Historical Questions That Historians Still Can’t Answer

There are many gaps in history that historians seek to fill. While some historians have been able to successfully provide answers to some tough questions, there are still very pertinent questions that linger. Even the well-researched historical periods have unexplained elements. Some are true caverns of doubt, with only a few unambiguous facts illuminating the path. Here, we will explore some of the questions that historians are yet to answer. Let’s wish them luck.\r \r 1. Where is Cleopatra’s Tomb?\r \r Cleopatra was a powerful queen of ancient Egypt for twenty-one years. She has been studied extensively, however; the location of her tomb remains unknown. Cleopatra and Mark Antony, her lover, passed away at the work of their own hands after being defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Alexandria and were buried together. Over 2000 years later, the tomb hasn’t been recovered although archeologists have tried to find it. Some historians believe that her tomb is in Alexandria which is now at the bottom of the ocean. Others claim that she may have been laid to rest in a temple at Taposiris Magna.\r \r 2. Who Is Buried Inside the Daisen Kofun?\r \r The ancient tombs of Japan are known as kofun and they were built between the third and seventh centuries AD. The largest one, called Daisen Kofun, is located in Sakai, Osaka. Historians haven’t been able to determine who’s buried in this tomb. It’s believed that the sixteenth emperor of Japan, Emperor Nintoku lays there; however, there’s no evidence to support this. No one is allowed to go into the tomb because the issue involves a possible royal ancestry. The Imperial Household Agency has jurisdiction over it and all archeological research was restricted from the 1970s. Maybe archeologists will be allowed in the tomb someday.\r \r 3. What Happened to Roald Amundsen?\r \r Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, who, in 1911 led the first expedition to get to the South Pole. In 1926 he flew over the North Pole with Umberto Nobile and Lincoln Ellsworth. Nobile and Amundsen couldn’t agree on who led the expedition and they became enemies. In 1928, when Amundsen learnt that Nobile had crashed his airship during an expedition, he went on a floatplane with a crew to assist; however they were never seen. It is believed that their plane crashed and there were no survivors. Recovery efforts over the years have been futile.\r \r 4. Why Did People Burn Down Their Houses in Neolithic Europe?\r \r Neolithic Europeans began a trend where they would deliberately burn down their houses. Entire villages were set ablaze and later, new settlements would be built. Archeologists call it the “burned house horizon” but they are unable to explain why this was practiced. There’s widespread speculation by archeologists and historians as to why this practice was encouraged; however, there’s no proof to their claims. Who knows, with a little more digging, the truth will be unearthed.\r \r 5. Did Thomas Cromwell Plot Anne Boleyn’s Demise?\r \r King Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, served as the monarch of England. Thomas Cromwell was the king’s chief minister. Anne and Cromwell were allies until they disagreed on their ideologies. Anne and the king also had a rift because she was unable to bear him a son after three years. Cromwell acquired proof of Anne’s extramarital affairs and presented this to the king. Anne lost her life as a result. Historians question Cromwell’s role in all this. Did he conspire with the king to get rid of their mutual enemy or was Cromwell simply carrying out the king’s orders?