Archaeologists have been left stumped by a mysterious item revealed by a melting glacier in a popular Swiss hiking area.
A hiker spotted the large, wheeled contraption earlier this week at the lower end of the melted Schwarzhorag Glacier on the Splügen Pass, in the Canton of Graubünden.
Seemingly a cart, the mystery item has two large wheels and is made with bamboo poles tied together with laces.
Experts reckon the find dates to the 20th century but they haven’t been able to identify its origins.
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The region’s officials in southeastern Switzerland have now appealed to anyone who might have further information about the gadget’s function and creation to get in contact.
A clue might be that the valley once served as a trading route with mule trains taking goods to southern markets, but this activity goes back many centuries.
In addition, bamboo is not a naturally occurring plant in Switzerland, which makes the contraption more of a puzzle.
A photo of the wagon taken by the hiker Sergio Veri has been posted on the Kanton of Graubünden Facebook page, with a request for anyone who can offer information about the contraption to contact them.
As climate change causes warmer temperatures worldwide, melting glaciers, snow and ice are giving up previously buried items. For example, last month, film director Jimmy Chin discovered what many believe to be the hiking boot of the British mountaineer Sandy Irvine, who disappeared with climbing partner George Mallory during an attempt to summit Everest 100 years ago.
