Unexplained Mysteries of the Ancient World: Extraordinary Enigmas from History

by William Potter

Mysteries of the Ancient World examines some of the most bizarre, surprising and unexplained phenomena of the ancient world. Ranging from cold cases millennia in the making to the sudden, baffling disappearances of entire civilizations to the creation of mysterious monuments, it searches for the truth behind these remarkable stories. With a careful analysis of the various theories that have been used over the years to try and understand these curious occurrences, the author gets to the bottom of what really happened.

This volume includes such fascinating cases
• The mysteries surrounding the life and death of Tutankhamun
• The strange underground city of Derinkuyu, Turkey
• The river of mercury lying beneath the pyramids of Teotihuacan in Mexico
• The coded messages of the Voynich manuscript
• The disappearance of Rome's 9th Legion
• The mysterious origins of Stone Henge, UK

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Mystery

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by Matt Bates
Presented by Arcturus Digital Audio

A nice variety of mysteries from the ancient world, with plenty of tidbits to keep you thinking.

This was a fun listen, with a great variety of stories. Ancient history is quite fascinating to me, so it was fun to ponder these mysteries and consider my own conclusions.

A lot of them are unsolvable, given the nature, but it's fun to think about which historians might be onto something. It does grate a little that most of the stories end as inconclusive.

The narrator did a great job; fantastic pronunciation and even quoting sources there was such a difference of voice that I wondered if they'd actually gotten the source themself to record. But I think it was all the one talented narrator, so I'd happily listen to this fellow again.

I'd easily recommend this one for history fans looking to dig a little deeper into some interesting stories from the ancient past.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

[Jessica Wilhoite · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is chock full of mysteries that have enamored people for thousands of years.

The format of this scholarly work does a deep dive into some of history's most famous mysteries without necessarily solving them, but making them more intriguing. The author makes you want to go out and discover more about these subjects all on your own.

Some of these enigmas come from mythology, like the Minoan Labyrinth; some are Biblical, like the Queen of Sheba; and some are just based on the fortuitous findings of artifacts from areas thought of as lost to time.

It's just so incredible that things still exist and are still intact after thousands of years - I never realized that there were over 5,000 artifacts in Tutankhamun's tomb and that they took over a decade to catalog. The pyramids at Giza are the only wonder of the ancient world left and they are in pretty good shape for being thousands of years old; the Nazca Lines are so amazing - it's hard to believe they still exist

I can't even pick a favorite chapter in this book, they are all so interesting. I agree with Mr. Potter's assessment that these mysteries are exciting because they have remained mysteries; if we were to ever find concrete answers to any of these enigmas, would we still be interested in them centuries later?

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This high quality deals with a lot of mysteries in a very short listen. Each mystery is deal with in interesting theories and facts. It is a engaging listen with good narration. Inclusion and discussion of the classic ancient mysteries give this a big more meat. I really enjoyed listening to this. The only thing I found was because it tried to cover so many mysteries in a short amount of time, it felt many lacked depth and this would have been better either longer with more facts flung in or less mysteries with more facts. I would recommend this as a quick listen to anyone who has an interest in mysteries and history. The audio was of high quality with good engaging narration and shows promise for either a series or better editing. Thank you netgallery, publisher , author and narrator.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unsolved Mysteries Of The Ancient World by William Potter, from the meaning of the DiquÍs Spheres, missing ancient worlds the mysterious lay lines and there’s even ancient True Crime in the book. What makes this book stand out from other books similar is that Mr. Potter goes all the way back to the very first mention of the subject at hand. each topic gets its own chapter and I found the author seem to delve as deep as he could go from weather King tut was murdered to so much more I read the Kindle version but I was all so lucky enough to get the audiobook narrated by Matt Bates who although a great performer I had to listen to during the day because his upbeat tone kept me up. I really thoroughly enjoyed this book and have nothing negative to say about it the author really did his due diligence it seemed to find everything he could on the subject it really made the book compulsively readable and one you’ll not want to put down. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #WilliamPotter, #UnsolvedMysteriesOfTheAncientWorld,

[FaithfulReviewer (Jacqueline) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Arcturus Digital Audio, the author and NetGalley for an DRC in return for an honest review

This book is a good introduction for those newly curious about unexplained phenomena of the ancient world. But for those wanting a more in depth analysis I would suggest looking elsewhere. The reader will find all the old favourites here, such as Tutankhamun, Stonehenge, the Pyramids and Atlantis, alongside lesser known ones such as the mysterious disappearance of an entire Roman army unit in 108AD.

The audiobook was narrated clearly by Matt Bates with good pacing. Coming in at a very reasonable length of just under 7½ hours, audiobook fans of Bernard Cornwell's Last Kingdom series will already be familar with Bates' narration skills as he voiced the books from book 5 onward.

#UnexplainedMysteriesAncientWorld #NetGalley

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A survey of some of the mysteries or unexplained phenomenon from ancient times. Includes lost civilizations, monuments, artefacts, etc. Covers Atlantis to Stonehenge to pyramids to Amazons and more.

A fun read that covers a lot of territory although only a few pages on each subject. Most of it I have seen in other books or articles although there were a few new items or theories. I would have preferred more in depth on fewer subjects but it does give a starting point. Also would have appreciated a list of references that could give perhaps more detail.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get lost in some of the most mysterious pieces of ancient history. With the many wonders that we have, there are always going to be areas that have not been fully investigated, are missing, or are brief mentions, blips in time.

With the mysteries presented in this book, there is quite a bit of information to be shared. The author does a great job of going through, being more concise with the facts. It was an enjoyable listen. The narrator was clear, and interesting.

Highly recommend this book for those that enjoy history!

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that looked at a number of mysteries of the ancient world that included some Biblical stories, some remarkable discoveries and some things that while they defy explanation, they have developed a cult following around one or more of the “answers”. It does not say that this explanation is correct or that explanation is incorrect. It simply states the differing views in a world that still cannot be proven for sure.

I do admit that when I came to the end of the book I was surprised. I think the index was almost as long as the text. Four purrs and two paws up.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating audiobook. It will be perfect for anyone who loves learning about the ancient world or mysteries of the world. It covers a lot of subjects throughout the book, some I have heard of, such as neanderthals, the Shroud of Turin and pyramids, and many that are new to me, such as the underground city of Derinkuyu in Turkey. All were amazing to learn about. The narrator, Matt Bates, does an excellent job with the text, making it interesting and keeping you listening.

If you are an ancient history buff, then this is the perfect audiobook for you.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book investigates unexplained mysteries of the ancient world, analyzing various theories surrounding baffling disappearances, strange phenomena, and the creation of enigmatic monuments. This fact-based book is interesting, informative, and easy to read. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Laura Newsholme · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining and fun look at various mysteries of the ancient world that I enjoyed. I appreciated the variety of cultures explored and that the author just presented the known facts without speculating on answers. A fun time overall.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Pille Piho · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Daire Lüüs · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://trekseklugemine.blogspot.com/...

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting. I highly recommend this book for others who also enjoy history topics.