What Have I Learned so Far?

So far, I have learned about a variety of historical landmarks, including the following:

• Xochimilco’s Island of Dolls

• Apologizing for the unsettling and slightly grotesque imagery, this landmark in Mexico is a fascinating place to visit or even learn about in a safe, removed location if it pleases you. Legend claims that a man named Don Julio Santana moved to the island and witnessed the drowning of a girl in a well and found her doll with the body. Since then, he believed the island to be haunted by the girls spirit, and to appease her, he strung up dolls all around the island. This a menacing and strange place to visit, but enticing nonetheless.
• The Nazca Lines

• According to History.com, this "collection of giant geoglyphs" are located about 250 miles south of Lima, Peru. Widespread attention first came to the Nazca Lines in the 30s when pilots would fly over them although they were being studied since 1926. Many conspiracy theorists hypothesized that there was a connection between the geoglyphs and aliens, although many archaeologists and other researchers have easily poked holes in these theories. Though much about these lines have been discovered, there still lies quite a lot of intrigue and mystery, and as more geoglyphs are found, much to the thanks of advanced drone technology, we get closer to the truth.
• The Tikal Ruins

• One of the most fascinating things about this amazing site, is that despite being an extremely complex and powerful society belonging to one of the most prominent empires in Latin America's history,  the Tikal Ruins remained relatively hidden as it had a very sparse population surrounding the area. Very few people even knew about its past significance when colonists arrived in the 1500s. The site's significance dates back to 1000 B.C., although the city, also known as Yax Mutal, was a more prominent Mayan city from 200 to 900 A.D. For 300 years after the earlier third century, the city was plagued by heavy warfare, and due to resulting deforestation from overpopulation as well as epidemics, much of the city's inhabitants left, and the legendary ruins became inhabited by farmers.
• Puma Punku

• This majestic site to see to this day still has no probable explanation for its mysterious nature. Something that has boggled archaeologists since it was discovered: how these giant stones were cut with such precision while hammer and chisel were the only tools available to the society. Even today, only extremely advanced drill technology is able to cut stone with that precision. In addition, these pieces of stone are perfectly replicated and symmetrical in a way that is astounding. Puma Punku is seen as the peak of Andean architectural achievement and is marveled around the world. Alien theorists of course see alien technology as a viable solution to the question no one can answer, while they've been largely debunked by skeptics. Today we are no closer to finding the truth behind this marvel, though we try.
• The Bermuda Triangle

• The phrase being coined by Vincent Gaddis in a 1964 magazine article, the Bermuda Triangle has been a mystery to everyone, although it is officially not seen as a hazard to the coast guard and people safely travel through it every day without a hitch. With the legend being attributed to William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Christopher Columbus wrote in his journals 500,000 square miles off the southeastern tip of Florida that he saw a meteor, though he referred to it as a great flame of fire, fall into the ocean and seeing a strange light in the distance weeks later, even recording irregular and erratic compass behavior, though that could be explained by the location of magnetic north and true north at the time. In the 1900s many ships and planes, as well as their rescue missions were lost in the Bermuda Triangle even after broadcasting an all clear and all's well signal. No theory has given a definite solution to these mysterious disappearances yet though the efforts continue.