15 Archaeological Finds That Are As Interesting As A History Book

Currently, in the 21st century, we can already understand and discover a lot about ancient civilizations and extinct animals. But all we know is really just a drop in the ocean. After all, archaeologists and historians are still making new discoveries and piecing together the complex puzzle of history, which never ceases to amaze us.

We, from awesome.club, we want to share with you 15 breathtaking archaeological discoveries. Follow!

1. Molar tooth of a mammoth: more than 4000 years old

Mammoths reached 4 meters in height and weighed between 8 and 12 tons. So, naturally, his teeth also had impressive proportions. Moreover, they were even equipped with enamel plates that helped them to chew more resistant vegetation.

2. Pompeii food: almost 2 thousand years

In the year 79 AD, the famous eruption of the volcano Vesuvius took place, responsible for taking the lives of more than a thousand residents of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The site was almost immediately covered by a thick layer of ash and pyroclastic from the eruption, reaching a height of 6 meters and completely covering the city’s buildings. Thus, the absence of air and humidity allowed objects, buildings and even buried food to be preserved in almost perfect conditions until today.

3. Ammonites: over 66 million years old

These marine molluscs appeared on Earth about 409 million years ago, and became extinct around 66 million years ago, along with the dinosaurs. Ammonites could have different sizes. In general, the first species used to be small, while the individuals that emerged later could reach, on average, 2 meters in diameter.

4. Prehistoric freshwater turtle: more than 5 million years old

Recently, scientists discovered the fossilized shell of the then largest turtle that ever existed on the Planet. The carapace length of this animal reached between 2.3 and 3.3 meters, while the total body length of a modern leatherback is no more than 2.5 meters.

5. 120 pairs of Roman sandals: about 2,000 years old

In the Scottish town of Camelon, archaeologists have found 120 pairs of sandals dating back to the Roman Empire. These 2,000-year-old shoes are in excellent condition, but it is believed that at the time the Romans considered them worn out and simply discarded them in a ditch.

6. Mummified dinosaur: over 66 million years old

The mummified remains of an Edmontosaurus were found in 1908 and became the first dinosaur specimen with well-preserved skin to date. This discovery allowed scientists to reconstruct the appearance of the animal and found that its average height was around 12 – 15 meters in height, weighing about 4 tons.

7. Sea urchin: over 66 million years old

The earliest sea urchin fossils ever found are around 450 million years old. The specimen above is between 66 and 100 million years old and had spines thick enough to be able to move along the bottom of the sea. Interestingly, in the period between 66 million and 1.8 million years ago, sea urchins’ appearance began to change — their spines became smaller and their carapaces flatter, allowing them to live in shallower waters.

8. Borealopelta: between 110 million and 112 million years old

This specimen is one of the best-preserved dinosaur fossils of its size. Parts of its armor, skin and even the contents of its stomach were found containing the dinosaur’s last meal. Thanks to this discovery, scientists were able to establish that the animal could reach 5.5 meters in length, had a reddish skin tone and fed mainly on ferns.

9. Dinosaur chuanjiesaurus anaensis: between 174 million and 163 million years ago

In 2009, three dinosaur fossils were exhibited at the China Science and Technology Museum, the largest belonging to the sauropod group. Its size is simply impressive: this giant herbivore with an elongated neck was 27 meters tall in life.

10. Sea lily: about 345 million years old

Despite having been around for a long time, modern sea lily specimens have retained the appearance of their prehistoric ancestors. Both have a rod that attaches to a hard surface, a goblet-shaped body with a mouth in the middle, and several branched arms.

11. Ancient Egyptian bread: between 3,369 and 3,406 years

The loaves were found in the tomb of an architect who served Pharaoh Amenhotep III. And they were well preserved, because the Egyptians not only mummified the bodies, but also preserved the food that accompanied them in the tomb: the food was salted and dried little by little, then wrapped and covered with resin. The Egyptians believed that in the afterlife they would continue to have the same basic needs they had during life on Earth.

12. Paw of a megalapteryx didinus: more than 520 years

This species of flightless bird endemic to New Zealand existed when humans already dominated the globe. O megalapteryx didinus he was less than a meter tall and weighed between 17 kg and 34 kg, in addition to having a docile nature, which ended up making him easy prey for the Maori tribes. And that, in the end, led to the extinction of the species around 1500 AD Scientists, however, managed to find some well-preserved specimens of muscles, feathers and skin of this bird.

13. Diprotodon: between 44 thousand and 1.6 million years ago

Diprotodon is the largest marsupial that ever lived on Earth: it could reach 3 meters in length and 2 meters in height. Its closest relatives are modern wombats and koalas. Archaeologists have already found many fossilized specimens of this animal, which allowed them to recreate its appearance. In the image above, by the way, is the most realistic representation of a diprotodont, which is located in the Australian Museum, in Sydney.

14. Fossilized dinosaur eggs: over 66 million years old

The first documented discovery of fossilized dinosaur eggs dates back to 1923. And since then, scientists have been discovering new specimens constantly. The oldest fossilized eggs found so far are around 190 million years old. The specimens pictured above have been identified as being from velociraptors, tyrannosaurus rex and other species, so their age ranges between 75 million and 66 million years.

15. Jaws and teeth of a megalodon: between 3.6 million and 23 million years ago

So far, only a few fossilized fragments of this ancient giant shark have been found, so its appearance and size are still unknown. Scientists estimate that the maximum length of the megalodon ranged between 14.2 and 16 meters, while a modern great white shark can grow up to 4 or 5 meters in length. In the second photo above, a megalodon tooth was placed next to teeth from a great white shark.

What interesting artifacts or fossils have you had the opportunity to see? Is there anything specific you’d like to see in person? Tell us in the comments section.