Kusanagi: The Sacred Sword of Myth, Magic, and History

The sword of Kusanagi, the storied sword that completes the Imperial Regalia of Japan, is the stuff of ancient history and timeless legends abound by gods, monsters, and the few mortals who dared wield its piercing magic. But is the sword of Kusanagi, its very existence, part of real-life history? Or is this most storied blade fashioned only from tall tales forged brilliantly into an enduring legend? For us to arrive at answers, we must first take our journey back to a much, much earlier point in time. 

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The Imperial Regalia: The Three Great Treasures of Japan

Green Shinto

The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, or grass-cutting sword, makes one of the three Imperial Regalia, The Great Treasures of Japan. Along with the Kusanagi sword, the other Regalia objects consist of The Regalia Mirror Yata-no-Kagami and the Regalia Jewel Yasakani-no-Magatama. The Imperial Regalia is said to embody the three primary virtues central to the ancient and now modern Japanese society.  While the Yasakani Jewel embodies benevolence, and the Yata Mirror represents wisdom, the Kusanagi Sword is the very embodiment of valor. 

Ever since the 7th century, the presentation of The Regalia Objects to the Emperor by a priest has been an essential element to the enthronement ceremony. The enthronement ceremony is a highly private tradition in which only the emperor and selected priests have the privilege of actually laying their eyes on the sacred treasures. Two of the three treasures, the Yasakani Jewel and the Kusanagi Sword, were last seen in 1989 during the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Akihito. 

Before it was known as the Kusanagi, the sacred sword carried a different name—Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, which translates to Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven. The legendary sword’s origin is one that extends to an equally legendary battle that went down between the Storm God Susanoo and the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. 

Once in time, according to ancient Japanese lore, there existed a fearsome eight-headed serpent named Yamata-no-Orochi.  For the longest time, the monster-serpent wreaked havoc to the province of Izumo, while it terrorized the province’s ruling Ashinazuchi family. The ruling family had nine daughters, and the serpent having devoured eight of them, was coming for the last Ashinazuchi daughter. Not wanting to lose another daughter, the head of the family sought the help of the then exiled Storm God Susanoo.  

Drachen Wiki

Upon hearing the story, the Storm God Susanoo wasted no time and tracked down and attacked the eight-headed beast. His valiant efforts, however, were in vain. Orochi proved to be a formidable beast, and the Storm God was ultimately forced to retreat. Although defeated at the moment, Susanoo wasted no time as he started to devise his next plan of attack against the serpent Orochi. 

Susanoo’s plan was as cunning as it was simple. The Storm God planned on getting each of Orochi’s eight heads drunk. And so, the Storm God Susanoo went on with the preparations. He had arranged eight giant bowls of sake, Japanese rice wine, to lure out the eight-headed serpent. Orochi took the bait and fell for the trap. 

Intoxicated and asleep, the beast was defenseless when Susanoo attacked, ferociously decapitating each of Orochi’s eight heads. To make certain that Orochi was unable to regenerate and return, Susanoo with his sword chopped off the serpent’s tails. Olden stories have it that it is in one of the Orochi’s tails that Susanoo recovered a second sword, the legendary sword which at the moment he named Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, or Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven. 

Yamato Takeru: The First Kusanagi Swordsman

Wikipedia

The Sun God Susanoo did not keep custody of the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi for very long. Although a god, Susanoo was banished from heaven because of a long-standing quarrel with his sister Ameterasu, Goddess of the Sun. Wanting to make peace with Ameterasu, Susanoo gifted the Sword of Gathering Clouds to her as a peace offering thus ending his long exile. 

Entire generations have come and gone. And many generations soon after, the Sword of Gathering Clouds changed hands once more when the Sun Goddess Ameterasu presented the sword to the great warrior Yamato Takeru, the son of Emperor Keiko—the 12th Emperor of Japan. It was in the hands of Takeru that the sword claimed its present name. It was also in the hands of the great warrior that the Kusanagi extended its existence deep into the imperial line of Japan. 

According to the legend, Takeru first discovered of the sword’s magic during a hunting expedition when a rival warlord lured him onto an open grassland. The warlord had his men shoot flaming arrows, thus setting the grass ablaze, and trapping Takeru in the fiery landscape. 

Moments away from burning to his death, Yamato Takeru drew the Sword of Gathering Clouds. With a series of wild swings, he used it to cut down the grass and clear a path that he can use to escape. Olden stories tell that it was during Takeru’s desperate attempt to escape the fiery grassland that he first discovered the Kusanagi’s magical ability to control the wind. Taking advantage of its new found magic, Takeru used the Sword of Gathering Clouds to gain control of the wind and sweep the great big fire across the landscape to the direction of the rival warlord and his men. 

Celebrating his victory over the treacherous warlord and commemorating his narrow escape from death, Takeru changed the name of the sword from Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven to Grass Cutting Sword—The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. At that moment Yamato Takeru became the first man to wield the legendary Kusanagi sword. And since then, the Kusanagi bestowed upon its wielder the supreme power to be most powerful ruler in all of Japan. It is for this very reason that the Kusanagi sword, along with other Regalia Objects, are presented in the enthronement ceremony when a new Japanese Emperor assumes power.  

Historical Accounts of the Kusanagi

Sacred Texts

The earliest mention of the Kusanagi sword appeared in the ancient Japanese text, Kojiki. However, since Kojiki is a collection of Japanese myths, the text in it describing the existence of the Kusanagi is regarded less as a historical account and more as a work of early Japanese fiction. 

The first reliable historical mention of the sword is found in the Nihonshoki. Although parts of this book consist of mythological stories, the Nihonshoki prominently contains sections that recorded real-life historical events that were contemporary to its writing. In the Nihonshoki, it was the written that the Kusanagi was removed from the Imperial Palace in Nara in 668 AD after the sword was suspected to cause Emperor Tenmu’s ill health. Having been removed from the Imperial Palace, the Kusanagi was the sent to the Atsuta Shrine to be safeguarded by Shinto priests. 

Originally built 1900 years ago, the Atsuta Shrine is among the most prominent places of worship from the time of ancient Japan. As the Atsuta Shine underwent major repairs during the Edo period, the Great Grand Shinto priest Matsuoka Masanao claimed that he was able to witness the legendary blade in the flesh. Upon describing the sword, Matsuoka detailed what became the most popular account of the Kusanagi: 

 “A stone box was in the wooden box of length 150 cm, a red earth had been stuffed into a gap, a cored camphor tree log like a box shape was seen in the stone box, and gold was laid out, the sword was placed on it. A red earth was also stuffed between the stone box and the camphor tree box. The sword was about 84 cm long, shaped like calamus, the middle of the sword had a thickness, and from the grip, about 18cm is like a fish spine, fashioned in a white metallic color, and well maintained.” 

Almost immediately after witnessing the Kusanagi, the Great Grand Priest Matsuoka was banished from the Shrine, while several Shinto priests died strange deaths. 

The Tale of the Heike

Artelino

After the sword’s possession by Yamato Takeru, there are few other stories that make prominent mention of past whereabouts of the Kusanagi. In The Tale of the Heike, a 14th-century collection of Japanese epic oral poetry, the Kusanagi sword is said to have been lost at sea following the defeat of the Kusanagi owners Heike clan and the child emperor Antoku in the Naval Battle of Dan-no-Ura. 

In the story, the Emperor's grandmother upon gathering the news of their clan’s defeat led the Emperor and his men to commit suicide by jumping into the waters. It was said that the emperor’s grandmother took with her two of the Three Sacred Treasures—the Regalia Jewel Yasakani-no-Magatama, and the Regalia Sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The Regalia Mirror, meanwhile, stayed with a lady servant. 

Stories tell that while the Regalia Jewel was salvaged in its casket floating at sea, the Kusanagi Sword was lost forever to the great waters.  The historical reliability of this account, however, is regarded as questionable as the Tale of Heike was written 200 years well after the actual Battle of Dan-no-Ura took place. In those 200 years, more than a few replicas of the Three Sacred Treasures were made and lost when rival members of the royal family soldiered their way into power. It is widely thought that the Imperial Regalia lost in the Battle of Dan-no-Ura were mere replicas, as the original Regalia Objects remained tucked away in the Atsuta Shrine. 

The Kusanagi Today

Smashing Lists

Today, it is believed that the Kusanagi sword remains safeguarded, as it was in the ancient times, well within the walls of the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya. The sword’s last known appearance in modern history was when it was presented to Emperor Akihito, along with the Regalia Jewel, in his enthronement ceremony in 1989. And even then both imperial objects remained practically unseen as both were shrouded in packages.  

Whether or not the Kusanagi, and the rest of the Imperial Regalia, still exist in their original incarnations can only be the subject of wild and probably endless speculations. Perhaps the only thing that holds some semblance of certainty is that these ancient, sacred relics—part-myth and part-history in their very existence—have shaped Japan in the most real way imaginable. 
 

Blood Splatter Discovered On Shroud Of Turin, Could Belong To Jesus Christ

Along with the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny, the Shroud of Turin is one of the most sacred religious relics on the planet. The piece of linen, measuring 53 square feet and containing the faint image of a man, is believed by millions of Christians from around the world to be the cloth Jesus himself was buried in after death.

Ever since a photo negative of the linen captured by Italian amateur photographer Secondo Pia revealed an image of a body over 100 years ago, scores of researchers have analyzed the image as well as the blood stains and fabric to try and confirm or dismiss the linen’s authenticity. But after years and years of studies, tests, and debates, they came to the conclusion that it is still hard to tell. No one knows for sure. Some say the blood on the cloth belongs to Jesus while some claim that the face of Jesus was painted on by counterfeiters in medieval times. 

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The biggest focal point for skeptics is a carbon-14 dating conducted in 1988 where a small piece of fabric from the corner of the shroud was sent to labs at the University of Oxford, the University of Arizona, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. All three places confirmed that the material dated back to 1260 and 1390, which is more than a thousand years after Jesus was alive. That seemed like a huge piece of evidence to dismiss the authenticity of the shroud, but soon researchers found that the carbon dating that came from the top edge of the shroud produced a much different date than a piece taken from the bottom edge of the cloth. 

But here’s the thing: even if the image was from medieval times and not from the time of Jesus, there is still the mystery of how the image of the man was created in the first place. Every scientific attempt at replicating the image has failed so far. This has caused the shroud of Turin to become not only one of the most sacred relics but also one of the most mysterious.

Recently, researchers in Italy analyzing the shroud of Turin have discovered the blood of a torture victim on the cloth, thus supporting claims it may have been used to bury Jesus. The new findings, titled New Biological Evidence from Atomic Resolution Studies on the Turin Shroud, was published in a US scientific journal that was carried out by The Instituto Officina dei Materiali in Trieste and the Institute of Crystallography in Bari.

The study says that the cloth contains 'nanoparticles' usually not found in the blood of someone healthy. According to Elvio Carlino, a researcher at the Institute of Crystallography in Bari, Italy the cloth reveals the 'great suffering' of a victim 'wrapped up in the funeral cloth.'

According to professor Giulio Fanti of the University of Padua, the blood contained high levels of creatinine and ferritin, substances found in patients who have suffered from devastating traumas like torture. According to him, 'the presence of these biological nanoparticles found during our experiments point to a violent death for the man wrapped in the Turin Shroud.'

The Shroud of Turin has been an intensely debated topic in the world of science ever since. If these findings are true, then they will completely shatter the skeptic theory that image on the cloth was forged by counterfeits.

Elvio also said that 'these findings could only be revealed by the methods recently developed in the field of electron microscopy' and  'the nanoscale properties of a pristine fiber taken from the Turin Shroud.'

Even though this study sheds a bit of light on this ancient mystery, there are still numerous questions that we have yet to answer. Was this shroud the same exact cloth Jesus Christ was buried inside when he died? How was the image of the man created on the cloth created?

Italian physicist Paolo Di Lazzaro told National Geographic: “It is unlikely science will provide a full solution to the many riddles posed by the shroud...A leap of faith over questions without clear answers is necessary—either the ‘faith’ of skeptics, or the faith of believers.”

If you want to see the shroud for yourself, it is currently on display at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Turin. At the moment, we can only wait for more evidence regarding the Turin's Shroud before we fully reveal it's mysterious origins. 

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Sources:

• https://www.rt.com/viral/396609-turin-shroud-blood-torture/ 
• https://www.livescience.com/52567-shroud-of-turin-dna.html 
• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150417-shroud-turin-relics-jesus-catholic-church-religion-science/ 

Perfectly Preserved Body Found of 1,000-year-old Buddhist Master Ci Xian

Something mysterious has been discovered at the Dinghui Temple in Wu'an in the Hubei province of China. A golden mummy, the preserved remains of Master Ci Xian that is over 1,000 years old, underwent a CT scan on July 8, 2017, that was witnessed by monks, media and prayers . To everyone's surprise, researchers found that he still had a complete brain and that his bones were also really healthy.

According to Dr. Wu Yongqing who conducted the scan:

"We can see his bones are as healthy as a normal person's...The upper jaw, the upper teeth, the ribs, the spine and all the joints are all complete...It's incredible to see this."

According to historical records, Master Ci Xian was a well-respected monk from India who had translated 10 major sutras into Chinese and traveled from India to the Kingdom of Khitan (which is in modern day northeastern China) in an effort to promote Buddhism. Some of his translations were carved into stone tablets that can still be seen today. After his death, Master Ci Xian’s disciples preserved his body well. But over the years, the body was somehow lost, never to be found until it was rediscovered in a cave in the 1970s. 

Master Ci Xian’s remains were worshiped at the Dinghui Temple since 2011, and in 2016 the temple covered his body in gold paint as a sign of respect. According to Master Du at the Ding Hui temple, elderly monks can feel when they are about to pass away and will instruct their disciples to either cremate or preserve their remains. If preserved, his remains would be placed in a massive ceramic jar filled with natural preservatives. If the spiritual level of the monk is high enough, or there is a lot of cultivated energy within the monk’s body, then it would be soaked in the liquid for about 3 years. After that, the body will be removed from the liquid and covered in rice paste.

This may seem really strange to a lot of people but it is believed that all monks are cultivators with the goal of reaching enlightenment. And as they are cultivating, they are generating energy within their bodies. As the energy grows, it will start to change the cultivator’s body from a fundamental level. Often times, when a monk cultivates to a high level, pearl-like substances are left behind his ashes when he is cremated. The pearls are called sarira and are considered sacred and precious. Throughout human history and its billions of cremations, it was only high level cultivators who were able to leave sariras behind.

5 REAL Places That Could Be PORTALS To Another DIMENSION

We live in a world full of tales and myths of wonder and mystery. Some of these stories are nothing more than the impressive work of our human imagination, while others are founded on mankind’s creative attempt to make sense of things that are beyond people’s existing knowledge and understanding of a particular time. But, of course, there are also those that are not completely far-fetched from being true, and given our curious nature and our openness to consider a limitless array of possibilities, some of us consider these myths and legends quite believable, if not as undeniably true.

And since we’re on the topic of plausible conjecture, I would like to talk about an enduring speculation by some people that are getting more and more support from the scientific community and is just waiting for an acceptable empirical evidence in order to be confirmed. I am referring to the hypothesis that there could be actual portals on our planet that could potentially lead to other worlds or dimensions.

The widespread conversation and debate regarding where or not there are such things as parallel worlds or other dimensions and that there could be portals located in different parts of the globe which lead to them are not a recent development. The idea of parallel universes and various planes of existence have been entertained by the brightest minds of our ancient past and can be gleaned from deep-rooted spiritual practices and religious beliefs. But in our modern era, some people have even gone so far as to identify which areas on the face of the earth are currently hiding actual portals, stargates or passageways which grant mortal men access to worlds and dimensions beyond our own.

And so, without further ado, here are five real places on Earth that could be portals to other dimensions.   

Abu Ghurab - Egypt

Located south of Cairo, Egypt and situated on the rim of the desert plateau on the western bank of the longest river in the world, the Nile, the Abu Ghurab or “the crow’s nest” is an archaeological site comprising of the sun temples of the pharaohs Nyuserre Ini and Userkaf, both of which were built in the 25th century BCE during the Egyptian period of the Old Kingdom.

The site is regarded as one of the most precious ancient treasures of Egypt and is arguably one of the most amazing archaeological locations on the planet. But more than these glorifying labels, it is also believed by some people that this site is home to one of the oldest stargates that can be found across the globe. Somewhere within Abu Ghurab, an ancient platform crafted from alabaster was uncovered. Alabaster is a gemstone made of calcite regarded by ancient Egyptians as the precious stone of the sun gods, and was thought to be in sync with the vibrations of the Earth. And so, it is believed that the site of Abu Ghurab was actually constructed for the purpose of elevating people’s spiritual awareness which consequently allowed them to communicate and link with the sacred energies of the universe, known as the Neters.

What’s interesting about the idea of communicating with the Neters through vibrations is that it is quite similar with the oral legends of Cherokee Native Americans which speak of formless “thought beings” that would travel to Earth from the Pleiades star cluster by riding sound waves. Add this to the speculation that advanced technology was used to construct the site, it is not surprising that this ancient Egyptian location is considered to be a possible portal to another world or dimension.  

Sedona Vortexes - Arizona, USA

Sedona is a city located somewhere in the northern Verde Valley expanse of the state of Arizona. At one point, this area was referred to by the Native American tribes as Nawanda, and regarded it as a sacred city. It is believed that that red rocks of the city’s desert are “spiritually charged,” and that there is a high concentration of “spiritual vortices” in this region.

A vortex is an area of highly-concentrated energy that rises from the earth, and these “vortexes” are thought to be portals or passageways for celestial beings and terrestrial spirits. For those who believe in the existence of these vortexes, they can tell that they have encountered one when they sense vibrations from the ground and they feel a range of tingling sensation on their skin, particularly on the nape of the neck and the shoulder blades. New Age proponents believe that Sedona has these power spots and vortexes in abundance, making the mountains of Arizona the home of the purported “doorway to the gods” that transports beings to and from another time and space. This is also the reason why Sedona is a very popular destination for people with spiritual and metaphysical interests.  

Ancient Stone Arrangement - Michigan, USA

Back in 2007, while scientists were looking to examine old boat wrecks, they discovered a Stonehenge-like stone structures standing on the floor of Lake Michigan, near Transverse City in the state of Michigan in the United States. These structures were discovered by Mark Holly, a professor of underwater archaeology at Northwestern Michigan University, and are believed to be 9,000 years old. Another interesting detail about the archaeological find is that one of its stones had a carving of a mastodon – an elephant-like creature that became extinct more than 10,000 years ago.

The exact location of the stone structures has not been disclosed to the public by the researchers who discovered the archaeological site out of respect to the local Native American tribes who want to limit the number of people visiting the area. Although the exact age and archaeological relevance of the Stonehenge-like site is still heavily debated by mainstream scientists until now, some people believe that the ancient stone arrangement could be a stargate or a portal since the area is also known for the mysterious disappearances of boats and ships that sailed on the lake. Some of these boats have completely vanished along with its crew while others stayed afloat on its waters for days. However, the people aboard them, for some unknown reason, turned out to have disappeared without a trace.

Stonehenge - Wiltshire, England

It’s safe to say that the Stonehenge is one of the most popular ancient rock structures in the world, and it is also no secret that this famous tourist destination in the United Kingdom has been the subject of intense debate over the date of when it was built as well as the true purpose it served after its construction.

Mainstream historians will tell you that this bizarre rock formation was built around 5,000 years in the past. As for how it was constructed, they say that they were built partly from bluestones and that these stones were excavated and transported from a quarry site located 240 miles away. On the other hand, less conventional experts will tell you that the Stonehenge is much older than the first settlements that were established in the area 5,000 years ago, with some going so far as to claim that the ancient site is actually an energy portal. It is believed by some people that the location of the Stonehenge has a strategic and spiritual significance because 14 ley lines converge to where the rock structures stand, which, consequently, form a powerful vortex.

While this theory may seem like a bit of a stretch, there is one story in the late 20th century that somehow supports the suggestion that the Stonehenge could be a stargate or a portal. In August 1971, a group of people at the ancient site suddenly vanished following the sudden formation of a violent storm and the successive appearance of several bolts of lightning from the sky. Later, when a policeman passed by the site, not a single person was found in the vicinity of the Stonehenge other than a few tents and a soaked campfire.

Gate of the Gods - Hayu Marca, Peru

Back in 1996, local tour guide Jose Luis Delgado Mamani accidentally rediscovered an ancient site situated in the vicinity of Lake Titicaca and near the mountain-filled region of Hayu Brand in Peru while he was exploring the area for his job. The region itself is venerated by the local natives as the “city of the gods” and researchers are of the opinion that several monuments could be uncovered beneath its surface.

What Mamani found in this sacred area, in particular, is a gigantic door-like carving on the face of the Hayu Marca Mountain, and is referred to as “Puerta de Hayu Marca,” which when translated in English means “The Gate to the Gods.” The colossal “gate” measures 22 feet by 22 feet, or seven meters tall and seven meters wide. A smaller “doorway” can be found in the center of the gate at its base, which is only 6.5 feet or two meters high.

According to Native American legends, the Puerta de Hayu Marca is the “gateway to the lands of the gods,” and that heroic mortals pass through the smaller door to meet the gods in their realm or domain. Consequently, by passing through the doorway, these heroes are granted immortality and get to live among the gods. The larger gate, on the other hand, was used by the gods themselves when they occasionally accompanied the immortal men in instances that they returned to Earth to visit their kingdoms.

There is also another legend that tells the tale of Aramu Maru, an Incan priest who served in the temple of the Seven Rays. As the story goes, Aramu Maru fled the temple in the 16th century to escape from the Spanish conquerors that arrived in Peru. He brought along with him a magical golden disk referred to as the “Key of the Gods of the Seven Rays.” He headed for the mountain of Hayu Marca where he performed a ritual with Shaman priests to open the smaller doorway of the Gate of the Gods. Vibrant blue light shone through the tunnel, and when Amaru Maru passed through it, he vanished from the face of the Earth and is believed to have traveled to the realm of the gods, never to be seen again.

I may have only listed five actual ancient sites that could contain portals or stargates that lead to other worlds and dimensions, but there are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of these otherworldly gateways spread across the globe. Who knows? There might be a portal hiding somewhere inside your own home, maybe even in your closet! But if, on the off-chance that you do stumble upon an actual stargate to another world or a passageway to the realm of celestial beings, will you dare to pass through it out of amazement and sheer curiosity? If so, what do you think could be waiting for you on the other side?

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Sources:

http://listverse.com/2016/05/20/10-ancient-sites-that-might-be-stargates-portals-and-wormholes/
http://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/entertainment/10-mysterious-places-that-could-be-portals-to-other-worlds/
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/stargate/stargate10.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Gorab
http://anthropology.msu.edu/anp264-ss15/2015/03/25/lake-michigan-stonehenge/
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/12/24/are-these-remnants-of-a-9000-year-old-stonehenge-at-the-bottom-of-lake-michigan/
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-americas/lake-titicaca-gate-gods-003?nopaging=1
https://www.ancient-code.com/the-mysterious-gate-of-the-gods-at-hayu-marca-peru/
http://www.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/energy-lines.htm
http://www.sedona.net/sedona-vortex

Mystery Of The Naga Fireballs

source: The Daily Grail

In our modern world, we are currently caught in a tug of war between those who believe in the supernatural and paranormal nature of extraordinary events and those who seek to refute them by providing rational explanations or placing these unusual occurrences under the microscope of scientific investigation. Many myths, miracles and strange phenomena over time have been disbelieved, debunked and dismissed by skeptics and individuals of conventional logic and science. And yet, believers in things beyond mainstream truths continue to insist in the validity of their unconventional beliefs although evidence to the contrary has already been presented to them repeatedly. 

One example of an on-going debate between believers and skeptics concerning a supernatural phenomenon is the controversial mystery behind the Naga fireballs. And in this article, we will not be just talking about what the Naga fireballs are and the tale surrounding this unusual yearly manifestation; we will also shed light on the two sides fighting to gain supremacy over this alleged paranormal occurrence. One side believes in the legitimacy of the Naga fireballs’ magical wonder, while the opposing team has dared to unmask this phenomenon as nothing more than a human-made hoax.

What Are The Naga Fireballs?

source: HostelBookers

The Naga Fireballs are the reported tens to thousands glowing balls which spontaneously appear from and float above Thailand’s Mekong River at night every year. According to those who have seen them, these blazing balls of light emit a reddish color, and their sizes vary from smaller bubbles to bigger orbs as large as basketballs. 

Also referred to as “bung fai paya nak,” “Mekong lights,” or the “Naga Dancing Fire Balls,” these fireballs shoot up from the water and rise in the air as high as around 600 feet before dissipating completely. They ordinarily occur in the chilly evenings between late October and early November along the 300-mile-long stretch of the Mekong River. However, there are reports that they have occasionally surfaced in smaller ponds, rivers, and lakes found within this region of Thailand. 

The Phayanak Festival & The Naga

source: BangkokScoop.com

Reports of floating fireballs are not solely unique to Thailand as many cases of similar fiery orbs have also been spotted in different parts of Asia. However, it is in Thailand that the Naga fireballs are celebrated as part of the “Phayanak Festival,” an annual event in the country in which Buddha is greeted by the locals upon his arrival on Earth at the end of “vassa” – the three-month Rain Retreat or Buddhist Lenten season. This usually takes place on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month and is held in October every year. 

The “Wan Ok Phansa” is the last day of the festival and locals in Thailand celebrate the return of Buddha by gathering near the riverbank to observe the fireballs rise from the waters, float up in the air, and then disappear in the heavens. According to local mythology, the orbs of bright red light that appear above the Mekong River each year are actually the exhaled breath of the Naga or the “Phaya Naga,” which is a colossal sea serpent residing in the riverbed and wakes up annually to observe the end of “vassa” or the Buddhist Lent. 

Theories

source: www.thailandholiday.info

Although many have reported having personally seen the Naga fireballs arise from the Mekong River, there is still no universal agreement on the possible cause of the phenomenon and the reason why it consistently appears on an annual basis. Several theories, however, have been proposed in an attempt to explain the extraordinary event, and some of them can be classified as supernatural, natural or human-made. 

Given the mythological origin of the Naga Fireballs, the apparent supernatural explanation of this yearly phenomenon is that the burning red lights from the water of the Mekong River are indeed caused by a huge sea serpent living in its riverbed. Of course, to support this theory, the existence of the Naga must first be adequately proven. 

And so far, one of the proofs presented by those who believe in the existence of these magical sea serpents is a photograph featuring around 30 American soldiers supposedly carrying a 7.3-meter sea serpent found in the Mekong River back in 1973. Another proof supporting the supernatural value of the Naga fireballs and the existence of the Naga itself can be found at a Buddhist temple in Nong Khai City where fossilized bones of the mythical sea creature, such as an egg and a tooth, are reportedly on display. 

source: Samui Times

Though they do not refute the possibility that reddish balls of fiery light can rise from the water, some insist on a more natural explanation for the Naga fireballs. A popular explanation raised by these individuals is referred to as the Swamp Gas Theory. This theory is familiar to those who are interested in UFO phenomena, and it proposes that the organic deposits in the riverbed of the Mekong River decompose, which in turn, produce methane gas. This gas forms bubbles that float its way up to the surface, and once the gas comes into contact with oxygen-air, these pockets of methane spontaneously ignite and are consequently set aflame before they take flight into the sky. 

This theory was presented by a pediatrician, Dr. Manos Kanoksilp, who extensively studied the Naga Fireballs. To him, producing these blazing orbs also require precise conditions such as the perfect alignment of the Earth, the moon, and the sun. 

A similar explanation to the Swamp Gas Theory is the reasoning raised by some people that the Naga Fireballs are produced by the combustible phosphine gas that came from the muddy environment of the river.  In fact, Saksit Tridech, the deputy secretary of the Thai Science Ministry, along with a group of scientists, conducted a study regarding the physical conditions surrounding the river, and they concluded that the Naga Fireballs are produced as a result of the large deposits of phosphine gas found in the area. Phosphine, however, is not a naturally-occurring gas and so, it is posited that this type of gas is the consequence of a bacterial reduction of phosphate in the decay of organic material. 

Other scientists also theorized that the Naga Fireballs are free-floating plasma orbs that form when surface electricity is released into a solution – which in this case, is the Mekong River’s waters. However, the problem with this theory is that this type of orb is not only different in color and appearance from the reported characteristics of the Naga Fireballs, but it can only be produced using high voltage electricity that does not naturally occur in the environment. 

Hoax?

source: slam blogsma

The plasma orb theory is not the only supposition whose soundness has been disputed by skeptics and supernatural believers alike. The phosphine gas theory and the swamp methane gas theory have also been cast aside by some people as the most logical explanation to the Naga Fireballs. These people say that the perfectly precise conditions required to consistently produce the orbs year after year cannot possibly occur in a natural setting unless some man-made manipulation is involved. 

And so, we have now reached the most controversial explanation of them all, and this particular theory claims that the annual appearance of the Naga Fireballs is nothing more than a hoax to perpetuate the popularity of the Phayanak Festival and the Mekong River, which consequently has a positive effect on the local economy and the livelihood of the area’s residents.

In 2002, a documentary aired on the program “Code Cracking” of the ITV television network investigated what could be the source of the mysterious fireballs that surface every year during the celebration of the festival. The team had to take a boat and quietly travel to the Loatian side of the Mekong River. Once they crossed the river, they found Loatian soldiers firing tracer rounds into the sky. Those who analyzed the footage of the event also came to the conclusion that the Naga Fireballs were caused by the firing of flare guns from the other side of the river while the festival is ongoing on the Thailand side. The loud audience of the festival was not able to hear the sound of the gunshot as it was drowned out by the cheering noises of people and the noisy crackle of fireworks during the event. And so, they would not have been able to tell so easily if they were being deceived in the darkness and from half a mile away. 

With the stunning revelation that the Naga Fireballs could be a man-made phenomenon originally intended to generate buzz and draw crowds for the annual Buddhist Lent-related festival, does this truly mean that this strange phenomenon is nothing more than a hoax?

For me, the answer would be no. In cases where there are varying theories to explain an unusual occurrence, we must not be so quick to cling onto a single explanation. And in the case of the Naga fireballs, there is no such thing as single truth, as the opposing sides of believers and skeptics have presented their respective evidence and have chosen to uphold their own perspectives on the matter. And so, at least for now, whether you believe in the supernatural, natural, or human-made explanations about the mysterious Naga fireballs is completely up to you. However, keep in mind that regardless of which perspective you think best explains this phenomenon, you should always, always try to keep an open mind.   

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_fireball
http://altereddimensions.net/2015/naga-fireballs-of-mekong-river-mysterious-glowing-orbs-rise-from-water
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2014/01/naga-fireballs-swamp-gas-or-divine-breath/
https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4183
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/mystery-of-the-naga-fireballs-at-mekong-river/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wan_Ok_Phansa
http://unexplainedmysteries.org/post/32736046368/unexplained-phenomenon-of-naga-fire-balls
https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/5-natural-events-that-science-cant-explain/the-naga-fireba
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,391567,00.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233486379_The_Postmodernization_of_a_Mythical_Event_Naga_Fireballs_on_the_Mekong_River

Did Ancient Civilizations Possess Knowledge of Time Travel?

source: humansarefree

Time travel has always been a fascinating topic that’s been largely explored in a multitude of written works of science fiction and countless sci-fi films for many, many years. But what’s even more interesting is that tales of time travel go much further back in our history, with some ancient texts that have existed for hundreds or thousands of years mentioning or describing cases of people traveling forward in time. 
 
With the existence of a variety of ancient legends and myths from different parts of the world which seem to be literary interpretations of what could be actual examples of time traveling, some of us just can’t help but ask: Did certain ancient civilizations possess some knowledge of time travel?
 
Well, though we can’t answer this definitively just yet, for now, let us look into some of the ancient texts which mention tales of people who have supposedly defied all laws of logic, space and time. 

1. Story of the Seven Sleepers

source: wikipedia

The story of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus is a tale that is quite significant in both the Christian and Islamic tradition. The Christian interpretation of the story goes like this:

During the persecutions overseen by the Roman emperor Decius sometime in 250 AD, seven young men were accused of being worshippers of Christianity. These individuals were given some time to renounce their faith, but instead, they chose to surrender their material possessions by giving them to the poor and retiring to a mountain cave. Inside this cave, the seven young men prayed and eventually fell asleep. When they awoke, they thought they had only slept for a day, but when they wandered into the city to buy food, they were astounded to find buildings with the crosses of Christianity attached to them. And so, they came to the stunning realization that they had not slept for just one night, but for two hundred years, and they had awakened at a time when Christianity had already spread across the vast expanse of the Roman Empire. 

A similar tale about these sleepers can be found in Surah 18 of the Qur’an. Referred to as the story of the Companions of the Cave, it tells almost the same story as the Christian version; only the Qur’an does not provide the exact number of the People of the Cave who had miraculously been transported a couple of centuries into the future.

2. Bible - The Book of Baruch - Disappearance of Jeremiah

Source: ken raggio

There are also several examples of time travel found in the Bible, and one of them is a story about the disappearance of Jeremiah as told in the deuterocanonical Book of Baruch. 
 
In the first part of this book, Jeremiah is told by God that Jerusalem will be destroyed and that he has to bury and protect the vestments of the temple. After that, he is to go into exile with his people until the day comes that God would allow them to return. But before the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah instructed Abimelech, a eunuch, to bring back figs from the orchard of Agrippa. Abimelech, however, ends up falling asleep in the orchard. And when he woke up, he was told by an old man that he had slept miraculously for the last 66 years. 

3. Mahabharata - Story of King Raivata Kakudmi

Source: a brief history of time travel

One of the very first stories that describe time travel can be found in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata – an ancient text which is believed to have been written no later than 400 BCE. This tale in that text follows a king, his daughter, and their quest to find her the most suitable husband. 

Revati was the only daughter of King Raivata Kakudmi, a monarch who ruled the prosperous kingdom of Kusasthali. Because the king thought her daughter was so beautiful and accomplished that no could prove good enough to marry her, Kakudmi took Revati to Brahmaloka, the home of the creator Brahma, to seek the powerful god’s help in finding his previous daughter the perfect suitor. 

When they arrived, Brahma was listening to a musical performance so they had to patiently wait until the performance was completed before Kakudmi could pay his respects and make his request to the god. However, once he did so, Brahma only laughed at the foolishness of the king. The God revealed that during the time they had waited in Brahmaloka, 108 yugas had already passed on Earth, with each yuga representing around 4 million years. 
 
With Kakudmi and Revati completely astonished over how so much time had passed on Earth during their short stay in Brahma’s domain, Brahma had to explain to them that time runs differently in different places of existence, which is interestingly similar to how modern physicists and astronomers conceptualize space-time today.  

4. Buddhist Text - Pali Canon - Heaven of the 30 Devas

buddha's real teachings

Another ancient text that we will be discussing is the Buddhist text of Pali Canon, which, like the previous stories, also mentions the relativity of time. 
 
It is written in this collection of scriptures in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition that in the heaven of the thirty Devas, or the place of the Gods, “time passes at a different pace, and people live much longer.” For example, one hundred years on Earth is equivalent to just a single day passing in the heaven of the Gods. 

5. Japan - Legend of Urashima Taro

source: wikia, ayakashi: ghost guild

Urashima Taro is the protagonist of the legend about a fisherman who rescued a turtle from harm, who turned out to be the daughter of the Emperor of the Sea, Ryujin. To personally thank him and reward him for his actions, Taro was brought to the bottom of the sea to visit the Palace of the Dragon God where she met the Emperor and Princess Otohime.
 
Taro stayed in the underwater palace for three days, but he eventually decided to go back home to his village where his aging mother lived. And so, he asked the princess’s permission to leave, and before he left, she gave him a mysterious box that will supposedly protect him from danger so long as he never opens it. 
 
However, when he reached land, he discovered that 300 years had already passed since he had left the village and traveled to the bottom of the sea. In grief of all that he had lost, he opened the box the princess gave him, which let out a cloud of white smoke. Suddenly, Taro aged rapidly, and from the sea, he heard the voice of the princess reveal that kept inside the special box she gave him was actually his old age. 
 
All the stories and texts I have just mentioned all paint the idea of time travel in the same way that modern science has theorized it today: that time is relative and not absolute; and that the past, present, and future all exist simultaneously. And while these myths and legends may just be stories concocted from the brilliant imagination of their writers, they have opened an avenue of discourse that compels us to contemplate what it could mean for humanity if there are those among us who have the means to travel through time as well as the power to modify our history. 

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sleepers
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rak//publics/pseudepig/ParJer-Eng.html
http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-unexplained-phenomena/time-travel-ancient-mythology-modern-science-001242?nopaging=1
http://the-wanderling.com/mahabharata.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakudmi#Meeting_with_Brahma
https://www.ancient-code.com/time-travel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urashima_Tar%C5%8D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81li_Canon#Sutta_Pitaka
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/did-ancient-civilizations-possess-knowledge-of-time-travel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel

The Most Deadly Cursed Diamond In The World

Diamonds are precious gemstones which, from ancient to modern times, have typically been used for adornment because of its gemological and shining characteristic of dispersing white light and bursting it into different spectral and sparkling colors. It cannot be denied that people are primarily fascinated by these precious stones for their crystalline beauty and elegance as well as the widespread knowledge that they could last “forever.” But, of course, not all diamonds and other gemstones are famous simply for their physical attributes, but for the notorious reputation, they gained over several generations for purportedly being cursed. 
 
Many of the oldest gemstones that survive today bring with them tales of mystery, intrigue as well as a series of misfortunes that have been passed down from one owner to the next. With so many people going to great lengths to possess them, and with so many deaths believed to have been caused by these precious diamonds, a lot of individuals today are left wondering if the pricelessness of these gemstones is worth the curse that comes with owning one.
 
One of the most famously known diamonds believed to possess a deadly curse is the Koh-i-Noor.

The Koh-i-Noor, which is Persian for “Mountain of Light,” is currently ranked as the 90th largest diamond in the world, and is arguably the most infamous one. It is a large, dazzling, oval-cut and colorless diamond, which currently weighs at 105.6 karats or 21.12 grams. Its earliest officially recorded weight was 186 karats or 77.2 grams, though it is believed by some to have weighed as much as 793 karats before its first cutting. 
 
As for when it was first found and where it originally came from, no one knows for certain. But what is common knowledge is the fact that it is an unspeaking witness to centuries of violent and bloody wars and conquests, having been passed on from one ruler or conqueror to another, sometimes by inheritance but mostly by force. The story and lives of those who once held ownership of this gemstone went down in history as rulers whose legacies were plagued with ill fortune, and whose kingdoms and empires eventually met their downfall. 
 
Even now, ownership of this precious diamond is still being fought about by various nations, which is probably why some people have thought of the Koh-i-Noor as the deadliest cursed diamond on the planet. 

Source: bbc

Mysterious Origins

There are conflicting views regarding the possible origins of the Koh-i-Noor. Some say that the legendary diamond’s existence dates back to more than 5,000 years ago, and was found in the river bed of the Lower Godavari River, which is part of the second longest river in India. Others say that the legendary diamond came from Surya, the sun god, and was given to the world as a unique gift. There also those who claim that the diamond was originally the property of the Hindu god Krishna, while others believe that the Koh-i-Noor is the prized jewel called Shyamantaka mentioned in the written texts of Indian mythology. Another story suggests that the diamond was worn by Raja Karna as a talisman when he fought in the Mahabharata war. 

 

The Journey of the Koh-i-Noor From India to England

While it may be impossible now to find out where exactly the Koh-i-Noor was found, it is widely believed that the prized gemstone came from the Kollur Mines in the Guntur District, which was located in what is known today as the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. 
 
They say that the diamond was the eye of the Devi, or the goddess, in a Hindu temple during the reign of the Kakatiya dynasty sometime in the 13th century. However, during the early 14th century, the Turkic Khilji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate marched to southern India. The army of Alauddin Khalji – the dynasty’s second ruler – raided the kingdoms of the area for their wealth, and it is believed that among the riches and prized possessions taken by the Khilji’s army is the Koh-i-Noor diamond. 
 
The stone supposedly remained in the custody of the Khilji dynasty for several years until it was later passed on to subsequent dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate. However, most historians agree that the first reliable recording of the Koh-i-Noor was in the Baburnama or the Memoirs of Babur, an autobiographical work written by the founder of the Mughal Empire, Babur. The jewel was obtained by the conqueror and at the time, he referred to it as the “Diamond of Babur.” He also mentioned in his memoirs that it had belonged to an unnamed Raja of Malwa in India. It has also been said that the emperor treasured the diamond so much that he compared its worth to “the value of one day’s food for all the people in the world” who lived at the time. 
 
The Mughal Empire ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent for around two centuries, and it is believed that the Koh-i-Noor was passed from one emperor of the Mughal Empire to the next until the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, had the jewel placed onto his ornamental Peacock Throne. Unfortunately, Jahan’s sons got caught up in a power struggle that led to his imprisonment, and the ailing emperor eventually passed away in captivity. When his son Aurangzeb came into power, ownership of the Peacock Throne and the diamond passed onto him before it eventually came into the possession of Aurangzeb’s grandson, Sultan Mahamad. 

 In 1739, Delhi was invaded by the ruling Shah of Persia, Nader Shah, who went down in history as the “scourge” of the Ottoman Empire. With the invasion of Nader Shah’s army came the exhaustive looting and acquisition of the riches and valuable possessions of the Mughal nobility. Along with other jewels and treasures, the Peacock Throne which contained the diamond was transported to Persia. As the story goes, when the Shah finally got his hands on the famous stone, he allegedly exclaimed “Koh-i-Noor!” which is how the jewel got its name. 
 
The Koh-i-Noor did not last for very long in Nader Shah’s possession as he was assassinated in 1747. With the fall of his empire, the diamond fell into the hands of his general, Ahmad Shah Abdali, who eventually rose to power as the Emir of Afghanistan. When he and his son died during their respective reigns, Ahmad Shah Abdali’s descendants were caught in a civil war. Amid the chaos, Shah Shuja Durrani, a descendant of Ahmad Shah who briefly assumed power as king, escaped from the wrath of his feuding brothers and brought the Koh-i-Noor with him in India. 

Shah Shuja Durrani sought asylum in Lahore, which was granted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler and founder of the Sikh Empire. However, his safety came at a very high price, as the Sikh emperor required that the Koh-i-Noor be given to him in exchange for his hospitality. And so, Shah Shuja Durrani surrendered ownership of the diamond, and the Sikh emperor took possession of the stone in 1813. 
 
The new owner of the Koh-i-Noor purportedly loved the diamond so much that he wore it on all kinds of public occasions. Perhaps to make sure that the jewel will be taken care of by capable hands, the Sikh emperor willed that the Koh-i-Noor be given to a Hindu temple. However, when he died and after the assassinations of the next Maharajas, his youngest son, Duleep Singh, ascended the throne at the tender age of five in 1843. And when the British Empire won the Second Anglo-Sikh War in April 1849, the ten-year-old Duleep was made to sign the Last Treaty of Lahore. Having done so, he resigned his claim to the sovereignty of Punjab and officially ceded ownership of the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria along with his other assets to the East India Company.
 

When the Koh-i-Noor came into the possession of the British royal family, Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, commissioned the re-cutting of the diamond to its current size and appearance, and it was worn by the queen as a personal brooch. After Queen Victoria’s death, it became a part of the crown jewels of the British royal family. It was mounted onto the crown of Queen Consort Alexandra before it was transferred to Queen Consort Mary’s crown in 1911, and was finally placed on the crown of The Queen Mother Elizabeth in 1937.
 
Today, the crown is publicly displayed along with other Crown Jewels of the royal family at the Tower of London.

The Curse of the Koh-i-Noor

Considering that the ownership of the Koh-i-Noor transferred from one person to another for so many times to the point that it became difficult to pinpoint who had it when we can’t help but ask: Is the curse of the Koh-i-Noor real?
 
There’s an old saying about the Koh-i-Noor, and it states: “He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or woman, can wear it with impunity.”
 
If we take a look at the events that transpired around the time the Koh-i-Noor was in possession of an emperor or a ruler, it will not be difficult to see the pattern of violence, gore, and tragedies that are very apparent in the diamond’s history. The stories of the people who gained ownership of the jewel and their descendants who ended up inheriting the stone usually ended in torture, murder, mutilation, treachery and the collapse of their dynasties. 

While the British royal family may never admit that they believe in the curse of the Koh-i-Noor, its history cannot be dismissed so easily, and it seems the threat of receiving the curse is frightening enough for the long-reigning monarch to handle it with caution. After the reign of Queen Victoria, the use of the Koh-i-Noor diamond has so far only been granted to the wives of the male heirs to the British throne. Even Queen Elizabeth II has steered clear of wearing the diamond with a crown or as an accessory, even though the Koh-i-Noor’s curse supposedly only applied to male rulers.

Of course, this does not confirm that the diamond is cursed and deadly, but it does leave us wondering if the jewel is indeed the source of the problem of its owners, or its role in the violent history of many fallen empires is not any more special than any other spoil of war. Did the owners of the Koh-i-Noor and the empires and kingdoms they ruled experienced horrible misfortunes and terrible fates because the diamond in their possession was cursed? Or, did people come to believe that the Koh-i-Noor was cursed simply because its previous owners incidentally experienced misfortunes along with the collapse of their empires?
 
We may never know for sure if the Koh-i-Noor is indeed cursed, or its supposed menacing power to destroy the lives of its owners and their descendants is nothing more than a long-standing myth. And perhaps answering this mystery should be the least of our concern at the moment as there are more pressing issues about this diamond that remains unresolved today, particularly the disputes over its ownership. 
 
Although under the possession of the British royal family, other countries such as India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have called for the United Kingdom’s relinquishment of the diamond’s ownership and the return of the Koh-i-Noor to the care of their respective nations. And although the jewel’s presence in London is largely contested, it looks like the British royal family will not be ceding possession of this diamond anytime soon. 

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-4608828/The-world-s-deadliest-diamond.html
http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/deadly-diamond/
http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/kohinoor-diamond-stolen-and-cursed/172354
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/the-kohinoor-following-the-bloodiest-diamond-across-history/story-KwrpNJ70xTqlkjGQ2b1LOK.html
http://www.academia.edu/6804928/The_Lust_and_Curse_of_the_Koh-i-Noor_Diamond_of_India
https://www.worthy.com/famous-diamonds/the-koh-i-noor-diamond
http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/mountain-light-history-and-lore-koh-i-noor-diamond-005172?nopaging=1

7 Real Life Entrances To Hell You Can Actually Travel To

Though its name may differ from one set of teachings to another, almost every religion that we know of believe that there is a special and horrific place for the souls of those who have been banished for purposes of either penance or perpetual punishment. From the toxic tunnels in Turkey, to the tricky Mayan City of Xibalba, and all the way to the Greco-Roman temples dedicated to Hades, cultures around the world have stories of fire and brimstone that speak of doorways, caves and rivers on Earth leading to hell or the underworld.

These purported entrances to the netherworld are scattered across the globe, and while many of them have already fallen to ruin, they are all still sites of mystery and danger that continue to grab the attention of even the best of us.

And so, without further ado, here are seven actual places on earth people believed were entrances to hell.

1. Cape Matapan Caves (The Mani, Greece)

The cave network in Cape Matapan was one of the several entrances that the Ancient Greeks once ascribed to Hades, the Kingdom of the Shades. When Orpheus headed down to Hades in order to rescue Eurydice, it was believed that he had done so through a cave on Cape Matapan. Hercules, too, allegedly used these caverns when he ventured into the underworld as well.

The Cape Matapan Caves are located on the southernmost tip of the Greek mainland. Also known as Cape Tainaron, or Tenaro, it is situated on the end of the peninsula currently known as the Mani. In modern times, the caves at Cape Matapan can still be entered by visitors. However, they must ride a boat if they want to pass through this particular hellgate.

2. Hekla (Iceland)

This active volcano located in the southern mountains of Iceland has developed its reputation as a gateway to hell sometime in the 12th century, after its historic 1104 eruption. The monk Benedict’s 1120 poem about the voyages of Saint Brendan referred to Hekla as the “eternal prison of Judas.” In 1341, the medieval Icelandic manuscript “Flatey Book Annal” described large birds where were reportedly seen flying inside the volcano’s fiery crater, and these creatures were believed to be the swarming souls of the damned.

There have been more than 20 serious volcanic eruptions of Hekla recorded since 874 AD. Since its activity has remained somewhat peaceful in recent years, most superstitions surrounding Hekla disappeared by the 19th century. However, even in recent times, Hekla has kept its diabolic status, as local folklore claims it to be a place where witches meet with the devil.

3. Lacus Curtius (Rome, Italy)

At present, this pit in the Roman Forum doesn’t look like much, but according to a legend told by the Roman historian Livy, Lacus Curtius was once a wide chasm that appeared in the middle of Rome, and nothing could fill it. According to Livy’s story, an oracle once prophesized that the chasm would not close and that the Roman Republic would fall unless the city sacrificed that which had made it strong. To a man named Marcus Curtius, the strength of Rome lied in its weapons and the bravery of its citizens. And so, fully armored and armed, Marcus Curtius rode his horse, entered the chasm, and supposedly went straight into the underworld. Because of his bravery, the chasm closed and the city was saved.

4. Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, Belize)

Located in Belize, this place is once believed to be the entrance to the Mayan underworld known as Xibalba. The name Actun Tunichil Mukna translates to “Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre,” and extensive research has linked the site to ancient Mayan legends that speak of rivers of blood and scorpions and a vast subterranean labyrinth ruled over by the demonic death gods of Xibalba.

The caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal have become a popular destination for explorers since it was rediscovered back in 1989. One of the more notable discoveries in the caves is the skeleton of an 18-year-old-girl who is believed to have been ritualistically sacrificed and murdered for the Death Gods of Xibalba. More than a thousand years since her death, her bones calcified, creating a shimmering crystal effect which earned her skeleton the nickname the “Crystal Maiden.”

5. Ploutonion (Denizli Province, Turkey)

For thousands of years, the Ancient Greek site known as “Ploutonion” or “Pluto’s Gate” was dismissed as nothing more than a work of fiction. That is until the site was rediscovered in 1965 in the ancient city of Hierapolis, which is near modern-day Pamukkale in Turkey. Long believed to have been a gateway to hell, an archaeological dig revealed the remains of an ancient temple, believed to be the sacred Temple of Pluto, which is situated on its thermal spring.

One of the distinctive features of Pluto’s Gate are the toxic fumes which travels from the tunnels beneath. In ancient times, these fumes were often inhaled by the priests of Pluto, which inevitably sent them into hallucinogenic trance states. Even now, the poisonous vapors of the area take the lives of birds that fly too close to the ruins.

6. Fengdu City of Ghosts (Chongqing, China)

The 2,000-year-old City of Ghosts is located in the Chonqing municipality of China, and it has long been believed to be a pitstop of the dead on their way to the afterlife. Founded during the Han Dynasty, which ruled China between 206 BC and 220 AD, the City of Ghosts bases its heritage on the story of two renegade officials who escaped the wrath of the emperor. Their names, Yin and Wang, were later used to create the title for one of the rules of hell – “Qinguang Wang Jiang.”

Fengdu is famous for its traditional architecture and elaborate craftsmanship. Its streets and squares are filled with statues of ghosts and demons, but it’s most striking landmark is arguably “The Ghost King” – a giant, carved face looking down on the city from a rock face. Measuring about 452 feet tall and 712 feet across, it is considered as the largest rock sculpture in the world.

7. Chinoike Jigoku (Beppu City, Japan)

Japan’s Beppu City is the home to a series of nine hot springs, and each one flows in a different color and composition. At the heart of these health spa pools lies the dark legend involving the pool known as Chinoike Jigoku or the “Bloody Hell Pond.” This particular pond gets its name from its rich hellish red color which comes from the natural iron oxide deposits located on the pond bed. The Bloody Hell Pond is presided over by a collection of sculpted demons, some of which were carved into the rocks themselves.

The Chinoike Jigoku has been likened by Buddhists to the bubbling pits of hell, and in olden times, the Bloody Pond – which is very hot at around 78 degrees Celsius – had been used to torture prisoners before they were boiled alive.

Are there really gateways to hell in different parts of the planet? For most of those who believe in some religions, the afterlife can only be reached spiritually. However, it cannot be denied that there are those who believe that there are places on Earth that serve as portals to the underworld. And even if that is not exactly true, these ancient sites still stand as the common link that ties various human cultures and belief systems in different parts of the world together. And perhaps that is more than impressive enough.

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gates_of_hell
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/11-hidden-spots-to-enter-the-underworld
http://listverse.com/2016/09/22/10-entrances-to-hell-that-you-can-visit/
http://io9.gizmodo.com/13-places-on-earth-thought-to-be-entrances-to-hell-1441628317
http://www.theoccultmuseum.com/5-real-gateways-hell-can-actually-visit/

The Mysterious Ancient Giants Who Ruled America

Are giants real? At some point in our distant past, were there ancient people of enormous size that walked the earth and dominated the planet as humans now do?

So much knowledge of the world’s past has been lost throughout the ages – some destroyed by war, some ruined by natural disasters, some neglected by mankind’s ignorance and lack of appreciation, and some simply disappeared as a natural consequence of the passage of time. But while much has been lost, much also remains to be discovered. And the clues to answering questions like whether or not giants once existed on the planet could actually be found in what lies beneath our feet.

In recent years, due to the number of mysterious findings around the world supporting the idea that giants walked on earth a long, long time ago, more and more people are seriously considering the possibility that these gigantic human-like creatures are more than just mythological beings.

Mentions of Giants in Mythologies of Different Cultures

But before we go any further on the supposed archaeological evidences available supporting the existence of ancient giants, let’s briefly discuss the many old stories about enormous beings that are treated today as nothing more as simple myths.

The Bible, in particular, references giants several times in many of its sections. For example, Genesis 6:4 in the King James Bible states: “There were giants in the Earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

In some translations of the Old Testament, these “giants” are referred to as the “Nephilim,” which some say are born from the union between fallen angels and the descendants of Adam. One more example of giants having been mentioned in the Bible is Goliath, the champion of the Philistine army who engaged in a famous battle with David, as told in the Book of Samuel.

Ancient Greek mythology also made mention of giants of prehistory – the titans. As the story goes, the primordial goddess Gaea gave life to the titans, giants who roamed the earth before the Olympians and mankind could. However, the titans were eventually overthrown by the Olympians, and they had suffered terrible fates of torture and oblivion.

Several Native American tribes have also passed down legends of giants who were wiped out. For one, the tradition of the Choctaw people spoke about a race of giants that once lived in what is now the State of Tennessee in the United States. Referred to as the Nahullo, the ancestors of the Choctaw came into contact with this race of white giants when they first crossed the Mississippi River. The Nahullo were said to be cannibals, and the Choctaw eliminated these giants when the opportunity arose.

Other tribes like the Comanches, the Navajo, and the Manta indigenous people also passed down stories of white giants that supposedly inhabited different parts of the continent a long time ago.

Alleged Archaeological Evidences Proving the Existence of Ancient Giants

Now that we’re on the subject matter of Native American tribes and their cultures, let’s talk about the fact that the mound sites found in North America – which are often related to these tribes – are believed by some people to be the sacred burial mounds of the ancient giants that once existed in the area. Over 1,000 accounts of skeletons that stood at around seven-foot and taller have reportedly been recovered from these ancient burial sites for over two hundred years of archaeological exploration in the continent.  This is supported by a deluge of newspaper clippings, journal articles, diaries, photos and ethnology reports that have largely documented the discovery of these skeletons.

Giant Skeletons in the West Virginia Mounts

The West Virginia Mounds, in particular, are believed by some people, in many respects, to be the key to unlocking the real story behind the ancient giants who once ruled America. In the book of Emmy Award-winning writer and researcher Richard Dewhurst, “The Ancient Giants Who Ruled America,” he claimed that in 1883, the Smithsonian dispatched a team of archaeologists to the South Charleston Mound in West Virginia to conduct an extensive dig of 50 mounds found in this location. In their report, the team revealed that they have uncovered numerous giants, and one of them was 7 feet and 6 inches tall. In another mound, they also found another giant skeleton surrounded by a circle of ten skeletons. There was also a large skeleton found in the remains of a bark coffin, and it had a compressed or flat-head type of skull.

Archaeologists in Wheeling, West Virginia also found a group of giants with heights ranging from 6 feet and 7 inches to 7 feet and 6 inches. These skeletons also showed unusual skull formations. They had low foreheads “while the back part of the head is very prominent,” features which are noticeably different from the skulls of humans that exist today.

Giant Skeletons Across the State of Ohio

Dewhurst also revealed in his book that numerous finds of giants 8 to 10 feet tall were also discovered across the state of Ohio. For example, in a mound site in Chillicothe, dozens of skeletons were found wearing copper masks, and at a related site in the same area, they also supposedly unearthed “a massive skeleton” which was “encased in copper armor.” In another dig conducted in 1889 in Southern Ohio, a giant was found buried with the bones of a panther, while another large skeleton with bone and shell beads imported from the Atlantic Ocean was also unearthed.

The discoveries in Newark, Ohio also deserve special mention, as the skeleton of an 8-foot-tall queen wearing copper jewelry and pearls was reportedly found in this area. In Centralia, another giant encased in copper armor was discovered, and a 7-feet-2-inch giant skeleton was also uncovered in Cartersville.

Giant Skeletons Found in the Mound Sites of Wisconsin

Among the most crucial pieces of evidence in support of the theory that ancient giants roamed America are the discoveries made in Wisconsin. As first reported in the May 4, 1912 issue of the New York Times, at least 18 anomalous skeletons had been found in Wisconsin and they exhibited extremely unusual features that are supposedly nothing like any known species at present. The excavation was overseen by the Beloit College and around 200 mounds were studied in the process. The anomalous skeletons retrieved from this area were allegedly bigger than men today, with their heights ranging from 8 to 10 feet.

Alleged Smithsonian Involvement in Covering Up the Existence of Ancient Giants

Despite the abundance in archaeological proof supporting the existence of giants, mainstream science has, until now, stubbornly remined silent when it comes to affirming or recognizing the theory that an ancient race of giants once inhabited different parts of the world, particularly America. And in Dewhurst’s book, he claimed that the Smithsonian has been at the center of a vast cover-up of America’s true history since the 1880s, suppressing the discoveries of giant skeletons found in many Native American burial mounds in the continent to avoid risking putting the current theory of evolution into question. There are even speculative rumors which suggest that the Smithsonian went so far as to not only hide but also destroy evidence of giant skeletons in America. The museum allegedly has the reputation of stepping in and taking unearthed skeletons and relics for further research and analysis, only for these archaeological finds to never be seen again.

Of course, those who believe in such “out-of-this-realm” conspiracy theory often face ridicule from men and women of conventional science. After all, it would be very difficult to prove that a cover-up actually happened without overwhelming evidence that will convince skeptics that giants did exist in the first place. But then again, how can we prove that giants once existed on the planet if there are forces out there deliberately preventing people from knowing the truth?

Well, clearly, all of this is still a matter of intense debate. The battle of proving whether there was once an advanced civilization of giants that spread across the earth in a distant time where mankind was still in its primitive state still cannot be won up to now. And a definitive answer is still nowhere in sight either. So, for the time being, we will have to weigh all available information about this subject matter for ourselves, and provide a subjective and personal verdict on the merits of this particularly mystery on our own.

If you ask me, I would say that the evidence presented by those who believe in the existence of ancient giants is too substantial and overwhelming to be completely discredited. Moreover, aren’t we limiting ourselves if we simply resent and resist other beliefs and theories just because they go against what society and mainstream science expect us – demand us – to hold true? Perhaps that’s another thing that we should think about, too.

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Sources:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1150852-did-giants-exist-part-1-legends-and-americas-giant-skeletons/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1871411-ancient-race-of-white-giants-described-in-native-legends-from-many-tribes/
http://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/top-ten-giant-discoveries-north-america-005196?nopaging=1
https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/gigantes/esp_gigantes_15.htm
https://grahamhancock.com/dewhurstr1/
https://www.ancient-code.com/the-greatest-smithsonian-cover-up-dozens-of-giant-skeletons-discovered-around-the-world/
http://www.ancientpages.com/2014/04/26/the-ancient-giants-who-ruled-america-the-missing-skeletons-and-the-great-smithsonian-cover-up/
https://www.sott.net/article/256712-A-giant-mystery-18-strange-giant-skeletons-found-in-Wisconsin-Sons-of-god-Men-of-renown
https://www.sott.net/article/281093-The-truth-about-giant-skeletons-in-American-Indian-mounds-and-the-Smithsonian-cover-up
http://eindtijdinbeeld.nl/EiB-Reuzen_en_nephilim/The%20Ancient%20Giants%20Who%20Ruled%20America,%20The%20Missing%20Skeletons%20and%20the%20Great%20Smithsonian%20Cover-Up%20-%20Richard%20J%20Dewhurst.pdf
http://www.unveilingknowledge.com/the-cover-up-of-a-giant-race-of-ancient-humans/
http://www.theeventchronicle.com/study/the-great-smithsonian-cover-up-18-giant-skeletons-discovered-in-wisconsin/#
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1150852-did-giants-exist-part-1-legends-and-americas-giant-skeletons/

The Secret of Real Life Magic Mirrors of The Far East

There are those among us that seek to find proof that our ancient ancestors possessed advanced knowledge and technology that equal – if not surpass – the things we know and are able to do in modern times. And among the strangest objects in the world that seem to serve as evidence of advanced ancient knowledge are the so-called “magic mirrors” of the Far East.

What Are Ancient Magic Mirrors?

The Chinese and Japanese of ancient times were owners and makers of precious and rare mirrors that are made of solid bronze but at the same time can seemingly and magically let light shine through them. To the Chinese, they referred to these previous artifacts as “mirrors which are permeable to light.” In the Western world, however, they came to simply be known as “magic mirrors.” And since their introduction in the West, these rare “magical” mirrors have baffled scientists for many years.

The front of a magic mirror was made of cast bronze and is generally circular in shape, with size of about 15 to 20 centimeters in diameter. The polished surface of the bronze, or the mirror’s front side, functioned normally as a mirror since it can produce a faithful reflection of the objects in front of them.  

The back of the mirror, on the other hand, was decorated with various characters and patterns. On the reverse surface, there is usually a modeled drawing or carvings that can be landscape featuring trees, water, birds or animals, or they can contain inscriptions and perhaps even a figure of Buddha.

In many conditions of lighting, when a magic mirror is held in the hand, it appears to be perfectly normal mirrors. However, the “magic” happens when the mirror is held in bright sunshine. When an especially bright beam of light is reflected off a magic mirror and onto a clear surface, its reflecting surface can be seen through. Hence, it becomes possible to inspect the written character or patterns on the back of the mirror from the reflection cast on to a dark wall. It is as if the solid bronze had become transparent, making this luminous effect one of the most unexpected and the most captivating mankind has ever seen.

Origins of Ancient Magic Mirrors

There are many historical variations with regard to the origin of these Far Eastern magic mirrors. However, it is generally agreed on that these ancient artifacts appeared for the first time in China around the 2nd century BC and that they were produced in large quantities during the entire period of the Han dynasty (206 BC – 24 AD).  

Discovery of the Ancient Magic Mirrors by the West

The first magical mirror appeared in Europe when the Director of the Paris Observatory brought with him one in the 19th century upon his return from China. It presented an irresistible mystery to the French Academy of Sciences, and despite their efforts to register its behavior, they could never fully understand why it could do what it can do. In total, there are four magical mirrors that were reported to have been brought from China to Europe at the time.

Then in 1878, two engineering professors presented the Royal Society of London with a variety of magic mirrors they had brought from Japan. The English referred to them as “diaphanous mirrors” and for the first time, they managed to make technical observations about their construction. However, nobody at the time could determine what produced the ghostly and beautiful projection of light from the mirror, giving the impression that the solid mirror is transparent in some way when it should not be the case.

For many centuries, the supposed mystery behind these ancient mirrors left scientists and collectors perplexed, and labeled the abilities of these mirrors as “impossible optical illusions” and therefore, “magical.”

The Secret Behind the Ancient Magic Mirrors

Western scientists began their examination of the magic mirrors from the Far East in 1832, but their efforts did not produce their desired results right away. Even in the East, it seemed the knowledge of how to intentionally recreate these magic mirrors were elusive, even though its possibility was not completely out of reach.

About 1,200 years ago, the secret to constructing magic mirrors was recorded in an ancient Chinese text titled the “Record of Ancient Mirrors.” The book supposedly contains the secrets of these enigmatic objects and their constructions. It described the method of crafting solid bronze mirrors with decorations, written characters or patterns on the reverse side in such a way that they could cast a reflection of these images or inscriptions on a nearby surface when light hits the front and polished side of the mirror in a seeming transparent effect. Unfortunately, the book has been lost for over a thousand years.

Magic mirrors were also described in the “Dream Pool Essays” by Shen Kuo in the 11th century, who owned three of these mirrors as a family heirloom. Astonished as how solid metal could be transparent, Shen guessed that some sort of quenching technique was used to produce tiny wrinkles on the surface of the mirror that are too small to be observed by the naked eye.

It was in 1932 when it was finally discovered why the reflections of the magic mirror showed the designs on the back. According to British physicist, chemist and mathematician Sir William Henry Bragg, although the surface of the mirror is polished and seems to look like they’re completely flat, the front is actually curved into a convex form by scraping and scratching before the surface is polished. It is then coated with a mercury amalgam. This complex process creates stresses and buckling, resulting in bulges on the surface of the mirror which is too minute for the naked eye to perceive. These bulges are the ones that match the design carved on the back of the mirror.

And so, when the mirror reflected bright light or sunbeam against a dark wall, the effect reproduces the patterns in a magnified manner as if they were passing through solid bronze by way of these light beams.

It is important to note, however, that while this method explains the creation of a Chinese or Han magic mirror, it is not the same method that is applied in making a Japanese magic mirror, as the optical properties of the images produced by the two types of mirror were not made by the same process. Moreover, unlike the rare Chinese models, there are many Japanese magic mirrors around the world, probably because in ancient Japan, mirrors were considered precious items that were carefully taken care of.

Today, it is rumored that Yamamoto Akihisa is the last manufacturer of magic mirrors in Japan. When the Kyoto Journal interviewed him, the artisan explained part of his technique in making these mirrors, which he revealed that he had learned from his father, who also learned it from his father, and so on, over several generations.

Even now, our generation is just starting to learn about these magic mirrors, and there are a lot of things that we do not know about these ancient artifacts. Perhaps we may never really know the true meaning behind these “magical” mirrors because ancient records describing these mysterious objects are gone forever. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that these ancient magic mirrors in China and Japan are already a part of the magical history of mankind for being undoubtedly one of the strangest objects in the world.

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Sources:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1352868-ancient-wonders-real-life-magic-mirrors-of-the-far-east/
http://www.ancientpages.com/2011/04/21/mystery-of-ancient-magical-mirrors-some-of-the-strangest-objects-in-the-world/
http://www.faena.com/aleph/articles/the-history-of-the-magic-mirrors-of-china-and-japan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_magic_mirror
http://www.eastm.org/index.php/journal/article/viewFile/497/428
http://www.kyotojournal.org/renewal/the-magic-mirror-maker/