10 Strange Archaeological Mysteries

From a lost civilization in China, to indecipherable glyphs found on Easter Island, these are 10 Strange Archaeological Mysteries!

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Big Circles
Strange stone circles in Jordan were first noticed from the air in the 1920s. Since then, 8 large circles have been reported in the country’s west-central region … in all there are 12 of the circular structures in Jordan that can only be witnessed with aerial and satellite images. In 2002, another similar structure was discovered in Syria. Collectively known as the Big Circles, they range between 720 feet to nearly 1,500 feet in diameter … and are usually comprised of low walls formed from uncut boulders. Construction likely would have been lengthy, and involved approximately a dozen workers. Researchers still don’t know why the circles were built. And while the structures cannot be precisely dated, experts think they were built between 4,500 to 2,000 BC … that’s based on the age of materials found near the circles. Archaeologists plan to continue excavating the site to learn more about their purpose and construction.

A mummified dog dating back 1,000 years was discovered in Mexico … and experts think the long-deceased canine might help solve mysteries about the hunting traditions of ancient tribal groups. It was discovered in Candelaria (kahn-del-arr-ee-uh) Cave in the arid, northern part of the country. Researchers say the animal was likely domesticated by local tribes … and was used for hunting expeditions. It was found among hundreds of human remains … and ancient artifacts like baskets, and bows and arrows. Due to the dry environment, the dog had mummified naturally. While mummified canines have previously been found in Peru and Egypt … this was the first such creature discovered in Mexico!

The Cochno (kok-no) Stone
The Cochno Stone was discovered in Scotland in 1887 … and is considered one of Europe’s most important works of art. To protect it from vandals, it was buried near Clydebank at the edge of a council housing estate. The slab of rock, is etched with carving from the Stone Age … dating back some 5,000 years. And now, after more than a half century, it’s being re-excavated so archaeologists can study it in-depth. Measuring 42 feet by 26 feet, the stone slab is covered with grooved indentations and spirals referred to as ‘cup and rings’. In the black and white photos you can see where some of the designs have been highlighted using white paint … some of the carvings appear to represent feet with four toes. Experts suggest the petroglyphs might have been used for marking hunting grounds or other territory. They might even represent a unit of measurement. Researchers plan to use 3D scanning technology to uncover the mystery of the stones carvings … and the prehistoric people who made them.

Stone Labyrinths
(I recut this section at end of segment) Bolshoi Zayatsky (zie-aht-skee) Island is part of the Solovetsky (sah-lah-VET-skee) Archipelago in northern Russia. The island is thought to have been inhabited some as far back as 3000 BC. The prehistoric residents built villages and sacred sites there. They apparently covered the island with boulders as well. More than 850 boulders are found in heaps about the region. Next to nothing is known about these people … nor why they constructed strange stone labyrinths there. Up to 14 of these labyrinths were created … with the largest one measuring over 80 feet in diameter. They’re mostly constructed of boulders set in rows. Most of the rows have a spiral shape … Some even have a double spiral formation that resembles two snakes, with their heads meeting in the middle.

Raider of the Lost Rock
A local Bosnian myth claims that the country used to have countless spherical stones … but when people went searching for gold inside them, the objects were destroyed. Now, an archaeologist claims he’s found a mysterious sphere in central Bosnia. Dr Semir Osmanagic (os-man-AH-gitch) says the sphere has a high iron content … and was created by an advanced, lost civilization more than 1,500 years ago. If so, that would make the object older than Las Bolas, the stone spheres found in Costa Rica. They were created by the extinct Diquis (DIK-ees) culture. The stone ball found in Bosnia has a radius of around 4 to 5 feet. Although Dr Osmanagic (os-man-AH-gitch) claims it to be the world’s heaviest man-made ball, we couldn’t find an estimate for its weight. While the newly-discovered could turn out to be twice as big as the Costa Rican spheres, the claim has its doubters.

[kbdaily]

I Like Your Video so much Strange Archaeological Mysteries

[TheGianoli]

A candle holder. Number 8 is a candle holder. The holes of different sizes were used to accomodate candles of different radii, by simply repositioning the feet of the object.

[katiobrien]

#3 has lines connecting many, if not all, of the 'spots'. They remind me of possible ley lines.

[TruAnRksT]

2:23 maybe they were used for measuring spaghetti?

[TexasHeathen]

Those brass hexagonal things with multiple sized holes, looks like a modern infant toy that teaches different shapes...

[danrohde]

Check a place in Canada for perfectly spherical rocks, called Kettle Point. It is on Lake Huron, one of the great lakes. The pictures shown here are exactly the same as the naturally formed rocks there. Some in the ground and some in the water. This happens in Australia as well.

[Bantie]

my guess for #8 is that it was used for monetary purposes. Different size disks of metal could be measured by its size to determine its value by the size hole it corresponds to on this object. This object could easily be carried via necklace or on a string to a belt. Copper or gold disks could possibly be the money value measured.

[kerriewilson]

number three " to protect it from vandals it was buried near a scheme in Clydebank" lol

[TheSqoou]

7:17 I wonder if some of the things we assume are writings are simply the scribbles of bored kids. At first glance, it looks like a map of galaxies.

[travispaskiewicz]

what were these strange instruments used for? it's clear number 8 is a dungeon and dragons dice. It's designed to roll for evasion.

[peggyhall]

Universes? I hope it's more than a calendar for planting corn. They always say that when they don't have a clue.

[yergeoff]

#8 is an ancient die, right? like they rolled in during games and each hole represented a different value? thats my guess

[alexanderantonin]

Given that dog's small size and the fact that Chihuahuas were bred in what is now Mexico for food, I wouldn't be so sure they were hunting dogs.

[trudyclay]

Tetrahedron it's a spaghetti serving measure haha

[pennywise]

Aw man I forgot about this channel and came back today for the first time in a couple of years just to hear the epic wildlife dude himself narrate. This sucks.

[johncarter]

Assuming that the Bosnian sphere is limonite, calculating with median radius and density, it should weigh something like 78, 000 pounds.

[jerryamescua]

#3 looks like they were trying to draw out the cosmos, swirls might be galaxies?

[DaDudeClub]

All I hear is Brian saying "cool wHip"

[albertramsay]

Did the last one not turn out to be a fossilised prehistoric creature?

[termination]

I know the answer to #8, the dodecahedron. I answered it years ago. This film avoids showing the keyholed facet.