UNSOLVED MYSTERIES

		*South American head miniatures of various human types*
		These head miniatures from Pre-Colombia come from the university in Quito, Ecuador. They provide believable indicators for early cultural exchanges across the oceans. Their faces show noticeable features which are uncharacteristic for ancient American peoples. How could the native inhabitants of South America depict foreign facial features? Other human types were totally unknown to them. Is it truly impossible that there were excellent seafarers in ancient times? Seafarers who sailed all the way to America and left traces there? There are further indicators of such cultural contacts: Egyptian mummies in whom traces of coca leaves were found. And Indian temples with images of maize.

		*The Michigan tablets*
		Did native inhabitants of America travel around the world? Did seafaring peoples from the Mediterranean and Asia dare to cross the oceans? Such travels seem impossible to most researchers of ancient times. And the associated early cultural contacts seem unacceptable. Many archaeological artefacts are consequently rejected or rated as “fakes”. However, Thor Heyerdahl proved with his adventurous expeditions that it can be done. - The Michigan tablets collection in Detroit, USA includes several thousand pieces. It was found around 1900 in old Native American hill graves. The engravings on them consist of unknown characters and biblical symbols. Some researchers are convinced the tablets are genuine. They theorise that Christians brought them to the American continent at the time of the Christian persecutions.

		*Early global cultural contacts*
		The ceramics of the Valdivia settlement on the southern shores of Ecuador are among the oldest in the New World. Strangely, they are precisely like the Jomon ceramics from Japan. The similarity between the Japanese and the Ecuadorian figures and clay shards leave no doubt. There must already have been contact between the two countries 5500 years ago. Further unbelievable examples: An unusual ceramic head from South America shows an unknown priestess or queen. Her appearance is astonishingly like a famous bust of pharaohess Nefertiti. Furthermore, some historians theorise that the Olmeken culture in Central America was influenced by Chinese and African immigrants. And how does a tiny Easter Island statue reach Pre-Colombia? There are more than 4000 kilometres between Easter Island and Colombia.

		*The Comalcalco exhibits and the phenomenon of skull deformations*
		The Maya ruins of Comalcalco in Mexico have a very special feature: the ceremonial buildings are made from fired clay bricks. In terms of appearance, colour and style, they are just like ancient Roman bricks. Many of the bricks contain graffiti which has not yet been deciphered. What is baffling is that these images recall the “shell writing” from India. - Another indicator for early cultural contacts is found in similarities in cultural customs. The bizarre cult of ritual skull deformation can be found in many cultures in pre-historic times. In ancient Egypt, in the entire Orient, in China, and in South America. This custom is even documented in Eastern Austria by finds from the 5^th century.