Even though the fact that modern technology and better research have made the ancient past more accessible than ever before, innumerable ground-breaking discoveries remain to be discovered. These 10 archeological discoveries not only altered our perception of history but also exposed a treasure trove of information thought to be lost to time.
Easter Island
Easter Island, known to its early inhabitants as Rapa Nui, was discovered by Dutch explorers on Easter Sunday in 1722. The lonely island, located 2,200 miles off the coast of Chile, is notable for the over 1,000 Moai stone sculptures scattered around the bleak landscape.
The Rapa Nui were the original occupants of Easter Island, a Polynesian culture that landed between 700 and 800 C.E. While living on the island, the Rapa Nui created a complex culture, which can be seen in the artistry of the Moai sculptures. Each Moai is 13 feet tall and weighs 13 tons, yet no one knows why they were built or how these gigantic boulders got to their current sites.
The sharp contrast between the Moai sculptures and the desolate terrain of the island has exposed Rapa Nui’s tragic fate. By 1600, the island’s inhabitants had drained its resources significantly. With no trees and no food sources, the remaining islanders are thought to have turned to cannibalism to live in the harsh climate.
Many people still reside on the island, including descendants of the Rapa Nui. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Easter Island and its remarkable history are preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Pompeii
Because of the extraordinary preservation of buildings, art, food, and even human remains left unharmed beneath the volcanic ash, the famed and terrible end of Pompeii has helped archeologists and historians understand life in ancient Rome.
The city was first mentioned during the Second Samnite War around 310 B.C.E. Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24, 79 C.E., burying Pompeii in more than nine feet of ash and rubble and forcing many homes and structures to collapse, killing people trapped within. The following day, a deadly gas wave rushed over the city, murdering any surviving survivors. After everything was said and done, the city was buried under 20 feet of ash, pumice, and rubble and remained unchanged for millennia.
The Pompeii ruins were found in 1709, but serious excavations did not begin until after World War II. Two-thirds of the city had been excavated by the 1990s.
Because of the ash that preserved everything buried underneath, Pompeii is a treasure store of knowledge. Archaeologists have discovered temples, industries, and private residences with shrines that demonstrate the influence of religion in the family. Bakeries equipped with kneading machinery, mills, and ovens – some of which still contain loaves of bread cooked on the day of the eruption – have enabled scholars to learn more about the ancient Roman diet and culinary techniques. Inscriptions were also preserved, revealing to archeologists the nature of each building’s activity, including a list of “specials” at the local brothel.
Human and animal remains have been uncovered as well. Of the 2,000 reported fatalities in Pompeii after the eruption, 1,150 remains were discovered decades later. The hardened layers of ash that buried the city preserved many of the remains, exposing the horrific final moments of the volcano’s victims.
The Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is not only a wonderful antique relic, but it has also been essential in deciphering ancient languages. The Stone began as a copy of an official decree from King Ptolemy V, who reigned from 204 to 181 B.C.E. The edict, which was put in an Egyptian temple, was inscribed three times in three different languages: Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic (a casual Egyptian language), and Ancient Greek.
Using the Greek translation as a starting point, scholars were able to read Egyptian hieroglyphs for the first time thanks to the Stone. The Stone was discovered by chance by French troops accompanying Napoleon Bonaparte’s army in July 1799. Scholars began working on cracking the code soon after the stone was discovered. By 1822, the inscription had been nearly totally translated.
King Richard III’s Remains
Archeologists discovered a skeleton beneath a Leicester parking lot in 2012. Never in their wildest imaginations did they imagine they’d come upon the bones of one of Britain’s most infamous rulers: King Richard III. The bones were unearthed near Greyfriars Friary Church, where Richard III was hurriedly buried after being slain in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
After years of discussion among historians, relatives of Richard III, and local officials, the body of the lost King was ultimately laid to rest within Leicester Cathedral in 2015. It had been nearly 500 years since his death.
The Antikythera Mechanism
The Antikythera Mechanism, which had been buried at sea for 2,000 years, was unearthed in 1900 by a crew of divers. The mysterious gadget remained unnamed until the 1970s, when scientific imaging revealed that it was most likely designed to recreate the movements of the stars, making the Antikythera Mechanism the world’s oldest computer.
The device was discovered among the wreckage of an old shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, Greece. The wreck was discovered in the first century B.C.E. The bronze apparatus tracks the movement of the sun, moon, and stars by a set of wheels, gears, and points.
Gobekli Tepe, Turkey
Outside of the ancient city of Urfa, Turkey, German archeologist Klaus Schmidt uncovered one of the most astounding discoveries of our time in 1994. Schmidt discovered large 11,000-year-old engraved stones set in a circle. The standing rocks are 6,000 years older than Stonehenge, and the fact that the prehistoric humans who erected it most likely did not have metal tools makes the monument even more unique. Gobekli Tepe is said to be the world’s oldest temple.
The temple was constructed on top of a man-made hill and is made up of many freestanding Stone Age limestone slabs. Schmidt went deeper into the hill and discovered more pillars, demonstrating that this sacred area had been the site of countless temples throughout the years, all built on top of one another. Human bone pieces have also been uncovered, prompting historians to think that this was a burial place or maybe a location of human sacrifice.
The Palace of Knossos, Crete
Knossos, an ancient Minoan palace on the island of Crete, is said to be Europe’s oldest city. Knossos was a beautiful city center during the Bronze Age, most likely erected between 1600 and 1400 B.C.E. The renovated city now has gorgeous frescoes and remarkable old architecture.
Sir Arthur Evans, an archeologist, found the palace in 1900 and finally restored it to its former splendour. Despite the fact that it was discovered more than a century ago, many questions remain unsolved. Historians are still trying to figure exactly when the palace was created, as certain structures predate the main palace construction.
The Staffordshire Hoard
The Staffordshire Treasure is the biggest Anglo-Saxon hoard ever discovered, and its discovery has revealed a wealth of fresh knowledge about the ancient culture during a moment of great transition. In 2009, the trove was discovered buried in a farmer’s field in Staffordshire, England. The almost 4,000-item collection contains excellent pieces inlaid with garnets and is largely composed of military gear, including sword fittings.
Historians think the trove was buried in the 7th century in the Kingdom of Mercia, which is now modern-day Staffordshire. Many of the items are twisted or distorted, prompting scholars to suspect they were taken as battle spoils from fallen opponents and buried for safekeeping.
Akrotiri, Greece
If Pompeii is the great buried city of Ancient Rome, Akrotiri is the comparable in Ancient Greece. The Minoan city, located near Santorini, was devastated by the Theran eruption, an Aegean Sea volcanic explosion that destroyed the island of Thera and adjacent villages such as Akrotiri (the original name of the settlement is unknown).
After the eruption generated large tsunamis in the area, the whole village was submerged. The city was excavated for the first time in 1867 by French geologist F. Fouque, but substantial excavation began in the 1960s. The city’s well preserved frescoes are extremely important for understanding Minoan arts and culture.
Tutankhamun’s Tomb
Tutankhamun, although being one of the most well-known Egyptians of all time, was a very short-lived king who died when he was just 19 years old. He was buried in a sumptuous tomb brimming with gold valuables, including the famed gold burial mask. When Howard Carter discovered “King Tut’s” ultimate resting place in 1922, he felt he had made the discovery of a lifetime.