25+ Unsolved Historical Mysteries of the Ancient World

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Exploring lost civilizations and unexplained phenomena
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World history is filled with mysteries, some that may one day be solved and others permanently lost to time. You may be wondering: just what are these ancient and historical mysteries—and which ones are the most bizarre and intriguing? In this article, we’ll take you on a journey through time and introduce you to some of the most mystifying historical secrets and enigmas known to humankind. Without further ado, let’s begin!

Top 5 Historical Mysteries

  • Stonehenge: Built over several phases thousands of years ago, Stonehenge’s purpose and how it was built are still unknown.
  • Voynich Manuscript: This medieval book was written in an undecipherable language that still has experts guessing.
  • Cleopatra’s tomb: The Egyptian queen Cleopatra was reportedly buried with her lover, Mark Antony, but the couple’s tomb remains undiscovered.
  • Nazca Lines: The Nazca Lines are mysterious geoglyphs in Peru resembling different lines, shapes, and animals; their original purpose is a mystery.
  • Greco-Roman Mystery Cults: These secretive cults spread throughout ancient Greece and Rome were based on sacred religious stories, often about death and rebirth.
1

Stonehenge

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  1. Stonehenge is one of the most well-known landmarks in the world, with good reason! It was constructed in several phases, beginning roughly 5,000 years ago, before the Bronze Age—but much is still unknown about Stonehenge’s purpose and how, exactly, it was built. [1]
    • For example, a 2024 study found that Stonehenge’s “Altar Stone” may have come from the Orcadian Basin in Scotland—implying that the stone was somehow moved to England across hundreds of miles. [2]
    • In terms of purpose, many scholars agree that Stonehenge was a burial site. However, it may have had other purposes as well.
    • For example, it may have been a religious site, a farming calendar (used for observing the sun and moon), or a healing center.
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2

The Voynich Manuscript

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  1. This medieval manuscript is filled with indecipherable symbols. The book was supposedly found in an ancient castle in southern Europe (according to book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who came by the book in 1912). It’s written in an unknown language or code, now called “Voynichese,” and scholars have been perplexed by its contents since the book was discovered! [3]
    • The vellum in the book has been carbon-dated; thus, the book was likely written in the early 15th century, around 1404 to 1437. It’s also believed that the book was created in Italy during the Renaissance.
    • In addition to its strange code, the book contains fantastical illustrations and diagrams that depict people, plants (that can’t be identified), and astrological symbols.
    • The manuscript may be an ancient work of fiction or have some other meaning, but that meaning has yet to be deciphered.
3

The Tomb of Cleopatra VII

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  1. Cleopatra was supposedly buried with her lover, Mark Antony. She’s famous as the “last queen of Egypt,” who had relationships with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Cleopatra and Antony were defeated at the Battle of Actium, and later at the Battle of Alexandria in 30 BCE, after which they committed suicide. It’s believed that the pair were buried together, but the location of their tomb is a mystery. [4]
    • Some scholars believe the couple’s tomb was in Alexandria, Cleopatra’s capital city, and that it was destroyed by a tsunami in 365 CE.
    • Others believe the couple’s tomb was located somewhere else in the Nile Delta, perhaps in a temple of Isis and Osiris, since Cleopatra and Antony identified with those gods.
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4

The Nazca Lines

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  1. Mysterious geoglyphs were created by a pre-Inca civilization. The Nazca Lines are comprised of over 1,000 geoglyphs (massive drawings etched into the landscape) located in the coastal plains of Peru. Many are straight lines up to 30 miles (48.3 km) long, while others are geometric shapes, animals, and plants. Their purpose remains unknown, however. [5]
    • For example, there are Nazca lines depicting a spider, a whale, a monkey, a dog, a hummingbird, a two-headed snake, and a human-like figure called “The Astronaut.”
    • One of the more popular hypotheses is that the Nazca lines are associated with ancient water rituals—although there are other theories as well.
5

Greco-Roman Mystery Cults

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  1. Also called sacred mysteries or just mysteries , Greek and Roman mystery cults were often based on sacred stories from the more mainstream religions of the time—particularly stories about death and rebirth. Mystery cults often promised members a better afterlife, although initiates (or mystai ) were expected to pay fees and make financial contributions. [6]
    • Because they were so secretive, there’s little evidence about what these mystery cults did and the rituals they practiced.
    • Notable mystery cults included:
      • Dionysian Mysteries: This cult revolved around the worship of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fruitfulness. Practices likely included festivals, singing, and sexual rituals.
      • Eleusinian Mysteries: This cult grew from the story of Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, and her daughter, Persephone. They reenacted the story and planted grain, as was done in the story.
      • Pythagoreans: The Pythagorean brotherhood was an aristocratic fraternity that could sometimes get involved in politics but usually concerned themselves with geometry and astronomy.
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6

The Tomb of Alexander the Great

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  1. Nobody knows where the infamous conqueror was laid to rest. Alexander the Great is famous for having conquered regions across Asia by the time he was 32. When he died in 323 BCE, his empire fell apart. According to historical documents, he was brought back to Egypt by one of his generals and eventually entombed in Alexandria. However, his final resting place has never been discovered. [7]
    • Some experts theorize that Alexander’s tomb was built in Alexandria’s “Palaces District,” which is now totally submerged, leaving the tomb underwater.
    • The tomb may also simply have been destroyed naturally over time.
    • Regardless, few descriptions of the tomb have survived, so experts would have a hard time identifying it, even if it were found.
7

Julius Caesar’s Son

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  1. Julius Caesar likely had a son with Cleopatra VII. There’s more than one mystery associated with the Egyptian queen, and this one is about the true parentage of her son, Caesarion. Cleopatra famously had a romantic relationship with Caesar, reportedly resulting in a son, Caesarion. Cleopatra insisted Caesarion was Caesar’s son, and Caesar later acknowledged the boy, although some authors expressed doubt over his parentage. [8]
    • Even though some doubted Caesar being Caesarion’s father, no other potential fathers have since been named.
    • The general consensus is that Caesar probably was Caesarion’s father, if only because there’s no evidence to the contrary.
    • In writings about Caesarion, he was even said to take after Caesar in terms of appearance.
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8

The City of Thonis-Heracleion

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  1. This Egyptian port city crumbled into the Mediterranean Sea. Thonis-Heracleion was a trading hub before the city of Alexandria was founded, and there are even references to it in ancient myths. For example, the Greek hero Heracles (and Helen of Troy) visited the city! The city’s fall came in the second century BCE when the soil beneath it liquified (possibly from earthquakes or floods) and caused the whole thing to collapse. [9]
    • Thonis-Heracleion was rediscovered in the early 2000s by marine archeologists.
    • After its rediscovery, ancient items were recovered from the city’s ruins, including statues, jewelry, coins, pieces of pottery, and animal sarcophagi.
9

The Yonaguni Monument

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  1. The Yonaguni monument may be an ancient underwater city. It’s essentially a massive rock structure located underwater off the coast of Yonaguni Island, Japan. The monument looks like a step pyramid: it’s around 165 ft (50 m) long and 65 ft (19.8 m) wide. The mystery of this structure is whether it’s manmade or natural, and researchers can’t conclusively decide! [10]
    • It’s also known as “Japan’s Atlantis,” as some researchers believe the Yonaguni monument is actually the ruins of some ancient city or civilization.
    • However, others argue that it’s just a natural phenomenon.
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10

The Plain of Jars

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  1. The “Plain of Jars” is located in northern Laos, comprised of thousands of stone jars dating back to the Iron Age. However, “enormous” doesn’t totally do them credit; some jars are nearly 10 ft (3 m) tall and weigh several tons! Archeologists believe the jars were funeral urns, but much about them is still unknown. [11]
    • For example, archeologists still don’t know how the jars were moved into place or which civilization made them.
    • The jars’ purpose was a matter of speculation and has been for quite some time. Old legends say that giants used the jars as wine glasses!
11

The Hellenikon Pyramid

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  1. The Greek Hellenikon Pyramid may predate Egypt’s pyramids. Egypt is famous for its pyramids, but they exist elsewhere in the world, including in Greece. The Hellenikon Pyramid is located in Argolis, and experts believe it was built around 2720 BCE. Considering the earliest Egyptian pyramids were built around 2700 BCE, this would make Hellenikon as old or older than Egypt’s pyramids! [12]
    • Mysteries surrounding the Hellenikon pyramid include how it was built (considering the tools available at the time) and why it was built.
    • Experts theorize that the pyramid was made as a temple of some kind, perhaps to honor fallen soldiers in an ancient battle. However, nothing has ever been found inside the pyramid to support this.
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12

The Antikythera Mechanism

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  1. This 2,000-year-old device was found in a shipwreck. It’s been called “the first computer” because it’s an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery, or model of the Solar System. It was used to track and predict astronomical positions, but what’s especially incredible is how sophisticated it was for its time. To this day, experts are unsure how the ancient Greeks managed to make it! [13]
    • The Antikythera mechanism is estimated to have been created in the 2nd century BCE, making it more sophisticated than any other device invented for a thousand years afterward.
    • Some have even theorized that the mechanism is so advanced because it came from aliens—although, obviously, most experts disagree with that explanation.
13

The Dogū

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  1. Dogū are ancient clay figures, but their meaning is unknown. They were made in Japan during the prehistoric Jomon period, and they resemble a cross between humanoids (often pregnant females) and animals. Dogū come in a wide range of styles depending on the specific time and area in which they were made, but experts don’t know exactly what the dogū were used for. [14]
    • Some believe the dogū were fertility symbols or effigies of people (used to transfer illnesses from a person to the dogū), while others believe the dogū may just have been toys.
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14

The Roman Dodecahedrons

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  1. The intent and use behind these 12-sided objects is widely debated. In fact, not much is known about them, except that they’re dodecahedrons with hollow centers, made from copper alloy. At least 130 dodecahedrons (or similar-looking items) have been found, starting in 1739 and most recently in 2023—both unearthed in England. To this day, experts continue to debate their purpose. [15]
    • Dodecahedrons have been found across Europe in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
    • Interestingly, though, none have been found in Italy—the heart of the ancient Roman empire.
    • Some believe they were associated with zodiac signs (since there are 12 sides and 12 zodiac signs).
    • Other experts have theorized that they were survey instruments for determining the sizes of distant objects or religious artifacts—or used to test the skills of metalsmiths. They may even have been weapons or toys!
15

The Paracas Candelabra

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  1. That’s right: Peru has geoglyphs beyond the Nazca Lines. The Paracas Candelabra is located near Pisco Bay, and it’s downright enormous, reaching around 600 ft (182 m) long! The age of this wondrous geoglyph is still unknown, as is its purpose when it was initially created, making it an ongoing ancient mystery. [16]
    • Ancient pottery found near the Candelabra is believed to have been made around 200 BCE.
    • As for the Candelabra’s purpose, some theorize it was created to be a navigation aid for sailors, while others believe it may be a symbol depicting the trident of a creator god.
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16

Sacsayhuamán

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  1. Sacsayhuamán is a stone fortress in Cusco, Peru. The Inca people in the 1400s built it, and its construction is a marvel; somehow, Inca builders created the structure with massive rocks (some weighing over 125 tons). Even more mind-boggling, the rocks were moved into place before being cut (with bronze and stone tools) and joined together without mortar. [17]
    • Like Machu Picchu, scholars still don’t know precisely how the Inca built Sacsayhuamán with the tools and resources available at the time.
    • Impressively, what remains of Sacsayhuamán has lasted despite earthquakes, damage from Spanish colonizers, and the natural toll taken by time and nature.
17

Romans in Guanabara Bay, Brazil

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  1. Roman amphora vases were supposedly discovered in the bay. This discovery came from shipwreck explorer Robert Marx in 1982. He claimed to have found Roman amphoras in Guanabara Bay, implying that the Romans were the first Europeans to reach Brazil and not the Portuguese, as believed. However, the Brazilian government banned Marx from the country and stopped further exploration of the area. [18]
    • Marx was banned for alleged looting. After being banned, he accused the Brazilian Navy of dumping sediment on the amphoras to cover up his discovery.
    • Because of the murky details and lack of evidence, whether the Romans truly ever reached the Brazilian coast is unclear—and unproven.
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18

The Copper Scroll Treasure

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  1. A nearly 2,000-year-old copper scroll references an enormous treasure. It was found in 1952 in Qumran, in a cave near the coast of the Dead Sea. On the scroll, archeologists found writings about a vast treasure of silver and gold—with no information as to where the treasure might be hidden. Thus, whether or not the treasure is real remains a mystery to this day! [19]
    • Based on the scroll’s age, it was written when the Roman Empire controlled the Qumran region.
    • Experts hypothesize that the treasure (if it’s real) may have been hidden to stop Roman forces from finding it.
19

The Ark of the Covenant

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  1. The fate of the Ark of the Covenant is unknown to this day. It’s said that the Ark, containing tablets recording the 10 Commandments, was lost when a Babylonian army (led by King Nebuchadnezzar II) conquered Jerusalem. Based on ancient sources, the Ark may have been brought back to Babylon, destroyed, or hidden before Jerusalem’s fall. Regardless, the Ark’s true fate remains a mystery. [20]
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20

The Bones of the Peking Man

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  1. The “Peking Man” refers to the bones of a hominin, or extinct, prehistoric species of humanoid and ancestor of later humans. The Peking Man was found in a cave near Zhoukoudian, China. However, after Japan invaded in 1937, the bones were reportedly shipped to the United States in 1941—but never reached their destination. [21]
    • Some theorize that the bones sank along with the ship they were put on, while others believe they were buried in China somewhere.
    • Nonetheless, the Peking Man vanished and may never be found.
21

Jesus’s Actual Birth Date

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  1. The date of Jesus’s birth is debatable based on ancient records. In many Christian traditions, Jesus was born on December 25th (also known as Christmas Day). However, Jesus may have been born on a different day! That’s because the first records of Jesus’s birthday on December 25th were written in the 4th century, over 300 years after his birth. Thus, there are a number of theories about Jesus’s birthday. [22]
    • Some experts believe December 25th was chosen as Jesus’s birthday because it lands close to Saturnalia, which is a Roman festival honoring the god Saturn.
    • According to ancient records, early Christians frequently disagreed on Jesus’s birthday. That disagreement is still reflected today; some Orthodox Christians celebrate his birthday on January 6th or 7th.
    • Due to the lack of evidence, Jesus’s actual birthday (and birth year) remain unknown.
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22

The Lost City of Atlantis

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  1. Scholars speculate on ancient civilizations that inspired tales of Atlantis. While there’s no actual underwater city of Atlantis, some scholars believe the legend, as told by the philosopher Plato, may have been inspired by events in Greek history. For example, the Minoan civilization (from the island of Crete) may have been a source of inspiration due to the damage it suffered during the eruption of the Greek volcano, Thera. [23]
    • Although Crete is located in the Mediterranean, there’s another parallel between the Minoans and Atlantis.
    • In Plato’s legend, Atlantis sinks beneath the waves after a conflict with Athens.
    • Similarly, the Minoans were conquered by or assimilated into another group called the Mycenaeans, from mainland Greece.
23

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

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  1. The legendary Hanging Gardens have never been found. They were listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Hellenic culture and described as a wondrous achievement in engineering: a series of tiered gardens built in the city of Babylon (which is in modern-day Iraq). Despite being written about in classic texts, the exact location of the Hanging Gardens is still unknown. [24]
    • Scholars have a few theories on why they can’t find a location for the Hanging Gardens.
    • On the one hand, the gardens may just be a myth. On the other hand, the gardens may have existed but were destroyed—possibly around the first century CE.
    • Some scholars theorize that the legend of the Hanging Gardens is actually about the garden built by the Assyrian King Sennacherib in the capital city of Nineveh.
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24

The Codex Gigas

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  1. The Codex Gigas is a massive book written in the 13th century. However, scholars still can’t determine who wrote it. The remarkable text contains the complete Latin translation of the Bible in addition to works from Joseph Flavius, Isidore of Seville’s Etymologies, the Ars medicinae (a Medieval medicine textbook), the Cosmas of Prague, and a full-page picture of the Devil. [25]
    • Another mystery is how the Codex Gigas was written so quickly—because studies show one person likely wrote it in a short amount of time.
    • While the truth about the book is unknown, the Codex Gigas—or “Devil’s Bible”—has a legend about its creation.
    • As the legend goes, a monk named Herman the Recluse was condemned to death. To save his life, he made a deal with the monastery's abbot and claimed he could create a book holding all earthly knowledge in a single night.
    • Herman attempted to write this masterpiece but realized at midnight it was impossible, and sold his soul to the Devil so he could finish it—hence the full-page image of the Devil inside.
25

The Existence of the Holy Grail

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  1. The so-called Holy Grail is the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper. Yet, for all the different references to the Holy Grail in pop culture—from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) to Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)—no such grail has ever been found. Moreover, the Holy Grail likely never will be found, despite persisting legends about it. [26]
    • It wasn’t even a subject of interest until the Middle Ages, when tales of King Arthur’s search for the Grail were written.
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26

King Arthur

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  1. His story is a famous one with too many different iterations to count. However, whether or not he existed (or was just a myth) is a matter of debate—and likely always will be. If he did exist, some scholars believe he may have been a warrior (not necessarily a king) who fought Saxon invaders, possibly during the 6th century. [27]
    • Some sites in Britain have been connected to King Arthur through legend, including Tintagel—a site along Britain’s coast said to be King Arthur’s home. [28]
    • Nonetheless, it’s impossible to say whether King Arthur may have actually lived in one form or another or if he was merely a work of fiction all along.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stonehenge
      2. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2024/08/15/nx-s1-5076832/stonehenge-altar-stone-mystery-scotland
      3. ↑ https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/collections/highlights/voynich-manuscript
      4. ↑ https://arce.org/resource/cleopatra-great-last-power-ptolemaic-dynasty/
      5. ↑ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/700/
      6. ↑ https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/mystery-cults-in-the-greek-and-roman-world
      7. ↑ https://archaeology.org/issues/july-august-2013/collection/alexander-the-great-macedon-alexandria-the-soma/lost-tombs/
      8. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Caesarion
      9. ↑ https://archaeology.org/issues/november-december-2019/digs-discoveries/trenches-egypt-thonis-heracleion/
      1. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yonaguni-Monument
      2. ↑ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1587/
      3. ↑ https://www.world-archaeology.com/issues/travel-pyramids-of-the-peloponnese-greece/
      4. ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Antikythera_Mechanism/
      5. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/art/dogu
      6. ↑ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/another-of-ancient-romes-mysterious-12-sided-objects-has-been-found-in-england-180983632/
      7. ↑ https://www.hows.org.uk/personal/hillfigs/foreign/cand/candel.htm
      8. ↑ https://www.bu.edu/archaeology/files/2023/03/10-Unsolved-Ancient-Mysteries-HISTORY.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.bu.edu/archaeology/files/2023/03/10-Unsolved-Ancient-Mysteries-HISTORY.pdf
      10. ↑ https://dornsife.usc.edu/wsrp/copper-scroll/
      11. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ark-of-the-Covenant
      12. ↑ https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/fossils/zhoukoudian
      13. ↑ https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/how-december-25-became-christmas/
      14. ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Minoan_Civilization/
      15. ↑ https://www.worldhistory.org/Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon/
      16. ↑ https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667604
      17. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Grail
      18. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Merlin-legendary-magician
      19. ↑ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/king-arthur-real-person-180980466/

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