According to the conventional understanding of history, humans have been present on Earth in their current form for approximately 200,000 years. While advanced civilizations emerged thousands of years ago, much of the mechanical ingenuity we associate with modern times began developing only around the Industrial Revolution a couple of hundred years ago.
Out-of-place artifacts (OOPARTs) refer to dozens of prehistoric objects discovered worldwide that seem to exhibit technological advancements inconsistent with the times of their creation. Some scientists propose natural explanations for these artifacts, while others argue that they indicate lost knowledge from advanced prehistoric civilizations, later redeveloped in modern times.
This overview explores various OOPARTs, ranging in purported origin from millions of years ago to just a few hundred years ago. It’s important to note that not all OOPARTs are definitive evidence of advanced prehistoric civilizations; instead, they provide glimpses into what is known or hypothesized about these intriguing artifacts. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, it provides a substantial sampling.
17. 2,000-Year-Old Batteries?
Illustration of a Baghdad battery made around 2,000 years ago from clay jars with asphalt stoppers and iron rods found outside Baghdad, Iraq, by German archaeologist Wilhelm König in 1938.
16. Ancient Egyptian Light Bulb?
A relief beneath the Temple of Hathor in Egypt depicts figures around a large light-bulb-like object, with an illustration showing its potential operation.
15. Great Wall of Texas
A “wall” discovered in Rockwall, Texas, in 1852, estimated to be 200,000 to 400,000 years old, with debates about whether it is a natural formation or a man-made structure.
14. 1.8-Billion-Year-Old Nuclear Reactor?
The site of a potential large-scale nuclear reactor in Oklo, Gabon, Africa, dating back 1.8 billion years, challenging natural explanations.
13. Sea-Faring Map Makers Before Antarctica Was Covered in Ice?
The Piri Reis map of 1513, created by Turkish admiral Piri Reis, suggesting a prehistoric depiction of Antarctica before it was covered in ice.
12. 2,000-Year-Old Earthquake Detector
The ancient Chinese seismoscope invented by Zhang Heng in 132 A.D., still a mystery in terms of its working mechanism.
11. 150,000-Year-Old Pipes?
Pipes found near Mount Baigong in China, dating back approximately 150,000 years, raising questions about their origin and purpose.
10. Antikythera Mechanism
A 2,000-year-old mechanical device from ancient Greece, often called an “ancient computer,” capable of calculating astronomical positions with precision.
9. Drill Bit in Coal
A mysterious drill bit found encased in coal in 1852 in Scotland, challenging conventional beliefs about the age of Earth’s coal.
8. 2.8-Billion-Year-Old Spheres?
Spherical objects found in South Africa, known as Klerksdorp spheres, raising questions about their natural or man-made origin.
7. Iron Pillar of Delhi
A rust-free iron pillar in Delhi, at least 1,500 years old, with a purity that surpasses modern wrought iron and lacks certain impurities.
6. Viking Sword Ulfberht
The Ulfberht sword from the Viking era (800-1000 A.D.), made with an advanced technology seemingly ahead of its time.
5. 100-Million-Year-Old Hammer?
A hammer found in London, Texas, in 1934, encased in stone with claims of being more than 100 million years old, sparking debates.
4. Prehistoric Work Site?
Tools found in an 18th-century stone quarry near Aix-en-Provence, France, embedded in limestone dating back 50 feet underground.
3. Million-Year-Old Bridge?
Adam’s Bridge, also known as Rama’s Bridge, connecting India and Sri Lanka, with debates on whether it is a natural formation or a man-made bridge built by King Rama.
2. 500,000-Year-Old Spark Plug?
A claimed spark plug found in California in 1961 encased in a geode, suggesting an age of 500,000 years or more.
1. Prehistoric Wall Near Bahamas?
A wall-like structure off the coast of the Bahamas, theorized by some as a man-made protective barrier dating back 12,000 to 19,000 years.
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