Graves Lost to Time

Throughout history, some of the most famous figures—Alexander the Great, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Khufu—have left behind legacies that are impossible to forget. And yet, whether because their bones were moved or lost to time, their final resting places are a complete mystery. From legendary rulers to brilliant artists, musicians, and revolutionaries, the uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of their remains has sparked intrigue, speculation, and sometimes outright disbelief. Here are 20 historical figures whose bodies and tombs have never been conclusively found.

Barbara Krafft on Wikimedia

1. Alexander the Great

There's a reason why Alexander the Great appears in almost every list like this, and it's because his disappearance is truly a mystery. After conquering much of the ancient world, the young king of Macedonia fell sick (or some claim he was poisoned) and died in 323 BC. Historical accounts say that his body was first buried in Memphis before being taken to Alexandria—only for Alexandria to be destroyed in the 4th and 5th centuries AD. Even now, archeologists have no clue where his body went.

Yair Haklai on Wikimedia

2. Genghis Khan

Founder and leader of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan was by no means an unknown face in the crowd. And yet, after his death in 1227 AD, experts aren't completely sure where his body is; it's believed that he wanted his resting place to be a secret. In fact, as the legend goes, Italian traveler Marco Polo claimed that those who did know about the tomb's location were killed to ensure nothing traced back. Many archeologists and historians now believe he's buried somewhere on Burkhan Khaldun, a peak in Khentii Province of northeastern Mongolia.

Bernard Gagnon on Wikimedia

3. Cleopatra

Last queen of Egypt and former lover of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra is another name you're likely more than familiar with. But when she—and Mark Antony—were unable to overpower Octavian's forces in the Battle of Actium, she opted to poison herself by being bitten by an Egyptian cobra, at least according to popular legend. Though it's often cited that she and Mark Antony were entombed together, it's unknown where. Some believe the location is in Alexandria, Egypt.

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4. Mark Antony

Marcus Antonius, better known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman general under Julius Caesar and, later, the lover of Cleopatra. It's said that he'd committed suicide after learning about the death of the Egyptian queen. Again, though they were buried together, historians aren't completely sure where.

Sergey Sosnovskiy on Wikimedia

5. Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci might be one of the most prominent figures of the Italian Renaissance, and while he was originally buried in Saint Florentin in Amboise, France, the chapel was later demolished. The remains believed to be his now lie in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert at the Château d'Amboise, but scientists claim there's no conclusive DNA evidence that links it back to the famous artist.

Wikibusters on Wikimedia

6. Amelia Earhart

If you've heard of Amelia Earhart, you know that she and her plane went missing over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 and were never seen again. To this day, none of her—or her aircraft—remains have been found, which makes her disappearance both unfortunate and eerie.

Harris & Ewing on Wikimedia

7. Attila the Hun

Leader of the Huns, the nomadic people who invaded southeastern and central Europe, Attila was one of the most recognized barbarian rulers who attacked the Roman Empire. However, he died suddenly on his wedding night in 453 AD, and it's rumored that he was poisoned by his wife. It's believed that he was buried among the riches in Hungary, but it's also claimed that his servants were killed to keep the tomb's location a secret.

Julio Strozza on Wikimedia

8. Nefertiti

Queen Nefertiti, known for her beauty and influence alongside Pharaoh Akhenaten, vanished from historical records around 1330 BCE. Her royal tomb and mummy have never been conclusively found or identified. Archeologists claimed to have found her resting place throughout the years, but none were ever confirmed.

Philip Pikart on Wikimedia

9. Kamehameha I

The first king of the Hawaiian islands, you might think that the location of Kamehameha's resting place would be a well-known fact, but instead, the opposite is true. He remained his place on the throne until his death in 1819, where his bones were then kept in a sacred cave, but the actual burial site remains unknown to this day. 

Unknown author on Wikimedia

10. King Arthur

It's not just that historians aren't sure where King Arthur's remains are—they're not sure if he ever existed at all. Many point to him being more of a mythical legend than a real person. Though it's claimed that his bones were discovered in Glastonbury Abby, a monastery in England, no physical evidence of his grave has survived, and it's more likely there was never one at all.

Charles Ernest Butler on Wikimedia

11. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

When Mozart died in Vienna in 1791, he was buried in a common grave in the St. Marx Communal Cemetery, as was customary at the time. His burial spot was unmarked, and later exhumations made it impossible to identify his remains with certainty. Though a skull believed to be his is held by the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation in Austria, tests have been inconclusive. To this day, the precise resting place of the musical genius remains unknown.

Anonymous, attributed to Saverio Dalla Rosa or Giambettino Cignaroli on Wikimedia

12. Caligula

If you googled the notorious Caligula—known also as Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus—you might think that he shouldn't be on the list; after all, a police arrest in 2011 seemed to have led them to discover the Roman emperor's lost tomb. And yet, historians dispute this, with some stating it's impossible for Caligula to have had a burial site at all.

Richard Mortel on Wikimedia

13. Boudica

Queen Boudica, ruler of the Iceni tribe of Celtic Britons in the first century AD, was best known for leading a bloody revolt against the Romans; she would later be celebrated as a British national heroine. But where exactly is she buried? Though there are many rumors that her tomb lies underneath a platform in London's King's Cross railway station, her final resting place remains a mystery.

John Opie on Wikimedia

14. Ankhesenamun

Daughter of Nefertiti and Pharaoh Akhenaten, Ankhesenamun was the half-sister and the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Despite much of her youth being documented in the paintings of her parents' reign, her tomb has never been found. Some believe that she shares her final resting place with her husband, in KV63, a storage chamber located in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, but no definitive confirmation has been made.

Scan by Pataki Márta on Wikimedia

15. Khufu

One of the greatest and oldest Egyptian Kings, you might expect that Khufu has an elaborate, ornate tomb that one can easily find. And yet, despite being famous for building the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world, it's unclear exactly where his body lies. His remains were intended to be housed in the structure, but to this day, it's unsure which chamber serves as his resting place—or if it exists at all.

Olaf Tausch on Wikimedia

16. Jimmy Hoffa

American labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa disappeared mysteriously in 1975. Five years later, in 1982, he was presumed dead. It's widely speculated—and accepted—that Hoffa was murdered by members of the Mafia, given his alleged ties to organized crime, but to this day, his body has never been found.

Garam on Wikimedia

17. Vlad the Impaler

Known also as Vlad Dracula, Vlad the Impaler is often cited as one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history; he's also considered the national hero of Romania. The reason he was called "the Impaler"? It's claimed that he earned the nickname because impaling his enemies with spikes was his preferred method of execution. Despite rumors stating that he's buried in a 13th-century church in Naples, Italy, it remains unknown where his tomb lies.

Unknown author on Wikimedia

18. Harold Holt

The 17th prime minister of Australia only assumed his title for less than two years before his disappearance in December 1967. He's presumed to have drowned after vanishing while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria. Despite this, his body was never recovered, and his disappearance remains one of Australia's greatest mysteries.

NAA on Wikimedia

19. Jean Spangler

American actress Jean Spangler was only 26 years old and still trying to work her way up in Hollywood at the time of her disappearance in October 1949. The only things she left behind were her daughter, a torn purse, and a cryptic note. There have been many theories as to why she vanished, but to this day, her case remains open, and her body has never been found.

Gabe on Unsplash

20. Thomas Paine

English-American writer whose pamphlet, Common Sense, was an important influence on the American Revolution, Thomas Paine didn't exactly get a peaceful rest after his death. He was originally buried in New York after his death in 1809, but his bones were later dug up by political journalist William Cobbett, who placed them in a box to be transported back to England. This didn't happen, though, and Paine's remains have now been scattered and lost to history.

Auguste Millière / After George Romney / After William Sharp on Wikimedia