Opposing Viewpoints: Five Mysterious Places and Structures in the World

Dating back as far as 5000 years ago, the Newgrange Megalithic Passage Tomb in Ireland is one of the oldest structures in the world, hundreds of years predating the mighty Stonehenge in England and the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Lying hidden for more than 4000 years, it was discovered initially by men looking for building stones in 1698. Its restoration only begun in 1962 and saw it finished in 1975 under the supervision of the Irish archaeologist, Professor Michael J. O’Kelly. Experts have figured out that the construction of this magnificent edifice took the builders more than seventy (70) years to complete.

Quiet even more amazing, the structure suggests that the builders had a strong knowledge of astronomy for having the structure situated perfectly at a spot where a beam of sunlight shines through the roof box located near the entrance starting December 21, the winter solstice until some few days. The shaft of sunlight illuminates the chamber within and gets enfolded in complete darkness for the rest of the year.

Today, nobody is certain regarding the purpose of this structure. The presence of large stone basins into which cremated human remains were placed strongly suggests that Newgrange have been used as a tomb, probably for their most revered leaders that they felt deserved such a burial. Or was it a special place of worship with the sun forming an important figure in their belief? Why did they build such gigantic structure and put superhuman effort to a project that they may not even live to see finished? Alas! What’s maybe in store for us is to ponder upon for life. One thing certain enough is that anyone who visited the site will leave the place besieged with things mysterious and divine.

Stonehenge

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The stones are generally believed to have been put in place in three main phases within the period 3100-1550 BC. The Stonehenge has the general appearance of a circular arrangement of standing stones built in prehistoric times and is located in Southern England in the province of Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Archaeologists offer varying theories for the reasons behind the building of the Stonehenge, making it a mystery until today, but it is believed to have been a place of worship and ritual. Other conjecture offered was, it was a place of ancient astronomical studies, primarily for the prediction of eclipses but none of those has been confirmed. Stones erected during the second phase of the construction were found to align with the sun at the summer solstice, suggesting an astronomical or ritual bearing of this extremely quizzical structure.

Taking note that none of the powerful dumped trucks and cranes that we have today were at their disposal is even more mind-boggling as to how those builders were able to transport those huge stones from afar since there was no nearby sight where stones of such immensity can be gathered? And how did they heave the large stone atop the other? Many conflicting hypothesis were advanced for these questions but still we are left in continues speculations. Unless one archaeologist someday happens to stumble upon an ancient relic containing all details about the Stonehenge, then the world is finally extricated from the agony of trying to solve this mystery.

The Great Pyramids of Egypt

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Pyramidal ancient structures are found in various parts of the world such as those in Central and South America, and towering among them in popularity and as source of much thought are those in Egypt. The exact number of these Pyramids of varying sizes is unknown. Some believe there are 81, others maintain there are 112; the latter is accepted by the majority. Aside from their imposing and varying sizes, they are situated in various Egyptian regions and were built at different times. Being comparatively more imposing and larger, those in Giza are the most prominent among these great pyramids of Egypt.

Today, they are generally believed as burial monuments for royal Egyptians most especially for the Pharaohs, giving rise to many speculations such as the theologically inclined belief that they were designed as some kind of “resurrection machine.”

The Egyptians believed the dark area of the night sky around which the stars appear to revolve was the physical gateway into the heavens. One of the narrow shafts that extend from the main burial chamber through the entire body of the Great Pyramid points directly towards the center of this part of the sky. This suggests the pyramid may have been designed to serve as a means to magically launch the deceased pharaoh’s soul directly into the abode of the gods ( Wikipedia).

But why are these tombs were built in such immense sizes? Perhaps for posterity and statement to the world and succeeding generations as to how powerful Egypt and the Pharaohs were. The quiet advanced engineering involved? So, as long as the existence of these imposing pyramids is concerned, we can be simply left to surmise forever.

For centuries of existence of those mysterious structures and/or places and the advent of our almost complete tools of science, we are still groping in darkness where all explanations could be possibly lurking. Moreover, our effort to comprehend all those sources of deep thoughts and imagination may eventually all end up futile. But, such a failure is perhaps a success in itself for mankind, for the mysterious is beauty to the human mind which is itself hard to comprehend and that the world will appear so dull of a place in absence of something mysterious. Or as Harry Emerson sagely put it, “I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.”