Amazing cities, kingdoms, ruins of palaces, strangely preserved statues... and mysteriously disappeared inhabitants.

Anchor Wat
The golden age of Khmer civilization occurred between the 9th and 13th centuries during the kingdom of Kambuja, whose name later gave Cambodia its name. He ruled vast territories from the capital of Angkor, in western Cambodia. Under the reign of Jayavarman VII, Kambuja reached a political and cultural flowering, which is now evident from the ruins of this palace, the central towers of which symbolize the peaks of Mount Meru - the center of the universe according to Hinduism, and on the towers are the smiling faces of the gods carved from stone.

Ruins of Anuradhapura
This is the former capital of Sri Lanka during its heyday ancient civilization Lankan. This place is considered one of the holiest, most important and longest inhabited among the ancient Lankan cities. The city was built around 380 BC and flourished until the population was moved to Polonnaruwa in the 10th century AD. To this day, sacred to Buddhists and Hindus, this city is surrounded by monasteries.

Hugo Kingdom, Tibet
The mysterious Tibetan kingdom, founded by the son of King Glang Darma, was formed around the 10th century and then collapsed under mysterious circumstances 700 years later. Its population of tens of thousands of people disappeared without a trace. The ruins still lie on the slopes of Ngari, famous for its Buddhist monasteries, snow-capped mountains and lakes. The surviving frescoes within the walls of this city are very important, demonstrating daily life its former inhabitants, as well as a unique amazing statue of Buddha, made of gold and silver.

Hampi
Hampi is located among the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the empire now known as the village of Karnataka, India. Perhaps thanks to this ancient city and the temple located in it, the village, which is located nearby, is considered the most important religious center. Since the village itself is located in the center of Vijayanagara, it is often confused with the ancient city itself. This place is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Kingdom of Kerma
This kingdom was a rival Ancient Egypt in the period of time from approximately 2500 BC until 1520 BC. It was founded in Upper Nubia - now a place roughly between Sudan and east coast Nile - and was the main shopping center in the Middle Kingdom during Egyptian times. There is a cemetery in this place: in which you can see many large mounds, which are the tombs of emperors. Some archaeologists believe that the Kingdom of Kerma may have been related to the legendary Kingdom of Kush mentioned in the Book of Genesis.

There were three Kushite kingdoms: the first was called Kerma, as the capital of the same name, and existed from 2400 to 1500 BC. BC.; the second was Napata (1000–300 BC) and the third was Meroe (300 BC–300 AD). The Nubians were initially influenced by their northern neighbors, and eventually the Nubian tribes were able to conquer Egypt, with the king of Napata reigning as the pharaoh of the 25th Dynasty until the Assyrian conquest in 656 BC.

Nubian pyramids
Buried Kingdom of Kotte
This kingdom is located on the border of the present city of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, and flourished in the territory of the present state in the 15th century. Its ruler was the last hereditary one who managed to unite all the peoples of Sri Lanka. By 1450, Parkamab VI completed the unification. During his reign, literature and the arts flourished

Koguro Kingdom
The remains of three cities are scattered throughout the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning - mountain city Wunu, Guonei and the mountain city of Vandu are the sites of 14 royal tombs. All of these cities once belonged to the Koguro culture, named after the dynasty of the same name, whose representatives ruled in various parts of northern China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula from 277 BC until 668 AD.

Sabaen Kingdom
The Sabaen people lived in what is now Yemen between 2000 BC and the 8th century AD. This temple was recently discovered in Sirwaa, located east of Sanaa. Known as Almaga, the temple has been preserved in excellent condition with wide entrances and large interior rooms. All made of wood and stone, the tower-like projections weigh approximately 6 tons. 7 huge columns were lifted using a crane-like mechanism. The front of the temple is decorated with two huge sculptures of the Sabi kings.

Sukhothai Historical Park
Located in the north of Thailand. This city was the capital of the state of the same name, which flourished in the 13th-14th centuries. The city walls form a rectangular space of 70 square kilometers, each wall has a gate. Remnants can be found inside royal palace and 26 temples, the largest of which is Wat Mahatha. The park is under the protection of the Department of Arts of Thailand, and is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The park is visited by many people to see and admire the ancient Buddha figure, ruined palace complex and temple ruins.

At any moment, humanity can disappear, if not all, then part of it. This has happened before, and entire civilizations have disappeared as a result of wars, epidemics, climate change, military invasions or volcanic eruptions. Although in most cases the reasons remain mysterious. We offer an overview of 10 civilizations that mysteriously disappeared thousands of years ago.

10. Clovis

Lifetime: 11500 BC e.
Territory: North America
Very little is known about the Clovis culture, the prehistoric Stone Age culture of the tribes that inhabited North America at the time. The name of the culture comes from the Clovis archaeological site, located near the city of Clovis, New Mexico. Among the archaeological finds found here in the 20s of the last century are stone and bone knives, etc. These people probably came from Siberia through the Bering Strait to Alaska at the end of the Ice Age. No one knows whether this was the first culture in North America or not. The Clovis culture disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. Perhaps members of this culture assimilated with other tribes.

Lifetime: 5500 – 2750 BC e.
Territory: Ukraine Moldova and Romania
The largest settlements in Europe during the Neolithic period were built by representatives of the Trypillian culture, whose area was the territory of modern Ukraine, Romania and Moldova. The civilization consisted of about 15,000 people and was famous for its pottery art and for burning down its old settlements after living in them for 60-80 years before building new ones. Today, about 3,000 settlements of Trypillians are known, who had a matriarchy, and they worshiped the mother goddess of the clan. Their disappearance may have been the result of dramatic climate change leading to drought and famine. According to other scientists, Trypillians assimilated among other tribes.

Lifetime: 3300-1300 BC e.
Territory: Pakistan
The Indian civilization was one of the most numerous and significant in the territory of modern Pakistan and India, but, unfortunately, little is known about it. It is only known that representatives of the Indian civilization built hundreds of cities and villages. Each city had a sewer system and a treatment system. The civilization was non-class, not militant, because it did not even have its own army, but was interested in astronomy and agriculture. It was the first civilization to produce cotton fabrics and clothing. The civilization disappeared 4,500 years ago, and no one knew of its existence until the ruins of ancient cities were discovered in the 20s of the last century. Regarding the reasons for the disappearance, scientists put forward several theories, including climate change and sudden temperature changes from freezing to extreme heat. According to another theory, the Aryans destroyed civilization by attacking in 1500 BC. e.

Lifetime: 3000-630 BC
Territory: Crete
The existence of the Minoan civilization was not known until the beginning of the 20th century, but then it was discovered that the civilization existed for 7,000 years and reached its peak of development by 1600 BC. e. Over the course of many centuries, palaces were built, completed and rebuilt, forming entire complexes. An example of such complexes is the palaces at Knossos, a labyrinth with which the legend of the Minotaur and King Minos is associated. Today it is an important archaeological center. The first Minoans used the Cretan Linear A script, which was later replaced by Linear B, both languages ​​based on hieroglyphs. It is believed that the Minoan civilization died as a result of a volcanic eruption on the island of Thera (Santorini island). It is believed that people would have survived if the eruption had not destroyed the vegetation and caused famine. The Minoan fleet was dilapidated and the trade-based economy was in decline. According to another version, civilization disappeared as a result of the Mycenaean invasion. The Minoan civilization was one of the most developed.

Lifetime: 2600 BC – 1520 AD
Territory: Central America
The Mayans are a classic example of the disappearance of a civilization. Their majestic temples, monuments, cities and roads were swallowed up by the jungle, and their people disappeared. The Mayan language and traditions still exist, but the civilization itself experienced its peak in the first millennium AD, when the magnificent temples were built. The Mayans had writing, people studied mathematics, created their own calendar, engaged in engineering, and built pyramids. Among the reasons for the disappearance of the tribe is climate change, which lasted for 900 years and led to drought and famine.

Lifetime: 1600-1100 BC e.
Territory: Greece
Unlike the Minoan civilization, the Mycenaeans flourished not only through trade, but also through conquest - they owned the territory of almost all of Greece. Mycenaean civilization existed for 500 years before its disappearance in 1100 BC. Some Greek myths are based on the stories of this particular civilization, for example, the legend of King Agamemnon, who led the troops during Trojan War. The Mycenaean civilization was well developed both culturally and economically and left behind many artifacts. The cause of her death is unknown. Suggest earthquakes, invasions or peasant uprisings.

Lifetime: 1400 BC
Territory: Mexico
Once upon a time there was a powerful and prosperous civilization of the pre-Columbian period, the Olmec civilization. Archaeologists date the first finds belonging to her to 1400 BC. e. In the area of ​​the city of San Lorenzo, scientists have found two of the three main Olmec centers, Tenochtitlan and Potrero Nuevo. The Olmecs were skilled builders. Archaeologists during excavations found large monuments in the form of huge stone heads. The Olmec civilization became the ancestor of the Mesoamerican culture, which still exists today. They say that it was she who invented writing, the compass and the calendar. They understood the benefits of bloodletting, sacrificed people and came up with the concept of the number zero. Until the 19th century, historians knew nothing about the existence of civilization.

Time of existence: 600 BC. e.
Territory: Jordan
The Nabateans existed in southern Jordan, in the region of Canaan and Arabia, from the 6th century BC. They built a stunning one here cave city Petra in the Red Mountains of Jordan. The Nabataeans are known for their complexes of dams, canals and water reservoirs that helped them survive in desert conditions. There are no written sources confirming their existence. It is known that they organized an active trade in silk, tusks, spices, valuable metals, precious stones, incense, sugar, perfume and medicine. Unlike other civilizations existing at that time, they did not keep slaves and equally contributed to the development of society. In the 4th century BC. e. The Nabataeans left Petra and no one knows why. Archaeological finds indicate that they did not leave the city in a hurry, that they did not survive the attack. Scientists think that the nomadic tribe moved north to best lands.

Time of existence: 100 AD
Territory: Ethiopia
The kingdom of Aksum was formed in the first century AD. in the territory of modern Ethiopia. According to legend, the Queen of Sheba was born in this area. Aksum was an important trading center that traded ivory, natural resources, agricultural products and gold with the Roman Empire and India. The Aksumite kingdom was a wealthy society and the founder of African culture, the creator of its own currency, a symbol of power. The most characteristic monuments were in the form of steles, giant cave obelisks, which played the role of burial chambers for kings and queens. At the very beginning, the inhabitants of the kingdom worshiped many gods, among which was the supreme god Astar. In 324, King Ezana II converted to Christianity and began to promote Christian culture in the kingdom. According to legend, a Jewish queen named Yodit took over the kingdom of Aksum and burned churches and books. According to other sources, it was the pagan queen Bani Al-Hamriya. Others believe that climate change and famine led to the kingdom's decline.

Time of existence: 1000-1400 AD.
Territory: Cambodia
The Khmer Empire, one of the most powerful empires and largest lost civilizations, was located in modern-day Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Malaysia, Thailand and Laos. The capital of the empire, the city of Angkor, became one of the most famous archaeological centers in Cambodia. The empire, which at the time numbered up to a million inhabitants, flourished in the first millennium. The inhabitants of the empire professed Hinduism and Buddhism, built numerous temples, towers and other architectural complexes, such as the Angkor temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu. The decline of the empire was the result of several reasons. One of them was roads, along which it was convenient not only to transport goods, but also to advance enemy troops.

For the majority of people ancient history limited to only three civilizations - Egypt, Rome and Greece. Beyond those three pillars, our map of the ancient world is just a blank space. However, many vibrant and exciting cultures existed outside this narrow center. Filling in the gaps, in this collection we will tell you about 10 forgotten ancient civilizations.

Aksumite kingdom

The Kingdom of Aksum has been the subject of countless legends. among them the home of the mythical Prester John, the lost kingdom of Queen Saba, or the burial place of the Ark of Covenant, Aksum has long been at the center of the Western imagination. Far from being a myth, the Ethiopian kingdom once held international trading power. With access to the Nile and Red Sea trade routes, trade flourished, and by the beginning of the Common Era, most of the Ethiopian peoples were under Aksumite rule. Aksum's power and prosperity allowed it to expand into Arabia. In the third century AD, a Persian philosopher wrote that the kingdom of Aksum was one of the four largest kingdoms in the world, along with Rome, China and Persia. Aksum converted to Christianity immediately after the Roman Empire and continued to flourish into the early Middle Ages. If not for the expansion of Islam, the kingdom would have continued to dominate East Africa. After Arab conquest coastline Red Sea Axum lost its main trading advantage over its neighbors. But they only had themselves to blame. Just a few decades earlier, the king had given refuge to Muhammad's early followers, thus ensuring the expansion of the religion that would destroy the kingdom of Aksum.

Kingdom of Kush

Known in ancient Egyptian sources for its abundance of gold and other valuable natural resources, the kingdom of Kush was conquered and exploited by its northern neighbor for nearly half a millennium (ca. 1500–1000 BC). But Kush's origins extend much further back - ceramic artifacts dating back to 8000 BC have been discovered in the area of ​​its capital, Kerma, and as early as 2400 BC. Kush had a highly stratified and complex urban society supported by large-scale agriculture. In the ninth century BC, instability in Egypt allowed the Kushites to regain their independence. And in one of the greatest conquests in history, Kush captured Egypt in 750 BC. Over the next century, a series of Kushite pharaohs ruled territory that far surpassed their Egyptian predecessors. These were the rulers who resumed the creation Egyptian pyramids and contributed to their construction in Sudan. They were eventually driven out of Egypt by the Assyrian invasion, ending centuries of cultural exchange between Kush and Egypt. The Kushites fled south, settling on the southeastern bank of the Nile. Here they broke away from Egyptian influence and developed their own form of writing, now called Meroitic. The manuscripts still remain a mystery and have not yet been deciphered, hiding much of Kush's history. The last king of the kingdom died in 300 AD, although the fall of his kingdom and the exact reasons for its decline remain a mystery.

Yam Kingdom

The Kingdom of Yam existed as a trading partner and possible rival to the Kingdom of Egypt, but its exact location proved almost as elusive as the mythical Atlantis. Based on the funerary inscriptions of the Egyptian explorer Harkhuf, it appears that Yam was the land of “incense, ebony, leopard skins, elephant tusks and boomerangs.” Despite Harkhuf's claims of possible overland travel exceeding seven months, Egyptologists have long placed the land of boomerangs just a few hundred miles from the Nile. The conventional wisdom was that there was no way the ancient Egyptians could have crossed the inhospitable expanse of the Sahara Desert. But it seems we have underestimated the ancient Egyptian traders because hieroglyphs recently discovered more than 700 kilometers southwest of the Nile confirm the existence of trade between Yam and Egypt and point to Yam's location in the Scottish Highlands of Chad. It is not known exactly how the Egyptians crossed hundreds of miles of desert before the invention of the wheel, using only donkeys as beasts of burden.

Xiongnu Empire

The Xiongnu Empire was a confederation of nomadic peoples who dominated northern China from the third century BC. to the first century BC Imagine the Mongol army of Genghis Khan, but a thousand years earlier... and with chariots. Many theories exist to explain the origins of the Xiongnu, and some scholars once claimed that they were the ancestors of the Huns. Unfortunately, there are few left historical information about this people. What we do know is that the Xiongnu raids on China were so destructive that Emperor Qin ordered the earliest construction work on the Great Wall. Almost half a century later, constant raids by Hongwu forced the Chinese, this time under the Han dynasty, to re-fortify and expand Great Wall even further. In 166 BC, more than 100,000 Xiongnu horsemen made it 160 kilometers to the Chinese capital before finally being stopped. The Chinese finally gained some semblance of control over their northern neighbors. However, the Xiongnu were the first and longest lasting Asian nomadic empire.

Greco-Bactria

Too often, in stories about the life and conquests of Alexander the Great, we do not remember those people who followed him in battle. The fate of Alexander is well known, but what is known about those people who died for the conquests of the young general? When Alexander died unexpectedly, the Macedonians didn't just go home. Instead, their generals fought with each other for supremacy in running the empire. Seleucus I Nicator was quite successful in this, capturing everything from the Mediterranean in the west to what is now Pakistan in the east. However, even the Empire of Seleucus is quite well known, compared to Greco-Bactria. In the third century BC. The province of Bactria (which is now Afghanistan and Tajikistan) became so strong that it declared independence. Sources describe rich land“thousands of cities,” and the artifacts unearthed span centuries. Greco-Bactria's location made it a melting pot for a whole host of cultures: the Persians, Indians, Scythians and many nomadic groups all contributed to the development of a completely unique kingdom. Of course, location and wealth also attracted unwanted attention by the early second century BC. pressure from nomads from the north forced the Greeks to travel south to India. At Alexandria Oxiana, or Ai Khanum as it is now known, spectacular evidence of this radical combination of Greek and Eastern culture was excavated, before the Afghan war destroyed the site in 1978. During the excavation period, Indian coins, Iranian altars and other finds were found among the ruins of this Greek city, full of Corinthian columns, a gymnasium, an amphitheater and a temple combining Greek and Zoroastrian elements.

Yuezhi

The Yuezhi are known for having fought with so many nations. For several centuries they appeared in the background of an incredible number of significant events in Eurasia. The Yuezhi originated as a confederation of several nomadic tribes on the steppes north of China. Traders traveled long distances to exchange jade, silk and horses. Their thriving trade brought them into direct conflict with the Xiongnu, who eventually forced them to abandon the trade. The Yuezhi then headed west, where they encountered and defeated the Greco-Bactrians. By the first and second centuries AD, the Yuezhi were fighting the Scythians, in addition to occasional warfare in Pakistan and Han China. During this period, the tribes unified and established their own agricultural economy. This empire survived for three centuries until armies from Persia, Pakistan and India re-conquered their old territories.

Kingdom of Mitanni

The Mitanni state existed from approximately 1500 BC. to 1200s BC and consisted of what is now Syria and northern Iraq. You know of at least one Mitannian, as there is evidence that the famous Queen of Egypt, Nefertiti, was born in the Mesopotamian state. Nefertiti married the Pharaoh to improve relations between the two kingdoms. The Mitanni are believed to be Indo-Aryan in origin, and their culture demonstrates the extent to which ancient Indian influence permeated through Near Eastern civilization. They supported Hindu beliefs in fate, reincarnation and cremation, which support the connection between Mitanni and Egypt. Nefertiti and her husband, Amenhotep IV, were at the center of the religious revolution in Egypt and had great influence over the pharaoh. While much of the above remains unconfirmed, scientists hope that early excavations will reveal Mitanni's capital and reveal more about the ancient kingdom.

Tuvana

There is no more lost or forgotten kingdom in the world than Tuwana. When the Hittite Empire collapsed, Tuwana was one of a handful of city-states that helped fill the power vacuum in what is now Turkey. During the ninth and eighth centuries BC, Tuwana rose to prominence, strengthening its position between the Phrygian and Assyrian empires to facilitate trade throughout Anatolia. As a result, substantial wealth was accumulated. It is likely that Tuwana's central location and the lack of unity among the Anatolian city-states made the kingdom weaker when it emerged in early 700 BC. conquest took place. As the Assyrian Empire expanded westward, it overthrew each of the post-Hittite city-states along its path. Up until 2012, all that was known about Tuwan was based on a handful of inscriptions and a few mentions in some Assyrian documents. The recent discovery of a massive city believed to be the power base of Tuvana changes all of this. With such a large and well-preserved find, archaeologists began to piece together the history of a strong and wealthy kingdom that controlled the region's trade for several centuries. Since the city was located along the Great Silk Road, the archaeological potential of Tuvana is enormous.

Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta Maurya was essentially the Alexander the Great for India. It is not surprising that they soon met. Chandragapta requested Macedonian assistance in his quest to control the subcontinent, but Alexander's troops were too busy mutinying. The undaunted ruler unified most of India under his rule and defeated all conquerors in the subcontinent. He did all this by the age of 20. After Alexander's death, it was the Mauryan Empire that prevented his successors from expanding deeper into India. Chandragapta personally defeated several Macedonian generals in a battle, after which the Macedonians chose agreement rather than risk open war. Unlike Alexander, Chandragupta left behind a carefully constructed government to ensure the duration of his inheritance. And it might have lived longer if not for a coup in 185 BC that left India divided, weak, and open to Greek invasion.

Indo-Greeks

Impossible to talk about ancient world, without mentioning the Greeks - the Greeks were everywhere. As mentioned before, external pressure doomed the Greco-Bactrians, but the Indo-Greek kingdom carried the torch of Hellenistic culture for another two centuries in northwestern India. The most famous of the Indo-Greek kings, Menander, supposedly accepted Buddhism after long debates with the philosopher Nagasena. Greek influence can be clearly seen in the fusion of artistic styles. The collapse of the Indo-Greek kingdom was most likely a combination of the Yuezhi invasion from the north and Indian expansion from the south.

Nowadays, batteries are used almost everywhere. But they are not a modern invention. Some scientists believe that the first battery was invented 250 BC. The "ancient battery" was found near Baghdad in 1938. It looks like a large clay jug with an asphalted stopper, inside of which there is an iron rod surrounded by a copper cylinder. When filled with vinegar or other electrolytic liquid, it produces 0.2 to 2 volts of electricity.

This design is similar in functionality to our batteries, but has a rougher design. Why were they used? To allow liquid metals such as gold, silver, chromium to adhere to the surface during the gilding process. This technology is still used today, only in a more advanced variation.

The iron pillar in Delhi, which was built more than 1600 years ago, is not considered an indicator of scientific and technological progress, but many scientists are interested in why this column, more than six meters long, has stood for more than a thousand years and still does not rust?

In itself, it is not considered a unique object, but it reflects the skills of metallurgists of that time. In Dhar there are ancient cannons that have not rusted, as well as other similar pillars. This may indicate that the unique methodology by which such projects were developed was lost. Who knows what heights humanity could have achieved in the field of metallurgy if it had possessed the lost knowledge.

In ancient times, our ancestors used caves as shelter from predators. After some time, people came to increase the living space of the cave. Nowadays, technology makes it possible to dig huge tunnels.

Longyou Caves were discovered in 1992. A local resident wanted to pump water out of a small hole, but ended up discovering a huge man-made cave. There are 24 caves in total, which were created by manual labor. They all begin their history 2500 years ago. Many rooms are symmetrical and have various animals and symbols representing nature on the walls.

It was estimated that the Chinese needed to cut out a million cubic meters of stone to create them. What remains interesting is what is the point of this. Since there are no records left, we cannot even guess why this was done.

It is difficult to figure out what exactly this lens was used for, but some scientists hypothesize that it was part of a telescope. This would explain how the Assyrians knew astronomy so well. The lens was created approximately 3,000 years ago, and was found by an archaeologist from England during excavations in 1853.

It is also hypothesized that the Nimrud lens could be used as a magnifying glass for simple carvings, or it could also be used to make fire.

A Scottish physicist invented the modern seismograph in 1841. However, it cannot be said that he was the first to create a device for measuring seismic activity. The Chinese created a device that could detect earthquakes in advance back in 132.

The device was a large bronze vessel with a diameter of just under two meters. He had eight dragons that looked in all directions. Each of the kites pointed at the toad with its mouth open. It is not clear how exactly this device worked, but scientists suggest that a pendulum was placed in the center, which began to move in the direction of the earthquake.

This remarkable find once again proves how much we underestimated our ancestors. Gobekli Tepe is huge temple complex, whose age is estimated at 12,000 years. What makes it so unique? This is a detailed stone work. Means that at that time technology allowed people to process huge blocks.

Initially, researchers believed that this place was an ancient cemetery, but long-term study showed that the construction of the temple continued for many years, and it was a rich religious building.

Gobekli Tepe is located three hundred meters from the neighboring valley. This is probably the first place for spiritual ceremonies. It is surprising how skillfully the stones are processed, because at that time there were no metal tools yet.

On this moment you can navigate the entire planet using GPS. However, people of that time did not have our technology. Sailors in ancient times relied on the movements of the planets and stars to navigate the seas.

The found device remained unstudied for many years, and only a thorough examination helped to understand what it was used for.

The Antikythera mechanism could track the movements of celestial bodies with incredible accuracy. It has gears, just like modern watches. However, at the time it was created, no such technology existed. Although many parts of the find were lost, it was discovered that the device had seven hands that resembled a clock. Obviously, they indicated the direction of movement of the seven planets that were known at that time.

This is the only find that speaks of the great contribution of the Greeks to science. By the way, the device is more than 2200 years old. To this day, exactly how it was used remains a mystery. It is unlikely that this will give us impetus for the development of new directions, but it has become useful for educational purposes.

The Lycurgus Cup dates from the fourth century AD. It depicts Lycurgus who has fallen into a trap. Visually it's very beautiful thing. Inside the green glass are millions of incredibly small fragments of gold and silver. The color of the cup depends on the angle from which you look at it.

Damascus steel began to be made around the third century. It was part of the Syrian arms market until the 17th century, then the technology was lost, but some experts believe that it can be restored. You can easily recognize Damascus steel by the characteristic pattern on the product. Steel is considered incredibly strong, making it resistant to damage.

Due to their rarity, Damascus steel blades are still in great demand among collectors.

First steam engine was patented in 1698 by Thomas Saveney. It really became useful in 1781 when James Watt adapted it for industrial use. Despite this, approximately two thousand years ago the great mathematician Heron had already invented the steam engine.

The water, located in a closed sphere, was heated at the base; at the top there were tubes looking in different directions. When releasing steam, they rotated the entire device along its axis due to torque.

The device was first described in the first century. It is still not clear for what purpose it was created. Perhaps it was simply an attribute of the temple of science in which it was kept. Just imagine what the world would be like today if the creator had thought of attaching an ordinary wheel to this engine.

The Egyptian Labyrinth Keeps the Secrets of Ancient Civilizations Everyone knows about the existence of mysterious pyramids in Egypt, but not everyone knows that a huge labyrinth is hidden underneath them. The secrets stored there can reveal secrets not only Egyptian civilization, but also of all humanity. This ancient Egyptian labyrinth was located next to Lake Birket Qarun, west of the Nile River, 80 kilometers south of modern city Cairo. It was built back in 2300 BC and was a building surrounded by a high wall, where there were one and a half thousand above-ground and the same number of underground rooms. The total area of ​​the labyrinth was 70 thousand square meters. Visitors were not allowed to explore the underground rooms of the labyrinth; there were tombs for pharaohs and crocodiles - animals sacred in Egypt. Above the entrance to the Egyptian labyrinth the following words were inscribed: “Madness or death is what the weak or vicious find here; only the strong and good find life and immortality here.” Many frivolous people entered this door and did not come out of it. This is an abyss that brings back only the brave in spirit. The complex system of corridors, courtyards and rooms in the labyrinth was so intricate that without a guide, an outsider would never be able to find a way or exit in it. The labyrinth was plunged into absolute darkness, and when some doors were opened, they made a terrible sound, like thunder or the roar of a thousand lions. Before major holidays, mysteries were performed in the labyrinth and ritual sacrifices, including human ones, were made. This is how the ancient Egyptians showed their respect to the god Sebek - a huge crocodile. Ancient manuscripts contain information that the labyrinth was actually inhabited by crocodiles that reached 30 meters in length. The Egyptian labyrinth is an extraordinary large building - the dimensions of its base are 305 x 244 meters. The Greeks admired this labyrinth more than any other Egyptian structure except the pyramids. In ancient times it was called the "labyrinth" and served as a model for the labyrinth in Crete. With the exception of a few columns, it is now completely destroyed. Everything we know about it is based on ancient evidence, as well as on the results of excavations carried out by Sir Flinders Petrie, who attempted to reconstruct the building. The earliest mention belongs to the Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus (about 484-430 BC), he mentions in his History that Egypt is divided into twelve administrative districts, ruled by twelve rulers, and then gives his own impressions of this structure : “And so they decided to leave a common monument, and having decided this, they erected a labyrinth a little above Lake Merida, near the so-called City of Crocodiles. I saw this labyrinth inside: it is beyond all description. After all, if we were to collect all the walls and great structures erected by the Hellenes, then in general it would turn out that less labor and money were spent on them than on this labyrinth alone. Meanwhile, the temples in Ephesus and Samos are very remarkable. Of course, the pyramids are huge structures and each of them is worth in size many creations of Hellenic building art taken together, although they are also large. However, the labyrinth is larger than these pyramids. It has twenty courtyards with gates located one against the other, six facing north and six facing south, adjacent to each other. Outside, there is only one wall running around them. Inside this wall there are chambers of two kinds: some underground, others above ground, numbering 3000, exactly 1500 of each. I myself had to walk through the above-ground chambers and inspect them, and I speak about them as an eyewitness. I know about the underground chambers only from stories: the Egyptian caretakers never wanted to show them to me, saying that there were the tombs of the kings who built this labyrinth, as well as the tombs of sacred crocodiles. That's why I'm talking about the lower chambers only by hearsay. The upper chambers, which I saw, surpass all the creations of human hands. The passages through the chambers and the winding passages through the courtyards, being very intricate, evoke a feeling of endless amazement: from the courtyards you move into the chambers, from the chambers into the colonnaded galleries, then again into the chambers and from there again into the courtyards. There are stone roofs everywhere, as well as walls, and these walls are covered with many relief images. Each courtyard is surrounded by columns made of carefully fitted pieces of white stone. And at the corner at the end of the labyrinth, a pyramid 40 orgies high was erected, with huge figures carved on it. There is an underground passage leading into the pyramid.” Manetho, the high priest of Egypt from Heliopolis, who wrote in Greek, notes in his fragmentary work dating from the 3rd century BC. e. and dedicated to the history and religion of the ancient Egyptians, that the creator of the labyrinth was the fourth pharaoh of the XII dynasty, Amenemhet III, whom he calls Lachares, Lampares or Labaris and about whom he writes: “He reigned for eight years. In the Arsinoian nome he built himself a tomb - a labyrinth with many rooms." Between 60 and 57 BC. e. Greek historian Diodorus Siculus lived temporarily in Egypt. In his "Historical Library" he states that the Egyptian labyrinth is in good condition. “After the death of this ruler, the Egyptians became independent again and installed a fellow countryman on the throne, Mendes, whom some call Marrus. He did not conduct any military operations, but built a tomb for himself, known as the Labyrinth. This Labyrinth is notable not so much for its size as for the cunning and skillfulness of its internal structure, which is impossible to reproduce. For when a person enters this Labyrinth, he cannot find his way back on his own, and he needs the help of an experienced guide. who knows the structure of the building thoroughly. Some also say that Daedalus, who visited Egypt and admired this wonderful creation, built a similar labyrinth for the Cretan king Minos, which contained it. as the myth goes, a monster called the Minotaur. However, the Cretan labyrinth no longer exists, perhaps it was razed to the ground by one of the rulers, or time did the work, while the Egyptian labyrinth stood completely intact until our times.” Diodorus himself did not see this building; he only put together the data that was available to him. When describing the Egyptian labyrinth, he used two sources and failed to recognize that they both spoke about the same building. Soon after compiling his first description, he begins to consider this structure as a general monument to the twelve nomarchs of Egypt: “For two years there was no ruler in Egypt, and rebellions and murders began among the people, then the twelve most important leaders united in a sacred union. They met in council at Memphis and concluded an agreement of mutual loyalty and friendship and proclaimed themselves rulers. They ruled in accordance with their oaths and promises, maintaining mutual agreement for fifteen years, after which they decided to build a common tomb for themselves. Their plan was such that, just as during life, they cherished cordial affection for each other, they were given equal honors, so after death their bodies should rest in one place, and the monument erected by their order should symbolize the glory and power of the buried there. This was supposed to surpass the creations of its predecessors. And so, having chosen a place for their monument near Lake Merida in Libya, they built a tomb of magnificent stone in the shape of a square, but in size each side was equal to one stage. Descendants could never surpass the skill of carved decorations and all other work. Behind the fence, a hall was built, surrounded by columns, forty on each side, and the roof of the courtyard was made of solid stone, hollowed out from the inside and decorated with skillful and multi-colored paintings. The courtyard was also decorated with magnificent picturesque images of the places where each of the rulers was from, as well as the temples and sanctuaries that existed there. In general, it is known about these rulers that the scope of their plans for the construction of their tomb was so great - both in terms of its size and costs - that if they had not been overthrown before the completion of construction, their creation would have remained unsurpassed. And after these rulers reigned in Egypt for fifteen years, it so happened that the rule passed to one person...” In contrast to Diodorus, the Greek geographer and historian Strabo of Amasea (about 64 BC - 24 AD) e.) gives a description based on personal impressions. In 25 BC. e. He, as part of the retinue of the prefect of Egypt, Gaius Cornelius Gallus, made a trip to Egypt, which he describes in detail in his “Geography”: “In addition, in this nome there is a labyrinth - a structure that can be compared with the pyramids - and next to it is the tomb of the king , maze builder. Near the first entrance to the canal, after going forward 30 or 40 stadia, we reach a flat area in the shape of a trapezoid, where there is a village, and also Grand Palace, consisting of many palace rooms, as many in number as there were nomes in former times, for there are so many halls that are surrounded by colonnades adjoining each other, all these colonnades are located in one row and along one wall, which is like a long wall with halls in front it, and the paths leading to them are directly opposite the wall. In front of the entrances to the halls there are many long covered vaults with winding paths between them, so that without a guide no stranger can find either the entrance or the exit. It is surprising that the roof of each chamber consists of one stone and that the covered vaults in width are similarly covered with slabs of solid stone of extremely large size, without any admixture of wood anywhere or any other substance. Climbing to the roof of a small height, since the labyrinth is one-story, you can see a stone plain consisting of stones of the same large size; from here, going down again into the halls, you can see that they are located in a row and rest on 27 columns, their walls are also made of stones of no less size. At the end of this building, which occupies a space larger than a stage, is a tomb - a quadrangular pyramid, each side of which is about a plephra wide and equal in height. The name of the person buried there is Imandes. They say that such a number of halls were built due to the custom of all the nomes gathering here according to the importance of each, together with their priests and priestesses, to perform sacrifices, bring gifts to the gods and for legal proceedings on important matters. Each nome was assigned a hall assigned to him.” A little further, in the 38th chapter, Strabo gives a description of his trip to the sacred crocodiles of Arsinoe (Crocodilopolis). This place is located next to the labyrinth, so we can assume that he also saw the labyrinth. Pliny the Elder (23/24-79 AD) in his “Natural History” gives the most detailed description labyrinth “Let’s also talk about labyrinths, perhaps the most outlandish creation of human extravagance, but not fictional, as some might think. The one that was first created, as they say, 3600 years ago by King Petesuchus or Titoes, still exists in Egypt in the Herakleopolis nome, although Herodotus says that this entire structure was created by 12 kings, the last of whom was Psammetichus. Its purpose is interpreted in different ways: according to Demotel, it was the royal palace of Moterida, according to Lyceum - the tomb of Merida, according to the interpretation of many, it was built as a sanctuary of the Sun, which is most likely. In any case, there is no doubt that Daedalus borrowed from here a sample of the labyrinth that he created in Crete, but reproduced only a hundredth part of it, which contains rotating paths and intricate passages back and forth, not as we see on the pavements or in Boys' field games, containing on a small plot many thousands of walking steps, and with many built-in doors for deceptive moves and a return to the same wanderings. This was the second labyrinth after the Egyptian one, the third was on Lemnos, the fourth in Italy, all covered with vaults of cut stone. In the Egyptian, which personally surprises me, the entrance and columns are made of stone from Paros, the rest of it is made of blocks of syenite - pink and red granite, which even centuries can hardly destroy, even with the assistance of the Heracleopolitans who belonged to this structure with extraordinary hatred. It is impossible to describe in detail the location of this structure and each part separately, since it is divided into regions, as well as into prefectures, which are called nomes, and 21 of their names are allocated as many vast rooms, in addition, it contains temples to all the gods of Egypt, and , moreover, Nemesis in 40 aedicules of closed prayers mortuary temples concluded many pyramids of forty girths, occupying six auras of 0.024 hectares at the base. Tired of walking, they fall into that famous tangled trap of roads. Moreover, there are second floors high on the slopes, and porticos descending ninety steps. Inside are columns made of porphyrite stone, images of gods, statues of kings, and monstrous figures. Some rooms are designed in such a way that when the doors are opened, terrible thunder is heard inside. And they mostly pass in the dark. And behind the wall of the labyrinth there are other huge buildings - they are called pteron colonnades. From there, passages dug underground lead to other underground rooms. Only one Chaeremon, the eunuch of King Necteb [Nectanebo I], restored some things there, 500 years before Alexander the Great. It is also reported that when constructing vaults from cut stone, the supports were made from the trunks of the back [of Egyptian acacia], boiled in oil.” Description of the Roman geographer Pomponius Mela, who in 43 AD. e. outlined in his essay “On the State of the Earth,” consisting of three books, the views on the known world accepted in Rome: “The labyrinth built by Psammetichus encloses three thousand halls and twelve palaces with one continuous wall. Its walls and roof are marble. The labyrinth has only one entrance. Inside it there are countless winding passages. They are all directed in different directions and communicate with each other. In the corridors of the labyrinth there are porticoes, similar in pairs to one another. The corridors bend around each other. This creates a lot of confusion, but it can be sorted out.” The ancient authors do not offer any single, consistent definition of this outstanding building. However, since in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs only sanctuaries and structures dedicated to the cult of the dead (tombs and funerary temples) were built of stone - then all their other buildings, including palaces, were built of wood and clay bricks - this means that the labyrinth could not have been palace, administrative center or a monument (provided that Herodotus, speaking of “monument, monument”, does not mean “tomb, which is quite possible). On the other hand, since the pharaohs of the XII dynasty built pyramids as tombs, the only possible purpose of the “labyrinth” remains a temple. According to a very plausible explanation given by Alan B. Lloyd, it probably served both as a mortuary temple for Amenemhat III, who was buried in a pyramid nearby, as well as a temple dedicated to some gods. The answer to the question of how this “labyrinth” got its name remains unconvincing. Attempts have been made to derive the term from the Egyptian words "al lopa-rohun, laperohunt" or "ro-per-ro-henet", meaning "entrance to the temple by the lake." But there is no phonetic correspondence between these words and the word “labyrinth,” and nothing similar was found in Egyptian texts. It has also been suggested that Amenemhat III's throne name, Lamares, Hellenized as "Labaris", was derived from the name of the temple of Labaris. This possibility cannot be excluded, but this does not explain the essence of the phenomenon. Moreover, a strong argument against such an interpretation is the fact that Herodotus, the author of the earliest written source, does not mention Amenemhat III and his throne names. He does not mention how the Egyptians themselves called this structure (“Amenemhet lives”). He simply talks about the “labyrinth”, without considering it necessary to explain what it is. He uses a Greek term to describe the huge, awe-inspiring, elaborate stone structure, as if the term expresses some general meaning, a concept. It is this kind of description that is given in all other written sources, and only later authors mention the danger of getting lost. Therefore, we can conclude that the term “labyrinth” in this case is used metaphorically; it serves as the name for a certain building, an outstanding structure made of stone. M. Budimir, resorting to historical and linguistic argumentation, came to a similar conclusion, interpreting the labyrinth as a term denoting “a building of great size.” The German Jesuit and scientist Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680), known to his contemporaries as Doctor centum artium, tried to reconstruct the Egyptian “labyrinth” based on ancient descriptions. In the center of the picture is a labyrinth, which Kircher may have modeled on examples from Roman mosaics. Around are images symbolizing the twelve nomes - the administrative units of Ancient Egypt, described by Herodotus. This drawing, engraved on copper (50 X 41 cm), is placed in the book “The Tower of Babel, or Archontology” (“Turris Babel, Sive Archontologia”, Amsterdam, 1679). In 2008, a group of researchers from Belgium and Egypt began studying hidden objects underground, hoping to find and unravel the mystery of the mysterious underground complex of an ancient civilization. A Belgian-Egyptian expedition, armed with scientific instruments and technology that allows them to look into the secrets of rooms hidden under the sand, was able to confirm the presence of an underground temple not far from the pyramid of Amenemhat III. Without a doubt, the expedition led by Petrie brought out of the darkness of oblivion one of the most incredible discoveries in Egyptian history, shedding light on greatest discovery. But if you think that the discovery took place and you don’t know about it, then you will be mistaken in your conclusion. This significant discovery was hidden from society, and no one could understand why this happened. The results of the expedition, the publication in the scientific journal NRIAG, the conclusions of the study, a public lecture at the University of Ghent - all this was “frozen” because the Secretary General Supreme Council Egypt's Antiquities Authority has banned all reports of the find, allegedly due to sanctions imposed by the Egyptian security service protecting the antiquity. Louis de Cordier and other researchers of the expedition patiently waited for an answer about the excavations in the labyrinth area for several years, with the hope of recognition of the find and the desire to make it public, but unfortunately this did not happen. But even if researchers have confirmed the existence of an underground complex, excavations must still be carried out to investigate the scientists' incredible finding. After all, it is believed that treasures underground labyrinth can provide answers to countless historical mysteries of ancient Egyptian civilization, as well as provide new knowledge about the history of mankind and other civilizations. The question here is only one: why did this undeniably incredible historical discovery fall under the yoke of “silence”?