How possible are lost civilizations?

[Blankman12]

Since there are so many lost civilization topics here I was wondering about the basic question of them disappearing. So we know about aincient civilizations and their ziggarats and pyramids and temples that still exist, these are what show us they were definitley here, but what about a civilization that didn't make temples out of stone? What if a civilization was created long ago that was just as advanced as ours? They made stuff out of plastic and metal and other refined materials. I'm guessing plastic would stay around for a long while, but how long? What if they were smarter and came up with another more degradable kind of material? Then we wouldn't have any idea they had even existed. And how long do our metal alloy's stay around before disintegrating? I guess what I'm asking is: If a city like London existed 250,000 years ago how much of it would really still be around? We know lost civilizatons from 6,000 years ago, but what about 250,000?

Edit: I'm aware human beings hadn't advanced enough (as far as our information gives us) 250,000 years ago but im asking to imagine for the sake of possiblity. We are too ignorant of the truth to stop asking questions.

Edited April 10, 2005 by Blankman12

[marduk]

Since there are so many lost civilization topics here I was wondering about the basic question of them disappearing.  So we know about aincient civilizations and their ziggarats and pyramids and temples that still exist, these are what show us they were definitley here, but what about a civilization that didn't make temples out of stone?  What if a civilization was created long ago that was just as advanced as ours?  They made stuff out of plastic and metal and other refined materials.  I'm guessing plastic would stay around for a long while, but how long?  What if they were smarter and came up with another more degradable kind of material?  Then we wouldn't have any idea they had even existed.  And how long do our metal alloy's stay around before disintegrating?  I guess what I'm asking is:  If a city like London existed 250,000 years ago how much of it would really still be around?  We know lost civilizatons from 6,000 years ago, but what about 250,000?

Edit: I'm aware human beings hadn't advanced enough (as far as our information gives us) 250,000 years ago but im asking to imagine for the sake of possiblity.  We are too ignorant of the truth to stop asking questions.

565605[/snapback]

We're not too ignorant of the fact that homo sapiens has only been around for 200,000 years. Any great civilisation before then would by neccesity have to be populated by our more primitive ancestors. A london built by homo erectus isn't very likely though I'm sure it would be just as nice as the present day capital if not better. I.e. No commuter tax, speed cameras, crime etc

lol

[Bio-Mage]

All I can say on this would be that, a lot of things that have been found in archaelogy, don't seem to adhere to any known culture. It is possible that since populations move and built on the ruins of others, a lot can be lost in the process and be displaced, until the truth is almost imposible to decipher. Still some written records can help point us in the right direction, but don't expect too much when even history is presented quite biased a lot of the times.

[Richdog]

The thing I am most interested in are these giant skeletons and tools that have been found, if indeed they are authentic.

[Conspiracy]

cavemen building giant citys? lol

[Blankman12]

We're not too ignorant of the fact that homo sapiens has only been around for 200,000 years. Any great civilisation before then would by neccesity have to be populated by our more primitive ancestors. A london built by homo erectus isn't very likely though I'm sure it would be just as nice as the present day capital if not better. I.e. No commuter tax, speed cameras,  crime etc

lol

565693[/snapback]

I knew someone was going to take this in that direction. I'm not at all interested in whether homo erectus could build cities, I'm talking about a hypothetical circumstance. Y'know just use your imagination to consider if something happened how likely it would be we could know about it. To my knowledge scientists could never verify wether or not if homo erectus were who we directly evolved from or if they and us both evolved parrallel. So if thats true then you don't really know.

[marduk]

We're not too ignorant of the fact that homo sapiens has only been around for 200,000 years. Any great civilisation before then would by neccesity have to be populated by our more primitive ancestors. A london built by homo erectus isn't very likely though I'm sure it would be just as nice as the present day capital if not better. I.e. No commuter tax, speed cameras,  crime etc

lol

565693[/snapback]

I knew someone was going to take this in that direction. I'm not at all interested in whether homo erectus could build cities, I'm talking about a hypothetical circumstance. Y'know just use your imagination to consider if something happened how likely it would be we could know about it. To my knowledge scientists could never verify wether or not if homo erectus were who we directly evolved from or if they and us both evolved parrallel. So if thats true then you don't really know.

566079[/snapback]

oh i see what you mean,

in that case no i dont think we'd ever know about it.

look at the pyramids afetr 4500 years. not too good. they'd all be sand after 200,000.

[The Caspian Hare]

Traces of modern infrastructure would survive for a long time.

We've never found anything to indicate there was a similarly advanced civiliziaton in Earth's past. Not a single ball bearing.

[Wild_Woman]

Lost Civilazations are not lost. they know perfectly well were they are

[marduk]

It's a pity that any lost civilisation didn't leave a note or something that we could find that would prove a worldwide culture in ancient times. Mile high letters saying "we were here" carved out of a very flat area should do it. Of course if we did find them we'd probably say that they were a natural formation because we don't believe that the ancients were that far developed. Or that aliens did it

[Bio-Mage]

Perhaps a civilisation cannot predict or see its end, so nothing is left behind that can withstand the ravages of time. Then again I will have to agree with several people here. For me nothing exists until I see some physical evidence of it.

[marduk]

Perhaps a civilisation cannot predict or see its end, so nothing is left behind that can withstand the ravages of time. Then again I will have to agree with several people here. For me nothing exists until I see some physical evidence of it.

566876[/snapback]

thats interesting,

How do you breath ?

[Essan]

If an advanced civilisation existed in the past, they may have visited the Moon. In which case there'd still be evidence., even if it was left there by dino sapiens* 65mya......

A civilisation as advanced as the Romans would have left quarries and mines - as indeed would any more advanced civilisation. These would still exist as geological anomalies for hundreds of thousands of years. Tectonic upheavals over the past 65my make it less likely we'd discover such evidence from dina spaiens

A civilisation which made it to, say, Sumerian levels of technology, could conceiveably have existed and since vanished without trace - expecially if such civilisation arose when sea levels were lower. If dino sapiens reached that sort of level we'd amost certainly never know. Unless they buried their dead with grave goods and a dino sapien graveyard was miraculously discovered.......

*hypothetical intelligent dinosaur

[marduk]

If an advanced civilisation existed in the past, they may have visited the Moon.  In which case there'd still be evidence., even if it was left there by dino sapiens* 65mya......

A civilisation as advanced as the Romans would have left quarries and mines - as indeed would any more advanced civilisation.  These would still exist as geological anomalies for hundreds of thousands of years.  Tectonic upheavals over the past 65my make it less likely we'd discover such evidence from dina spaiens

A civilisation which made it to, say, Sumerian levels of technology, could conceiveably have existed and since vanished without trace - expecially if such civilisation arose when sea levels were lower.  If dino sapiens reached that sort of level we'd amost certainly never know.  Unless they buried their dead with grave goods and a dino sapien graveyard was miraculously discovered.......

*hypothetical intelligent dinosaur

566972[/snapback]

*hypothetical intelligent dinosaur, who are you trying to kid. He's on TV and I have seen him with my own eyes. What about snuffy off sesame street, he hypothetical too.

[The Roswell Man]

i think lost civs have a 'romantic' and mysterious nature around thier existence since there are enuff people to believe thier exist.

[marduk]

It's because lost civilisations have a romantic and mysterious nature that so many people believe they exist. Thats the attraction.

How many people find the city of troy romantic and mysterious these days

apart from hollywood

Edited April 11, 2005 by marduk

[Daughter of the Nine Moons]

Hypothetically I think it's possible to a certain extent however I have to agree with Redneck. We have never found traces of any type of infrastructer that would point to a society similar to ours

[marduk]

Hypothetically I think it's possible to a certain extent however I have to agree with Redneck. We have never found traces of any type of infrastructer that would point to a society similar to ours

567098[/snapback]

Apart from the mines in south america

the monoliths around the world some submerged, some not

The writing from that period that speaks of anti biotics and brain surgery.

the list of evidence is endless

its putting it together without talking about atlantis or aliens thats difficult

[Essan]

its putting it together without talking about atlantis or aliens thats difficult

567140[/snapback]

There's always someone has to spoil it all by bringing up the 'a' words........

[marduk]

I'm not scared of the "A" words.

It's the L word and the S word i don't like

[The Roswell Man]

which are........ ?

[marduk]

[STIX]

If something is powerful enough to destroy a civilization, it is powerful enough to wipe out its traces... as well, time is a harsh mistress

[The Roswell Man]

i heard sum1 say they discovered antlantis sumwhere in turkey.

[marduk]

Time is a great teacher too

It's just a pity it kills all its pupils

Atlantis in turkey, I wouldn't be at all surprised

It's been everywhere else