We are very lucky today to know as much as we do about the ancient world but there are many gaps in history still. However most mind boggling and frustrating are some of the things we do know about the ancient world but just can’t quite understand. Here are some fascinating unsolved mysteries from the ancient world!
The Salzburg Cube:
The Salzburg Cube (also known as the Wolfsegg Iron) was discovered by an Austrian foundry worker in 1885. He discovered it within a seam of coal buried within the earth and upon observing its strange and other worldly appearance presented it to the Heimathaus Museum. Adolf Gurlt, a professor at the museum, determined that the cube was a part of a meteorite that had crashed into the earth many many years ago. However after further analysis, the Natural History Museum in Vienna (Austria’s capital city) concluded that it was in fact not a meteorite and had instead been artificially created. However there is no trace of anything else even resembling the box and no obvious use for it which has led some to speculate that perhaps it was not created by the hands of man at all but rather by extra-terrestrial beings (aliens). The piece of coal in which the cube was found is estimated to be some 60 million years old, predating mankind and most conscious life on earth as we know it. This has fuelled theories that perhaps the cube is a remnant of a truly ancient civilization on planet earth. Whatever your opinion, the cube is certainly unique and doesn’t appear man made; yet another fascinating mystery of history.
The Screaming Mummy:
In 1886 a mummy was discovered with a horrifying facial expression, twisted into a look of agony. The mummification process took place post mortem (after death) so the corpse’s face would have been neutral, even peaceful. Furthermore, during the mummification process organs were removed but this screaming mummy still had all its organs. The unusual circumstances of the corpse have thus ignited several interesting theories though no one can be certain of the truth. Many have suggested that the mummy was murdered, poisoned or buried alive hence the agonized expression as supposed to someone who died from natural causes. A documentary speculated that the mummy was Prince Pentewere (son of Ramses III) who planned to murder his father. According to ancient sources one of Ramses III’s wives discovered the plot and poisoned him before quickly wrapping him in sheepskin to be buried. This would explain the agonised expression as he would have cried out in pain from the poison and then quickly been muffled in the sheepskin. However again no one can be certain of the mummy’s identity. A less exciting theory is that the head rolled back after death and that is why the jaw is open in an apparent screaming position. No one can say for sure but that is what makes this seemingly screaming mummy so fascinating. Is it Prince Pentewere or not? Why is the corpse still left in a screaming position after thousands of years and why did he not undergo the standard mummification process? Perhaps we will never know, it’s yet another fascinating mystery of history.
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