1. Indian civilization Cahokia
North America is the homeland of the Indians, where the ancient civilization of Cahokia was located 1000 years before the appearance of Columbus. The city was a settlement of 109 mounds, located on an area of 15 km² along the Mississippi River, opposite the city of St. Louis. By the standards of that time, Cahokia was considered a real metropolis, because its population of 40 thousand people exceeded the number of inhabitants of European capitals. The settlement was surrounded by dense rows of palisades, and its inhabitants traded with the entire continent. By the way, in the United States, the first city with a similar population appeared only in the 19th century. Civilization developed in literally 50 years and existed until approximately the 13th century.
There are three main versions of why Cahokia has fallen into decay: political strife, food problems due to uncontrolled hunting for game, or natural disaster. Modern scientists are leaning towards the third option. According to the results of the study, it turned out that around 1200 A.D. there was a flood in the city - the Mississippi rose by 10-12 meters. Water destroyed crops, and people were left on the verge of starvation. Gradually, residents began to leave the city and by 1400 there was almost no one left in Cahokia. Today the settlement is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Rock art in the caves of Cappadocia
The ancient Turks, like other peoples, also loved to draw. This is evidenced by abstract images found on the walls of caves in Cappadocia. Moreover, the masterpiece resembled the clearly verified patterns of an oriental carpet. Rock painting was discovered in 1960. At first, the scientists thought that before them the oldest map in the world, representing the plan of the settlement of Chatal. The examination showed that the image was taken 9000 years ago. However, according to the latest research, the picture was not a map at all, but a volcanic eruption. The black squares really meant houses, but the blurry objects next to them - the spreading lava from the Hassan volcano. Thanks to the analysis of igneous rocks, scientists have found that the eruption occurred around the same period.
3. Drilled skull from Otranto
In 1480, the Ottoman navy captured the city of Otranto (modern Italy, Puglia region). Most of the population was killed or driven into slavery, and 813 men aged 15-50, capable of fighting, were beheaded. According to legend, the Ottomans punished them for the fact that the Apulians refused to convert to Islam. Three centuries later, the Catholic Church ranked the executed among the city's patron saints, and in 2013 Pope Francis canonized men.
However, this is not the most interesting part of the story. The relics of the Apulians are kept in the city's cathedral, but one skull attracts special attention. At the site of the back of the head and crown, 16 holes were made in it. For a long time, the priests did not allow the remains to be examined, so the origin of the holes remained a mystery. Only in 2015, scientists conducted an examination and came to the conclusion that holes were drilled in the skull in order to obtain bone powder. In the Middle Ages, the remedy was considered an effective medicine for many diseases. The powder of a person who was forcibly killed was especially appreciated, rather than a person who died naturally. And the most desirable was a remedy from the skull of a deceased saint. Scientists suggest that the holes were drilled in the 18th century, just at the time when the remains were transferred to the cathedral.
4. Viking cipher
In different parts of Scandinavia, scientists found tablets with mysterious letters that did not resemble the languages of the people living in those territories. Later it turned out that the Scandinavians used a cipher called yotunvellur. It served for the exchange of short messages, like modern SMS. For a long time, researchers could not decipher the messages, until one day they came across a text duplicated by different scripts, including the Yotunwellur code. The translated phrases did not carry classified information, but rather were used for entertainment or teaching runes. For example, the tablets read: "Kiss me" or "Solve if you can."
5. Concrete from Ancient Rome
The ancient Romans created many architectural masterpieces, but for a long time it remained unclear how they managed to invent concrete with the same strength as modern one. The solution was found not far from Naples, where the now inactive volcano Campi Flegrei is located. It last erupted 500 years ago, and next to it is the settlement of Pozzuoli, founded a century earlier. In 1982, the ground under the Italian city began to rise at an incredible speed. The Pozzuoli had to be evacuated, and scientists began to study the phenomenon. The situation turned out to be unique, because the earth simply had to crack under such pressure, but nothing happened. So scientists discovered that next to the volcano there is a deep process, reminiscent of the production of concrete. A similar chemical reaction was used by the Romans to create the material and trade it throughout the Mediterranean.
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6. Extinct animals of ancient Egypt
Everyone knows that Egypt is in the desert, and such natural conditions are quite specific for many animals. Only lizards, snakes and camels live well there. However, the tombs of the pharaohs, deities, paintings on household items and other evidence of the life of the Egyptians show that there were no problems with animals in civilization. In ancient drawings, archaeologists have counted 37 representatives of the fauna. Where did the animals go? Ancient Egypt was famous for its fertile lands, but the desert gradually came to them. Most of the animals (jackals, zebras, lions, antelopes and others) could not adapt to the new conditions and moved to more favorable territory. The most persistent and unpretentious remained in the desert.
Want more historical facts? Read also, why in battle the Vikings did not use swords, but axes.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/270321/58346/
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