List of Out-of-Place Artifacts

Out-of-Place Artifacts (OOPArts) are historical, archaeological, or paleontological objects that seem to challenge established historical timelines or conventional explanations about the capabilities of ancient civilizations. Below is an extended list of some well-known OOPArts:

1. Antikythera Mechanism

• Location: Greece
• Discovery Date: 1901
• Description: A complex analog device believed to be an ancient astronomical calculator dating to around 150–100 BCE. It suggests advanced knowledge of mechanical engineering and astronomy far beyond what was thought possible in that era.

2. Baghdad Battery

• Location: Iraq
• Discovery Date: 1936
• Description: Ceramic pots containing a copper cylinder and an iron rod, possibly used as an early form of electrochemical cell or battery. The artifacts date to around 250 BCE to 224 CE.

3. Iron Pillar of Delhi

• Location: India View
• Discovery Date: Historical (unknown origin)
• Description: A 7.2-meter high iron pillar that is over 1,600 years old and has withstood corrosion remarkably well, puzzling scientists about the metallurgical techniques used to create it.

4. Piri Reis Map

• Location: Turkey
• Discovery Date: 1929
• Description: A 16th-century map created by Ottoman admiral Piri Reis, depicting parts of Antarctica’s coastline as though it was free of ice. This has led some to speculate about a much earlier exploration of the continent.

5. London Hammer

• Location: Texas, USA
• Discovery Date: 1936
• Description: A hammer embedded in rock, which some claim is 400 million years old based on the surrounding geological context. The origins and precise age of the artifact remain debated.

6. The Fuente Magna Bowl

• Location: Bolivia
• Discovery Date: 1950s
• Description: A ceramic bowl inscribed with symbols similar to Sumerian cuneiform, discovered near Lake Titicaca, suggesting a possible ancient link between Mesopotamian and South American civilizations.

7. Dropa Stones

• Location: China
• Discovery Date: 1938
• Description: Circular stone discs with small inscriptions, said to be 12,000 years old, allegedly containing evidence of extraterrestrial contact. Their authenticity is highly disputed.

8. Nazca Lines

• Location: Peru View
• Discovery Date: Rediscovered in the 1920s
• Description: Gigantic geoglyphs visible only from the air, created by removing reddish pebbles to reveal the light-colored ground beneath. The purpose and methods used by the ancient Nazca culture remain unclear.

9. Coso Artifact

• Location: California, USA
• Discovery Date: 1961
• Description: A small stone that appeared to contain a spark plug encased in solid rock, suggesting an anachronistic technological presence in the region. Further investigation points to modern origins, but its status as an OOPArt is still debated.

10. Voynich Manuscript

• Location: Unknown (likely Europe)
• Discovery Date: Early 20th century
• Description: An illustrated manuscript written in an unknown language or code, which has never been conclusively deciphered. It dates to the early 15th century and features detailed botanical, astronomical, and biological illustrations.

11. Giant Stone Spheres of Costa Rica

• Location: Costa Rica View
• Discovery Date: 1930s
• Description: Over 300 stone spheres, ranging in size and precision, scattered across Costa Rica. They are thought to have been made by the ancient Diquís culture, but their purpose remains uncertain.

12. Saqqara Bird

• Location: Egypt View
• Discovery Date: 1898
• Description: A small wooden bird figure found in a tomb at Saqqara, dated to around 200 BCE. Some have suggested it may represent an understanding of aerodynamics and perhaps the concept of flight.

13. Klerksdorp Spheres

• Location: South Africa
• Discovery Date: 1980s
• Description: Small, metallic spheres, allegedly up to 3 billion years old, found in pyrophyllite deposits. The spheres have grooves that appear artificial, raising questions about their origins.

14. The Ica Stones

• Location: Peru
• Discovery Date: 1960s
• Description: A collection of carved stones that allegedly depict humans coexisting with dinosaurs. The authenticity of these stones has been questioned, with many dismissed as hoaxes, but their status remains controversial.

15. The Crystal Skulls

• Location: Various (Mexico, Central America)
• Discovery Date: 19th and 20th centuries
• Description: Carved crystal skulls alleged to date back to the Aztec or Mayan periods. The precision of the carvings, especially without modern tools, is remarkable, but many are suspected to be modern fabrications.

16. Dorchester Pot

• Location: Massachusetts, USA
• Discovery Date: 1851
• Description: A bell-shaped metal vase found in two pieces after an explosion in Dorchester, believed to have been embedded in solid rock that was hundreds of millions of years old, which challenges conventional timelines.

17. The Stone Head of Guatemala

• Location: Guatemala
• Discovery Date: 1950s
• Description: A giant stone face, with European-like features, found in the jungles of Guatemala. The statue’s origin is unknown, and it does not match known pre-Columbian depictions, raising questions about external influences.

18. Mechanized Gears of Russia

• Location: Russia
• Discovery Date: 2013
• Description: A fossilized piece of quartz with what appears to be a mechanical gear embedded inside, estimated to be 300 million years old. It has been cited as evidence of a technologically advanced civilization, although no consensus exists.

19. Mount Owen Moa Claw

• Location: New Zealand View
• Discovery Date: 1986
• Description: A mummified claw from an extinct Moa, a flightless bird, that appeared remarkably well-preserved, as though it had recently died, despite the species having gone extinct several centuries earlier.

20. The Stone Calendar of Adam’s Calendar

• Location: South Africa View
• Discovery Date: 2003
• Description: A collection of aligned stones that form a calendar-like structure said to be over 75,000 years old. The arrangement suggests advanced astronomical knowledge, predating Stonehenge by tens of thousands of years.

21. The Glorieta Roswell Rock

• Location: New Mexico, USA
• Discovery Date: 2004
• Description: A small stone with an intricate, embossed design that allegedly has magnetic properties. It was discovered near the Roswell UFO incident site, leading to speculation about its origins.

22. Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head

• Location: Mexico
• Discovery Date: 1933
• Description: A small terracotta head of Roman style, found in a pre-Columbian burial in Toluca, Mexico. This artifact has been suggested as evidence of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact between the Old World and the New World.

23. Pyramid of Yonaguni

• Location: Japan View
• Discovery Date: 1986
• Description: Submerged rock formations off the coast of Yonaguni, resembling a step pyramid, believed by some to be a man-made structure that predates recorded history.

24. The Lolladoff Plate

• Location: Nepal/Tibet
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: A stone disc with spiral engravings, featuring an image that resembles a “classic” alien figure, hinting at a possible extraterrestrial connection.

25. Stonehenge-Like Stones of Lake Michigan

• Location: Lake Michigan, USA
• Discovery Date: 2007
• Description: A series of aligned stone monoliths discovered underwater, compared to Stonehenge, indicating a possibly unknown ancient civilization in North America.

26. The Malachite Man

• Location: Utah, USA
• Discovery Date: 1971
• Description: Skeletal remains of multiple humans found encased in a layer of uranium ore, leading to debates about how these remains ended up in such an environment.

27. The Hidden Character in Chinese Pyramids

• Location: China View
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: Massive pyramid-like structures found in China’s Shaanxi Province, thought to contain secrets of ancient cultures with influences from Central Asia.

28. Baigong Pipes

• Location: China View
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: A set of iron pipes found embedded in rock formations, leading some to speculate they are remnants of a prehistoric civilization or even extraterrestrial origin.

29. Ancient Aeroplane Models of South America

• Location: Colombia
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: Small gold figurines from the Tolima culture, resembling modern aircraft with aerodynamic shapes, possibly showing early knowledge of aviation principles.

30. Mount Ararat Anomaly

• Location: Turkey View
• Discovery Date: 1949
• Description: A peculiar structure on Mount Ararat that some claim to be Noah’s Ark, challenging conventional biblical and historical interpretations.

31. The Wolfsegg Iron

• Location: Austria
• Discovery Date: 1885
• Description: An iron cube-like artifact found inside a block of coal estimated to be 20 million years old. Its origin remains unexplained.

32. Map of the Creator

• Location: Bashkortostan, Russia
• Discovery Date: 1999
• Description: A large stone slab with a 3D relief map of the Ural Mountains, thought to be 120 million years old, suggesting advanced cartographic skills in prehistoric times.

33. Los Lunas Decalogue Stone

• Location: New Mexico, USA
• Discovery Date: 19th century
• Description: A large boulder with an inscription resembling the Ten Commandments, in ancient Hebrew script, suggesting possible pre-Columbian contact with the Middle East.

34. Siberian Artificial Nanostructures

• Location: Siberia, Russia
• Discovery Date: 1991
• Description: Tiny coiled nanostructures made of metals, discovered in the Ural Mountains, believed to be thousands of years old, suggesting unknown technological knowledge.

35. Nampa Figurine

• Location: Idaho, USA
• Discovery Date: 1889
• Description: A small clay figurine found at a depth of 97 meters (318.24 feet), in deposits that suggest an age of around 2 million years, implying a possible advanced ancient culture in North America.

36. Lake Winnipesaukee Mystery Stone

• Location: New Hampshire, USA
• Discovery Date: 1872
• Description: An egg-shaped stone carved with strange symbols, discovered during a dig. Its purpose and origins remain unclear.

37. Starchild Skull

• Location: Mexico
• Discovery Date: 1930s
• Description: An unusual skull with features unlike those of a typical human, leading to speculation about hybrid species or extraterrestrial origins.

38. Mexican Stone Mushrooms

• Location: Guatemala
• Discovery Date: Various (20th century)
• Description: A number of stone mushroom carvings that bear no apparent function. Some researchers speculate they are related to ancient rituals or medicinal practices involving psychoactive substances.

39. Yonaguni Underwater Ruins

• Location: Japan View
• Discovery Date: 1987
• Description: Massive underwater rock formations off the coast of Yonaguni that seem artificially carved into terraces, staircases, and pathways.

40. Abydos Helicopter Hieroglyphs

• Location: Egypt View
• Discovery Date: 19th century
• Description: Hieroglyphs in the Temple of Seti I that appear to depict modern vehicles such as helicopters and submarines, suggesting advanced technological visions or misinterpretations.

41. The Gosford Glyphs

• Location: Australia View
• Discovery Date: 1970s
• Description: A series of hieroglyphic inscriptions on sandstone in New South Wales that resemble Egyptian script. The authenticity of these glyphs is heavily debated, with some believing in ancient connections between Australia and Egypt.

42. Ayyavazhi Symbols

• Location: India View
• Discovery Date: Historical
• Description: A series of geometric and spiral symbols associated with the Ayyavazhi religious tradition, resembling structures found in other parts of the world, suggesting possible ancient knowledge of geometry.

43. Sabu Disc

Description: A circular stone object discovered in a tomb, resembling a mechanical part such as a wheel or propeller, which is unusual for the time period of 3,000 BCE.

Location: Egypt View

Discovery Date: 1936

44. The Maine Penny

• Location: Maine, USA
• Discovery Date: 1957
• Description: A Viking silver coin, dated to around 11th century CE, found at a Native American archaeological site in Maine. It suggests possible Norse contact with North America centuries before Columbus.

45. Egyptian Hieroglyphs in the Grand Canyon

• Location: Arizona, USA
• Discovery Date: Early 20th century
• Description: Reports from the early 1900s describe an alleged complex cave system containing Egyptian-like hieroglyphs. Though officially unverified, it has fueled speculation about trans-oceanic contact in ancient times.

46. The Ulfberht Sword

• Location: Northern Europe
• Discovery Date: Various (from 9th to 11th century)
• Description: A series of medieval Viking swords inscribed with “+ULFBERHT+”, made from crucible steel—a material that should not have been available to Europeans until centuries later, indicating advanced metallurgical techniques.

47. Sumerian King List

• Location: Mesopotamia (Iraq) View
• Discovery Date: 1900s
• Description: An ancient clay tablet listing Sumerian kings, including semi-mythical rulers with reigns of tens of thousands of years, suggesting a lost history that modern scholars have difficulty accounting for.

48. The Roman Dodecahedrons

• Location: Europe (France, Germany, Britain)
• Discovery Date: Various (1st-4th century CE)
• Description: Mysterious bronze objects with 12 flat faces, found across the Roman Empire. Their exact purpose remains unknown, with theories ranging from astronomical instruments to tools or even religious artifacts.

49. The Copper Scroll

• Location: Dead Sea, Israel View
• Discovery Date: 1952
• Description: One of the Dead Sea Scrolls, this ancient copper scroll lists locations for treasures in unusual detail, but no one has successfully uncovered the hidden hoards it mentions.

50. The Cochno Stone

• Location: Scotland View
• Discovery Date: 1887
• Description: A large stone with extensive cup and ring carvings, thought to date to 3000 BCE. Its purpose and meaning remain a subject of debate, with theories suggesting astronomical maps or ceremonial significance.

51. The Abydos Boat Pits

• Location: Egypt View
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: Wooden boats buried in pits near the tombs of ancient Egyptian kings. They are over 5,000 years old and seem to indicate an advanced understanding of shipbuilding at a very early stage in history.

52. The Labeled Stone of Gornaya Shoria

• Location: Russia
• Discovery Date: Early 2000s
• Description: Massive stone blocks weighing up to 1,000 tons, found in Siberia, that appear to have been cut and fitted together. Some believe this may be evidence of an advanced, ancient civilization, while others attribute it to natural geological processes.

53. The Dorchester Pot

• Location: Massachusetts, USA
• Discovery Date: 1851
• Description: A metal vase-like object allegedly found in two halves after a dynamite explosion. It was embedded in puddingstone estimated to be over 100 million years old, making its origin highly controversial.

54. The Antelope Springs Footprint

• Location: Utah, USA
• Discovery Date: 1968
• Description: Fossilized human-like footprints found alongside trilobite fossils, suggesting an age of around 500 million years. Mainstream science generally disputes their authenticity, attributing them to natural formations.

55. The Belitung Shipwreck

• Location: Indonesia View
• Discovery Date: 1998
• Description: An ancient Arab dhow carrying Tang Dynasty ceramics, showing the trade routes between the Middle East and China during the 9th century—suggesting a far more connected ancient world.

56. The “London Artifact” (Iron Hammer)

• Location: London, Texas, USA
• Discovery Date: 1936
• Description: An iron hammer found embedded in a rock dated to be over 400 million years old. Skeptics claim it could be a modern artifact that somehow became encased in rock over time.

57. Nan Madol

• Location: Micronesia View
• Discovery Date: Historical
• Description: The ruins of an ancient city built on a coral reef, consisting of nearly 100 small artificial islands connected by canals. The origins and builders of this complex remain largely unknown.

58. Ancient Contact Lenses (Nimrud Lens)

• Location: Iraq
• Discovery Date: 1850
• Description: A piece of ground rock crystal found in an Assyrian palace, dating back around 3,000 years. It may have been used as a magnifying lens or even for starting fires.

59. Roman Statue in Mexico

• Location: Mexico
• Discovery Date: 1933
• Description: A small terracotta statue of a man in Roman dress was found in a pre-Columbian tomb, leading to speculation about contact between the Old World and the New before Columbus.

60. Giants’ Causeway-Like Structures of Colorado

• Location: Colorado, USA
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: Massive hexagonal basalt columns resembling those in Northern Ireland, but believed to have formed at a much earlier period. Some speculate their formation indicates unknown natural or cultural processes.

61. The Ica Stones

• Location: Peru
• Discovery Date: 1966
• Description: Thousands of engraved stones that depict humans interacting with dinosaurs and advanced technology. Critics label them as hoaxes, but some argue they are genuine artifacts from an unknown civilization.

62. The Wolfsegg Iron Artifact

• Location: Austria
• Discovery Date: 1885
• Description: A small, cuboid iron object found within a block of lignite estimated to be 20 million years old. While dismissed by many as a pseudoscientific claim, its presence remains puzzling.

63. Mystery of Glozel

• Location: France View
• Discovery Date: 1924
• Description: A collection of over 3,000 artifacts found in Glozel, including pottery, tablets, and bones. Many are inscribed with strange symbols and resemble artifacts from various ancient cultures, challenging established views on early European history.

63. The Baltic Sea Anomaly

• Location: Baltic Sea View
• Discovery Date: 2011
• Description: A strange underwater formation resembling a large circular structure, discovered by underwater explorers. Its origins are debated, ranging from natural geological formations to potential evidence of ancient technology or even extraterrestrial craft.

64. The Nampa Stone Doll

• Location: Idaho, USA
• Discovery Date: 1889
• Description: A small baked clay figurine found 97 meters (318.24 feet) below the surface, in a layer of earth that suggests it could be millions of years old. It raises questions about how a manufactured object could appear in such an ancient context.

65. The Little People of Wyoming

• Location: Wyoming, USA
• Discovery Date: 1932
• Description: A mummified humanoid figure approximately 15 cm (5.91 inches) tall was discovered in a cave. Some believe it represents a lost race of miniature people, while others consider it a natural deformity or hoax.

66. Lake Baikal Subaquatic Anomaly

• Location: Lake Baikal, Russia View
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: Divers reported sightings of mysterious underwater structures and unexplained lights in the deepest freshwater lake. There are also claims of encounters with unidentified humanoid beings in diving suits.

67. The Georgia Guidestones

• Location: Georgia, USA View
• Discovery Date: 1980
• Description: Large granite slabs inscribed with messages in multiple languages, offering guidelines for humanity’s future. Their origins and the identity of the individuals who commissioned them remain a mystery.

68. The Mogao Caves Library

• Location: Dunhuang, China View
• Discovery Date: 1900
• Description: A hidden library containing over 50,000 manuscripts, including lost scriptures and texts. The unexpected location of such a collection raises questions about who preserved it and why.

69. The Lycurgus Cup

• Location: Rome, Italy
• Discovery Date: 19th century
• Description: A 4th-century CE Roman glass cup that changes color depending on the light source, due to a technique involving gold and silver nanoparticles. This suggests an advanced level of craftsmanship that wasn’t thought possible in antiquity.

70. The Stone Carvings of Göbekli Tepe

• Location: Turkey View
• Discovery Date: 1990s
• Description: Large stone pillars with intricate carvings, dating back to around 9,000 BCE. The complexity of these structures suggests the possibility of an advanced, organized society long before the advent of agriculture.

71. Longyou Caves

• Location: China View
• Discovery Date: 1992
• Description: A series of massive underground hand-carved caves, believed to be over 2,000 years old. Their construction has no historical record, and their purpose remains unknown.

72. The Waffle Rock

• Location: West Virginia, USA
• Discovery Date: 20th century
• Description: A rock formation featuring a grid-like pattern resembling waffle imprints. Some argue it could be evidence of ancient machine usage, while geologists consider it a natural occurrence.

73. The Zelenchukskaya Epigraph

• Location: Russia
• Discovery Date: 19th century
• Description: An ancient stone slab with an inscription in an unknown language, found in the North Caucasus region. Its origins and language have not been conclusively identified.

74. Prehistoric Concretions of Otter Creek

• Location: Vermont, USA
• Discovery Date: 1844
• Description: Strange stone discs with spiral grooves were found along the Otter Creek in Vermont. Their age and purpose remain enigmatic, with suggestions ranging from natural phenomena to ancient tools.

75. The Golan Dolmen Field

• Location: Israel View
• Discovery Date: Various
• Description: Over 400 massive dolmens, prehistoric megalithic tombs. Some of these structures are intricately decorated, suggesting ritual or cultural significance that is yet to be fully understood.

76. The Vitrified Forts of Scotland

• Location: Scotland
• Discovery Date: 19th century
• Description: Ancient forts that appear to have been subjected to intense heat, enough to fuse the stone walls together. How and why these fortifications were vitrified remains an unsolved mystery.

77. Puma Punku

• Location: Bolivia View
• Discovery Date: Historical
• Description: A site featuring intricately carved stone blocks that appear machined, despite being thousands of years old. The precision of the cuts and construction is baffling, given the available technology of the time.

78. Stone Circles of Senegambia

• Location: Senegal and The Gambia View
• Discovery Date: Historical
• Description: Thousands of megalithic stone circles spread across Senegal and The Gambia. Their origin and the reasons behind their construction are still not fully explained.

79. The White Shaman Mural

• Location: Texas, USA
• Discovery Date: Historical
• Description: A 4,000-year-old rock painting found along the Pecos River, depicting mysterious figures and symbols that defy interpretation. Its meaning is largely unknown, though it is thought to be related to ancient ritualistic practices.

80. The Burrows Cave Artifacts

• Location: Illinois, USA
• Discovery Date: 1982
• Description: A series of stone and metal artifacts found in a cave, allegedly containing inscriptions in an unknown language, depicting a mixture of ancient Old World and Native American iconography. The site is highly controversial, with many scholars doubting its authenticity.

81. The Genetic Disk of Colombia

• Location: Colombia
• Discovery Date: Unknown
• Description: A stone disk believed to depict the stages of embryonic development. The artifact is made of an extremely hard stone and seems to represent knowledge that would be impossible for ancient cultures.

82. The Temple Mount Sifting Project Finds

• Location: Jerusalem, Israel View
• Discovery Date: Ongoing since 2004
• Description: The project has uncovered thousands of artifacts, some dating back to the First Temple Period, including seals, coins, and unusual objects whose purposes are unclear. Their presence in such an ancient context provides intriguing possibilities regarding the history of Jerusalem.