Archaeology opens up windows to the past by discovering unique artifacts that shows us how our fellow human’s once lived. In some cases however, certain archaeological findings have actually changed past beliefs, and rewrote history. Certain findings have actually changed the way we understand humanity and ancient civilizations as a whole. Prepare to be amazed.
1. Pyramids Weren’t Built By Slaves
Although it has always been believed that the ancient pyramids were built by slaves, new findings have shown that this might not be the case. Several old burial plots found in 1990 show that those who built the pyramids might have actually been paid workers, who were given beer and bread, something no slave would ever be given.
2. The World’s First Computer
The Ancient Greeks are known as the founders of many modern creations, however researchers had no idea that they were responsible too for the Antikythera Mechanism, a form of an analog computer, which allows users to predict the orbits of the planets. The machine was found in a 1900 shipwreck.
3. Incan Children Were Drugged And Sacrificed
We have knowledge about the human sacrifices of the ancient Inca Empire, however we never fully understood their process of sacrifice. That is, until three mummies were discovered in 1999 in Argentina. Forensic research showed that these children were given cocoa leaf and maize beer prior to their death, leaving us with the understanding that they were drugged.
4. A 2 Million-Year-Old Skull Changed Human Evolution
This 1.8 million year old skull is known as Skull 5 and was found in Georgia. It is special due to the fact that is was preserved completely in tact. Research suggests that our beliefs on human evolution may not be correct, since the skull contains details that are not usually related to early humans.
5. The Lost City of Atlantis
Archaeologists are still puzzled when it comes to Atlantis. Where is the city located? What caused it to sink to the ocean floor? Is there anything we can learn from this ancient city to prevent future disasters? Scientists continue to research the myths surrounding the lost city to this day.
6. The Screaming Mummies
Many ancient Egyptian mummies appear to look like they are “screaming”. Archaeologists have concluded that the ancient Egyptians didn’t take into account an important aspect of modern burials: strapping the chin to the skull. Without this step, the chin will eventually detach, causing a permanent ‘scream-like’ face.
7. Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are regarded as one of the most important manuscript discoveries of all time. While only fragments of text have been recovered from caves near the Dead Sea in the Judaean Desert of Israel, experts have been able to piece together ancient Hebrew to make fascinating conclusions about ancient and modern life.
8. 3.2 Million-Year-Old Ancestors
She’s known only as “Lucy” and is one of the most significant evolutionary discoveries of all-time. Lucy was of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis, and is one of the oldest ancestors of modern humans.
9. A Perfectly Preserved Ancient Roman City
The ancient city of Pompeii, located not far from modern-day Rome, was destroyed nearly 2,000 years ago. On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted only miles from the doomed city. Ash and lava rained down, completely covering (and perfectly preserving) the city of Pompeii. About 1,600 years later, the first discovery of this ancient city was made and archaeologists were able to closely examine ancient Roman life like never before.
10. The Mount Owen Moa
A perfectly intact claw of the ancient Moa was discovered in New Zealand only a few decades ago. The Moa was a wingless, flightless bird that stood nearly 12 feet (3.6 m) tall. While this ancient species has been extinct for centuries, its discovery opened new doors for scientists in the fields of evolutionary development and a broader understanding of ancient human development.
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