The Petralona Skull

In the late ’50s, a shepherd in Greece found the Petralona cave that had a human skull embedded on the wall. The skull was named Archanthropus europaeus petraloniensis by Aris Poulianos, the former head of the Anthropological Association of Greece.

Scientists determined that the skull was approximately 800,000 years old — the oldest European hominid ever discovered. However, the Anthropological Association determined that the Petralona skull evolved separately in Europe and was not related to any species that came out of Africa, directly contradicting the “out of Africa” theory in which early humans expanded into Eurasia.

Strangely, the Greek government has banned further research on the cave on several occasions.

Masonic Initiation Wells

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Sintra, Portugal, to see the lavish estate Quinta da Regaleira. Visitors enjoy looking at the architecture, which combines Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance styles, but they also travel there to see something underground — a set of wells that look like underground towers with stairs.

What is unusual about these wells, known as “Initiation Wells” or “Inverted Towers,” is they were never used and their purpose was not to collect water. These unusual towers were intended for ceremonial purposes and mysterious Tarot initiation rites. The spacing of the landings and the steps are connected to Tarot mysticism.