Mysterious Ancient Caves that Could Rewrite History

Caves are more than just hollow places in our earthly ground; they play a very indispensable role in the story of mankind. Aside from serving as a shelter for our earliest ancestors, ancient caves also serve as a rich source of many extraordinary artifacts, mysterious undeciphered symbols, and traces of unknown human civilizations in different parts of the world. For some old cultures, several of which still endure to this day, these caves were seen in a mystical and a magical light, while some archaeologists have discovered evidence in these places that raise several compelling and unanswered questions about our distant past.

And so, in this list, let us talk about seven of the most mysterious ancient caves that could re-write history as we know it.

2. Theopetra Cave – Thessaly, Greece

Located at the foot of the Chasia mountain range, which serves as the natural boundary between Thessaly and Macedonia prefectures, the Theopetra Cave is a unique archaeological site that holds many ancient secrets. The site contains one of the longest archaeological sequences in Greece as it contained cultural remains from the Middle and Upper Paleolithic as well as Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, bridging the Pleistocene epoch with the Holocene. Earliest estimation of human inhabitants in the cave dates back to 130,000 years ago, and the site is also the home to the oldest known example of man-made structure – an ancient stone wall that is believed to have been constructed 23,000 years ago as a probable barrier against cold winds. Excavations of the Theopetra Cave started in 1987, and over the years, more and more groundbreaking discoveries have been uncovered by experts in this ancient place.

2. Ciur-Izbuc Cave – Transylvania, Romania

In 1965, Ciur-Izbuc Cave in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania was found to contain around 400 ancient human footprints. At the time of its discovery, researchers were of the opinion that the footprints were made by a man, woman and child who was in the cave approximately 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. However, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, the ancient human footprints found in the Romanian cave are actually more than 35,000 years old. Radiocarbon testing on the bear bones found buried just beneath some of the footprints revealed that they are tens of thousands of years older than the initial estimate. To scientists, the footprints found in the Ciur-Izbuc Cave are evidence of the earliest known humans in Europe, which was only previously determined through the discovery of animal bones and stone tools.

3. Royston Cave – Hertfordshire, England

The Royston Cave is an artificial cave that was discovered in August 1742. When it was found, the cave was half-filled with dirt and rock, but once the earth was removed, they found several sculptures and carvings, which date as far back as 1200 AD. The images of the artifacts found in the cave are mostly religious in nature, including a depiction of the Holy Family and the Crucifixion. It remains unknown who created the artificial cave or what its purpose was when it was made, but there has been much speculation in answering this mystery. Some believe that the Royston Cave was used by the Knights Templar, while others think it may have been an Augustinian store mine. However, none of these theories have been substantiated yet, leaving the origin of the cave to continue as an enigma even until now.

4. Huashan Caves – Huangshan, China

Manually chiseled more than 1700 years ago, the Huashan caves are steeped in ancient and mysterious legends. Each cave ranges from 10 to 20 meters in height, with their variously-shaped stone columns supporting the ceilings. A total of 36 chambers have been found among the Huashan Hills, and their neatly chiseled walls and roofs, big pillars and stone stairs indicate that these caves were excavated by men. Because there are currently no historical records revealing why our ancestors in China dug the Huashan Caves, a variety of guesses have been presented in an attempt to resolve this mystery. Some believe the caves were dug to produce stone which probably had been used to build a nearby town. Another theory suggests that the caves were once used to station troops. There is also speculation that the caves were used as imperial tombs but were somehow abandoned later on. However, despite these interesting guesses, the true purpose of the Huashan Caves remains a mystery left unanswered by modern man.

5. Ellora Caves – Maharashtra, India

Situated not far from Aurangabad, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, the site is home to 34 monasteries and temples, extending over a distance of more than 2 kilometers. Unlike past examples in history, where the dominant religion of a particular time and place brought down the temples and structures of other groups, replacing them with their own, the Ellora Caves is proof that tolerance, acceptance, and co-existence of different religions are possible. The caves are a unique sanctuary that blends the art and culture of three religions – Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. It is unclear when these caves were built, but estimates range from between 200 B.C. and 600 A.D. to 600 A.D. and 1000 A.D.

6. Piyang Caves – Tibet

The Piyan Caves are among the most important caves of Tibet, situated in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau and close vicinity of the sacred Mount of Kailash. There are over 1,100 caves at the site of different shapes and sizes – some are habitation sites, while other locations are believed to be meditation or ritual caves governed by gods and spirits. Humans inhabited the Tibetan Plateau at least 21,000 years ago, so there are speculations that numerous ancient artifacts and relics are hidden in the caves, tunnels, dark subterranean passages and other mysterious areas at the site, many of which have yet to be localized. The Piyang region covers an area of 10,000 square meters, making it difficult to explore. In the many temples built in the vicinity, there are prehistoric castle walls, murals, sculptures, pagodas and Buddhist niches filled with priceless paintings. However, no one really knows for sure where all the ancient scriptures, historical paper scrolls and prehistoric books believed to be safeguarded in the caves are really hidden.

7. Denisova Cave – Siberia, Russia

Located in the northwestern Altai Mountains some 6 kilometers away from the village of Chernyi Anui, the Denisova Cave is a rock shelter where a series of scientific discoveries on man’s origins have been made in recent years. In 2008, a finger bone fragment of a juvenile female – referred to as the “X woman” – was found at the site. Experts have estimated that the female lived around 41,000 years ago, and analysis has indicated that this creature was genetically distinct from Neanderthals and modern humans. This previously unknown and long extinct hominin species or subspecies has been named Denisovan after the cave where the bone fragment was discovered. In 2010, analysis on an upper molar from a young adult which was found in the cave ten years earlier was also determined to be from a Denisova hominin. The cave is located in a region thought to have also been inhabited concurrently in the past by Neanderthals and modern humans, making the site the one place we know so far where all three human forms have lived at one time or another.

The ancient caves we have mentioned are just a few of many archaeological sites that have the potential to rewrite history as we know it. These ancient sites and their abundant resources of historical and archaeological evidences are still being extensively explored and studied until now, as many believe that these caves still hide an abundance of secrets and discoveries that could fill the missing pieces in the origins of humanity.

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Sources:

http://www.messagetoeagle.com/10-mysterious-ancient-caves-that-could-re-write-history/
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places/ten-amazing-caves-ancient-world-002957?nopaging=1
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/ancient-secrets-of-the-theopetra-cave-worlds-oldest-man-made-structure-and-home-to-humans-130000-years-ago/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theopetra_cave
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-evolution-human-origins/oldest-european-human-footprints-romanian-cave-102003
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/unanswered-questions-related-to-the-mysterious-huashan-caves/
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/magnificent-ellora-caves-india-001605
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/ancient-secrets-hidden-in-the-piyang-caves-mysterious-sacred-caves-of-tibet/
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/first-unique-view-inside-denisova-cave-ancient-history/#.V9Mi4_mLSM9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisova_Cave
https://www.thoughtco.com/denisova-cave-only-evidence-denisovan-people-170604

The Mysterious World and History of the Knights Templar

The Knights Templar were a secret society whose true purpose remains hotly debated among scholars and historians even up to this day. Their story has been the subject of many legends and mysteries, capturing the fascination and curiosity of people throughout the ages.

Were the Templars sent to the Holy Land in Jerusalem to protect Christians on pilgrimages, or were they tasked to accomplish secret missions by higher authorities to search for lost artifacts and buried treasure in sacred temples and other holy sites?

The Templars left behind many clues of their existence which have since been passed down from one generation to another, with the memory of their legacy enduring until our modern era. Today in Europe, there are hundreds of sites and establishments scattered across the continent that used to belong to the Knights Templar – proof of the extent of their power and influence several centuries ago. At their peak, there were approximately 15,000 Templar houses with a vast network stretching from England to Europe, with its center of power located France – a country that was once the heart of the medieval world.

Looking back at their place in history, the legacy of the Knights Templar can be traced to their humble beginnings, their exceptional growth and rise to power, and the tragic decline of their significance.

Origins of the Knights Templar

After Christian fighters recovered Jerusalem during the First Crusade in 1099, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe began to visit the Holy Land. Although the city of Jerusalem was relatively safe and secure under the Catholic Church’s control, the rest of the Outremer or the Crusader states were not. Bandits and marauding highwaymen preyed upon pilgrims, who were routinely robbed and slaughtered – sometimes by the hundreds – as they tried to reach the interior of the Holy Land.

And so, in 1119, Hugues de Payens and eight other knights offered their services to the patriarch of Jerusalem to protect these Christians on pilgrimages who are headed for the Holy Land. De Payens approached King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and Warmund, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and proposed the creation of a monastic order for the protection of these pilgrims. The King and the Patriarch Warmund agreed to this request, and the king granted the Templars a headquarters in a wing of the royal palace on the Temple Mount located in the captured Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is believed to be above the ruins of the Temple of Solomon.

The Crusaders referred to the Al-Aqsa Mosque as Solomon’s Temple, and from this location, the new monastic order took the name of “Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon,” or “Templar” knights, or “Knights of the Temple.”

Official Establishment of the Knights Templar

For the first decade since their establishment, the Knights Templar were few in number, and the order had few financial resources and could only rely on donations to survive. However, their impoverished status did not last long thanks to their powerful advocate Saint Bernard of Clairvaux – a leading Church figure who is primarily responsible for the founding of the Cistercian Order of monks. In 1129, Bernard led a group of influential churchmen to officially approve and endorse the order on behalf of the church. With the Templars’ formal recognition and official establishment, the order became a favored charity throughout Christendom, receiving plenty of land and money, and with many noble-born sons from powerful families joining the organization to help with the fight in and concerning the Holy Land.

It also helped the Templars’ cause when in 1139, Pope Innocent II’s papal bull ‘‘Omne Datum Optimum” exempted the order from obeying the local laws. This allowed the Templars to freely pass through all boarders; to avoid paying any taxes; and to be exempt from all authority except that of the pope. Now with a clear mission, abundant resources, and limited restrictions, the order grew rapidly and became very wealthy. And for two hundred years, the Knights Templar was the most powerful order in the medieval world.

Templar Organization

The Knights Templar were organized as a monastic order, and its organizational structure had a strong chain of authority. The Templars were led by a Grand Master, who is appointed for life and who oversaw both the order’s military efforts in the East and their financial holdings in the West.  His deputy was referred to as the Seneschal, which is followed in authority by the Marshal. The Marshal was responsible for individual commanders, horses, arms, equipment and ordering supplies.

The Commander of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, on the other hand, was the treasurer and he shared a certain authority with the Grand Master which served the purpose of balancing his power. Other cities also had their own Commanders, fulfilling specific regional responsibilities.

There was a threefold division of the ranks of the Templars: the noble knights, the non-noble sergeants, and the chaplains. The noble knights were equipped as the heavy cavalry and were the most visible branch of the Templars. The sergeants, on the other hand, brought many vital skills and trades to the order, serving as blacksmiths and builders, while also administering many of the order’s European properties. In the Crusader states, they fought alongside the noble knights as light cavalry. The chaplains constituted a third Templar class, and they were ordained priests who handled the spiritual needs of the order. All three classes wore the order’s signature red cross, with the knights wearing white mantles and the sergeants wearing black or brown clothing.

The Knights Templar as the First Western Multinational Corporation

Although the primary mission of the Knights Templar was military in nature, many of them acted in support positions which involve the management of the order’s financial infrastructure. While the members of the Templar Order were sworn to individual poverty, they were also given control over massive wealth that go beyond direct donations. Those who were interested in participating in the Crusades were given the option of placing all of their assets under Templar management while they were away. In this manner, the Knights Templar accumulated wealth throughout Christendom and the Outremer.

Then in 1150, the order devised a system which allowed pilgrims to travel without cash and valuables, generating letters of credit to those who are journeying to the Holy Land. Pilgrims deposited their possessions with a local Templar preceptory before departing for the Holy Land, and they received, in turn, a document indicating the value of their deposit. This letter of credit can then be used upon arrival in the Holy Land to retrieve their funds in an amount of treasure with the same value as their deposit. The Templar's innovative system was a model for today’s banking system with money transfers, pension plans, traveler’s checks, and more.

Because of many donations and their various business dealings, the order acquired large tracts of land in Europe and the Middle East; they bought and managed farms and vineyards; they built several stone cathedrals and castles; and at one point, they even owned the entire island of Cyprus. The immense wealth of the Knights Templar made them the prominent bankers of their age and arguably qualified them as the world’s first multinational corporation.

Decline

In the mid-12th century, the tide began to turn in the Crusades, with the Muslims becoming more united under effective leadership while dissent arose among the Christian factions. The occasional disputes among the Knights Templar, the Knights Hospitaller and the Teutonic Knights, and decades of internal feuds weakened the political and military positions of the Christians. With the failure of the Crusades and the subsequent closures of the passage to the Holy Land, the Templar order soon lost its founding purpose, becoming a standing army roaming Europe with no battle to fight and no one to answer to. This brought the Templars a lot of attention, and because of their wealth and political power, they became the target of other powerful forces that saw them as a threat to the power structure in the continent.

In 1302, King Philip IV of France came into conflict with the pope. To strike a crippling blow against the papacy and to gain wealth to fund war efforts, the king waged a vicious and skillful campaign aimed at suppressing the Templars for good. And so, on Friday, October 13, 1307 – which is notoriously referred to as “Friday the 13th” – all the Knights Templar in France were arrested by agents of King Philip. He also ordered that any member of the order still residing in the country to be thrown into prison where they were subjected to intense physical torture until they confessed to accusations of heresy, homosexuality and dishonest business activities. It is very likely that these confessions were completely untrue, but following these admissions and the scandal that smeared the Church’s reputation, Pope Clement V issued a Papal command to all Christians in 1312 ordering the disbandment of the Knights Templar.

With the last of the leaders of the order removed from power, the remaining Templars around Europe were either arrested and tried under the Papal investigation, absorbed into other military orders like the Knights Hospitaller or pensioned off and allowed to live the remainder of their days in peace. By papal decree, the properties managed by the Templars were transferred to the Knights Hospitaller since the military order absorbed many of the Templars’ members.

Given their fascinating military mission and their extensive financial resources and social significance during its period of existence, the Knights Templar have become associated with legends concerning secrets and mysteries that have allegedly been handed down to a select few from ancient times. For example, while most historians agree that the Knights Templar fully disbanded 700 years ago, there are those who argue that the order had been operating underground and remains in existence even to this day. This belief is further perpetuated by fictional embellishments that have been added in various materials in popular culture such as “The Da Vinci Code,” “Indiana Jones,” and “Assassin’s Creed.”

While the hypotheses about the Knights Templar presented in these fictional stories are undeniably intriguing, mainstream history still maintains that the order of the Knights Templar didn’t suddenly vanish or hide away their treasures to covertly continue their operations until today. What happened, in reality, was a gradual transition over several years of the Templar's decline and their member’s subsequent integration with the Knights Hospitaller or peaceful retirement away from the military operations of the Catholic Church.

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Sources:

http://www.ancient-origins.net/history/mystery-knights-templars-protectors-or-treasure-hunters-secret-mission-002971?nopaging=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14493a.htm
http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/who-were-the-knights-templar
http://www.crystalinks.com/templars1.html
https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4508
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-knights-templar-warrior-monks-1789433