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In 2019, in southwestern Bolivia, archaeologists discovered a bag that once belonged to a shaman. Thousands of years ago, it was believed that such people were able to communicate with spirits and heal people from diseases – therefore, they were very respected members of society. Inside the woolen bag, the researchers managed to find the remains of psychotropic substances, with the help of which the shamans “communicated with representatives of the other world.”
This archaeological find at one time made a lot of noise and was hotly discussed on the Internet. Such interesting discoveries are made by scientists regularly and it is sometimes difficult to keep track of everyone. Therefore, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most amazing archaeological finds of recent years – to broaden your horizons, this is what you need!
Mayan Treasures in Mexico
Everyone must have heard about the mysterious Mayan civilization, if only because in 2012 their calendar predicted the end of the world. It was a very technologically advanced people who left behind many huge buildings and mysteries. For example, no one knows exactly where the Mayans disappeared – the cause of their death could be a volcanic eruption, but this version is also questioned. On the territory of Mexico, where the ancient Maya mainly lived, archaeologists make many interesting finds, such as a cave with traces of children’s hands. But one of the newest discoveries surprises the most.
It’s from the Mayan pyramids
In 2019, while exploring the Balmaku cave in the Yucatan Peninsula, archaeologists found a huge treasure trove. It consisted of at least 150 ancient objects that remained untouched for thousands of years. Basically, we are talking about ceramic vessels with images of the gods. It is noteworthy that the locals discovered a cave with the treasures of an ancient civilization in 1966, but the archaeologist who arrived at the site ordered that the entrance be closed there. It was only rediscovered a couple of years ago.
Vessel with the image of a Mayan deity
Many of the ancient artifacts are poorly preserved
Viking ship in Norway
And the Vikings are known to people even more than the Mayan people – bearded men with horned helmets ( they weren’t like that! ) are often depicted in films and cartoons. The traditions of this people were very harsh: they made sacrifices, brutally dealt with their enemies and traitors, and also raided the territories of other peoples. In addition to this, the Vikings were not afraid of death, because they believed that after they died in battle, they would be feasted in the realm of the gods.
They even shot an excellent series of the same name about the Vikings
In the same 2019, in the northeast of Norway, archaeologists discovered a Viking ship about 20 meters long. A huge swimming facility was found with the help of ground penetrating radar, which is able to look into the depths of the earth’s surface without the need for digging. Surprisingly, the ship is only 1.5 meters from the surface. Scientists believe that this is one of the so-called “ships of the dead”, which were buried in the ground along with the bodies of the leaders.
Scientists are in no hurry to rescue the ship from underground, so as not to damage the hull
Teeth of an ancient man in Germany
Treasures of ancient civilizations and vehicles are not such a rare find, compared to the remains of human ancestors. In 2017, scientists were able to find several specimens of human teeth that were estimated to be 9.7 million years old. This was a very high-profile discovery, not only because with the help of teeth you can find out details about the diet of ancient people and other information about their lifestyle. The find was especially remarkable in that the teeth were several million years older than those previously found in Europe or Asia. Most likely, the teeth found belonged to australopithecines – higher primates, which showed signs of upright walking. If so, the discovery allows us to take a fresh look at the settlement of ancient people on Earth.
Australopithecus tooth
Sunken ships in the Black Sea
Amazing archaeological excavations are being made not only on land – the seas and oceans, perhaps, are fraught with more secrets. In 2015, dozens of sunken ships were found in the waters off the Greek islands of Fourni. While such finds usually end up in terrible shape, these flotation aids are remarkably well-preserved. Scientists are inclined to assume that the good preservation was due to the fact that light does not penetrate into the depths of the Black Sea and there is critically little oxygen there. Under such conditions, the tree almost does not decompose.
One of the ships sunk in the Black Sea
During the study of the seabed, about 60 ships were found, and it may well be that there are even more of them. Scientists believe that one of the most interesting ships is a Greek ship about 2.5 thousand years old, which was used to transport goods. Previously, scientists knew about the existence of such swimming facilities only from ancient documents. And now they have the opportunity to study one of them live – the ship’s steering wheel, masts, rowers’ seats and many other elements have been perfectly preserved.
Ancient treasures in Russia
Finally, high-profile archaeological discoveries are sometimes made in Russia. In most cases, scientists manage to find coins and other artifacts made by our distant ancestors. But the discovery of coins that have penetrated from other countries is a rarity.
Byzantine coins found in Russia
In 2019, on the territory of the Taman Peninsula (Krasnodar Territory), Byzantine coins of the 10th century were found. Archaeologists immediately noted that this was an extremely important find – earlier Byzantine coins in Russia were found only twice and both treasures were lost. It is believed that money dates back to the time of the emergence of political ties between Russia and the Byzantine Empire. The coins were inside a ceramic vessel and were perfectly preserved. Most likely, they belonged to a resident of the settlement, which ceased to exist in the 11th century.
