Top 10 Mysterious Out of Place Artifacts
#10: Nebra Sky Disk
The gold-and-patina representation of the cosmos found on this UNESCO-recognized bronze disk is currently considered the oldest and most authentic of its kind. This visual rendition of the universe features stars, either the moon or the sun, as well as and either meteorological phenomenon or various galaxies. Weighing under 5lb and measuring less than 12 inches in diameter, the sky disk was discovered by looters/treasure hunters in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt in 1999. But the most mind boggling thing is that - despite dating back to the Bronze Age - the artistic technique that was used doesn’t resemble any of those known to come from Únětice culture of that time. That and the metals seem to come from different origins. So then, what’s it for and where did it really come from?
#9: Coventry Cubes
In May 2020, Will Read and his sons were stunned when they dredged up 60 ornate cubes with their hands in a river in Coventry, England while magnet fishing. The cubes are made of lead and feature unusual engravings and symbols; so naturally Read promptly took to the internet to help unravel the mystery. The cubes are now believed to be part of a Hindu prayer ritual, which involves carving the cubes to invoke the protection of certain gods when thrown into running water. This hasn’t been confirmed, and more than that, it’s unclear why so many of them should make their way into the exact same spot of the River Sowe in England, of all places.
#8: Roman Dodecahedrons
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These mysterious, twelve-sided objects have been discovered across all of Europe, spanning the territory of the former Roman Empire. Since the 18th century, over a hundred of them have been found, but despite their prevalence, there are no records to explain what they actually are. It seems that their purpose was so obvious and widely known to the Romans, no one ever bothered to write it down. The most popular theory is that they were used for knitting, but there are many more explanations. They could be ornaments; they could be measuring devices; they may have been used in alchemy, and some evidence suggests one was used as a candle holder.
#7: The Piri Reis Map
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History records that the Antarctic coast was definitively sighted in the early 1800s, which is why it’s so unusual that this 16th-century map seems to show the Antarctic landmass. Created by famed Ottoman cartographer Piri Reis, it’s based on dozens of contemporary maps, most of which do not survive. It shows the extent of European exploration in the Americas, but a bizarre landmass appears to be jutting out of the middle of modern-day Brazil. This has led to speculation that Antarctica was known about long before its official discovery, though the discrepancy in how far north the mass appears can’t be ignored. Most likely, it’s the hypothetical super-continent “Terra Australis Incognita”, which was widely believed to exist at the time, but who can say?
#6: The Saqqara Bird
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Plenty of unusual things have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs, and one of the weirdest may be the famed “Saqqara Bird”. This wooden model is believed by Egyptologists to depict a bird, though many have merely pointed out its similarity to airplanes; others believe it is evidence that Ancient Egyptians had advanced aircraft. It’s not the only time artifacts have been identified as planes either. The Quimbaya airplanes are a set of golden items found in Colombia, currently on display in the Museum of Gold. Although archaeologists think that they’re highly stylized models of insects and fish, it’s hard to deny that they look more like vehicles than animals.
#5: The Maine Penny
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This coin was unearthed in Maine in the 1950s, which isn't especially remarkable. But, astonishingly, it was later identified as being an 11th century Viking penny, from the reign of King Olaf III of Norway. This would seem to imply that Vikings landed in New England hundreds of years before Columbus came along. It’s been suggested that the penny may have found its way south from settlements in Greenland and Newfoundland during trades with Native Americans. However, it’s also been suggested by some that the penny may have simply been planted at the site as part of an elaborate hoax.
#4: The Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head
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Moving much further south, potential evidence of Roman exploration may have been found in Mexico City in the 1930s. Archaeologists agree that this terracotta head appears to be a distinctly Roman artifact, which suggests Ancient Romans managed to sail all the way to the Americas. If this is true, it challenges many things we thought we knew about American history. However, researchers haven’t been able to rule out the possibility that the head, though it is genuinely Roman, was brought over by European sailors much later. But it was found underneath a pre-colonial building constructed in the 15th century, so it could still predate Columbus.
#3: The Kensington Runestone
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More evidence of Vikings in America may be the Kensington Runestone. This enormous slab of rock was unearthed near Kensington, Minnesota, way back in 1898. It’s covered in Nordic runes, and has been translated by scholars to a message describing an ill-fated expedition south from Vinland. But experts have been skeptical of the runestone from the beginning, saying that the rune translation is closer to 19th century Swedish rather than the 14th century Swedish it’s claimed to be. Considering it was found in the 1800s by a Swedish immigrant, Olof Ohman, it initially seems like the runestone is a hoax. However, nobody has been able to completely debunk it.
#2: The Baghdad Battery
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You’d be forgiven for thinking this relic is just a simple, ancient jar. Found in 1938, the unusual contents of this clay jar immediately attracted attention: within was a copper tube and iron rod, and some evidence of electroplating. This had led to theories that the jar is, in fact, a battery, and it’s been evidenced that a similar object when recreated was capable of generating an electric current. However, others say that there is no definitive evidence of electroplating, a process that wasn’t invented until the 19th century, and that it may have been used to store ancient scrolls instead. Before we unearth our mysterious number one pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions: The Lake Winnipesaukee Stone What Does This Stone Mean, and Is It Ancient or a Modern Hoax? The London Hammer How Did a Man-Made Hammer Get Embedded in 400-Million-Year-Old Limestone? The Bay of Jars How Did These Roman Jars End up in Rio, and Are They Actually Roman at All?
#1: The Antikythera Mechanism
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In 1901, this mechanism was discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera. It’s since been described as the world’s oldest computer, constructed out of bronze at least 2000 years ago. But for decades, the purpose of this device eluded scientists. It’s now believed that the mechanism was used to calculate the movements of the celestial bodies, to predict eclipses among other astronomical phenomena. However, it’s still baffling how the Ancient Greeks – advanced as they were – managed to invent something like this and then for the technology to completely disappear until the modern age; how could something this incredible vanish from history?
