Ancient Lost Civilizations: What Historians Still Don't Know

Ancient Lost Civilizations: What Historians Still Don't Know

Read about 10 mysterious ancient lost civilizations that vanished without clear reason, and about more than 10 well-established ancient peoples that were incredibly influential to mankind and cultural legacies, while remaining unsolved mysteries.

Introduction

History is full of mysteries. While historians know a lot about the great empires of Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient Mesopotamia, many lost civilizations did disappear completely and left behind no clear reasons for doing so. Some left behind huge monuments, strange artifacts or evidence of technology that only barely existed at that time in history—but the people, culture and fate of those lost civilizations remains murky even today.

Historians and archaeologists are continually picking up scraps of clues along the way towards piecing together the stories of these artifacts and strange civilizations, but their civilization stories, ultimately, are often incomplete. In this article, we'll be looking at 10 lost civilizations that scholars still have trouble pinpointing what civilization the artifacts really represent—all of these cultures start with an "E" as well as include pictures and artistic representations. Even to historians, are ultimately, unknowns.

1. The Indus Valley Civilization

The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 3300–1300) is one of the earliest urban cultures in the world, extending across parts of modern Pakistan and northwest India.

They built advanced cities, including Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, that boasted indoor plumbing and flushing toilets, sophisticated sewage systems, and urban areas with street grids.

Their writing system remains incompletely decoded.

By 1900 BCE, the civilization began a mysterious decline.

The Mystery: How and why did such an advanced civilization cease to exist? Was it climate change, a shift in the course of rivers, or external conquest? Historians continue to debate.

2. The Maya Civilization

The Maya civilization (2000 BCE–1500 CE) inhabited the area of present-day Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. It produced pyramids, a calendar, and astrological knowledge that is still studied today, making it one of the most sophisticated cultures of the Americas.

Cities like Tikal and Palenque flourished and were one of the preeminent urban centers of the time.

They recorded mathematical information and could predict eclipses with great accuracy.

Interestingly, some of their main cities were abandoned between the 8th and 9th century.

The Mystery: Why did they abandon their cities? There are a number of hypotheses from extended periods of drought, violent warfare, or overpopulation, but none can account for all the evidence.

3. The Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi)

The Ancestral Puebloans constructed breathtaking cliff dwellings in the American Southwest, like those at Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon.

They produced massive stone buildings without the benefit of modern tools.

Their culture lasted from about 100 CE to 1600 CE.

Their great cities, however, were eventually abandoned.

The Mystery: Why did they leave? Many blame drought, some blame social conflict, but the fact that they left so suddenly puzzles historians.

4. The Olmecs

The Olmecs (1200-400 BCE) developed in present-day Mexico, and are often considered the "mother culture" of Mesoamerica.

They carved gigantic stone heads, with some weighing over 20 tons.

They were influential on later Mesoamerican cultures like the Maya and Aztec.

They left writing and religious practices that are still partly unknown.

The Mystery: How did such a small, early society reach this level of sophistication? And what made them decline so suddenly?

5. The Minoans

The Minoans (2000-1450 BCE) were the first advanced civilization in Europe, centered on the island of Crete.

They built the Palace of Knossos, with its elaborate art and architecture.

They were expert sea traders who traded with many cultures around the Mediterranean.

They disappeared suddenly, around 1450 BCE.

The Mystery: Would it have been a volcanic eruption at Thera (Santorini), a tsunami, or invasion by the Mycenaeans? Historians continue to debate.

6. The Nabateans

The Nabateans were traders from the desert, who built a wonderful city called Petra, in modern Jordan.

Petra was cut from rose red cliffs.

The Nabateans controlled important trading routes, and became very wealthy.

By the 4th CE, their entire culture was wiped out.

The Mystery: How could a leading trading empire go away so quietly? Some theorize that they seemed to lose control when trade routes changed, but not much else is known.

7. The Cahokia Civilization

The Cahokia Mounds (1050-1350 CE) were colossal mounds, built for an expansive Native American city that existed near modern day St. Louis.

At its height, Cahokia had tens of thousands of people, greater than the entire population of London at the time.

Cahokia had enormous earthen mounds built for ritual, and governance.

Cahokia had been abandoned by 1400.

The Mystery: Was it environmental collapse, disease, or political collapse? Despite being modern, the collapse of Cahokia is still shrouded in mystery.

8. The Khmer Empire (Angkor)

The Khmer Empire (9th - 15th century) built the beautiful temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Angkor Wat is one of the largest religious monuments on earth.

The Khmer built an incredible water system, able to sustain a large population.

Then in the 15th century, Angkor was abandoned.

The Mystery: Did they lose water during a drought? Did they get invaded?

gather the evidence.

9.The Easter Island Civilization (Rapa Nui)

The famous Easter Island (also called Rapa Nui) in the Pacific Ocean is well-known for its giant stone statues. These statues are called the Moai.

The Rapa Nui people carved many hundreds of these stone statues between 1250-1500 CE.

At its height, the area could sustain a robust community.

By the 18th century, the Society collapsed.

The Mystery: Was it deforestation and overpopulation which led to the destruction of their resources? Did the diseases brought by the Europeanisation of the area have any effect?

10. The Builders of Göbekli Tepe

In what is now Turkey, Göbekli Tepe is the world’s oldest temple site, dating to about 9600 BCE. The site consists of massive stone pillars ornately carved with images of various animals.

The site even predates farming and fixed settlements.

After centuries of continued use, the site was deliberately buried.

The Mystery: Who built Göbekli Tepe? Why did they bury it? Did they conduct a ritual? To protect it? Or is it something we still do not understand?

What Captivates Us About Lost Civilizations

The tales of these lost civilizations serve as a reminder of how fragile human societies can be. Advanced cities can crumble due to climate change, warfare, or even just the mismanagement of resources. At the same time, these mysteries tell stories of human creativity and resilience - each civilization has left behind knowledge, architectural styles, or legends that continue to inspire us.

For modern-day people, studying lost civilizations isn't just studying history, they serve as educational markers of sustainability, unity, and the need for humanity to adapt to challenges.

Conclusion

The mysteries of lost civilizations - whether it be the enigmatic Göbekli Tepe, the elaborate Maya ruins, or countless other societies - show us that there is a threat even to powerful and prosperous cultures disappearing altogether. Historians and archaeologists continuously try to piece together these questions, but most mysteries remain unanswered.

The mysteries remind us that history is not pre-written, and we are all still figuring out who we are by studying who came before us.