The Most Extraordinary Archaeological Discoveries in History

The world is filled with ancient artifacts that provide us with significant valuable information about history and human culture. Many of them have yet to be discovered, and remain some of history's greatest mysteries, like the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail. But others, with their fascinating legends that have long fascinated people, were not only found but became the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries in history.

Although archaeologists can spend years on dig sites searching for artifacts and coming up empty, sometimes their hard work pays off in a big way. Other times, these discoveries were surprisingly made by accident. Removing these items is so easy task either. Extreme care must be taken to not damage the delicate materials that have been around for thousands of years. And when they extract them, the world can marvel at their existence.

To find the most extraordinary archaeological finds in history, 24/7 Tempo scoured the internet for history and science sources. Some of these include Science Daily, Archaeology Magazine, Live Science, and the Smithsonian Magazine. (Click here after this article for 28 shipwrecks found since the discovery of the Titanic.)

Probably one of the most well-known archaeological sites is Pompeii. This incredible site was an ancient city preserved by over 10 feet of volcanic ash and pumice. Pompeii was buried by a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. It was found near Naples, Italy.

Everything was frozen in time by the volcanic ash. It was a town of around 10,000 residents. The eruption was quick enough that so many people had no choice but to stay behind and shield themselves. The bodies were preserved extremely well despite the eruption occurring nearly 2,000 years ago.

Local farmers in China made a shocking discovery in 1974 – the Terracotta Army. This collection of terracotta sculptures dates back to around the late 200s BCE. They were expertly created and sculpted with unique features and varying heights.

Within the Terracotta Army are over 8,000 soldiers. In one pit, there are over 3,000. These figures were likely built to protect the final resting place of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.

Another incredible archaeological find is the Göbekli Tepe in south-eastern Anatolia. This site is from the New Stone Age and has likely been standing since about 9,600 and 8,200 BCE.

Although an incredibly old site, this archaeological wonder wasn't discovered and noted until 1963. Excavations and further explorations happened decades later in 1993/1994. Some artifacts found within this site are stone hammers and blades.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient Jewish manuscripts from around the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE that were found in the Qumran Caves between 1946 and 1956. They are written in various languages including Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, and detail the lives and activities of people from that time.

Contrary to popular belief, the scrolls were found in fragments. We've found more than 25,000 fragments with bits and pieces of information.

One of the most extraordinary archaeological sites is Tikal, also known as Tikal National Park. This site is a pre-Columbian city in what is now Guatemala. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

Tikal isn't a new discovery, although we are still learning about it. European explorers first encountered and explored this Mayan ruin in 1848. While explorers were fascinated by the countless buildings left standing, the first excavation wasn't until 1951.

Rosetta Stone is more than just a language learning platform. It's also an important archaeological find. The Rosetta Stone is a stone inscribed with a decree issued in 196 BC. The decree was written in both Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek.

This incredible piece of history was found by French soldiers in Egypt in 1799. They found it while constructing on a tributary of the Nile. Now, this stone sits in the British Museum.

Underground cities aren't just myths or something to leave to your imagination. One of the greatest archaeological sites ever found was an underground city — Derinkuyu. It's 285 feet deep and located in Turkey.

Experts estimate it could have held as many as 20,000 people and livestock. This incredible underground city was discovered when a man decided to renovate his basement.

The oldest known fossil footprints in North America were found in the United States. They may also date back 21,000 to 23,000 years. These old fossil footprints were found in New Mexico's White Sands National Park. There are multiple footprints, which may indicate humans have been on this continent for longer than we've considered.

One set of fossils found in White Sands National Park may be of a toddler and a woman. The smaller footprints quickly disappear which may mean she picked him up to continue the journey.

Ancient Greeks knew a lot about astronomy. One of the most shocking and baffling discoveries we've ever found is the Antikythera Mechanism. This mechanism was used to predict eclipses.

The astronomical calculator was found in 1901 by a diver in the wreckage of an ancient shipwreck. It's thousands of years old, dating back to the late 2nd century BCE. Although first discovered in 1901, it was ignored until 1902 as so many artifacts came from the shipwreck.

Ancient Egyptian tombs are elaborate. Tutankhamun's Tomb, also known as the Tomb of Tutankhamun, is no exception, although it was simpler compared to other pharaohs. It's the final resting place of Tutankhamun and includes four chambers.

This tomb was discovered over a century ago on November 4, 1922. Within the tomb were nearly 5,400 burial objects.

Cave systems are fascinating. The Cave of Altamira isn't just incredible for its extensive passageway but its stunning prehistoric cave art. Within the 971-foot cave are colorful drawings dating back 36,000 years.

Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola discovered the cave drawings by accident, because of his daughter. The cave, though, was discovered by a local Spanish man in 1868. It was excavated in 1879.

Also on our list is Stonehenge, a prehistoric landmark consisting of very heavy stones that are all about 13 feet tall and seven feet wide. Scientists believe it took various years to complete this structure. It may have been built from 3100 BC to 1600 BC in different phases.

Petra doesn't look real. This stunning and lost archaeological city is well-preserved and looks like something out of a movie. It's located in southern Jordan and consists of several rock-cut buildings. The surface area of this stunning city is about 102 square miles. It's a popular site, garnering millions of visitors each year.

Shipwrecks are nothing new. Still, the older a shipwreck, the more fascinating it is. The Uluburun Shipwreck is from about the late 14th century BC, discovered in the summer of 1982 in Turkey. Researchers excavated this ship from 1984 to 1994. It took over 22,000 dives. They found that the ship was around 50 feet long and carried copper, tin ingots, Canaanite jars, and glass ingots.

Are you interested in more strange, but fascinating things? Check out our article, weather events so strange, you'll think they're fiction.