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1. Stonehenge, England
Stonehenge is found on the flat green expanse of Salisbury Plain, England. This standing stone circle has mystified generations who have speculated that it was built by ancient Greeks, Egyptians, druids, or even wizards.
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What we see today is actually the work of generations of neolithic and bronze age farmers. The ring ditch, the small 'blue stones', and large 'sarson stones' were all added by successive generations, each with their own design and perhaps their own unique beliefs.
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Stonehenge isn't the only prehistoric monument in this landscape. Within just a few miles you'll find Woodhenge, the Durrington Walls, iron age barrows, and the Dorset Cursus. Evidently something important was drawing people here…
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2. Çatalhöyük, Turkey
Ancient cities aren't unusual, but Çatalhöyük stands out as the oldest city on Earth. What makes it mysterious though, is that it was built between 7100-5700 BCE, long before humans had even invented farming, writing, wheels, or metals - so what were they doing there?
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The people of Çatalhöyük were probably nomadic hunter-gatherers, and maybe only lived indoors during the winter. The remains of the city show that there was very little social division, it seems like they were living a very equitable, communal lifestyle.
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This reconstruction shows a typical house. They were small and packed tightly. With no streets between the buildings, the main entrance was a ladder in the roof. They were scrupulously clean, but, perhaps unsettlingly, they buried their dead under the floors of their own homes.
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3. The Nazca Lines, Peru
Boundless and bare, the lone and level sands stretch far away here in the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. But look closer (or, rather, look from a distance) and you'll discover the ancient Nazca Lines.
Nazca Lines, Peru (2017-12-08)NASA
It's no surprise that these gargantuan rock carvings remained almost unknown until the invention of the aeroplane. The lines, made by digging a shallow trench in the gritty earth, were made using a simple system of ropes and stakes.
The Nazca Line (2008) by Luz María BedoyaMALI, Museo de Arte de Lima
But why? Archaeologists have suggested they look like enlarged textile designs, or that they might mark water sources or ritual pathways. But perhaps the most popular theory is that they are representations of the constellations.
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4. Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Malta
The Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni was discovered in 1902 by workmen digging cisterns for new houses in Paola, Malta, and is an exquisitely preserved example of prehistoric Maltese architecture. It is thought to be a neolithic temple and necropolis dating to the 3300–3000BCE.
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The underground structure may have originally been a natural cave, expanded over time with pick axes made of antler, flint, and obsidian. The chambers were carefully designed to let in sunlight from the surface, and one appears to be aligned with the winter solstice.
Hypogeum - Holy of HoliesĦal Saflieni Hypogeum
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of over 7000 individuals buried in these subterranean chambers. Some of the skulls show signs of artificial elongation, similar to those of ancient Egyptian priests, which has prompted speculation about who built these tombs.
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5. Pumapunku, Bolivia
Pumapunku is part of the Tiwanaku temple complex dating to 536CE. It lies near Illimani mountain, a sacred peak that the Tiwanaku believed to be home to the spirits of their dead. While it may lie in ruins, it was once a wondrous construction, faced with polished metal.
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The mystery here is how the builders of Pumapunku calculated and cut such precise stonework, working only with stone tools. Their stonework is so regular that some historians have suggested they may have mass-produced temple parts like building blocks.
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They were evidently experts in descriptive geometry, and must have had some practical system for communicating their designs, yet without written language these fascinating cultural details are entirely lost to us.
A piece from the panel of the so-called "Chinese horses" (Lascaux) (1990/1990) by Ministère de la Culture et de la CommunicationGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Still in the mood for mystery? Discover theories on why our ancient ancestors painted on cave walls at Chauvet.
