10 MYSTERIOUS Archaeological Discoveries In the United States

Archaeological finds in the U.S. have helped researchers determine that the North American continent has been inhabited for the past 20,000 years, but that's only just one part of the story. In particular, in this video, we have 20,000-year-old human footprints, a huge snake outline, and possible evidence of extraterrestrial life from ancient times. Bighorn Medicine Wheel, Wyoming The Medicine Wheel in Lavelle, Wyoming is just one of the countless other similar stone structures across North America, but its size makes this particular structure stand out. With a diameter of 80 feet, it's by far the largest and probably also the most intriguing. Part of that is because it's not known who actually built it, and why despite being mentioned countless times in oral history of the different peoples that inhabit the Bighorn Mountains, it's why it's there. One interesting fact is that the Crow people, who have been around the area the longest, claim to have found the wheel already in existence when they first settled there. That being said, the wheel isn't exactly ignored by a lot of the local community, since they consider it sacred. Interestingly enough, the Medicine Wheel was built in such a way that some of the spokes align with the direction of sunrise and the rising points of some stars. This means that it might have been used as an observatory by whatever community that's responsible for building it. Cahokia, Missouri Unlike the Bighorn Medicine Wheel, archaeologists know exactly what Cahokia was. Found in present day Illinois, it was once a thriving metropolis, the largest in the pre-Columbian era with a population of well over 20,000 people. It sprung up in 700 AD, picking up momentum pretty fast in the next few decades. While the site today is about 3.5 square miles and is made up of 80 mounds, the city itself covered a 6 square mile area and boasted 120 mounds. Despite its grand size, Cahokia's downfall was relatively fast, and by 1350, the big city was completely abandoned. Really, that's the one thing that's been troubling researchers. What could have happened to quickly exterminate such a well-established city in a relatively short time? Well, flooding, disease, fear of invasion, and droughts are some of the fronted explanations, but no one's quite sure about any of them. Casa Grande Ruins, Arizona Discovered in 1694, Casa Grande was constructed in the early 1200s entirely out of clay. It was a network of structures with a ball court surrounded by a wall. Today, though, just parts of the central four-story building remain standing. This is in part thanks to a protective roof that was erected over the ruins in the 1930s by the Civil Conservation Corps. As the only remaining structure in a star attraction of the ruins, this central building has been a subject of fascination since the late 17th century. To provide support, the first story was filled with soil, while the second and third stories were supposedly used as living quarters. The fourth, on the other hand, was just one huge central room that researchers aren't quite sure what it was used for. Stone Chambers, Massachusetts Now, stone chambers are a pretty common sight across the six states of the New England region. They're quite intriguing, especially when you consider that the origins and use are largely unknown. Native Americans, Irish monks, and Norsemen are also some of the interesting suggestions that have popped up in connection to the building of these chambers, nearing 800 in number. While they're referred to as beehive tombs, no burial remains have ever been discovered, so it's a bit of a misnomer. By far the most outstanding, and certainly the most famous stone chamber, can be found in Upton, Massachusetts. It's one of the largest, featuring a 14-foot entrance tunnel, while the rest of it is at a 12-foot-high dome-shaped structure. Its exact age is unknown, but considering that it predates New England colonists, the chamber is certainly quite old, over 400 years according to some archaeologists. Titan Rock, also Massachusetts Found in the Taunton River, the 40-ton Titan Rock has been giving researchers a hard time since 1690, when it was discovered. It's covered with some never-before-seen markings, though it probably offers some insights into its origins, if only they could be understood. This, of course, has left room for lots of speculations about the exact owners of the mysterious rock. Naturally, most researchers believe the rock might have belonged to one of the Native American tribes, given that a few other almost-similar rocks have been found around the country. Others, though, think it might have been dropped by foreign explorers, namely the Portuguese, the Vikings, the Phoenicians, and the Chinese. Considering the age of the glyphs, the chances of these people having set foot in the U.S. are quite minimal. Or maybe there's something we don't know about the pre-Columbian U.S. With the rocks deteriorating, though, we might never get to the bottom of these writings. America's Stonehenge, New Hampshire America's Stonehenge is a network of stone structures, artificial caves, and large rocks Despite the name, it bears little resemblance to the more popular Stonehenge in England's Salisbury Plain. But that's probably the least problematic thing about the site, honestly. The exact origins and purpose, for instance, are still a subject of contention. Much of the structures, as they stand today, are a result of the previous owner, William Goodwin. Apparently, he was so convinced of the structure's remains of a 7th century Irish monk settlement that he started fixing anything he considered out of place. Because of these fixes, it's almost impossible to estimate this Stonehenge's age, and consequently, its purpose. Other theories have cropped up over the years, but none of them have survived serious scrutiny. The most popular belief, though, about the site is that it was built 2,500 years ago by Native Americans as a place for religious ceremonies. Hermit Maze Stone, California Most petroglyphs in the U.S. mainly feature natural features like rivers, animals, and even people. But the Hermit Maze Stone is a bit of a unique case, since the drawing here is, well, a maze in the shape of the swastika-like symbol. And no, it certainly wasn't carved on by a Nazi, although it did get vandalized by one some years back. As a result, the stone can only be viewed behind a pair of chain-link fences. Estimates place the maze pattern's age at 500 years old, but its exact interpretation and makers are still a mystery. Lots of theories have popped up over the years, but none of them have been convincing enough. For the most part, though, it's believed that the maze might have something to do with the Hopi tribe. The Great Serpent Mound, Ohio Just as it sounds, the Great Serpent Mound is a long-winded snake-like earthwork, best viewed from above. It's over 1,300 feet long and varies in height, averaging just below a foot on its lowest side and well over three feet on the highest. The tail side of the serpent is coiled three times, while the head features an open mouth and a 120-foot-long egg-like structure. While it was first spotted in 1812, it wasn't given attention until three decades later, when the Smithsonian sent over a team to take a look. Since then, there's been a lot of back-and-forth across different research teams about the supposed age of the Great Serpent Mound. Its purpose and the specific peoples that built it is also being looked at as well. So far, though, the widely accepted theories credit the Edina and the Fort ancient cultures for the mound, apparently building it around 320 BC and 1,070 AD, respectively. Winamooka Lake, Petroglyphs, Nevada While we know that the U.S. has been inhabited for 20,000 years, much of what we need to understand is that distant past is lost, probably forever. That's why these markings near the Winamooka Lake in northwest Nevada are such a big deal. At 10,000 years old, they're the oldest known petroglyphs in North America, but it's not just their age that's of interest. The collection of the markings is larger than most of the others found across the U.S. Individual markings were also marked deeper into the rocks, with some of the deepest going as far as an inch. Considering their age, this is quite both impressive and intriguing. But what's even more interesting is the meaning behind the petroglyphs that will hopefully give us a much-needed glimpse into the distant past. The Blythe and Taglios, California The Blythe and Taglios are basically the American version of the Nazca Lines, the largely popular geoglyphs of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. The gigantic drawings were made in the desert, the Colorado Desert in this case, and features various shapes, animals, and even people. As it has been observed, these were created by stripping off the darker layers of rocks to expose the underlying lighter soil, and that's all researchers have been able to figure out so far. Rediscovered in the 30s, their actual age is somewhat of a contested issue, with estimates varying widely between 450 and 2,000 years old. Their purpose, as well, has remained hazy. Some researchers have suggested the drawings might have been stopping points for pilgrimage during the Kerak mourning ceremony, which usually involved recognition of all the who had died since the last pilgrimage, among other rituals. Poverty Point, Louisiana Built between 1700 and 1100 BC, the Poverty Point is a C-shaped collection of mounds some 15 miles from the Mississippi River. It's been the center of attention in the archaeology world since the 50s, although its initial discovery and subsequent description go back to the 19th century. Part of its appeal and mystery is that it challenges what we know of the hunter-gatherer society that built it. Its massive size has also been responsible for Poverty Point's prominence over the years. So far, it's the largest earthworks site in North America built in the late Archaic Period, and despite all the attention and all the years that the mounds have been studied, their intended purpose remains elusive. Of course, though, there are a few theories out there. A settlement area, a religious venue, and a trading center are some of the few and most popular suggestions about what the Poverty Point was used for. Again, nothing conclusive, though. Berkeley Mystery Walls, California Walls from ancient times served as protective barriers for the most part. Going by that assertion, you'd think the Berkeley Mystery Walls wouldn't be, well, you know, a mystery. That's not quite the case, though. Unlike the defensive walls thousands of years ago, the various walls dotted around California are far too short, with the tallest ones reaching just over three feet. They were built using various-sized rocks, with the biggest one weighing as much as a ton. The construction style also varies, with some parts being merely piles of rocks, while others appear to have been well thought out. So far, there haven't been any worthwhile explanations about the who and why, though. Not just that, though. The exact age of the walls have remained elusive, but considering the fact that they predate Spanish settlers, it's safe to say the walls are quite old. The only probable candidates for building the stones, being the Ohlone Indians, were ruled out as they were never known for building permanent structures. The oldest human footprints in North America? New Mexico. Human footprints that are over 20,000 years old? You bet that's interesting to at least a few people out there. 2021, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey studied about 29 prints of the White Sands National Park in Mexico, and the results were pretty interesting. Estimated to be between 21,000 and 23,000 years old, they're the oldest known human footprints in the whole of North America. This meant that human settlement on the continent is far much older than it had been previously assumed. Too bad, though. That's all the researchers have for now. There's really no other clue that may help us understand who these people were and how they organized their society. Judicula Rock, North California. Speaking of petroglyphs, the Judicula Rock is another interesting site with thousands of drawings dating back to between 200 and 1400 CE. According to some estimates, there are over 1,500 designs, making it quite an interesting piece of history. Still unknown, though, is what the ancient Cherokee peoples meant to achieve with the petroglyphs. At one time, though, it was an important source of soapstone, as evidenced by some of its scars and depressions. Also, legend has it that the rock is where the ancient giant Judicula landed as he jumped from one mountain to another. To support this, they point to a series of seven groves, supposedly the giant's footprint. Much of the difficulty with deciphering the petroglyphs is their sheer number, which makes it impossible to tell them apart. Sago Canyon Paintings, Utah. With a history of over 8,000 years, the Sago Canyon Paintings are some of the most interesting ancient works of art. There's about 80 of them, featuring some pretty intriguing and equally bizarre symbols drawn by different people who inhabited the canyon during different periods. Uti, Anasazi, and Fremont are the most notable Native American tribes that are accredited for the art. The most notable drawings here are the life-size figures with hollowed-out eyes and missing legs and arms. According to some, this is a representation of aliens and proof of their brief interaction with humanity many years ago. On the other hand, though, some researchers think the strange figures have some connection to ancient religious rituals. Before we move on, I've got a little challenge for you that'll take 5 seconds to complete. So, here's the deal. If you just leave a like on this video, smash that subscribe button, hit the notification bell, and you will get 25 years of amazing luck. Try it, it really works. Miami Circle, Florida The 3,000-year-old Miami Circle is indeed a perfect circle cut into the limestone bedrock. Pretty rare find, especially in the eastern parts of the country. As far as records go, the circle is the remnant of an ancient structure thought to have been built by the Tequesta Indians between 1,700 and 2,000 years ago. The ager was arrived at by dating pieces of burnt wood that were discovered at the site, something that some researchers have expressed concerns with. A few more artifacts, namely shark teeth and shell tools, brought the naysayers on board that indeed the circle was that old, that it was a remnant of the Tequesta settlement in the area. While the question of who was responsible for the circle was settled, it's still not very clear what the purpose of the supposed structure served. Granted, most researchers believe it might have had a religious or ceremonial significance. See you all next time!