8 amazing structures with mysterious origins
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
8 amazing structures with mysterious origins
Why is this here?
By Josh Lew, Mother Nature Network, January 11 2019
Many people visit historic places because they want to see firsthand where an important event took place or where an often-told narrative was played out. The allure of these legendary sightseeing spots has everything to do with the historical facts that surround them.
But even in the modern age, the origins of a number of sites, both modern and ancient, remain a mystery. Experts and enthusiasts have provided theories about these strange places, but there is nothing concrete to satisfy the innate human desire to know the answer to the question: “Why is this here?”
These odd sites can be attractive because of their lack of historical context. Some tourists come to soak in the atmosphere and relish the sense of mystery that surrounds these places, while others want to concoct their own theories about the site's origin or to create their own fantastical narrative.
Here are some well-known structures that are still shrouded in mystery. (Text: Josh Lew)
Editor's note: This gallery has been updated since it was originally published in May 2014.
To see the 8 structures and their descriptions, click the "SEEDED CONTENT" link at the top of the page, or else this link:
https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/photos/8-amazing-structures-with-mysterious-origins/why-is-this-here
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The only mysterious structures I was aware of before seeing this article were the Easter Island statues and Stonehenge. I once read that Stonehenge had an astronomical feature concerning the location of some heavenly body.
I believe there are several mysterious sites around the world that lineup directly with the Sun or some other celestial body at particular times of the year.
I have visited the Aztec Pyramids at Teotihuacan (I believe it was the Aztec capital, its near the current Mexico City) and several buildings including slightly different shaped pyramids in the Yucatan (Mayan). The third great Indian civilization south of our border was that of the Incas--in Peru. -- Macchu Piccu looks pretty amazing. (I've never been to that one).
Teotihuacan as it looks in modern times:
Also I've been to the amazing ruins of the city of Luxor in Egypt:
IIRC, generally speaking a lot of these were religious in nature. And most of these civilizations had Astrologers/Astronomers, so often they lined things up with positions of celestial bodies at certain times of the year.
(I think in addition to spiritual reasons, the other reason they built of lot of these things was to honour Kings and other leaders).
P.S: There are many unusual archaeological sites worldwide that most of us don't hear about.
And even some other things: for example, the fact that Palm tree grow in Cornwall in England, etc.
Palm trees also grow in Vancouver, Canada.
Very cool Buzz.
I've been fortunate in that I've seen the ones in the South Pacific and Micronesia.
Didn't even know about the one in the US.
Maybe its Cahokia?
The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site / k ə ˈ h oʊ k i ə / (11 MS 2) [2] is the site of a pre-Columbian Native American city ( circa 1050–1350 CE [3] ) directly across the Mississippi River from modern St. Louis, Missouri. This historic park lies in southern Illinois between East St. Louis and Collinsville. [4] The park covers 2,200 acres (890 ha), or about 3.5 square miles (9 km 2 ), and contains about 80 mounds, but the ancient city was much larger. In its heyday, Cahokia covered about 6 square miles (16 km 2 ) and included about 120 manmade earthen mounds in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and functions. [5]
Cahokia was the largest and most influential urban settlement of the Mississippian culture, which developed advanced societies across much of what is now the central and southeastern United States, beginning more than 1,000 years before European contact. [6] Today, Cahokia Mounds is considered the largest and most complex archaeological site north of the great pre-Columbian cities in Mexico. (CONT'D)
Monks Mound is the largest structure and central focus of the city: a massive platform mound with four terraces, 10 stories tall, it is the largest man-made earthen mound north of Mexico.
There's also this one in Ohio.
I'm glad to see that it's been preserved. I had heard before that it had been destroyed by early farming in Southern Ohio. I think that, at the time, no one had realized that it was man made rather than a glacial formation.
I have been to Cahokia a couple of times. Amazing place.
I was talking about the tower in RI that in the essay of sites.
I've visited Egypt twice, quite a few years ago. They didn't do "small". They did "big". VERY big.
I mean... what's so special about a pyramid? It's a simple shape ... ... and then you see it.
Holy F!
That mother is BIG!
They had a lot of grain /s