Graffiti of the first Christians, the Egyptian tomb and other unique artefacts found on islands hidden from civilization
There are thousands of islands in the world. Many of them have their own rich history, culture and secrets. Given the natural isolation, a strange culture for the rest of…

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Plumbing, civil rights and technology: What the world lost when the Greeks conquered Troy, and the arias - the Dravidians
The legends of dark times in Europe and Asia are full of enthusiasm for the lost civilizations, developed so high that the listeners of these legends could hardly believe. Much…

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Strange ancient artifacts, the origin of which no one can explain
The world is full of strange and mysterious artifacts. Some are almost certainly hoaxes, the others are connected with real stories. In our review of the 10-ka real artifacts, the…

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Archaeologists have discovered the skeleton of a man who used a knife instead of a prosthetic arm
Who among us does not remember the formidable captain Hook, the inveterate enemy of Peter Pan? Literature and cinema is replete with characters whose distinctive detail was the presence of…

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unusual optical properties

The mystery of the Roman Lycurgus Cup: Nanotechnology in the ancient world?

The British Museum holds a very beautiful ancient exhibit – the Roman Lycurgus Cup. But he is more famous for his unusual optical properties. Under normal lighting, the goblet appears yellowish-green, and in transmitted light it acquires a deep wine-red hue. Only in 1990, scientists were able to reveal the secret of these unique properties, but how could such an effect be achieved in ancient times? After all, these are the real nanotechnologies …
The cup is a so-called diatret – a double-walled bell covered with a figured pattern. Its height is 16.5, and its diameter is 13.2 centimeters.
The earliest found diatrets belong to the 1st century BC. n e., and their heyday reached its production in the III and IV centuries. Diatrets in that era were considered very expensive items and were available only to the rich. Continue reading

Ambiguous facts from the Bible, about which today archeologists and religious scholars argue
Perhaps there is no other such book in the world in which so many contradictions are found as in the Bible. There are constantly heated debates between atheists, archeologists and…

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Obelisk of the city of Aswan
Granite quarries, located along the banks of the Nile in the city of Aswan (Aswan), supplied some of the highest quality stones for the construction of temples, sculptures and monuments…

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