The most terrible archaeological excavations. The procedure for conducting archaeological excavations Who is conducting the excavations
When we first watched the Indiana Jones movie, many of us thought archeology was something exciting and romantic, but later realized that being an archaeologist does not mean chasing the Nazis or embarking on risky adventures. Nevertheless, this profession is very interesting. It is divided into many types; researchers who conduct excavations usually have a fairly narrow specialization.
To be considered archaeological, an excavation must be conducted to find physical traces of a group of civilized people. This distinguishes archeology from other related fields such as anthropology. Definitions of this science may vary, but all archaeologists are looking for specific objects, no matter how fragmentary they may be.
Underwater archaeologists explore the depths of the oceans in search of long-sunken relics. Some specialize in deep sea excavations, while others focus primarily on lakes, rivers and ponds. They may work on shipwrecks, but they also study cities and towns submerged by Earth's choppy waters. Seabed exploration can be both a profession and a hobby; Some wrecks have already been fully explored and are open to general divers, while many others have not yet.
Military archaeologists methodically examine every inch of battlefields, trying to find weapons and armor. In addition, they are looking for artifacts that can help them understand what it was like everyday life soldiers in military camps.
Prehistoric archeology studies primitive cultures, in particular those without written language. On the contrary, historical archeology covers everything that happened after the advent of writing. It is also divided into different groups, including classical ( Ancient Greece and Rome), Egyptian and biblical. Experts in the field of the latter are trying to find places mentioned in the Bible and evidence of biblical events.
Oddly enough, there are also “modern” types of archeology. Garbologists study what people throw away and identify patterns and changes in the habits of civilized society. Industrial archaeologists study mainly the industrial landscape and its development, while urban studies specialists look at the evolution of cities, especially older ones.
Experimental archeology is a very practical field. In it, scientists not only find and document artifacts and other historical finds, but also try to connect with each other the time frames of events that connect each other different stages human history.
There is also ethnoarchaeology. This field studies cultures that still exist today, but live much the same as they did centuries ago. Examples include modern nomadic tribes, hunter-gatherers, and societies without access to many modern amenities. Ethnoarchaeologists then use their findings to study already extinct cultures.
Another modern look archeology - aerial. It's incredibly exciting, but also challenging. Those who know what to look for can discover previously undiscovered mounds, structures, and even entire settlements from the air. After all, from above you can see objects that are difficult to notice while on the ground.
EXCAVATIONS
(archaeological) - opening up layers of earth to study archaeological monuments located in the ground. R.'s goal is to study a given monument, its parts, things found, etc. and to reconstruct the role of the object being studied in historical history. process. Scientific tasks, formulation of historical. problems are determined both by the choice of the R. object and the order of studying its parts (if the R. are designed for many years). R. are not an end in themselves; each R. must give an answer to some questions related to the history of the society that created this monument. R. is preceded by archaeological exploration. Archaeologists have developed a number of special techniques that take into account the specifics of each object and allow a detailed study of its features. R. settlements are associated with the destruction of the cultural layer, which itself is also an object of scientific research. observations. Therefore, careful recording of all stages of excavation is extremely important. Unlike laboratory experiments, the process of excavation is unique; it is impossible to excavate the same cultural layer twice. Full disclosure of the archaeol being studied is desirable. object, since only it gives the most complete picture of his past life. However, the R. process is very labor-intensive and expensive, so sometimes they are limited to opening part of the monument; Many monuments take years and decades to excavate.
The study of the object chosen for R. begins with its measurements, photography and description.
Sometimes to determine the thickness of a cultural layer, its direction, or in search of any object whose existence is known from written sources(wall, building, temple, etc.), in archaeological. Probes (pits) or trenches are made at the monument. This method is permissible only in a very limited form - for reconnaissance purposes, because pits and trenches spoil the cultural layer and do not make it possible to form a holistic picture of the settlement under study.
To establish the facts of past life in a settlement, it is desirable to simultaneously open a large continuous area. However, the area should not be excessively large, because this will make it difficult to observe the sections of the cultural layer and remove the soil. That limited place where R. are made in the settlement is called. excavation Its dimensions are determined by the assigned tasks, technical. and material opportunities. Having chosen a site for an excavation, they determine the direction of its sides according to the cardinal points and its position in relation to some fixed and constant point on the ground (benchmark). The excavation surface is leveled. Most often, geodesic is used for this. tools. The excavation area is divided into squares (most often 2x2 m). The opening of the cultural layer is carried out in layers of 20 cm each and squarely, with all ancient things and structures recorded on the plan. R. is produced only by hand with shovels and sometimes with knives. Mechanical Diggers (scrapers, bulldozers, etc.) are used only for removing ballast and for cleaning the embankments of large mounds. The cultural layer excavated with shovels and sorted by hand is removed from the excavation using conveyors and electric winches. Sometimes a narrow-gauge railway is laid to the place of R. d.
In addition to horizontal excavation plans, stratigraphic plans must be drawn up. (see Stratigraphy) vertical drawings of its walls and drawings of sections of the cultural layer (the so-called “profiles”) within the excavation site, wherever they can be recorded. Observation of the alternation of cultural layers deposited in a given place makes it possible to establish the relative chronology within the entire cultural layer or to state its single-layer nature (i.e., the simultaneous existence of all discovered objects). If life on a multi-layered monument was interrupted for a long time, then between archaeol. layers are so-called. sterile layers containing no cultural residues. The profiles also make it possible to find out whether the sequence of strata was ever disrupted or whether there were excavations, the presence of which complicates the establishment of chronology.
One of the indispensable requirements for excavation is the opening of the entire cultural layer to its entire depth, regardless of which of the historical layers. eras and, accordingly, parts of the layer are of interest to the researcher himself. To fully illuminate all periods of the life of a given settlement, the archaeologist must pay equal attention to all layers.
The disadvantage of the method of conducting R. in horizontal layers is that, as a rule, archaeol. layers do not coincide with strata; this makes observations and conclusions difficult. Therefore, if the layers on a monument are clearly traceable and their direction has been established by preliminary exploration (trenches or pits), then the opening of the monument is carried out layer by layer, without dividing into layers, with the registration of finds and structures within the layer.
On a multi-layered monument, the layers are numbered as they are uncovered, i.e. from top to bottom, but this order is the reverse of the time the layers appeared: the older the layer, the lower it lies. When publishing a report on R., a scientist sometimes calls the most ancient layer of a given monument the first layer, while in R.’s diary the most recent layer is named first. This creates confusion. The cultures or cultural phases found at a given site should be numbered in order from earliest to latest.
A special technique can be used when repainting the remains of ancient buildings. The researcher finds one of the walls of the building and, following it, gradually clears it. This makes it possible to find out the building plan without unnecessary effort. However, the need to establish the connection between the building and its surroundings, to date it, to establish construction periods, the time of destruction, etc., forces the researcher not to limit himself to clearing the walls, but, as in other cases, to carry out work over a wide area and be sure to obtain accurate sections of the cultural surroundings of the building. layer.
Wood in general, and wooden buildings in particular, are preserved only in particularly favorable conditions: in very wet soil (for example, in a peat bog), or in a very dry climate (for example, in Egypt). Most often, the tree rots in the ground. In our country, in most places (except, for example, Novgorod and some other cities), wooden buildings are not preserved and are identified by barely noticeable traces in the ground.
Pits from dugouts, cellars, wells, etc. retain traces of wooden fastenings imprinted on the walls, according to which the entire structure was reconstructed. Observations of pole holes are very important.
The repair of decayed wooden structures is more difficult than the repair of buildings made of adobe (unbaked) brick. The collapse of walls made of such bricks is not much different from the surrounding earth, in which the building is buried. It is necessary to take into account the shades of clay, the difference in humidity, the admixture of straw, the edges that occur in mud brick, etc., in order to outline the boundaries of the structure.
The development of large or long-existing settlements must be strictly planned, because chaotic research, whatever that means. it did not cover the area, it will not provide an opportunity to present the historical. a picture of the life of the settlement.
In addition to graphic, photographic and film documentation, the R. process and discovered objects are described in detail in research diaries. During R. burials (see Burial grounds), although in most cases they do not have a proper cultural, i.e., residential layer formed over a long period of time. time, stratigraphic is also necessary. observations. Mounds are not just simple hills piled over a grave, but ritual structures that are complex and varied in design. The structure of the mound reflects the peculiarities of the funeral rite, which can be studied in full only if the entire mound embankment is removed for demolition. To clarify the structure of the embankment, one or two transverse earthen walls, the so-called, are left in the center of the mound. “edges”, which are removed only at the very end of the R. Sometimes, for the same purpose, the mound is not opened over the entire area at once, but by cutting out individual segments sequentially. In diaries, drawings and photographs, later entrance burials revealed in the mound or under it, traces of a funeral feast (funeral), fire pits, stone linings and all burial structures are noted; wooden and stone crypts, ground and undercut graves, stone boxes, etc. The excavation of ground burial grounds, which do not have any structures on the surface of the ground, is usually carried out over large areas. This makes it possible to determine the boundaries of the burial ground, find burial pits and establish the relative position of the burials.
When individual objects, structures, burials or their traces are discovered in the cultural layer, shovels are replaced with knives, tweezers and brushes. Each item found is cleaned with a brush, sketched or photographed in the position in which it is in the ground, and its location is carefully recorded. The relative position of things gives the archaeologist no less in the sense of reconstructing the past than the things themselves. Many items, especially organic ones. substances - wood, leather, fabrics - are quickly destroyed when exposed to air. For the safety of such finds, their immediate conservation is required, right here in the excavation site. They are filled with plaster or sprayed with molten paraffin, sometimes immersed in water or some kind of solution. Some objects are completely destroyed in the ground, but leave traces in the form of voids or imprints. The voids, cleared of dust and later sediments, are filled with plaster and a cast of the disappeared thing is obtained.
During excavations, one should collect all things and various remains that indicate the natural and other conditions in which the ancient population was located. A chemical sample is taken from different layers of the cultural layer. analysis. Chemical analysis allows you to find out from which organic. substances, humus formed, what tree species left ash and coals, etc. Landscape reconstruction has especially great importance for very distant eras, for example. Paleolithic, when natural conditions were sharply different from modern ones. They collect plant pollen and animal bones and use them to reconstruct ancient flora and fauna, climate, etc. Anthropological the study of individual bones and entire human skeletons helps to establish the physical. type of ancient population.
IN Lately Radiocarbon and paleomagnetic methods are becoming increasingly important for dating the site. The archaeologist must take samples of coal, wood, organic matter for analysis. residues and fired clay in accordance with spec. instructions developed for the collection of such samples. After completion of the excavation, the extracted materials are subject to restoration and conservation, as well as detailed study in the laboratory. As a result of R., various structures, architecture, can be opened. monuments that must be preserved in place. Their conservation is a very difficult task, especially when it is necessary to protect wall paintings, carvings, etc. from destruction.
Excavations in the USSR are carried out only by archaeological specialists with special permits - the so-called. open sheets issued by the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences for the right to R. monuments of national significance and included in the state. lists of the USSR, as well as monuments located in the territory. RSFSR. For R. monuments rep. values open sheets are issued by the Academy of Sciences of the Union Republics. The researcher is obliged to submit a report on R. at the place where open sheets are issued. The reports are stored in archives and presented to the state. fund of documents on the study of monuments.
Lit.: Blavatsky V.D., Ancient field archeology, M., 1967; Avdusin D. A., Archaeological exploration and excavations M., 1959; Spitsyn A. A., Archaeological excavations, St. Petersburg, 1910; Crawford O. G. S., Archeology in the field, L., (1953); Leroi-Gourhan A., Les fouilles préhistoriques (Technique et méthodes), P., 1950; Woolley C. L., Digging up the Past, (2 ed), L., (1954); Wheeler R. E. M., Archeology from the Earth, (Harmondsworth, 1956).
A. L. Mongait. Moscow.
Soviet historical encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ed. E. M. Zhukova. 1973-1982 .
Synonyms:See what “EXCAVATIONS” is in other dictionaries:
Digging, digging, opening Dictionary of Russian synonyms. excavation noun, number of synonyms: 3 excavation (5) ... Synonym dictionary
Archaeological excavations on the territory of the Kremlin in Uglich ... Wikipedia
Excavations- field study of archaeology. memory, provided execution specific type of excavation work. Such work is accompanied by the inevitable destruction of all monuments. or parts thereof. Repeated R. is usually impossible. Therefore, I studied the techniques. must be max. accurate...... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary
Archaeological, see Archaeological excavations... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
A method of studying ancient settlements, buildings, graves, etc., originating from accidental finds or intentional, with the aim of obtaining material benefits, searches in the ground, in graves, under foundations, etc. The scientific system of R. has been erected ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron
I. EXCAVATION METHODS R. in the Middle East Marietta in Egypt (1850-1980), P.E. Botta and O.G. Layard in Mesopotamia (from 1843 and 1845, respectively) began as treasure hunting. Their goal was to acquire for Europe. museums as much as possible... ... Brockhaus Biblical Encyclopedia
Mn. 1. Work aimed at searching and extracting something hidden in the ground, snow, under ruins, etc. 2. Opening up layers of earth in order to extract ancient monuments located in the ground. 3. The place where extraction work is being carried out... ... Modern Dictionary Russian language Efremova
Archaeological excavations require achieving an optimal balance between two, often polar, circumstances - say, the need, on the one hand, to destroy some structures, and on the other, to obtain maximum amount information about the past, or to obtain the necessary funds for excavations or to satisfy the immediate needs of society. If an excavation is carried out, its ultimate goal is to obtain a three-dimensional record of the archaeological site, which will record various artifacts, buildings and other finds, correctly placed according to their origin and context in time and space. And after this stage is completed, the document must be published in full in order to preserve the information for posterity.
Complete and selective excavations
The advantage of continuous excavations of the monument is that they provide detailed information, but they are expensive, and it is undesirable to carry them out due to the fact that after them it will not be possible to carry out subsequent excavations, possibly using more advanced methods. Usually, continuous excavations are carried out as part of such UCR projects, in which monuments are in danger of inevitable destruction.
Selective excavations are most typical, especially in cases where time is of the essence. Many sites are so large that extensive excavation is simply not possible, and research is carried out selectively, using sampling methods or using carefully calibrated trenches. Selective excavations are carried out to obtain stratigraphic and chronological information, as well as to obtain samples of pottery, stone tools and animal bones. Based on this evidence, the archaeologist can decide whether further excavations are advisable.
Vertical and horizontal excavations
Vertical excavations are always selective. During their implementation, limited areas of the monument are revealed in order to obtain specific information. Most vertical excavations are probing deep archaeological layers, their real purpose is to obtain a chronological sequence at the site. Horizontal excavations are carried out to reveal contemporaneous settlement over a large area. However, it should be emphasized that all excavation strategies are based on decisions made as the excavation progresses and research project. Either way, the examples given here and in other texts show excavations that have already been completed. During an excavation, an archaeologist may well switch from vertical to horizontal excavations, and vice versa, even during short-term work.
Vertical excavations. Vertical excavations are almost always carried out to establish stratigraphic sequences, especially at sites where the area is limited, such as small caves and rock shelters, or to resolve chronological issues, such as sequences along trenches and earthworks (Fig. 9.4). Some vertical trenches reach impressive sizes, especially those dug on residential hills. However, in most cases such excavations are not large-scale.
pits which are sometimes called French word sondages, or telephone booths, often take the form of vertical excavations. They consist of small trenches that can accommodate one or two excavators and are designed to penetrate the lower layers of a site to establish the limits of archaeological layers (Fig. 9.5). The pits are dug to extract samples of artifacts from the lower layers. This method can be improved with the help of drills.
The pits are a precursor to major excavations, as the information obtained from them is limited at best. Some archaeologists dig them only outside the territory of the main monument, since they destroy important layers. But judiciously placed pits can provide valuable information about the stratigraphy and contents of a site before the main excavations begin. They are also dug to obtain samples from different areas of the site, such as shell deposits, where there is a high concentration of artifacts found in the layers. In such cases, the holes are dug along a grid and their positions are determined by statistical sampling or based on regular patterns such as alternating squares. A series of checkerboard pits are particularly effective when excavating earthworks, as the pit walls, separated by unexcavated blocks, provide a continuous stratigraphic sequence through the entire fortification.
Vertical trenches were widely used during excavations of ancient monuments - settlements in southwest Asia (Moore, 2000). They can also be used to obtain a cross-section of a monument that is in danger of destruction, or to inspect outlying structures near a village or cemetery where major excavations have been carried out. When creating such vertical excavations, it is almost always expected that the most important information will be in the form of recording the layers in the walls of the trenches and the finds in them. It is clear that the information obtained from such excavations is of limited value compared to larger surveys.
Horizontal (zone) excavations. Horizontal, or zone, excavations are carried out on a larger scale than vertical ones, and are the next step to continuous excavations. By zone excavation we mean covering large areas to reconstruct building plans or plans of an entire settlement, even historical gardens (Fig. 9.6, see also the photograph at the beginning of the chapter). The only sites that inevitably are completely excavated are very small hunter sites, free-standing huts and burial mounds.
A good example of horizontal excavation is the site at St. Augustine, Florida (Deagan, 1983; Milanich and Milbrath, 1989). Saint Augustine was founded on the east coast of Florida by Spanish conquistador Pedro Menedez de Aville in 1565. In the 16th century, the city was subject to floods, fires, and hurricanes, and in 1586 it was sacked by Sir Francis Drake. He destroyed the fortified city, whose purpose was to protect the Spanish fleet transporting treasures through the Florida Straits. In 1702 the British attacked Saint Augustine. The city's inhabitants took refuge in the fortress of San Marcos, which still stands today. After six weeks of siege, the British retreated, burning the wooden buildings to the ground. In their place, settlers built stone buildings, and the city continued to grow until the first half of the 18th century.
Kathleen Deegan and a team of archaeologists explored the 18th-century city and its earlier part, combining urban conservation with archaeological excavations. Excavations of an 18th-century city are difficult for many reasons. Partly due to the fact that the three-century-old archaeological layer is only 0.9 meters and is largely disturbed. Excavation workers cleared and recorded dozens of wells. They also carried out horizontal excavations and uncovered the foundations of 18th-century buildings made from earthen concrete, a cement-like substance made from oyster shells, lime and sand. Foundations made of oyster shells or earthen concrete were laid in trenches in the shape of the house being built (Fig. 9.7), then the walls were erected. Earthen concrete floors deteriorated quickly, so a new floor was created on the ground. Because the layers around the house were disturbed, artifacts from the foundations and floors were very important, and selective horizontal excavation was the best method to uncover them.
The problems with horizontal excavations are the same as with any excavation: stratigraphic control and careful measurements. During such zone excavations, large open areas of soil are exposed to a depth of several tens of centimeters. A complex network of walls or pillars may lie within the survey area. Each feature correlates with other structures. This ratio must be clearly stated for the correct interpretation of the monument, especially if we're talking about about several periods of settlement. If an entire area is exposed, it is difficult to measure the position of structures in the middle of the trench, far from the walls at the edge of the excavation. More accurate measurements and recording can be achieved by using a system that provides a network of vertical stratigraphic walls across the excavated zone. Such work is often accomplished by laying out a grid of square or rectangular excavation units, with walls between the squares several tens of centimeters thick (Figure 9.8). Such excavated units can be 3.6 square meters in area. meters or more. Figure 9.8 shows that this system allows stratigraphic control of large areas.
Large-scale grid excavations are extremely expensive, time consuming, and difficult to carry out in uneven areas. Nevertheless, “grid excavations” were successful at many monuments: buildings, city plans and fortifications were revealed. Many zone excavations are “open”, during which large areas of the site are exposed layer by layer without a grid (see Fig. 9.1). Electronic survey methods have solved many of the problems of recording in large horizontal excavations, but the need for clear stratigraphic control remains.
Removing overlying layers of no archaeological significance to reveal subsurface features is another type of large-scale excavation. Such removal is especially useful when the monument is buried shallow below the surface and traces of buildings are preserved in the form of pillars and discoloration of the soil. Excavators almost always use earthmoving equipment to remove large areas of surface soil, especially in RBM projects. This type of work requires both skilled drivers and a clear understanding of soil stratigraphy and texture (Figure 9.9).
Russian archaeologist, publicist and writer. 1899 Born - a major specialist in Scythian-Sarmatian archeology, classical philology and ancient ceramic epigraphy, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor. 1937 Was born Igor Ivanovich Kirillov- Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, specialist in the archeology of Transbaikalia. 1947 Was born Davron Abdulloev- specialist in medieval archeology Central Asia and the Middle East. 1949 Was born Sergey Anatolyevich Skory- archaeologist, Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, specialist in the early Iron Age of the Northern Black Sea region. Also known as a poet. Days of Death 1874 Died Johann Georg Ramsauer- an official from the Hallstatt mine. Known for having discovered in 1846 and led the first excavations of burials of the Iron Age Hallstatt culture there.
Who are searchers, treasure hunters, archaeologists, black archaeologists, trackers and others. Let's look at the names and clans of search engines.
Recently, the topic of excavations and searches with metal detectors has become more widespread. On television every now and then there are reports about search engines, black archaeologists and others. But they do not always objectively reflect reality. There is also a lot of information on the Internet, on forums and news sites. They also don’t always clearly name a person with a metal detector in his hand.
In this article we will briefly describe our view of the situation from within the search engine community.
White archaeologists
Official archaeologists carrying out scientific activities and conducting official excavations. These are professional scientists who study history through artifacts and through detailed excavations that provide a wealth of information. After all, we know much of the history of events thanks to the work of archaeologists. Their story is not fake or made up, they opened it with their own hands for all of us.
Black archaeologists
Black archaeologists are sometimes called all people with metal detectors, but this is not entirely true. In our understanding, “black archaeologists” are people who conduct barbaric excavations of historical sites that are monuments of history and archeology, violating and destroying them. And in fact, it doesn’t matter whether this person has a metal detector or whether a shovel and a pickaxe is enough for him. It is also worth mentioning that some people call “black archaeologists” people from official archeology, but those who conduct illegal excavations, taking advantage of their official position, and also often sell official finds from excavations on the black market. Unfortunately, there are such people too, not many, but they do exist. Fortunately, the majority of noble real archaeologists! And the barbarians who go to dig a monument are simply “barbarians” in Africa too.
Black Diggers
Often intertwined with “black archaeologists”. These are “amateurs” who violate historical monuments and conduct searches at archaeological sites. Their goal is to profit from their finds. The media often generalizes all amateurs into this one unpleasant group, but believe me, this is not really true. Most search enthusiasts do not carry out barbaric excavations of monuments and do not earn millions from their finds, as many will think after watching the next report on TV. There are not many black diggers; in our hobby there are more ordinary people who are passionate about the process of searching with a metal detector, who avoid archaeological sites and dig in ordinary fields, on the sites of old villages.
Black Rangers
Search engines that conduct searches on military topics. They are looking for them at the battlefields. But this is not about everyone who is passionate and not indifferent to past war stories. Everything in this group involves weapons. People from this group often illegally “play” with found ammunition and weapons, which can result in legal penalties. Any ammunition and weapons found must be handed over to the police or the authorities must be informed about their discovery for the safe destruction of the ammunition. Many people die due to explosions from rusty bombs and grenades. We strongly recommend that you treat accidentally discovered ammunition with caution and strictly follow the letter of the law.
Search teams
These are true patriots and they are driven by noble motives. They conduct excavations at battle sites (WWII, etc.), search for and try to establish the identities of the soldiers who died many years ago, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, bury them with honors, and preserve information for history. Their actions are selfless and noble. Their finds (with the exception of ammunition, they are destroyed) are restored and placed in military museums. They often lead entire expeditions. The state has recently been trying to help them. But nevertheless, they often do their noble work with their own money.
Search engines
Search engines with metal detectors are ordinary people, passionate about this hobby. They look for coins, old objects left in places where villages once existed, treasures, gold jewelry, etc. This is a fascinating hobby that wins the hearts and souls of many people. It's enough to try once. Real search engines respect archeology and history and never destroy monuments. They mainly search in ordinary fields, in places where villages used to stand, there were fairs, or simply on old roads.
Search engines can also be divided by type of search into:
Beachgoers- people keen on searching for gold jewelry lost while swimming and relaxing near the water.
Treasure hunters- enthusiastically and purposefully search for treasures, studying this particular topic, collecting data on who and where could have buried the treasure, collecting and checking legends. And luck often smiles on them in the form of a box of coins, for example from the 17th-19th centuries.
Digging in WWII- fans of searching on military topics, often part of search teams.
Just search engines- These are universal search engines that conduct a variety of searches from coins to gold jewelry. You can search for a lot. You can simply look for all the ancient objects in your native village, even on your own site, you can look for fair places where there are a lot of coins, you can look for villages that disappeared in the 18-19th century with their way of life, you can just look for places where interesting events took place a hundred or two hundred years ago.
This is how a huge search community is formed, from archaeologists to amateurs who are not indifferent to history and finds. Collections are being created and museums are being replenished. History is recreated and random but amazing things are found!
It is enough to pick up a metal detector and a shovel, decide on the place and purpose of the search, and believe me, you will not remain indifferent. The main thing is to follow the law and not destroy historical monuments, and when interesting objects are discovered, report information to local historians and archaeologists for research.
We wish you successful finds, treasures, discoveries and a good mood from searching with a metal detector! After all, the main thing in our hobby is the pleasure from the search process itself!
The profession of an archaeologist first of all requires nerves of iron and endurance. While conducting research, scientists sometimes pull things out of the ground that make your heart skip a beat. In addition to ancient dishes, clothing and writings, they find the remains of animals and people. We invite you to learn about the most terrible archaeological excavations.
Screaming mummies
Egypt is full of mysteries and secrets, many of which have already been solved. While studying the tombs in 1886, researcher Gaston Maspero came across an unusual mummy. Unlike the other bodies found earlier, she was simply wrapped in sheep's clothing. And her face was twisted in a terrible grimace, while the creepy mummy’s mouth was open. Scientists put forward different versions, including poisoning and burying the Egyptian alive. In fact, everything turned out to be quite simple. When wrapping the body, the mouth was also tied with a rope. Apparently poor fastening led to the rope falling off, and the jaw, unheld by anything, fell down. As a result, the body took on such a terrible appearance. To this day, archaeologists find mummies that are still called screaming.
Headless Vikings
In 2010, the list of the most terrible archaeological excavations was supplemented by scientists who carried out work in Dorset. The group hoped to find household equipment of their ancestors, their clothing, and working tools in order to supplement historical data about their life. But what they stumbled upon horrified them. Scientists have discovered the remains of human bodies, but without heads. The skulls were located not far from the grave. Having carefully studied them, archaeologists came to the conclusion that these were the remains of Vikings. However, there were not enough skulls. Therefore, we can conclude that the punitive forces took several heads as a trophy. The burial of 54 Vikings took place in the 8th-9th century.
Unknown creature
Amateur scientists taking a walk around National Park in New Zealand, we came across a karst cave. The young archaeologists decided to visit it. Walking along the corridors of the cave, the group saw a skeleton that was well preserved, but presented an eerie sight. The rather large body had rough skin, a beak, and huge claws. I don’t understand at all where this monster came from; the guys urgently left the cave. Further research showed that these were the remains of an ancient moa bird. Some scientists are sure that she still lives on the planet, just hiding from people.
Crystal Skull
Archaeologist Frederick Mitchell Hedges made a stunning discovery while walking through the jungles of Belize. They found a skull made of rock crystal. The weight of the find increased by 5 kg. Tribes living nearby claim that the skull is a Mayan heritage. There are 13 of them scattered around the world, and whoever collects the entire collection will gain access to the secrets of the universe. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but the mystery of the skull has not been solved to this day. What’s surprising is that it was made using a technology that contradicts the chemical and physical laws known to mankind.