I

I

The Mystery of Toynbee Tiles

The Toynbee tiles are an enigma that has puzzled people for decades. These mysterious tiles are a form of guerrilla street art that have been spotted on the asphalt of streets in various cities in the United States and South America. The tiles are made of linoleum or similar materials, bearing the cryptic and intriguing message that reads “TOYNBEE IDEA IN MOVIE 2001 RESURRECT DEAD ON PLANET JUPITER.”

The meaning behind the message remains a mystery, as does the origin of these tiles. Countless speculations have been made about what the message could mean, and who might be behind the creation of these tiles. We know for certain that these tiles first appeared in the early 1980s, and since then have continued to baffle and intrigue us.

One popular theory is that the message refers to the British historian Arnold J. Toynbee, whose name is seen in the message. Toynbee was known for his view that civilizations rise and fall in a pattern of challenge and response. Perhaps the individual or group who created these tiles were trying to spread a message about the inevitable cycles of life and death.

Another theory is that the message is related to the science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” directed by Stanley Kubrick, which was released in 1968. In the film, a group of astronauts embark on a mission to Jupiter to investigate the mysterious monolith that appears before them. Perhaps the creator of the tiles was trying to suggest some kind of parallel between the movie and real-life events.

Besides the cryptic message, the method and distribution of these tiles are themselves mysterious. How can anyone make and install these tiles so carefully across multiple countries without being caught doing so? Conspiracy theorists suggest that government agencies may be behind these messages or that the messages are clues to impending disasters, but no concrete evidence of either theory has emerged.

The Toynbee tiles remain an enigma that continues to fascinate us. The creator or creators of the tiles remains a mystery, and the meaning of the message remains elusive, but one thing is for sure - the Toynbee tiles are mysterious!