In 2013, the remains of King Richard III were found in an unlikely location under a car park (car park) in Leicester, England. This highlights how through continuous research and hunting, the graves of some famous historical figures can be found in the most unlikely places. Some tombs may have disappeared forever, but the discovery of Richard III's remains has rekindled hope in search of others. Here are 10 famous characters whose graves have never been discovered, and the stories behind their lost graves. Related: Top 10 unusual discoveries in graves near the Nile
We have not yet found the final resting place of Genghis Khan, which shows that the intentions of the Mongol leaders have been satisfied. Chinese and Persian sources indicate that the khan died in a battle in China in 1227, and his son returned the body to Mongolia. The soldiers respected Khan's request and kept the cemetery secret. They apparently hid the grave by trampling it with 10,000 horses until the ground was flat and diverted the river over the grave to protect the grave from looting. They also killed anyone who saw the funeral so that no one could reveal the location. It is now one of the most sought-after tombs for archaeologists, and many scholars believe that Khan was buried in the Kent Mountains of Mongolia. [1]
The couple's famous double suicide occurred around 30 BC, when Octavian (later known as Emperor Augustus) chased them to Alexandria. While it is widely believed that Mark Anthony stabbed himself in the stomach, there is still controversy about Cleopatra's death. Legend has it that she was bitten by a snake in her arm, while some say her hairpin contained a deadly poison that she could have used, or that she may have applied a deadly "ointment."
The ancient chronicler Plutarch had a lot to say about their funeral. He said they were buried in a grave near Alexandria, resting in "ornate and palatial ways," though he admitted that "no one knows what really happened." In 2009, archaeologists explored the Temple of Taposiris Magna in Abu Sur, Egypt. There, they found a bust inscribed with Cleopatra's face, a mask believed to belong to Mark Antony, and coins similar to theirs. All this suggests that the couple is not far from this place. There is some evidence that Cleopatra built a tomb for herself before her death, while some believe their grave was at the bottom of the sea and has been excavated underwater for years. [2]
After leading a decade-long conquest from Greece to India, Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. He was originally buried in a golden sarcophagus in Memphis, Egypt, and then transferred to Alexandria sometime between 293 and 283 BC. The tomb of a military leader was treated almost like a temple, visited by Roman emperors such as Caesar and Augustus. The mausoleums have also been stolen repeatedly. Caligula is said to have taken his armor and breastplate in the 1st century AD; Cleopatra is said to have used gold to fund the war against Augustus. The gold sarcophagus had apparently melted and was replaced by a glass or crystal. Emperor Septimus Severus sealed the tomb in 190 AD. This still does not guarantee the safety of the tomb, because in 360 AD, several events, including wars, riots, earthquakes, and tsunamis, threatened and could destroy the tomb. More than 140 searches have been attempted, but all have failed; most people believe that the tomb is still located in Alexandria. [3]
As ruler of the Huns, Attila established himself as one of the greatest enemies of the Roman Empire. It is recorded that in 453 AD, Attila died of a nosebleed on her wedding night. The warriors commemorated his death with a day of mourning, and they reportedly cut off their hair, cut their cheeks and mourned his death with their own blood. He was buried in three coffins of iron, silver and gold, and like Genghis Khan, he was re-routed to bury his grave, and the people who dug the grave were killed to keep the location secret. In 2014, construction workers in Budapest claimed to have found his grave — a room containing human and horse skeletons, jewelry and tactical equipment — but it quickly proved to be a hoax. Although no trace of Attila or his coffin has been found, it is widely believed that he was buried in Hungary. [4]
Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519 at the age of 67 and is said to have been originally buried under a church that was later destroyed during the French Revolution. In 1863, fragments of the tombstone and remnants of some bones, said to be of Leonardo da Vinci, were found during an excavation. Although his official resting place is the Castle of Amboise, France, it is not known whether these are really the remains of Leonardo da Vinci. Scientists have long wanted to test the remains for DNA, but since Leonardo da Vinci never had children, this poses a conundrum. In 2016, Alessandro Vezzosi and Agnese Sabato identified the descendants of Leonardo da Vinci's half-brother. There are plans to compare this DNA to a strand of hair that could be Leonardo da Vinci. [5]
The famous Harold II fought William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He was allegedly severely damaged and only his common-law wife, Swan-Neck, could identify him. Halod's mother, Giza, used gold in exchange for William Harold's weight in exchange for his body so that he could be buried at a Christian funeral. William the Conqueror, however, refused, as he did not want Harold's cemetery to become a sacred site for the Saxons. While it is unclear exactly what happened to the body, Rosemary Nikolaiu of the Fighting Abbey Museum said, "There are all sorts of stories, including his mother eventually getting the body or being taken to Waltham Abbey by the monks, but there is no evidence." [6] In 2003, a request to excavate a grave at The Church in Bossham was rejected because the possibility of identifying the remains of Harold II was extremely unlikely.
The Celtic Queen led an uprising against the Romans, including preventing excessive taxation, property damage, and enslavement under roman rule. She died in 60 AD, and although it is not known how she died, it is widely believed that she committed suicide to escape arrest. (27) It is very likely that Budika's body will never be found. Richard Hingley said, "It is unlikely that there are tombstones in Boudicca, and most of the Iron Age people in the area were disposed of in a way that is not in the archaeological record." [7] Rumor has it that she was buried under platforms 8, 9 or 10 at King's Cross station in London, but no trace of her can be found here or anywhere else.
Everything surrounding the composer's death is a mystery. In 1791, at the age of 35, he died in Vienna due to a mysterious illness. He was buried in Vienna's St. Mark's Cemetery, where the funeral was arranged by his friend and patron, Baron Gottfried Van Swieten. The body was placed in a wooden coffin of an ordinary tomb. Although some claim that this does not necessarily mean poor people or shared graves. However, under local law, the grave can be excavated and reused after 10 years, which is assumed to have happened to Mozart. In 1801, a gravedigger claimed he had found the skull, and by 1902 it had been given to the International Mozart Museum in Salzburg. In 2006, scientists tested the skull to determine if it belonged to Mozart. Unfortunately, the outcome is inconclusive, and whether this skull is really his is still a big question mark. [8]
Alfred of Wessex was the only English king known as the "great" and played a pivotal role in the history of the British monarchy. But his body was passed from one place to another. He was first buried in Winchester in 899, but moved to a new church built by his son Edward in 903−904. By 1110, his body was again moved to Hyde Abbey with his wife and son. However, sometime after Henry VIII severed ties with Rome and the Pope, the monastery was destroyed and the tomb was looted. Some claim they moved again to the Parish Church of St. Bartholomew, while others believe that 18th-century construction workers scattered bones on the site of Hyde Abbey. Several attempts were made to find the tomb, but without success. The Winchester City Council commissioned excavations, but only one body belonging to a woman was found. St. Bartholomew's has commissioned 3 archaeologists to excavate an unmarked tomb that is believed to be Alfred's final resting place. The bones were already in a safe place, awaiting further study. [9]
Little is known about the egyptian queen, so archaeologists hope to find her tomb to learn something about the mysterious royal wife. In the 1880s, a multi-chamber tomb was discovered in Amarna, Egypt, which was later named Amarna 26. Archaeologists are convinced that the tomb belonged to the 18th Dynasty pharaoh Akhenaten and his daughter Meketaten. Although the tomb has been damaged, it is clear that the third burial chamber is not yet complete and the identity of the inhabitants is unknown. Some archaeologists believe this belongs to Akhenaten's wife, Nafertiti, despite controversy. Archaeologist Barry Campo said, "There is no indication in the tomb that it placed burial equipment for her;" therefore, it is impossible to determine that this was her last resting place. Both Naftiti and her true identity hang over a big question mark, and the search for her grave remains at the top of the list of promising discoveries by archaeologists.