Dark5 | The Mysterious Levitating Statue of Alexandria: 5 Ancient Artifacts That Defied Physics @dark5tv | Uploaded 9 months ago | Updated 1 day ago
A special video from my new channel @Dark5AncientMysteries -- Subscribe for more unsolved mysteries of ancient history...
When the ancient Greek temple complex of Serapeum in Alexandria was destroyed by a Christian mob in 391, stories began to spread of an incredible artifact that had occupied the temple.
Rather than focusing on the central statue of the Serapis cult—a dazzling colossus adorned with precious stones and metals— rumors instead swirled around a large, otherwise plain image of the Greek sun god Helios. Made entirely of iron, this statue was stunningly said to levitate above the floor of the complex.
Tyrannius Rufinus, an early chronicler, described a cleverly crafted iron image of the Sun, suspended in the air by a magnet fixed in the ceiling. His account, while fantastical, suggests the possibility of a mechanical trick, such as a hidden chain.
This idea aligns with Alexandria's reputation as a hub for inventors like Ctesibius, Philo, and Hero, who were known for using advanced engineering techniques to create supernatural effects for temples like self-opening doors.
Statues supposedly suspended by magnetism were not unheard of in the ancient world. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder referred to it as "stationary levitation" and provided several theories on how he thought this could be achieved with magnets.
His earliest mention of a magnetically levitated statue referred to a likeness of the wife of Pharaoh Ptolemy the Second. Perhaps not coincidentally, this statue was also in Alexandria -- an unbelievable feat in an exotic place.
The account of the Serapeum Helios evolved over time, with Christian historians Augustine and Quodvultdeus offering differing descriptions of the levitating statue and a more sinister view of the use of magnetism.
They believed it was used to fool people into believing in magic and blasphemous mysticism. In their view, the creators of such statues knew that they were lying about the powers levitating the idols, and they openly tried to deceive others to show the power of their false gods.
We may never know how the Serapeum Helios was suspended or if it existed at all. But to this day, levitating statues are impossible to prove or dismiss and remind us of the knowledge that the passing millennia have robbed us of...
A special video from my new channel @Dark5AncientMysteries -- Subscribe for more unsolved mysteries of ancient history...
When the ancient Greek temple complex of Serapeum in Alexandria was destroyed by a Christian mob in 391, stories began to spread of an incredible artifact that had occupied the temple.
Rather than focusing on the central statue of the Serapis cult—a dazzling colossus adorned with precious stones and metals— rumors instead swirled around a large, otherwise plain image of the Greek sun god Helios. Made entirely of iron, this statue was stunningly said to levitate above the floor of the complex.
Tyrannius Rufinus, an early chronicler, described a cleverly crafted iron image of the Sun, suspended in the air by a magnet fixed in the ceiling. His account, while fantastical, suggests the possibility of a mechanical trick, such as a hidden chain.
This idea aligns with Alexandria's reputation as a hub for inventors like Ctesibius, Philo, and Hero, who were known for using advanced engineering techniques to create supernatural effects for temples like self-opening doors.
Statues supposedly suspended by magnetism were not unheard of in the ancient world. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder referred to it as "stationary levitation" and provided several theories on how he thought this could be achieved with magnets.
His earliest mention of a magnetically levitated statue referred to a likeness of the wife of Pharaoh Ptolemy the Second. Perhaps not coincidentally, this statue was also in Alexandria -- an unbelievable feat in an exotic place.
The account of the Serapeum Helios evolved over time, with Christian historians Augustine and Quodvultdeus offering differing descriptions of the levitating statue and a more sinister view of the use of magnetism.
They believed it was used to fool people into believing in magic and blasphemous mysticism. In their view, the creators of such statues knew that they were lying about the powers levitating the idols, and they openly tried to deceive others to show the power of their false gods.
We may never know how the Serapeum Helios was suspended or if it existed at all. But to this day, levitating statues are impossible to prove or dismiss and remind us of the knowledge that the passing millennia have robbed us of...
