We, the people of the 21st century, tend to experience some superiority over the previous generations of people who lived before us because we are contemporaries of the so-called. high technologies.
Undoubtedly, humanity has made great scientific advances to date, but despite success, we have to admit that we have not yet discovered many secrets and achievements of the past.
The "Stradivarius" violin
The violin, named after its legendary creator, Antonio Stradivari, has a unique sound. Stradivarius is one of the most valuable musical instruments with its exquisite shape, design and superb acoustics. Neither before Stradivari nor after his death had been successful an attempt to reproduce the sound of his creations. No one yet knows exactly what the tools do Italian craftsman so valuable. What was the secret ingredient of even the most common "Stradivarius"? Despite recent technological advances, tools of Antonio Stradivari remain superb, and the reason is still a secret.There are no more than 700 such violins in the world. More than three centuries have passed since the death of their master, and the "voice" is still sound and "young". What is the secret? - There are several versions on this issue.
According to some, Stradivari prolonged the instrument casing, and inside made some special "folds" to improve the sound.
Others believe that the secret is in the material from which the violins are made - maple and fir. The third guess whether the cause is not in impregnation - Stradivari used seawater and mixtures of special resins. Is it possible that this is the secret? - Hardly because the "Stradivari" violins with modern varnishes do not lose the quality of their sound. One must admit: today no one can "repeat" the creation of the great violin master.
The flexible glass
According to a Roman legend, there was once a substance called "liquid" or "flexible" glass. Pliny Jr. has left proof of the mastery of glassmakers working with him?
Documented one case in which the Emperor Tiberius dropped the cup, made from such glass, and it is not broken? .. Instead welcomes master, Tiberius feared that the new material could spell the value of gold and silver, and according to legend, he had to kill the inventor of the glass with hardness of metal. Then, devoted to the secret of incredible strength, "forgotten" his formula.
The Greek Fire
Thus they called the burning mixture used by the Byzantines in the sea battles between the seventeenth and the fifteenth centuries. It was an effective weapon against enemy ships. The compound was invented by the ancient Kalinik engineer in 673. There are descriptions of its effects in the historical chronicles. The device looked like a copper tube, something like today's siphons, from which the burning mixture erupted with loud sounds. It could hit the enemy at a distance of 25-30 meters.
The "Greek Fire" was not suppressed - it burned even on the surface of the water. The last battle it used to do was according to historical documents in 1453. After the newer weapons came out, they stopped using the "Greek fire" and the recipe for his preparation was forgotten.
Damask steel
According to the legend, the Damask steel was so strong that, with the sword made by it, you could cut out iron-like armor as a cheese. She received her name from the capital of Syria Damascus, though there were no weapons from her. They may just have sold them to Damascus.
In any case, the Damask steel has gained worldwide fame, but in 1700, the scent of its work was lost. Nowadays on the Internet can be found videos for making tools of fabric steel, but whether their qualities are the same as in antiquity? ..
Mithridate
Mithridate is a universal antidote. The preparation was made by order of King Mithydad IV of Pontius, who had not avoided death with his help.
Today, medicine is so advanced that it fights with different kinds of poisons, but the ancient miradiate contains 65 ingredients, some of which are not known to us today.