Out-of-place artifacts, or OOPArts, are objects that appear to contradict our understanding of technological development in ancient civilizations. These historical oddities have captivated public imagination for decades, spawning countless theories about advanced prehistoric technology, ancient aliens, and lost civilizations with sophisticated engineering capabilities.From the so-called Baghdad Battery to ancient figurines that supposedly resemble modern aircraft, these artifacts often serve as focal points for alternative history narratives.The truth, however, is usually more banal than the headlines suggest. Many OOPArts turn out to be misidentified natural formations, modern objects that have become mineralized more quickly than expected, or legitimate ancient items whose purpose has been misunderstood or sensationalized. What makes OOPArts particularly resilient to debunking is the appealing narrative they provide: that ancient peoples possessed secret knowledge or technology far beyond what mainstream archaeology acknowledges. While this makes for entertaining content, it often relies on underestimating the ingenuity of our ancestors and overinterpreting ambiguous evidence. But to truly understand these objects and their appeal also requires some reflection on why people are so eager to accept such wild narratives in the first place. Click here to view slideshowOOPArts, Alternative History, And Why People BelieveIn many instances, out-of-place artifacts seem to contradict conventional historical chronology. They are claimed to be too advanced for their time period, or perhaps suggest human presence long before humans are known to have existed. Because of this apparent anomaly, supporters often suggest fringe theories as explanations, pointing to lost civilizations or extraterrestrial influence.These theories have since given rise to what we would call "alternative history." This is not history as told from a different perspective say, a recounting of World War II from the perspective of the Nazis but rather a form of conspiracy theory, arguing that the history we are taught of humanity's slow evolution from cave-dwellers to hunter-gatherers and so forth is false. (Stories about the Tartarian Empire, an alleged empire that was "erased" from history, is a good example of this.) According to Chapman University's 2018 Survey of American Fears, 41 percent of Americans believed aliens visited Earth in ancient times, and 57 percent believed in Atlantis or other lost, advanced ancient civilizations up significantly from 27 percent and 40 percent respectively in 2016. That rising popularity reflected even broader trends in pseudoscientific and pseudoarchaeological beliefs. Several psychological factors drive this belief. Cognitive biases, for instance, can make certain people more inclined to endorse pseudoscientific beliefs by requiring less evidence for claims that confirm their preconceptions. Confirmation bias plays a particularly crucial role, as people tend to seek out information that supports their existing beliefs while dismissing contradictory evidence. And pseudoarchaeologists have done a great job capitalizing on scientific dismissals by positioning themselves as rebel outsiders fighting for truth against a close-minded establishment, creating an underdog story for themselves to attract followers. See Alex Jones, for example, or look at Mark Booth's The Secret History of the World.Wikimedia CommonsConspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaking in Washington, D.C. in 2018."This is a history of the world that has been taught down the ages in certain secret organizations," Booth, a.k.a. Johnathan Black, begins. "It may seem quite mad from today's point of view, but an extraordinarily high proportion of the men and women who made history have been believers... Anyone who revealed to outsiders what he had been taught inside [the Mystery schools] was executed."See how Booth positions himself as the bearer of a secret truth, how he without naming names argues that history's greatest figures knew this secret truth, and how in revealing this secret truth to the reader he has put himself in harm's way. Mark Booth is willing to die to give you this knowledge, so won't you please pay $18.99 for it? Books like Booth's and shows like Alex Jones' Infowars use manipulative language to make it seem like they are on the side of truth. They cite fake studies, or point to odd circumstances or ancient mysteries, to make their claims seem verifiable. Is that a hieroglyph of a bird, or is it an airplane? It certainly looks like one, and that must be evidence of ancient aliens. It's a logical fallacy, but when presented in the right way, people, some of them at least, will believe. Even obvious hoaxes can appear truthful. Take a look at some of the most fascinating out-of-place artifacts in the gallery above. After taking a look at these out-of-place artifacts, see our list of genuine ancient artifacts that show what life was really like for our ancestors. Or, check out 33 of the world's most disturbing museum artifacts.The post The Fascinating Stories Behind 25 Out-Of-Place Artifacts, From The Antikythera Mechanism To Futuristic Hieroglyphs appeared first on All That's Interesting.