10 Mysterious Unexplained Ancient Artifacts

Throughout the ages, artifacts of immense power have been documented to exist. These artifacts range in description and purpose, but one thing that they all have in common is that they're far from average. The following items I'm going to tell you of either still exist, did once exist, or may have been lost in time, but they all are extremely mysterious in nature. Here are 10 mysterious unexplained ancient artifacts. Number 10 is the Miraculous Medal. On July 19th, 1830, the day before the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul in Paris, France, Saint Catherine Labore awoke to the sound of a child calling her name to the chapel. It was there that she received instructions from the Virgin Mary herself, a mission from God. After another visit from the apparition on November 27th, Labore designed the Miraculous Medal, an image of Mary on one side and a capital M woven into a cross in the altar on the other, explaining to the church that whoever wore it or a copy of it would receive great graces. In 1832, goldsmith Adrian Vachette began producing the medals, and almost instantly, the people who donned them began seeing their fortunes change. Although these medals are no longer produced, the original medals can still be found today if you're looking for some supernatural help. Number nine is the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Since the year 1751, the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the focus of several experiments and studies, yet it continues to leave scientists scratching their head. That's because this cloak, which belonged to a 57-year-old Mexican peasant named Juan Diego, is seemingly impossible to duplicate and, stranger still, impossible to destroy. The image of the cloak is that of the Virgin Mary with an intricacy in the detailing of her eyes that was apparently not attainable by artists at the time, or, for that matter, even this time. At 2 1⁄2 centuries old, the image has barely worn away at all. In fact, it has survived more than you could imagine. In 1921, a bombing of the Basilica in Guadalupe devastated almost every artifact within its walls, with one exception being the cloak. It was the only artifact in the vicinity that was undamaged. Number eight is the Blood of Saint Januarius. After his death in 305 AD, Saint Januarius, a bishop of Naples, blood was saved. In the 17th century, the blood was sealed in a glass ampule and stored in a shrine inside of Naples Cathedral, where it remains today. Three times a year, on September 19th, December 16th, and the Saturday before the first Sunday in May, a ritual is held at the cathedral in which the ampule is removed from the shrine and, before thousands of people's eyes, the dried blood liquefies again. On occasion, the blood remains dry, but it often comes hand-in-hand with bad news, such as the start of World War II in 1939, or in 1980, when southern Italy was hit by a deadly earthquake. How does the blood change in consistency so drastically? Well, that's anyone's guess, but the faithful feel that it's the power of God. Number seven is the Philosopher's Stone. You may have already heard of this relic from the first Harry Potter book, but make no mistake, that fictional story's centerpiece is actually based on an ancient artifact that supposedly exists out there in the real world. While some claim the first reference to the Philosopher's Stone was in Greece in 300 AD, others say it was God who told Adam of its wonder. Regardless, the stone is said to transmute base metals into gold or silver, turn crystals into precious gems, and heal any illness that the holder has. If a person eats even a scraping off the Philosopher's Stone, legend has it that they will be granted prolonged life, and if the stone is left next to a dead plant, it will actually bring it back to life. Though tales have been told of it being handed down through families or in the hands of the church, its true location is a mystery. Number six is the Ring of Charlemagne. Dubbed the Father of Europe and Charles the Great, Charlemagne united much of Europe during the Middle Ages, holding the title of Holy Roman Emperor for 13 years until his death on January 28th, 814 AD. During his rule, it was reported that he fell deeply in love with a German woman who soon after died. Charlemagne denied her a funeral worshiping her dead body, which incredibly did not break down. One day, an archbishop removed a ring from the woman's finger and immediately noticed that she began to decompose. After finally burying her, Charlemagne then began making advances at the archbishop, who realized it was the ring drawing the emperor's affection. He threw it into a lake, which Charles then worshiped until his death. However, the exact location of that ring is unknown. Number five is the Book of Toth. Said to have been authored by Toth, the Egyptian god of writing and knowledge, the Book of Toth is a powerful artifact from ancient times that can make a person supremely powerful and give them great gifts while also dealing out some of God's wrath. It legendarily grants the reader the ability to enchant the sky, the earth, the abyss, the mountains, and the sea. It's rumored to also contain spells that allow humans to understand the language of animals and even perceive the gods themselves. But the curse that Toth placed on it is said to be horrible, bringing death and misery along with these abilities. According to some scholars, the Book of Toth is not actually a single tome, but potentially as many as 36,525 of them. As with many other things on this list, the location of the book or books is completely unknown. Number four is the Hand of Glory. On display inside the Whitby Museum in North Yorkshire, England, is a truly disturbing relic that any thief would love to have in their possession. That relic is the Hand of Glory, the severed left hand of an executed criminal that's said to give its holder an assortment of abilities. Reportedly, these abilities include being able to see in perfect darkness while remaining unseen, holding other people in place, and even opening every lock it goes near. Oddly, this isn't necessarily the only one of its kind, as the display also includes a list of instructions on how to make another, a ritual that includes severing the hand, pickling it in a mixture of several different urines and vinegar, smoking it for three days, hanging it on an oak tree, then at a crossroads, and finally at a church. Technically, anyone can make one if they have the guts. Number three is the Spear of Destiny. Also known as the Holy Lance, the Spear of Destiny is both an incredible Christian artifact and the last thing we'd want to fall into any leader's hands. That's because if the legends are true, whoever holds the spear has the ability to rule the world. The reason this supernatural relic is so powerful is because it was the weapon that a Roman soldier pierced the body of Christ with to ensure that he was dead after being crucified. Since that time, those who have been suspected of possessing the Spear of Destiny have reportedly found great victory with it and then died very soon after losing it. In fact, it's believed that the spear was sought after and even possibly held for a short time by Adolf Hitler, bringing him short-lived victory before it abandoned him. Number two is the Holy Grail. One of the most, if not the most, sought-after relic on the planet is the Holy Grail. Said to be a goblet or a cup that was used to catch some of Jesus Christ's blood and sweat while he was being crucified, the grail has been described in a number of different ways, making it even more difficult to locate. Some say that it's made of wood, while others say it was clay or even a stone bowl. Legend tells of the many gifts drinking from the Holy Grail can grant a person. Allegedly, it can heal the body and soul, grant eternal youth, and make all of the drinker's troubles melt away from their mind, giving them clear thought and purpose. The true location of the grail today is under fierce debate and many churches and institutions claim that it rests within their walls. And number one is the Ark of the Covenant. Said to contain the two stone tablets on which Moses transcribed the word of God in the form of the Ten Commandments, the Ark of the Covenant is a wooden chest complete with a tight lid that's been covered in gold. It's said to be around 1.3 meters in length and possesses great power. Legend says that when priests carrying the Ark came upon a river blocking their path, the water dried up, only returning once they'd made it safely across. Another legend says that during the Battle of Jericho, it was carried around the city's perimeter for seven days, after which the walls and the city fell. It's believed that along with Moses' tablets, the chest also contains his brother Aaron's rod and a pot of manna, an edible substance God gave the Israelites to avoid starvation while crossing the desert for 40 years. And that's it. If you enjoyed this video and you'd like to see more like it in the future, subscribe to my channel and turn on notifications for my new uploads. Thank you for watching and I'll see you in the next video.