Greatest Archaeological Discoveries Of All Time

The Greatest Archaeological Discoveries Of All Time

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey.

Over the centuries there have been many ancient discoveries that give us a glimpse in the lives of our ancestors. From Sacsayhuaman to the Antikythera Mechanism, the Bagdad battery to the Rosetta stone, the more ancient grounds and artefacts that are found, the more mystery unfolds.

Archaeological discoveries not only allow us to take a peek into history, it also allows us to understand their ancient traditions. Studies that intertwine myth with science have allowed us to connect the past with our present. The more we discover, more questions are raised. Archaeologists have unearthed ancient burial grounds, hidden cities and even scrolls written in a secret language.

Caherconnell Fort have created this infographic that reveals the top ten greatest archaeological discoveries of all time. It includes the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1946. Found in Khirbet Qumran in West Bank, Israel, the ancient texts were written on parchment, bronze and papyrus. These are the earliest known surviving copies of biblical (and extra-biblical) documents that date back to the period when Jesus was born. Written in Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew, these scrolls are believed by many to be the most significant discovery of the past one hundred years.

It also details the discovery of the headless Vikings in Dorset in the United Kingdom. Unearthed in 2009, railroad workers uncovered a small group of Viking warriors buried in the ground that were all missing their heads. Although it was initially believed to be a revenge attack, archaeologists have since come to the conclusion that the beheadings were ‘’too clean’’ as they were beheaded from the front as opposed to the back. For more on these significant ancient discoveries, let’s take a look at this infographic!