OOPArt, from the acronym for out-of-place artifact, is a term coined by American zoologist Ivan T. Sanderson for a historical, archaeological or paleontological object found in a very unusual, or even impossible, location. Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial letter or letters of words, such as NATO and XHTML, and are pronounced in a way that is distinct from the full pronunciation of what the letters stand for. ... Ivan Terrance Sanderson (January 30, 1911 – February 19, 1973) was a naturalist and writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. ...

The term covers a wide variety of objects, ranging from material studied by mainstream science, such as the Iron pillar in Delhi, to so-called "forbidden archaeology" that is far outside the mainstream. Many are of interest to creationists and others who are seeking evidence to refute the theory of evolution or to support religious descriptions of pre-history, as well as supporters of such theories as the belief that human civilization was started by aliens or that a now-lost civilization existed with knowledge far beyond our own - in fact, almost any theory that challenges the accepted view of human history. The Qutub Minar and surrounding ruins. ... It has been suggested that National Capital Territory of Delhi be merged into this article or section. ... Creationism is generally the belief that the universe was created by a deity, or alternatively by one or more powerful and intelligent beings. ... This article is about biological evolution. ...

Critics regard many cases of OOPArt as the result of mistaken interpretation or wishful thinking, while supporters regard them as an indication that mainstream science is overlooking huge areas of knowledge, either willfully or through ignorance.

Famous cases of alleged OOPArt

• The Acambaro figures, near Guanajuato, Mexico which allegedly contain depictions of dinosaurs.
• The foundation stones of the temple complex at Baalbek in Lebanon, some of which weigh as much as 1,050 metric tons.
• The Baghdad Battery, dating from between 250 BC and 250 AD.
• The Baigong Pipes, unexplained pipes found in a cave in China.
• The Black Pagoda of Konarak in India.
• The Coso artifact, containing a spark plug from the 1920s.
• The ground Crystal Lens of Helwan.
• The Crystal skulls at Lubaantun, in Yucatan and in Belize.
• A cubical block of metal in coal found in Austria.
• The Dorchester Pot, Massachusetts, United States.
• The Dendera Lamps, engraved into a relief in a temple dedicated to Hathor, Egyptian Goddess of the Milky Way.
• The Bayan Kara Ula Disks, better known as the dropa stones; found near Nimu in the Chinese region of Sichuan, and dated to be 12,000 years old.
• The Chinese Galena Radio dating back about 2,500 years ago.
• The Kensington Runestone purported to be a 14-th century Viking artifact but generally believed to be a hoax.
• The Kingoodie hammer, Scotland, dated from 460 to 360 millions years ago.
• The Klerksdorp Spheres, South Africa, dated 2.8 billion years ago.
• The Ica stones, Peru, allegedly depicting anachronistic images such as dinosaurs and modern medical procedures.
• The Map of the Creator in Bashkiria, Russia, allegedly 120 million years old. [1]
• A mortar and pestle discovered in Table Mountain (California), allegedly dated to about 50 million years ago.
• Microscopic objects near Narada river in Russia on the ridge of Ural, dating as far back as 300,000 years ago.
• The Piri Reis map made by the Turkish admiral Piri Reis from a diverse range of sources; it supposedly contains an accurate map of Antarctica.
• The Iron pillar in India, dating at least to 423 AD.
• The Iron Man (Eiserne Mann), dating to the 13th century.
• The Saqqara Glider, in Egypt, discovered in a tomb.
• The unfinished obelisk of Assuan in Egypt, weighing 1,150 metric tons.
• The Gympie Pyramid in Queensland, Australia.

Guanajuato is a state in the central highlands of Mexico. ... Modern Baalbek (Arabic: بعلبك) is a town in the Bekaa valley of Lebanon, altitude 3,850 ft (1,170 m), situated east of the Litani River. ... The Baghdad Battery is the common name for a number of artifacts apparently discovered in the village of Khuyut Rabboua (near Baghdad, Iraq) in 1936. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC - 250s BC - 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC Years: 255 BC 254 BC 253 BC 252 BC 251 BC - 250 BC - 249 BC 248 BC... Events Diophantus writes Arithmetica the first systematic treatise on algebra. ... The Baigong Pipes are, as the name suggests, a number of pipes discovered in a cave at the foot of Mount Baigong in Chinas Qinghai Province. ... The Konark temple, widely known not only for its architectural grandeur but also for the intricacy and profusion of its sculptural work, is situated on the west coast of Orissa, India. ... The Coso Artifact is a sparkplug found encased in a lump of hard clay or rock on February 13, 1961 by Wallace Lane, Virginia Maxey, and Mike Mikesell while they were fossicking for geodes near the town of Olancha, California. ... This article or section should include material from Spark gap A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed aerosol gasoline by means of an electric spark. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Social issues of the 1920s. ... Hulwan, also spelled Helwan or Hilwan is a southern suburb of Cairo in Egypt on the bank of the Nile river, with a population (1989 estimate) 230,000. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Lubaantun (sometimes spelled Lubaantún) is a Pre-Columbian ruined city of the Maya civilization in southern Belize, Central America. ... The Yucatán Peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ... Vase Mined from Dorchester, Massachusetts In 1851, a zinc and siver vase was mined from solid rock in Dorchester, Massachusetts. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq. ... Unsolved problems in Egyptology: Did Egyptians have some form of understanding of electricity? Did the Egyptians use batteries? What is the relief at Dendera? The Dendera light is a stone relief located in the Hathor temple at the Dendera Temple complex in Egypt. ... Statue of Hathor (Luxor Museum) In Egyptian mythology, Hathor (Egyptian for house of Horus) was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was seen as the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... The Dropa (also known as Dropas, Drok-pa or Dzopa) are, according to certain controversial writers, a race of dwarf-like extraterrestrials who landed near the Chinese-Tibetan border some twelve thousand years ago. ... Sichuan (Chinese: 四川; Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ssu-ch`uan; Postal Pinyin: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in central-western China with its capital at Chengdu. ... The Kensington runestone is a roughly rectangular slab of greywacke covered in runes on its face and side. ... The term Viking is used to denote the ship-borne explorers, traders and warriors who originated in Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Sweden and raided the coasts of the British Isles, France and other parts of Europe from the late 8th century to the 11th century. ... The Kingoodie hammer refers to an iron nail found in a block of stone in 1844 in the Kingoodie Quarry in Scotland. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... The Klerksdorp Spheres are small spheres found by miners near Kerksdorp, South Africa lying in Precambrian strata, about 2. ... The Ica stones are a collection of andesite stones alleged to include ancient depictions of dinosaurs and advanced technology. ... The stones of Dashka, or Map of the Creator, are proposed as evidence of the presence of an advanced civilisation 120 million years ago. ... The Republic of Bashkortostan or Bashkiria (Russian: Респу́блика Башкортоста́н or Башки́рия; Bashkir:) is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a republic). ... Mortar and pestle A mortar and pestle are two tools used with each other to grind and mix substances. ... For other uses, see Table Mountain (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... (Click here if you were looking for the band also called Narada) Narada Narada is the Hindu divine sage, who is an enduring chanter of the name Hari. ... Map of Ural Mountains The Ural Mountains (Russian: Уральские горы = Урал) also known simply as the Urals and as the Riphean Mountains in Greco-Roman antiquity, is a mountain range that runs roughly north and south through western Russia. ... The Piri Reis map The Piri Reis map was discovered in 1929 while Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey was being converted into a museum. ... Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. ... Piri Reis (originally Hadji Muhammad) was an Ottoman admiral born around 1465, in Gallipoli on the Dardanelles. ... The Qutub Minar and surrounding ruins. ... Iron Man Iron Man Closeup Der Eiserne Mann (The Iron Man) is an iron pillar partially buried in the ground in the German national forest of Naturpark Kottenforst-Ville. ... The Unfinished Obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk, located in an ancient quarry near Aswan, Egypt. ... Aswan (أسوان Aswān) (24 05 N 32 56 E, population 200,000) is a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the governorate of the same name. ... The Gympie Pyramid located in the outskirts of Gympie in Queensland, Australia is a terraced structure that some claim was built by ancient Egyptians long before whites came to Australia, while others say it was built by an Italian vineyard owner in the 1950s. ... Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Const. ...

See also

• Charles Fort
• Ancient astronaut theory
• Ancient mysteries

Charles Fort, 1920 Charles Hoy Fort (6 August 1874 - 3 May 1932) was an American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena. ... Paintings from Val Camonica, Italy, c. ... Ancient mysteries originate in the ancient or medieval world. ...

References

• Cremo, Michael A.; & Thompson, Richard L. (1993). Forbidden Archeology: The Hidden History of the Human Race. San Diego: Bhaktivedanta Institute. ISBN 0963530984.
• Cremo, Michael A. (2003). Human Devolution: A Vedic Alternative to Darwin's Theory. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Pub. ISBN 0892133341.
• Childress,David Hatcher (2000). Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients. Adventures Unlimited Press. ISBN 0932813739.
• Hapgood, Charles H (1979). Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings: Evidence of Advanced Civilization in the Ice Age. New York: Dutton. ISBN 0525476067.
• Brophy, Thomas G. (2002). The Origin Map: Discovery of a Prehistoric, Megalithic, Astrophysical Map and Sculpture of the Universe. Writers Club Press. ISBN 0595241220.
• Noorbergen, Rene (2001). Secrets of the Lost Races: New Discoveries of Advanced Technology in Ancient Civilizations. Teach Services. ISBN 1572581980.

Charles H. Hapgood, (1904-1982) was an American academician, and one of the best known advocates of a Pole shift theory. ...

External links

• Salon article: "Archaeology from the dark side"
• Free Ebook by Tedd St. Rain on OOPArts "Mystery of America: Enigmatic Mysteries and Anomalous Artifacts of North America - A Connection to the Ancient Past