Archeology is an interesting, unusual, and sometimes frightening science. To witness sensational discoveries, you need to have a lot of luck and professional flair.
Sometimes unusual artifacts are hidden in unexpected places. In this collection we will tell about the strangest and sometimes frightening archaeological finds.
Greece: echoes of ancient myths
We all know the exciting story of Odyssey and his amazing adventures. The poem "Odyssey" is one of the most important monuments of antiquity. The earliest finds of this poem date back to the 3rd century BC. Most of them were found in Egypt. In July 2018, during excavations in Olympia (Peloponnese) in the Temple of Olympian Zeus, German and Greek archaeologists found a rather unusual artifact of the 3rd century AD associated with the famous poem by Homer. The find is a clay tablet with seven lines from the 14th canto of the Odyssey. Most of all scientists and experienced archaeologists were struck by the material itself. This is what makes the artifact special. The fact is that clay tablets were never popular in the Greco-Roman world. In ancient Greece, they were used to teach children,but since the tablet was found in one of the most revered sanctuaries, many scholars have suggested that such a tablet might have been an offering to the gods. Thanksgiving offerings to the gods in the form of poetry were then popular. Perhaps one of the speakers or actors asked the gods for good luck before performing?
Egypt: the mummy returns
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In Egypt, 30 kilometers south of Cairo, the village of Sakkara is located. The oldest necropolis of Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom, was found here. The first burials were made in Sakkara around 4 millennium BC. The name of the village has an ominous meaning: it comes from the name of the god of the dead - Sokar.
This mysterious place has repeatedly surprised archaeologists around the world with unusual and strange finds. First, the tomb of the nurse of Tutankhamun Maya was discovered here, later - the tomb of a priest of one of the temples at the age of more than 4 thousand years! The most interesting thing is that the last burial belongs to the times of the V dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It was not plundered, which means that it has come down to us in its original form. On the walls of the tomb were numerous multi-colored frescoes depicting the priest with his mother, wife and children. Scientists were able to find out that the priest's name was Wah-Ti.
One of the tombs discovered in Saqqara.
Recently, a whole workshop was found in Sakkara, in which the bodies of high-ranking persons of the era of the pharaohs were embalmed in the era of Ancient Egypt. Here, archaeologists have found many special tools and bowls. In addition, among the strangest finds were mummies of cats and even … scarab beetles! The latter were considered sacred and symbolized the sun god Ra. The discovery of mummies of such beetles is considered a rare discovery. Today, some areas of the necropolis in Sakkara remain intact. And who knows what else to find there?
Bolivia: the oldest constructor
In Bolivia, not far from Lake Titicaca, there is a ritual complex of buildings made of huge boulders of Puma Punku, which in translation from the language of the South American tribe "Quechua" means "Gate of the Puma". It is believed that the authors of the unusual building were the masters of the ancient Tiwanaku civilization, about which practically nothing is known today.
The ruins of Puma Punku were not included in the list of wonders of the world, but many secrets are associated with them. The date of their appearance is not known for certain. Some believe that these structures were created in the VI century, while others - that they appeared in the II millennium BC. The technology of their creation also defies analysis: the only tribe that was in Bolivia at that time - the local Aymara Indians - did not possess such construction techniques. The stone structures of Puma Punku are mostly composed of granite and diorite - they are so durable that they can only be processed with diamond-based tools. But there is another mystery: how could the ancient craftsmen move the incredibly heavy stone monoliths? Each of them weighs about 800 tons! The stone quarry closest to Puma Punku is located at a distance of 10 kilometers. Even now, objects of this weight are quite problematic to carry.
The ruins of Puma Punku were not included in the list of wonders of the world, but many secrets are associated with them.
Now almost the entire complex has turned into ruins, but the remaining samples can be considered the greatest example of ancient architecture - not even a razor blade will pass between some stone blocks. Modern archeology cannot yet find answers to the most important question: who built these granite walls. Only one thing is clear: in the ancient world there was a civilization that perfectly mastered the technique of the most complex stone processing and construction. Can we replicate their success?
China: the buried army
Archaeologists do not always manage to appear at the right time in the right place. Many of the most mysterious finds are discovered by completely random people. So, in early 1974, Chinese peasants near the city of Xi'an began to drill an artesian well. During an ordinary work process, they discovered one of the most magnificent and at the same time frightening finds, which dates back to the 3rd century BC! Near the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, were buried about 8 thousand clay warriors who were created to accompany the emperor in the afterlife.
Some archaeologists claim that the heads and hairstyles of the statues were sculpted individually or even from nature. They all depict real fighters from the army of the emperor or people close to him. Among them are infantrymen, archers, musicians and even officials. The weight of each hollow figure could reach 200 kilograms.
The terracotta army was discovered quite by accident: the peasants were drilling a water well.
More than 700 thousand people worked on the project of the majestic tomb of the emperor! It was assumed that the terracotta army would become only part of a whole underground "civilization". Here, underground, in a tomb, an entire underground China was erected so that the mighty Qin Shi Huang ruled the country even after death. To date, more than 600 figures have been unearthed during excavations, including statues of warriors, horses and chariots.
No one knows how the next great archaeological find of mankind will be accomplished. Many scientists and adventurers have traveled across countries for years, hoping to uncover the secrets of ancient history.
GALINA SEROVA
