From mysterious discs to forgotten technologies, ancient inventions have fascinated historians for decades. Many of these inventions challenge what we thought we knew about ancient civilizations. Despite the years of research invested, their real meaning remains unknown. Let’s look at nine early invections that continue to stump scientists worldwide.
1. The Aeolipile
Also known as Hero’s engine, the Aeolipile is a steam-powered engine considered to be the first recorded steam engine or reaction steam turbine. It was described in the 1st century AD by a Greek-Egyptian mathematician and engineer, Hero of Alexandria, and any sources credit him for its invention. However, Vitruvius was the first to describe this appliance in his De Architectura.
2. The Iron Pillar of Delhi
Constructed by Chandragupta II over 1,600 years ago, the Iron Pillar of Delhi is a one-piece iron structure that is 7.21 meters (23 feet 8 inches) high and has a 41-centimeter (16 in) diameter. What stuns many scientists today is its ability to resist corrosion, owing to its rust-resistant composition. Today, this pillar stands in the Qutb complex at Mehrauli in Delhi, India.
3. The Mysterious Phaistos Disc
Currently on display at the archaeological museum of Heraklion, the Phaistos Disc, sometimes spelled Phaestos or Festos, is engraved with text in an unknown script and language. The disk was discovered in 1908 by the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier during the excavation of the Minoan palace of Phaistos. Its purpose and its original place of manufacture remain unknown.
4. The Voynich Manuscript
Another artifact in an unknown script, the Voynich Manuscript, is a hand-written codex filled with bizarre illustrations and an unknown language. It’s filled with drawings of strange plants, zodiac symbols, and unknown objects that have inspired wild theories. Today, the book is being held in Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, but it is accessible through their digital library.
5. The Roman Dodecahedron
This is a hollow object made from copper alloy with 12 flat faces. The first dodecahedron was found in 1739. Since then, at least 130 similar objects have been found in several European countries. Roman dodecahedra dates from the 2nd to 4th centuries AD, and their purpose remains unknown. They rarely show signs of wear and do not have any inscribed numbers or letters.
6. The Nimrud Lens
Also known as the Layard lens, this is an 8th-century BC piece of rock crystal discovered in 1850 by Austen Henry Layard at the Assyrian palace of Nimrud in modern-day Iraq. Some believe it may have been the world’s first magnifying glass or part of an early telescope. Others argue it could simply be a naturally shaped crystal. Either way, it reshapes what we thought we knew about ancient optics.
7. The Antikythera Mechanism
Retrieved from a 1901 shipwreck, the Antikythera Mechanism is an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery (model of the Solar System). It is the oldest known example of an analog computer. They say it could be used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses decades in advance and to track the four-year cycle of athletic games like an Olympiad, the cycle of the ancient Olympic Games.
8. Stone Spheres of Costa Rica
Over 300 perfectly spherical stone objects were discovered on Costa Rica’s Isla del Cano. Some believe that they were created by the extinct Diquis culture to be used for ceremonial activities, but their exact purpose still remains unclear. Their near-perfect shape and mystery have captivated archaeologists and sparked theories ranging from symbols of power to astronomical markers.
9. Malta’s Hypogeum Hal Saflieni
Often referred to as the Hypogeum, this 6,000-year-old underground temple is located in Paola, Malta. The Hypogeum is thought to have been a sanctuary and necropolis, with the estimated remains of more than 7,000 people documented by archeologists. It is among the best-preserved examples of the Maltese temple-building culture that also produced the Megalithic Temples and Xagħra Stone Circle.
Sources:
15 Oldest Technologies That Scientists Cannot Explain
9 Mysterious Ancient Discoveries Scientists Can’t Explain
