Across the world, different historic sites hide mysteries from times long gone by. Here are three that will intrigue you.
Skara Brae in Orkney, Scotland, is a Neolithic village, and today one of the most-visited ancient sites in Orkney. Said to be older even than the pyramids and Stonehenge, it is one of Europe’s most remarkable monuments, offering insights into the world of agriculturists who lived here between 3200 BC and 2500 BC, more than 5,000 years ago.
The Skara Brae Prehistoric Village site was discovered after a terrible storm hit Scotland in 1850, stripping land and grass away from a large knoll. When it became safe to venture out, the locals discovered the outlines of an old village, and houses without roofs. They had remained intact because their builders had buried the stone walls in clay, soil and other waste material - up to roof level! - to keep themselves warm. All the houses display the same layout, and archaeologists have surmised that up to 50 people lived together at Skara Brae at any time.
Uluru sits in the middle of Australia, a giant rock rising out of the parched red plains of the Northern Territory. The area is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people, the traditional landowners of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The name Uluru means Great Pebble in their language, and the rock is a cathedral of sorts to them - a repositiory of their Creation memories and stories.
Visitors may have access to some caves and sites, and may see some prehistoric paintings, but must be sensitive to how important culturally and religiously this UNESCO World Heritage is to the aboriginals. In the past, visitors have disrespected the rock by climbing it, playing golf on it, performing strip-teases on it (which then found their way onto YouTube), and, worse, defecating on it. Come 2019, Australia will ban all climbing of Uluru, a move welcomed by discerning travellers. As it is, the best way to limmerse yourself in the magnificence of Uluru is to sit a little distance away and admire its changing colours and sheer immensity, and feel for yourself its inescapable power.
One of the most isolated islands on the planet, the Polynesian Easter Island was discovered by a Dutch ship in 1722 on Easter Sunday, which explains its name. What remains unexplained is the history behind its mysterious statues. The island plays host to over 800 moai - giant stone heads and figures carved out of volcanic rock - and no one really knows why they were carved. The Rapa Nui, the carvers of the heads, are not telling either, though theories range from the statues being memorial to ancestors to religious deities.
Main photo: Bryan Busovicki/123RF