In childhood, probably, every person dreamed of finding a treasure. And some carried this dream further and became archaeologists. It is thanks to them that our planet reveals more and more secrets of the past every year.
We invite you to look at a selection of photographs from the National Geographic archives, which capture the most interesting moments of the archaeological search.
1. Archaeologists study the stone head of the Olmecs, 1947
The Olmecs are an Aztec tribe that lived from about 1500 BC. e. up to 400 BC e. They were the ones who made heads from huge stone slabs weighing from 6 to 50 tons. Scientists still cannot explain how the Olmecs managed to build this.
2. Ruins of ancient settlements in Scotland
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All this has existed since about the XXV century. BC e. to the 17th century A. D. e. Remains of houses, various artifacts and works of art have survived to this day.
3. A diver descends into a funnel in Mexico
Cenotes are natural gaps in the vaults of limestone caves, in which underground waters flow. They were once used by the ancient Maya Indians as water sources and places for sacrifices. The study of cenotes has allowed archaeologists to discover new clues to the Mayan civilization.
4. A man from the former kingdom of Mustang in Northern Nepal carries human remains found in a burial crypt
In one of the artificial mountain caves in Nepal lie the remains of 27 men, women and children. Many bones have traces of cuts, which indicate a funeral rite unknown to scientists. The skeletons have lain in an unusual crypt for about 1,500 years.
5. Aerial view of Leptis Magna in Western Libya
One of the largest and best preserved Roman cities, built during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius. Quite impressive ruins have survived to this day, among which archaeologists still periodically make new finds.
6. Palenque Palace
The main feature of the ancient city of Palenque in the northeast of the Mexican state of Chiapas is a palace with a 4-story tower, which is not found in any other Mayan city. Scientists believe that from the height of the Mayan tower, they watched as the rays of the sun fell directly on the Temple of the Inscriptions on the day of the winter solstice.
7. Walking cane found at the tomb of King Tut
The cane is decorated with carvings in the shape of a Nubian prisoner. According to one of the versions, the pharaoh put the cane on the ground with the decoration downward as a sign of additional humiliation of the Nubians.
8. Louis Leakey and his family search for an early hominid in Olduvai Gorge
Palaeoanthropologist Louis Leakey fully supported the theory of evolution and found a lot of evidence that supports it. It was in the Olduvai Gorge, after 30 years of excavations, that he finally managed to find the skull of one of the predecessors of modern man.
9. Thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers and horses stand guard over the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang
According to the emperor's plan, the statues were supposed to accompany him in the afterlife. Some experts regard the terracotta army as a very progressive step, since before that it was customary in such cases to bury living soldiers directly.
10. Megaliths of Stennes
As with Stonehenge, many legends are associated with these Scottish stones. The most popular assumption is that this place was used for sacrifices. But this version also leaves many questions.
11. Ice mummy Ötzi, discovered in 1991 in the Ötztal Alps in Tyrol
According to research, Ötzi was born around 3300 BC. BC, making it the oldest mummy in Europe. After a comparative DNA analysis, it turned out that among 4 thousand Tyrolean men, 19 are relatives of the “ice man”.