Diggin’ deeper

A 2,000-year-old computer? 10 archaeological finds that challenge history

Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art

Most of the time, archaeology uncovers little more than pottery shards and ancient tools—not that there’s anything wrong with those. But sometimes, when luck strikes, excavations can reveal bizarre, baffling, and downright eerie artifacts that challenge our understanding of history. Join us on a journey through 10 of the most fascinating mysteries and unexpected finds ever unearthed.

Image: Constantinos Kollias

Recovered from a shipwreck in 1901, the Antikythera Mechanism was a surprisingly complex artifact that used intricate bronze gears to predict eclipses, track planetary positions, and regulate calendars.

Advanced imaging techniques revealed it contained at least 37 interlocking gears, operated by a hand crank, earning it the title of the world’s first known analog computer.

Image: Seiji Seiji

Dating back to 500 BCE–500 CE, these lines cover over 400 square miles and depict animals, plants, and geometric shapes. Created by removing the top layer of reddish pebbles to expose the lighter soil beneath, they have remained intact thanks to the region’s dry climate.

While their full extent can only be appreciated from the air, scholars believe they served astronomical or ceremonial purposes at the time.

Image: Spencer Davis

Found across Europe, these hollow 12-sided polyhedra date to the 2nd–4th centuries CE. From the start, they puzzled scientists, who couldn’t determine their purpose.

Their size, ranging from 1.6 to 4.3 inches, and evenly spaced holes suggest they may have been measuring tools, religious artifacts, or even knitting aids. However, no ancient texts explain their use, and, so far, the mystery remains unsolved.

Image: F𝓪7𝓪𝓭 ✔️ .

This 2,000-year-old ceramic jar contained a copper cylinder and an iron rod, which some have speculated could have been part of an ancient galvanic cell.

It might have generated the electricity required for electroplating or medicinal purposes. Tests with modern replicas show it can produce a small voltage, though its true function remains unconfirmed.

Image: The New York Public Library

Drawn by Ottoman admiral Piri Reis in 1513, this early world map depicts parts of Europe, Africa, and the Americas with surprising precision.

Some theories claim it even shows Antarctica centuries before its official discovery. The surviving fragment is now kept in Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace.

Image: Mark Rasmuson

Carbon-dated to the early 15th century, this mysterious 240-page manuscript is written in an unknown script with even stranger botanical drawings.

Despite decades of cryptographic attempts, no one has cracked its meaning. It’s housed at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.

Image: Steinar Engeland

At the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland, Canada, lies the first confirmed Viking settlement in North America, dated to around 1000 CE. Excavations have revealed turf houses, iron-working remains, and Viking-style artifacts.

This UNESCO World Heritage site provides clear evidence that Norse explorers reached North America nearly 500 years before Columbus.

Image: Aaron Greenwood

Discovered in 1974, China’s Terracotta Warriors consist of over 8,000 life-sized clay soldiers standing in battle formation near Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s tomb.

Buried with the emperor around 210 BCE, these warriors were created to serve as his protectors in the afterlife, reflecting the emperor’s power and beliefs about immortality. The site remains one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in history.

Image: Gabriel Garcia Marengo

Discovered in the Alps in 1991, Ötzi is a naturally mummified man from the Copper Age, over 5,300 years old. Found with a copper axe and clothing made from multiple animal hides, his body is so perfectly preserved that even multiple tattoos can be identified.

Curiously, analysis of Ötzi’s remains revealed he died from an arrow wound, offering rare and valuable insight into prehistoric life, violence, and death during the Copper Age. A literal cold case from millennia ago, eh?

Image: Matteo Vistocco

Discovered in 1799, the Rosetta Stone is a granodiorite stele inscribed with the same text in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and hieroglyphic. This unique trilingual inscription provided the crucial key to understanding ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Thanks to the Rosetta Stone, Jean-François Champollion was able to crack the hieroglyphic code in 1822, unlocking centuries of Egyptian history. The artifact is now prominently displayed in the British Museum.

HIGH SCORES AND NOSTALGIA

Let's Remember The 10 Best Arcade Games

Image: Matt & Chris Pua

While today's virtual recreation options are many and varied, the arrival of arcade games in the early 1970s revolutionized the entertainment world and left a mark on entire generations. It's impossible not to feel a bit nostalgic when thinking of these incredible games. From the revolutionary Pac-Man to other iconic Donkey Kong, we all had our favorites. What was yours?

Today, we have compiled 10 of the best arcade games to bring back the joy and excitement they once gave us. Let's play!

Image: Kvalifik

Outer space and its possibilities were a recurring theme in the 1970s games. You probably already know which one we are talking about now. You guessed it right: it's the unforgettable Space Invaders.

Released by Taito Corporation in 1978, this game was so fun and addictive that it quickly became a hit. With a classic format, players had to shoot a laser at invading ships coming from the top of the screen. Space Invaders was one of the first games to track high scores, which unleashed a competitive fever among players.

Adrenaline, tension, and fun were combined in this great game that defined the idea of "shooting games" and marked the childhood and adolescence of many of us.

Image: Senad Palic

Continuing with the space theme, another classic arcade game appeared in 1979, the mythical Asteroids by Atari.

If fighting against various enemies and obstacles was your thing, you've played Asteroids. In this classic, players had a ship that traversed space among asteroids and enemy flying saucers. Avoiding collisions with asteroids and attacking rival ships was a big challenge.

However, the level of difficulty didn't make Asteroids players any less passionate. From the beginning, this game found success, gaining a loyal fan base and becoming one of the best-selling games of its time.

Image: Roger Ce

This list would never be complete without mentioning one of the most popular games of all time: the legendary Pac-Man.

Pac-Man, played around the world by people of all ages, genders, and nationalities, was a revolution in the world of video games.

Released by Namco in 1980, this arcade game was an instant hit, and it elevated its iconic and colorful characters to global fame: the one and only Pac-Man and his "adversaries" Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. Do you remember them all?

Image: Kelly Sikkema

In 1981, Nintendo launched a game that would become an absolute success: Donkey Kong.

In this classic arcade game, a particular character named Jumpman had to overcome stairs and other obstacles to save the damsel Paulina from the formidable Donkey Kong. But do you know who this Jumpman was? That's right! He later became the iconic video game figure known as Mario Bros. While he was not yet called Mario in this game, it marked his debut as the popular character we know today.

Donkey Kong was one of the first arcades to include a series of diverse and challenging levels, and it became one of the best-selling games at the time!

Image: Ben Neale

In 1981, Sega released a game developed by Konami that quickly conquered gamers. In Frogger, players used the famous joystick to control the little frogs through congested routes and tricky obstacles and get them back home. As the game progressed, the obstacles increased in speed and difficulty, making it not only fun and addictive but also very dynamic!

Due to its simplicity and lack of violence, this game was a hit regardless of the gender and age of the players.

But there is one thing that will instantly bring this game to mind: its iconic music! Do you remember it?

Image: Isaiah Schultz

Two years after the successful Pac-Man, the arcade witnessed the debut of the iconic Ms. Pac-Man!

That's right, Pac-Man's girlfriend also had her own game, and it had nothing to envy the original. Released by Midway in 1982, Ms. Pac-Man came out as a sequel game and was one of the first video games to have a female protagonist.

This game was very well received by gamers at the time, as it had everything they loved about Pac-Man, plus several improvements. A bit more challenging than the original, Ms. Pac-Man featured the beloved female protagonist and the four ghosts, this time called Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Sue.

Image: Justice Thompson

Of course, we can't forget to include a video game celebrity: the one and only Mario Bros.

As we already mentioned, Mario's first appearance in a game didn't even feature his name in the title, and he went by a different name. But his character in Donkey Kong was so well received that Nintendo decided to develop a video game for the beloved Mario.

Mario Bros., released for arcades in 1983, had not only Mario but also his co-star, his funny little brother Luigi, fighting and jumping in each level against obstacles and enemies.

Mario Bros. became a very popular arcade game in its time and was the starting point for the development of the legendary franchise that now bears that name.

Image: Joey kwok

When it comes to fighting games, Street Fighter II -released in arcades in 1991 by Capcom- gets a special mention among arcade classics.

Unlike Street Fighter I and other games that preceded it, Street Fighter II allowed the players to choose from a diverse group of characters, all fighting to become the best warrior in the world. At the same time, each character had unique abilities and characteristics. If you had the chance to play it, you probably remember some of them, such as Ryu, Ken, or Chun-Li.

In addition to its multiplicity of characters, Street Fighter II presented innovative features like the "combo system" (allowing players to apply several attacks in a row) and the "versus mode" (with which you could challenge a friend to play). Thus, this game marked the path that fighting games would take in the following decades.

Image: Carl Raw

But in 1992, we welcomed a game that, for many experts, not only surpassed Street Fighter but also became an emblem of fighting games.

We are talking about the unforgettable Mortal Kombat, with its legendary and fearsome characters that include Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Raiden, and Sonya, among others. In addition, each character had an interesting backstory that revealed a certain depth in the characters' crafting.

But what really set Mortal Kombat apart was its unusual level of graphical violence, which naturally attracted many gamers. Do you remember the "fatalities"? Did you have a favorite character?

Image: Karsten Winegeart

If sports games were your thing, you probably played NBA Jam. This classic was released in 1993 by Midway Games and was undoubtedly very well received by the public.

Among its best features was the possibility of choosing between real NBA players of that time, making fans get excited every time they could play.

On the other hand, the graphics style and the game speed were some of the most valued features among the players.

Remember the "Boomshakalaka!" and "He's on Fire!" by Tim Kitzrow? What a time!