Lost Tomb of Legendary King Gilgamesh Finally Discovered by Archaeologists!

10. The Grave of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh, written 2,500 years before the birth of Christ, celebrates the life of a man named Gilgamesh. He was supposedly the king of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Uruk, after which Iraq is named. But other than the world's first great epic, there isn't much evidence Gilgamesh existed. His name is all over the place, but we don't have any physical proof. For decades, archaeologists have been hunting for the lost tomb of the legendary king. In 2003, German scientists thought they were close. Jörg Fassbinder from the Bavarian Department of Historical Monuments discovered the city of Uruk and a grand tomb within. He told the BBC that he couldn't say for sure if the grave was the final resting place of King Gilgamesh, but it looked similar to the tomb described in the epic poem. In the story, which was written on a series of clay tablets, it says Gilgamesh was buried beneath the Euphrates River. Archaeologists found the remains of a building that looked like it would have been used for a burial in the center of where the river used to run. The discovery was announced 20 years ago, and we've heard next to nothing about it since. The German archaeologists never found the tomb of Gilgamesh. Nobody has. We still don't know where he was buried or if he was a real person. Many have compared Gilgamesh to Hercules, saying they were both figures from myth. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! 9. The Spear of Destiny The Spear of Destiny is a weird name for the weapon that pierced Jesus Christ's side as he hung dying on the cross. It's also called the Holy Lance, which might sound a little better. Others call it the Spear of Longinus. The weapon was used by Gaius Cassius Longinus to stab Jesus as he was already in pain. According to religious texts, when the spear pierced Jesus' flesh, Longinus was squirted with blood and water. This had a miraculous and restorative effect of fixing his ailing eyesight. The Roman centurion was immediately converted and dedicated his life to Jesus Christ. It's also said the centurion was later killed as a martyr for his new beliefs. This is a legend, and scientists don't have any proof that it happened. That doesn't stop many religious people from believing the Spear of Destiny is real. There are a few different versions of the story, but let's stick to the one in which the spear arrived in Vienna. After the death of Christ, the relic changed hands many times over the centuries, passed between popes and great rulers, until it wound up at the Hofburg treasure house in Vienna. In World War II, it was taken by Adolf Hitler on the same day he annexed Austria. When the war was coming to an end, the U.S. Army got their hands on it. Ninety minutes later, Hitler was dead. The spear was given back to the House of Habsburg, where it remains today. Real or fake? You be the judge. 8. The Vampire of Barcelona The truth about the Vampire of Barcelona has never been revealed. Her name was Enriqueta Martí, born in 1868. She was believed to be a serial killer and kidnapper who specialized in the young. Historical documents show she moved from a small town somewhere in the countryside to Barcelona. The vampire worked as a maid and servant before turning to prostitution. She worked at an upscale brothel and then married a painter named Juan Pujalo in 1895. The marriage was a disaster because Enriqueta couldn't stop having affairs. In 1909, she opened her own brothel. According to the legend, Enriqueta would travel to poor parts of the city and abduct children. She would then sell those children to her rich clients. And I shouldn't forget to mention that she was also a witch doctor and was paid to procure the blood of children, which was believed to cure tuberculosis when consumed. She sold all kinds of ointments and potions made from the remains of children she was allegedly murdering. This went on for 20 years or so. The Vampire of Barcelona was caught for her crimes but never tried. She was murdered shortly after her arrest by lynching. Although she was attributed with the murders of dozens, many historians don't believe it. There isn't sufficient evidence to say she kidnapped or killed anyone. Historians think she may have just been mentally ill. But first, it's shout-out time! I want to give a big thank you to Natasha Mazor and her granddaughter for supporting this channel! Hi ladies! Be sure to subscribe if you haven't already for more videos about amazing discoveries! 7. Rudolf Diesel's Unsolved Death Diesel fuel gets its name from the inventor, Rudolf Diesel. He was a great innovator in the 19th century who got his beginnings in refrigeration. In 1890, Rudolf began working with steam engines. He was a genius who grew obsessed with thermal efficiency. It was his concern that 90% of the available energy and fuel was wasted inside of a steam engine. He wanted to make something more efficient. His first attempt involved ammonia vapor. It was a major failure. But Rudolf Diesel was determined. In 1892, he designed the diesel engine as a more efficient alternative to the gas engine. Instead of relying on a spark, diesel engines use compressed air to ignite fuel. The idea is that you can extract more energy from the same amount of fuel. The first diesel engine was a big success in 1897. In theory, Rudolf Diesel should have become bigger than Henry Ford, but he was a little too outspoken. He was an avid writer and advocate of his particular engine. On the evening of September 29, 1913, he vanished. He was never seen again. And we still don't know what happened to him. His disappearance happened while on board the USS Dresden. He was on his way to England when he disappeared without a trace. He was last seen eating dinner. Then he retired to his cabin. Between 10 p.m. and early the next morning, Rudolf Diesel disappeared from his room. His clothing was still there and his money, but not the man himself. Ten days later, a decomposed body was pulled out of the water. However, it was so rotten it couldn't be officially identified. Many people believe Rudolf was assassinated for trying to disrupt the steam engine business. What do you think happened to Rudolf? Let me know in the comments! 6. Roman Electrotherapy 4,500 years ago in ancient Egypt, bioelectrical stimulation was used to treat things like pain and disease. A stone carving in Egypt shows ancient people using a torpedo fish to produce a discharge of electric current. While never totally confirmed, researchers think the fish were used to purposely electrocute people. Egyptians may have believed electrical stimulation had the power to heal. The torpedo fish is also known as the electric ray. It looks very similar to a normal stingray but can emit a shocking 220 volts of electricity. Ancient Egyptians believed these things were magical. You would too if you'd never heard of electricity before and suddenly you found a fish that could shoot electric bolts. It couldn't shoot them from its flesh like bolts of lightning, but it could most certainly zap people. The idea that these fish were mythical continued into the days of the ancient Greeks. They used electric rays during childbirth to numb the pain. The fish would even be used in operations to help ease someone's suffering. Roman physician Scribonius Largus wrote in 46 AD that the torpedo fish was used to treat headaches and even gout. Some physicians may have used the fish in electroshock therapy. It isn't documented, but it is possible. Roman doctors may have pressed the fish against the patient's temples then shocked their brain. They likely believed it was therapeutic. The patients would have been happy because they were being shocked by a magical animal. How would you feel? Let me know in the comments! 5. The Geophone Rock Anomaly What if there was an ancient civilization that lived on the moon thousands or millions of years ago? That's the question that comes to mind when talking about the Geophone Rock Anomaly. During the Apollo 17 mission to the moon, an image was taken near Geophone Rock. The image was initially catalogued by NASA as being blank. But in recent years, the photograph has been enhanced. People played around with the photo and suddenly a pyramid appeared in the image. With the cleaned up photograph, it seems to show a perfectly shaped pyramid standing on the surface of the moon. NASA dropped off the LRV rover in December 1972 and took this photograph. Then all exploratory missions to the moon ceased. I'm not saying there is a pyramid on the moon or that its discovery scared scientists, but like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. It does appear to show a pyramid, so maybe there is something on the moon the government isn't telling us about. What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments below! And I want to give a big shout out to April Roberts! Thanks so much for watching and supporting Origins Explained! If you are new here, be sure to subscribe and join the family! We'd love to have you! 4. The Lost Sintashta In Russia's Ural Mountains during the Bronze Age, the steps rolling through the vast countryside were home to many communities of early people. The Scythians lived here, and many smaller ethnic groups as well. There was one particular group of people who scientists currently find intriguing. They were warriors and excelled at shaping metal. They may have also been some of the first to design a battle chariot with spoked wheels. The issue is that nobody knows what they called themselves. They never left behind any written evidence of their existence. After the first archaeological remains were found near a river in Russia named Sintashta, scientists named them the Sintashta people. We know very little about their culture. They likely moved into the region from Iran about 4,200 years ago, which would make them related to the Persians. They could have been warlike, similar to the Abashevo culture. Ruins of their settlements have been found all over the grasslands. Now almost nothing remains, only the faintest shapes of the towns like scars on the earth. Whoever they were, the Sintashta people were a big deal. They created some of the world's first vehicle technology, chariots. They mined copper and shaped bronze. And judging by how many fortifications have been found near the Ural Mountains, scientists think they were a major military force. 3. Alexander the Great and the White Mummies In the desert of Taklamakan, located in China's Xinjiang province, mummies from 4,000 years ago were discovered. They are known either as the Tarim mummies or the White Mummies. They are the most unusual mummies found in the country because their skin is as white as spilled milk. The mummies are so amazingly preserved that their clothing is still intact, and even their facial expressions are still readable. It's a miracle considering they've been dead for 4,000 years. They weren't wrapped in bandages like Egyptian mummies, but preserved by the ruthless heat of the desert. When they were first found, researchers weren't sure what to think. It was clear by the faces of the mummies that they didn't come from Asia. Yet there they were, buried in a Chinese desert. Their eyes were different and their clothing looked more European. Researchers knew something weird was happening. The discovery had the potential to change history. Most of the White Mummies were found at the beginning of the 20th century by various European explorers. It wasn't until 2021 that science progressed to a level where the mystery of the Pale Mummies could be solved. That was when scientists did a full genomic study of the mummies and traced their heritage back to North Eurasia. But scientists still don't know where the mummies came from or what culture they belonged to. In the 2nd century BC, Chinese historian Sima Qian wrote something that could be related to the mummies. In his files, he described how the ambassador of Emperor Wang Shang Qian discovered a group of white-skinned people living in the Taklamakan Desert. They had beards, owned horses, and lived in a massive city. These pale strangers were likely from the same genetic material as the Tarim mummies. But unfortunately, all traces of them are gone. 2. The Saywite Monolith The Saywite Monolith is an incredible chunk of rock at the Saywite Archaeological Site in Peru. Not much is known about the site, only that it was the center for cultic worship of water during the reign of the Inca over 500 years ago. There was a great temple here that had thick columns banded in gold. It was a monumental place, and one of the most important to the Inca. There were priestesses who looked after the temple, and the whole place was very sacred. In the middle of the sacred ruin, because it is in ruins now, is the monolith. It contains over 200 figures – cats, reptiles, weird shapes. Some think it was a map because it's also sculpted with shapes that resemble ponds, roads, irrigation channels, and terraces. The function of the monolith is a total mystery. Dr. Arlen Andrews Sr. from New Mexico State University thinks the monolith was used as a blueprint to help design public water projects. It may have been a teaching tool for new engineers and technicians. Markings on the rock show it was edited multiple times. But at the end of the day, nobody knows what the thing was truly for. Any guesses? 1. The Mysteries of Evolution The truth of human evolution is one of the greatest historical mysteries that has yet to be solved. But scientists are getting closer. Homo sapiens developed in Africa around 300,000 years ago. They started to leave Africa 194,000 years ago. When human beings arrived in Europe, they met Neanderthals and Denisovans. These three groups then interbred with one another until they created modern humans. This is already known in the scientific community. But now a new discovery is shaking things up. Scientists analyzed modern human genomes from 44 members of the Nama group. They are a southern African group who uses clicking sounds as their main means of communication. They have been living in Africa for a very long time. The analysis showed the Nama are the descendants of two genetically distinct groups of humans who made it about 120,000 years ago. Population geneticist Simon Gravel says genetically distinct groups likely emerged because Africa is such a big continent. These were all still humans, but genetically different in certain regards. The creation of certain groups of people depended on who our ancient ancestors interbred with, meaning other species of ancient humans. Scientists think interbreeding is responsible for up to 4% of the genetic differences in the current human population. What are your thoughts on the mystery of our ancient ancestors? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for watching! Be sure to subscribe and come back soon for all the latest videos! See you later! Bye!