The enigmatic 15th-century fencing master, Hans Talhoffer, authored a series of combat manuscripts, the most mysterious being his 1467 creation that combines martial skills with cryptic illustrations. The manual encompasses a wide range of fighting techniques, including unarmed combat, dagger fighting, longsword techniques, and combat in armor.

However, unlike modern manuals, Talhoffer's work lacks explanatory text, leaving the interpretation of sequences open-ended. One of the most debated illustrations is that of the so-called judicial duel, depicting a man and a woman engaged in combat in a specially prepared arena, sparking discussions about gender roles in medieval combat and the nature of trial by combat. The manual's greatest mystery may lie in its purpose and audience, whether it was intended as a practical guide for students of martial arts, a showcase of Talhoffer's skills for potential patrons, or a work of art.

The Enki Tablet is an ancient cuneiform tablet dating back over 4,000 years that describes instructions for building an ark, echoing the biblical Noah's story but with a unique twist. The tablet was unearthed in modern-day Iraq, a region once known as Mesopotamia. The tablet is inscribed with a series of instructions given by Enki, a Sumerian god, to Atrahasis, a Sumerian king, to build a giant boat, providing specific dimensions and materials. The ark as described was a massive multi-story vessel capable of withstanding the great deluge that was to cleanse the Earth.

The ark described in the tablet is notably different from the traditional depictions in the biblical narrative, being a massive round coracle, a type of circular boat commonly made of reeds and bitumen or asphalt in ancient Mesopotamia. The similarities between the Enki Tablet's narrative and the biblical story of Noah raise intriguing questions about a common source or inspiration for these flood myths.