Believe it or not, humanity could be extinct in a few years. If such an event occurs, it would not be too surprising. Because throughout history, many civilizations have disappeared from the world. On the other hand, there are civilizations that have disappeared without the slightest trace behind them.

Archaeologists and researchers often try to trace the footsteps of these civilizations and find a reason for their disappearance. Let's join them today and try to understand what happened to these lost civilizations.

Aksum

The Aksum Empire was an African kingdom that included present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, as well as Djibouti, Somalia, and parts of Somaliland. The empire, which rose around 80 AD, experienced a mysterious collapse in 825 AD. The Kingdom of Aksum played an important role in the trade route between the Roman Empire and ancient India. In addition, the empire used its far-reaching power to influence politics and societies, even across the Arabian Peninsula across the Red Sea. It was also the first sub-Saharan empire to issue its own coins and convert to Christianity. At the beginning of the seventh century, the people of Aksum stopped printing new currency. At the same time, residents had to go inland to escape some kind of turmoil. So they left the capital and settled in an unknown place. Basically, the Aksu Empire is one of the least documented civilizations. Historians know very little about the empire, and the collapse of this civilization is a complete mystery. One theory suggests that the Aksumites became economically isolated as other civilizations began to dominate the Red Sea, and this triggered their downfall.

Legend has it that a Jewish queen named Urith or Judith ordered the burning of churches in Aksum in the mid-900s. But many historians aren't sure that this story exists or that Judith really exists. According to another story, the queen of a rival pagan tribe was responsible for Aksum's downfall. On the other hand, there was a lot of rain in those years, which increased the food production of the region. However, there was still a very large population to feed. From this perspective, it seems possible that the land has not been able to sustain the intensive farming required to feed the people.

Greenland Vikings

Eric the Red is a Viking exiled from Iceland for committing a murder in 982. During these years, settlers in Greenland had formed two separate communities, and Eric led a fleet of 25 boats to these areas. The first settlement, known as the eastern settlement, was located near the south-west coast of the island. As you might guess, the other village was named the West settlement and was located about 650 kilometers north along the west coast. Initially there were about 500 settlers, mostly wealthy farmers and chieftains who built Christian churches. These people fished, hunted wild reindeer and seals. They also kept many animals, including cattle, sheep and goats. The eastern settlement grew larger and larger, while the western settlement had only a hundred farms. 

When the Norwegian missionary Jan Saget arrived in Greenland in 1721, he found the settlements in ruins. Researchers could not understand what happened to these communities. They speculate that the disappearance of these peoples may have something to do with the small 13th century ice age caused by a volcanic eruption. Evidence suggests that the vikings living in Greenland at the time switched to a mostly marine diet. This means that animals in the area may have died during the little ice age. Many experts argue that climate change alone cannot explain the disappearance of the Greenland Vikings. Instead, they are considering different options, including some vikings emigration to Europe.

Kukuteni Tripillion

The Neolithic Kukuteni Tripillion culture emerged around 5500 BC. These people lived in parts of Eastern Europe, including present-day Russia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Kukuteni Tripillion built the largest settlements in Neolithic Europe with a population of between 20,000 and 46,000 people. But civilization burned down settlements every 60 to 80 years and often built new structures in the same places. For example, the Paduri region in Romania contains the remains of 13 layers of settlements that were demolished and new buildings were built on top of it. Researchers have no idea why Kukuteni Tripillion did this. Civilization also left no trace of a written language. So experts have little to learn about this civilization. Among the few artifacts found intact are totems, copper tools and spiritual objects. It was also first discovered in the late 19th century. According to recent findings, this mysterious civilization may have played a larger role in human progress than previously thought. However, due to their habit of destroying evidence, we will probably never know the true extent of their knowledge and abilities.

Can you imagine having to demolish and rebuild your home every 60 years? This is very interesting indeed.

What do you think about these mysterious civilizations? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Hope to see you in the next article, best regards…

The photos are from Pixabay.