While Hiking In The Swiss Alps, He Found A Strange 20th Century Wagon In A Melting Glacier
In the Swiss Alps, melting glaciers have started to expose objects that have been encased in ice for centuries. So far, archaeologists have discovered artifacts from World War I, 1,300-year-old arrows, and the frozen remains of missing hikers.
This past November, a hiker named Sergio Veri came across what appeared to be a two-wheeled bamboo wagon dating back to the 20th century—but archaeologists aren’t really sure what it is exactly.
Veri found the strange contraption while walking through Splügen Pass in the Swiss Alps, which is located near the border of Switzerland and Italy.
The high-altitude path connects Switzerland’s Hinterrhein valley with Italy’s Valle San Giacomo. He noticed the cart in the melting Schwarzhorn Glacier.
“The wagon-like construction, equipped with two wheels and made of bamboo rods and laces, is according to the initial estimate relatively young, probably from the 20th century,” stated a social media post from the Canton of Graubünden.
The object has left experts scratching their heads. For some reason, it was abandoned high in the Alps. It was made with bamboo and tied together with cords, that much was clear. But the plant is not native to Switzerland and only arrived in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The use of this material adds a layer of mystery to the function and origins of the object. The bamboo indicates that the creators had access to imported materials.
The Archaeological Service of Graubünden has not yet conducted a thorough examination of the cart. The agency has requested help from the public, encouraging anyone with information about the object’s purpose or construction to contact them directly.
Ever since then, people on social media have been speculating over what the bamboo contraption could be. They suggested that it could be a cart used to smuggle supplies during World War I, an early mountaineering device used by explorers or scientists, or even part of a 20th-century airplane.
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Some commenters were in agreement about the wagon’s use, assuming that it probably made the transportation of supplies easier.
“Since the wheels do not look like they would hold up very long with a heavy load, I propose it was a primitive winch to assist in pulling supplies up the mountain,” wrote one person.
“It’s a pull cart, where most likely a person or mule walks in front of it and made from bamboo to make it light for the mountain passes and uneven terrain,” chimed in another.
The Splügen Pass itself has a lot of history that should be taken into context as well. It served as a trading route during the Roman era, according to historical documents like the Roman Tabula Peutingeriana.
As glaciers all over the world begin to melt at ever-increasing rates, who knows what archaeologists will find next?
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