What are some of the most exciting archaeological discoveries of the 21st century so far?
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There have been several exciting archaeological discoveries in the 21st century that have shed new light on ancient civilizations and changed our understanding of history. Here are a few notable examples:
Göbekli Tepe: Discovered in Turkey in the 1990s but extensively excavated in the 2000s, Göbekli Tepe is a Neolithic site dating back to around 9600 BCE. It consists of massive stone pillars arranged in circles, with intricate carvings of animals. This discovery has challenged the conventional belief that monumental architecture was developed after the advent of agriculture.
Homo naledi: In 2013, fossils of a previously unknown hominin species were found in the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa. Named Homo naledi, this species is believed to have lived between 236,000 and 335,000 years ago. The discovery is significant because it suggests that there were multiple hominin species coexisting in Africa during the Middle Pleistocene.
Göbekli Tepe: Discovered in Turkey in the 1990s but extensively excavated in the 2000s, Göbekli Tepe is a Neolithic site dating back to around 9600 BCE. It consists of massive stone pillars arranged in circles, with intricate carvings of animals. This discovery has challenged the conventional belief that monumental architecture was developed after the advent of agriculture.
Homo naledi: In 2013, fossils of a previously unknown hominin species were found in the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa. Named Homo naledi, this species is believed to have lived between 236,000 and 335,000 years ago. The discovery is significant because it suggests that there were multiple hominin species coexisting in Africa during the Middle Pleistocene.
Some of the most exciting archaeological discoveries of the 21st century so far include the discovery of Homo naledi in South Africa in 2013, the discovery of the world's oldest temple in Gobekli Tepe, Turkey in 2011, and the discovery of the world's oldest known city, Çatalhöyük, in Turkey in 2012. Additionally, the discovery of the world's oldest known boat in Kuwait in 2013 and the discovery of the world's oldest known writing in China in 2014 are also among the most exciting archaeological discoveries of the 21st century.
Here are ten significant archaeological discoveries, including the discovery of the Homo naledi, a previously unknown human ancestor, in South Africa in 2013; the lost city of the Jaguar, a vast Mayan settlement found in Guatemala in 2018; and the identification of the tomb of Queen Khentkaus III, a previously unknown Egyptian queen in 2021. Other discoveries include the oldest known human genome found in Spain, a 9,000-year-old Scottish village, an ancient Roman shipwreck off the coast of Greece, and the unearthing of a Viking warrior grave in Sweden. Also, the discovery of the ancient city of Tenea in Greece, the 3,000-year-old palace of King David in Jerusalem, and the finding of a previously unknown civilization deep in the Amazon rainforest in 2018.