This article is collection of research purposes.
From the great awning of the Colosseum to the Phaistos Disc, here are 7 ancient technologies and objects we still don’t fully understand.
- Our species has been creating things from the materials around us for as long as we know.
- From practical tools to items of spiritual and religious significance, the full meaning of these items has likely been lost to time.
- Occasionally, some ancient artifacts survive into the present day, even if their purpose is unclear.
Archaeology is a fascinating field of study that has given us important glimpses into how humans lived in the past. However, there are some objects that have been found whose uses and/or meanings are a complete mystery to us today. Let’s look at some of the best-kept secrets of the ancients.
1. We are not entirely sure how the velarium of the Colosseum worked
Model of the Colosseum with its velarium in the Museum of Roman Civilization.Sunspeanzler/Wikimedia Commons
Perhaps the most famous building in the ancient world, the Colosseum (the Flavian Amphitheater), is still one of the most impressive monumental structures. Built to seat around 50,000 people, the building opened in approximately 72 CE.
Built to entertain the masses of Rome, it hosted various events, from animal hunts to brutal hand-to-hand combat, mock naval battles, and executions. The last events held were in the 6th century, after which the decline of the Empire ultimately led to the end of its use, and parts of the structure were pillaged for building materials.
During its use, spectators would be shielded from the heat of the Italian Sun by an innovative structure called the velarium. Depicted in contemporary images, this giant awning worked akin to the iris of your eye. A large central void was left when it was extended, allowing the central stage to remain illuminated, much like the oculus of the Pantheon.
Supported by a series of wooden masts, the awning is thought to have consisted of a series of tapered sail-like sheets that were extended and retracted using a complex system of ropes and pulleys. Given their complexity and similarity to ship rigging, it is believed the awning was designed, built, and operated by specially trained sailors. The structure may also have played some important ventilation purpose that cooled the stadium, like air conditioning today. But this is very speculative.Today, only the sockets and brackets of the wooden mast remain in the upper levels of the surviving structure of the building, and there is much debate about how the structure was built and operated.
2. What was the Baghdad battery used for?
What was the Baghdad Battery used for?Smith College Museum of Ancient Inventions
Discovered in 1936, the Bagdad Battery is another of the world’s ancient technological mysteries. Consisting of a ceramic pot, asphalt stopper, a tube of copper, and a rod of iron, the artifact was found in Khujut Rabu, Iraq, and is believed to date to between 250 BCE and 250 CE.
Resembling a very basic battery cell, it has been surmised that the “battery” produced a small voltage that could be used for electroplating or medical treatment. This seems plausible, but there are no known electroplated objects from this period in this area, and there is no way to verify its use for treatments like electrotherapy. Others have speculated that it may have been used as a storage vessel for sacred scrolls.
3. We have no idea of the purpose of Roman Dodecahedra
Two dodecahedra and an icosahedron on display in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn, Germany.Kleon3/Wikimedia Commons
One of the most enigmatic ancient artifacts on our list is the so-called Roman (more accurately, Gallo-Roman) Dodecahedra. Made of bronze, stone, or precious metals, these objects were first found in 1739 and have now been uncovered in Italy, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Usually consisting of twelve flat, pentagonal faces, most also contain holes of varying sizes on each face, which provide openings to a hollow center. Most date to between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE, and we have no idea what they were used for. Theories abound, however, and include being used as surveying/calculating tools, a form of time-keeping device (when paired with candles), religious objects, spool knitting devices, children’s toys, or purely decorative objects. Others have speculated they may have been used as training objects for apprentice metalsmiths.
Many have been found with coin hoards, which seems to indicate they were especially prized in some way. Discovered examples range in size from 1.6 to 4.3 in (4 to 11 centimeters). None of the examples found appear to show signs of ever being worn. Similar objects have also been discovered along the Maritime Silk Road, but the earliest examples are of Gallo-Roman origin.
4. The Voynich Manuscript is a complete mystery
https://youtube.com/watch?v=5PKimQZVjqk%3Fsi%3D8hA4H9TRsapmaq5f
The Voynich manuscript, written in an undeciphered script called ‘Voynichese,’ dates to the early 15th century and originates from the Italian Renaissance. Its purpose and author are a complete mystery, but existing theories range from being a coded language to a hoax of an unknown purpose. The codex contains about 240 pages, with some pages missing, and features various foldable sheets depicting bizarre illustrations, from fictitious plants to astrological symbols.
Named after Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it in 1912, the manuscript has been housed at Yale University’s Beinecke Library since 1969. Despite efforts by cryptographers, including those from World Wars I and II, no one has successfully deciphered it. The enduring enigma surrounding its content and origins continues to captivate many today.
Yale has since digitized and made available the entire 225-page manuscript online if you want to have a go at deciphering it for yourself!
5. We don’t fully understand the Sanxingdui bronze masks
An example of one of the “masks.”Tyg728/Wikimedia Commons
Discovered by chance in 1986, the so-called Sanxingdui bronze masks are another enigmatic set of artifacts from the past that we don’t fully understand. Found in several pits, the bronze and gold masks are estimated to date between 3,000 and 3,200 years ago.
The bronze masks are remarkable for their size and striking characteristics, not to mention the level of artistic skill required to make them at the time they were created. They feature large, bulging eyes, with some having expanded pupils of gold foil. Many of them have exaggerated facial features that are almost supernatural in appearance. In addition, many of the masks have appendages that resemble tree branches or bird-like ornaments, possibly indicating shamanistic practices.
We have no real idea of what the masks were used for, but they are believed to hold religious or ceremonial significance. It is also important to note that most of the objects are far too large to be used as true “masks.” The exaggerated mask features might represent deities, ancestors, or spirits. Some masks were decorated with elephant tusks, possibly indicating a connection to the supernatural or the representation of power. However, we really have no idea.
6. The Phaistos Disc is still a mystery
The side A of the Phaistos Disc.C messier/Wikimedia Commons
Unearthed in 1908, the Phaistos Disc was discovered by Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier in the Minoan palace site of Phaistos, located on the south coast of the island of Crete, Greece. The disc is made of clay and measures about 6.3 inches (16 cm) in diameter. Both sides feature a spiral sequence of stamped symbols created by pressing pre-formed “seals” into soft clay before firing.
The Phaistos Disc contains 241 tokens, representing 45 different symbols. These symbols depict animals, humans, and plants. The symbols’ meaning and the disc’s overall content are still a mystery. Some have suggested that the disc might be a modern forgery, but most experts believe it is genuine.
Several attempts have been made to discover the meaning of the symbols on the disc, but no translations have yet been widely accepted. The lack of comparative material has also complicated the effort as the script, if it is a script, is the only example of its kind.
7. Vitrum flexile has been lost to time
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gTyBRHTzARY%3Fsi%3Dx0Gg512mYs3l_6_5
Vitrum flexile (“flexible glass”) is another mysterious ancient technology that was allegedly invented during the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar (who ruled from CE 14 to 37). No physical artifact remains, but according to legend, its inventor made an unbreakable glass bowl from it. After presenting it to the Emperor, as the story goes, the bowl dented instead of shattering upon being thrown to the ground. The glassmaker then demonstrated that a small hammer could easily fix the dent.
The story continues to explain that the Emperor asked if anyone else knew how to make flexible glass, and when the glassmaker confirmed that he alone held the secret, Tiberius, in response, had him beheaded to, as he saw it, prevent the devaluation of gold and silver. The story was documented by Pliny the Elder (CE 23/24-79) and Petronius (CE 27-66), although Pliny also acknowledged that it was likely hearsay and not fact.
While the authenticity of this technology is very much up for debate, it is possible that the story had a moral or symbolic purpose, rather than the literal truth. If this is the case, it is likely the story was intended to highlight the dangers to would-be inventors from the whims of capricious rulers.
And that’s your lot for today.
These are but some of the many objects and technologies from the past that we don’t fully understand today. While we may yet discover “instruction manuals” or other contextual items in the future, for now, they remain a mystery to us.
Christopher McFadden Christopher graduated from Cardiff University in 2004 with a Masters Degree in Geology. Since then, he has worked exclusively within the Built Environment, Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Consultancy industries. He is a qualified and accredited Energy Consultant, Green Deal Assessor and Practitioner member of IEMA. Chris’s main interests range from Science and Engineering, Military and Ancient History to Politics and Philosophy