In Denmark, a flag hung in a window indicates that someone is celebrating a birthday in that house.

In Thailand, on the Song Kran holiday, it is customary to pour water on passers-by, this is considered to wish good luck. Also in Thailand, where most of the population professes Buddhism, the human head is considered the sacred repository of the soul and touching it is considered a serious offense.

Men from some Eskimo tribes line up to greet a stranger. After which the first of them steps forward and gives the stranger a good slap on the top of the head, and expects a similar response from the stranger. The slapping and hitting continue until either party falls to the ground. The natives of South America greet each other by spitting on each other. And among some African peoples, sticking out the tongue is a sign of greeting.

In Korea, to show that the feast turned out well and that everything is very tasty, you need to slurp as loudly as possible.

For many centuries, among the peoples of Northern Kamchatka it was understood that if a guest enters into sexual contact with the host’s wife, he thereby does him great honor. The mistress of the house made every effort to make the guest want to share her bed. And it was considered special luck for this house if a woman became pregnant from this relationship. The birth of a child was celebrated by the entire village.

A unique burial custom has existed for two thousand years in the interior of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The deceased are buried in logs they have hollowed out themselves, and then taken to caves high in the mountains. In some caves there are up to several hundred unique coffins.

You and I eat with a spoon and fork, the peoples of East Asia often use chopsticks for this, the Eskimos use a knife, and the Central Asian dish besh-barmak is called so because they eat it “besh” - with five fingers, “barmak” - with fingers.

To enter a Christian church wearing a headdress is to commit sacrilege. Anyone who enters a synagogue or mosque with his head uncovered also blasphemes.

In some places in the East, women still hide their faces and bodies under ridiculous, shapeless clothes. Many Africans still believe that a short apron is the height of what they can afford to wear, to the detriment of ancient customs that require complete nudity.

To relax in the middle of the day, we sit on a chair. A Tajik or Uzbek will prefer to sit on the carpet with his legs crossed in Turkish style. Zulu will think that his European and Central Asian friends simply do not know how to relax and are completely devoid of imagination. There are so many ways to sit! Moreover, they are their own, special, among Zulu men and women. And representatives of one of the North Australian tribes most of all like to relax in a position that is surprisingly uncomfortable, in our opinion. They stand on one leg, resting the foot of the other leg on their knee.

When greeting a European, he extends his hand, a Japanese curtsies, and a Kamba in Kenya spits at the person he meets as a sign of high respect. A man from the Maasai tribe solemnly spits when meeting, then wets his own hand with saliva and only after that allows himself to shake the hand of an acquaintance. Mangbett in northern Congo are greeted in a completely European way, by the hand, but at the same time they politely crack the knuckles of their middle fingers.

If you are not tired of the enumeration, you can continue it. In Tanganyika, to say hello, they kneel on one knee, take a handful of earth and sprinkle it crosswise on their chest and arms. On the Zambezi, under similar circumstances, they clap their hands and curtsy, and when meeting a white person, it is considered necessary to also shuffle their feet: what is not the European 18th century?

Greeting a friend, a Chinese asks: “Have you eaten?”, an Iranian wishes: “Be cheerful!”, a Zulu says: “I see you”...

It turns out that kissing is by no means as common as even those who know that wild chimpanzees are excellent kissers might assume. So, since ancient times, the Chinese rubbed their noses instead, and the Eskimos did the same. The ancient Egyptians kissed from time immemorial, and the ancient Greeks, according to Herodotus, adopted this fascinating activity relatively late.

In the African Maasai tribe, people greet each other by jumping. The higher you jump, the more respect you will show.

The natives of the Maori tribe from New Zealand rub their noses against each other when they meet, this is a greeting. By smell they distinguish fellow tribesmen from strangers.

In Latin America, hugs and kisses are customary at every meeting and acquaintance.

It is better to greet the Japanese with a bow in the same way as he bows to you. Nowadays, modern Japanese are no longer surprised by the outstretched hand of a foreigner.

In China, there is one ancient tradition - to avoid the number four. Because "four" sounds the same as "die". If you need to get to the fourth floor, you simply won’t find it, even if the house is five floors.

In the East, guests are traditionally treated to tea. The bowl is not poured full, but little by little. A guest who stays too long will be poured a full bowl, which will mean “Drink and leave.”

If you are invited to visit in Greece, do not praise the decoration of the house, because according to the old tradition, everything that the guest liked should be given to him by the hospitable host.

In Spain they have breakfast at 14:00 and lunch at 22:00. At the table they try to avoid topics such as personal life, bullfighting and the period of Franco's reign.

In Malaysia, men are greeted with a bow, and married women are prohibited from holding hands.

The most unimaginable sexual customs from different parts of the Earth,that you probably haven't heard of before.

They don’t really fit in with the progressive 21st century; many even seem like the invention of a writer with a wild imagination. But, whatever one may say, these things actually exist and are widely practiced. Offers you to get acquainted with the most unimaginable sexual customs from different parts of the Earth, which you probably have not heard of before.

"Love Shack" for teenagers

In most countries, fathers try to protect their young daughters from communication with the opposite sex for as long as possible. In the Cambodian Kreung tribe, things are different. Here, men not only approve of their daughters’ early romantic relationships, but even build special “love huts” for them, where girls can bring their boyfriends to get to know them better and better.

A girl is free to bring an unlimited number of suitors to such a hut. Dating, according to the customs of the tribe, can last until the owner of the hut finds the very same guy of her dreams with whom she will connect her life. This practice is probably related to the law, which strictly prohibits divorce for married couples.

Sharing like brothers

Some tribes in Nepal practice what is called "fraternal polyandry". That is, several men share one woman among themselves. As a rule, this phenomenon is characteristic of men related by family ties, primarily brothers. It is believed that this tradition appeared due to the lack of land suitable for agriculture. Instead of each brother marrying and living as a separate family, the men find one woman and live together under one roof, using one piece of land.

Night of betrayal

In Indonesia, a holiday called "Pon" is held 7 times a year. As part of this celebration, spouses are allowed to cheat on each other - to choose a partner for sexual pleasures. Participants of the holiday believe that in this way they can attract good luck. Well, according to local beliefs, the happiest person will be the one who manages to have sexual intercourse with the same stranger 7 times in a year.

Sex with clothes on

On the small island of Inis Beag, off the coast of Ireland, there lives a community where sex is considered a shameful hobby. Members of this community are allowed to engage in lovemaking only in their underwear, without being naked.

Exhibitionism as a way of flirting

The native women of the island of Bougainville (part of the state of Papua New Guinea) practice a ritual of attracting partners through public display of their intimate parts. According to custom, if a woman makes such a gesture, it means she is inviting a man to have sexual relations with her.

Sex lessons

The inhabitants of the small island of Mangaia in the Pacific Ocean have a tradition of teaching the younger generation of men sexual wisdom. As soon as a boy turns 13, he can choose a partner - a mature woman. The lady must teach the teenager all the intimate secrets accumulated over her life. The main task of the teacher is to explain to the student how to make sexual intercourse last as long as possible, so that his future wife will always be satisfied.

Cocktail of masculinity

Teenagers from the Sambia community (again, Papua New Guinea) are subjected to an even stranger test. Here it is customary for boys to be isolated from women for three whole years so that they are not exposed to temptations. But that's not the worst thing. During the period of seclusion, teenagers are forced to drink a special cocktail, which, according to local beliefs, will help turn them into real men. The drink is based on the sperm of the tribe's elders.

Love for our little brothers

In most countries, zoosexual relations are illegal. But there are also exceptions. For example, in Lebanon, men are officially allowed to have sex with a pet. However, with one caveat - the pet must be female. A man faces the death penalty for having sex with a male. Until 2015, such relationships were allowed in Denmark. “Love” with animals was banned in this state in April and a penalty for violation was introduced - a year in prison.

Sex in front of witnesses

In the city of Cali, located in southwestern Colombia, there is an interesting custom regarding the first wedding night. According to him, a girl who enters into intimate relations with her husband for the first time must do so in the presence of her mother, who acts as a witness.

Exhibition night

Something similar is practiced in the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia). There is a widespread custom among local residents according to which spouses, when entering into an intimate relationship, do not forbid their offspring to observe the process so that they remember for the future what is what.

How many interesting and unknown things are hidden in the traditions of the peoples of our planet. And, the mysterious and forbidden topic of sex could not remain aside and, naturally, was reflected in various rituals and customs, sometimes very unusual. So, let's go on a journey.

Australia

Australian aborigines are warriors; instead of the usual handshake, they demonstrate friendliness with a slightly different gesture, namely, by touching the penis of their interlocutor.

Northern Kamchatka

To this day, in the remote villages of Northern Kamchatka, the centuries-old tradition of a guest copulating with the wife of the owner of the house is preserved. Moreover, for the sake of the guest’s consent, the woman is ready to do anything, as this is considered a great honor. And, if after the act a woman becomes pregnant, then there will be good luck and happiness for this house and the entire village.

Tibet

In order to get married, a Tibetan girl must have at least a dozen sexual partners.

Polynesia

Here, the number of sexual relationships of the bride is not particularly important, however, she must have at least two children.

Germany

Germany, like many other European countries, is famous for the promiscuity of sexual relations between people. The following German custom is especially interesting: when the Cologne festival takes place, passers-by quite seriously propose to each other to have sex and engage in it, sometimes without even getting to know each other.

Oceania

Local customs force the bride to marry a virgin, and before the girl is allowed to meet her groom, she will have to undergo a ritual of deflowering with a stone knife. The ceremony is carried out by the groom's friends, who can have sex with their friend's future wife for another three days. Then, the “happy” newlywed moves on to other men of the tribe and, only after them, to her legal spouse.

South Africa

Men of local tribes, afraid to bear offspring in the form of twins, which here are a prototype of sin and the most terrible curses, cut out one testicle for themselves. In other matters, as is known, the servants of the harems of the East - eunuchs - subject themselves to a more terrible execution - absolute castration.

Other African tribes force members of the stronger sex to undergo some kind of test before marriage. Namely, to have sex with the mother of the bride, as many times as necessary, in order to prove his worth. True, before this they undergo a mandatory examination (in the literal sense of the word: teeth, body, and so on) in front of their future father-in-law.

Central Africa: Shilluk tribe

The leader of the tribe has the right to marry the most beautiful girls, even if there are more than a hundred of them. But, God forbid, his wives start a conversation about the fact that their husband, the leader, does not satisfy them. In this case, the poor fellow is threatened not only with overthrow from an honorable post, but also with death in terrible agony, for, as the Shilluk belief says, an impotent person cannot betray the power of fertility to the earth and barnyard.

Brazil: Jerusalem artichoke Indians

Local tribes believe that women only like the huge size of their genitals, and therefore these same organs are subjected to the bites of the most poisonous snakes (for swelling and enlargement)

Micronesia: Panape Tribe

Stinging ants are used to arouse women.

Japan and Korea

Since ancient times and to this day, to intensify passion, Japanese and Korean women use their “crown” technique - pricking the groin with a golden needle.
Undoubtedly, some customs of peoples far from us seem terrifying to us, but who knows, maybe our habits would shock them."

From temple prostitution in Mesopotamia to the ancient Japanese sexual tradition with the poetic name "Yobai"

In ancient times, in some settlements of Kamchatka, a night spent by a guest with the owner’s wife was considered a special honor for the house. The lady, by the way, tried to seduce the guest in every possible way. And if she also managed to get pregnant, then the whole village celebrated it. Which was, of course, reasonable - fresh genes. Such traditions are not uncommon: the Eskimos and Chukchi, for example, also used the beauty of their wives for the benefit of the clan. They gave them to “use” the men who went fishing. Well, in Tibet it was generally believed that if a guest liked someone else’s wife, then it was the will of higher powers and there was no way to resist them.

About quirks

For example, in Tibet, a girl was considered an enviable bride only when she changed a dozen or two partners. Virgins, as you can see, were not held in high esteem in the Dalai Lama’s country. But the Brazilians from the Jerusalem artichoke tribe made impressive sacrifices to please their ladies. The fact is that girls found only huge genitals worthy of their attention. To do this, men exposed their penises to poisonous snakes, after the bites of which their manhood met the expectations of discerning Jerusalem artichoke women.

But the Indians, experienced in love, had much more options for extreme entertainment of this kind. For example, their treatises on the art of love taught the use of "apadravia" - male piercings made of gold, silver, iron, wood or buffalo horns! And the great-grandfather of the modern condom “yalaka” - an empty tube inside with pimples on the outside - was also invented in India. In Japan and Korea, there was an interesting practice of enhancing male orgasm. To make it more vivid and memorable, an injection into the groin with a golden needle is enough, oriental traditions say. The inhabitants of the Trobriand Islands were very inventive in bed pleasures. Just look at the habit of nibbling your partner’s eyelashes; this is considered their traditional caress. I would like to see the teeth of these entertainers, because in order to gnaw an eyelash, the teeth must be at least sharp.
The sex-seekers of the Batta tribe of Sumatra had a tradition of inserting pebbles or pieces of metal under the foreskin. They believed that this way they could give their partner much more pleasure. The Argentine Indians also had a similar idea in their arsenal. They attached horsehair tassels to the phallus. It’s scary to think about the hygiene of meetings with such fellows.
Tanzanian women increased their attractiveness in an interesting way. They did not decorate themselves or dress up. They stole from the man they desired... a hoe and sandals! In those parts, the things listed are of particular value, so the man, willy-nilly, had to go and rescue the property, and then, who knows?
What about our compatriots? In ancient times, in some settlements of Kamchatka, a night spent by a guest with the owner’s wife was considered a special honor for the house. The lady, by the way, tried to seduce the guest in every possible way. And if she also managed to get pregnant, then the whole village celebrated it. Which was, of course, reasonable - fresh genes. Such traditions are not uncommon: the Eskimos and Chukchi, for example, also used the beauty of their wives for the benefit of the clan. They gave them to “use” the men who went fishing. Well, in Tibet it was generally believed that if a guest liked someone else’s wife, then it was the will of higher powers and there was no way to resist them.

Japan - crawl up and “yobay”

An ancient sexual tradition with the poetic name “yobai” existed in the Japanese outback until the end of the 19th century. The essence of the custom “sneaking in the night” (approximate translation) was as follows: any young man, under the cover of darkness, had the right to enter the house of an unmarried young lady, crawl under her blanket and, if the chosen one did not mind, directly engage in the delightful “yobai” . In Russian, however, it does not sound like the name of a tradition, but more like a call to action.
If a Japanese girl turned out to be intractable, then the upset young man had to go home. Like any tradition, the Yobai custom was regulated by strict rules. A potential lover had to go on a romantic date completely naked, since a night visit from a clothed man was considered robbery and could end in disaster for him. However, the guy had the right to cover his face and appear before the girl as a beautiful stranger. These are Japanese role-playing games.

Tibet - a one-way trip

Once upon a time in Tibet, visiting men were greeted with genuine cordiality. The travel notes of the famous traveler Marco Polo talk about a local sexual tradition that ordered all young girls to copulate with at least twenty different men before marriage. Either there were few men in Tibet, or, according to custom, fresh girls were intended exclusively for foreigners, but travelers were worth their weight in gold here. And those poor fellows who could not stand up for themselves were literally “torn like Tuzik’s slippers” by sex swindlers. Therefore, the trip to Tibet for some of our brothers was the last.

South America - Indian Babformation

The sexual traditions of the Kagaba tribe can forever discourage a man from conscientiously fulfilling his marital duty and having offspring. Representatives of the stronger half of the tribe are terribly afraid of women. It's all about the strange ritual of initiation of young men into men: a young Indian Kagaba must have his first sexual experience with the oldest lady of the family. For this reason, in marital relationships, a man is lacking initiative, and if his wife hints at intimacy, he prefers to cowardly hide in the jungle in a bunker pre-equipped for such purposes (like going hunting).
It happens that several fugitives are hiding in a bachelor's den at the same time. Then the female half of the tribe equips a search expedition. Role-playing games of slave and mistress always end predictably. Unsatisfied wives comb the jungle until they discover the cache and return their faithful to the bosom of the family.

Africa - food preferences
Who is interested in military parades? Perhaps only to the military, but the common people demand bread and circuses. The King of Swaziland knows exactly how to make a holiday of the soul for his subjects, and therefore every year he organizes a grand procession of virgins. Thousands of seductive scantily clad beauties cheerfully march in front of the monarch. In Swaziland, it has become a good sexual tradition when the king chooses a new wife from the participants in the parade, and each failed wife is rewarded with a large bowl of food. And believe me, by local standards this is a royal gift!

The sexual traditions of the peoples of the world are different, as are the standards of beauty. How can a woman from the Zambezi River valley be considered attractive if her mouth is full of teeth like a crocodile? To become beautiful, a Batoka girl had to get married. On their wedding night, the satisfied husband turned an “ugly” girl into a beautiful woman by knocking out her front teeth. This custom, accompanied by simple plastic surgery, makes the Batok woman happy and the radiant smile never leaves her face. In the Baganda tribe (East Africa), there is a belief that sex directly on agricultural land significantly increases its fertility. By the way, such a sexual tradition was inherent in many nations. However, the natives did not organize vulgar orgies in the plantain beds (the main food crop of the Bagandans). To carry out the ritual, a married couple was chosen - the parents of twins. The event was held in the field of the tribal leader and consisted of the following: the woman lay on her back, a plantain flower was placed in her vagina, and the husband had to get it out without using his hands, using only his penis. According to custom, the family of agronomists had to demonstrate the miracles of balancing act only in the leader’s field. There was no need to play role-playing games in the gardens of their fellow tribesmen; it was enough to dance a little.

Mesopotamia - temple prostitution

Every inhabitant of ancient Babylon had to make a sacrifice to the goddess of love Ishtar. To perform the ritual, the lady went to the sanctuary of the goddess, sat in a visible place and waited for a stranger to choose her. The client gave the chosen one a coin, after which they went to some secluded corner, where they made a generous sacrifice.
Once was enough. However, some particularly zealous Babylonians constantly practiced such role-playing games, offering strangers an interesting vacation for money, which then went to the needs of the temple. It was impossible to leave his territory before the end of the ritual, so the pretty girl “shot back” quickly, and the unsightly young lady had to wait for her prince for a long time, sometimes even years! Housing and food were provided. Similar sexual traditions existed in Cyprus, and Greek girls made sacrifices to the goddess Aphrodite.

Russia is a country of Soviets

Family life in Rus' is not easy! The getting married couple had to feel this statement already at the wedding. All night before the holiday, the bride, according to ancient Slavic custom, unbraided her braids and sang sad songs with her bridesmaids. In the morning, a bunch of tedious wedding rituals awaited her, which continued until late in the evening and on an empty stomach. Even during the festive feast, the bride was not allowed to eat. It was not easy for the groom either - throughout the celebration he was obliged to cheerfully jump around his numerous relatives.
And finally the feast ended. The exhausted young people found themselves alone in the bedchamber and were about to have unbridled sex and go to bed. Let's daydream! The sexual tradition assumed the active participation of relatives in the first wedding night of the newlyweds - the guests shouted obscene ditties under the bedroom windows until the morning, and one of them (specially chosen for this purpose) periodically knocked on the door and asked: “Has the ice broken?” In such a situation, the groom soon began to realize that the mission was impossible, and his efforts were in vain, despite the body of his betrothed, immobilized from fatigue. Therefore, the young spouse was given the opportunity to rehabilitate himself over the next few nights. If things still didn’t work out, then experienced advisers were involved: the groom’s brother or father. It is known that in some villages in Ukraine, an authorized prompter sat comfortably under the bed, from where he helped the newlyweds with good advice on how to do everything right, and at the same time, with his presence, created the atmosphere of an unusual holiday.

Micronesia - love with a twinkle

If you are sure that role-playing games with elements of sadomasochism were invented by the well-known marquis, I hasten to disappoint you - this is a common misconception. The natives of Truck Island were into self-mutilation during sex even before Marquise de Sade's mother faked an orgasm in a simple missionary position. The custom was as follows: while the partner diligently puffed, making back-and-forth movements, the ardent lover set fire to small breadfruit balls on his body. It is quite difficult to imagine how she did this during sex... One can assume that the man copulated not with the whole lady, but with a distant part of her (for example, the heel). These natives are such pranksters!

Each country has its own unusual traditions, which may even shock us. In this article we will look at both general information on traditions and New Year’s ones. Some moments may surprise you, some may make you smile, and some may even make you laugh.

General traditions

Unusual rituals of the peoples of the world

Denmark

For example, in Denmark it is customary to hang a flag in the window. If you see a flag, it means a birthday is being celebrated in that house.

Thailand

Song Kran in Thailand

In Thailand there is a festival called Song Kran. On this holiday, everyone pours water on each other. If you are doused with water on this day, it means they wish you good luck. Also in this same country they treat their heads with care, because... It is generally accepted that this is the repository of the human soul.

Advice

If you touch it, you will offend the person, so it is better not to do this.

Eskimo tribe

It is customary among Eskimo tribes to stand in a row to greet a stranger. Next, the first person comes forward a little, slaps the stranger on the head, and also waits for an answer from the stranger. So, they continue to spank each other until one of them falls to the ground.

South America

Another interesting greeting custom can be observed in South America. They spit on each other. Some African peoples greet each other by sticking out their tongues.

Korea

In Korea, if you want to show that the table is delicious and you really liked it, it is recommended to slurp very loudly. This is exactly what everyone does to please their owners.

Northern Kamchatka

Amazing customs of the northern people

In Northern Kamchatka, among a number of peoples, the host could be shown great honor and respect if the guest had sexual intercourse with his wife. The owner of the house will be incredibly honored by such an act. And the mistress of the house tried her best to make the guest want to have sexual intercourse with her. And it was considered the greatest happiness if a woman became pregnant and gave birth to a child after such a relationship. When a child was born, the whole village celebrated this event.

Philippines

You can’t ignore the island of Luzon (Philippines). This custom has existed since ancient times and continues to this day. Even before their death, the deceased carved out graves in logs, in which they were placed. After this, the deceased were taken to caves far into the mountains. So, some caves already contain a huge number of such unusual coffins. And some of them tear out their ancestors every few years and change their clothes.

New Year traditions

Unusual New Year traditions

What New Year traditions can be observed in Bulgaria, and even so that they surprise us with their unusualness?

Before the last stroke of the night before midnight, the lights in the houses are turned off for a few minutes and they kiss.

Scotland

In Scotland there is a different tradition, a family tradition. It is customary here to light a fireplace before midnight, sit down with the whole family and look at its fire. It is believed that at this moment all sorrows and sorrows go away along with the past year. Everyone also makes secret wishes. When the clock begins to strike the last beats, the doors of the house are opened so that the old year can leave and the new year can come. After this ritual, everyone goes to the festive table and has fun.

There is another unusual and vibrant tradition in this country. On New Year's night, it is customary for them to take barrels of tar, set them on fire and roll them along the streets. In this way they burn the old year and celebrate the new year.

Ireland

And in Ireland it is customary to open the doors in all houses. If you want, you can go into any house and you will be the most valuable guest. You will be seated at the table, fed with festive dishes, and you will be part of the holiday of this family. The next day the celebration continues with family and friends.

France

If in the southern part of France the housewife is the first to draw water from a source in the New Year, then she must leave a bun from the festive table. And then, the woman who comes for her and takes the pie must leave the pie from her table. So the treats continue until the evening.

Germany

Germany also has an unusual New Year's tradition. In this country, when midnight comes, every person (both old and young) stands on a chair. It can also be a chair or table.

Advice

So, standing on a kind of hill, everyone starts jumping loudly and cheerfully, welcoming the New Year.

Italy

Italians also have unusual traditions and customs. So, it is customary for them to throw all unnecessary things and old things out of the windows. At the same time, success and luck in the New Year depend on the number of things that are thrown away. The bigger, the better. Argentina has a similar tradition, but in a simplified form. So, from offices you can see flying documents and bills.

Conclusion:

As can be seen from this article, there are unusual traditions not only in general terms - such as greetings and hospitality. Also, unusual traditions affected the New Year - the most celebrated holiday in the world. All these traditions are very unusual, funny and interesting. And in some customs you even want to take part yourself.

Unusual traditions of the peoples of the world

Despite the efforts of historians and ethnographers, the history of these peoples still keeps its mysteries.

1. Russians

Yes, Russians are one of the most mysterious peoples. Scientists still cannot come to a consensus either about when Russians became “Russians” or about where this word actually came from. The question of the origin of the people remains controversial. The ancestors of the Russians included the Normans, the Scythians, the Sarmatians, the Wends, and even the South Siberian Usun people.

We do not know the origins of the Maya people, nor where they disappeared to. Some scientists trace the roots of the Mayans to the legendary Atlanteans, others believe that their ancestors were the Egyptians. The Mayans created an effective farming system and had deep knowledge of astronomy. The calendar developed by the Mayans was also used by other peoples of Central America. They used a hieroglyphic writing system, partially deciphered. The Mayan civilization was very developed, but by the time the conquistadors arrived it was in deep decline, and the Mayans themselves seemed to have disappeared into history.

3. Laplanders

Laplanders are also called Sami and Lapps. The age of this ethnic group is at least 5000 years. Scientists are still arguing about who the Laplanders are and where they came from. Some consider this people to be Mongoloid, others argue that the Laplanders are Paleo-Europeans. The Sami language is classified as a Finno-Ugric language, but the Laplanders have 10 dialects of the Sami language, which are so different from each other that they can be called independent. This even makes it difficult for some Laplanders to communicate with others.

4. Prussians

The very origin of the Prussian name is shrouded in mystery. The first time it is found only in the 9th century in the form Brusi in a draft by an anonymous merchant, and later in Polish and German chronicles. Linguists find analogies for it in many Indo-European languages ​​and believe that it goes back to the Sanskrit purusa - “man”. There is also no sufficient information preserved about the language of the Prussians. Its last bearer died in 1677, and the plague of 1709-1711 exterminated the last Prussians in Prussia itself. Already in the 17th century, instead of Prussian history, the history of “Prussianism” and the kingdom of Prussia began, the local population of which had little in common with the Baltic name of the Prussians.

5. Cossacks

The question of where the Cossacks came from still remains unresolved. Their homeland is found in the North Caucasus, the Azov region, and Western Turkestan. The ancestry of the Cossacks is traced back to the Scythians, to the Alans, to the Circassians, to the Khazars, to the Goths, to the Brodniks. Supporters of all versions have their own arguments. Today the Cossacks are a multi-ethnic community, but they themselves like to insist that the Cossacks are a separate people.

6. Parsis

Parsis are an ethno-religious group of followers of Zoroastrianism in South Asia, of Iranian origin. Its number now amounts to less than 130 thousand people. Parsis have their own temples and so-called “towers of silence”, where, in order not to desecrate the sacred elements (earth, fire, water), they bury the dead (the corpses are pecked by vultures). Parsis are often compared to Jews; they were also forced to leave their homeland and are meticulous in matters of religious observance. The Iran League in India at the beginning of the 20th century promoted the return of Parsis to their homeland, reminiscent of the Zionism of the Jews.

7. Hutsuls

There is still debate about the meaning of the word “hutsul”. Some scientists believe that the etymology of the word goes back to the Moldavian “gots” or “guts”, which means “robber”, others - to the word “kochul”, which means “shepherd”. The Hutsuls are also called “Ukrainian highlanders.” Among them, the traditions of witchcraft are still strong. Hutsul sorcerers are called molfars. They can be white or black. Molfars enjoy unquestioned authority.

8. Hittites

The Hittite power was one of the most influential forces on the geopolitical map of the Ancient World. The first constitution appeared here, the Hittites were the first to use war chariots and revered the double-headed eagle, but information about the Hittites is still fragmentary. In their “tables of the courageous deeds” of the kings there are many notes “for the next year,” but the year of the report is unknown. We know the chronology of the Hittite state from the sources of its neighbors. The question remains open: where did the Hittites disappear? Johann Lehmann in his book “Hittites. People of a Thousand Gods” gives a version that the Hittites went north, where they assimilated with the Germanic tribes. But this is just a version.

9. Sumerians

The Sumerians are the most interesting and still one of the most mysterious peoples of the Ancient World. We don't know where they came from or what language family their language belonged to. A large number of homonyms suggests that it was tonal (like, for example, modern Chinese), which means that the meaning of what was said often depended on intonation. The Sumerians were one of the most advanced peoples of their time, they were the first in the entire Middle East to use the wheel, create an irrigation system, invent a unique writing system, and the Sumerians’ knowledge of mathematics and astronomy is still amazing.

10. Etruscans

The ancient people of the Etruscans unexpectedly arose in human history, but also suddenly disappeared into it. According to archaeologists, the Etruscans inhabited the northwestern part of the Apennine Peninsula and created a fairly developed civilization there. It was the Etruscans who founded the first cities in Italy. Historians also believe that Roman numerals can also be called Etruscan. It is unknown where the Etruscans disappeared to. According to one version, they moved to the east and became the founders of the Slavic ethnic group. Some scientists argue that the Etruscan language is very close in structure to the Slavic ones.

11. Armenians

The origin of the Armenians remains a mystery. There are many versions. Some scientists correlate the Armenians with the people of the ancient state of Urartu, but the genetic component of the Urartians is present in the genetic code of the Armenians in the same way as the genetic component of the same Hurrians and Luwians, not to mention the proto-Armenians. There are Greek versions of the origin of the Armenians, as well as the so-called “Hayasian hypotheses”, in which Hayas, the territory east of the Hittite kingdom, becomes the original homeland of the Armenians. Scientists have never given a final answer to the question of the origin of the Armenians and most often adhere to the migration-mixed hypothesis of Armenian ethnogenesis.

12. Gypsies

According to linguistic and genetic studies, the ancestors of the Roma left Indian territory in numbers not exceeding 1,000 people. Today there are about 10 million Roma in the world. In the Middle Ages, Gypsies in Europe were considered Egyptians. The word Gitanes itself is a derivative of the Egyptian. Tarot cards, considered the last surviving remnant of the cult of the Egyptian god Thoth, were brought to Europe by the gypsies. It was not for nothing that they were called “Pharaoh’s tribe.” It was also amazing for Europeans that the gypsies embalmed their dead and buried them in crypts, where they placed everything necessary for life after death. These funeral traditions are still alive among the Roma today.

13. Jews

Jews are one of the most mysterious living peoples. For a long time it was believed that the very concept of “Jews” was cultural rather than ethnic. That is, that “Jews” were created by Judaism, and not vice versa. There are still fierce discussions in science about what the Jews originally were - a people, a social class or a religious denomination.

There are many mysteries in the history of the Jewish people. At the end of the 8th century BC, five-sixths of Jews disappeared completely - 10 out of 12 ethnic groups. Where they disappeared to is the big question. There is a version that from the Scythians and Cimmerians, as descendants of 10 tribes, come the Finns, Swiss, Swedes, Norwegians, Irish, Welsh, French, Belgians, Dutch, Danes, Irish and Welsh, that is, almost all European peoples. The question of the origin of the Ashkenazim and their closeness to Middle Eastern Jews also remains debatable.

14. Guanches

Guanches are the natives of Tenerife. The mystery of how they ended up in the Canary Islands has not yet been solved, since they did not have a fleet and did not have seafaring skills. Their anthropological type did not correspond to the latitudes where they lived. The rectangular pyramids on the island of Tenerife, similar to the Mayan and Aztec pyramids in Mexico, are also controversial. Neither the time of their construction nor the purpose for which they were erected is known.

15. Khazars

Neighboring peoples wrote a lot about the Khazars, but they themselves left virtually no information about themselves. Just as suddenly the Khazars appeared on the historical stage, just as suddenly they left it. Historians still do not have sufficient archaeological data about what Khazaria was like, nor an understanding of what language the Khazars spoke. It is also unknown where they eventually disappeared. There are many versions. There is no clarity.

16. Basque

The age, origin and language of the Basques is one of the main mysteries of modern history. The Basque language, Euskara, is considered the only relict pre-Indo-European language that does not belong to any currently existing language family. When it comes to genetics, according to a 2012 study by the National Geographic Society, all Basques contain a set of genes that significantly distinguishes them from other peoples around them.

17. Chaldeans

The Chaldeans are a Semitic-Aramaic people who lived at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. in the territory of Southern and Central Mesopotamia. In 626-538 BC. Babylon was ruled by the Chaldean dynasty, which founded the Neo-Babylonian kingdom. The Chaldeans were a people who are still associated with magic and astrology. In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, priests and fortune-tellers of Babylonian origin were called Chaldeans. The Chaldeans made predictions to Alexander the Great and his successors Antigonus and Seleucus.

18. Sarmatians

Sarmatians are one of the most mysterious peoples in world history. Herodotus called them “lizard-headed,” Lomonosov believed that the Slavs descended from the Sarmatians, and the Polish gentry called themselves their direct descendants. The Sarmatians left a lot of mysteries. They probably had a matriarchy. Some scientists trace the roots of the Russian kokoshnik to the Sarmatians. Among them, the custom of artificially deforming the skull was widespread, thanks to which a person’s head took on the shape of an elongated egg.

19. Kalash

The Kalash are a small people living in the north of Pakistan in the Hindu Kush mountains. They are probably the most famous "white" people in Asia. Disputes about the origins of the Kalash continue today. The Kalash themselves are sure that they are the descendants of Macedonian himself. The Kalash language is called phonologically atypical; it has retained the basic composition of Sanskrit. Despite attempts at Islamization, many Kalash retain polytheism.

20. Philistines

The modern name "Palestine" comes from "Philistia". The Philistines are the most mysterious people mentioned in the Bible. In the Middle East, only they and the Hittites mastered the technology of steel smelting, marking the beginning of the Iron Age. The Bible says that these people originate from the island of Caphtor (Crete), although some historians correlate the Philistines with the Pelasgians. Both Egyptian manuscripts and archaeological finds testify to the Cretan origins of the Philistines. It is still not clear where the Philistines disappeared to. Most likely, they were assimilated by the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Despite all the attempts of historians and ethnographers to create a clear picture of the development of some peoples, there are still many secrets and blind spots in the history of the origin of many nations and nationalities. Our review contains the most mysterious peoples of our planet - some of them have sunk into oblivion, while others live and develop today.

1. Russians

As everyone knows, Russians are the most mysterious people on Earth. Moreover, there is a scientific basis for this. Scientists still cannot come to a consensus about the origin of this people and answer the question of when Russians became Russians. There is also debate about where this word comes from. Russian ancestors are sought among the Normans, Scythians, Sarmatians, Vends and even the South Siberian Usuns.

2. Maya

Nobody knows where these people came from or where they disappeared to. Some scientists believe that the Mayans are related to the legendary Atlanteans, others suggest that their ancestors were the Egyptians.

The Mayans created an efficient agricultural system and had deep knowledge of astronomy. Their calendar was used by other peoples of Central America. The Mayans used a hieroglyphic writing system that has only been partially deciphered. Their civilization was very advanced when the conquistadors arrived. Now it seems that the Mayans came from nowhere and disappeared into nowhere.

3. Laplanders or Sami

The people, which Russians also call Lapps, are at least 5,000 years old. Scientists are still arguing about their origin. Some believe that the Laplanders are Mongoloids, others insist on the version that the Sami are Paleo-Europeans. Their language is believed to belong to the Finno-Ugric group of languages, but there are ten dialects of the Sami language that are different enough to be called independent. Sometimes the Laplanders themselves have difficulty understanding each other.

4. Prussians

The very origin of the Prussians is a mystery. They were first mentioned in the 9th century in the records of an anonymous trader, and then in Polish and German chronicles. Linguists have found analogues in various Indo-European languages ​​and believe that the word “Prussians” can be traced back to the Sanskrit word “purusha” (man). Not much is known about the Prussian language, since the last native speaker died in 1677. The history of Prussianism and the Kingdom of Prussia began in the 17th century, but these people had little in common with the original Baltic Prussians.

5. Cossacks

Scientists do not know where the Cossacks originally came from. Their homeland may be in the North Caucasus or on the Sea of ​​Azov or in the west of Turkestan... Their ancestry may go back to the Scythians, Alans, Circassians, Khazars or Goths. Each version has its supporters and its own arguments. Cossacks today represent a multi-ethnic community, but they constantly emphasize that they are a separate nation.

6. Parsis

Parsis are an ethno-religious group of followers of Zoroastrianism of Iranian origin in South Asia. Today their number is less than 130 thousand people. The Parsis have their own temples and so-called “towers of silence” for burying the dead (the corpses that are laid out on the roofs of these towers are pecked by vultures). They are often compared to the Jews, who were also forced to leave their homeland, and who still carefully preserve the traditions of their cults.

7. Hutsuls

The question of what the word “Hutsul” means is still unclear. Some scientists believe that the etymology of the word is related to the Moldovan “gots” or “gutz” (“bandit”), others believe that the name comes from the word “kochul” (“shepherd”). Hutsuls are most often called Ukrainian highlanders, who still practice the traditions of molfarism (witchcraft) and who greatly honor their sorcerers.

8. Hittites

The Hittite state was very influential on the geopolitical map of the ancient world. These people were the first to create a constitution and use chariots. However, not much is known about them. The chronology of the Hittites is known only from the sources of their neighbors, but there is not a single mention of why or where they disappeared. The German scientist Johann Lehmann wrote in his book that the Hittites went north and assimilated with the Germanic tribes. But this is only one of the versions.

9. Sumerians

This is one of the most mysterious peoples in the ancient world. Nothing is known about their origins or the origin of their language. The large number of homonyms suggests that it was a polytonic language (like modern Chinese), that is, the meaning of what was said often depended on tone. The Sumerians were very advanced - they were the first in the Middle East to use the wheel, to create an irrigation system and a unique writing system. The Sumerians also developed mathematics and astronomy at an impressive level.

10. Etruscans

They entered history quite unexpectedly and that is how they disappeared. Archaeologists believe that the Etruscans lived in the north-west of the Apennine Peninsula, where they created a fairly developed civilization. The Etruscans founded the first Italian cities. Theoretically, they could move to the east and become the founders of the Slavic ethnic group (their language has much in common with the Slavic ones).

11. Armenians

The origin of the Armenians is also a mystery. There are many versions. Some scientists believe that the Armenians descended from the people of the ancient state of Urartu, but in the genetic code of the Armenians there is a component not only of the Urartians, but also of the Hurrians and Libyans, not to mention the proto-Armenians. There are also Greek versions of their origin. Most scientists, however, adhere to the mixed-migration hypothesis of Armenian ethnogenesis.

12. Gypsies

According to linguistic and genetic studies, the ancestors of the Roma left Indian territory in numbers that did not exceed 1,000 people. Today there are about 10 million Roma people worldwide. In the Middle Ages, Europeans believed that Gypsies were Egyptians. They were called the "tribe of the pharaoh" for a very specific reason: the Europeans were amazed by the gypsy tradition of embalming their dead and burying with them in crypts everything that might be needed in another life. This gypsy tradition is still alive.

13. Jews

This is one of the most mysterious peoples and many secrets are connected with Jews. At the end of the 8th century BC. five-sixths (10 out of 12 of all ethnic groups that form the race) of Jews disappeared. Where they went is a mystery to this day.

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14. Guanches

The Guanches are the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands. It is unknown how they appeared on the island of Tenerife - they did not have ships and the Guanches knew nothing about navigation. Their anthropological type does not correspond to the latitude where they lived. Also, many disputes are caused by the presence of rectangular pyramids in Tenerife - they are similar to the Mayan and Aztec pyramids in Mexico. Nobody knows when or why they were erected.

15. Khazars

Everything that people know about the Khazars today was taken from the records of their neighboring peoples. And practically nothing remained of the Khazars themselves. Their appearance was sudden and unexpected, just like their disappearance.

16. Basque

The age, origin and language of the Basques are a mystery in modern history. The Basque language, Euskara, is believed to be the only remnant of a Proto-Indo-European language that does not belong to any language group existing today. According to a 2012 National Geographic study, all Basques have a set of genes that is largely different from other peoples living around them.

17. Chaldeans

The Chaldeans lived at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st thousand years BC in the territory of Southern and Central Mesopotamia. In 626-538 BC. The Chaldean dynasty ruled Babylon, founding the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Chaldeans are still associated today with magic and astrology. In Ancient Greece and Rome, priests and Babylonian astrologers were called Chaldeans. They predicted the future of Alexander the Great and his successors.

18. Sarmatians

Herodotus once called the Sarmatians “lizards with human heads.” M. Lomonosov believed that they were the ancestors of the Slavs, and the Polish nobles considered themselves their direct descendants. The Sarmatians left behind many secrets. For example, this people had a tradition of artificial deformation of the skull, which allowed people to give themselves an ovoid head shape.

19. Kalash

A small people living in the north of Pakistan, in the Hindu Kush mountains, is notable for the fact that their skin color is whiter than that of other Asian peoples. The debate about Kalash has been subsiding for centuries. The people themselves insist on their connection with Alexander the Great. Their language is phonologically atypical for the area and has the basic structure of Sanskrit. Despite attempts at Islamization, many adhere to polytheism.

20. Philistines

The modern concept of "Philistines" comes from the name of the area "Philistia". The Philistines are the most mysterious people mentioned in the Bible. Only they and the Hittites knew the technology of steel production and it was they who laid the foundation for the Iron Age. According to the Bible, the Philistines came from the island of Caphtor (Crete). The Cretan origin of the Philistines is confirmed by Egyptian manuscripts and archaeological finds. It is unknown where they disappeared to, but it is most likely that the Philistines were assimilated into the Eastern Mediterranean peoples.