Airplanes in Antiquity

 Thousand-year-old aircraft models, enormous works of art visible only from above, and ancient texts describing aerial battles. Does all this prove that ancient civilizations possessed the ability to fly? Flying in the skies has always been a great human dream. If we are to believe popular history, it wasn't until the late eighteenth century that this dream was realized, when two Frenchmen took to the air in a balloon. Then came the turn of motorized flight.

Although it was speculated as early as the thirteenth century that flying heavier-than-air objects was possible, and in the sixteenth century the famous Leonardo da Vinci even constructed a prototype flying machine and a simple helicopter, the feat was not achieved until 1903, when the Wright brothers made the first flight over Kitty Hawk.

This is a widely accepted story. Some researchers and scientists believe there is evidence that humans achieved their dream of flight much earlier... perhaps even so early that knowledge of the technology has been lost to time.

Could ancient man have known the technology of flight? Let's take a look at what some researchers consider evidence: striking artifacts, wooden models, descriptions, and legends—according to scientists, these demonstrate the history of human gliding.

Egyptian Plane

In 1898, a strange wooden object, approximately 15 centimeters long, was discovered in a tomb near Saqqara, dating back to 200 BC. It consisted of a fuselage (like an airplane), 18 centimeters long, slightly curved wings, a fixed rudder, and a stern tube. Its resemblance to modern aircraft is uncanny. Since airplanes were still unknown in 1898, the object was dubbed a bird model and placed in the basement of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The object was re-examined many years later by Dr. Khalil Messiah (a specialist in ancient models). According to Dr. Messiah, as well as many others, the model possessed characteristic features of advanced aerodynamics.

Is it just a toy? Or perhaps it was a mock-up of the plane the Egyptians wanted to build? If the plane actually existed or was built, no evidence or wreckage has been found to date.

Wall Panel from Abydos

Although no aircraft or parts of them have been found, there are more incredible discoveries in the ruins of ancient Egypt - clues that point to ancient flying machines.

Even more controversial than the model airplanes are the enigmatic wall panels found by Dr. Ruth Hover at the Abydos Temple in Egypt. The panel shows carved "images" that closely resemble modern airplanes.

One of the drawings bears an uncanny resemblance to a helicopter, while others suggest an airplane, a hovercraft, or even a UFO. When the panel photos were first published, it was assumed they were faked to create a sensational joke. In reality, some of the photos were altered to further enhance the aircraft's silhouette. Even the real photos bear an uncanny resemblance to modern aircraft.

Most archaeologists refute the thesis that planes are depicted and instead claim that the panel is formed by strange constellations of signs that were created by superimposing two or more hieroglyphs on top of each other.

Central and South American Spacecraft

The ancient Egyptian civilization isn't the only one to have hidden mysterious artifacts. A gold ornament estimated to be 1,000 years old has been found in Central America and on the coast of South America. If we didn't know the age of the object, we might easily mistake it for a toy representing one of the spaceships we see in Star Wars, for example.

When researchers found it, they concluded it had an animal-like form. In reality, however, it doesn't resemble any bird or other animal. Its form resembles something more mechanical. It even includes what appears to be a pilot's cockpit.

Experts concluded that the object's wings were too far from its center of gravity, and its nose lacked aerodynamic efficiency. Whatever this object is, its striking resemblance to modern aircraft cannot be overlooked.

N azca - A Ground for Climbing?

In Peru, we encounter enormous drawings carved by the people of that time on vast surfaces. These geoglyphs depict figures of many living creatures: numerous bird species, a monkey the size of a football field, a 150-legged spider, a lizard, humanoid forms, and strange objects.

Although the civilization responsible for the drawings existed between 200 BC and 600 AD, it's unclear exactly when the geoglyphs were created or what their purpose was. Archaeologists have wondered why people created such works when they could only be admired from a bird's-eye view. The drawings are visible only from a very high altitude, and that's how they were discovered when archaeologists flew over them. There are no mountains or hills nearby to admire the ground. So why so much effort? Perhaps there was a purpose after all?

Erich von Daniken's explanation is based on the endless, intersecting network of paths in the Nazca region. Some are up to 10 kilometers long and seem to lead nowhere. Von Daniken believes Nazca was an ancient airport, from which planes could take off to admire the monstrous geoglyphs.

A somewhat less sensational explanation is that civilizations of the time constructed balloons to lift their passengers to desired heights. In 1974, Julian Nott and Jim Woodman tested this theory by constructing a balloon from materials available in the region. The structure quickly reached a height of 100 meters, confirming that ancient inhabitants theoretically had the ability to fly.

V imaanika-shastra

Although the Chinese are widely credited with inventing rockets, some people claim that an ancient Indian text depicts sophisticated pilot maneuvers.

Four centuries before Christ, Maharishi Bharadwaja, while in a trance, wrote the Vimaanika-shastra—a text about controlling a type of aerial vehicle with exceptional capabilities.

The text seems to be an instruction manual for an air battle or a computer game and claims to reveal 32 secrets that can be used to control the Vimana:

- Goodha - allows the pilot to hide the Vimana from enemies;

- Paroksha - allows the pilot to paralyze and incapacitate other objects;

- Pralaya - allows the pilot to fire an electric "ray" that "destroys everything as if in a catastrophe";

- Taara - gives the pilot another opportunity to get out of the enemy's way or become invisible: "By mixing 10 units of air power, 7 units of water power and 16 parts of solar energy, a projection of the starry sky is created";

- Jalada Rohopa - creates a cloud with the help of specific chemicals that surrounds and conceals the vehicle.

Is the test just a fantasy story, rich in symbolism and religious significance? Or a reflection of an ancient technique that humans only discovered in the 20th century?