Some Of The Amazing Discoveries That Shaped The Face Of Modern Archaeology & Human History

Archaeology is the scientific study of ancient & past civilizations, in order to better understand them. Let's keep it as simple as that. Let's take a look at some of the interesting  discoveries that shaped the face of modern archeology.

The Khufu Ship

 The Khufu Ship Source: Traveltoeat

The Khufu Ship is a relic discovered by Egyptian archaeologist Kamal El Mallakh in 1954. 

It was hidden, along with other "grave goods" Egyptians collected at the time for use in the afterlife. 

The vessel was reconstructed using cedar wood from Lebanon and is currently displayed in the Giza Solar Boat Museum. 

Khufu's ship is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved vessels from antiquity. It measures 43.6 meters (143 ft) long and 5.9 m (19.5 ft) wide.

The Cairo Manuscript

The Cairo Manuscript Source: Ancient Origins

This long-forgotten manuscript was donated to the Museum of Cairo in 2015. 

The document was shared several times among multiple museums and eventually returned to Egypt's capital city in pieces.

After delicately reconstructing it, archaeologists realized that it was, in fact, a 4000-year-old manuscript that detailed religious spells and contained colorful images of supernatural and holy entities.

The Plague of Cyprian

Plague of Cyprian Source: Rome Across Europe

Between 1997 and 2012, at the funerary complex of Harwa and Akhimenru (modern day Luxor), a team of archaeologists found the remains of several dead bodies. Upon further examination, scholars were able to confirm that the remains dated back to the 3rd century AD. It was the time when a plague ravaged the world. The human remains that archaeologists found at the site were covered with a thick layer of lime, used historically as a disinfectant. The bodies were burned by the ancient Egyptians to prevent the blight from spreading. Additional inspection proved that the victims died so rapidly that they didn't even receive proper burial rites.

Knossos, Crete

Arthur Evans’ excavations in 1900-1905 uncovered a vast Middle Bronze Age (c.1900-1450 BC) palace complex boasting some 1,300 rooms, many decorated with colourful frescoes of dolphins, griffins, and athletes engaged in bull-leaping. The most important discovery, however, was at first glance more mundane: thousands of slabs of baked clay. These tablets bore inscriptions in a never-before seen language, dubbed Linear B. No one could read the ancient writings, and it was another 50 years before Michael Ventris cracked the code, making Linear B the oldest deciphered language in Europe.

Tutankhamun’s tomb, Egypt

Arguably one of the most famous – and spectacular – archaeological discoveries of all time, Howard Carter’s excavation at the Valley of the Kings in 1922 propelled a short-lived and perhaps rather politically unimportant pharaoh into the history books. Tutankhamun may have died while still in his teens but his tomb had been packed with beautiful objects befitting his royal status – and, unusually, had escaped detection by robbers. Howard Carter had discovered a treasure trove of ‘wonderful things’.

Machu Picchu Peru

‘Rediscovered’ by Hiram Bingham in 1911, this monumental ‘lost’ Inca citadel was built in the mid-15th century on a dramatic mountain top. Its stunning natural surroundings and awe-inspiring standing remains make this a truly remarkable site – a vivid reminder of the technological capabilities and power of the Inca Empire at its peak. Its terraced platforms and cave cemeteries allowed a fascinating insight into the lives of the 1000 or so people who had once lived here.

Sutton Hoo, England

A token British find to please our friends over at Current Archaeology. When Basic Brown excavated a group of low grassy mounds in Suffolk he uncovered something amazing: a huge in tact ship burial, containing the richest haul of Anglo Saxon grave goods in archaeological history. Imported Byzantine objects, enigmatic religious symbols, recreational objects and weaponry – including the world-famous helmet – allowed vivid insights into the Anglo-Saxon world.

The Rosetta Stone, Egypt

This is the find that provided the key to our understanding of hieroglyphs, more than 1,000 years after knowledge of how to read the ancient Egyptian symbols had faded from memory. Found by Napoleon’s army during the construction of a fort, this slab has a trilingual inscription written in Greek, Demotic and hieroglyphs. The Greek writing was a way in for French schoolteacher Jean-François Champollion, and in 1822 he published a full translation.

The tomb of the First Emperor, China

Standing to attention in neat rows, some 8,000 soldiers stand guard to protect the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, unifier and first Emperor of China. They are accompanied by 130 chariots pulled by over 500 horses, as well as 150 cavalry horses and civilian officials, acrobats and musicians. Discovered by farmers in 1974, the pits in which they are arranged are a World Heritage Site. They are a fantastic symbol of the power and creativity of the rulers of ancient China, even in its earliest days.

Akrotiri, Greece

Although not as well-known as the Roman ruins at Pompeii, this remarkably well-preserved Bronze Age city on the Greek island of Santorini gives an equally vivid insight into the lives of its inhabitants. Recently re-opened to the public, Akrotiri was once a prosperous trading centre, abandoned after a volcanic eruption buried the site in ash. Its houses – many preserved up to two or three stories high, along with furniture and pottery – lay undisturbed for 3,500 years until the site was excavated by Spyridon Marianatos in 1967.

The Temples of Abu Simbel

Temples of Abu Simbel Source: Memphis Tours

The construction of the temple began around 1279-13 BC, in an attempt to strengthen the status of Egyptian religion in Nubia.

Over the years, the temple, known as "Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun" was neglected and completely covered in sand.

It wasn't until 1813 that Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, a Swiss scholar, rediscovered the temple and dug out an entrance with the help of his Italian friend and explorer Giovanni Belzoni.

Every year, numerous Egyptians gather before sunrise to observe the stream of light gradually sneaking through the stone and illuminating the statuettes of Ramses, Ra, and Amun in the central chamber. Thispopular event is known as "The Sun Festival". 

Through these series of discoveries, archaeology has helped in not only informing us on past or extinct cultures but also remodelled our understanding of them. Countless archaeological excavations have giving societies concrete ideas of their heritage & the numerous civilizations before them.