Artifacts that Baffle Modern Man

In the 1930’s, hundreds of stone spheres were found scattered throughout the Diquis Delta of Costa Rica in Central America, ranging from a few centimeters (1 centimeter = 2.54^ths  of an inch) to over 2 meters (6.5 feet) in diameter and weighing as much as 15 tons. The spheres are near perfect in shape.  Dating estimates, range from 200 BC all the way up to 1500 AD.

Numerous explanations have been offered, including both myth and legend; in any event, the stones are shrouded with obscurity. Some theories suggest the early inhabitants of the area had means of softening stones with a magic potion, thus making creation of the stone’s possible. Others are convinced they come from Atlantis; while, some believe the spheres are creations of nature, but the purpose of the stones remain a complete mystery. 

      

The means or type of construction at Puma Punku is an engineering anomaly that is not comprehendible by modern scholars. Current knowledge of the culture who built this place, left to no writing system nor had they familiarity even with the wheel, in any event the architectural accomplishments at Puma Punku are incredible. The largest of the stones used in construction is 131 metric tons (288,855 pounds), and are made of red sandstone. The nearest quarry for red sandstone is 10 km (about 6.3 miles) distance from the archaeological site, and in addition, the stones had to be carried up a steep incline to get to the construction site.

Each of the stones has been cut with extreme precision allowing them to lock together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Sophisticated knowledge of geometry is exhibited in this construction, not to mention advanced masonry. These stones are so precisely cut they suggest technology of mass production, and the pieces fit together so perfectly that even a razor blade cannot fit in between them.

Archaeologists argue about the dating of Puma Punku;  the claims range from to a mere 1,500 years to more than 15,000 years old. Only one thing is for sure, today’s modern engineers find the construction of Puma Punku impossible today, even when using modern day technology and engineering tools.

Turkish and German archaeologists began excavation in 1994, and are currently uncovering what are now the oldest stone monuments known to exist on earth. A bit more than 5% of this small Turkish community has currently (2012) been excavated, and Archaeologist’s predict it could take another 50 years to complete. The monuments have been dated by utilizing the radiocarbon method at 11,000 BC, predating Stonehenge by over 6,000 years. The pillars of the round stone structures are carved with reliefs of animals including vultures, foxes, lions, gazelles, reptiles, and waterfowl, suggesting that at the time of construction the surrounding area was far more of a lush landscape than the current conditions of modern day Turkey allow.

Prior to this find, it was believed that man practiced religious rituals only during the post-agriculture development, yet, the large number of bones found at this site suggests a pre-agriculture hunter-gatherer society. A few archaeologists have even speculated this site (mostly due to its geographic coordinates) to be the location of the legendary Eden; on the other hand,  if its not the Biblical Garden itself, then it marks the location to where man made his transition from hunting and gathering to farming; the suggested allegory of the Christian Eden story.

The biggest part of the mystery of Göbekli Tepe, which is locally known as “Pot Belly Hill”, is that for some unknown reason, man systematically and deliberately buried the site sometime around 8000 BC, which has created the artificial hill the site was covered under.

A collection of geoglyphs (works of art that were made by moving or arranging stones or earth on a landscape) have been created, as most scholars agree  that is was done by the Nazca culture in Peru as early as 200 BC. These shallow sculptures were made by removing the red pebbles abundant in the Nazca desert, thus revealing the white ground below.

Multiple geometric designs, with the largest between 650-900 feet across, depict animals, insects, humans, and geometric shapes. Although such “drawings” are relatively easy to construct by using simple tools, the oddity of the Nazca lines and drawings is the large pictures as a whole are only viewable from the sky. If the assumption is made that flight was not an option, they must have been created using a very sophisticated sense of mathematical knowledge with very careful planning, as is shown by the exactness in the images from far above.

Alternative theorists have suggested that flight may have been possible for the Ancients, either by means of hot air balloon, or some advanced unknown technological which allowed flying machines. Erik Von Däniken, author of the ever popular Chariots of the Gods and Finger Prints of the Gods, use the Nazca lines as evidence for ancient astronauts.

Stonehenge, is the huge prehistoric monument, erected sometime during the time period of 2500 to 2200 BC; whenever it was built, it has since been the subject of mystery and legend. Folklore suggests it was built by the devil from stones purchased from an Irish woman, and according to Old English King Arthur stories, the legendary magician Merlin, had the stones removed from Ireland and reconstructed  as they now stand in the southern part of the English county of Wiltshire near Amesbury.

None know exactly the purpose of Stonehenge, but speculations include suggestions that it’s as a celestial calendar, a burial monument providing a gateway between life and death, or perhaps a ritual place of healing. Since the creators of Stonehenge apparently had no written language and therefore left no documentation in regard to construction, knowing its exact function is impossible.

The “bluestones” (in the British context, stones not indigenous to the region) used were located in Wales, which is more than 150 miles away; in addition some of the stones weigh more than 50 tons. The relocation of the bluestones (it’s though there were originally 80, but today there are only 43) from Wales to the Amesbury site has presented scholars / archeologists with the mystery of their transportation. Several methods have been tried; which has demonstrated that advanced feats of engineering was a necessity.

The Great Sphinx, the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the Moai statues on Easter Island represent just a few more examples of how early or ancient man has baffled modern architects, engineers, and archaeologists alike in regard to artifacts they’ve left behind. Both large and small structures, and sophisticated drawings, have been and continue to be discovered which defy the understanding and the intellectual capacities of ancient mankind. The abilities of ancient civilizations have long been underestimated as shown by the above referenced mysterious stone structures or objects; so magnificent, that modern man often wonders, if once known technique’s and technology’s, have been lost, or alternatively, was ancient mankind provided with a yet unknown type of assistance?  

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_spheres_of_Costa_Rica                           http://encyclopedia.mitrasites.com/imgs/puma-punku-stones.html                      http://akorra.com/2010/04/06/top-ten-inexplicable-stone-structures/                http://tgsfree4allinfo.blogspot.com/2011/12/remaking-history.html