Mysteries of the PastWhat are the unresolved mysteries of history?

[wolram]

Some of the historic fact/fiction stories i have an interest in, there is plenty about them on the net, but who is right ?

Rosslyn chapel, linked to the (westford knight) rock engavings in Massachusetts, some of the oldest grave yards in Nova scotia, the search
for the Holy grail and followers of the Davinci code.

The star of Bethlehem, was it an actual astronomical event, myth ?

The Shroud of turin, most think it is a fake, but how was it produced ?

Robin hood, a mythical character ? well there is plenty of evidence that
he may have existed.

Pope joan, was there a woman pope ? is there evidence that records were
altered in an attempt to wipe her from history ?

Anyone have a view on any of the above?

 

[arildno]

Many of those are unanswerable.
I think it is more interesting to elucidate the FUNCTIONAL side of these tales, whether or not they are myths or facts:
Why were they perpetuated?
What was the tales' function in the societies in which they were told?
Answering such questions might give us a better understanding of the societies in which those tales were told.

 

[wolram]

Many of those are unanswerable.
I think it is more interesting to elucidate the FUNCTIONAL side of these tales, whether or not they are myths or facts:
Why were they perpetuated?
What was the tales' function in the societies in which they were told?
Answering such questions might give us a better understanding of the societies in which those tales were told.

In the case of Robin hood, it is a fight between the powerful and less so,
or a residual hatred for the Normans by the Anglo saxons.
There are many records of people deprived of their estates, as revenge
for some action they partook in against their lords approval, or for non
payment of taxes, often the deprived had no other choise than to take
up villany, and the early accounts of robin hood are less romantic than
modern adaptations, some depict him as quite blood thirsty.

 

[arildno]

I agree.
It is often forgotten, that prior to, say, the 17th century, law enforcement was haphazard and restricted to areas in the immediate vicinity of either a city or a noble's holdings.

Thus, there were lots of spaces that could be occupied by "outlaws", and indeed they were. Part wandering tradesmen, part criminals, part rebels, outlaws were well-known, but somewhat mysterious figures in the rural areas.


This is, I guess, the basic social background upon which legends like the Robin Hood myth has sprung.

 

[wolram]

I am very unsure as to the back ground to pope joan, unless the story
was intended as a religious slur, if false, and some rewrighting of records
if true.

 

[arildno]

What is the source material for that legend, and has it been documented that it was a story that was in general circulation in the Middle Ages?

 

[wolram]

I have just burnt my dinner oh well it is only black on top.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Joan

The story of Pope Joan is known mainly from the 13th century Polish chronicler Martin of Opava (Martin von Trappau to Germans, also known as Martin Polonus, "Martin the Pole"). In his Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatum, Martin writes:

After... Leo, John Anglicus, born at Mainz, was pope for two years, seven months and four days, and died in Rome, after which there was a vacancy in the papacy of one month. It is claimed that this John was a woman, who as a girl had been led to Athens dressed in the clothes of a man by a certain lover of hers. There she became proficient in a diversity of branches of knowledge, until she had no equal, and afterwards in Rome, she taught the liberal arts and had great masters among her students and audience. A high opinion of her life and learning arose in the city, and she was was chosen for pope. While pope, however, she became pregnant by her companion. Through ignorance of the exact time when the birth was expected, she was delivered of a child while in procession from St Peter's to the Lateran, in a narrow lane between the Colisseum and St Clement's church. After her death, it is said she was buried in that same place. The Lord Pope always turns aside from the street and it is believed by many that this is done because of abhorrence of the event. Nor is she placed on the list of the holy pontiffs, both because of her female sex and on account of the foulness of the matter.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Charles Fort collected quite a few mysteries aside from anomalous events. Most were relatively mundane without any real historical importance but had odd elements to them.

Jack the Ripper is a pretty notorious mystery.

I read once about a mystery involving Lord Byron. Supposedly Byron returned to England unexpectedly from travels abroad. While there he did several things that angered many of his friends and associates then disapeared. Later he returned and was unaware of the things he had supposedly done saying that he was in another country and sick with a terrible fever at the time when these things had happened. Apparently there was plenty of evidence to support his alibi and it was never figured out what happened or who might have posed as him.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

From the Credible Anomalies Napster:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=58374

Hobbits

Hobbit" Discovered: Tiny Human Ancestor Found in Asia
Scientists have found fossil skeletons of a hobbit-like species of human that grew no larger than a three-year-old modern child (See pictures). The tiny humans, who had skulls about the size of grapefruits, lived with pygmy elephants and Komodo dragons on a remote island in Indonesia as recently as 13,000 years ago. [continued]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1027_041027_homo_floresiensis.html
PF Thread https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=50063&highlight=Hobbit
For a little wild speculation, see also PF thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=50855

Anasazi, The Ancient Ones

...They carved out a life for themselves in the high deserts of the southwest during the years of 500 - 1300 A.D. One of the great mysteries about these people has to do with their disappearance, because during the 13th century they just walked away from their settlements and never came back. Many recommendations have been made concerning these once great people. The suggestions have covered everything from the obvious to some very odd and disturbing ideas. However, despite all the controvesy, these people have managed to keep the academic world and the rest of the world wondering and guessing as to the possibilities of their fate that occurred over 700 years ago

http://www.northwestcollege.edu/id/wilsonr/2003Capstone/AshleeMASON.pdf

Scientists Study Anasazi Calender

Don Smith, College of Eastern Utah, San Juan branch: "I think we're becoming more aware that those people were far more familiar with astronomy, science and possibly math than we give them credit for."

In a secluded ravine near Blanding, scientists and researchers gather to watch mysterious images forming right before their eyes.

Although the rite of Spring, at least on our calendar, slipped in here yesterday almost unnoticed, it's literally in your face in this strange little canyon. [continued]

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=157234

The Colony At Roanoke

The first British Colony of Roanoke, originally consisting of 100 householders, was founded in 1585, 22 years before Jamestown and 37 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, under the ultimate authority of Sir Walter Raleigh. In 1584 Raleigh had been granted a patent by Queen Elizabeth I to colonize America.

This Colony was run by Ralph Lane after Sir Richard Grenville, who had transported the colonists to Virginia, returned to Britain for supplies. These colonists were ill-prepared and not particularly clever, because, although they depended upon the local Indians for food, they also antagonized the Indians by such tactics as kidnapping them and holding them hostage in exchange for information. Unfortunately for the colonists, who were desperately in need of supplies, Grenville's return was delayed. As a result, when Sir Francis Drake put in at Roanoke after destroying the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, the entire colony returned with Drake to England.

Interestingly, when Drake picked up these colonists, he left behind 15 of his own men, who were never heard from again. This foreshadowed one of the great mysteries of North America, Roanoke's so-called "Lost Colony" of 90 men, 17 women and 9 children, founded in 1587 and discovered to be missing in 1590, but for the word "Croatan" carved on a post. Although both the English and the Spanish searched for clues to the colony's disappearance for many years, the mystery has never been solved.[continued]

http://www.nationalcenter.org/ColonyofRoanoke.html
http://www.libraryreference.org/roanoke.html