![Inhabited since 900 AD, the site of Sacsayhuaman in Cusco, Peru was built by the Incas using stones without mortar, but no one knows what it was created for. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/STEX4R4AUBF6THUSRVOFI6YVPY.jpg?smart=true&auth=55f9d076460e1f9303c9dd1522db934018702fed8b10bdb64331f769d4209be1&width=400&height=225)
![The tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, which China's famous terracotta army was created to protect, has never been excavated. Ancient documents claim it is home to an underground palace. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFYYFGKICBEHVHMEC3CSEOWB5U.jpg?smart=true&auth=68aed0fc9f5de2c9706095cb9b68a65b010b2d1ccab7d4f4cd524895ef0de8e4&width=400&height=225)
![Discovered on a Roman shipwreck, the 2,000-year-old "computer", the Antikythera Mechanism, was so advanced that it wasn't until the 14th century that anything remotely like it was engineered. EPA / CARDIFF UNIVERSITY](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KMFOL2ENFZF47NKPCKIEA56PSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=d16d1def28a55e9b14109beffb71b3f51854ddb6c4a817d42a8216229f44a779&width=400&height=225)
![Scotland's Neolithic Cochno Stone, pictured in the 1930s, is covered in circles and swirling patterns that are thought to be art or astronomy-related. Similar patterns have been found across Northern Europe. University of Glasgow](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J4LYSJ4DXVFLHJ2ZGL42D5VKE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=225cf1a1103093fd894d5de39de2a22a05f7c1844add8d5d8ede0d2ae2cfd576&width=400&height=225)
![Bronze Roman Dodecahedrons have been unearthed across Europe, yet no one knows what they are or what purpose they served. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQ32NCSYCZCR5GQ5PB27VDBKCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=be61890932071fd27917dc80d21a86a285634402227c814bf20695c950fbbeb8&width=400&height=225)
![The Copper Scrolls (25-100BC), part of the Dead Sea Scrolls excavation, contain directions to hidden treasure that has never been found. Courtesy Jordan Museum](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/34DTNLBKLKLY7HIJGUY37UG6WU.jpg?smart=true&auth=7d1d09838a9c1933adeb3c4da6ba5abd26bb83f3ec93f3fcff28d8911b4b3faf&width=400&height=225)
![Gobekli Tepe in Turkey was built before the invention of the wheel. Its discovery changed the way historians viewed the evolution of civilisation. EPA-EFE](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3MEVXQYJHJFXXIRPPF2H5LUHLM.jpg?smart=true&auth=24a2743e25fe16fcfe48d9743d5fb689fbb3d4a9975a910370e8ee80a0d96c13&width=400&height=225)
![The Super-Henge in Wiltshire, the UK, was built more than 4,600 years ago. Consisting of 90 monoliths, each up to 4.5 metres tall, archaeologists do not know why it was created or why it was intentionally buried. Artist's impression © LBI ArchPro, Juan Torrejón Valdelomar, Joachim Brandtner](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UFFRAFXJEVC7RHXZCDWG4HF4RI.jpg?smart=true&auth=75c77b098cd1055f27f029ee17d75c70b5617e91de7afe0b6970b89c04663c75&width=400&height=225)
![A stele from the lost, sunken Egyptian city of Thonis-Heracleion. The piece was believed to have been commissioned by Nectanebos I (378-362 BC). Christoph Gerigk / Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JJ6T6DNUTGJ4BSTDTAJWKVAMQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=05ba6312599ef95093b98749a66380ef7ddfb63c2bc7613920314ede521b5b9d&width=400&height=225)
![Inhabited since 900 AD, the site of Sacsayhuaman in Cusco, Peru was built by the Incas using stones without mortar, but no one knows what it was created for. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/STEX4R4AUBF6THUSRVOFI6YVPY.jpg?smart=true&auth=55f9d076460e1f9303c9dd1522db934018702fed8b10bdb64331f769d4209be1&width=400&height=225)
![The tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, which China's famous terracotta army was created to protect, has never been excavated. Ancient documents claim it is home to an underground palace. EPA](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JFYYFGKICBEHVHMEC3CSEOWB5U.jpg?smart=true&auth=68aed0fc9f5de2c9706095cb9b68a65b010b2d1ccab7d4f4cd524895ef0de8e4&width=400&height=225)
![Discovered on a Roman shipwreck, the 2,000-year-old "computer", the Antikythera Mechanism, was so advanced that it wasn't until the 14th century that anything remotely like it was engineered. EPA / CARDIFF UNIVERSITY](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KMFOL2ENFZF47NKPCKIEA56PSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=d16d1def28a55e9b14109beffb71b3f51854ddb6c4a817d42a8216229f44a779&width=400&height=225)
![Scotland's Neolithic Cochno Stone, pictured in the 1930s, is covered in circles and swirling patterns that are thought to be art or astronomy-related. Similar patterns have been found across Northern Europe. University of Glasgow](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/J4LYSJ4DXVFLHJ2ZGL42D5VKE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=225cf1a1103093fd894d5de39de2a22a05f7c1844add8d5d8ede0d2ae2cfd576&width=400&height=225)
![Bronze Roman Dodecahedrons have been unearthed across Europe, yet no one knows what they are or what purpose they served. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQ32NCSYCZCR5GQ5PB27VDBKCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=be61890932071fd27917dc80d21a86a285634402227c814bf20695c950fbbeb8&width=400&height=225)
![The Copper Scrolls (25-100BC), part of the Dead Sea Scrolls excavation, contain directions to hidden treasure that has never been found. Courtesy Jordan Museum](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/34DTNLBKLKLY7HIJGUY37UG6WU.jpg?smart=true&auth=7d1d09838a9c1933adeb3c4da6ba5abd26bb83f3ec93f3fcff28d8911b4b3faf&width=400&height=225)
![Gobekli Tepe in Turkey was built before the invention of the wheel. Its discovery changed the way historians viewed the evolution of civilisation. EPA-EFE](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3MEVXQYJHJFXXIRPPF2H5LUHLM.jpg?smart=true&auth=24a2743e25fe16fcfe48d9743d5fb689fbb3d4a9975a910370e8ee80a0d96c13&width=400&height=225)
![The Super-Henge in Wiltshire, the UK, was built more than 4,600 years ago. Consisting of 90 monoliths, each up to 4.5 metres tall, archaeologists do not know why it was created or why it was intentionally buried. Artist's impression © LBI ArchPro, Juan Torrejón Valdelomar, Joachim Brandtner](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UFFRAFXJEVC7RHXZCDWG4HF4RI.jpg?smart=true&auth=75c77b098cd1055f27f029ee17d75c70b5617e91de7afe0b6970b89c04663c75&width=400&height=225)
![A stele from the lost, sunken Egyptian city of Thonis-Heracleion. The piece was believed to have been commissioned by Nectanebos I (378-362 BC). Christoph Gerigk / Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JJ6T6DNUTGJ4BSTDTAJWKVAMQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=05ba6312599ef95093b98749a66380ef7ddfb63c2bc7613920314ede521b5b9d&width=400&height=225)
![Inhabited since 900 AD, the site of Sacsayhuaman in Cusco, Peru was built by the Incas using stones without mortar, but no one knows what it was created for. Getty](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/STEX4R4AUBF6THUSRVOFI6YVPY.jpg?smart=true&auth=55f9d076460e1f9303c9dd1522db934018702fed8b10bdb64331f769d4209be1&width=400&height=225)
Ten archaeological mysteries, from Super-Henge to the 2,000-year-old computer
Dead Sea Scrolls that pinpoint buried treasure and the ancient tomb protected by the terracotta army are among some of the world’s most fascinating, enduring historical puzzles
Gemma White
July 18, 2022
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