Three Mysterious findings 2010-2015 Vol. 1

I'm sure all of us have heard this at some point: "there is not much left to discover anymore". A clearly mistaken assumption and, since this year is pretty much done, I thought about making a list with some interesting and mysterious findings that took place during 2010-2015. Off we go!

A fresco showing a procession of boats to an island
with a major complex built upon a central volcanic dome

Orichalcum found in a shipwreck. 
(Sicilian Coast)

Right at the beginning of this year (2015) word spread that, in Sicily, a group of divers had found nearly 40 ingots of orichalcum, a "legendary" metal fabled to be the source of power that catapulted the ancient civilization of Atlantis. 

Gela, island of Sicily. Source: Rodolfo Placenti

The accounts of orichalcum are included in Plato's Critias dialogue and it was said to be present in the Temple of Solomon. The word itself derives from Greek oreikhalkos (mountain of copper). In more accurate descriptions, experts believe orichalcum is a bronze alloy with a golden hue. Modern analysis of the found ingots revealed a matching composition of 75-80% copper, 15-20% zinc, and other small traces. Furthermore, some speculate that the ingots were on their way to the city of Gela, which throughout history have been a center of craftsmanship, to be refined even more.

"We knew orichalcum from ancient text and few ornamental objects, [but] nothing similar has ever been found" said Sebastiano Tusa of Sicily's Sea Office.


Sword with cryptic inscription
(Lincolnshire, UK)

A double-edge sword, 13th century, found in Lincolnshire.
Source: British Museum

The British Library is asking for help in deciphering an inscription carved on a medieval sword. This sword was found in 1825, but it wasn't until now that they have it for public display.

The weapon is considered of German manufacture, but somehow ended up in England. But without any doubt the most intriguing feature is the undecipherable inscription that one of its edges carries.

Inscription's Detail

 +NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+

Could you imagine if it was just some medieval stupid joke?

Triceratops Horn with soft tissue

(Montana, US)

Triceratops horn dated 33,500 years.

Last but not least (in fact I think is the "most"). What is believed to be the largest triceratops horn extracted from the excavation site of Hell Creek was found by researcher Mark Armitage in 2012. During post-examination traces of soft tissue were discovered on the sample. "It indicates that dinosaurs roamed the earth only thousands of years in the past rather than going extinct millions of years ago."

Official voices tell us that the fossil dates around 33,500 years old, but some even assure that it is 4,000 years at most.

I would also want to point out that Armitage seems to have deep religious convictions and that his information isn't free of bias. But still intriguing though.

Did our ancestors ride on dinosaurs?