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The Archaeology Iceberg Explained

TREY the Explainer・45 minutes read

The Sphinx's nose was not destroyed by Napoleon's soldiers, Ancient Aliens theory suggests assisting ancient societies, referencing Otzi the Iceman, Dead Sea Scrolls, Giant Nephilim skeletons, and more. The Terracotta Army, Iron from meteorites, Nazi relics, and Hobby Lobby artifacts all have intriguing historical contexts worth exploring further.

Insights

  • The Sphinx's nose was not destroyed by Napoleon's soldiers but was intentionally removed between the 3rd to 10th centuries A.D., debunking a popular misconception.
  • The Ancient Aliens theory posits that advanced civilizations aided ancient societies in constructing monumental structures like the pyramids and Stonehenge, challenging traditional historical narratives.

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Recent questions

  • What is the significance of the Sphinx's missing nose?

    The Sphinx's nose was intentionally removed between the 3rd to 10th centuries A.D., not by Napoleon's soldiers as popularly believed.

  • What is the Ancient Aliens theory?

    The Ancient Aliens theory suggests that advanced civilizations assisted ancient societies in building structures like the pyramids and Stonehenge.

  • What is the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls?

    The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in desert caves, contain some of the oldest copies of the Hebrew Bible, dating back to 408 B.C. to 318 A.D.

  • What is the Terracotta Army?

    The Terracotta Army, a vast collection of sculptures buried with China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was meant to protect him in the afterlife.

  • What is the Curse of King Tut?

    The Curse of King Tut, a superstition surrounding the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb, led to untimely deaths, although most involved lived long lives.

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Summary

00:00

Mysteries of Ancient Artifacts and Structures

  • The Sphinx's nose was intentionally removed between the 3rd to 10th centuries A.D., not by Napoleon's soldiers as popularly believed.
  • The Ancient Aliens theory suggests that advanced civilizations assisted ancient societies in building structures like the pyramids and Stonehenge.
  • Otzi the Iceman, a 5,000-year-old mummy, was likely murdered and left in the snow, discovered with intact skin, clothes, and organs.
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in desert caves, contain some of the oldest copies of the Hebrew Bible, dating back to 408 B.C. to 318 A.D.
  • Giant skeletons, often depicted online, are part of Nephilim conspiracy theories about a race of giant humans in the past.
  • The Lion Man, a prehistoric figurine carved from mammoth ivory, dates back 35,000 to 40,000 years, possibly depicting a bear-headed man.
  • The Curse of King Tut, a superstition surrounding the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb, led to untimely deaths, although most involved lived long lives.
  • The Shroud of Turin, believed to have wrapped Jesus after crucifixion, is likely a medieval counterfeit, not an authentic relic.
  • The Seven Wonders of the ancient world, except the Great Pyramid of Giza, have been lost to time, marveled at for their beauty and scale.
  • The Terracotta Army, a vast collection of sculptures buried with China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was meant to protect him in the afterlife.

15:07

Ancient Artifacts and Historical Mysteries Unveiled

  • Fishermen found an ancient bronze sculpture off the coast of the Adriatic, named the Victorious Youth, possibly sculpted by Lysippus during the Hellenistic period.
  • Iron from meteorites was used for tools and weapons before the Iron Age, seen in artifacts like King Tut's dagger and Inuit spearheads.
  • The Nazis acquired the Lance of Longinus, believed to have pierced Jesus, but it was returned to Vienna after World War II.
  • The Iron Crown of Lombardy, thought to contain a nail from Jesus's crucifixion, is actually 99% silver, debunking the legend.
  • Ramses II's mummy was transported to Paris for restoration in 1976, sparking rumors of him needing a passport to travel.
  • A prehistoric skeleton with a ceremonial burial led to media misinterpretation as a "gay caveman," likely representing a transgender or non-binary individual.
  • The Dendera Light Bulb, a stone relief in an Egyptian temple, is often misinterpreted as a modern light bulb, but actually depicts Egyptian mythology.
  • Greek terracotta vases shaped like dog heads, known as Scooby-Doo mugs, are fascinating artifacts.
  • Hobby Lobby's purchase of ancient Iraqi artifacts, including illegally looted items, led to a scandal and the return of over 5,500 artifacts to Iraq.
  • Cats domesticated themselves by living near human settlements to hunt pests attracted to food stores, leading to their eventual domestication.

30:13

Ancient Discoveries: Metalworking, Troy, and Treasures

  • The Mississippian culture existed from 800 to 1600 A.D. in North America, known for metalworking and crafting decorative copper plates with glyphs and designs.
  • Heinrich Schliemann, a German businessman in the 1800s, funded archaeological digs across the Aegean to find the historical Troy mentioned in Homer's works.
  • Schliemann identified Hisarlik in Turkey as Troy and excavated it in the 1870s using dynamite, damaging historical context irreparably.
  • Schliemann's careless methods and lack of documentation led to the destruction of crucial historical information, including mislabeling artifacts.
  • Schliemann smuggled valuable treasures from Troy, leading to a ban from Anatolia and legal issues with the Ottoman Empire.
  • The Umayyad Caliphate site of Qusayr Amra features a fresco depicting six kings, including the Visigothic king of Hispania and the Anigas of the Kingdom of Aksum.
  • The Bronze Age Egtved Girl's clothing, including a crop top and skirt, was well-preserved in Denmark.
  • A unique gold coin minted by King Offa of Mercia in 774 A.D. imitated an Islamic caliph's coin, possibly intended as a gift to the Vatican Pope.
  • In 2008, medieval linen bras and panties dating back to the 1400s were discovered in Langberg Castle, Austria.
  • The Cloneycavan Man, an Iron Age bog body found in Ireland, used tree resin as hair gel for styling.

45:16

Ancient Mysteries: Lost Artifacts and Enigmas

  • The prehistoric French site of Izuwitz had a lost statuette depicting a big cat, possibly a cave lion or a saber-toothed cat like a homotherium, sparking debate.
  • A Tumblr thread humorously aimed to create the world's oldest grilled cheese using ancient ingredients like 2000-year-old cheese and 500-year-old bread on a non-stick frying pan.
  • An enigmatic giant Aztec snake statue from an 1824 exhibition by William Bullock in London remains missing, with theories suggesting it may have been fabricated.
  • The mysterious stone jars in Laos, known as the Plain of Jars, were constructed by an unknown prehistoric culture between 1240 and 660 BC, possibly serving as crematoriums.
  • The gold idol from the first Indiana Jones film is based on the Dumbarton Oaks birthing figure, suspected to be a modern fake due to tool marks and uncertain origins.
  • The Mesoamerican Makiwattle, a wooden club with obsidian blades, was a formidable weapon used by Aztec, Mayan, and Toltec warriors, with a rare two-handed variant possibly lost in a fire at the Madrid Royal Armory in 1884.
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