The Time of Myths was a dangerous age to live in, with Eldritch Abominations on the loose, evil gods eating souls and whatnot. So it's not surprising that after becoming Sufficiently Advanced, the Precursors made superweapons to defend themselves and make the galaxy or planet a safer place for their descendants. Conscientious precursors will dismantle or at least disable these weapons while preserving them for later use -- usually by scattering the component Mac Guffins across the cosmos or placing some kind of condition for activation (say Virgin Power, or innocence). Examples: