsy on her mummy in 1825 before the Royal Society of London. Granville identified an ovarian tumor, initially attributing her death to ovarian cancer. Later experts, however, determined the tumor was non-cancerous. This left scientists puzzled for years, questioning the true cause of Irtyersenu’s demise.
Determined to solve the mystery behind Irtyersenu’s death, Mark Spigelman and Helen Donoghue from University College London meticulously reexamined her mummy. They discovered DNA and cell wall molecules of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in her bones, gallbladder, and lungs. This evidence led them to conclude that she succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis, a disease that was widespread during her era and remains a significant health issue today.
7. The Identity Of The Masada Remains
Masada, a desert fortress situated in Israel’s Judaean Desert, is renowned for the mass suicide of the Zealots nearly 2,000 years ago. The Zealots, a group of fervent Jewish rebels, aimed to overthrow the Roman occupiers of Israel, making this site a symbol of resistance and tragedy.
In the 1960s, Yigael Yadin and his archaeological team unearthed significant findings at Masada. Among their discoveries in a bathhouse were the remains of three individuals, including two male skeletons and a woman's hair. These remains were initially thought to be those of a Zealot family. By 1969, the Israeli government had declared these remains as symbols of Jewish heroism, granting them a state burial. This find was so impactful that it wove itself into the fabric of Israel's national lore.
Contrary to initial beliefs, forensic expert Azriel Gorski and anthropologist Joe Zias revealed through their analysis that the skeletons were not of Jewish origin. Utilizing cutting-edge forensic techniques and referencing biblical texts, they unraveled the true story behind the Masada remains.
A little-known verse in Deuteronomy mentions that non-Jewish women taken in war should have their hair shorn to diminish their allure to Jewish captors. Gorski and Zias's forensic examination confirmed that the woman's hair had been cut with a sharp tool while she was alive, suggesting she was a non-Jewish captive. This, along with the skeletons found in the bathhouse, led to the conclusion that the males were Roman soldiers, not Zealots.
6. The Enigmatic Phaistos Disc of Crete
Discovered in 1908 within the Phaistos Palace on Crete, a peculiar clay disc measuring about 15 centimeters (6 inches) across was found. This disc, dating back to approximately 1700 BC during the Minoan Bronze Age, features an unknown script on both sides, which remains a mystery to this day.
The Phaistos Disc, a mysterious clay artifact, has captivated and puzzled researchers for years. Initially, it was theorized to be an early version of a typewriter, described as 'an early example of movable type printing.' This idea dominated until Gareth Owens from the Technological Educational Institute of Crete proposed an alternative theory in 2014, suggesting the disc was a prayer to a Minoan deity.
After six years of study, Owens deciphered key words and the overall message of the disc. He identified 'mother' as the most significant and recurring word, leading him to conclude that the disc honored the Minoan mother goddess of fertility. Owens further explained that one side of the disc depicted a woman in childbirth, while the other side featured a pregnant woman.
5. The Mystery of the Durham Skeletons
In November 2013, two mass graves were unearthed near Durham Cathedral, containing the remains of 17 to 28 men, untouched for over three centuries. Archaeologists from Durham University were initially perplexed about the identity of these individuals, estimated to have been between 13 and 25 years old at death. After an 18-month investigation, the mystery was finally unraveled.
The skeletons were identified as Scottish soldiers captured by Oliver Cromwell after the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, a particularly brutal conflict. These soldiers were forced to march 160 kilometers (100 miles) to Durham, where they were imprisoned in the city's castle and cathedral. Experts believe the two mass graves are just the beginning, estimating that around 1,700 Scottish prisoners are buried beneath Durham University's buildings.
4. The Vampire Burials Found in Poland
In 2009, archaeologists uncovered skeletons in the Drawsko cemetery in Poland, some with rocks placed at their jaws and sickles positioned around their necks. Centuries ago, superstitions led people to believe that vampires could rise from their graves to harm the living. To prevent these feared creatures from reanimating, locals took extreme and often disrespectful measures.
Upon discovering the vampire burials, researchers initially assumed the skeletons belonged to non-locals, which they thought explained why they were labeled as vampires. However, a study led by Lesley Gregoricka from the University of South Alabama revealed that these individuals were actually locals. Gregoricka reached this conclusion by analyzing strontium isotopes present in the remains.
Historically, people believed that individuals could turn into vampires if they were unbaptized, died violently, were outsiders, or were the first to perish during a plague. If the skeletons were indeed locals, what prompted the townspeople to brand them as vampires? Gregoricka and her team proposed that the remains were among the first victims of a cholera outbreak that devastated the region. This theory was supported by the absence of signs of violent trauma or brutal deaths in the skeletons.
3. The Massive Stones of Angkor Wat
Angkor, the ancient metropolis, is globally renowned for its stunning Angkor Wat temple. Constructed in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II as a tribute to the Hindu deity Vishnu, this religious site was later transformed into a Buddhist temple around the 14th century.
For years, archaeologists have puzzled over how the 5–10 million bricks used in Angkor Wat's construction were transported from a nearby mountain to the temple site. Initially, experts theorized that the massive stones were moved via canals to Tonle Sap Lake and then rowed along a river to the temple. However, this route was inefficient and laborious, covering 87 kilometers (54 miles), and required rowing against the current from the lake to Angkor Wat.
Researcher Estuo Uchida from Japan’s Waseda University and his team aimed to solve this mystery conclusively. By surveying the area and analyzing satellite imagery, they identified 50 quarries and a new network of hundreds of roads and canals. This shorter, 35-kilometer (22-mile) route was far more practical and efficient, shedding light on how the Angkor civilization constructed such an elaborate complex in a relatively short time.
2. The Fall of Angkor
For nearly five centuries, the Khmer Empire thrived in the majestic city of Angkor in Cambodia. Spanning over 1,000 square kilometers (400 square miles), this ancient metropolis is regarded as the largest preindustrial urban center. Between the 14th and 15th centuries, the empire mysteriously declined, with experts attributing its fall to land overuse and warfare.
Recent studies, however, propose that prolonged droughts may have caused Angkor's downfall. Researchers reached this conclusion by examining tree rings from Vietnam, which revealed extended dry spells interspersed with intense rainfall. To mitigate droughts, Angkor's inhabitants constructed intricate systems of moats, embankments, reservoirs, and channels called barays, designed to capture and store monsoon rainwater.
A research team led by Mary Beth Day from the University of Cambridge investigated Angkor's largest reservoir, the West Baray, and collected samples across the city. Their analysis of the baray and samples allowed them to reconstruct 1,000 years of Angkor's climate history. They discovered that despite the city's sophisticated water management systems, they were insufficient to withstand 'extreme environmental conditions,' ultimately contributing to its collapse.
1. The Infant Skeletons Discovered in Athens
During excavations in 1930s Athens, archaeologists uncovered a chilling site: a well in the ancient agora, or marketplace, containing 450 infant skeletons. Alongside the infants were over 100 dog and puppy skeletons. This discovery was unprecedented in the ancient world, both for the sheer number of infant remains and the inclusion of canine carcasses.
To understand this grim find, experts proposed two theories: the infants may have perished in a plague or been victims of mass infanticide. However, a recent study by Maria Liston, a biological anthropologist at the University of Waterloo, debunked both theories. Her team found that the infants died of natural causes, not plague, with one-third succumbing to meningitis and the rest to other common illnesses of the era.
Liston’s research provided insight into ancient Athenian infant treatment. Similar to the Romans, the Greeks did not consider babies full individuals until a naming ceremony conducted 7 to 10 days after birth. As a result, deceased infants were often discarded rather than buried.
Regarding the dogs, Liston suggested they were ritually sacrificed before being disposed of in the well.
