Welcome to an exciting journey through some of the most intriguing archaeological discoveries from around the world. Let’s dive into these amazing finds that reveal secrets of our past!
In 2015, archaeologists in East Timor, Southeast Asia, discovered fossils of enormous rats that lived around 44,000 years ago. These rats were as big as small dogs, with the largest weighing about 11 pounds. Thankfully, these giant rodents are long gone!
One of the most famous archaeological finds is the Rosetta Stone, discovered by French soldiers in 1799. This stone dates back to the second century BCE and features the same text in three languages: Greek, Egyptian demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. It was crucial in helping scholars understand hieroglyphics.
In early 2016, archaeologists in the UK uncovered a well-preserved wheel from the Bronze Age. What made this discovery special was that the wheel was still attached to its hub, likely from a cart, providing insights into ancient transportation.
In 1993, mummies from the Pazyrik culture were found in southern Siberia. Among them was the Siberian Ice Maiden from the 5th century BCE, whose body was well-preserved due to ancient embalming methods. Her left shoulder was adorned with tattoos of animals and flowers.
In 2012, the bones of English King Richard III were discovered under a former parking lot. He died in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Scientists identified him using DNA from his relatives and learned about his diet, which included peacock.
The moa was a giant, flightless bird from New Zealand that is now extinct. In the 1980s, archaeologists found a mummified moa claw in a dark cave, looking as if it had just died. These birds could grow up to 12 feet tall!
In the 1960s, an archaeological site in western Iran revealed much about ancient Mesopotamians. A building with a fireplace, bowls, and windows suggested it was a fourth-century BCE structure, possibly used by soldiers.
Over the past decade, archaeologists have been exploring a site in southern France believed to be a Roman tavern from about 2,100 years ago. It might also have been a bakery or a private dining facility.
In 2014, archaeologists found what they believe to be the oldest known Roman temple, dating back to the seventh century BCE. They had to tunnel underground, below the waterline of the nearby Tiber River, to reach the site.
The Romans created mysterious dodecahedra between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. About a hundred have been found, but their purpose remains unknown. They might have been used as candleholders, dice, or pipe pieces.
In 2007, scientists scanned two mummies to identify the famous female Pharaoh Hatshepsut. One body was missing a molar found in a jar with the Pharaoh’s organs, confirming her identity.
One of the great mysteries of early U.S. history is the 16th-century colony on Roanoke Island, which vanished, leaving only a message carved into a tree reading “Croatan.” Archaeologists continue to search for clues.
In the early 2000s, archaeologists found a palace under a parking lot in Jerusalem, which turned out to be the residence of Queen Helena of Adiabene, who ruled during the first century CE.
In 2012, a badger in Germany unearthed a human pelvic bone, leading to the discovery of a 12th-century gravesite.
In the 1970s, an archaeologist purchased a clay seal belonging to Baruch Ben Neriah, the Prophet Jeremiah’s scribe. The seal also contained a fingerprint, offering a personal connection to the past.
In 1957, a coin resembling an 11th-century Norwegian silver penny was found in Maine, possibly indicating Viking presence in North America.
Around the 1950s, 33,000 clay figurines were discovered in Mexico, many depicting people alongside dinosaurs. Archaeologists later confirmed these were fakes.
In Denmark, the Tollund Man was found in a bog, initially thought to be a contemporary murder victim but actually dating back to the fourth century BCE. His body was so well-preserved that experts learned he ate porridge shortly before he died.
In 2015, the world’s oldest cheese was discovered in the tombs of China’s Taklamakan Desert, dating back to around 1615 BCE.
In East England, the archaeological site known as Sutton Hoo was first excavated in 1939, revealing a 90-foot long 7th-century ship burial.
Around 1900, divers in Greece found ancient artifacts, including the famous Antikythera mechanism, sometimes called the world’s oldest computer. Its exact use is unknown, but it may have served as a mechanical calendar.
Unearthed in 1938, the Baghdad battery is one of the earliest examples of a functioning battery, though its purpose remains a mystery.
Underwater, the Japanese Atlantis was discovered by a diver in 1986. Marine geologists have studied the structure, which includes a pyramid, but experts are still debating its origins.
Archaeologists have an interesting way of tracking the trail that Lewis and Clark took about 200 years ago in the United States. The men on the expedition had a low-fiber diet, so they often took laxatives containing mercury chloride, which didn’t get digested, allowing researchers to trace their path based on mercury content in the soil.
In Nevada, there are petroglyphs, rock art dating back 10,000 to 15,000 years, with complicated designs whose meanings remain unknown.
In 2012, a couple in Devon, England, discovered a medieval well under their living room. The well, dating back to the 16th century, was 33 feet deep.
Finally, let’s talk about the Terracotta Army, discovered by Chinese farmers digging a well in 1974. These thousands of statues were built during the Qin Dynasty around 221 to 207 BCE and include about 8,000 life-size soldiers, horses, and chariots, likely intended for the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi.
These discoveries offer a fascinating glimpse into the past and help us understand the lives of ancient civilizations. Who knows what other secrets are waiting to be uncovered beneath the earth?
Imagine you’re an archaeologist on a dig site. Use materials like sand, small rocks, and clay to create a mini excavation site in a shoebox. Bury small objects or replicas of artifacts and invite your classmates to uncover them using brushes and small tools. Discuss what each artifact might tell us about the past.
Choose one of the archaeological discoveries from the article and design a museum exhibit around it. Create a poster or digital presentation that includes images, descriptions, and the historical significance of the find. Present your exhibit to the class, explaining why this discovery is important.
Work in groups to create a timeline of the archaeological discoveries mentioned in the article. Use a long strip of paper or a digital tool to place each discovery in chronological order. Add images and brief descriptions. Share your timeline with the class and discuss any patterns or surprises you notice.
In pairs or small groups, choose a discovery from the article and create a short skit or role-play about its discovery. Include characters like archaeologists, local people, or historical figures. Perform your skit for the class, highlighting the discovery process and its impact on our understanding of history.
Pick one of the ancient cultures or figures mentioned in the article and write a fictional diary entry from their perspective. Describe a day in their life, incorporating details from the archaeological findings. Share your diary entry with the class and discuss how these discoveries help us imagine the past.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m John Green. Welcome to my salon. This is a Mental Floss video. In 2015, archaeologists found fossils of rats the size of small dogs from 44,000 years ago. The largest rat was about 11 pounds, making it significantly larger than the ones we’re used to. These rats were unearthed in East Timor in Southeast Asia, and we hope to never see their likes again.
Today, I’m going to share many interesting archaeological discoveries. We won’t focus much on dinosaurs, so if that’s your interest, check out our episode dedicated to them. Today, it’s all about giant rats, giant birds, and missing Pharaoh teeth.
Let’s start with the Rosetta Stone, possibly the most famous archaeological find. Discovered by French soldiers in 1799, it dates back to the second century BCE. The importance of the Rosetta Stone lies in its writing in three different languages: Greek, Egyptian demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. Because all three passages say the same thing, it helped scholars learn about hieroglyphics.
In early 2016, archaeologists in the UK found a well-preserved wheel from the Bronze Age. While older wheels have been found, this one was unique because it was still attached to its hub and likely came from a cart. In 1993, mummies from the Pazyrik culture were unearthed in southern Siberia, and they were extremely well-preserved due to embalming methods. One famous find was the Siberian Ice Maiden from the 5th century BCE, whose left shoulder is covered in tattoos of animals and flowers.
In 2012, the bones of English King Richard III were found underneath a former parking lot. He died at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, and scientists identified him through DNA from his relatives. They also examined his bones to learn about his diet, which included peacock.
In 2007, archaeologists thought they had discovered the tomb of King Herod the Great a few miles south of Jerusalem. There was a tomb with three separate coffins inside, but it was likely too small for a first-century BCE king, so it probably wasn’t Herod.
The moa was a flightless bird from New Zealand that is now extinct. In the 1980s, archaeologists found a giant moa claw, which looked like it had just died because it was mummified in a dark cave. These birds could be up to 12 feet tall.
There’s an archaeological site in western Iran discovered in the 1960s, where researchers learned a lot about the ancient Mesopotamians. One building had a fireplace, bowls, and windows, leading archaeologists to believe it was a fourth-century BCE structure. Others argued that this was how soldiers received weapons.
Throughout the past decade, archaeologists have been uncovering a possible tavern from the Roman Empire in southern France, believed to be about 2,100 years old. It could also be a bakery or a private dining facility.
In 2014, archaeologists found what they believe to be the oldest known Roman temple, dating back to the seventh century BCE. To reach the site, they had to tunnel underground, below the waterline of the nearby Tiber River.
The Romans also had mysterious dodecahedra from the 2nd to 3rd centuries CE. We don’t exactly know what they were, but about a hundred of them have been discovered. Experts think they might have been candleholders, dice, or pipe pieces.
In 2007, scientists scanned two mummies to determine which was the famous female Pharaoh Hatshepsut. One body was missing a molar found in a jar containing the Pharaoh’s organs, confirming the identity of Hatshepsut.
One of the great mysteries of early U.S. history is the 16th-century colony on Roanoke Island, which completely disappeared, leaving only a message carved into a tree reading “Croatan.” Archaeologists continue to search for clues.
In the early 2000s, archaeologists found an entire palace under a parking lot in Jerusalem, which turned out to be the living quarters of Queen Helena of Adiabene, who ruled during the first century CE.
In 2012, a badger in Germany unearthed a human pelvic bone, leading to the discovery of a 12th-century gravesite.
In the 1970s, an archaeologist purchased a clay seal belonging to Baruch Ben Neriah, the Prophet Jeremiah’s scribe, which also contained a fingerprint. In 1957, a coin resembling an 11th-century Norwegian silver penny was found in Maine, possibly indicating Viking presence in North America.
Around the 1950s, 33,000 clay figurines of mysterious origins were discovered in Mexico, many depicting people alongside dinosaurs. Archaeologists later confirmed these were fakes.
In Denmark, the Tollund Man was discovered in a bog, initially thought to be a contemporary murder victim but actually dating back to the fourth century BCE. His body was so well-preserved that experts learned he ate porridge shortly before he died.
In 2015, the world’s oldest cheese was discovered in the tombs of China’s Taklamakan Desert, dating back to around 1615 BCE.
In East England, the archaeological site known as Sutton Hoo was first excavated in 1939, revealing a 90-foot long 7th-century ship burial.
Around 1900, divers in Greece found ancient artifacts, including the famous Antikythera mechanism, sometimes called the world’s oldest computer. We don’t know exactly what it was used for, but it may have served as a mechanical calendar.
Similarly, the Baghdad battery, unearthed in 1938, is one of the earliest examples of a functioning battery, though we can’t say what it powered.
Underwater, the Japanese Atlantis was discovered by a diver in 1986. Marine geologists have studied the structure, which includes a pyramid, but experts are still debating its origins.
Archaeologists have an interesting way of tracking the trail that Lewis and Clark took about 200 years ago in the United States. The men on the expedition had a low-fiber diet, so they often took laxatives containing mercury chloride, which didn’t get digested, allowing researchers to trace their path based on mercury content in the soil.
In Nevada, there are petroglyphs, rock art dating back 10,000 to 15,000 years, with complicated designs whose meanings remain unknown.
In 2012, a couple in Devon, England, discovered a medieval well under their living room. The well, dating back to the 16th century, was 33 feet deep.
Finally, I want to tell you about the Terracotta Army, discovered by Chinese farmers digging a well in 1974. These thousands of statues were built during the Qin Dynasty around 221 to 207 BCE and include about 8,000 life-size soldiers, horses, and chariots, likely intended for the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss, made with the help of many nice people. Let me know if you’ve ever seen any of these places or artifacts in person. I have seen parts of the Terracotta Army, and it is truly impressive. Thanks again for watching, and as we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a more neutral tone.
Archaeology – The scientific study of material remains of past human life and activities. – Archaeology helps us understand how ancient civilizations lived by examining artifacts and ruins.
Discovery – The act of finding or learning something for the first time. – The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb provided valuable insights into ancient Egyptian culture.
Ancient – Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence. – The ancient ruins of the Roman Colosseum attract millions of tourists each year.
Civilization – A complex society characterized by urban development, social stratification, and symbolic communication forms. – The Indus Valley Civilization is known for its advanced urban planning and architecture.
Excavation – The process of digging up the remains of the past. – The excavation of the site revealed pottery and tools from a long-lost culture.
Fossils – The preserved remains or impressions of organisms from the remote past. – Fossils of dinosaurs have been found in various parts of the world, providing clues about their existence millions of years ago.
Mummies – Preserved bodies of humans or animals wrapped in cloth, often associated with ancient Egypt. – The mummies found in the pyramids have been studied to learn more about ancient Egyptian burial practices.
Artifacts – Objects made by humans, typically of cultural or historical interest. – The museum displayed artifacts from the Bronze Age, including tools and jewelry.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – History teaches us about the successes and failures of past societies and helps us understand the present.
Transportation – The means of moving people or goods from one place to another. – The invention of the wheel was a significant advancement in ancient transportation methods.
