Unbelievable Ancient Human Artifact Found – Archaeologists Can’t Explain It!

Archaeologists have been studying Petra in Jordan for 200 years, and in 2024, they found something they had never seen before. It's a tomb with at least 12 complete human skeletons and artifacts that are over 2,000 years old right in front of the treasury. Bronze, iron, and ceramic items were placed with the deceased, which shows how people honored their loved ones when they passed away. It's a rare chance for scientists to learn more about the Navatians, an ancient group of Arabian nomads who built Petra. The objects found in the tomb under Petra's treasury are in amazing condition, but the skeletons became fragile because it's damp inside the tomb. They plan to study the remains and extract DNA to see if the people in the tomb were related. While some scientists are solving tomb mysteries, others have trained AI to find new ancient sites for them. They've created an algorithm that works with a special type of satellite imagery. This technique uses radio waves that can peek under things like sand, soil, and even ice to find hidden objects. AI will help search a huge desert on the Arabian Peninsula called the Empty Quarter for archaeological treasures. The lead scientists of the experiment trained the algorithm to recognize hidden locations using data from a site they had found before. The new tech can discover buried structures within 20 inches, which is very precise. Another groundbreaking tech, LIDAR, which means light detection and ranging, helped archaeologists reveal new hidden cities all around the world. LIDAR can see big structures beneath layers of vegetation and map even subtle changes in ancient landscapes. They use it to scan large areas from a small plain flying over places that aren't so easy to study from the ground, like dense jungle. In 2024 alone, they found new Maya settlements in southern Mexico, gardens, roads, and rivers in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, ancient ruins on the Pacific island of Tonga, and the remains of two medieval cities along the Silk Road route in Uzbekistan. Maybe some smart technology can also explain what Marge Simpson is doing on Earth in an ancient Egyptian tomb from 3,000 years ago. The drawing featuring a woman with yellow-colored skin, a blue crown, and a green outfit is alarmingly like the famous cartoon character. If you don't see a resemblance here, I hope you'll at least enjoy an amazingly well-preserved necklace with amethyst and agate beads. It's from another recent find from Egypt, an ancient tomb with 11 sealed burials near Luxor. Archaeologists also found two copper mirrors, one with a lotus-shaped handle, and the second with a unique design of the deity of the sky, women, fertility, and love in ancient Egypt. The hair of the figurine was originally made from almost 4,000 mud beads. Another awesome find from 2024 is an ancient Greek shrine with intact burials, a sarcophagus, and plenty of gold inside. They think it was built before the year 300 BCE, and the marble lions, also found inside, were made from the same marble as the Parthenon in Athens. Greece is so full of ancient treasures that the city of Thessaloniki will house around 300,000 of those artifacts in their new subway system. Meanwhile, archaeologists in France have found a monument unlike any other, and they can't figure out what it was used for. It's direct proof that people used to live here between the Neolithic and the early Iron Age periods. The coolest part is a monument made of three unique shapes that fit together like puzzle pieces. Some gravel found in the monument could mean there used to be a wooden fence called a palisade. People who built it probably used it for protection or decoration. The team studied the layers of soil around the monument to learn more about its origins. The only tools found so far were sharp flintstones, not the cartoon characters which were used during the Neolithic period. The next step will be radiocarbon dating to figure out exactly how old the site is. The oldest saddle ever found so far was found in the grave of a woman near the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in northwest China. This saddle is the oldest ever discovered. It was crafted from pieces of leather that were sewn together and stuffed with straw and animal hair to make it soft. Normally, things made from natural materials like this don't last very long because they rot or fall apart. But the Taklamakan Desert is so dry that it helped preserve the artifact. The herdswoman who used the saddle was buried in her full riding attire, so this proves that not only men used saddles and took part in herding and traveling. Now let's shift to Guatemala, where an ornate jade mask made by the ancient Maya people was waiting for centuries to be discovered. Scientists use radiocarbon dating to figure out the age of the mask. They believe the mask may represent a Maya storm deity, a powerful figure in their mythology. These kinds of masks were often made to honor Maya royalty, and they were placed in the tombs of kings and queens when they were buried. The king's tomb was also decorated with carvings made using tools crafted from volcanic obsidian. After 15 years of searching, scientists may have finally figured out where the altar stone of Stonehenge comes from. They compared the tiny minerals inside the altar stone with rocks from many places in Wales and England and ruled out lots of spots. Then they found the perfect match with a place in Scotland, more than 466 miles away from Stonehenge. This area might even be Orkney, a group of islands in the far northeast of Scotland where a lot was going on during the Neolithic period. The big question now is how ancient people moved such a massive stone so far. The altar stone is over 16 feet long and weighs more than 6 tons. The new theory is that they might have used boats to carry it across the coastline and rivers. Once it was close to Stonehenge, they theoretically dragged it across the land using wooden sleds, ropes, and a lot of teamwork. Meanwhile, in the of France, an ancient home popped to the surface during the construction of a new house. It turned out to be a luxury urban house for the elite from the 2nd century of the Common Era. The inside of the house was destroyed by a fire, but under the destroyed layer, there are beautiful real-sized fresco paintings. Turkish archaeologists unearthed the arm and foot bones of elephants that lived around 9 million years ago. They also found fossils of early horses, giraffes, and even saber-toothed cats. They've already identified 43 distinct types of animals from this site and collected more than 4,000 fossils. One more cool find from Turkey is a 64,000-year-old workshop inside Nkheja Cave. It looks like people used it for 24,000 years non-stop. There are some tools inside, like flakes and blades, which were made inside the workshop. In eastern Turkey, a farmer accidentally found a 1,000-square-foot mosaic from the late Roman or early Byzantine period just beneath the dirt. Experts say it's a one-of-a-kind thing from this region and is still in one piece after all this time. The pattern shows dozens of trees, plants, and animals that were found in ancient Turkey. There could be more treasures in the area, so they plan to keep digging. Our final stop will be in Sicily, where archaeologists uncovered a huge ancient thermocomplex. Inside, they found two rooms with floors covered in colorful mosaic designs, along with a large courtyard surrounded by arched wings. As they kept digging, they discovered more parts of the ancient city. They found new roads and the remains of a huge complex, along with stretches of old stone walls that were part of the city's fortifications. These discoveries are helping scientists imagine what the city might've looked like during ancient times. No one knows for sure whether the bathhouse was built by the Greeks or the Romans, since both civilizations lived in Sicily long ago. So looky here, scientists discovered ancient artifacts near King Tut's tomb. Turns out, his VIP final resting place looks more like a public graveyard with about a dozen wooden coffins that's been there for around 3,600 years. Okay, I might have exaggerated a tad. The 11 tombs weren't exactly right next to King Tut, but they were close, near the same city of Luxor. New findings in Egyptian tombs can help us piece together what life was like in ancient Egypt. And guess what? Ancient Egyptians seem to have been remarkably like us, modern humans. Say, the women have always loved jewelry, and archaeologists retrieved a beautifully made necklace with 30 amethyst beads and two agate beads, plus a hippo head amulet. Bet it was all the rage back then! Researchers also discovered two copper mirrors. One had a handle shaped like a lotus, and the other was decorated with Hathor, the ancient Egyptian deity of the sky, women, fertility, and love. These recent excavations near Tutankhamen's burial site led to another jaw-dropping revelation. For the first time in thousands of years, fragments of Queen Hatshepsut's valley temple were uncovered. This fearless woman was thought to be the second female pharaoh, who ruled with both courage and wisdom, leaving a legacy as solid as the stones themselves. Her temple, hidden for ages, opens a window into a time filled with power, intrigue, and spiritual devotion. Archaeologists found over 1,000 beautifully decorated stone blocks on the outskirts of Hatshepsut's funerary temple. There were very few women who managed to take the throne in ancient Egypt. Another tomb was found nearby, and it belonged to the overseer of Queen Tedi Sheri's palace, whose name was Djahuti Mez. Queen Hatshepsut seems to have even more tombs, I mean, aces up her sleeve. These tombs were carved into the rock instead of being built as pyramids, showing a unique ancient perspective on how to protect the soul in the afterlife. Experts managed to retrieve some cool ancient pieces from the site. Toys made of clay, mummy masks, winged scarabs, and some amulets. Sadly, there surely used to be way more artifacts, but over the last centuries, there have been people other than archaeologists to stumble upon this site. It's likely that looters got to these tombs before them and may have taken some valuable items. But they did leave behind some cool stuff for the researchers, like pottery used for offerings of bread and meat, along with archer's bows that connect the tomb's owners to the Egyptian military. Meanwhile, soul protection is way more important than you might think, especially if you're roaming around Luxor looking for ancient secrets. You aren't scared of King Tut's curse, are you? Let me tell you what happened to those who weren't scared, but promise me to take it with a dash of salt, okay? For years, Egyptologists, especially those who believed in paranormal activity, were convinced that there was an unsettling curse surrounding Tutankhamen's archaeological discoveries. This belief stemmed from the mysterious and untimely demise of several excavators who discovered the tomb in 1922 with no logical explanation for why they passed away. It was just easier to chalk it up to something supernatural and avoid the whole mess. But, it turns out, it wasn't a curse at all. It was likely the radiation that caused those excavators to perish. Now, you might wonder where the radiation came from. After all, while radioactivity was discovered in the 19th century, ancient Egyptians, despite their impressive pyramids, didn't have any radium lying around to make Tut's tomb glow like crazy. So, what could be the real story? It might've been toxic waste behind it all. Toxic levels of radiation from uranium and hazardous waste have been lurking inside the tomb since it was sealed over 3,000 years ago. The burial chamber of Tutankhamen's tomb reportedly has such high radiation levels that anyone who steps inside could easily end up with a fatal dose of radiation sickness or an incurable condition. By the way, you can have a somewhat similar level of radioactivity if you don't get rid of those moldy dinner leftovers you left to perish in your fridge a month ago. But this radioactivity isn't exclusive to Tutankhamen's tomb. Ancient Egyptian artifacts discovery is rewarding yet dangerous due to unusually high radiation levels in Old Kingdom tombs all over Egypt. Geiger counters have detected radiation at two sites near the Giza pyramids, and radon, a radioactive gas, has been found in several underground tombs in Saqqara. Interestingly, experts believe that the builders of these ancient tombs were aware of the toxins, as some eerie warnings were carved into the walls of many tombs. One inscription ominously declared, they that break this tomb shall meet their end by a malady that no doctor can diagnose. Other ominous phrases like forbidden due to evil spirits only added to the fear that supernatural curses haunted these ancient sites. Ominous signs have stunned archaeologists since forever, but the fear grew even stronger a century ago with the mysterious passing of Lord Carnarvon, who funded King Tut's excavation in 1922 and reportedly explored the treasure-filled rooms, along with several others who entered the tomb. Arthur Weigall, another British Egyptologist who was present at the tomb's opening and is credited with starting the curse myth, passed away young when he was just in his 50s in 1934. Chances are, the condition that made In total, 6 out of the 26 people who were there when the tomb was opened met their end within a decade from various causes. Not only x-ray exposure, those reasons include asphyxia, stroke, heart failure, pneumonia, and even poisoning. Well, isn't this getting a little grim? There was one guy who opened the tomb and somehow managed to avoid the infamous curse, Howard Carter, or so it seemed. Some folks pointed to his survival as proof that the curse wasn't real. After digging up the tomb, Carter published several books on the topic and shifted gears from archaeology to dealing in antiquities for various museums. Despite dodging demise or injury, rumors swirled about how the curse may have impacted him in other ways. One of the big stories linked him to Lord Carnarvon's daughter, Evelyn. Some said he was madly in love with her, but she married someone else, so he chose to stay single. Others claimed they had an affair while she was in Egypt, which ended when her father passed away and she left the country for good. However, there wasn't much evidence to support these stories. Evelyn was just 6 when they met, and they remained friends until his last breath. She was even one of the few attendees at his funeral but denied any romantic involvement, saying they weren't that close. A year after the revolutionary discovery near King Tut's tomb, Evelyn married politician Sir Brograve Beauchamp and had a daughter. That same year, Beauchamp toured the tomb with his parents, guided by Carter himself. Carter never married and, aside from those posthumous rumors about Evelyn, had no other romantic connections. While the curse adds an intriguing twist to his life story, his tendency to keep relationships at arm's length was evident long before the tomb was opened. It seemed Carter just wasn't a people person. In 1939, after battling a serious illness, he ultimately succumbed to fate. He was 64, which was a pretty common life expectancy in the UK back then, so no one really thought it was off and linked it to an ancient curse. When he passed, it turned out he had several artifacts from Tutankhamen's tomb in his London apartment, which were eventually sent back to Egypt, marking what some viewed as the curse's end. Who knows, maybe if he hadn't had all those ancient souvenirs at his place, he would've lived way longer. But all the other demises might seem off. The curse theory was likely fueled by some strange events during the excavation. Carnarvon got a mosquito bite that became severely infected, and around the time they opened the tomb, Cairo experienced a bizarre power outage and a freak sandstorm. Back in England, the Earl's dog, Susie, managed to escape from Carnarvon's house and began barking frantically at seemingly nothing. At least, that's what the staff and family saw. Strangely enough, at the very moment her owner's heart stopped, Susie started howling and fell down without showing any signs of life. Maybe radiation didn't play a crucial role after all. And those were indeed ancient artifacts from King Tut's tomb that made them all perish. Spooky, huh? Something strange is lurking beneath the sands of Giza, and scientists have no idea what it is. Archaeologists just found a hidden structure near the Great Pyramid using advanced ground scanning technology. What's inside? Nobody knows, but excavations are already underway. The Great Pyramid of Giza is one of the most famous monuments on Earth. But it doesn't stand alone. It's surrounded by an ancient necropolis, a massive royal graveyard filled with tombs and monuments. They belong to pharaohs, nobles, and other high-ranking officials. Most of these tombs are above the ground. They're called mastabas, rectangular flat-roofed tombs built from limestone or mud brick, and they've been studied for decades. But from old movies, we know that these weren't simple graves. They have deep vertical shafts leading to underground burial chambers, where the past was sealed away for eternity. And recently, archaeologists found one curious empty space in the cemetery, a completely unexplored patch of ground. No mastabas, no visible ruins, nada. For years, they ignored it. But between 2021 and 2023, they decided to investigate. They didn't dig, though. Instead, they used a technology that kinda acts like X-rays for the ground. These radars let scientists see the secrets hidden there. And there was something hidden beneath the sand. Something deliberately buried and forgotten. A two-part underground structure. One part was shallow and L-shaped. It's about 33 feet long and buried just 6.5 feet deep. But below that? A deeper, more mysterious anomaly. A structure completely different from anything else in the area. They called it a highly resistive anomaly, which means it's dense and solid, likely made of stone, sand, or even metal. And still, no one has a clue what's inside it. It's clear that humans made the L-shape. It wasn't formed by nature. And the shallower structure might've been an entrance to whatever is hidden below. But they only have some theories about what might be hidden there. It's also filled with sand and gravel. It was probably deliberately backfilled after its construction, perhaps to preserve this. Why? Well, we don't know yet. The archaeological team will need to excavate to understand what exactly this thing was and why it was built. The first guess is a lost burial chamber. Many tombs in Giza have underground burial sites, but most have clear surface markers. This one, for some reason, has nothing. But it could be one of them. The second guess is an ancient offering chapel. Egyptologists know that some chapels were built in this shape. But usually, they were above ground, not buried like this. And finally, it might be something we've never seen before. If this turns out to be a new type of structure, it could rewrite what we know about the burials of pharaohs. The only way to know for sure is to dig it up. And that's exactly what's happening right now. Excavations are already underway. Archaeologists are racing against time to uncover the truth. But there's a real danger there too. Giza's fragile ancient structures need to be handled carefully. Otherwise, they could be damaged beyond repair. So all we can do is wait for the truth. These tombs always held fascinating mysteries. Unfortunately, we'll never learn tons of these mysteries because of some relentless tomb robbers. Egyptian tombs were built to guard the bodies for eternity. But that absolutely didn't stop people from breaking in and stealing everything valuable inside. They've been bothering these ancient sites for thousands of years, starting way back in pharaohs' times. Many of the most famous tombs, including those in Giza, Saqqara, and the Valley of the Kings, were looted. It was a common practice in ancient Egypt. And they were serious about this whole thing. They dug secret tunnels to bypass traps and walls, bribed or threatened tomb workers to get inside knowledge, cracked open sarcophagi to grab gold, jewelry, and artifacts. And by the time modern archaeologists got to most of these tombs, they had already been picked clean. The reigning pharaohs got tired of this infuriating nonsense. The Valley of the Kings, the famous burial ground of Egyptian royalty, was supposed to be the ultimate safe zone. Tombs were built deep underground, hidden in the desert. Passages were sealed with giant stone blocks. False doors and traps were added to confuse thieves. Even curses were written on the walls, warnings of horrible endings for anyone who dared to disturb the tomb. Which is exactly where we got all those horror stories about mummies from. Spoiler alert, none of it worked. Most tombs in the Valley of the Kings were fully robbed within 100 years of being sealed. Even King Tutankhamen's tomb, one of the most famous in history, was broken into twice in ancient times. Some of them decided to try and fight back. The new kingdom rulers built hidden unmarked tombs, in a way that should've prevented the looters from finding them. But didn't work. Some pharaohs, like Ramses II, were moved in secret to prevent their bodies from being stolen. Nope, didn't matter. The grave robbers always won. That's because tomb raiders weren't just random thieves. They were skilled, organized, and well-connected. They knew exactly where to look. Many were the ones who had built these sites in the first place, and they knew where the entrances were. If they couldn't smash through the doors, they'd dig through the walls, floors, and even ceilings to break inside. They also worked fast, often within a few years after the tombs were sealed, before anyone forgot where the valuable stuff was. The Khufu's Pyramid, the one that's next to this newly discovered structure, was looted long before modern times. The one thing left inside when explorers got there? An empty granite box where the sarcophagus used to be. Unfortunately, it's not just about gold. History itself gets stolen during these raids. Ancient Egyptians wrote detailed records of what exactly and where they buried. So, when archaeologists compare these lists to what's found, they can see what's missing, which is often everything valuable. Most artifacts don't end up in museums. They just disappear into private collections, where they can never be studied again. Which is, of course, completely unfair. In fact, a few countries have had enough and started passing laws to take historical artifacts back from private collectors. In Italy, if you own an ancient Roman artifact, you must prove you got it legally. China is actively hunting down stolen artifacts, and they must find ways to retrieve it back from the Western collectors. In Egypt, they passed new laws making it illegal for private citizens to own any ancient Egyptian artifacts at all. Other countries, like the US, the UK, Germany, or Switzerland, are completely fine with rich guys owning their history. The British Museum is built on looted things. European empires invaded half the planet and took whatever they wanted back home. Their museums are often full of such stolen artifacts, and unfortunately, they refuse to give most of them back. For example, the Rosetta Stone. It was taken from Egypt by Napoleon's army, then stolen again by the British after they beat the French. Egypt has been demanding to return for years, but they still can't get it back. Or the Parthenon Marbles. These magnificent massive Greek structures were taken from the Parthenon in Athens by a British lord in the 19th century. Greece has been begging for them back ever since, but the UK doesn't feel like it. Not to mention tons of Mesoamerican artifacts, scattered in various museums across the world. European explorers raided Mayan and Aztec temples, took statues, jewelry, and sacred objects, and now Mexico is fighting to get them back. Well, wouldn't it be surprising even if this mysterious underground chamber has somehow been looted already? But if it's a newly found place, could it be one of the few that escaped the hands of grave robbers? Could there still be ancient artifacts untouched for 4,500 years? We can only hope that those guys didn't get there first. Okay, what if I tell you that the extraterrestrials we all imagine as little green men may actually look like very normal earthlings and chill in Europe? This is the Iberian Peninsula, and people living there are under suspicion. Here's the reason. Somehow, parts of the most important artifacts that the Iberian civilization called Treasure of Volena are made of metal that simply can't be found on Earth. Because it's metal from a meteorite. Now let's tackle this step by step. This is the artifact itself, and it's composed of 59 different objects. Bowls, bottles, and bracelets. Is there a pattern there with all those bees? In total, the find weighs around 20 pounds, of which 18 pounds are 23.5 karat gold. Now, if you're not a metal specialist, I'll clarify it for you right away. For comparison, 23 karat gold is 95.8% pure gold, so 23.5 karat is even purer. The remaining percentage goes to other metals to help add strength and durability to the precious alloy. There was also silver, iron, and amber in that set. The artifact could've been pretty straightforward, but for these two, let's call them impostors. Look at this wrought iron bracelet and this hollow hemisphere. Can you see that? Those rusty lines on the hemisphere and the overall weird color of the bracelet do stand out since everything else is made of purest gold. This all started back in 1963, when a researcher noticed a dark leaden metal among the shiny bowls and bottles. The metal was shiny in some areas and covered with a ferrous-looking oxide that was mostly crack. Now, just so you understand, gold does not usually act this way. Gold is one of the least reactive of all metals, so it won't even tarnish, let alone rust. To figure out where this suspicious iron came from, researchers turned to mass spectrometry, which checks out the mass-to-charge ratio of molecules. Their findings show that the nickel in the iron is similar to that found in meteoritic iron. Simply put, the bracelet and the hemisphere are of extraterrestrial origin. The exact age of the trove is hard to determine, yet it's crucial. We need to know the exact age to see if it coincides with the start of the Iron Age in the Iberian Peninsula. If it does, then no further questions here. But if it doesn't, well, it's, at the very least, weird, if not suspicious. So, there's this three-age system. It comprises the Stone Age, then the Bronze Age, and then the Iron Age. The Stone Age is of no importance here, so let's compare the Bronze and the Iron Ages. The Bronze Age began when it was realized that combining copper and tin produced a material that was more durable than either metal alone. This era was all about major upgrades in tools and weapons, but two standout inventions were riding systems and the wheel. Then came the Iron Age. This time was all about slowly bringing iron into everyday life. Iron was way easier to shape into cool designs than bronze. Now, this was a big deal because iron, especially transformed into steel, provided significant improvements in all aspects of life. Tools became lighter, cheaper, and stronger compared to their bronze equivalents. You get it? Good. So, researchers have long debated whether the treasure dates back to the post-argaric era or the latter part of the Bronze Age. The most recent study claims that those artifacts were created in 1400-1200 BCE. And something really doesn't add up. First off, the Iron Age began around 500 years after these artifacts were crafted. Plus, ancient craftsmen couldn't know back then how to work with metals that landed on Earth approximately 1 million years ago. And while the dates are really hard to explain, there is a logical explanation for the craftsmanship. The theory here is that those metal workers simply had access to the fallen meteorite, and thus, they could study it well and discover its properties before using it for decorative purposes. They could've figured it out through trial and error, and once they knew exactly how to work with this extraterrestrial metal, they proceeded to adorn the artifacts with it. Plus, there were the Phoenicians who contributed to their craftsmanship. Now, it's true that the Iberian people have been processing metal and making pottery long before the Phoenicians settled on the peninsula. But the arrival of new metal-working techniques, and the introduction of the potter's wheel, enabled them to produce better-quality goods much faster than before. So, we've figured out the extraterrestrial origins of the Iberian artifacts. But guess what? This area is still under suspicion. The reason for that is the language they spoke. You see, for most modern languages people use today, there will always be some proto-language. Say, for Italian, Spanish, and French, it's Latin, hence their similarities. But wait, Iberian was largely spoken where modern Spain is. So why isn't Spanish similar to it? Well, the truth is, no language today is similar to the Iberian. Maybe only the Basque language, but it's because of some similarities found in their numerical systems. Basque is classified as a language isolate, or simply unrelated to any other known languages and the only language isolate in Europe. The Iberian language is unclassified. While the scripts written in it have been deciphered to various extents, the language itself remains largely unknown. And look at the alphabet the Iberians had. Looks like it doesn't really belong to our planet. But hold up, this one might be a bit of a stretch. When the Phoenicians came to the peninsula, they brought along their alphabet to the Iberians. But honestly, the Iberians probably weren't keen on just copying someone else's writing system, so they tweaked it until it looked completely different. Let's just say they took some inspiration and ran with it. While linguists can guess to some extent how most characters sounded, actually translating the language is still completely impossible. The Iberian language was non-Indo-European and faded away over 2,000 years ago. And there aren't any similar languages left to help us out. Super frustrating, right? We got over 2,000 Iberian inscriptions from tombs, coins, potteries, lead plates, and even cave wall carvings. But aside from a handful of words, we're totally in the dark about what they mean. Now if we could understand their language, we might have learned that they were great thinkers and all, but we can only contemplate the works of art they left. Iberian culture has a lot of amazing stuff made by talented artisans. We're talking about not just metalwork and ceramics, but also detailed sculptures, textiles, jewelry, and other personal bling. But here's the catch – making all those luxury items depended a lot on a big farming class. At the heart of Iberian society, most folks were involved in farming and taking care of livestock. Depending on where you were, the types of farming varied. For example, up in the North, they were all about growing grains, while down in Valencia, they focused on producing olive oil and other agricultural aspects. In the West, raising animals was the name of the game. Still, we don't have much information about the day-to-day lives of the many people doing this essential work. Yet, on the flip side, we know a lot about the upper class of Iberian society who controlled these agricultural resources and hired the artisans. By the 7th century BCE, we start to see a group of Iberian princes who were living the good life, trading with the Phoenicians, and enjoying fancy luxury items. You can spot this elite class in their burial practices. Cremation was the go-to method for funerals among the Iberians, and wealthy individuals were often found in cemeteries with all sorts of lavish goods and funerary sculptures that give us a peek into the fashion and hairstyles of the rich. Interestingly, starting in the 6th century BCE, there was a noticeable drop in the number of recognizable burials, which suggests that these elaborate funeral customs became more exclusive to a small elite. Meanwhile, the fate of the majority – farmers, artisans, soldiers, and laborers – who made up a big chunk of the population remains a bit of a mystery. It used to be a pretty advanced civilization, but it vanished without a trace. Researchers think it could've been due to some massive earthquake. But so far, we don't know for sure. Miles and miles of yellow sand, treeless mountain ridges, and scorching hot sun over your head. And suddenly, something you'd never expect to come across in a barren desert. A small group of over-excited people. They're as happy as you would be if you'd won a lottery. They've just found an ancient tomb, once flooded with its walls in bad shape. But the stuff they discovered inside proves that this is the burial site of one of Egypt's most mysterious pharaohs. Historians have been hunting for his tomb for years, but no one expected it to hide ancient treasures. Fast forward. After careful examination of the site, Egyptian officials have announced the discovery of the tomb of King Thutmose II. It's the last missing tomb from Egypt's 18th dynasty. And this is also the first royal tomb found since King Tutankhamen's was discovered in 1922, in more than 100 years. A team of Egyptian and British archaeologists found the tomb in the Theban Mountains area, west of Luxor, near the famous Valley of the Kings. Before this, the site was only known as Tomb C4. But during their excavation, the team found clear evidence proving it belonged to King Thutmose II. Archaeologists actually found the entrance and main tunnel leading to the tomb in 2022. But at first, they thought it belonged to a queen because it was near the graves of Thutmose III's wives. It was also close to Queen Hatshepsut's tomb. Originally, it was prepared for her when she was just a royal wife, but everything changed when she became pharaoh. But we'll talk about this twist of fate a little later. But soon they realized that their discovery was much more significant. They found alabaster jars with Thutmose II's name and the words deceased king written on them. That's when they realized that the tomb was actually his final resting place. Sadly, Thutmose II's tomb has seen better days. According to the head of Egypt's antiquities sector and the leader of the Egyptian excavation team, the tomb suffered major damage from ancient floods not long after the pharaoh's death. Water swept through the burial chamber, likely destroying or displacing many of the original artifacts. Much of what had been once inside the tomb was moved elsewhere in an attempt to salvage it. The researchers found out that the tomb had a basic design, with an entrance, a sloping main corridor, and a burial chamber. The corridor was coated in white plaster and rose about 4.5 feet above the floor of the burial chamber. A large staircase and a very large descending corridor of the tomb indicated its grandeur. It took the team a long time to navigate through, though, as the tomb was blocked by flood debris and collapsed ceilings. Only after crawling through a 32-foot passageway with a small 16-inch gap at the top — the worst nightmare for those of us with claustrophobia — were they able to reach the burial chamber. There, they were in for another surprise. They cleared the debris, expecting to find the crushed remains of a burial beneath. But the tomb turned out to be completely empty. And it was not due to robbery. It had been deliberately empty. The researchers soon realized that the tomb had been flooded since it had been built underneath a waterfall. It happened just a few years after the king's burial, so the contents of the tomb were moved to another location. That's why there was a second corridor in the tomb. It was most likely made to help remove King Thutmose II's body from his flooded tomb. Despite the damage, the excavation team made some really exciting discoveries. They found traces of mortar decorated with blue inscriptions, yellow stars, and fragments from the Book of Amdoak, one of the most significant funerary texts in ancient Egypt. The book was meant to guide the deceased through the underworld, ensuring a safe journey to the afterlife. Now how about we sneak a peek at ancient Egypt's 18th dynasty? It was all about conquering lands, expanding the empire, and building jaw-dropping monuments. Some of the biggest names from that era? Thutmose I and Thutmose III, both legendary warrior kings who left their mark in history. Thutmose I was a fierce fighter who led major military campaigns, pushing Egypt's border further south than ever before, all the way to the fourth cataract of the Nile. His victories gave Egypt access to new trade routes, stronger political ties, and more wealth. His conquests were so significant that they were recorded in the tombs of his top officials. Thutmose III, sometimes called Thutmose the Great, took things even further. He was not only an incredible military strategist, but also the commander of Pharaoh Hatshepsut's armies before becoming king himself. He led between 17 and 20 military campaigns, winning every single one and expanding Egypt's empire to its peak. He even created the world's first navy. Thutmose III is often remembered as Egypt's greatest warrior pharaoh. And sandwiched between these two power houses was Thutmose II, a pharaoh who doesn't get nearly as much attention. Hey, the middle child, right? His reign lasted only about 5 years before he passed away at around age 30 in 1479 BCE. He is kind of a mystery. No one really knows what he accomplished. For the longest time, even the location of his burial site was totally unknown. His body was actually found in the 19th century. It was just lying around in the mortuary temple of Deir el-Bahari, in a secret chamber where priests used to hide royal mummies centuries after their original tombs were looted by grave robbers. In other words, Thutmose II's body must have been moved from his original resting place, at some point in history, to protect it. During his lifetime, Thutmose II made at least one major impact on Egyptian history. He married his half-sister, Hatshepsut. That might not sound like a big deal, but it helped her become Egypt's greatest female pharaoh after he passed. The catch? She kept her stepson, Thutmose III, off the throne for decades. When he finally took power, he erased her name from history out of spite. And still, Hatshepsut is one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, no matter if you're talking about a man or a woman. She brought a lot of wealth and art to Egypt. She led a big trading trip to a place called Punt, where she brought back things like gold, ebony, and incense. She also made sure her name lasted, by building amazing structures that we can still see today. At Karnak, she added huge obelisks, one of them is still standing tall. She also was the one to build the Temple of Deir el-Baure with its countless columns. She was buried there. Interestingly, Hatshepsut was often shown in art as a man, with muscles and a beard, like how pharaohs were usually depicted. But she made sure there was always something in the artwork that reminded people she was a woman, like calling herself Daughter of Re, or His Majesty Herself. When she passed away in 1458 BCE, Egypt wouldn't have a female ruler as powerful as her until Cleopatra, about 1400 years later. According to Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities Secretary General, isn't that a mouthful? Hatshepsut's name actually appears in Thutmose II's tomb, meaning she might've even handled his burial. As for their final resting places, well, Hatshepsut was buried in the Valley of the Kings. And Thutmose II's mummy is now in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, alongside other ancient Egyptian rulers. It gives visitors a rare chance to see the remains of a nearly forgotten pharaoh. Now experts consider the discovery of his tomb to be one of the most significant in recent years. The artifacts found there add important details to our understanding of the history of the region and Thutmose II's rule. And even though the tomb's design is fairly simple, and follows the same architectural style preferred by later Egyptian rulers, its historical importance is undeniable. In any case, the mission isn't over yet. Archaeologists are now focusing on solving another mystery – where did the rest of the tomb's contents end up? The team is determined to continue their search. Who knows what other secrets they will uncover that have remained hidden beneath the sands for thousands of years? You're heading to Spain with a team of archaeologists to try to find some ancient artifacts. You get lucky and uncover one of the greatest treasures of the Iberian Bronze Age. Iberian refers to the Bronze Age culture of Portugal and Spain. So you find and unearth coins, jewelry, vases, vessels, and two pretty strange items. One is something like a part of a scepter and the other resembles a bracelet. And you know what's strange about them? They're connected with space. In 1963, several miles away from the city of Vienna, Spain, scientists discovered the treasure of Vienna, one of the most significant gold hordes from the Bronze Age. Interestingly, are there bronze treasures from the Golden Age? Never mind. All the gold found dates back to sometime between 1500 and 1200 BCE, except for that scepter and bracelet. They were made by inhabitants of another planet, so their production date is unknown. Okay, that's a joke. However, a small part of this joke is true. When scientists studied the found gold, they discovered that those two items were made of iron. So what, you might think? Well, the catch is that in the Bronze Age, people didn't mine or manufacture iron. Work with this metal began around 850 BCE, about 400 to 700 years after the creation of the treasure of Vienna. How is this possible? A clue to this mystery can be found in ancient Egypt. In the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, an iron dagger was found which was also made of similar iron. But this dagger was much more valuable than all the others. And that's because it was made from a space object, a meteorite. Yeah, yeah, that bracelet and scepter were also made of meteoritic iron. Its difference from Earth metal is that cosmic iron has a high nickel content, so it all makes sense. People from the Bronze Age couldn't mine iron from the deep bowels of our planet, but nothing prevented them from collecting iron falling from the sky. Just imagine how cool it is to have jewelry or a dagger made of material that has traveled millions of years through the vast expanses of space. Perhaps it even contains particles of an ancient, extinct star. Today, these two artifacts from the treasure of Vienna are the oldest recorded items in the Iberian Peninsula made of meteoritic iron. Now, with everything in its place, you can turn your attention to all the wealth of the treasure of It contains 66 items. Bowls, bracelets, bottles, gold jewelry, three silver bottles, and an amber gold button. 22 pounds of ancient gold. People hid it, and only after 3,000 years we were able to discover it. This archaeologist's dream can be found in the Vienna Museum, where exhibits from different time periods are presented, from prehistoric times like 50,000 ago to the present day. Items from the Iberian period, from the Roman period, from the Arab civilization. You can find not only jewelry and coins, but there are also remnants of columns, ceramics, and other architectural artifacts. The collection is considered one of the most important prehistoric treasures of Europe. And the coolest thing is that you can see it all with your own eyes for just 2 euros, which is about 2 dollars. Go to Vienna, find the museum, and enjoy! Hey buddy, I heard you have a metal detector. Could you help me find a hammer I left somewhere in the field? Your old farmer friend asks. You take a metal detector and go searching, but instead of a hammer, you find hundreds, even thousands of silver coins worth 2 million dollars. You're so happy that the farmer lost that hammer, and now you're rich. Stop! Considering that this land belongs to the farmer, would you tell him about the find, or take it with you? In reality, neither of these options happened. In 1992, Eric Lawes was helping a farmer search for a lost hammer in a field near Hoxney, Suffolk, England. The metal detector stumbled upon a hidden treasure, a huge one. There were silver spoons, gold jewelry, more than 500 gold coins, and about 14,000 silver ones. Eric Lawes accidentally discovered the largest collection of gold and silver from the late Roman period in Britain. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, he and the farmer didn't receive the treasure. It's now in the British Museum. Let's move away from the farmer's field to somewhere on the Mediterranean coast. Imagine you're a scuba diver. There was a strong storm yesterday, but now with the water calm, you dive in and discover the seabed covered with gold dinars. This story happened in 2015. The coins which the storm brought to the shore might have been minted even before the first crusade that started in 1096. This collection is one of the most impressive archaeological finds in the world. All these treasures surely can make the heads of those who find them spin, but they end up in a museum. And that's a good thing, because such wealth can drive a person crazy. A metal detector and a diving suit helped people discover ancient treasures. What's next? How about a dog? Yes, it could be perhaps a great replacement for a metal detector, by the way. So, in 2013, two people were walking their dog in Northern California on their property. Suddenly, they discovered a rusty can filled with coins minted from 1847 to 1894. There were about 1,500 coins, and they all were gold. Another chance for a carefree rich future? Not this time. The find caused a lot of controversy among specialists. There was one version, according to which these coins could have been stolen from the US Mint. But later, the US Mint debunked this suggestion, as they'd never had this gold in their storage. Anyway, it's interesting what the point was in hiding it all in someone else's yard. Some thief risked their freedom and life to get rich. When they succeeded, they just hid the coins as if they never existed. What a strange deal. Coins, jewelry, meteorite items, it's all cool. But let's end our video with something grand and epic. Archaeologists were conducting research near the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and discovered a treasure trove inside a sunken temple and sanctuary. Despite the waves, earthquakes, and seawater, the massive find was preserved in a not bad condition. The temple was built a very long time ago and collapsed in the middle of the 2nd century BCE. It was an important structure in ancient Egypt. People considered this place holy. Pharaohs came to the temple to seek help from the higher powers of Egyptian mythology to obtain titles for their rule. Titles of Kings of the Universe. For many people, this place was like the center of the universe. And now it lies forgotten on the seabed, almost ruined. Time spares nothing. Researchers found out the temple had been part of an ancient port city. A long time ago, an earthquake occurred in this area and destroyed the city. Tidal waves softened the ground and dragged the town into the Mediterranean Sea. While studying the temple, scientists found many secret treasures there. Silver ceremonial instruments, gold jewelry, and alabaster vessels. In past times, people used them to store perfumes or greasy ointments called unguents. Perhaps in ancient Egypt, they weren't bad in the field of cosmetology. Near the temple, archaeologists discovered a Greek sanctuary. Apparently, the Greeks living in Egypt or coming here on business wanted to pay tribute to Aphrodite, so they created a small building in her honor. In that place, archaeologists found bronze and ceramic artifacts from different cultures. Scientists found out that the Greeks had permission to trade in the Egyptian city and even be its residents. It seems pharaohs living around 600 BCE were favorable to the Greeks. The profession of an archaeologist is very exciting. But what would you do if you found some ancient treasure? Before answering this question, find out what law applies to such finds in your country.