Sanxingdui 'alien' masks

Bronze masks with bulging eyes found in 1986 at Sanxingdui, Sichuan, are often claimed online as portraits of extraterrestrials.

1986 CE · 30.99, 104.20 · status: explained

The sceptical view

Archaeologists link the protruding eyes to Cancong, the legendary first king of Shu, and the masks to a local Bronze Age culture.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Sanxingdui