2017 has become a significant year for archeology. We have made new discoveries and rethought those that were made many years ago. However, we still have a lot to learn (and always will), but this year has helped us better understand the world that existed hundreds and thousands of years ago.

In this fascinating article, we will find long-lost temples, solve a military mystery, explore the mystical Easter Island, excavate the site of ancient settlements, discover a huge statue and documented evidence that relates to the first solar eclipse in human history.

1. A huge colossus found under the slums of Cairo

Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khalid El-Enani said 2017 was "a year of archaeological discovery," especially after the period of stagnation that followed the Arab Spring in 2011. In 2017, archaeologists discovered a Roman-era tomb near the city of Minya, three other burials near Samalut, and a tomb belonging to a jeweler named Amenemhat near the Valley of the Kings (the latter contained hundreds of artifacts). However, the most surprising discovery was a giant statue found in March near Mataria, a suburban area of ​​Cairo.

First, archaeologists discovered the three-ton torso of the statue, and a little later, the head. Further excavations revealed a pedestal and two fingers. Officials are sure that the rest of the statue is in the same place. Judging by the size of the torso, the statue was about nine meters high.

What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is the fact that initially experts thought it was a statue depicting Ramesses II the Great, since it was found near the ruins of his temple. However, during the subsequent examination, the engraved inscription "Heaven AA" was found on the statue, which was used only by Pharaoh Psammetichus I of the 26th dynasty. This makes the find the largest late period statue ever discovered in Egypt.

2 Solving the H. L. Hunley Submarine Mystery

On February 17, 1864, H. L. Hunley, a Confederate States of America submarine, became the first combat submarine to sink a battleship (it was the sloop-of-war USS Housatonic). This success was very costly: on the same day, the submarine H. L. Hunley disappeared without a trace, along with the crew. Nothing was known about her fate for 130 years. The place of death of H. L. Hunley was discovered only in 1995, and the submarine itself was raised to the surface only five years later. The skeletons of all eight crew members were found inside. The question arose - what could kill them?

One popular theory is that the sloop-of-war USS Housatonic managed to punch holes in the hull of H. L. Hunley before sinking, or that the submarine collided with another ship while heading home. However, in early 2017, the researchers announced that they had found the answer to the question after conducting large-scale experiments - the crew of H. L. Hunley was killed by the explosion of his own torpedo.

Submarine was armed only with a pole mine - a weapon that was not designed to detach, so it, in fact, just rammed the USS Housatonic. The explosion caused a pressure wave that swept through H. L. Hunley and was strong enough to kill or incapacitate the submarine's crew. Those soldiers who did not die instantly could experience ruptured lungs and lose consciousness. As a result, the submarine, having lost control, went to the bottom.

3. Lack of Ecocide on Easter Island

In 2017, a genetic study was conducted to debunk the myth of "ecocide" on Easter Island. According to this theory, the people of Rapa Nui provoked their death by wars and the destruction of forests. Easter Island is small in size, but it is well known for its stone monolithic Moai statues. The more scientists explored this tiny piece of land, which today is almost completely devoid of resources, the more they believed that it was the activities of local residents that caused the ecocide on Easter Island.

This idea stemmed from two statements. First, the population of the island numbered in the tens of thousands before the arrival of Europeans in the early 18th century; after this event, it was sharply reduced to just a couple of thousand. Secondly, the Rapa Nui people carelessly destroyed the forest, which led to a reduction in crop yields and a shortage of timber. This eventually resulted in a war that led to the extinction of the population.

Archaeologist Carl Lipo was one of the first to oppose the theory of mass warfare between island tribes. He says that the only evidence of hostilities on Easter Island is oral history, which this moment there are almost 300 years, so it can hardly be considered reliable. In addition, studies have shown that in reality, only 2.5% of the human remains found on the island showed any signs of trauma. As for the forest, it is most likely that the cause of its destruction was partly Polynesian rats, which ate palm nuts and seedlings.

What's more, a new genetic study casts doubt on the generally accepted theory that South Americans made contact with the people of Rapa Nui long before Europeans arrived. According to scientists, it was slave raids, imported diseases and forced migration in the 18th century that became the reasons that led to a sharp decrease in the population of Easter Island.

4 Lost Temple Of Artemis

After 100 years of searching, archaeologists have finally announced that they have found the ruins of a lost ancient temple dedicated to Artemis. Its ruins are located on the Greek island of Euboea, not far from the coastal city of Eretria. (It should be noted that this is not the same Temple of Artemis, which was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and is now located in the territory of modern Turkey.)

Archaeologists began searching for this temple in late XIX century. They were working in the wrong direction, which is why it took them so long to find him. Their main source of information was the writings of Strabo, a Greek geographer and historian who lived in the 1st century. He wrote that the temple was located in seven stages from ancient city Eretria. Eventually, the temple was found 60 stadia (nearly 11 kilometers) from that spot.

The search party is on the right track after discovering Byzantine church, which was much further than Strabo claimed in his notes; it was built from stones, which, as it turned out, had once been an ancient Greek building. Having lost faith in the authenticity of the historian's records, archaeologists decided to move closer to Amarynthos, a city that was closely associated with the goddess Artemis. They first discovered galleries in the northern and eastern parts of the excavation site. Later they managed to find a sanctuary and inscriptions with the name of Artemis.

5. Antikythera ship

The Antikythera ship, which dates back to the Roman era, was found in 1900 near the Greek island of Antikythera. He became famous for a complex device that was dubbed the "Antikythera Mechanism"; it is considered the world's first analog computer.

The Antikythera ship turned out to be a real treasure trove of artifacts, and after a recent dive it became clear that it is fraught with many more amazing things. Divers managed to find a number of relics, but the hand of a bronze statue attracted the most attention of archaeologists. And that's why. Firstly, bronze statues are the rarest artifacts of antiquity. We know from historical records that they were incredibly popular, however, due to the cost of bronze, most of them were melted down and recycled. Secondly, the hand fragment does not match any of the torsos of the statues we were able to find. This has led archaeologists to believe that the rest of the statue may be somewhere close to where it remained untouched until this year's excavations.

An expert on ancient Greek statues, Professor Carol Mattus, considers the Antikythera ship a time capsule that will provide us with invaluable information about ancient statues and their transportation.

6An Ancient Settlement Discovered In Canada

The early history of settlement in North America is full of gaps, and new discoveries are constantly changing our understanding of that period. This year, archaeologists discovered one of the first North American settlements on Tricket Island off the coast of British Columbia. This new find supports the idea that the British Columbia coastline experienced a major human migration at some point in history. Moreover, this is also a reason to trust the oral histories of the first peoples, since it was thanks to the traditions of the indigenous people of the Heiltsuk that this discovery was made. According to the Heiltsuk, Triket Island was a small piece of land that did not freeze during the last ice age, so their ancestors decided to move there. During excavations, archaeologists discovered a layer of soil that contained a prehistoric hearth. They recovered small flakes of coal that were about 14,000 years old.

7. The first female warrior among the Vikings

In the 1880s, archaeologists discovered a large Viking burial dating back to the 10th century at the settlement of Birka on the island of Björk. It consisted of 1100 graves, among which the one that stood out on an elevated terrace next to the garrison stood out. It contained "the complete equipment of a professional warrior" - a sword, an axe, a spear, a battle blade, arrows, shields and the remains of horses. Moreover, archaeologists have also found board game"Hnefatafl" on the lap of a skeleton. According to Dr. Charlotte Hedenstjerna-Jonsson, the buried man was a strategist who made military decisions.

The grave clearly belonged to a high-ranking warrior. Everyone has always believed that he was a man, but over the past decades, some scientists have begun to doubt this, claiming that the skeleton belonged to a woman. Earlier this year, a new study was carried out, which showed that the discovered remains of a warrior really belonged to a woman.

Scientists at Stockholm University used DNA samples taken from the hand and teeth of the skeleton to show that whoever it belonged to was missing the Y chromosome. This discovery is likely to change our understanding of the gender norms of that era. Researchers believe that in the tombs discovered in Denmark, they found several more skeletons belonging to female warriors. They hope to test their DNA in the near future.

8. The Lost City of Alexander the Great

Drones have proven to be an invaluable tool for archaeologists due to their lightness and speed; they are able to take high-quality aerial photographs of hard-to-reach places. In a short period of time, drones have helped uncover many ruins, sunken ships, and other historical relics. One more item can be added to this list - the lost city founded by Alexander the Great. The city in question is called Kalatga Darband; it is located in present-day Iraq. It was founded around the end of the 4th century BC and flourished thanks to the wine trade. Despite this, after a few centuries the city disappeared from historical records and was considered lost for almost 2000 years. The first photographs of Kalatgi Darband were taken by the CIA in the 1960s using reconnaissance satellites. The images were declassified in 1996 and only recently fell into the hands of scientists, who realized that they depicted the outlines of ancient ruins. Iraqi and British archaeologists joined forces to take modern drone photographs of the area and discovered the lost city. At the site of its excavations, Greco-Roman statues and Greek coins have already been found. Progress is slow as British researchers dedicate part of their efforts to teaching their Iraqi counterparts how to operate and protect historic sites in conflict-affected areas.

9. Scientists set the date for the first solar eclipse in human history

According to scientists from the University of Cambridge, the first recorded solar eclipse in the history of mankind occurred on October 30, 1207 BC. They established this date by comparing ancient Egyptian and biblical texts and developed a new code for calculating eclipse dates, taking into account factors such as the planet's rotation. The biblical texts in question are taken from the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament. When Joshua led the people of Israel to Canaan, "The sun stopped and the moon stopped." The Cambridge scientists were not the first historians to think that this part could refer to a real astronomical event. However, they were the first to think that this was probably not a total, but an annular eclipse, in which the Moon forms a "ring of fire" because it is too far from the Sun and therefore cannot completely cover its disk.

There is independent archaeological evidence supporting the presence of Israelites in Canaan between 1500 and 1050 BC, in the form of the Merneptah Stele. This ancient Egyptian text, which was found in a museum in Cairo, states that Pharaoh Merneptah defeated the people of Israel in Canaan during the fifth year of his reign. Referring to these time frames, Cambridge researchers claim that the only solar eclipse that could be observed in Canaan occurred on the afternoon of October 30, 1207 BC. Moreover, scientists can now use this date as a fixed point in history to date other events, such as the reign of Merneptah or, more importantly, his father Ramesses II the Great.

10 Subway Workers Discovered A Roman Aqueduct

In 2017, archaeologists unveiled many fascinating artifacts that helped uncover intriguing information about humanity's past. From mysterious stone structures in Saudi Arabia to the grave of a woman buried with her husband's heart. Live Science recalls the 10 most impressive archaeological finds of the year.

This fall, about 400 rectangular stone structures became known, which were called "gates" and resembled the fences of sports fields. The structures are found in inhospitable landscapes - lava fields, sparse vegetation and water sources. However, thousands of years ago this area was more suitable for human life.

In February, the discovery of a cave was reported, unknown scrolls Dead Sea. During the excavations, vessels for storing scrolls, leather goods, and fabric were found. Found clay vessels and fragments of bundles were hidden in niches, near the far wall of the cave, 4-6 m from the entrance.

A 3800-year-old pyramid of Pharaoh Amen Kemau was found in Egypt. It is curious that this is the second pyramid of the ancient Egyptian king. The first, opened in 1957, is located just 600 meters from the new one. The body of the pharaoh's daughter was found in the tomb. Ameny Kemau was the fifth pharaoh of the dynasty and ruled for only two years over most of Egypt, with the possible exception of the Eastern Nile Delta, from 1793 to 1791 BC. e.

The oldest remains of Homo sapiens were discovered in Morocco. The opening was in the summer of 2017. The researchers noted that the bodies of three adults, one teenager and one child are 300,000 years old. This find suggests that Homo sapiens arose at least 100,000 years earlier than previously thought.

Louise de Cuengo, who died in 1656 at the age of 65, found five human hearts, including her husband's. Toussaint de Perrienne died seven years before her. The man's heart was removed from the body and placed in a protective case, and then in the coffin of his wife. She was buried in a monastery in Rennes (France). The husband rested 201 km from his wife. His grave has not yet been found, but judging by the state of Louise's body, her heart is in her husband's coffin.

In the Greek Pylos, a 3,500-year-old man was found with a warrior engraved on it, victoriously towering over a slain enemy. The details of the drawing are so intricate that they require a microscope to study them. The artifact was discovered back in 2015, but only studied in 2017.

Clay tablet found in Turkey turns out to be 4,000 years old. The contract, drawn in Assyrian script, provided instructions for the head of the family in the event of his wife's infertility. The husband was required to use a female slave as a surrogate mother.

Archaeologists have found 8,000-year-old traces of ancient people in Georgia. In particular, vessels for wine with residues of tartaric acid were found. It is: previous archaeological surveys have shown that wine production began 7,000 years ago. Now it is known that this drink appeared shortly after the "invention" of ceramics.

Scientists learned the basics of Neanderthal medicine from the DNA of tartar from the skulls, of course, of Neanderthals. It turned out that they use antibiotics (using a special mold) and aspirin (also of plant origin).

3700 years old was found on a clay tablet measuring 12.7 cm by 8.8 cm (roughly like a passport). It was found in the early 1900s in southern Iraq. The tablet has four columns and 15 lines of numbers written in cuneiform, but its left edge is broken off. The fourth column contains the line numbers, the second and third contain two of the three numbers of the Pythagorean triple. The first column contains the values ​​corresponding to the inverse square of the sine of the angle at the base of the triangle, which correspond to the given Pythagorean triple. The records use the sexagesimal number system, which Babylon inherited from the Sumerians. The discovery "opens up new opportunities not only for modern research in mathematics, but also for modern education', scientists say.

Research is carried out:

• State Hermitage;
• Université de Paris 1-CNRS;
• University of Lodz (Poland).

Location:

Smolensk region, Velizh district.
We live in a tent camp in a picturesque pine forest, not far from the river. Western Dvina.

Dates:

Object of study:

Pile settlement of the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Serteya II in the north of the Smolensk region. More information about the excavations at http://neenawa.com/expeditions.

Volunteers are needed for:

• excavations of the peat bog,
• underwater research (if available) *CMAS/PADI),

• [email protected].
• [email protected].

Archaeological Seminar and Field School:
Studies of Neolithic pile settlements in the northwestern region of Russia - structure, chronology and economics.

The school is organized and run by the following organizations:

• State Hermitage (Russia);
• MAE Trajectories. De la sédentarisation à l'État. UMR 8215. University Paris 1-CNRS (France);
• Lodz University (Poland);
• St. Petersburg State University, Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics (Russia).

Responsible for the organization:

Andrei Mazurkevich, Yolen Megro, Peter Kittel and Ekaterina Dolbunova.

Location:

Russia, Smolensk region, Velizh district.

Dates:

The field school will be held in the archaeological areas of the Serteya River and the Sennitsa and Usvyatskoye lakes. Participants will be able to get acquainted with the paleogeography and archeology of the area. During the study at the archaeological field school, excavations will be carried out in a peat bog and the underwater part of the Serteia II settlement (3rd millennium BC). During the previous years of underwater excavations, the remains of pile dwellings were discovered. Interesting materials were found that help to better describe the life of the ancient inhabitants of this settlement. More detailed information can be found.

Research objectives:

• continuation of excavations;
• chronological location determination various parts areas;
• finding new information about the activities and the material world of various dwellings;
• collection of new data on the features of the structure of pile structures and;
• study of resources on the formation of traditions in the construction of piled buildings in this region (the Western Dvina river basin).

Program activities:

• Topographical work - together with the St. Petersburg state university, Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics.
• Practice in geological research and paleogeographic work - in cooperation with the University of Lodz, P. Kittel.
• Organization of excavation sites.
• Continued excavation of the cultural layer in the peat bog.
• Underwater excavations (for diving license holders).
• Use of archaeological materials.
• Protection of the archaeological heritage and restoration of archaeological finds.
• Primary processing of materials (study of artifacts, spatial analysis, etc.).

Lectures and excursions:

• Paleogeography and geology of the Lovat-Dvina river basin and the Sertey microregion (excavations with P. Kittel);
• Archeology of the Neolithic of the North-West of Russia;
• Early pottery of hunter-gatherer communes in Eastern Europe;
• Archeology in the State Hermitage;
• Conservation of organic artifacts, ceramics;
• Excursions around the area of ​​the Serteysky microregion, Sennitsa and Usvyaty.

Lectures within the framework of the archaeological seminar: conducted by specialists from Scandinavian archeology (list of documents in preparation).

Conditions:

Participants live in tents of the camp organized by the expedition in the forest. The nearest town is 40 kilometers away. A small river is located in the camp. Travel expenses are paid by the participants themselves. Tents and food during the field school are provided by the expedition.

If you would like to participate in the field school, please contact us by e-mail with your short resume:

• Expedition leader Andrey Nikolaevich Mazurkevich, [email protected].
• Deputy Head Ekaterina Dolbunova, [email protected].

Archaeological excavations of the ancient settlement of Rakushechny Yar (7-5 ​​thousand BC)

Research is being carried out:

• the State Hermitage;
• Don Archaeological Society (A.V. Tsybriy).

Location:

Rostov region.

Dates (preliminary):

Object of study:

Rakushechny Yar is a unique multi-layered monument with perfectly preserved remains of structures, ancient artifacts - one of the most ancient for the entire territory of Eastern Europe.

Volunteers are invited to:

• archaeological excavations of the monument;
• work with artifacts (participation in field conservation, marking of exhibits, graphic fixation of artifacts, objects).

For participation in excavations, please contact:

• Dolbunova Ekaterina Vladimirovna, [email protected].

2017 was a generous year for historians and archaeologists. Scientists managed to make several sensational discoveries and get answers to questions that arose during the study of artifacts and fossils discovered many years ago. Excavations still continue, because secrets await us at every corner, but the discoveries of this year have already helped scientists to better understand how our world was arranged hundreds and thousands of years ago.

In this incredible list, you'll learn about long-lost temples, giant statues, ancient settlements, the very first mention of a solar eclipse, uncover a military secret, and hear about the debunked Easter Island myth.

10Giant Colossus Discovered Beneath Cairo Slums

Egypt's Minister of Antiquities, Khaled Alnani, acknowledged that 2017 was a veritable "year of archaeological discovery" for his country, due in no small part to the lull since the 2011 Arab Spring protests. This year, near the city of Minya, researchers unearthed a tomb from the time of the Roman Empire; in the Samalut city area, three ancient graves were found, which may be only part of an even larger cemetery; and near the Valley of the Kings (gorge) was found the tomb of a jeweler named Amenemhat, which contained hundreds of unique artifacts. But the most delightful discovery was a gigantic statue unearthed in March in a suburban area of ​​Cairo, in Mataria.

First, archaeologists stumbled upon the three-ton torso of the statue, and then dug up the head itself. Further work made it possible to reveal to the world the pedestal and toes of the giant colossus. The authorities believe that scientists will soon be able to dig up, if not the entire statue, then most of it. Given the size of the torso, the height of the entire sculpture is probably 9 meters.

For science, this discovery is of particular value. Initially, experts believed that they discovered the statue of Ramesses II the Great, because it was located near the ruins of his temple. However, further study of the site led to an engraving of unexpected content. The discovered phrase "Neb Aa" is an inscription that was used only for the pharaoh Psamtek I (Psamtek I, circa 664-610 BC). This means that the giant statue turned out to be the largest find from the Late Period of Egyptian history.

9 Hunley Submarine Mystery

On February 17, 1864, the Confederate States of America submarine H.L. Hunley became the first ship in history civil war that sank an enemy ship. The breakthrough was achieved during an attack by the US Navy screw sloop Housatonic, but the price of success was too high - Hunley itself and all of its crew also sank, and their location remained unknown for almost 130 years.

The wreckage of the submarine was discovered in 1995, and in 2000 they were finally lifted from the bottom for detailed study. The bodies of all 8 crew members were at their posts, and scientists could not find the slightest sign that the soldiers were trying to escape. What killed these people? If they were conscious, wouldn't they try to leave the sinking ship?

Perhaps the soldiers from the enemy ship Housatonic managed to shoot down the side of the Hunley, which hastened its fatal sinking. Although there is a possibility that the submarine collided with another ship on the way home. However, in early 2017, scientists announced that they had finally solved the mystery of the Confederate submarine. After conducting large-scale experiments, the researchers came to the conclusion that the Hunley crew died due to the explosion of their own guns.

The submarine was equipped only with a pole mine, and this type of missile was never intended to be launched over long distances. With its help, the crew rammed the enemy ship, but this provoked an explosive wave, which turned out to be powerful enough to pass through the hull of the submarine and kill all the people on board. It turns out that either the crew died almost immediately, or all participants in the attack received a lung injury, due to which they lost consciousness, lost control of the submarine and drowned.

8 Ecocide On Easter Island

The results of a genetic study released in 2017 were further confirmation that there was no ecocide (mass destruction) on Easter Island. It seems that new evidence may debunk the myth that the Rapanui people (local residents) disappeared due to internecine wars and environmental disaster caused by various anthropogenic factors.

Today, Easter Island is best known for its legendary Moai stone statues. An almost barren patch of land, this island has become a real center of serious research, and over the past decades it has been visited by many respected archaeologists. Previously, experts believed that the natives were themselves to blame for the disappearance of their culture. They came to this conclusion for two reasons. Firstly, archaeological finds suggest that tens of thousands of people once lived here, and by the time the first Europeans arrived in the early 18th century, the population of local residents was already estimated at only 2-3 thousand. Secondly, scientists came to the conclusion that Rapanui mercilessly cut down forests, both for the needs of settlements and in the process of making and installing famous idols. Deforestation led to problems with crops, depletion of resources and provoked local residents to real wars for the best parts of the island. For a long time it was believed that all this was the reason for the disappearance of purebred rapanui.

Archaeologist Carl Lipo was the first to challenge the version of mass clashes between the island tribes. He argues that the main evidence of large-scale civil strife is oral history, which is now almost 300 years old, which means that it is difficult to rely on them. In addition, only 2.5% of the human remains found on Easter Island indicate a traumatic death. As for the disappearance of trees, the Polynesian rats, which are so omnivorous that they eat not only palm fruits, but also young trunks and stems of plants, could cause the biggest damage.

A recent genetic study calls into question the generally accepted view that centuries before the visit of Europeans, South Americans managed to make contact with Rapanui. According to new data, the reasons for the destruction of the Easter Island aboriginal population were the slave trade, diseases brought to the island, from which the locals had no immunity, and forced relocation in the 18th century to hard labor in distant European colonies.

7. The Long Lost Temple of Artemis

After nearly 100 years of searching, archaeologists say they have finally found the ruins of a lost ancient temple of Artemis, the Greek goddess of fertility and the hunt. As it turned out, the remains of the sanctuary are located on the Greek island of Euboea, near the coastal town of Amarynthos. For reference, we are not talking about the very Temple of Artemis, which is located on the territory of modern Turkey and has long been included in the list of Seven Wonders Ancient World.

Scientists have been looking for the ruins of the lost temple since the late 19th century, and it took so long to discover it only because the search was initially conducted in the wrong direction. The main source of information for the researchers was Strabo, a Greek geographer and historian of the 1st century AD. Almost 2000 years ago, this learned man wrote that the temple was 7 stages from the ancient city of Eretria. However, in the end, the temple was found almost 60 stages or 11 kilometers from the place described by Strabo.

The search team hit the right track after they found the Byzantine church. It was much further away than Strabo indicated, and its masonry obviously used stones from which another ancient building had been built before. Having lost confidence in the words of the ancient Greek historian, modern archaeologists have shifted their search closer to Amarynthos, who in the past was often associated with the goddess revered by the Greeks.

First, the researchers discovered the galleries of the northern and eastern parts of the temple, and then excavated the central part of the sanctuary. The inscriptions with the name of Artemis were the main confirmation that in 2017 the century-long search was finally crowned with success.

6. New discoveries in the area of ​​the Greek island of Antikythera (Antikythera)

In the scientific community, few people do not know about the wreckage of an ancient ship discovered near the island of Antikythera. The vessel has been carefully studied for quite a long time, but it is possible that many more discoveries are waiting for us related to this amazing artifact from the time of the Roman Empire. The wreckage was found by sea sponge divers in 1900, and the remains of the ship received their celebrity for an incredibly advanced mechanism for those years, discovered aboard an antique sailboat. The device was then called the most ancient analogue of a computer.

However, in addition to the mysterious mechanism, there was also a whole treasury of historical relics on the Antikythera ship, and the most recent dives give reason to believe that another sensation awaits scientists ahead. Among the most unexpected finds made during recent expeditions was the hand of a bronze statue. Scientists were truly delighted with such an artifact, and there are at least two reasons for this. Firstly, bronze statues are one of the rarest artifacts in the history of archeology, because products from this alloy were considered very valuable in ancient times, but most of them were subsequently melted down and recycled. Secondly, the hand fragment does not match any of the statues found at the crash site. This means that the rest of the statue is still waiting in the wings. Perhaps scientists are waiting for a whole collection of bronze artifacts hiding at the bottom in an area that was first explored just a few months ago.

An expert on ancient Greek relics, Professor Carol Mattusch (Carol Mattusch) considers Antikythera a real time capsule, which will still give us incredibly valuable information about ancient statues and ancient ships. In addition, in the future, this place will be the first where bronze artifacts will be searched for with aiming and using modern technologies. Previously, bronze relics were found by chance during non-archaeological dives or in fishing nets, and all these were rather rare isolated cases.

5. Ancient settlements discovered in Canada

The early history of the inhabitants of North America is full of dark spots, and new discoveries are constantly forcing scientists to change their understanding of how and when the first settlers appeared here. This year, archaeologists discovered traces of one of the oldest North American stops.

The find was made on Triquet Island in the British Columbia area, and it strongly supports the theory that at some point in history there was a massive migration of peoples in this coastal region. The discovery was made on the basis of the stories of the Heiltsuk Indians, which means that other indigenous legends may also be a valuable source of information for choosing a new excavation site.

According to the stories of the Indians, Triket Island was once a part of the land that did not freeze completely even during the last ice age. That is why the ancestors of the native Indians took refuge in the local forests for some time. At a depth of several meters, archaeologists discovered a layer of soil with ancient spears, fish hooks and tools for making fire. The artifacts are about 14,000 years old. The finds turned out to be even older than the Egyptian pyramids!

4. The first female Viking warrior

In the 1880s, archaeologists discovered a huge 10th-century Viking cemetery near the trading town of Birka on the island of Björkö (Birka, Bjorko). Approximately 1100 graves were found at the burial site, but one of them turned out to be completely unusual. This grave was located on an elevated terrace and hid in itself the full ammunition of a professional - a sword, an ax, a spear, a combat knife, arrows, shields and even horses. On the skeleton's lap lay a board game called hnefatafl, which, according to Dr. Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson, indicated the remains of a strategist who made important military decisions.

Before the archaeologists was the grave of a high-ranking warrior, and for a long time everyone believed that it was certainly a man. Recent years 20 in the scientific community there were doubts about this, since the skeleton also had female features, and in early 2017 all disputes were completed thanks to the results of the latest study, which proved that the discovered body belonged to a woman.

Scientists at Stockholm University (Stockholm University) used DNA samples recovered from the bone of the hand and tooth of the skeleton, and proved that the mysterious Viking did not have a Y chromosome. The discovery means that for the first time scientists have unearthed the tomb of a high-ranking Viking warrior, and it forces us to almost completely reconsider our understanding of the social and gender norms of that distant era. Swedish researchers believe that they will be able to find other female graves among the soldiers' graves in Denmark, and the good old DNA test will again be able to help them in this.

3. The Lost City of Alexander the Great

IN Lately Drones have repeatedly proven their value for archaeological exploration due to their lightness, speed and high-quality aerial photography. These unmanned devices can be sent to the most inaccessible corners of the planet, where common man getting there is not so easy. In a fairly short period of time, drones have helped to uncover a number of ancient ruins, sunken ships and other historical relics, and this year existing list another incredible object was added - the lost city, founded by Alexander the Great himself.

The city is called Qalatga Darband, and it is located on the territory of modern Kurdistan. The settlement was founded around the end of the 4th century BC, and at one time a thriving center for the wine trade developed here. A few centuries later, this place literally evaporated from all historical annals, and for almost 2000 years, absolutely nothing was heard about it.

The first photographs of Kalatgi Darband were taken around the 1960s using CIA intelligence satellites. The pictures were declassified only in 1996, and they fell into the hands of scientists only recently. On them, the researchers noticed the outlines of the mysterious. A joint team of Iraqi and British archaeologists launched drones into the air to take modern images of the area where the mysterious city was supposedly hiding.

During the excavations, scientists have already managed to find Greco-Roman statues and Greek coins. The study of the area is very slow, since the lost city is located in the disputed territories, which are claimed by both the Kurds and the Arabs. British researchers have to teach their Iraqi partners how to excavate properly so as not to damage the artifacts themselves, because the presence of representatives of local authorities is a prerequisite.

2. The oldest mention of a solar eclipse

A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge believes that the oldest record of a solar eclipse dates back to October 30, 1207 BC. Scientists came to this conclusion by comparing ancient Egyptian and biblical texts. Based on them, they created an algorithm that calculated the date of the eclipse, taking into account a number of variables, including the rotation of the Earth over time.

The oldest documented eclipse is allegedly mentioned in the biblical Book of Joshua ( Old Testament). This passage of Scripture tells how Joshua led the people of Israel into the land of Canaan, and on one of the days of this procession, at the request of the successor of Moses, “the sun stopped, and the moon stood” (Joshua 10:13). The Cambridge researchers are not the first to suspect that this passage refers to a real astronomical phenomenon. However, they were the first to suggest that this was not a total eclipse, but an annual eclipse during which the Moon is too far away to completely cover the solar disk. It is in this case that the “ring of fire” appears.

Biblical tales are supported by one independent archaeological evidence, which proves that the Israelites did indeed pass through the Canaan lands between 1500 and 1050 BC. This event is written in the Merneptah Stele, an ancient Egyptian text found in the Cairo Museum. The granite stele tells of the victory of Pharaoh Merneptah in the battle over the people of Israel in Canaan in the fifth year of the reign of the Egyptian king.

Comparing bible stories with the events mentioned on the Merneptah Stele, Cambridge scientists concluded that the only solar eclipse that could be observed in this part of the world occurred on the afternoon of October 30, 1207 BC. The discovery could allow experts to use the date of the eclipse as a reference point for calculating other important dates, including the years of the life and reign of Merneptah's father, Ramesses II the Great.

1 Subway Workers Discovered A Roman Aqueduct

At the end of 2016, Italian workers building a new branch of the metropolitan metro made a "sensational discovery of incredible significance." After carefully checking the find for its authenticity in April 2017, Italian archaeologists finally made an official statement. It turns out that the builders accidentally dug up part of the oldest aqueduct in the history of Rome.

The discovered fragment of the water pipe stretches for 32 meters in length and has 2 meters in height. The aqueduct was found at an impressive depth of 18 meters under Piazza Selimontana (Piazza Selimontana), which in itself is a major achievement for ancient people with their humble technology. According to archaeologist Simona Morretta, the ancient structure is about 2,300 years old. It was probably once part of the Aqua Appia system, the oldest Roman aqueduct built in 312 BC. When new and more advanced aqueducts appeared in Rome, this outdated plumbing, apparently, ceased to be so in demand and soon began to be used as a sewer.

The sensational find allows archaeologists to properly study both the structure itself and the remains of food and animal bones. Perhaps here, scientists will discover not only the animals that were part of the diet of the ancient Romans, but also ancient pets. Research on the aqueduct is still ongoing, and in the future, the authorities plan to dismantle it and move it to a more convenient location for public viewing.

Maxim, there really are volunteer archaeological programs, I myself participated in one. There are, so to speak, organized programs run by volunteer services and various foundations. They are "sharpened" for the fact that volunteers come to them. The excavations are real, but volunteer camps of 1-4 weeks are held on their basis. There are such projects in Russia and other countries (I was in Slovakia). Anyone can become a volunteer, if the conditions do not provide for any criteria other than knowledge foreign language if you are going to an international camp. If you want to try your hand at archaeological research, but have no experience or specialized education, then this is a good option.

Usually, volunteers do the simplest work: digging (in the literal sense), clearing the site, cleaning layers, removing artifacts, washing them. If someone knows how to draw, they can instruct to make sketches. If someone is a specialist in history/archaeology, they may be commissioned to make descriptions. Everything takes place under the guidance of a professional archaeologist, the head of the expedition. Here are pictures from the excavations where I volunteered:

It should be borne in mind that, as is often the case, participation in the project will be paid. For you. That is, not only will you not earn anything (although this is also possible), but you yourself will pay to be hired. Somewhere it will be a fee for participation in the program, somewhere - the cost of food and accommodation, and somewhere the organizers charge a daily fee to cover the cost of food.

Many archaeological expeditions are carried out in the Crimea. Here are just programs from public institutions- "Archaeology", RAS, Russian Geographical Society. Now the largest expedition from the Russian Geographical Society - "Kyzyl-Kuragino" in Tyva.

Programs are also held abroad, but, as a rule, their organizers are volunteer services. Programs typically cost a few hundred dollars, plus you pay for tickets and in-country expenses. True, there are still not many archaeological programs. Here you can see programs in Russia and abroad. Basically, they are all held in the summer (especially Russian ones), but they are annual, and in the 2017 season you may well get to the one you like.

If you want to get to the excavations at minimal cost, it is better to look for a program from state funds, research institutes, universities. And this is true not only for Russia. For example, this summer there was an archaeological program in Spain from the Spanish Institute of Youth. Participation fee - 120 euros. Compared to other volunteer projects, this is cheap. Check, maybe next year the program will be again.

Here is a good profile