Blast From the Past

Whether you believe in time travel or not, it’s fun to speculate about the many pieces of evidence scattered throughout history. From objects beyond their time to strange photographs of equally strange visitors, here are 20 instances that may just indicate time travel.

Gryffindor on Wikimedia

1. The Antikythera Mechanism

This mechanism was discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, Greece, in 1901. It’s often compared to an ancient Greek computer, and it involves gears and dials, mechanisms that are more akin to this time than the 100 BCE time period it was dated to.

No machine-readable author provided. Marsyas assumed (based on copyright claims). on Wikimedia

2. The Voynich Manuscript

The Voynich Manuscript is an essentially untranslatable ancient book dated to be as old as the 15th century. It is full of many strange diagrams of plants, biology, and astronomy; however, it is written in a language that matches no existing text, leading many to believe it is the work of someone from the future.

Unknown authorUnknown author on Wikimedia

3. The Crystal Skulls

The crystal skulls are essentially carved quartz artifacts found in Central America. Some believe they were made using advanced technology, leading many to wonder about lost civilizations or time travelers. Their true purpose is unknown.

C. Corleis on Wikimedia

4. The Baghdad Battery

A clay jar, iron rod, and copper cylinder were discovered in Baghdad in the 1930s but were believed to be as old as 250 BCE to 250 CE. These three items together may indicate it functioned as an ancient battery, leading many to speculate time travel was at play to have access to such technology.

Ironie on Wikimedia

5. The Swiss Ring Watch

Perhaps somebody simply lost their watch, but interestingly enough, when investigating a Chinse Tomb from the Ming dynasty, researchers found a ring watch with a Swiss engraving on it.

Simon Hurry on Unsplash

6. The Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are an impressive feat of human architecture that leads many to think time travel was involved because of the sheer scale of it. Essentially, huge geoglyphs were carved into the Peruvian desert, and if observed from high in the sky, they make recognizable shapes. The issue is, how did someone create this in 500 BCE?

Seiji Seiji on Unsplash

7. The Shoe Print Fossil

This is sheer speculation, but there was a fossilized print discovered in Nevada that looks strangely like a shoe. The issue is the rock layer is as old as the Triassic period, far before humans existed.

Alfred W. McCann on Wikimedia

8. The Temple of the Sun

The Incan civilizations are pretty well known for their impressive architecture and engineering, one of the most impressive feats being the 1400s Temple of the Sun. What makes this building so unique is its use of interlocking stones that are capable of withstanding earthquakes. Knowledge of such advanced construction techniques is what leads people to consider time travelers.

Cayambe on Wikimedia

9. The Dropa Stones

Similarly, the Dropa Stones were discovered in China in 1983 and are circular discs inscribed with many tiny symbols. Some believe these symbols tell the story of possible aliens or time travelers; however, others believe the discs are a hoax.

en.m.wikipedia.org on Google

10. The Copper Scroll

The Copper Scroll is a Dead Sea Scroll that is written on copper rather than parchment. In typical sea-faring scroll fashion, it describes a hidden treasure. There is no evidence to link it to time travel, but that hasn’t stopped some conspiracists from speculating that the treasure is, in fact, some secret technology.

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) on Wikimedia

11. The 1941 Hipster

Returning to more tangible evidence, it’s hard to argue with the 1941 photograph of a man at South Fork Bridge. The issue is the man is wearing a modern-day T-shirt, sunglasses, and a camera – a fashion sense that sharply contrasts with everything else being worn at the time.

not credited on Wikimedia

12. The Moai Statues

The Moai statues of Easter Island have led many to wonder how such giant and accurate heads were carved by the Rapa Nui people. Additionally, how did they move such ginormous objects to their set locations?

Sophie Laurent on Unsplash

13. The Circus Woman

Returning to photographs, many time travel enthusiasts often cite Charlie Chaplin’s 1928 The Circus film. Strangely, one of the women in the crowds in the film is speaking into a small handheld device that looks a whole lot like a cell phone.

United Artists on Wikimedia

14. The Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin refers to a linen cloth that showcases an image of Jesus Christ. The only issue is this cloth predates the story of Jesus, and strangely, the image also has radiation-like effects.

Monozigote on Wikimedia

15. The 1800s Smartphone

Moving away from the world of photographs, consider the 1860 painting titled The Expected One. In this painting, a woman is staring at a small rectangular object that looks like a modern-day smartphone.

commons.wikimedia.org on Google

16. The Tartaria Tablets

These tablets were found in Romania in 1961 but are believed to be as old as 5500 to 2750 BCE. What makes them so unique is the ancient script inscribed on them, which indicates an unknown advanced civilization.

FlorinCB on Wikimedia

17. The Piri Reis Map

The Piri Reis Map was drafted in 1512 and is unique because it includes Antarctica’s coastline. The only issue is, this was far before Antarctica was ever discovered, and interestingly, it isn’t the only map of its kind.

Piri Reis on Wikimedia

18. The London Hammer

The London Hammer was an ancient tool found inside a 400-million-year-old rock. It was found in Texas, and many can’t help but admit it looks exactly like a modern-day hammer. However, scientists argue the rock likely formed around it in recent centuries.

S. J. Miba on Wikimedia

19. The Solway Firth Photo

Returning to interesting photographs, one of the strangest examples is undoubtedly the 1964 Solway Firth photo. A father took a picture of his daughter, only to develop it later and find a figure in a space suit standing behind her.

History in HD on Unsplash

20. Sri Lanka Stargate

Finally, consider the circular pattern etched into the stone at Anuradhapura. Some conspiracists like to believe it is a stargate, a portal of sorts for visitors. But it may just be a religious site with a unique astronomical design. Either way, it’s fun to speculate.

Oliver Sjöström on Unsplash