History is full of accounts of lost civilizations and cities that have been erased or forgotten due to time, catastrophe, or deliberate suppression. In North America, legends of lost cities like Chilaga and Cibola have persisted for centuries, often dismissed as myths but rooted in indigenous oral traditions and early European exploration accounts. Cibola, for example, was one of the famed “Seven Cities of Gold” sought by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. While mainstream history treats these as exaggerations, archaeological evidence suggests that pre-Columbian civilizations in North America were far more advanced than previously acknowledged, with vast trade networks, sophisticated urban centers, and monumental architecture stretching from the Mississippi Valley to the deserts of the Southwest. The remnants of great cities like Cahokia, with its massive earthen mounds, hint at lost histories that challenge the conventional narrative of isolated, primitive tribes. Chilaga, a lesser-known city, is said to have existed in the southeastern United States, possibly linked to the Mississippian culture or older civilizations predating recorded history. Some researchers believe that traces of these cities were wiped out by natural disasters or even early colonial efforts to erase indigenous histories. The idea that there were advanced societies in North America long before European contact is gaining traction with recent archaeological finds, such as ancient copper mines in Michigan that suggest large-scale extraction efforts dating back thousands of years. Other sites, such as the ruins found in the Grand Canyon—briefly documented in early 20th-century newspaper reports—point to possibilities of civilizations with connections to global cultures, though these interpretations remain controversial due to lack of mainstream academic acceptance. Beyond North America, many other lost civilizations challenge traditional historical narratives. The ruins of Nan Madol in the Pacific, the long-debated Vinland settlements of Norse explorers, and the pyramidal structures beneath Lake Rock Lake in Wisconsin suggest that human history is more complex than we’ve been taught. Whether due to cataclysmic events, shifts in climate, or the rewriting of history by dominant powers, evidence of these lost societies continues to surface. Rather than dismissing them as myths, we should investigate them with an open mind, using archaeology, indigenous knowledge, and emerging technologies to uncover the fuller scope of our shared past. - @questionantiquity