Beyond history, beyond memory, the
00:34
ancient world conceals many mysteries.
00:38
From ancient Greece to the remote
00:46
Pacific Ocean, from holy relics to
00:49
Neolithic monuments, much of what was
00:52
known, what was found, and what was
00:55
built is now shrouded in legend and
00:58
We will unravel the secrets of ancient
01:08
stone circles and monoliths. Discover
01:10
the truth behind the enigmatic Easter
01:13
Island. The mystery of the death of
01:15
Alexander the Great. Explore the wonder
01:18
of the shroud of Trin and the Knights
01:21
Templar, and delve deep into the
01:24
extraterrestrial files and ancient
01:26
Together, we shall journey far across
01:37
both time and space to lift this shroud.
01:40
Together, we shall discover the top 10
01:44
mysteries of the ancient world.
01:47
great journey begins 6,000 years ago in
02:00
northern France. Here stands around
02:03
3,000 megalithic standing stones, making
02:06
Stonehenge look tiny in comparison.
02:10
These stones, collectively known as the
02:14
Carac stones, predate written history,
02:16
having been estimated to have been built
02:20
BC. This is around 2,000 years before
02:25
the Egyptians built the Great Pyramid at
02:30
The stones themselves are almost
02:43
perfectly grouped into straight lines
02:45
and are separated into three main sites
02:48
across the area. Who built them, why,
02:51
and how are the subjects of much debate
02:54
and to this day remain a mystery. All we
02:58
know for sure is that they were built by
03:02
a culture who occupied northern France
03:04
before the rise of the Celtic cultures.
03:07
Some scholars have argued that the long
03:21
rows of stones are aligned to match with
03:24
the directions of sunsets and
03:26
There have also been theories stating
03:30
that the stones acted as astronomical
03:32
This is similar to some of the theories
03:36
behind the uses of Stonehenge and many
03:38
other stone circles across the world.
03:40
The people who built this vast stone
03:43
complex also left their mark through
03:45
other constructions.
03:48
For example, the ruling classes built a
03:50
large tumulus 12 m high and 125 m wide.
03:53
This giant earthn mound acted as a tomb
03:59
for the chiefs of these mysterious
04:02
not dissimilar to the ways in which some
04:05
of the pyramids were used in Egypt.
04:07
Among the great standing stones can also
04:23
be seen a number of large, impressive
04:25
and strange looking chamber tombs called
04:28
These tombs consist of several large
04:32
stones supporting a capstone which were
04:34
then buried under a mound of earth. In
04:37
many cases, the mound has disappeared,
04:41
leaving the curious looking skeleton of
04:44
huge megalithic stones.
04:46
Excavations of these tombs have revealed
04:49
some strange art carved on the inner
04:52
These generally resemble serpents,
04:56
presumably representing their deities.
04:59
They appear to have been a highly
05:03
religious people. Perhaps their vast
05:04
complexes of standing stones were built
05:07
to honor these strange serpent deities.
05:09
Due to their enigmatic nature, many
05:20
myths have surrounded the stones
05:22
throughout history. Early Christians
05:24
believe that the stones represented
05:26
ancient pagan warriors who had all been
05:29
turned to stone by godly powers of Pope
05:31
Local tradition, however, links the
05:37
great stones to the Arththeran mythic
05:40
cycle. The people of Britany state that
05:42
they represent the soldiers of Roman
05:45
legions who were invading France.
05:47
According to this myth, the wizard
05:50
Merlin had used his magic to turn the
05:52
Romans into stone, thus explaining why
05:55
they stand in such well organized and
05:59
regimented fashion.
06:01
The standing stones of Cararnach lie
06:03
beyond the reach of written history.
06:06
Archaeology has only been able to tell
06:08
us so much about this mysterious site
06:10
and the strange people who built it. As
06:13
such, the various peoples throughout
06:17
history who have encountered this
06:19
mysterious site have created fabulous
06:21
tales to explain the presence of so many
06:24
thousands of megalithic stones. Indeed,
06:27
even today, the Carac stones remain one
06:31
of the oldest and strangest ancient
06:34
mysteries, thus earning them a place on
06:36
We remain now in the foggy realms of
06:52
prehistory. A time beyond the written
06:55
word. A time known only through the
06:58
strange monuments left to us and the
07:00
myths passed down through generations.
07:03
However, our search for the greatest
07:06
mysteries of history now takes us across
07:08
the waters to the island of Albian to
07:11
Britain. Here lies one of the most
07:14
mysterious wonders of history,
07:17
The most famous prehistoric monument in
07:21
the world, Stonehenge stands in the
07:23
English countryside in the county of
07:26
Wiltshire in southern England. The site
07:29
as it survives consists of a ring of
07:32
standing stones with each stone
07:35
measuring at around 13 ft high and 7 ft
07:38
wide. They generally weigh around 25
07:41
tons each. A considerable amount
07:45
considering the prehistoric culture who
07:48
erected them had no forms of advanced
07:50
The stones themselves are set in the
08:04
midst of a dense complex of Neolithic
08:06
and Bronze Age monuments, including
08:08
several hundred burial mounds.
08:11
Archaeologists have dated the
08:14
construction of Stonehenge to around
08:16
3,000 BC. However, the structure was
08:18
built in several stages throughout
08:22
history, and the site was used by
08:24
pre-Nolithic peoples before the stones
08:27
were even erected. In fact, the site on
08:29
which Stonehenge was built appears to
08:33
have been significant as far back as
08:35
Archaeologists have found the remains of
08:41
at least five mealithic post holes.
08:43
These holes would have supported large
08:46
pine posts which appear to have been
08:48
east west orientation and of possible
08:51
ritual significance.
08:55
The next phase of building at the site
09:04
of Stonehenge began in around 3,100 BC.
09:06
This site consisted of a large circular
09:10
enclosure made from chalk with an
09:14
entrance to the north and one to the
09:16
south. The exact purposes of this
09:19
structure are unclear, but
09:22
archaeologists have found the cremated
09:24
remains of 63 individuals at the site.
09:26
This has led some experts to believe
09:30
that some of the first stones brought to
09:33
the site in this period acted as grave
09:35
markers. However, scientific analysis of
09:37
a number of animal remains found near
09:42
the site in this period seems to reveal
09:44
that as many as 4,000 people gathered
09:47
here, bringing animals from as far as
09:50
It seems likely that these early Britons
09:54
came together to celebrate midsummer and
09:57
mid-inter festivals.
10:00
Up until around 3000 BC, archaeologists
10:03
have continued to find the cremated
10:06
remains of individuals.
10:08
This has led scholars to believe that
10:10
the early site of Stonehenge was often
10:12
used as a burial site. At this early
10:15
stage, Stonehenge was barely stone at
10:18
all and consisted mostly of wooden
10:20
It is not until around 2,600 BC that the
10:25
builders of Stonehenge began to truly
10:29
adopt stone and begin to build the
10:31
concentric structures we see today.
10:34
Interestingly, analysis of the stone has
10:38
revealed that much of it came from as
10:40
far as Wales, a vast distance to
10:42
transport heavy rocks in Neolithic
10:45
times. From around 2,600 to 2,400 BC, a
10:48
major phase of building activity began.
10:54
A total of 80 stones were erected. Many
10:57
of these were truly enormous, standing
11:00
at almost 7.5 m tall. At this time, the
11:02
Stonehenge we think of today was
11:07
beginning to form. However, much of this
11:09
large standing stone complex is no
11:12
longer visible to us as many of the
11:15
stones were removed from the site
11:17
throughout history.
11:19
It seems that these enormous stones were
11:21
possibly transported by placing them on
11:24
rows of rolling logs, a method seen also
11:26
in China. However, the exact method by
11:30
which Stonehenge was built is unknown.
11:33
Many claim that it would have been
11:37
impossible for Neolithic peoples to
11:38
build such a structure and point to
11:41
extraterrestrial intervention.
11:43
Regardless, why would this prehistoric
11:53
culture go to such lengths and efforts
11:56
to construct such impressive yet
11:59
mysterious structures?
12:01
The people responsible for Stonehenge
12:04
left no written records and the purposes
12:06
behind it are hotly debated today.
12:09
It has been speculated by some that the
12:21
complex had a seasonal function. In
12:24
fact, some of the stones align with the
12:27
sunset of the winter solstice and the
12:30
sunrise of the summer solstice. This
12:32
paired with the archaeological evidence
12:36
for gatherings at these times lends
12:38
credence to the possibility that the
12:40
site was used as both a calendar and a
12:42
place of ritual worship and celebration.
12:45
Stonehenge may have also had an
12:56
astronomical function, being designed as
12:59
a form of celestial observatory,
13:02
allowing for the prediction of eclipses,
13:05
the solstice, the equinox, and other
13:07
celestial phenomena.
13:09
Some scholars have even suggested that
13:12
Stonehenge may have also been a site of
13:14
healing. This is based upon the sheer
13:16
number of human remains found at the
13:19
site with deformities and trauma.
13:21
Others state that the site was a place
13:25
of ancestor worship and linked to the
13:27
other surrounding Neolithic complexes.
13:29
According to this theory, Stonehenge
13:33
represented the land of the dead with a
13:35
ritual journey to Stonehenge
13:38
representing a ceremonial passage from
13:40
Just like the Carac stones, the mystery
13:52
surrounding this Neolithic structure has
13:55
led to the creation of numerous myths.
13:58
In the 12th century AD, the medieval
14:01
historian Jeffrey of Monmouth stated
14:04
that Stonehenge was in fact built by the
14:06
Shrouded in myth, its purpose and
14:11
meaning lost to the ages. Stonehenge is
14:13
one of the most mysterious feats of
14:17
ancient engineering on Earth. Thus,
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Stonehenge more than earned its place in
14:22
our top 10 ancient mysteries.
14:25
We go now to the ancient Bronze Age
14:37
Mediterranean, a world dominated by
14:39
three major superpowers. the Masonans of
14:42
Greece, the Hittites of the Near East,
14:46
and the mighty Egyptian Empire. In
14:49
around 1200 BC, all but one of these
14:52
civilizations, Egypt, disappeared
14:55
completely from history in an event
14:58
known as the Bronze Age collapse.
15:01
The Masonans were once a flourishing
15:04
civilization in what is today Greece.
15:07
Their tale begins in around 1500 BC.
15:10
From this date onwards, the Masonans
15:14
became the most advanced civilization in
15:17
Europe, able to produce incredible works
15:19
of art, construct massive palaces and
15:22
and effectively dominate much of the
15:27
eastern Mediterranean through both trade
15:29
In fact, it was the Masonans who were
15:34
believed to have been the peoples of the
15:37
Herriic myths. Mighty heroes such as
15:39
Achilles, Adius, and Agimemnon.
15:42
Across the Aian Sea, the great Hittite
15:45
Empire ruled a vast empire from their
15:48
homeland in modern-day Turkey. The
15:51
Hittites were an advanced civilization,
15:54
able to dominate surrounding kingdoms
15:57
such as Troy using their well-trained
15:59
armies. However, by the 13th century BC,
16:01
the Hittite Empire had weakened
16:06
considerably, having lost lands to the
16:08
Egyptians and the Assyrians.
16:11
To the south, the mighty Egyptian Empire
16:13
was flourishing, having conquered much
16:16
of the Levant. Egyptian expansion had
16:18
often brought them into violent contact
16:21
with the Hittites. In fact, the largest
16:24
battle in history to that date had been
16:27
fought between the two empires at the
16:29
battle of Megidda. Memory of this
16:31
terrible battle survived in the term
16:34
However, in the 12th century BC, all
16:44
three of these ancient superpowers
16:48
encountered a series of disasters which
16:50
left only Egypt surviving, though having
16:53
Every Masonan city was destroyed. The
16:58
Hittite Empire collapsed. Nearly every
17:02
major city in the Levant was burned to
17:05
the ground. And the Egyptians found
17:08
themselves having to fight tooth and
17:10
nail against the mysterious people
17:12
arriving from the sea. The infamous sea
17:15
Some historians have referred to this
17:28
event as the worst and most mysterious
17:30
disaster in ancient history. the end of
17:34
a golden age in humanity's history and
17:37
no one knows how exactly it happened.
17:40
It is possible that a number of
17:44
environmental factors were involved. For
17:46
instance, we have evidence for a series
17:49
of devastating earthquakes hitting the
17:51
Mediterranean at this time. This caused
17:53
major damage to a number of cities. We
17:57
also have evidence for widespread
18:00
droughts which would have caused mass
18:01
starvation. And in fact, the sea level
18:04
had dropped considerably.
18:07
However, what is most curious is the
18:19
fact that within a period of 50 years,
18:22
almost every significant city in the
18:24
Mediterranean world was burned to the
18:27
ground. And no one knows why. Could the
18:29
common people have revolted on mass made
18:33
desperate by their?
18:36
It seems likely, however, that many of
18:39
these cities were destroyed by a
18:42
mysterious people known as the sea
18:43
people. These strange peoples always
18:46
attacked by sea, hence the name, and
18:49
raided in land, much like the Vikings of
18:52
References to attacks by sea are found
19:00
from all three of the ancient
19:03
in Greece. We hear of the people of Pyos
19:13
increasing coastal patrols constantly on
19:16
the lookout for attacks from the sea.
19:19
Then we hear nothing from them at all
19:21
and their palaces are burned to the
19:23
It is likely that Cree 2 as well as the
19:26
mainland was attacked for we see the
19:29
Cretans moving their settlements in land
19:32
to escape this mysterious threat. From
19:35
the city of Ugarit in the Levant, we
19:38
hear of a desperate plea for help to the
19:40
king. Mysterious enemy ships were
19:42
beginning to appear and attack their
19:45
The letter reads, "My father, behold,
19:56
the enemy's ships came here. My cities
20:00
were burned, and they did evil things in
20:02
my country. Does not my father know that
20:05
all the troops and chariots are in the
20:08
land of Hati, and all the ships are in
20:10
the land of Luca? Thus, our country is
20:12
abandoned to itself. May my father know
20:16
it. The ships of the enemy that came
20:19
here inflicted much damage upon us.
20:21
No one came to Uggerit's aid and the
20:25
city was completely destroyed. The plea
20:28
fell on deaf ears. Few escaped the
20:31
advancing destruction.
20:34
In Egypt, we also hear of an attack by
20:36
the sea peoples. However, unlike their
20:38
neighbors, the Egyptians were able to
20:42
fight them off in a desperate sea
20:44
battle. Egypt therefore was able to
20:46
survive their onslaught, albeit in a
20:49
weakened state. The golden age of the
20:51
Egyptian Empire had come to an end.
20:54
However, it is unlikely that the Sea
20:58
Peoples alone were responsible for the
21:00
Bronze Age collapse. The exact reason
21:02
behind the total destruction of some of
21:05
humanity's most impressive civilizations
21:07
remains unknown. Thus, the Bronze Age
21:10
collapse, perhaps the most devastating
21:14
event in all ancient history, makes it
21:16
onto our list of top 10 ancient
21:19
It has often been thought that the
21:23
collapse of the great Bronze Age
21:25
civilizations was inspiration for the
21:27
This therefore brings us onto our next
21:32
great ancient mystery, the enigmatic
21:34
to the 4th century BC philosopher Plato,
21:47
the great civilization of Atlantis lies
21:51
beyond the pillars of Hercules,
21:54
referring to what is known today as the
21:56
Straits of Gibraltar.
21:59
Mentioned in his works Creteus and
22:01
Taeus, Plato describes the city of
22:03
Atlantis as a powerful nation based on
22:06
an island in the midatlantic ocean.
22:09
However, in their arrogance, the
22:12
Atlantanss had offended the gods and
22:14
Plato tells us that they were punished
22:17
by their submersion of their entire city
22:20
beneath the waves. Atlantis fell into
22:23
the sea and then into myth. Most of
22:26
Plato's contemporaries and students
22:29
thought that Plato was not actually
22:32
referring to a real place, but using a
22:34
fictional civilization as a tool to
22:37
teach political philosophy.
22:40
Some however believed that Plato was in
22:42
fact referring to a true civilization
22:45
especially the later 4th century
22:48
philosopher Kantor who studied Plato's
22:51
works and traveled the world to
22:54
investigate the tale's origins.
22:57
Like Kanto, many subsequent readers of
23:04
Plato have believed that there is some
23:07
truth to his words and that Plato was
23:09
either referring to a real city or
23:12
basing the Atlantanss on real people. In
23:14
the 16th century, interest in Atlantis
23:18
was renewed with many European scholars
23:21
associating the mysterious city with the
23:24
newly discovered Americas.
23:26
European imaginations were further
23:35
inspired by the discovery of the Mayans
23:38
in Central America.
23:41
No one had expected to find such an
23:43
impressive civilization in the new world
23:45
and many immediately thought of Plato's
23:48
However, the European discoverers of
24:00
these impressive cities of the Mayans
24:02
did not originally think the indigenous
24:05
peoples they encountered were
24:07
responsible for their construction.
24:09
Instead, some believe that these great
24:11
cities and pyramids were built by the
24:13
Atlantanss and that the natives of
24:16
Central America were incapable of
24:18
founding such an impressive
24:20
Others thought that the Mayans could
24:24
only be the inferior descendants of the
24:25
Atlantans, an offshoot of a once
24:27
technologically sophisticated
24:30
civilization which had lost its former
24:32
In this way, the early Atlantean
24:45
theories were strained by a degree of
24:47
racism and imperialism.
24:50
Europeans were convinced that Mayan
24:53
civilization could not have existed
24:55
without the help of a more advanced
24:57
nation. A viewpoint influenced by the
24:59
self-image of European colonizers as the
25:03
bringers of civilization to the less
25:06
technologically advanced nations of
25:09
Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
25:11
Inspired by the great lost civilizations
25:14
of Central and Southern America, many
25:17
pseudoarchchaeologists would continue
25:20
their searches for an Atlantan American
25:22
connection well into the modern era. The
25:25
tales of Atlantis were made even more
25:29
fanciful by theosophists such as Madame
25:31
Bllovatzky and Henry Alput. These
25:34
theosophists saw the Atlanteanss as a
25:38
superior race endowed with psychic and
25:41
supernatural powers. According to the
25:44
Theosophist, Atlantis reached its peak
25:47
around 1 million years ago, but
25:50
disappeared as a result of internal
25:52
conflict. The Theosophist's conception
25:54
of Atlantis directly contrast Plato's.
25:57
Plato saw the Atlanteanss as an
26:01
antagonistic and deeply flawed race who
26:03
were eventually defeated in warfare by
26:06
the superior Greeks of Athens. It seems
26:08
that time had only increased the
26:12
mysterious nature of Atlantis has
26:14
subsequent generations created
26:16
increasingly fantastical additions to
26:19
the legend. It was not until the 1960s
26:21
when the science behind continental
26:25
drift and plate tectonics became widely
26:27
understood that the idea of a lost
26:30
continent of Atlantis became an
26:33
impossible concept. In light of this,
26:35
new locations for Atlantis began to be
26:38
searched for by those convinced of the
26:41
reality behind the myth.
26:43
The most logical theory proposes that
26:51
Atlantis was based upon the lost ancient
26:54
Minoan city of Thera in the AGNC.
26:57
The island flourished as a naval trading
27:01
power until it was completely destroyed
27:03
by a massive volcanic eruption in around
27:06
1650 BC. The eruption generated a mega
27:09
tsunami with waves 150 m high.
27:13
Thea and many other Minoan cities
27:18
throughout the Ajun were completely
27:20
destroyed by this event and Minoan
27:23
civilization appears to have never
27:25
completely recovered its former glory.
27:28
One theory which does match Plato's
27:39
position of Atlantis as outside the
27:42
gates of Hercules states that the
27:44
Atlantanss may have been based on the
27:46
Canary or Madiraa Islands which lie west
27:49
of the straits of Gibralta.
27:52
Some see the location of Atlantis as
27:55
lying somewhere within the Bermuda
27:57
Triangle and even Cuba. Other theories
27:59
have placed Atlantis as far north as
28:02
Doggerand in the North Sea and even
28:04
Sweden and Antarctica.
28:06
In their search for Atlantis, those who
28:09
believe in its existence have never been
28:11
entirely consistent in their theories of
28:13
its location. If there is one place in
28:15
which Atlantis does exist, it is in the
28:18
imaginations of many who have been
28:21
inspired by Plato's tale. Academics
28:23
today are unanimous in their belief that
28:26
Plato was using Atlantis as a fictional
28:29
allegory, a tool to teach political
28:32
theory. However, many still believe in
28:35
its existence and its mysterious nature
28:38
has heavily influenced our own culture.
28:41
Lost to the waves and lost to history,
28:45
the city of Atlantis has forever been
28:48
one of the great mysteries of the
28:51
ancient world. more than earning its
28:53
place on our top 10 list. We now move on
28:55
to another mysteriously disappearing
29:00
In the Pacific Ocean lies a barren and
29:04
almost uninhabited island, an island
29:06
once populated by a rich and flourishing
29:10
ancient civilization.
29:12
An island known to us as Easter Island.
29:14
In the 19th century, the island's
29:19
population numbered at just over 100.
29:21
However, the great stone monuments,
29:24
which can be seen on their hundreds
29:27
across the island, tells us of a once
29:29
great ancient civilization.
29:31
These great stone monuments known as
29:34
Maui resembled huge human heads sticking
29:37
out of the ground, and they number at
29:40
nearly 900 spread across the island.
29:43
These impressive structures were
29:46
continuously built by these mysterious
29:48
peoples for a period of 500 years around
29:50
1100 and to600 AD and they are
29:54
indicative of the time when the
29:58
civilization at Easter Island
30:00
flourished. The statues were carved from
30:02
volcanic rock quarried from the site of
30:05
an extinct volcano. They appear to have
30:07
been built to commemorate the death of a
30:10
clan leader. Each head took a team of
30:13
five or six men a whole year to create,
30:16
after which they were transported to
30:19
various points of the island to be
30:21
erected. The heads were so huge that
30:23
special methods of transportation had to
30:27
be developed. Some of the largest heads,
30:29
in fact, weighed up to 82 tons. It is
30:32
believed that each head required a team
30:36
of around 250 men to transport it using
30:37
a Y-shaped sledge pulled along using
30:41
rope ties around the statue's neck.
30:45
Another possible method of
30:48
transportation involves tying ropes to
30:49
the head and rocking it, then tugging it
30:52
forward as it rocked, thus using the
30:55
head's momentum to pull it towards its
30:58
This method would require a team of
31:02
Interestingly, however, only around a
31:07
quarter of the statues produced were
31:09
eventually erected. The rest were
31:11
discovered either in the quarry or on
31:14
their way to be erected. It seems the
31:16
people of the island had not the time to
31:19
complete their great works before their
31:22
civilization collapsed.
31:24
During its height, the people of East
31:36
Island lived in various stonebuilt
31:39
settlements across the island. On the
31:41
coast of the island lived a mysterious
31:43
group of astronomer priests in stone
31:45
structures known as Tuper. These
31:47
priests, like many ancient peoples,
31:50
observed and charted the movement of the
31:52
heavens. The people of East Island also
31:55
developed their own writing systems
31:58
called Rango Rango. This script
32:00
consisted of pictographs and geometric
32:03
shapes and was written right to left,
32:05
then left to right in a winding snake-
32:08
like fashion. The meaning of these
32:11
strange texts, however, remains a
32:13
mystery. Only the ruling families and
32:16
the astronomer priests were able to read
32:18
it, and none of these peoples survived
32:20
the extinction of their civilization.
32:23
The island appears to have been first
32:26
settled in around 650 AD by a mysterious
32:27
tribe from Polynia. It is rumored that
32:31
their chief dreamed of a rich land to
32:35
the east and so led his people in a
32:37
great canoe expedition, eventually
32:39
discovering Easter Island. When the
32:42
civilization was flourishing, its nine
32:45
tribes were all ruled by a great high
32:47
chief who descended from the island's
32:49
first chief. However, the island's
32:52
prosperity was not long to last. As the
32:55
population increased, the island was
32:58
subject to extensive deforestation, and
33:00
as a result, the mass extinction of
33:03
nearly all of the island's plant life.
33:06
Experts believe that the island was once
33:08
home to many species of plant life,
33:11
which grew in abundance all across the
33:13
island, with some trees growing up to 15
33:15
meters. By the 18th century, 21 species
33:18
of tree and all species of landbirds had
33:22
become extinct on Easter Island as a
33:25
result of overh harvesting, over
33:28
hunting, and climate change. All
33:30
problems faced by our civilization
33:33
The extinction of many of these island
33:42
trees meant that the people could no
33:44
longer build fishing vessels and much of
33:46
the soil lost its fertility, greatly
33:48
affecting agricultural production. The
33:51
loss of their native ecosystem meant
33:54
also that many of the animals which were
33:56
a source of food disappeared from the
33:58
island too. By the time Europeans
34:00
arrived at the island in the 18th
34:03
century, the once great civilization was
34:05
a shadow of its former self. The
34:08
population had diminished drastically,
34:10
no longer able to produce any great
34:13
stone bump structures. It has even been
34:15
suggested that the remaining population
34:18
had to resort to cannibalism to survive
34:20
in the new world they had created. The
34:22
now weakened and tiny population of
34:25
Easter Island eventually fell prey to
34:28
the European slave trade and disease.
34:30
Today, the island is sparssely populated
34:34
by the ancestors of a once great ancient
34:36
The fall of Easter Island civilization
34:41
has been explained by a number of
34:43
theories. Most of these revolve around
34:45
the exploitation of their natural
34:48
environment, a stark warning to our own
34:50
Could we fall prey to our own
34:54
overpopulation and environmental
34:56
destruction? Will all that remains of us
34:58
be our monuments? The disappearance of
35:02
Easter Island civilization is both a
35:05
mystery and a warning. An addition to
35:07
our top 10 mysteries of the ancient
35:09
world, which may be more relevant today
35:11
than at any other time.
35:14
We travel now across the waters to South
35:23
America. Here in the deserts of Peru is
35:26
a mystery that has long gone unsolved.
35:29
The Nazca lions. On the dry ground of
35:32
the Peruvian desert can be found
35:35
hundreds of enormous lines, many of them
35:37
resembling animal and human figures. The
35:40
lines are formed by a shallow trench and
35:43
cover a staggering area of 450 square
35:46
The largest figures span nearly 12,000
36:00
ft and include carvings of condors,
36:02
hummingbirds, monkeys, and spiders.
36:05
The lines were created as part of a huge
36:08
earthwork project by the Nazca
36:10
civilization which flourished for a
36:12
thousand years between 500 BC and 500
36:14
AD. The lines are so well preserved due
36:18
to the extremely dry and windless nature
36:21
of the Peruvian deserts. For centuries,
36:24
these enormous lines went unnoticed. It
36:27
was only in the 20th century that they
36:30
began to be rediscovered by civilian and
36:33
military aircraft flying over the area.
36:36
However, the lines are not only visible
36:40
from aircraft. They can also be seen
36:42
from the surrounding ills and other high
36:44
places. The ancient Nazca people use
36:47
simple tools but advanced surveying
36:50
techniques to construct the lines.
36:52
However, the lines remain, their
36:55
construction remains a great mystery to
36:57
Archaeologists, ethnologists, and
37:01
anthropologists have studied the lines
37:04
and have come up with an interesting
37:06
hypothesis. They state that the Nazca
37:08
people created them to be seen by their
37:11
Another theory supposes that the Nazca
37:16
lions were intended to act as an
37:18
observatory, a tool used to observe
37:20
places on the distant horizon where the
37:23
sun and other celestial boses rose and
37:25
set during solstesses. This is not
37:28
dissimilar to what we have seen at Stone
37:31
Edenge. Many prehistoric cultures
37:33
constructed great earthworks and stone
37:36
buildings to observe the stars and
37:38
seasons, and they often linked these
37:40
observatories to ritual worship of their
37:42
gods. Computer aided studies of some of
37:44
the animal figures by astronomers has
37:48
revealed that they correspond with
37:50
astronomical constellations.
37:52
For example, according to computer
37:55
modeling, the giant spider figure is
37:57
actually a representation of the
38:00
constellation Orion.
38:01
However, this theory does not correspond
38:04
with many of the other figures in the
38:06
Nazca lines, so we cannot be sure. Other
38:08
theories abandon the celestial and
38:12
season theories altogether. For
38:14
instance, one explanation suggests that
38:16
the lines are linked to the Nazca
38:18
cultures worship of mountain and water
38:20
deities. These lines, according to this
38:22
theory, form part of a religious ritual
38:24
honoring these deities with the lines
38:27
being used as sacred paths leading to
38:30
areas where they might be properly
38:32
woripped. The proper worship of these
38:34
gods was essential in their decision
38:36
whether or not to provide water to the
38:39
land, a resource especially in demand in
38:41
such a dry and inhospitable land. Other
38:44
theories link the lions to possible
38:48
irrigation schemes planned by the Nazca,
38:50
but this does not fully explain the
38:52
various animal figures. Some claim these
38:54
figures exist primarily as fertility
38:57
gods. The wildest theories suppose the
38:59
Nazca lions were either constructed by
39:02
or for extraterrestrial visitors who
39:05
would be able to see the lines from
39:08
their craft. Although these explanations
39:09
are not currently accepted by today's
39:12
academic community who dismiss them due
39:14
to the lack of evidence for alien
39:17
Interestingly, however, there is still
39:20
no solid explanation behind the Nazca
39:23
lines by academics. The reasons for
39:25
their construction and the exact methods
39:28
behind it are a complete mystery to all
39:30
fields of scientific and historical
39:32
study. Another unsolved mystery of the
39:34
next ancient mystery is not of a
39:50
monument but a man. The greatest
39:53
commander and conqueror of the ancient
39:55
world, Alexander the Great. In 323 BC,
39:57
Alexander the Great, subjugator of the
40:03
largest empire the world had ever known,
40:06
died under mysterious circumstances.
40:08
Born in the Macedonian city of Pella in
40:12
356 BC, Alexander was mentored by the
40:14
famous philosopher Aristotle until the
40:18
age of 16. He became king of Macedon
40:21
after his father Philip was
40:25
Suspiciously, this assassin was himself
40:28
slain before he could be interrogated.
40:31
And it is rumored Philillip was
40:33
assassinated in a plot involving
40:35
Alexander and his mother to prevent
40:37
Philillip from making his other son and
40:40
by another woman king. When he became
40:42
king, Alexander quickly proved himself
40:46
to be the shrewdest politician and best
40:48
military commander in the world. By the
40:50
age of 30, he had conquered the largest
40:54
empire ever known without losing a
40:56
single battle. From the shores of Greece
40:58
to the Himalayan mountains and the
41:01
borders of India, Alexander's empire
41:03
seemed to span the world itself. It was
41:06
hailed as a god in Egypt and the king of
41:09
kings in Persia. He founded over 20
41:12
cities all across the world, including
41:15
the famous Alexandria.
41:17
However, before he could carry out his
41:30
plans to conquer the rest of the known
41:32
world, Alexander died mysteriously in
41:34
his palace at Babylon after 12 days of
41:37
suffering. The mysterious events began
41:39
one evening when Alexander was holding a
41:42
feast. Around mid evening, the king was
41:45
seized with intense pain and collapsed.
41:48
He was immediately taken to his bed
41:51
chamber in the palace and given the best
41:53
medical treatment available. However, he
41:55
soon experiences tremors, stiffnesses in
41:58
the neck, and sharp pains in the
42:01
stomach. This was soon followed by
42:03
excruciating agony whenever and wherever
42:05
he was touched on the body, making
42:08
treatment almost impossible. He was
42:10
eventually reduced to a fever and
42:13
delirium and experienced infrequent
42:15
In his final days, the most powerful man
42:19
on earth could not speak and could only
42:22
move his head and arms. Ultimately, he
42:24
found it difficult to breathe and he
42:28
died at the age of just 32.
42:30
Four main theories have been presented
42:33
to explain Alexander's death. Malaria,
42:35
typhoid, alcohol, and poisoning.
42:39
Malaria is an unlikely explanation. This
42:42
disease is carried by mosquitoes in
42:45
tropical locations, whereas Alexander's
42:47
palace at Babylon was in the middle of a
42:50
desert landscape in what is modern-day
42:52
Iraq, thus making the presence of
42:55
mosquitoes unlikely.
42:57
Typhford is also an unlikely
43:00
explanation. The disease is transmitted
43:02
through food or water and usually
43:04
affects an entire population through
43:07
epidemic. It is highly unlikely to
43:08
result in a lone and isolated case. If
43:11
Alexander died of typhoid, then so would
43:14
of many others, and this is not
43:16
mentioned in the historical sources.
43:18
Alcohol is perhaps the least likely
43:21
explanation of them all. Common symptoms
43:24
of alcohol poisoning include nausea and
43:26
vomiting. Alexander suffered neither of
43:29
One of the most frequent believed
43:33
theories is that Alexander was the
43:35
victim of assassination by poisoning.
43:37
Assassination was rife within the
43:40
Macedonian court. It was almost a
43:42
national tradition. After all,
43:44
Alexander's own father was assassinated
43:47
under mysterious circumstances.
43:49
However, the strongest argument against
43:52
poison is that Alexander suffered for 12
43:54
days before finally dying. Such
43:57
longlasting poisons are thought not to
44:00
have existed in antiquity.
44:02
Common poisons at this time were
44:05
hemlock, arsenic, wormwood, henbane, and
44:07
autumn crocus. All of which act almost
44:10
If it was poison, then it was a
44:16
calculated and cruel act using a
44:18
substance not commonly utilized by
44:20
assassins of the day. In fact, some
44:23
possible candidates for the poison have
44:26
been put forward by toxicologists.
44:28
One theory supposes that Alexander's
44:31
wine was spiked by the plant known as
44:33
white hellaore. This plant is bitter
44:35
tasting and so the wine would have had
44:38
to be sweetened to conceal it. But it is
44:41
possible the king was too drunk to
44:44
notice. According to toxicologists, this
44:45
plant may cause the same symptoms
44:49
reported to have been suffered by
44:51
If the white hellaore was used, then it
44:54
seems that the king's killer wanted to
44:57
see him suffer for a prolonged period
44:59
and so went to great lengths to discover
45:01
this new poison. Indeed, there is no
45:04
doubt that in his conquest of the world,
45:07
Alexander may have made a few enemies
45:10
along the way. However, theories of such
45:12
as this are mere speculation. We may
45:15
never know the true killer of Alexander
45:18
the Great. From prince to king of the
45:20
known world, from man to god.
45:24
Alexander's death took him at the height
45:26
of his power. His death is a mystery,
45:29
but so also is his burial location. No
45:33
one knows where Alexander is buried, and
45:37
scholars have been on the hunt for it
45:39
A legend in life, a mystery in death.
45:43
Alexander the Great earns his place in
45:46
our list of great mysteries of the
45:49
Our next ancient mystery is no man, but
46:02
an object that has been the subject of
46:05
much controversy and debate. The Shroud
46:08
kept in the Cathedral of St. John the
46:13
Baptist in Trin. The shroud is a long
46:15
piece of linen cloth bearing the image
46:18
of a man. A man many believe to be Jesus
46:20
It is believed by many today that this
46:26
cloth is the very one that wrapped the
46:28
body of Jesus Christ after his
46:30
Today, it is an object of worship for
46:35
many across the Christian world. The
46:37
shroud reveals the entire body of a man
46:40
who appears to be completely naked and
46:43
holds his hands across his groin. The
46:45
man appears to be quite tall as well as
46:48
He has shoulderlength hair, a mustache,
46:53
and a beard, an image which is
46:56
strikingly like many representations of
46:58
Jesus seen throughout history. There are
47:00
also various reddish brown marks seen
47:03
across the body of the man which have
47:05
been interpreted by forensic specialists
47:07
as indicative of wounds. For example,
47:09
there is a round wound piercing the
47:13
man's wrist, an upward gouge penetrating
47:14
his thorax, small punctures around his
47:17
head, steams of bloods running down his
47:20
arms, and various other wounds all
47:22
across his body. It seems then that the
47:25
man who once occupied this shroud
47:27
suffered most, if not all, of the wounds
47:30
which were known to us from the story of
47:33
Jesus's crucifixion.
47:35
The origins of the shroud and the image
47:37
upon it, however, remains a mystery and
47:39
are hotly debated topics among
47:41
theologians, historians, and scientists.
47:43
The shroud is dated possibly to the
47:46
Middle Ages around the 14th century.
47:48
Even this, however, is hotly debated
47:51
with some questioning whether the
47:54
documents we have do indeed reference
47:56
the Sharin Shroud, although there is
47:58
possibly an even earlier attestation to
48:02
the shroud from the 1200s when it was
48:04
reportedly stolen from Constantinople by
48:06
However, it is unanimously agreed that
48:10
the shroud appears in documents dating
48:13
to the 15th and 16th centuries. At this
48:15
time it was originally owned by the
48:18
house of Seavoi who in 1578 transferred
48:20
it to Trin where it remains today. It
48:23
was displayed to the public in the 17th
48:26
century and in the 19th century we see
48:28
the shroud being photographed for the
48:31
first time whilst in public exhibition.
48:33
Interestingly, although the shroud is
48:36
venerated by millions, the papacy has
48:38
never fully acknowledged it as the
48:41
authentic image of Jesus Christ.
48:42
Nevertheless, much care has gone into
48:45
its restoration and conservation. It is
48:47
currently sealed within a bulletproof
48:50
airtight case and is kept at a finely
48:53
tuned and consistent environment. The
48:55
temperature, gaseous composition, and
48:58
humidity inside the case are carefully
49:00
controlled to ensure the shroud is well
49:03
Many of the faithful throughout history
49:07
have believed that the shroud is indeed
49:09
the one mentioned in the Gospels of
49:11
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The
49:13
shroud is respected by Christians of
49:15
many denominations, including Baptists,
49:18
Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists,
49:20
Orthodox, Pentecostals, and
49:21
Much scientific analysis has been
49:24
carried out on the shroud, the result of
49:26
which have drawn much controversy.
49:28
Radiocarbon dating of the shroud seems
49:31
to indicate that it dates to either 14th
49:33
or 13th centuries, more than 1,000 years
49:35
after the crucifixion event. The results
49:38
of this study have been challenged,
49:41
however. Some state that the sample
49:43
which the scientists used was
49:45
contaminated in some way. This has been
49:47
denied by the scientific community who
49:49
state that the investigation was carried
49:52
out accurately. This has led some
49:54
believers to completely dismiss the
49:56
reliability of carbon dating altogether.
49:59
Furthermore, an examination of the
50:02
shroud's material itself has led to some
50:04
unexpected results.
50:06
For example, other burial shrouds that
50:09
have been excavated from tombs near
50:11
Jerusalem have revealed differing and
50:13
simpler weaving patterns than those seen
50:16
on the Trin Shroud. This has led some
50:18
experts to conclude that the terin
50:20
shroud cannot have originated from
50:22
Jerusalem at the time of Jesus. However,
50:23
an analysis of the dirt particles on the
50:26
shroud compared with the dirt found from
50:28
ancient tombs in Jerusalem has indeed
50:30
revealed them to be almost exactly the
50:32
same. The mysterious contradiction
50:35
There's also been much debate as to
50:46
whether the image on the shroud is
50:48
pigment or real blood. Chemical analysis
50:49
of the shroud seems to point to the fact
50:53
that it is real blood of the AB type,
50:54
but other scientists argue that certain
50:57
other pigments can give similar results
51:00
to those of blood. Every argument either
51:01
supporting or refuting the authenticity
51:05
of the shroud has resulted in argument
51:07
from both sides. Many of the faithful
51:09
refuse to believe that the shroud is
51:12
anything but a holy relic of Christ,
51:14
while some experts point to various
51:17
pieces of evidence to disprove its
51:19
Regardless, the origin and nature of the
51:22
Shroud of Trin is anything but
51:25
conclusive. Today, it remains a mystery
51:27
to faithful and faithless alike and
51:29
earns its place among the greatest
51:32
mysteries of antiquity.
51:34
The Knights Templar have long been
51:41
associated with secrets and
51:44
conspiracies. The actions of this order
51:45
of warrior monks and their sudden
51:47
disappearance have been the subjects of
51:49
much speculation. But perhaps the
51:51
biggest mystery of the order surrounds
51:54
their origin at the Temple Mount in
51:56
Jerusalem, the site from which they
51:58
claim their name. Why did the Templars
52:00
choose this ancient site as their base
52:04
of operations? And what were they
52:05
looking for in the tunnels below it?
52:08
Founded in 1118 in Jerusalem by the
52:11
French knight Hudipeans, the Knights
52:14
Templar soon became the most powerful
52:17
and wealthy organization in the medieval
52:19
world. Initially founded to protect
52:21
pilgrims visiting the Holy Land, the
52:24
Templars soon managed to expand their
52:26
spheres of operation throughout many
52:28
nations. They even became successful
52:30
They were a formidable military force,
52:34
being the first professional standing
52:37
army in Europe since the fall of the
52:39
Roman Empire around 600 years earlier.
52:41
Their wealth and power was not to last.
52:44
In 1307, the Knights Templar in France
52:47
were arrested by agents of King Philip
52:50
All members of the order who did not
52:53
flee into hiding were rounded up,
52:55
imprisoned, and tortured. Thousands of
52:58
knights, monks, and other members of the
53:01
order were tortured until they confessed
53:03
to various crimes, including heresy,
53:05
homosexuality, and fraud. Most likely,
53:08
these confessions were all false. Some
53:12
state that King Phillip was in heavy
53:15
debt from his wars and decided to seize
53:17
Templar wealth to balance the books,
53:20
thus orchestrating an elaborate series
53:22
of accusations to level on the Templars
53:24
in order for his persecutions to seem
53:27
legitimate to the papacy.
53:30
Regardless of the reasons behind the
53:32
Templar's disappearance remains a
53:34
mystery even today.
53:36
The penultimate place on our top 10
53:46
ancient mysteries is occupied by the
53:48
works of one of the oldest and most
53:51
mysterious civilizations in the world.
53:53
We shall now delve into a world of
53:56
strange ritual, magic spells, and
53:58
supernatural beings. We shall open the
54:00
Egyptian book of the dead. Dating to
54:03
around 1550 BC, the book of the dead was
54:06
used by Egyptian priests for millennia.
54:09
Its secret spells were said to have
54:12
guided the soul through the underworld
54:14
and onto the afterlife, and as such,
54:16
copies of it can be found in many burial
54:20
tombs and sarcophagi.
54:22
The book was not a book as we understand
54:24
them today with a cover and turnable
54:26
pages. Rather, it was a painted onto a
54:28
long scrolls of papyrus.
54:32
The book's spells were written in
54:34
hieroglyphic or hieratic script onto
54:36
these scrolls and were often accompanied
54:38
by illustrations depicting the dead on
54:41
their journey into the afterlife.
54:43
However, the spells found in the book of
54:45
the dead can also be seen written on the
54:48
coffins themselves.
54:50
The book of the dead consisted of around
54:52
192 spells and incantations.
54:55
The Egyptians were strong believers of
54:57
the magical power of the voice and
54:59
ritual speech was thought to possess a
55:01
great deal of power. The Egyptian
55:03
concept of magic called heka was
55:06
intimately linked to their religious
55:08
worship. Magic was used in honor of the
55:10
gods and some spells were offered to use
55:12
the power to control them. The spells
55:14
found in the book served as a range of
55:17
processes. Some spells give the user
55:19
mystical knowledge of the afterlife.
55:22
Others offer protection against evil
55:24
forces with some even dealing with the
55:26
famous weighing of the heart ritual. In
55:28
this ritual, the gods weighed the
55:31
deceased person's heart to determine
55:32
their purity and to decide whether to
55:35
allow them into the afterlife.
55:37
Each book of the dead was not identical.
55:40
The owner of each copy chose from a
55:42
large corpus of spells and decided which
55:44
one suited them the most. These spells
55:47
were then copied down allowing each
55:50
person to tailor their own unique book
55:52
of the dead. There were however certain
55:54
conventions which had to be maintained
55:57
through all copies and these often
55:58
depended upon which was fashionable at
56:01
the time. For example, in the Sate
56:03
dynasty, it was common to organize each
56:06
chapter into four sections.
56:09
Nevertheless, a common thread binds all
56:11
copies of the book. It is a single
56:14
entity of various forms. Importantly,
56:16
the book of the dead contained important
56:20
chapters which aimed at preserving the
56:22
body of the deceased after death along
56:24
with the person's spirit and
56:27
These were all seen as essential
56:30
qualities to be retained for the persons
56:31
The book of the dead states that in the
56:36
afterlife, its reader would join the
56:38
gods themselves and live in a paradise
56:39
version of the world of the living. They
56:42
would want for nothing and would live a
56:44
happy for eternity. The book also states
56:47
that the dead would themselves gain new
56:49
However, the path to the afterlife was a
56:53
difficult one. The dead would need to
56:56
pass through a series of gates, caverns,
56:58
mounds guarded by supernatural
57:00
creatures. These were grotesque
57:02
creatures with heads of animals. One of
57:05
these creatures was even known as he who
57:07
The book, however, provided its owner
57:11
with the correct spells to ward them
57:13
off. The orals ended with the weighing
57:15
of the heart. After passing this test,
57:18
the dead would be reborn into the
57:21
The Book of the Dead is one of the most
57:24
mysterious documents in ancient history.
57:26
It speaks of strange and powerful
57:28
spells, fierce and grotesque
57:30
supernatural creatures, and a new plane
57:32
of existence for those who passed the
57:35
god's tests and prove themselves worthy
57:37
The owner of such a book would possess
57:41
powers over life and death and over the
57:44
gods themselves. The book of the dead,
57:46
therefore, occupies the penultimate
57:49
place in our top 10 ancient mysteries.
57:51
The final place in our list belongs to
58:03
one of the strangest and most
58:05
revolutionary ideas ever to have been
58:08
proposed. The idea that human
58:10
advancement in prehistory and ancient
58:13
history was the result of
58:15
extraterrestrial intervention. Our final
58:17
place belongs to the ancient aliens.
58:21
Proponents of this theory state that
58:25
aliens made contact with humanity at
58:26
various points in the distant past and
58:29
influenced our development. They
58:31
provided us with culture, technology,
58:33
building techniques and the knowledge of
58:36
agriculture. In return, we worshiped
58:38
them as gods. The deities woripped by
58:41
all societies were according to this
58:44
theory actually aliens.
58:47
The idea that aliens visited ancient man
58:50
and were responsible for human
58:52
advancement has not been popular in
58:54
established academia. However, the
58:56
theory is based on some interesting
58:59
points and has a significant following.
59:01
Scientists such as Carl Sean have stated
59:05
that extraterrestrial visitations to
59:08
early man should not be discounted as a
59:10
fanciful theory that beings possessing
59:13
the technology of interstellar travel
59:16
almost certainly exist.
59:18
Sean was followed by Eric von Danakin
59:21
who in 1968 proposed many theories about
59:23
extraterrestrial visitations in his book
59:27
Charity of the Gods. Danakin believed
59:30
that many of the great constructions and
59:33
tools created by ancient cultures were
59:35
far too advanced to have been created by
59:38
humans and that they were either created
59:40
by aliens or aliens assisted humans in
59:42
their making. For instance, it gives
59:46
Stonehenge, the great prince of Giza,
59:48
the Nazca lines and the Easter Island
59:51
Danakin goes on to point out that many
59:56
ancient cultures across the world appear
59:58
to depict spacecraft in their art as
00:00
well as non-human creatures and
00:03
artifacts which were too advanced to
00:05
exist within the culture of the time.
00:08
Proponents of theories like this often
00:10
point to religious texts and mythologies
00:13
as evidence. For example, a common
00:15
theory is based upon the ancient
00:18
Sumerian texts found in ununiform
00:20
tablets. One of these, the Enuma Ellis,
00:22
states that humanity was created to
00:26
serve deities known as the Anunnaki.
00:28
This has been seen as evidenced by some
00:31
that aliens came to Earth to use
00:34
humanity as slaves.
00:36
Another text often cited is the Hindu
00:38
Ramayana. In this text, the gods are
00:41
portrayed as supernatural entities that
00:45
transport themselves using strange
00:47
flying vehicles. In fact, there are many
00:49
mentions of mysterious flying craft.
00:52
Even the Bible has been used as
00:56
evidence. For instance, in the book of
00:57
Genesis, 200 angels come down to earth
01:00
to mate with humanity, creating a race
01:03
of giants known as the Nephilim. These
01:06
angels are called the Watchers. They
01:08
taught humanity metallurgy, metal
01:10
working, cosmetics, sorcery, astrology,
01:13
astronomy, and meteorology.
01:15
Proponents of the ancient alien
01:18
hypothesis claim this is an early
01:19
account of alien interaction with
01:22
However, perhaps the strangest evidence
01:25
used comes from the book of Ezekiel.
01:28
Here, a vision of Ezekiel is recounted
01:31
in which he sees an immense cloud that
01:33
emitted a brilliant light. According to
01:36
this account, the cloud contained a fire
01:39
and the center of the fire looked like
01:42
glowing metal and in the fire was what
01:44
looked like the four living creatures.
01:47
These creatures are described as winged
01:49
and roughly humanoid in appearance. The
01:52
passage goes on to describe some strange
01:55
shiny wheel-shaped objects which could
01:57
fly around and along and moved with the
02:00
strange humanoid creatures. Danakin
02:03
states that this passage of Ezekiel
02:06
proves early contact with aliens. This
02:07
account is perhaps the most striking of
02:10
all due to its similarities with modern
02:12
Some artifacts have also been put
02:17
forward as evidence. For example, the
02:19
elongated skulls of some ancient
02:22
civilizations of the Americas are seen
02:24
as proof that these ancient cultures
02:26
wish to emulate the appearance of alien
02:28
visitors. Critics of these theories have
02:30
argued that all of this evidence can be
02:33
explained without resorting to aliens as
02:35
an explanation. In fact, these theories
02:37
have been rejected by all credible
02:40
fields of study. Nevertheless, can we
02:42
truly be sure that our ancestors were
02:45
not visited by beings from another parts
02:47
of the universe? Modern experts may be
02:49
too quick to discard these
02:52
possibilities. One thing is for sure,
02:53
and that is that we cannot be sure.
02:56
Perhaps ancient man, as he busyed
02:59
himself about with his various concerns,
03:02
was being watched keenly and closely by
03:05
intelligences far greater than our own.
03:07
Regardless, the theory of ancient aliens
03:10
more than merits its place on our list.
03:13
In our exploration of ancient mysteries,
03:27
we have journeyed far and wide. We have
03:30
flown across the world from the Pacific
03:32
to the Atlantic, from the English
03:34
countryside to the far reaches of the
03:36
new world. On our quest, we've also
03:38
traveled through time, covering
03:41
thousands of years of history in our
03:43
search for the weird and wonderful.
03:45
We've encountered an image of the
03:47
Messiah, witnessed the building of the
03:49
impossible, and even glimpsed at
03:51
extraterrestrial life itself.
03:53
Though the journey does not have to end
03:56
here, the ancient world is full of
03:58
mystery and holds many secrets for those
04:00
curious enough to look.
04:04