8 Incredible Archaeological Discoveries!

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• published: 22 Feb 2015
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Incredible archaeological discoveries! These are some of the most intense ancient archaeological discoveries ever in human history. Today we look at 8 incredible archaeological discoveries. See what unexpected things scientists have found underground. In a dry prehistoric lake bed located near the shore of Lake Vättern in Motala, Sweden lies the Tomb of Sunken Skulls. Discovered in 2009 while excavating in preparation for a new railway to be built, a collection of skulls from 11 individuals were found. Two of these were mounted on stakes. The skulls are 8000 years old. Scientists speculate that the skulls may have been displayed in a kind of burial ritual or alternatively may have been the skulls of enemies that had been killed. Amazingly archaeologists were able to tell that fish was a big part of their diet by analyzing their bone composition. Just think in another 8000 years somebody will be saying wow they ate a lot of big macs. The Grauballe Man, so named because he was found near the village of Grauballe in Denmark, is what’s called a bog body. Bog bodies are human bodies that have been preserved in a peat bog and Peat is dead plant material. Discovered in 1952 the Grauballe Man is one of the most well preserved bog bodies ever with his skin and even his hair and fingernails still intact. Through Radiocarbon dating we know he is over 2000 years old and lived around 300 B.C. Researches believe he may have been the victim of a human sacrifice as his throat looks like it was slit This is the Terracotta Army The army was discovered in 1974 east of the city Xian (shee-ann) China and consists of more than 8000 life-sized Terracotta soldiers. In case you’re wondering what Terracotta is, it’s clay-based and is used for stuff like those brownish orange plant pots. The soldiers were created to protect the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (Chin shee whuang), in the afterlife. In the 1920s two human skull cups were found and then another in 1987 in Gough’s Cave in Cheddar UK which interestingly is the village that Cheddar cheese is named after, which may permanently change your view of cheddar bowls. The skulls are 14,700 years old. Researchers believe they are skull cups based on what they describe as careful percussional banging with stones all around the edges of the skull. The practice of creating Skull cups is a worldwide phenomenon with accounts of skulls cups used in China, Japan, India, and by Vikings. Is this a new backscratcher from Bed Bath & Beyond finally living up to the last part of their name? In 1986 a team exploring caves at Mount Owen, New Zealand found a mysterious claw while excavating. The claw belonged to a 3000 year old Upland Moa which was a flightless bird. There were 9 known species of Moa birds and unfortunately all Moa’s are now extinct. The upland moa was the last of the Moa to become extinct in the 1500’s from hunting by humans. When humans first came in contact with the moa’s around 1250 the moa population was 58,000, it only took humans 250 years to wipe out a species. Humans can be such dicks sometimes. Is this an alien skull? Perhaps, but scientists believe this skull found in Mexico is a human skull that is the result of a process called artificial cranial deformation. It’s usually done when a child is an infant and the skull is softest and they bind the skull with either wood or cloth for about 6 months. Why they do this, no one really knows, but it is thought that it was a means of signifying status. Even more surprising is the fact that the practice still continues to this day in some places such as Vanuatu which is an island near fiji. However some researchers believed that the elongated skulls actually belong to a race of humans which no longer exists. This is a Chachapoya Mummy. The Chachapoyas were known as the Warriors of the Clouds and lived in what is now Peru. It looks like this person died a truly horrifying death as if screaming and covering their face. However the hands are actually tied to the face and archaeologist suspect that the putting the hands in this configuration was just the easiest way to make the mummy compact and easy to transport. The open mouth is a common phenomenon where unless the jaw is restrained the mouth will slowly open as the body decomposes. Researchers believe that the Chachapoya did not just leave their dead but instead cared for them and possibly re-wrapped them and put them on display. Meet La Doncella (don-saya), which translates to “The Maiden”, who is one of the Children of Llullaillaco (you-ya-yaco). The Children of Llullaillaco are three of the best preserved Inca mummies ever found. They were found by Dr Johan Rienhard and his team in 1999 at the peak of Mount Llullaillaco which is 22,100 feet (6,700 meters) high and located on the border of Chile and Argentina.