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See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
When was Jesus born?
- While many Christians celebrate December 25 as the birth of Jesus, he was likely not born on this day. The date was probably chosen because it was close to Saturnalia, a Roman festival that celebrated the god Saturn.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
When was Jesus born?
- Early Christians were never able to agree on a date when Jesus was born, which is why Orthodox Christians celebrate his birthday on January 6 or 7. In the end, we will never precisely know the date of his birth.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Did Atlantis exist?
- Philosopher Plato once told a story of a land named Atlantis that existed in the Atlantic Ocean, The people of Atlantis apparently conquered much of Europe and Africa, but the Athenians managed to strike back in a conflict that saw Atlantis vanish under the waves.
© Public Domain
3 / 29 Fotos
Did Atlantis exist?
- No serious scholars believe that this story is true. However, some have speculated that it might have been inspired by real events that happened in Greek history. For example, the Minoan civilization, who lived on the island of Crete until about 1400 BCE, could have inspired the story of Atlantis.
© Public Domain
4 / 29 Fotos
Who was Jack the Ripper?
- In 1888, Jack the Ripper brutally killed at least five women in London. A number of letters, supposedly from the Ripper, were sent to the police, taunting them to find him. Whether the letters were actually written by him remains a mystery to this day.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Who was Jack the Ripper?
- Over the decades, there has been countless speculation as to whom the Ripper actually was. However, it appears unlikely that his true identity will ever be known for sure.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Where is Cleopatra's tomb?
- Some speculate that Cleopatra and her lover, Mark Antony, were buried together in a tomb after their deaths in 30 BCE. However, the location of the tomb remains a mystery.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Where is Cleopatra's tomb?
- In 2010, Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former antiquities minister, conducted excavations at a site near Alexandria. The location contained several tombs dating back to Cleopatra's rule. However, her tomb was not found.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Where is the Holy Grail?
- The Holy Grail is the cup that Jesus drank from at his last supper with his disciples. It has never been found and almost certainly never will be.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Where is the Holy Grail?
- Interest in it grew in the Middle Ages, after stories about King Arthur described the search for the Holy Grail. Today, it continues to be popular in fiction, and it was even used in the plot of the 1989 film 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.'
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Who killed JFK?
- Probably the biggest mystery in American history, it has never been resolved to everyone's satisfaction. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald, who was fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby before his trial.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Who killed JFK?
- There are some who speculate that Oswald wasn't the only shooter. Ruby's motivation for killing Oswald has also been questioned. But we'll never get the answers from Ruby, as he died from lung cancer in 1967.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
What was Jesus really like?
- The earliest surviving gospels date to almost 100 years after the life of Jesus. This has left biblical scholars with a number of questions. How many of the stories actually took place? When were the gospels written? And what was Jesus like in real life?
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
What was Jesus really like?
- Archaeological investigations of Nazareth, Jesus' hometown, reveal more about the environment where he grew up in than his personality. Scholars believe it's unlikely that we'll ever fully know what Jesus was really like.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Was there a real King Arthur?
- The story of King Arthur has been told numerous times over more than a thousand years. But if he really existed, it would have been a less magical reality. So forget about Merlin the wizard!
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Was there a real King Arthur?
- There are several sites around the UK that link to King Arthur, such as Tintagel, which supposedly was his home. However, excavations haven't found any evidence that he lived there, or that he even existed.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
Where is Jimmy Hoffa?
- The famous union leader known for his involvement in organized crime disappeared in Oakland County, Michigan, on July 30, 1975. He was declared legally dead in 1982.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Where is Jimmy Hoffa?
- The killer's identity and the location of the body are still ongoing mysteries. Police and forensic anthropologists have searched a number of sites without any luck.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
What happened to the Ark of the Covenant?
- In 587 BCE, a Babylonian army conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple, an important religious building of the Jewish people. The First Temple contained the Ark of the Covenant, which carried tablets recording the Ten Commandments.
© Public Domain
19 / 29 Fotos
What happened to the Ark of the Covenant?
- What happened to the Ark of the Covenant is still unclear. Ancient sources indicate that the ark was either carried back to Babylon or hidden before the city was captured. It's also possible that the ark was destroyed during the city's sacking, but we will never truly know.
© Public Domain
20 / 29 Fotos
Is there a money pit on Oak Island?
- For over two centuries, rumors have circulated that Oak Island, located off Nova Scotia, Canada, has a pit with hidden money and other treasures.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Is there a money pit on Oak Island?
- Supposedly left there by the pirate Captain William Kidd (1645-1701), countless expeditions have traveled to the island in search of lost treasure. Of course, without any luck.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
Were the hanging gardens of Babylon real?
- Ancient writers have described the gardens constructed at the ancient city of Babylon in modern-day Iraq. However, it's not clear when they were built, or if they even existed.
© Getty Images
23 / 29 Fotos
Were the hanging gardens of Babylon real?
- Until today, archaeologists who have excavated Babylon haven't been able to find the remains of these gardens. And as the region has suffered damage from wars and looting, it's probable that it will remain an unsolved mystery.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
Was Caesarion really Julius Caesar's son?
- In 47 BCE, Cleopatra gave birth to a son named Caesarion, whom she claimed was the son of Julius Caesar. Cleopatra named Caesarion as co-ruler of Egypt in 44 BCE.
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
Was Caesarion really Julius Caesar's son?
- However, it's still uncertain if Caesar really was the child's father. He never acknowledged Caesarion as his own, and his friend, Gaius Oppius, even wrote a pamphlet denying that Caesarion was his.
© Getty Images
26 / 29 Fotos
Is the copper scroll treasure real?
- In 1952, a copper scroll was found in a cave at an archaeological site in Qumran, Israel. The writing was engraved onto a copper scroll, and contained records of an unbelievable amount of treasures of hidden gold and silver.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Is the copper scroll treasure real?
- The scroll (pictured here is a replica) dates back to a time when the Roman Empire controlled the area, with numerous revolts against them. Scientists have hypothesized that the treasure was hidden to prevent its capture by Roman forces. Whether the treasure is real, or if it was already found, is still a mystery that will likely never be solved. Sources: (Live Science) (BBC History)
© Public Domain
28 / 29 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 29 Fotos
When was Jesus born?
- While many Christians celebrate December 25 as the birth of Jesus, he was likely not born on this day. The date was probably chosen because it was close to Saturnalia, a Roman festival that celebrated the god Saturn.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
When was Jesus born?
- Early Christians were never able to agree on a date when Jesus was born, which is why Orthodox Christians celebrate his birthday on January 6 or 7. In the end, we will never precisely know the date of his birth.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Did Atlantis exist?
- Philosopher Plato once told a story of a land named Atlantis that existed in the Atlantic Ocean, The people of Atlantis apparently conquered much of Europe and Africa, but the Athenians managed to strike back in a conflict that saw Atlantis vanish under the waves.
© Public Domain
3 / 29 Fotos
Did Atlantis exist?
- No serious scholars believe that this story is true. However, some have speculated that it might have been inspired by real events that happened in Greek history. For example, the Minoan civilization, who lived on the island of Crete until about 1400 BCE, could have inspired the story of Atlantis.
© Public Domain
4 / 29 Fotos
Who was Jack the Ripper?
- In 1888, Jack the Ripper brutally killed at least five women in London. A number of letters, supposedly from the Ripper, were sent to the police, taunting them to find him. Whether the letters were actually written by him remains a mystery to this day.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
Who was Jack the Ripper?
- Over the decades, there has been countless speculation as to whom the Ripper actually was. However, it appears unlikely that his true identity will ever be known for sure.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Where is Cleopatra's tomb?
- Some speculate that Cleopatra and her lover, Mark Antony, were buried together in a tomb after their deaths in 30 BCE. However, the location of the tomb remains a mystery.
© Getty Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Where is Cleopatra's tomb?
- In 2010, Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former antiquities minister, conducted excavations at a site near Alexandria. The location contained several tombs dating back to Cleopatra's rule. However, her tomb was not found.
© Getty Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Where is the Holy Grail?
- The Holy Grail is the cup that Jesus drank from at his last supper with his disciples. It has never been found and almost certainly never will be.
© Getty Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Where is the Holy Grail?
- Interest in it grew in the Middle Ages, after stories about King Arthur described the search for the Holy Grail. Today, it continues to be popular in fiction, and it was even used in the plot of the 1989 film 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.'
© Getty Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Who killed JFK?
- Probably the biggest mystery in American history, it has never been resolved to everyone's satisfaction. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald, who was fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby before his trial.
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Who killed JFK?
- There are some who speculate that Oswald wasn't the only shooter. Ruby's motivation for killing Oswald has also been questioned. But we'll never get the answers from Ruby, as he died from lung cancer in 1967.
© Getty Images
12 / 29 Fotos
What was Jesus really like?
- The earliest surviving gospels date to almost 100 years after the life of Jesus. This has left biblical scholars with a number of questions. How many of the stories actually took place? When were the gospels written? And what was Jesus like in real life?
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
What was Jesus really like?
- Archaeological investigations of Nazareth, Jesus' hometown, reveal more about the environment where he grew up in than his personality. Scholars believe it's unlikely that we'll ever fully know what Jesus was really like.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Was there a real King Arthur?
- The story of King Arthur has been told numerous times over more than a thousand years. But if he really existed, it would have been a less magical reality. So forget about Merlin the wizard!
© Getty Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Was there a real King Arthur?
- There are several sites around the UK that link to King Arthur, such as Tintagel, which supposedly was his home. However, excavations haven't found any evidence that he lived there, or that he even existed.
© Getty Images
16 / 29 Fotos
Where is Jimmy Hoffa?
- The famous union leader known for his involvement in organized crime disappeared in Oakland County, Michigan, on July 30, 1975. He was declared legally dead in 1982.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Where is Jimmy Hoffa?
- The killer's identity and the location of the body are still ongoing mysteries. Police and forensic anthropologists have searched a number of sites without any luck.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
What happened to the Ark of the Covenant?
- In 587 BCE, a Babylonian army conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple, an important religious building of the Jewish people. The First Temple contained the Ark of the Covenant, which carried tablets recording the Ten Commandments.
© Public Domain
19 / 29 Fotos
What happened to the Ark of the Covenant?
- What happened to the Ark of the Covenant is still unclear. Ancient sources indicate that the ark was either carried back to Babylon or hidden before the city was captured. It's also possible that the ark was destroyed during the city's sacking, but we will never truly know.
© Public Domain
20 / 29 Fotos
Is there a money pit on Oak Island?
- For over two centuries, rumors have circulated that Oak Island, located off Nova Scotia, Canada, has a pit with hidden money and other treasures.
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Is there a money pit on Oak Island?
- Supposedly left there by the pirate Captain William Kidd (1645-1701), countless expeditions have traveled to the island in search of lost treasure. Of course, without any luck.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
Were the hanging gardens of Babylon real?
- Ancient writers have described the gardens constructed at the ancient city of Babylon in modern-day Iraq. However, it's not clear when they were built, or if they even existed.
© Getty Images
23 / 29 Fotos
Were the hanging gardens of Babylon real?
- Until today, archaeologists who have excavated Babylon haven't been able to find the remains of these gardens. And as the region has suffered damage from wars and looting, it's probable that it will remain an unsolved mystery.
© Getty Images
24 / 29 Fotos
Was Caesarion really Julius Caesar's son?
- In 47 BCE, Cleopatra gave birth to a son named Caesarion, whom she claimed was the son of Julius Caesar. Cleopatra named Caesarion as co-ruler of Egypt in 44 BCE.
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
Was Caesarion really Julius Caesar's son?
- However, it's still uncertain if Caesar really was the child's father. He never acknowledged Caesarion as his own, and his friend, Gaius Oppius, even wrote a pamphlet denying that Caesarion was his.
© Getty Images
26 / 29 Fotos
Is the copper scroll treasure real?
- In 1952, a copper scroll was found in a cave at an archaeological site in Qumran, Israel. The writing was engraved onto a copper scroll, and contained records of an unbelievable amount of treasures of hidden gold and silver.
© Getty Images
27 / 29 Fotos
Is the copper scroll treasure real?
- The scroll (pictured here is a replica) dates back to a time when the Roman Empire controlled the area, with numerous revolts against them. Scientists have hypothesized that the treasure was hidden to prevent its capture by Roman forces. Whether the treasure is real, or if it was already found, is still a mystery that will likely never be solved. Sources: (Live Science) (BBC History)
© Public Domain
28 / 29 Fotos
The biggest historical mysteries that will probably never get resolved
When was Jesus really born, and where is Cleopatra's tomb?
© Getty Images
No matter how much we know about the past, there are still many historical mysteries that may never get resolved. From the date of Jesus' birth to Jack the Ripper's true identity, certain things have no explanation. This could be because relevant documentation or excavated items have been lost or destroyed. Other times, the evidence has been too vague to lead to any consensus. In the end, we might very well never find the answers, which makes these historical questions even more intriguing.
Want to discover the world's biggest historical mysteries? Then check out the following gallery.
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