The national dance in Armenia originated long ago and has been an important part of both everyday life and celebrations. Work in the field and harvest was not complete without dancing, people were sent off on a long journey with dancing. During weddings, they danced all day long. There were also special movements before the battle and to celebrate the victory. Such widespread use of dance was associated with ritual, tradition and faith. It was also a way to express emotions, be it sadness or joy. Dance was of special importance. with one dance they chased away evil, with another they called the forces of good, and the third gave them strength.
It was important not only on what occasion, but also who exactly was dancing. There were women’s, men’s, mixed dances, dances for people of different ages and positions, group dances. For example, men performed military dances, comedy dances were for young men, and widowed and widowed men could not form a circle with the bride and groom at a wedding.
Armenian dances were performed in the open air and in covered buildings.
They were performed in the open air during popular annual religious holidays. Trndez, Hambardzum, Vardavar, Baretid, etc. Armenian dances were also performed in the open air in places of pilgrimage.
During the wedding ceremony, the dances of the participants all the way to the church for the wedding ceremony, during the wedding ceremony and on the way to the groom’s house used to have the function of protecting against evil spirit trickery and the evil eye.
The funeral dance procession and funeral dances were also performed in the open square.
Armenians also performed dances in covered buildings.
In pagan times, ritual Temple Dances – Park Mehenakank were performed in the temples of Ancient Armenia.
In closed buildings, the population danced more winter. During the warmer months of the year, this was when dance rituals were to be performed in the lodges.
There were many types of traditional dances, for example, devotional and hunting, comic and pantomime, work and lyrical, epic, etc. Let’s dwell on some of them in detail.
Imitative dances
Mimicry dances were associated with pagan conceptions of the world. Armenians wear masks, shawls and clothes made of animal skins to dance in honor of their ancestors and protect themselves from evil.
Each imitative dance was characterized by repeating the movements of this or that animal or bird. For example, when they danced the “Havi” and “Crane” dances of “Tavukh dance” and “Krngots”, respectively, they formed a straight line. The first dancer represented the leader. He seemed to be watching over the group, making gestures and sometimes staying behind to “protect” the others. In such dances, they also imitated the flight of birds, the movements of eating grains, building nests, and protecting young and mothers.
The group dance dedicated to the bear is interesting. You have to grab one of your partner’s hands and place the other under the left bent knee and jump on the right leg. This dance, of course, does not look as graceful as the “Jeyran” dance dedicated to the deer. Here the movements are smooth, unhurried, they dance by moving their wrists, holding their heads high and trying to imitate the elastic gait of an animal.
Domestic dances
Dances accompanied not only fun and holidays, but also work. For example, butchers had their own dance, “Kasab Hawasi”, shepherds danced with their attributes, bells and staffs. Other dances were: “Dngo”, “Mortar”, “Let’s beat onions and garlic”.
The women danced the “Shaler” dance as if they were spinning wool. There were also dances of collecting flowers, harvesting crops, doing housework, and playing near the water.
Ritual dances
Ritual dances coincided with important events, danced on specific days and in a specific place. Harvesting also had its own dance, and “Kochari” and “Ververi” were danced on livestock holidays. In the spring, the girls gathered flowers, told fortunes and danced in “Jean-Guillem”.
During the wedding, they danced all day so that the young family would be happy, rich, fertile and protected from evil. Each dance had its place, time and performers. Thus, when the newlyweds entered the house, the mother-in-law danced at the threshold of the house. He would put thin lavash crosswise on the bride’s head and shoulders, sprinkle sweets, dried fruits, nuts and coins and kiss the eyes of the newlyweds.
In the evening, after the wedding, the married senior representative of the bride’s family danced. His “Dance of the Father-in-law” was aimed at establishing warm relations with ancestors and family members.
Everyone (except widows and widowers) danced the “Candle Dance”. Married couples took candles and, holding the branches, formed a circle. In the center of the circle were the bride and groom, they were protected from evil spirits. The newlyweds performed three rounds, while the others danced until the candles were extinguished. Candles were then left with the newlyweds, which were lit on solemn occasions such as births and baptisms.
Comedy dances
Comedy dances were performed mainly by men. They were humorous dance-games. No more than eight young people participated in the Lutki dance. They portrayed clowns, entertaining the audience, dancing with a light and proud attitude. Another humorous dance imitated the tightrope walker. And “Shalakho” dance has many versions. In some provinces it was performed by men dancing with shawls. They demonstrated how skillfully they could fly it into the air, throw it in their hand and then on their shoulder. It is a very happy, funny dance. It is this version that was staged in the “Gayane” ballet. “Shalakho” had a different meaning in other regions. men danced and competed for the girl’s headscarf.
Road dances
Road dances were performed while going somewhere or seeing someone off. They danced when people were sent to another village, on a pilgrimage, they danced to the bride’s house and came back from there. Often the dance was accompanied by songs and music. During the “Pochov” road dance, people of any age and status lined up side by side. The first and last dancers in the line held a handkerchief or, as darkness fell, a torch to light the way and ward off evil spirits. They danced in a zigzag pattern to confuse the evil spirits. And they never came back the same way.
Military dances
Military dances were performed only by men. They imitated the sounds of battle by clapping and kicking, such as the “Clap Dance”. The fight scenes were conveyed back and forth, left and right movements, jumping, kneeling. The dancers were changing places, spinning. Hand-to-hand combat was demonstrated by clapping the hands of other dancers, as in the “Yarchushta” dance.
They could use real shields and swords, but often the real weapons were replaced with sticks or just imaginary weapons. In swordplay, men demonstrated the art of wielding swords (or their wooden substitutes). This dance was performed before the battle to give courage to the young men. “Dance with swords” is one of the most beautiful parts of “Gayane” ballet.
And while dancing the “Ghasab Aghasi” dance, the men fought with imaginary knives. They used them to frighten the enemies, swing them, sharpen them with armor.
In many dances, an enemy was considered defeated when his hat was knocked to the ground.
There were not only group dances, but also duet and solo dances. When the warrior performed alone, he showed how expertly and skilfully he wielded weapons.
Before the march, they performed dances to prepare for the march, to gain courage. The rhythm of the dances was fast and even faster, the zurna sounded, the drums were beaten fast.
The main Armenian dances
After talking about the types of dances, let’s talk about the main ones and convey their history and significance.
National dances from the movie “Men”.
“Echmiadzin”
In pagan times there was a cult dance in honor of the sun god. It was carried out in Karin province. Mimicking the shape of the celestial body, the dancers formed a circle. When they moved forward and narrowed the circle, it meant sunset, when they widened the circle, it meant sunrise. They took 12 steps: six in one direction, six in the opposite direction. Walking to the right and inward brought good luck to the community, and walking to the left drove away all negative forces. The number 12 is not accidental here: it symbolized the signs of the zodiac. The dancers bowed before them as a sign of respect and reverence.
With the adoption of Christianity, this dance was not forgotten, but reinterpreted. It was named “Echmiadzin” in honor of the first Christian church in Armenia. The essence of worship and prayer remained the same, but now the 12 steps referred not to the signs of the zodiac, but to the apostles.
Papuri
Remember, “Papuri”, not potpourri. This is a cult dance, the name of which translates as “Beat, Punish, Suffer”. It was performed to ward off evil spirits or when misfortune occurred. The dancers showed their strength, courage and scared away the evil forces by clapping loudly and kicking their feet. They stood in a circle, held each other’s shoulders and moved left and right. The dance was usually performed by men, but sometimes women joined in as well. As the music quickened, the girls left the circle, after which the men no longer walked but jumped. Thus, the community showed its unity, lack of fear and drove away the evil forces.
“Kochari”
The most famous Armenian dance is “Kocharin”. It is associated with the worship of the ram (“koch” means ram), so the movements of the dancers repeated the movements of the animal. A man stood first with a handkerchief in his hand and waved it, thus indicating the change of dance movement. The dancers would grab each other’s shoulders and lean forward sharply, jump, then lean back. Every province had its “Kochari”. In some places it was considered more martial and men performed the dance before a battle or after a victory. In other provinces, “Kochari” was associated with the hope of fertility, so the movements were more fluid, with arms outstretched to the sky.
In 1945, “Kochari” also appeared in historical footage. it was danced by Armenian soldiers near the walls of the Reichstag. Seeing this, soldier Arshaluys Saroyan wrote the poem “Victory Dance”, which you can listen to below in this chronicle.
In 2017, the Kochari dance was included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO.
“Kochari” is still danced on the streets of Armenia and on holidays. Now it unites men and women of different generations and status.
“Fortress”
Once upon a time there was a game called “Dome Game”. Its essence was that the participants would hold each other’s hands and climb on each other’s shoulders, apparently forming a dome. Over time, in Vaspurakan, this game turned into the “Fortress” military dance. The men conveyed the process of building a castle with their movements and, as in the past, they stood on each other’s shoulders at the end of the dance.
“Yarkhushta”
“Yarkhushta”, “fellow soldier” military dance, was also danced only by men. It originated in Sasu province. There, the soldiers performed “Yarkhushta” before the battle to raise the military morale. In the dance, they depicted the future battles, “attacking” their partner one by one. The men stood facing each other, walked towards each other, and when they collided, they clapped their hands, imitating the sounds of battle.
This topic is very interesting and important for Armenians to be acquainted with. Every region has its own different choreography. However all of them are paralleled with in some way.
I have picked the topic called “Mysterious places around the world” by Missis Irina Apoyan, but I have asked a different teacher to be my supervisor for my topic, Missis Silva Harutyunyan. My topic is about the world having mysterious interesting places I can do research about. I have picked this topic because it is very interesting, I myself love bizarre places because it makes me you think about the possibilities and gets you absorbed in your thoughts, so it very entertaining for me to find extraordinary places the world has. Mysterious spots are inviting they attract you to visit. This topic can absorb people in to find out more about these places.
Chapter I. Bhangarh Fort
Bhangarh Fort
Bhangarh Fort is located in Alwar district of the royal state of India. It is situated at the borders of the famous Sariska Tiger Reserve in the area and is listed as one of the Most Haunted Places in India, and the world. The Bhangarh Fort’s history dates back to centuries being built in the 17th century in Rajasthan.
Bhangarh was, in fact, a flourishing town in ancient times. Built for his son, Man Singh I, in the 17thcentury by Madho Singh, it was one of the nine ratnas of Emperor Akbar’s court. Bhangarh Fort was once a thing of beauty and power. It is believed that over 10,000 people used to reside in Bhangarh before it was allegedly deserted overnight! Spooky. Standing in ruins, this 400 years old grand edifice and the spread town around it owe their present state to the pitiful Bhangarh Story that sealed its ill-fate.
Subchapter 1. Bhangarh Stories
Of the many Bhangarh stories that the locals like to indulge in, the most popular is that of Emperor Madho Singh who built the city after attaining the approval of Guru Balu Nath, an ascetic who used to meditate there. The saint gave his approval on the condition that the shadow of the Emperor’s palace should never fall on his retreat.
If in case it did, the city would crumble into ruins. Once the construction was completed, the retreat of Guru Balu was unfortunately shadowed by the palace. Having incurred the saint’s wrath, Bhangarh immediately transformed into a cursed city and could never be rebuilt as no structures ever managed to survive in it. It is interesting to note that the tomb of Guru Balu Nath can still be found among the ruins.
Another Bhangarh Fort story pertains to Princess Ratnavati. According to legends, her beauty was nonpareil and stories of her surpassing physical attractiveness even transcended kingdoms and borders. When she turned eighteen, suitors from several states asked for her hand in marriage. Of all these suitors was a sorcerer named Singhia who was aware of the fact that he was no match for the princess. However, he decided to entice her with the magical powers he possessed.
He was lucky enough to see Princess Ratnavati’s mistress in the market and enchanted the oil she was purchasing with black magic. He was of the hope that the princess would surrender herself to him upon touching the oil. However, his attempt was futile as Ratnavati witnessed his trick and poured the oil on the ground which then morphed into a rock, rolled towards the magician and crushed him.
Before dying, Singhia cursed the city of Bhangarh to death and as a result, it never witnessed any rebirths. Moreover, in the battle between Ajabgarh and Bhangarh, princess Ratnavati was killed, thus adding more weight to his malediction. Hopes, however, never die as several locals are of the belief that she has returned in a different form and will ultimately come back to end the unfortunate spell on Bhangarh.
Subchapter 2. Extraordinary happenings
Entry in Bhangarh Fort are is banned for foreigners
Strange as it is, Bhangarh Ka Kila could be the only tourist place in India, where the entry of foreign tourists is not freely permissible. They need to obtain a special permit to gain entry into the premises and Bhangarh Fort. It is not only the Bhangarh Fort story but also the fact that among the tourists getting lost in the region , there’s a large number of foreigners which angered the government officials owing to their disregard for rules and caused them to take the strict step.
No visit after sunset
It’s a fact that no one is allowed in the fort after the darkness settles in. The locals of Bhangarh narrate many stories when the locals and some other travelers opted to stay the night at the fort but never came out of it. Government have imposed many sign boards strictly saying that one should not enter the fort at night. The main entrance is locked at night and only opens the next morning. It is completely forbidden to venture or stay inside Bhangarh Fort at night. As a matter of fact, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has even put up boards at several spots in Bhangarh to warn people against staying in the premises after sunset and before the sun rises. As per the locals, anybody who managed to go inside the fort at night, they never returned to tell their tale, as it is believed that spirits roam there at night, which turns this place into a hotbed for paranormal activities.
Roofless village
It’s very strange to witness that every house located in the area is roofless. It is believed that the sage who cursed the town to its ultimate devastation is responsible for it. Referring to this, locals stated that it is not possible to construct a roof on these houses, and even if one is built, it collapses, and such incidents have killed many people in the past.
Unexplained freaky accidents
There are many eerie stories surrounding Bhangarh, and its ill-fated visitors. It’s history is full of misery and anguish, which locals believe has been translated into horrible accidents and misfortune. Locals also added that once three daredevils decided to stay in Bhangarh Fort premises post-sundown, and see if it was really haunted. However, despite being equipped with a torch, one of them fell into a steep well, but was then rescued by his friends who rushed to take him to the hospital. But it seems like it was predestined, all three of them died in a road accident while they were on their way to hospital. Paranormal activity
When you are here, you might marvel at its majestic architecture, yet many say they are burdened with a sense of anxiety, and they often feel anxious and restless. Some visitors even pointed out that they get a weird sense of paranoia as if somebody is following them around. Reason why, despite its popularity, visitors avoid hanging around the premises of the fort for long.
While Bhangarh fort story has been rubbished by scientists, nothing stops the villagers from believing that it is a sanctuary for ghosts. People have supposedly often heard noises that are unaccounted for. The locals claim to have heard women screaming and crying, bangles breaking and strange music emerging from the fort. There have been instances where a special perfume was emanating from the Bhangarh
Chapter II. Ali Sadr
At first look, it just seems like a regular hill, but Sari Ghiyeh Hill keeps a million-year treasure in its heart. The largest water cave in the world, an unparalleled subterranean wonder hides oneself in this hill. Take your first step to the cave, and you will be mesmerized by the magnificence and glory of nature in Ali Sadr Water Cave. A Water Cave as old as Dinosaurs!
Named after the nearby village, Ali Sadr Cave locates at 70 km, northwest of Hamedan, an ancient city in the west of Iran. This ancient cave is 2180 meters above sea level. This weird water cave is as old as dinosaurs! Geologists believe that Ali Sadr Cave belongs to the Jurassic era, more than 130 million years ago.
Founded tools and hunting painting scenes proved that it was once a shelter of primitive men. An old inscription at the entrance of the tunnel verifies that people knew the place during the Achaemenid era, 500 BC. For centuries locals used it as a cistern without knowing the greatness of this exceptional site. It was in 1963 that a group of local mountaineers rediscovered the cave. Extending the entrance and smoothing down the surface, tourists got the chance to visit this rare gem after 12 years, in 1975. The Glorious Difference of Ali Sadr
Among different natural phenomena, caves are the most mysterious ones, calling everyone for exciting expeditions and more in-depth uncovering. Ali Sadr is the world largest water cave, although all the chambers and labyrinths have not been explored. The German-British expedition team in 2001, discovered only 11 kilometres of the cave and the exact end of this cave is still not clear. Through the flowing water in the cave, it becomes possible to tour in chains of flooded chambers by regular boats.
The water of the Ali-Sadr cave flows from a nearby spring and rainfalls. It has no aroma or taste. Still, it is not drinkable for a high amount of calcium carbonate. Leaking water put layers of crystallizing calcareous on the walls for centuries and make superb scenes, a unique design for this 190 million-year-old cave. The depth of water varies between 0.5 to 14 meters in different parts. The liquid is so transparent and clear that the cave bed is easily recognizable even where the depth of the lake is 5 meters.
Discovering the World Largest Water Cave
The moment you step in, you will be amazed by its grandeur. 40-meter walls and strange shapes shock you. Unlike your expectation, the air inside the cave is too light and fresh, and it is a pleasantly refreshing and moist space. The temperature inside the cave distinctly differs from the outside. It is warm in winters and cool in summers. The temperature is still 16 centigrade all year-long.
Walking a few meters down to the cave, sparkling water is in front of you. There you can wait to board on boats to begin a unique adventure to the heart of this prehistoric cave. It is just like a dream, being in a science fiction movie. The cave halls are like a maze; some alleys reach an impasse, and some are interconnected. The ease of boating in the canals is a unique feature of Ali Sadr Cave in comparison to other water caves in the world.
Take a keen eye on various converted forms of stalagmites and stalactites. The figures are lighted with colourful lights to let your imagination go far beyond the walls of the cave; dragons, elephants, pearls, etc. In some parts, the ceiling is as high as a concert hall, and in some regions, it is too short that you should bend your neck.
Where the waterway ends, the cave expedition continues on foot. While crossing the trail, the wonders still go on and on to bewitch you more and more. You can see the “Freedom Hall”, the largest chamber of Ali Sadr cave with an axis of 100 meters wide or the phenomenal “Wedding Chamber” covered with thousands of small white crystals of stalactites.
Ali Sadr Cave is an alive, growing natural phenomenon beneath the earth, as it is changing by the activation of minerals in leaking water every minute. Ali Sadr is a natural phenomenon, a worth visiting site for its antiquity, grandeur and beauty. This cave is located in Kabood Ahang , a city 60 Km from Hamadan. The distance from Kabudarahang to Alisadr Village is 50 Km. This cave is located on the elevated lands of Sari Qieh, meaning the yellow rock.
Evidences prove that during the Safavid period (16th c) , locals used cave water through hand dug canals but they did not know anything about the cave until 1963 when a group of 14 climbers got responsibility to discover the cave’s length, width, depth and height by entering a narrow entrance of about 50 cm which leaded to one of the main caverns. This hole that only professional climbers could get through it, remained as the only access to the cave’s inside, until 1974 when Abdullah Hajilo, who headed the Hamadan Mountaineering Board, expanded its width by 5m with the help of locals. The following year, they founded a concrete platform set for walking visitors, and with the provision of lighting facilities, Ali-sadr was prepared for public visits.
The cave lake is fed by underground springs and also by the rain water intrusion. There is no living creature in this water except unicellular organisms, algae and an unknown crustacean called “Alisadr Niphargus”. Reaching some 14 meters in some parts, the lake water The water is neither salty nor colored. So far, it has been discovered about 14 kilometers from the cave passages, but only about 4 kilometers has been illuminated and the rest is dark.
Crossing the winding corridors with crystalline ceilings, atriums, maze of paths, boating in clear water, through the fascinating stalagmite formations that have been shaped over millions of years, is what awaits you here. The strange names you see on the boards also represent strange shapes of stones; names like pillars, Eagle Claw, Dragon claws, etc.
Facts about Ali-Sadr cave
The total Length of this cave is 11200 m of which only 2400 m is visitable.
The altitude is 2100 m above the sea level.
Due to the considerable difference in the temperature outside and inside the cave and the coolness of the air inside, Ali-sadr cave is one of the attractive places in the summer time.
In this cave, you will encounter fantastic geological landscapes and can see the miracle of nature closely.
Ali-Sadr cave is 190 million years old and is among the alive caves.
Apart from unicellular organisms and algae, there is only one living thing in the cave’s water. It is called Ali-sadr Niphargus.
Ali-Sadr cave is a natural formation and is not man-maid.
There are some evidence of prehistoric cave dwellers in Ali-sadr.
Water depth in the cave varies from 4 cm to 14 m
Cave’s water does not have any color or smell. One can see the lake floor 10-meter deep, without difficulties due to limpidity.
The temperature of the water is 12-degree centigrade which is a fixed temperature all year long.
The maximum height of the cave’s ceiling from the lake is 54 meters – as tall as an 18-storied building.
The water level inside the cave is much higher than the surrounding points of the cave.
Special Features of Ali Sadr Cave
The most attractive part of Ali Sadr Cave is its wide lake that makes boating through the deeper parts possible. The source of the water in this lake is the underground springs and water leaks from the walls and ceilings. So the water does not have any color or smell. You can see the 10-meter depth of the water without difficulties due to the brightness of the water. Do not drink this water as it contains too much lime and minerals. The temperature of the water is 12-degree centigrade which is a fixed degree throughout the year. If you think that there are hungry crocodiles in the lake, you are actually wrong as no animals live in this cave.
Another feature of the cave is its clean and fresh air without any sorts of pollution or dust. Its temperature is low in summer and mild in winter. So, be careful about the clothes you take with you into the cave.
Facts of Ali Sadr Cave
Ali Sadr Cave is a natural cave and no humans were involved in its emergence.
The air in the cave is extremely light. So, if you light a candle, the flame would stand still and without any movements.
There are no poisonous gases in this lake though it is under the ground.
Ali Sadr Cave is 190 million years old and is still alive. According to the science of geology, a cave is alive and changing as long as there is a sound of water leaking.
People with breathing difficulties can still visit the cave as there will not be any problems for them.
More facts about Ali-Sadr cave:
Ali-Sader cave is 190 million years old and is among the alive caves.
Ali-Sader cave is a natural phenomenon and no human involved in its construction.
The maximum height of the cave’s ceiling from the lake is 54 meters, which is as high as an 18-story tower.
The water level inside the cave is much higher than the surrounding points of the cave.
Chapter III. Macchu Picchu
More than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru. A symbol of the Incan Empire and built around 1450AD.
With its capital in Cusco, Peru is a cultural treasure for all archaeologists, but also for many people interested in history. Millions of people each year come to learn more about Peru’s amazing past and, above all, about the unsolved mysteries of Machu Picchu. The most important unsolved mysteries of Machu Picchu It was not the true lost city of the Incas The real construction is underground It is resistant to earthquakes The road to Machu Picchu Pilgrimage route Recorded mysteries Mountains to climb Secret temples Things to discover. Although the explorer Hiram Bingham was able to discover the citadel of Machu Picchu, he was looking for a different place. This may be one of the mysteries of Machu Picchu that have already been solved. Hiram Bingham was originally looking for The Lost City of the Incas known as Vilcabamba. This was the city to which the Incas had escaped with the arrival of the conquerors in 1532. As time passed, Machu Picchu began to be called the Lost City of the Incas. But this theory was proven wrong a long time later. The true lost city of the Incas is believed to have been built in the jungle. Some believe that it was only about 50 miles west of Machu Picchu. This ancient civilization was quite advanced in terms of buildings and architecture. Especially if we think that they did not use pack animals, iron tools, or wheels. The Machu Picchu site had to be sculpted in its entirety. The citadel is located in the middle of a fault, so the Incas had to move stone and earth to create this relatively flat place. But one of the most impressive mysteries of Machu Picchu is that the real construction was made underground. And this is believed due to the deep foundations of the buildings and the different drainage systems of the citadel. Truly impressive engineering achievements when you think about how long it was built. The colossal constructions and stones used in the buildings of Machu Picchu did not use mortars. These stones were cut with such precision and fit so perfectly that you cannot put a sheet of paper between them. This way of building is not only highly aesthetic but also has several engineering advantages that are not seen with the naked eye. As is common knowledge, Peru is a seismically unstable country, so much so that several cities have suffered earthquakes of great magnitude. But despite this, the citadel of Machu Picchu still remains intact. When earthquakes occur, the stones of Machu Picchu are said to “dance.” With the tremors, they hardly seem to move and then return to their original place. If it had not been for this construction method, many of the iconic buildings of Machu Picchu would have collapsed long ago. Although today reaching Machu Picchu is relatively easy and accessible, previously there was only one way to get there, walking towards it. The Incas not only built cities and complexes but also built a vast network of roads. And some of these are still standing. One of the proposed theories suggests that the citadel of Machu Picchu may have been a journey for ceremonial purposes. Some scholars believe that the archaeological complex was an ancient pilgrimage route for the Inca nobility. This theory gains more force when the different Inca Trails built are seen. Because instead of following the path along the banks of the Urubamba River, the Inca built a path surrounded by impressive scenery. Since its discovery in the early 20th century, Machu Picchu has taken off as a world destination, being named year after year as a best travel destination and one of South America’s leading tourist attractions. However, while much has been speculated regarding the ancient citadel’s founding, there is even more than what reaches the eye.
Because of its proximity to Cusco, some archeologists presume it was used as a getaway for city nobles. Others argue it has more practical roots, such as for crop testing, trading, or even possibly a prison.
Even so, archeologists have projected that Machu Picchu was only able to hold 750 people, and only 200 skeletons were found. This low population number – paired with religious buildings on site – leads researchers to believe today that its sole purpose was for spiritual and ceremonial traditions.
Along those lines, elongated skulls were found on the grounds of Machu Picchu in cemeteries for the noble. It was believed that Inca royalty elongated their skulls to prove their dominance, which is similar to Mayan culture.
Nevertheless, the idea of the historian Donato Amado who stated that “Machu Picchu was the place from which the Incas administered their empire” also makes sense.
There are many mysteries of Machu Picchu, including who to credit for the ancient citadel’s construction more than 2,400 meters above sea level in the middle of the imposing Andes and the Amazon Basin.
As of today, it is believed that the ninth ruler of the Inca, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, built Machu Picchu in the mid 15th century after defeating his enemies.
Another great mystery of Machu Picchu is how it was built without the wheel. Although the Incas are believed to have known about the wheel’s existence, they never used it. Many large granite rocks used in the citadel’s construction had to be moved somehow up the steep Andean mountains to be set in place.
Moreover, the stones fit together so tightly that not even the slightest crack can be seen between them, which is essential for the earthquake-prone zone.
To have done so, one theory suggests the implementation of wet wooden wedges. However, that does not explain how enormous structures made out of single stones or structures made from intricate patterns came about.
There are questions to this day that have no answer, and perhaps this is what intrigues thousands of people to visit the citadel to find answers.
The discovery of Machu Picchu
Claimed to fame as the Lost City of the Incas, a great mystery of Machu Picchu involves the fact that it may have never been forgotten at all.
Back in 1911, the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham set off with a small team of explorers to discover Vilcabamba, the last Inca settlement conquered by the Spanish.
Once reaching the Urubamba Valley, a local farmer shared the location of Machu Picchu – meaning “old mountain” in Quechua – with Bingham and his crew. Upon nearing the grounds, a small group of peasants led them to the entrance of Machu Picchu.
However, the Inca citadel had been previously discovered – in 1902 – by a landowner named Melchor Arteaga who lived on the banks of the Vilcanota River.
Also, there is more evidence that Machu Picchu was already knownamong missionaries and other explorers, who had the chance to visit the citadel in the 19th and 20th centuries before Bingham.
What is evident is that Bingham’s research efforts officially showcased Machu Picchu as an archaeological site to the world.
The deaths reported in Machu Picchu are generally from those who werenot following regulations, such as the most recent death of a German tourist attempting to take a selfie in a restricted zone.
Yet, for those who dare to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain that appears in the background of many photos, its ascent and last part of the hike up – known as the stairs of death – have a bad reputation.
For the majority of the way up the peak, there are reportedly no handrailsand very few safety lines. Also, the stairs are practically vertical and date back to Incan times. With the high humidity characteristic of this part of the country, the way up is also often slippery.
However, with proper precautions taken as well as good stamina, climbing to the top of Huayna Picchu is not impossible. In fact, it is enjoyed by hundreds of trekkers nearly every day. Machu Picchu is nearly surrounded by the Urubamba River, which is revered by people in the region still today. The mountains that cradle the site also are important sacred landforms. “Taken together, these features have meant that Machu Picchu formed a cosmological, hydrological, and sacred geographical center for a vast region,” Reinhard says.
Being named a modern world wonder as part of a worldwide poll in 2007 was a mixed blessing for the people of Cusco, the former center of the Inca world and the closest city to Machu Picchu. The site is a source of national pride for Peru, as well as a valuable tourist attraction. However, with an increase in international interest comes an increase in pollution, a need for hotels and other facilities, and the need to protect the lost city that, before the past century, the world didn’t know existed.
It’s highly unlikely that researchers will find an archaeological smoking gun that will definitively identify the purpose and uses of Machu Picchu. Scientists, however, continue to excavate and rebuild the site. Modern scientific advances, such as those that re-identified the gender of the skeletons that Bingham found, could help uncover clues to reveal the reasons for its construction, the activities that took place there, and its subsequent abandonment.
Of course we know that the Incas lived in Machu Picchu, but that doesn’t tell us anything. That’s like saying that Americans live in California. It says nothing about the specific type of people that live in California. California and it’s major cities are a world apart from the rest of the country. And we can only wonder based on the scant clues left behind if the people of Machu Picchu were an entire world apart from the rest of Inca society.
Archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu could have supported a population of 750 to 1000, but only 200 skeletons have been discovered in the citadel.
Most of the buildings appear to be religious in nature, and there are many elements that also indicate a keen interest in astronomy-related matters.
This has all led some scholars to believe that Machu Picchu was solely built for spiritual and ceremonial purposes, perhaps a necropolis or a city for the dead.
Perhaps the purpose of Machu Picchu wasn’t anything so complicated; it could have been a place that was merely for the retreat of nobles from the demands of city life.
Its size and its agricultural capabilities could have easily made it a place for testing crops or as a trading hub. Other historians have gone so far as to speculate that Machu Picchu was nothing more than a prison, pointing at the cell-like area near the Temple of the Condor.
The most concrete answer that anyone has is that we simply don’t know.
The mystery deepens a degree further when you look at some of the human remains exhumed from Machu Picchu. A number of the skulls found buried in the ancient Incan City are elongated. This is not an isolated incident. Elongated human skulls have been discovered at other Inca and Mayan burial sites.
It’s not a stretch of the imagination to say that the elongated skulls were accomplished with some form of binding. Perhaps it was a practice among Inca royalty to artificially elongate their skulls in order to prove their dominance.
Machu Picchu is home to the Temple of the Sun. As the name suggests, archaeologists believe that the structure was used for religious ceremonies connected to the Sun god, Inti. But how can we be certain?
The Temple of the sun has a carved rock that produces shadows corresponding exactly to the two solstices. If this building was used for rituals, at all so served some level of astronomical study.
Beneath the Temple of the Sun is a carved out cavern. For a time this was believed to be a crypt or a mausoleum for nobles and royalty. But there are a number of details in the cave seem to suggest that it was used for something else, but exactly what that was is lost on modern researchers. For example, there’s a stone staircase that leads nowhere.
Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educomplex High School STUDENT: Nare Haghnazaryan , Grade 11 SUPERVISOR: Silva Harutyunyan
Research Work
Most mysterious places around the world
Yerevan 2023
Table of Contents
Introduction: Chapter One։ ……. Chapter Two։ ……
Chapter Three: …..
Introduction
I have picked the topic called “Most mysterious places around the world” by Missis Irina Apoyan, but I have picked a different teacher for my topic, Missis Silva Harutyunyan. My topic is about the world having hidden interesting places I can do research about. I have picked this topic because it is very interesting, I myself love bizarre places because it makes me absorbed in my thoughts, so it very entertaining for me to find extraordinary places the world has. Mysterious spots are inviting they attract you to visit. In contrast, the home that lacks these sort of amenities often feels unwelcoming and a little ominous. This topic can absorb people in to find out more about these places.
The Bermuda Triangle, Atlantic Ocean
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil’s Triangle, is an urban legend focused on a loosely defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The idea of the area as uniquely prone to disappearances arose in the mid-20th century, but most reputable sources dismiss the idea that there is any mystery. Bermuda Triangle, section of the North Atlantic Ocean off North America in which more than 50 ships and 20 airplanes are said to have mysteriously disappeared. The area, whose boundaries are not universally agreed upon, has a vaguely triangular shape marked by the Atlantic coast of the Florida panhandle (in the United States), Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles.
Reports of unexplained occurrences in the region date to the mid-19th century. Some ships were discovered completely abandoned for no apparent reason; others transmitted no distress signals and were never seen or heard from again. Aircraft have been reported and then vanished, and rescue missions are said to have vanished when flying in the area. However, wreckage has not been found, and some of the theories advanced to explain the repeated mysteries have been fanciful. Although theories of supernatural causes for these disappearances abound, geophysical and environmental factors are most likely responsible. One hypothesis is that pilots failed to account for the agonic line—the place at which there is no need to compensate for magnetic compass variation—as they approached the Bermuda Triangle, resulting in significant navigational error and catastrophe. Another popular theory is that the missing vessels were felled by so-called “rogue waves,” which are massive waves that can reach heights of up to 100 feet (30.5 metres) and would theoretically be powerful enough to destroy all evidence of a ship or airplane. The Bermuda Triangle is located in an area of the Atlantic Ocean where storms from multiple directions can converge, making rogue waves more likely to occur.
The earliest suggestion of unusual disappearances in the Bermuda area appeared in a September 17, 1950, article published in The Miami Herald (Associated Press) by Edward Van Winkle Jones.[4] Two years later, Fatemagazine published “Sea Mystery at Our Back Door”,[5][6] a short article by George Sand covering the loss of several planes and ships, including the loss of Flight 19, a group of five US NavyGrumman TBM Avengertorpedo bombers on a training mission. Sand’s article was the first to lay out the now-familiar triangular area where the losses took place, as well as the first to suggest a supernatural element to the Flight 19 incident. Flight 19 alone would be covered again in the April 1962 issue of American Legion magazine.[7] In it, author Allan W. Eckertwrote that the flight leader had been heard saying, “We are entering white water, nothing seems right. We don’t know where we are, the water is green, no white.” He also wrote that officials at the Navy board of inquiry stated that the planes “flew off to Mars.”[8]
In February 1964, Vincent Gaddis wrote an article called “The Deadly Bermuda Triangle” in the pulp magazineArgosy saying Flight 19 and other disappearances were part of a pattern of strange events in the region.[9][10] The next year, Gaddis expanded this article into a book, Invisible Horizons.[11]
Other writers elaborated on Gaddis’ ideas: John Wallace Spencer (Limbo of the Lost, 1969, repr. 1973);[12] Charles Berlitz(The Bermuda Triangle, 1974);[13] Richard Winer (The Devil’s Triangle, 1974),[14] and many others, all keeping to some of the same supernatural elements outlined by Eckert.[15]
Larry Kusche
Larry Kusche, author of The Bermuda Triangle Mystery: Solved (1975),[1] argued that many claims of Gaddis and subsequent writers were exaggerated, dubious or unverifiable. Kusche’s research revealed a number of inaccuracies and inconsistencies between Berlitz’s accounts and statements from eyewitnesses, participants, and others involved in the initial incidents. Kusche noted cases where pertinent information went unreported, such as the disappearance of round-the-world yachtsman Donald Crowhurst, which Berlitz had presented as a mystery, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Another example was the ore-carrier recounted by Berlitz as lost without trace three days out of an Atlantic port when it had been lost three days out of a port with the same name in the Pacific Ocean. Kusche also argued that a large percentage of the incidents that sparked allegations of the Triangle’s mysterious influence actually occurred well outside it. Often his research was simple: he would review period newspapers of the dates of reported incidents and find reports on possibly relevant events like unusual weather, that were never mentioned in the disappearance stories.
Kusche concluded that:
The number of ships and aircraft reported missing in the area was not significantly greater, proportionally speaking, than in any other part of the ocean.
In an area frequented by tropical cyclones, the number of disappearances that did occur were, for the most part, neither disproportionate, unlikely, nor mysterious.
Furthermore, Berlitz and other writers would often fail to mention such storms or even represent the disappearance as having happened in calm conditions when meteorological records clearly contradict this.
The numbers themselves had been exaggerated by sloppy research. A boat’s disappearance, for example, would be reported, but its eventual (if belated) return to port may not have been.
Some disappearances had, in fact, never happened. One plane crash was said to have taken place in 1937, off Daytona Beach, Florida, in front of hundreds of witnesses.[17]
The legend of the Bermuda Triangle is a manufactured mystery, perpetuated by writers who either purposely or unknowingly made use of misconceptions, faulty reasoning, and sensationalism.[1]
In a 2013 study, the World Wide Fund for Nature identified the world’s 10 most dangerous waters for shipping, but the Bermuda Triangle was not among them.[18][19]
Further responses
When the UK Channel 4 television program The Bermuda Triangle (1992)[20] was being produced by John Simmons of Geofilms for the Equinox series, the marine insurance market Lloyd’s of London was asked if an unusually large number of ships had sunk in the Bermuda Triangle area. Lloyd’s determined that large numbers of ships had not sunk there.[3] Lloyd’s does not charge higher rates for passing through this area. United States Coast Guard records confirm their conclusion. In fact, the number of supposed disappearances is relatively insignificant considering the number of ships and aircraft that pass through on a regular basis.[1]
The Coast Guard is also officially skeptical of the Triangle, noting that they collect and publish, through their inquiries, much documentation contradicting many of the incidents written about by the Triangle authors. In one such incident involving the 1972 explosion and sinking of the tanker V. A. Fogg, the Coast Guard photographed the wreck and recovered several bodies,[21] in contrast with one Triangle author’s claim that all the bodies had vanished, with the exception of the captain, who was found sitting in his cabin at his desk, clutching a coffee cup.[12] In addition, V. A. Fogg sank off the coast of Texas, nowhere near the commonly accepted boundaries of the Triangle.
The Nova/Horizon episode The Case of the Bermuda Triangle, aired on June 27, 1976, was highly critical, stating that “When we’ve gone back to the original sources or the people involved, the mystery evaporates. Science does not have to answer questions about the Triangle because those questions are not valid in the first place … Ships and planes behave in the Triangle the same way they behave everywhere else in the world.”[2]
Skeptical researchers, such as Ernest Taves[22] and Barry Singer,[23] have noted how mysteries and the paranormal are very popular and profitable. This has led to the production of vast amounts of material on topics such as the Bermuda Triangle. They were able to show that some of the pro-paranormal material is often misleading or inaccurate, but its producers continue to market it. Accordingly, they have claimed that the market is biased in favor of books, TV specials, and other media that support the Triangle mystery, and against well-researched material if it espouses a skeptical viewpoint.
Benjamin Radford, an author and scientific paranormal investigator, noted in an interview on the Bermuda Triangle that it could be very difficult locating an aircraft lost at sea due to the vast search area, and although the disappearance might be mysterious, that did not make it paranormal or unexplainable. Radford further noted the importance of double-checking information as the mystery surrounding the Bermuda Triangle had been created by people who had neglected to do so.
Paranormal explanations
Triangle writers have used a number of supernatural concepts to explain the events. One explanation pins the blame on leftover technology from the mythical lost continent of Atlantis. Sometimes connected to the Atlantis story is the submerged rock formation known as the Bimini Road off the island of Bimini in the Bahamas, which is in the Triangle by some definitions. Followers of the purported psychic Edgar Cayce take his prediction that evidence of Atlantis would be found in 1968, as referring to the discovery of the Bimini Road. Believers describe the formation as a road, wall, or other structure, but the Bimini Road is of natural origin.[25]
Some hypothesize that a parallel universe exists in the Bermuda Triangle region, causing a time/space warp that sucks the objects around it into a parallel universe. [26] Others attribute the events to UFOs.[27][28] Charles Berlitz, author of various books on anomalous phenomena, lists several theories attributing the losses in the Triangle to anomalous or unexplained forces.[13]
Natural explanations
Compass variations
Compass problems are one of the cited phrases in many Triangle incidents. While some have theorized that unusual local magnetic anomalies may exist in the area,[29] such anomalies have not been found. Compasses have natural magnetic variations in relation to the magnetic poles, a fact which navigators have known for centuries. Magnetic (compass) north and geographic (true) north are exactly the same only for a small number of places – for example, as of 2000, in the United States, only those places on a line running from Wisconsin to the Gulf of Mexico.[30] But the public may not be as informed, and think there is something mysterious about a compass “changing” across an area as large as the Triangle, which it naturally will.[1]
False-color image of the Gulf Stream flowing north through the western Atlantic Ocean (NASA)
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is a major surface current, primarily driven by thermohaline circulation that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and then flows through the Straits of Florida into the North Atlantic. In essence, it is a river within an ocean, and, like a river, it can and does carry floating objects. It has a maximum surface velocity of about 2 m/s (6.6 ft/s).[31] A small plane making a water landing or a boat having engine trouble can be carried away from its reported position by the current.
Human error
One of the most cited explanations in official inquiries as to the loss of any aircraft or vessel is human error.[32] Human stubbornness may have caused businessman Harvey Conover to lose his sailing yacht, Revonoc, as he sailed into the teeth of a storm south of Florida on January 1, 1958.[33]
Violent weather
Hurricanes are powerful storms that form in tropical waters and have historically cost thousands of lives and caused billions of dollars in damage. The sinking of Francisco de Bobadilla‘s Spanish fleet in 1502 was the first recorded instance of a destructive hurricane. These storms have in the past caused a number of incidents related to the Triangle. Many Atlantic hurricanes pass through the Triangle as they recurve off the Eastern Seaboard, and, before the advent of weather satellite, ships often had little to no warning of a hurricane’s approach.
Tracks of all Atlantic hurricanes between 1851 and 2019. Many storms pass through the Bermuda Triangle.
A powerful downdraft of cold air was suspected to be a cause in the sinking of Pride of Baltimore on May 14, 1986. The crew of the sunken vessel noted the wind suddenly shifted and increased velocity from 32 km/h (20 mph) to 97–145 km/h (60–90 mph). A National Hurricane Center satellite specialist, James Lushine, stated “during very unstable weather conditions the downburst of cold air from aloft can hit the surface like a bomb, exploding outward like a giant squall line of wind and water.”[34] A similar event occurred to Concordia in 2010, off the coast of Brazil.
An explanation for some of the disappearances has focused on the presence of large fields of methane hydrates (a form of natural gas) on the continental shelves.[35] Laboratory experiments carried out in Australia have proven that bubbles can, indeed, sink a scale model ship by decreasing the density of the water;[36][37][38] any wreckage consequently rising to the surface would be rapidly dispersed by the Gulf Stream. It has been hypothesized that periodic methane eruptions (sometimes called “mud volcanoes“) may produce regions of frothy water that are no longer capable of providing adequate buoyancy for ships. If this were the case, such an area forming around a ship could cause it to sink very rapidly and without warning.
Publications by the USGS describe large stores of undersea hydrates worldwide, including the Blake Ridge area, off the coast of the southeastern United States.[39] However, according to the USGS, no large releases of gas hydrates are believed to have occurred in the Bermuda Triangle for the past 15,000 years.
The sail training ship HMS Atalanta (originally named HMS Juno) disappeared with her entire crew after setting sail from the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda for Falmouth, England on 31 January 1880.[40] It was presumed that she sank in a powerful storm which crossed her route a couple of weeks after she sailed, and that her crew being composed primarily of inexperienced trainees may have been a contributing factor. The search for evidence of her fate attracted worldwide attention at the time (connection is also often made to the 1878 loss of the training ship HMS Eurydice, which foundered after departing the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda for Portsmouth on 6 March), and she was alleged decades later to have been a victim of the mysterious triangle, an allegation resoundingly refuted by the research of author David Francis Raine in 1997.[41][42][43][44][45]
The incident resulting in the single largest loss of life in the history of the US Navy not related to combat occurred when the collier Cyclops, carrying a full load of manganese ore and with one engine out of action, went missing without a trace with a crew of 309 sometime after March 4, 1918, after departing the island of Barbados. Although there is no strong evidence for any single theory, many independent theories exist, some blaming storms, some capsizing, and some suggesting that wartime enemy activity was to blame for the loss.[46][47] In addition, two of Cyclops‘s sister ships, Proteus and Nereus, were subsequently lost in the North Atlantic during World War II. Both ships were transporting heavy loads of metallic ore similar to that which was loaded on Cyclops during her fatal voyage. In all three cases structural failure due to overloading with a much denser cargo than designed is considered the most likely cause of sinking.
Carroll A. Deering, a five-masted schooner built in 1919, was found hard aground and abandoned at Diamond Shoals, near Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on January 31, 1921. FBI investigation into the Deering scrutinized, then ruled out, multiple theories as to why and how the ship was abandoned, including piracy, domestic Communist sabotage and the involvement of rum-runners.[48]
Flight 19 was a training flight of five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared on December 5, 1945, while over the Atlantic. The squadron’s flight plan was scheduled to take them due east from Fort Lauderdale for 141 mi (227 km), north for 73 mi (117 km), and then back over a final 140-mile (230-kilometre) leg to complete the exercise. The flight never returned to base. The disappearance was attributed by Navy investigators to navigational error leading to the aircraft running out of fuel.
One of the search and rescue aircraft deployed to look for them, a PBM Mariner with a 13-man crew, also disappeared. A tanker off the coast of Florida reported seeing an explosion[49] and observing a widespread oil slick when fruitlessly searching for survivors. The weather was becoming stormy by the end of the incident.[50] According to contemporaneous sources the Mariner had a history of explosions due to vapour leaks when heavily loaded with fuel, as it might have been for a potentially long search-and-rescue operation.
G-AHNP Star Tiger disappeared on January 30, 1948, on a flight from the Azores to Bermuda; G-AGRE Star Ariel disappeared on January 17, 1949, on a flight from Bermuda to Kingston, Jamaica. Both were AvroTudor IVpassenger aircraft operated by British South American Airways.[51] Both planes were operating at the very limits of their range and the slightest error or fault in the equipment could keep them from reaching the small island.[1]
On December 28, 1948, a Douglas DC-3 aircraft, number NC16002, disappeared while on a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami. No trace of the aircraft, or the 32 people on board, was ever found. A Civil Aeronautics Board investigation found there was insufficient information available on which to determine probable cause of the disappearance.[52]
Connemara IV
A pleasure yacht was found adrift in the Atlantic south of Bermuda on September 26, 1955; it is usually stated in the stories (Berlitz, Winer)[13][14] that the crew vanished while the yacht survived being at sea during three hurricanes. The 1955 Atlantic hurricane season shows Hurricane Ione passing nearby between 14 and 18 September, with Bermuda being affected by winds of almost gale force.[1] In his second book on the Bermuda Triangle, Winer quoted from a letter he had received from Mr J.E. Challenor of Barbados:[53]
On the morning of September 22, Connemara IV was lying to a heavy mooring in the open roadstead of Carlisle Bay. Because of the approaching hurricane, the owner strengthened the mooring ropes and put out two additional anchors. There was little else he could do, as the exposed mooring was the only available anchorage. … In Carlisle Bay, the sea in the wake of Hurricane Janet was awe-inspiring and dangerous. The owner of Connemara IVobserved that she had disappeared. An investigation revealed that she had dragged her moorings and gone to sea.
KC-135 Stratotankers
On August 28, 1963, a pair of US Air ForceKC-135 Stratotanker aircraft collided and crashed into the Atlantic 300 miles (480 km) west of Bermuda.[54][55] Some writers[9][13][14] say that while the two aircraft did collide there were two distinct crash sites, separated by over 160 miles (260 km) of water. However, Kusche’s research showed that the unclassified version of the Air Force investigation report revealed that the debris field defining the second “crash site” was examined by a search and rescue ship, and found to be a mass of seaweed and driftwoodtangled in an old buoy.
For decades, the Atlantic Ocean’s fabled Bermuda Triangle has captured the human imagination with unexplained disappearances of ships, planes, and people.
Some speculate that unknown and mysterious forces account for the unexplained disappearances, such as extraterrestrials capturing humans for study; the influence of the lost continent of Atlantis; vortices that suck objects into other dimensions; and other whimsical ideas. Some explanations are more grounded in science, if not in evidence. These include oceanic flatulence (methane gas erupting from ocean sediments) and disruptions in geomagnetic lines of flux.
Environmental considerations could explain many, if not most, of the disappearances. The majority of Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes pass through the Bermuda Triangle, and in the days prior to improved weather forecasting, these dangerous storms claimed many ships. Also, the Gulf Stream can cause rapid, sometimes violent, changes in weather. Additionally, the large number of islands in the Caribbean Sea creates many areas of shallow water that can be treacherous to ship navigation. And there is some evidence to suggest that the Bermuda Triangle is a place where a “magnetic” compass sometimes points towards “true” north, as opposed to “magnetic” north.
The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard contend that there are no supernatural explanations for disasters at sea. Their experience suggests that the combined forces of nature and human fallibility outdo even the most incredulous science fiction. They add that no official maps exist that delineate the boundaries of the Bermuda Triangle. The U. S. Board of Geographic Names does not recognize the Bermuda Triangle as an official name and does not maintain an official file on the area.
The ocean has always been a mysterious place to humans, and when foul weather or poor navigation is involved, it can be a very deadly place. This is true all over the world. There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean.
Maccu Picchu
More than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru. A symbol of the Incan Empire and built around 1450AD, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
10. In the Quechua Indian language, “Machu Picchu” means “Old Peak” or “Old Mountain.”
9. Machu Picchu is made up of more than 150 buildings ranging from baths and houses to temples and sanctuaries.
8. The compound contains more than 100 separate flights of stairs. Most of the individual staircases were carved from one slab of stone.
7. Although many of the stones that were used to build the city were more than 50 pounds, it is believed that no wheels were used to transport these rocks up the mountain. Rather, it is thought that hundreds of men pushed the heavy rocks up the steep mountain side.
6. Many different theories exist about Machu Picchu’s purpose—a royal estate and a secret ceremonial center among them.
5. The Incas were some of the best masons in the world. The structures were so well built with a technique called ashlar (stones that are cut to fit together without mortar) that not even a knife blade can fit in between stones.
4. Machu Picchu was only known locally until Yale Professor Hiram Bingham re-discovered the site in 1911. His book, The Lost City of the Incas, was based on his findings.
3. A long-standing dispute between Peru and Yale University has existed over the artifacts collected by Bingham during his exploration of the site. Yale maintains that they own the items while Peru insists they were given on loan.
2. Machu Picchu was an astronomical observatory, and its sacred Intihuatana stone accurately indicates the two equinoxes. Twice a year, the sun sits directly over the stone creating no shadow.
1. Unfortunately, most cities built by the Inca civilization were destroyed by the Spanish conquest. Machu Picchu was in a hidden location—invisible from below—and not found, making it one of the most well-preserved Inca cities and an archeological gem.
Where is Chughazanbil? | A city as old as Iranian civilization Chaghazanbil ziggurat is one of the must-see places in Khuzestan. This historical temple is located 45 kilometers south of Shush city and 35 kilometers west of Shushtar city. Chaghazanbil is located on an ancient area called Haft Tepe.
The reason for naming Chaghazanbil The basket is back It is interesting to know that Chaghazanbil is the name given to this city after its discovery. When they discovered this historical city after much exploration, they concluded that its appearance is very similar to an overturned basket. On the other hand, this temple was located on a big hill. That’s why they named it “Choghazanbil”. “Chagha” means hill in Lori language. “Zanbil” also means basket.
A picture of the ziggurat of Cheghazanbil in Khuzestan
Of course, after further explorations, they found the original name of this temple on inscriptions and stone inscriptions. Accordingly, the name of the temple is “El-Ontash” in Elamite language and “Dor Ontash” in Akkadian language. According to the found inscriptions, this temple was built by order of Ontash Napirisha, one of the great Elamite kings. That’s why they named this temple “El Untash” which means the city of Untash.
The history of the creation of Chaghazanbil The story of the birth of the religious city of Susa The history of the Chaghazanbil ziggurat of Khuzestan goes back to the Medes. The Elam Empire ruled Iran before the Medes. The civilization of Elam dates back to about 2 thousand years before Christ. Many historians consider the Elamites to be one of the oldest known civilizations in Iran. According to the inscriptions found in the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil in Khuzestan, in 1250 BC, the king of the Elam Empire, Ontash Gal, ordered the construction of this temple.
He ordered to build a religious and royal city near the city of Susa, which was very prosperous at that time. Untash Gal personally marked the place of construction of this temple. The construction site of this temple was located next to the Dez and Shush rivers and was very important from a strategic point of view. Elamite tribes worshiped two gods Napirisha and this Shushink in their religion. Lord Napirisha was the god of man and patron of the emperor. The God of this Shushink also protected the city of Sush. For this reason, Ontash ordered to build two large temples for each of the gods in this religious city. These two temples were used for religious ceremonies.
A distant view of the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil, Khuzestan
In this city, three nested fences can be seen. These fences protected the city against enemy attacks. Cheghazanbil Ziggurat has a total of 7 gates. The buildings of this ancient city can be seen in the distance between both fences. Among these buildings, we can mention residential buildings, temples, palaces, stables and barracks.
The date of the discovery of Chaghazanbil Start decoding It is not bad to know that the discovery of this 4,000-year-old building dates back to about 80 years ago. In 1939, a group of members of the Iranian and British oil companies were visiting the Chaghazanbil site from the air. From above, they notice a large hill surrounded by a wall. Geologists were also present in this team. One of the geologist named Brown was able to collect some pieces of brick inscriptions from this area. After that, he reported this to archaeologists who were working in the area of Susa.
A view of the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil in Khuzestan
This issue attracted the attention of a French archaeologist. After that in 1935, two members of the French archaeological team traveled to this area. After conducting preliminary investigations, they resumed detailed exploration. Exploration in this area continued for several decades. Finally, Cheghazanbil took the head out of the soil and surprised the world.
Getting to know Chaghazanbil Garlic to onion of this religious city During the era of Utash, one of the great Elamite kings, a large city named Utash Gal was built. In the middle of this city, they created a huge ziggurat in the style of Mesopotamian ziggurats. At that time, the Assyrian people built pyramid-shaped temples for worship. Utash Gal also ordered to build a ziggurat-style temple in the middle of the city of Utash Gal to worship the gods.
A picture of the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil in Khuzestan
This ziggurat is considered one of the most important and of course the highest historical building of the ancient city of Ontash Gal. This ziggurat is built on 5 floors. The general plan of the ziggurat is designed in a square shape. Each side of this square is 105 meters long. Just like the pyramid, each floor of this ziggurat has smaller dimensions compared to the floor below. Finally, the last floor ends in a small room, which is the supreme temple. The old height of this temple is estimated to be 52 meters, but today this number has decreased to 25 meters. Currently, only two and a half floors of this huge ziggurat have survived the ravages of history.
Chaghazanbil neighborhoods A miracle in Iranian urban planning Cheghazanbil Ziggurat had several quarters. This issue was considered a kind of miracle in its time. In the following, we will introduce you to different neighborhoods of Chaghazanbil.
Shahi neighborhood
A picture of the royal neighborhood of the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil, Khuzestan
As we mentioned, this city has three fences. Between the outer fence and the middle fence, the royal quarter was located. The buildings in this m
The surroundings include palace number two, palace number three, tomb palace, simple residential units, scattered graves and an adobe temple. Aramagh Palace has five brick gates. This mausoleum has three rooms and they used mortar, brick and natural bitumen in its construction. In the excavations, doors decorated with colored glass, decorative mosaic panels, stone basins, wall paintings, painted glazed bricks and glazed studs have been discovered in this area. These works have been exhibited in museums such as Ancient Iran.
Temnos neighborhood
A view of the neighborhood of Temnos Ziggurat, Chaghazanbil, Khuzestan
Temnos neighborhood was located between the middle fence and the inner fence. This neighborhood was known as Temnos neighborhood or holy neighborhood. Many temples are located in this area. These temples were built for Elamite gods, goddesses, as well as gods of other civilizations. Until today, 10 different temples have been discovered in this neighborhood. In the neighborhood of Temnos, brick inscriptions were found, according to which each temple was dedicated to a specific god. The names of the gods are also evident on these brick inscriptions. Among the many temples, some of them remain half-finished. According to the inscriptions, the king’s death is the reason why these temples remained half-finished.
The precise and unique architecture of Chaghazanbil A huge and amazing building Anti-earthquake and flood engineering
Cheghazanbil Ziggurat is considered one of the miracles of Iranian architecture. There is still no detailed information about the construction method of this building. We only know that the construction of the ziggurat was done in two stages. First, they considered a very large foundation to build this huge temple. Then they put different floors on it. This foundation is still standing after 4 thousand years. In this brick building, there is no Japanese anti-earthquake hydraulic jacks; But after hundreds of terrible earthquakes, it still hasn’t been seriously damaged. This issue can be considered one of the strange engineering secrets of Cheghazanbil Ziggurat. At that time, they used only natural materials such as bitumen, plaster, stone and wood. Despite this, the ziggurat is thousands of times stronger than modern buildings.
A view of the front of the ziggurat of Choghazanbil, Khuzestan
Also, Chaghazanbil was located next to the river Dez. In addition to increasing the humidity of the air and soil, this problem exposed the temples to floods. Even though the waterways of this religious city have not been fully discovered yet; But many believe that in the past there was a very professional canalization system in this city. All these can be seen as the result of Iranian art and knowledge.
Smart water structures
The ziggurat had a gutter. Clay gutters were used in different parts of Cheghazanbil Ziggurat. These gutters directed the rainwater outside. In this way, the rain water did not damage the ziggurat. In each of the walls of the first floor of the ziggurat, there are four gutters. These gutters had an engineered route. The water of these gutters was eventually directed to a flat surface.
A picture of the intelligent water structures of Chaghazanbil Ziggurat
From there, with the help of a covered waterway, water was transferred to another place. Unfortunately, this system has suffered a lot; But the rainwater was probably directed from the gutter to the wells inside the yard. Two gutters can be seen on each side of the second floor. These gutters were connected to the waterway of the first floor. To insulate these waterways and gutters, bitumen and plaster have been used. It is not bad to know that even in some parts, in order to prevent a vertical fall, the path has been designed as a staircase.
In addition to gutters, there was also a very complex water structure in this historical city. Many consider this structure to be a treatment plant system. This system purified the collected rain water. Purified water flowed through small canals to ponds inside the city.
Detailed drawing and engineering
An image of the detailed planning and engineering of the Cheghazanbil ziggurat
It is interesting to know that about 4 thousand years ago, the engineers and builders of this building had a complete engineering plan for the construction of the ziggurat. First of all, the place of construction of Chaghazanbil Ziggurat of Khuzestan was chosen very carefully. They built this temple near the river so that they could easily use the river water. The weather in this area is very pleasant. Also, in the past, this area was located near the ancient and important city of Susa. Meanwhile, the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil Khuzestan was built on a high hill. In this way, floods were prevented. In addition, the large and thick walls of the ziggurat protected it against floods.
Elegance in decorating buildings
An image of the detailed planning and engineering of the Cheghazanbil ziggurat
It is interesting to know that the first examples of glassmaking in Iran were found in Chaghazanbil, Khuzestan. These glass works date back to about 2 thousand years BC. Meanwhile, glass wires have also been found. It seems that these glass wires were used in the construction of temple door and window hinges. This issue shows the elegance in decorating historical monuments and also the knowledge of how to use raw materials in Elam civilization.
Chaghazanbil inscriptions Letters for posterity An image of the inscriptions of Chaghazanbil A view of the inscriptions of Chaghazanbil Around the ziggurat, you will see an inscription carved into every brick. It seems that the builders and officials of that time were trying to send a letter from themselves to the future generations. In general, there are thousands of different inscriptions and brick inscriptions in the Chaghazanbil ziggurat of Khuzestan. Until today, about 6,500 pieces of brick writing and various inscriptions have been found in this ancient city. Archaeologists of the old name of this city, builder
And the type of materials used in it have been understood from these inscriptions. All these works are in traditional Elamite language. In the following, we will present the translation of the text of one of the inscriptions to you dear ones:
“I built this appropriate temple with gold-colored, silver-colored bricks, black onyx stones, white stones and stones… and I gave a gift to the gods of Nepirisha and Inshushinik from the holy neighborhood. The one who destroys it and the one who destroys its bricks, the one who takes its gold and silver, black agate stones, white stones and stones…and bricks and takes it to another place, may the curse of the gods of the holy neighborhood of Nepirisha be cursed. May this Shushank and Karirisha descend on him and may his generation be destroyed under the sun. The meaning of ziggurat Step by step until meeting God Maybe you are also a little confused by the existence of different names for this temple. You may even wonder that the name of this building is Choghazanbil, so why is it called a ziggurat? Ziggurat is actually a type of religious and ritual architecture that was famous in the plateau of Iran. Ziggurat is known as ziggurat in Sumerian language and as zigguratu in Elamite language. Ziggurat looks like a funnel-shaped tower. A ziggurat is a multi-story temple that brings man closer to his Lord. This type of building spread in the Mesopotamia during the Assyrian and Babylonian eras. During the Elamite era, the ziggurat made its way to Iran. In a way, it can be said that the ziggurat is a symbol of the ascension of man to heaven. For this reason, the main temple is located in the upper part.
A picture of the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil in Khuzestan
Although, in general, Chaghazanbil is also a type of ziggurat; But it is slightly different from other ziggurats. In Mesopotamian ziggurats, each floor is located on the lower floor; But in Cheghazanbil Ziggurat of Khuzestan, each floor has a unique foundation. Therefore, it has more resistance compared to old ziggurats. So maybe this is why the ziggurat of Chaghazanbil Khuzestan shows a lot of resistance against earthquakes compared to other buildings.
Construction steps of Chaghazanbil ziggurat The story of building bricks The construction of the ziggurat took place in two stages. In the first stage, the ziggurat was built on a square platform with sides of 105 meters. Porches, which were narrow rooms, were also placed around the courtyard. The entrance door of some rooms was in the courtyard and others were outside the courtyard.
In the second stage, the entrance doors of the rooms that had access to the central courtyard were blocked. Then three clay floors were created in the courtyard. These floors formed the second, third and fourth floors of the ziggurat.
Photo of part of Chaghazanbil
Many believe that it makes sense to build different floors in this way. On the fourth floor, there is a very small room called Napirisha Temple. This temple is very small and it was called the Supreme Temple or Kokonom. So it can be concluded that the architects were trying to show the ascension of man from the earth to the sky with this design. Of course, unfortunately, the Great Temple has been destroyed and today we can only see a few studs and glazed bricks from it.
Different parts of the ziggurat Separation of urban development, Iranian art If you look at aerial images of the ziggurat, there are four main courtyards around it. In the following, we will introduce each courtyard to you:
Northeast courtyard
This courtyard is the largest and widest courtyard of the ziggurat. According to historical documents, this courtyard has been a meeting place for ordinary people. There is a platform called the meeting platform in this place. It seems that they used this brick base to install inscriptions, statues or announce various news. Of course, some others consider this brick platform as a sundial. In this section, there are three square platforms decorated with glazed bricks, as well as a water disposal well.
Northwest courtyard
A picture of different parts of Chaghazanbil
In the northwest courtyard, we can see a circular brick base, several temples and shrines, a platform for making offerings, two wells and a workshop. According to the brick inscriptions, the temples located in the northwest courtyard belong to Napirisha, Ishini Karb and Kiririsha. These were all part of the goddesses of the people of Elam. You should also know that these temples were among the most important ziggurat temples. Shushink Temple and Kririsha Temple are among the only temples that have used bricks to decorate their exteriors. Brick inscriptions have been found on the walls, platforms and entrances of both temples, which show that these temples were built by Untash Napirisha.
Southwest courtyard
The southwest courtyard is a little smaller compared to other courtyards. Some believe that the access to the temple was done from the stairs located in this courtyard. In this yard, a circular brick base can be seen next to three small prayer halls. From these places of worship, valuable works such as bronze daggers, armor, figures with animal images and other works have been found.
Southeast courtyard
A picture of different parts of Chaghazanbil
The southeast courtyard was probably the place where animals were sacrificed. In this courtyard, platforms with baked clay with a relatively steep slope can be seen. These platforms are lined up next to each other. Also, in the middle of the yard, a large pot is embedded in the ground. It seems that people stood watching during the sacrifice ceremony and finally poured the animal’s blood into the vat.
Ziggurat guardian statues Defenders of the city A picture of the statues of Chaghazanbil’s guard A picture of the statues of Chaghazanbil’s guard Animal sculptures can be seen around the entrances. These statues are the guardians of the ziggurat. A statue of Shirdal or eagle lion and a bull statue were discovered in recent excavations host. These two statues were among the most important protectors of the city. The statue of Shirdal or Lion Eagle is located in Haft Tepe Museum. So it is better to visit Haft Tepe Museum after visiting Chaghazanbil Temple and visit it. The bull statue is also in the Museum of Ancient Iran in Tehran. We can see other examples of protective statues in Persepolis.
Հետազոտական աշխատանքը գիտական որևէ թեմայի կամ քաղաքական, տնտեսական, սոցիալական կամ մշակութային հիմնախնդրի հետազոտումն է տեսական և/կամ գործնական լուծման ակնկալիքով:
Պարտադիր քանակն ուսումնական տարվա ընթացքում. մեկ աշխատանք սովորողի ընտրած բնագավառից;
Աշխատանքի ծավալը չի սահմանափակվում;
Տառատեսակ. Arial Unicode 14;
Մասնագիտական օժանդակություն. խորհրդատու ուսուցիչ կամ գիտական ղեկավար (արտակրթահամալիրային), կամ երկուսը միասին սովորողի ընտրությամբ;
Պարտադիր է նշել աղբյուրները։
Օտարալեզու աղբյուրների օգտագործումը խրախուսվում է։
Աղբյուրների տեսակները` էլեկտրոնային և տպագիր աղբյուրներ, որոնցից ոչ մեկը չի կարող գերազանցել օգտագործված աղբյուրների քանակի 2/3-ը: Հանրագիտարանային աղբյուրները վերը նշված քանակի մեջ չեն հաշվառվում: Խրախուսվում է բանավոր աղբյուրների օգտագործումը, եթե ընտրված թեման կամ հիմնախնդիրը տալիս են այդ հնարավորությունը: Բանավոր աղբյուրների քանակը չի սահմանվում և դրանց օգտագործման դեպքում այլ աղբյուրների նվազագույն քանակը չի փոփոխվում;
Աշխատանքի կառուցվածքը․
ներածություն (աշխատանքի ծավալի 10-15%-ը),
հիմնական մաս (աշխատանքի ծավալի 70-80%-ը, կարող է բաժանվել ցանկացած քանակությամբ հատվածների),
ամփոփում (աշխատանքի ծավալի 10-15%-ը):
Ներածությունում հիմնավորվում է ընտրված թեմայի կամ հիմնախնդրի կարևորությունը մարդկության կամ որևէ տարածաշրջանի, կամ որևէ էթնոսի, կամ հասարակության որևէ շերտի, կամ կոնկրետ բնակավայրի համար:
Հիմնական մասում տրվում է ընտրված թեմային վերաբերող վարկածների կամ ընտրված հիմնախնդրի լուծման տարբերակների հեղինակային շարադրանքը:
Ամփոփման մեջ հիմնավորվում է այն վարկածը, որին հակված է հետազոտական աշխատանքի հեղինակը կամ հեղինակի ձևակերպած վարկածը: Հիմնախնդրի հետազոտման դեպքում հիմնավորվում է հետազոտական աշխատանքի հեղինակի կողմից իրատեսական և արդյունավետ համարվող լուծման տարբերակը կամ հեղինակի կողմից սահմանված տեսանելի ժամանակահատվածում հիմնախնդրի լուծման անհնարինությունը։
Ամփոփման ձևաչափ. մասնագիտական գրախոսություն (արտակրթահամալիրային մասնագետի) կամ հրապարակային պաշտպանություն, կամ երկուսն էլ (սովորողի ընտրությամբ) կետ 2-ում նշված ժամկետներում։
Գնահատում.
Հետազոտվող թեման կամ հիմնախնդիրը ներառող հանրակրթական առարկայի ծրագրով նախատեսված առավելագույն վարկանիշային միավորը տրվում է 1-2 ոչ էական թերություններ արձանագրած գրախոսության կամ համապատասխան մասնախմբի կողմից բացառիկ գնահատված պաշտպանության դեպքում;
Հետազոտվող թեման կամ հիմնախնդիրը ներառող հանրակրթական առարկայի ծրագրով նախատեսված վարկանիշային միավորների 85-90%-ը տրվում է 3-4 ոչ էական թերություններ արձանագրած գրախոսության կամ համապատասխան մասնախմբի կողմից գերազանց գնահատված պաշտպանության դեպքում:: Այս երկու դեպքերում խորհրդատու ուսուցիչը ստանում է լրավճար:
Հետազոտվող թեման կամ հիմնախնդիրը ներառող հանրակրթական առարկայի ծրագրով նախատեսված վարկանիշային միավորների 70-80-%-ը տրվում է 1 էական թերություն արձանագրած գրախոսության կամ համապատասխան մասնախմբի կողմից լավ գնահատված պաշտպանության դեպքում;
Հետազոտվող թեման կամ հիմնախնդիրը ներառող հանրակրթական առարկայի ծրագրով նախատեսված կրեդիտների 50-60-%-ը տրվում է 2 էական թերություն արձանագրած գրախոսության կամ համապատասխան մասնախմբի կողմից միջին գնահատված պաշտպանության դեպքում:
Երկուսից ավելի էական թերություն արձանագրած գրախոսության կամ համապատասխան մասնախմբի կողմից միջինի ցածր գնահատված պաշտպանության դեպքում սովորողը կրեդիտ չի ստանում: Եթե ձախողումը տեղի է ունեցել դեկտեմբերին սովորողն իրավունք ունի վերցնել նոր թեմա կամ հիմնախնդիր:
Հետազոտական աշխատանքները ուսումնական տարվա ընթացքում հրապարակվում են էլեկտրոնային ժողովածուում, տարածվում են համապատասխան ոլորտի հարթակներում։
Հաղնազարյան Նարե 