You Would Not Believe What they Discovered Inside this Ancient Mosaic

The mosaic, which was located at the Horvat El-Bira archaeological site in the central town of Shoham, was built over 2,000 years ago during the Roman era as part of a rural villa with agricultural processing installations and homes for the residents, reports The Times of Israel.

The mosaic is intricately patterned with bright red flowers that are believed to be kalaniyot or anemones, which add bursts of color to the surrounding hillside during the winter months. The mosaic, which is made up of tiny, colored stone chips, is a testament to the skill and artistry of the Byzantine mosaic-makers.

In 1990 An Archaeologist Dug Up A Strange Skeleton – And Unraveled A Historic Vampire Panic

It’s 19th-century New England, and the region is in the grip of a worrying epidemic that is consuming entire families. Naturally, then, communities are desperate to put a stop to the widespread affliction. But the sinister illness continues to gradually suck the life from the bodies of its victims, leaving them as hollow, hacking shells – or even, in some cases, dead.

Running Waterfalls in a Jar (Moss Terrarium)

In the following video we will be adding waterfalls in a terrarium. Watch the video to see the full process and enjoy the jungle-style terrarium!

This Discovery in Egypt Scares Scientists

Get ready for a journey into the unknown, as we uncover the most terrifying and unbelievable finds in Egyptian pyramids that will leave you breathless.

In this spine-tingling video, we take a journey deep into the heart of the Egyptian pyramids and discover some of the most haunting and hair-raising artifacts that have ever been uncovered. Join us as we explore the two pyramids of Ameny Qemau and uncover the secrets that lie within. From a tiny sarcophagus to a 100-foot-long chamber, we uncover ancient graffiti, food fit for a pharaoh that's way past its expiration date, and much more.

But that's not all - we'll also delve into the early security systems that protected these priceless treasures, and discover why they were so important to the ancient Egyptians. With each new discovery, the tension builds, and the sense of foreboding grows stronger. You won't believe the spine-chilling finds that we uncover in these ancient tombs.

The Grand Canyon Mystery That Is Creeping The Entire Internet Out

A mysterious and creepy connection between aliens - the grand canyon and ancient Egypt to a strange and unexplained find inside a huge underground city, in this video we will be analyzing the Grand Canyon Mystery that was first published on an Arizona Gazette article in the past and that is now completely freaking out the entire internet. We will also show you possible video evidence of the existence of what some people believe to be a cover up by the smithsonian.

When Archaeologists Explored A Ruined Aztec Temple, They Unearthed A Gateway To A Lost World

Archaeologists are on the verge of making a significant discovery as they progress through the templo mayor's ruinous remains. The Aztec people of Mexico used to worship primarily at this complex, which dates back hundreds of years. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that they are about to discover something intriguing.

Nonetheless, this development may be particularly significant. In fact, so much so that our perception of this civilization as a whole may be forever altered. A gateway to a lost world was discovered by archaeologists when they investigated an abandoned Aztec temple. The templo mayor was constructed in tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. Its ruins can be found in Mexico city today. The location was constructed in honor of two deities. The location where the templo mayor was built was a big part of Aztec mythology, and the building itself was a big part of the belief system of the people. Thusly, any new discoveries which could assist with portraying life in the realm are profoundly critical. Certain parts of the Aztec domain and today functions remained covered in secret.

However, historians have pieced together a general outline over time: the empire flourished from the middle of the 14th century to the 16th, encompassing the northernmost portion of mesoamerica. Antiquarians believe the Aztec domain to be the last significant human progress of mesoamerica. It was a society that thrived through military action while also being built on efficient agricultural and trading practices. As technology soldiers prevailed over those of states nearby, the inhabitants of these other locations were brought into the Aztec domain. The civilization can be traced back to the beginning of the 12th century, when a number of city states were scattered throughout the region that is now known as mexico and fought for power and territory. By the beginning of the 15th century, a number of modestly sized empires had emerged. Among the most powerful of these empires were texcoco and the captured salco, who warned against each other in 1428 and emerged victorious, in part thanks to the assistance of a number of other cities.

Tenants Chitlin, which was the capital of the Mexican people, was one of these. A new political coalition was formed after the war between texcoco and cabot salco ended. As a result, the texcoco tenants chitlin and plato pan, a different city state, joined together as a single entity. This purported triple partnership before long extended with occupants chitlin turning out to be especially critical. Tenants eventually became the new aztec empire's capital over time. Chitlin eventually developed into a large city, once regarded as the largest in the americas prior to European colonization, beginning in the sixteenth century. There were at least 200,000 people living in Chitlin. This populace then was parted into a wide range of classes, that the decision end were both of them the heads of tenochtitlan. The Papelbon, the Messiah, Walton, the Madman, and the Lakota were below them. We can think of these groups as having had abilities: the common people, the peasants, and slaves. Although the poor classes are thought to have had some opportunity for social mobility, the Aztec class system was generally quite rigid.

Most Incredible Recent Archaeological Finds

In today’s video we will be exploring the most incredible recent archaeological finds. Enjoy!

Why is the CIA Hiding Something About An Advanced Civilization in the Sahara?

In today’s video we will investigate whether the CIA is hidding something about an advanced civilization in the Sahara. Enjoy!

Why This Map Shouldn't Exist

For thousands of years, Antarctica was out of reach, remote, and desolate. How did we map it? Watch the video below to find out!

A New Discovery Found After 3,000 Years. Why Are Scientists Scared?

In the video below we will investigate a new Egyptian discovery found after 3,000 years and why scientists are scared of it. Watch the video for more!

Zeus's God Temple Has Finally Been Found But Now Something Has Emerged

Could this be the discovery of the century? A team of archaeologists has just uncovered what appears to be the legendary temple of Zeus, untouched and hidden for millennia. But what secrets does this ancient site hold? And what clues can it provide about the myths and beliefs of our ancestors? Join us on a journey of discovery as we explore the mysterious temple of the king of the gods and reveal its hidden wonders.

The Terrifying Final Moments of Michael Rockefeller

In the following video we will be talking about the terrifying final moments of Michael Rockfeller. Watch the video to find out more!

5 Unsolved Mysteries That Cannot Be Explained

Today, we take a look at these 5 unsolved mysteries that cannot be explained. Unsolved mysteries have always intrigued people because they represent the unknown and the unexplained, which can be both fascinating and unsettling. Humans are naturally curious creatures, and we are always looking for answers to the questions that intrigue us.

Spinosaurus: The Largest Carnivorous Dinosaur

Spinosaurus was the biggest of all the carnivorous dinosaurs, larger than Tyrannosaurus and Giganotosaurus. It lived during part of the Cretaceous period, about 112 million to 97 million years ago, roaming the swamps of North Africa.

Two Spinosaurus species have been named based on the regions where they were discovered: Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Egyptian spine lizard) and Spinosaurus maroccanus (Moroccan spine lizard).

Spinosaurus means "spine lizard," an appropriate descriptor, as the dinosaur had very long spines growing on its back to form what is referred to as a "sail." The distinctive spines, which grew out of the animal's back vertebrae, were up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) long and were likely connected to one another by skin.

Recent fossil evidence shows Spinosaurus was the first dinosaur that was able to swim, and likely spent most of its life in the water, according to a study published September 2014 in the journal Science. "Spinosaurus had short hind limbs (like early whales and other animals that spent more and more time in the water), dense and compact bones (penguins show a similar bone profile in cross section), wide and flat claws and feet (possibly used in paddling), and a long and slender snout with conical teeth (perfect for catching fish)," said Nizar Ibrahim, a University of Chicago vertebrate paleontologist and lead author of the study.

Function of the sail

There has been much scientific debate regarding the evolution and purpose of Spinosaurus' sail. Because of its size, this dinosaur did not have many predators, but the sail could have been used to ward off enemies, as the dinosaur would have appeared to be twice its size with the sail fully extended. The dinosaur's upper spine was fairly flexible, and its vertebrae had ball-and-socket joints, meaning it was likely able to arch its back to a point. It may have been able to spread the sail when threatened or looking to attract a mate.

In a 1997 study published in the Journal of Paleontology, paleontologist Jack Bowman Bailey proposed that Spinosaurus and the similar Ouranosaurus didn't have sails after all, and instead had large, bisonlike backs. (Ouranosaurus was another spiny dinosaur, which lived in the same general area as Spinosaurus a few million years earlier.) These humps, Bailey argued, would have acted as dissipative "heat shields" that, unlike sails, would have helped the dinosaurs survive in the hot and dry environment they were thought to have lived in (it's now known that their environment was actually a lush swamp).

Other paleontologists have hypothesized that Spinosaurus used its sail to regulate its body temperature by absorbing heat or storing fat. However, Ibrahim and his colleagues found that the spines were composed of dense bones with few blood vessels and were likely wrapped snugly in skin, which doesn't support the thermoregulation idea.

"The sail was likely used as a display structure," Ibrahim told Live Science. "It would have been visible from far away and even when the animal was swimming. This way, the animal could convey information about its age, size and … gender to other animals, in particular other Spinosaurus."

Additionally, some paleontologists, Ibrahim included, have hypothesized that the sails were brightly colored (much like the fins of some modern-day reptiles), making them even better display structures. But, Ibrahim notes, "the sail likely had more than one function."

More gigantic than Giganotosaurus

Spinosaurus was larger than both T. rex and Giganotosaurus, which was previously the largest carnivorous dinosaur known. But it's unclear just how big Spinosaurus was, due to incomplete fossils.

In a 2005 study in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, researchers estimated Spinosaurus was 52 to 59 feet (16 to 18 m) long and weighed 7.7 to 9.9 tons (7 to 9 metric tons), based on extrapolations from skull measurements. However, other scientists took issue with the study's methods, and instead claimed the behemoth was 41 to 47 feet (12.6 to 14.3 m) long and 13.2 to 23 tons (12 to 20.9 metric tons), according to a 2007 study in the same journal.

The partial Spinosaurus skeleton Ibrahim his colleagues analyzed suggests the specimen was 50 feet (15.2 m) long and still growing. The fossils also suggest Spinosaurus' long neck and trunk shifted the dinosaur's center of mass forward. This allowed the animal to move easily in water, but made movement on land nearly impossible unless the dinosaur used all four legs.

Spinosaurus had a long and narrow snout at the end of its skull, and a small crest above its eyes. It had six or seven needlelike teeth on each side of the very front of the upper jaw and another 12 teeth behind those. There were also a few large, slanted teeth that interlocked at the end of the snout. While its jaw was powerful, none of the teeth were serrated, making it unlikely that it could have used them to tear into tough prey. This gives credence to the theory that it mostly survived on fish and carcasses.

What did Spinosaurus eat?

Spinosaurus is thought to have survived primarily on fish, including giant coelacanths, sawfish, large lungfish and sharks, which lived in the dinosaur's river system, according to Ibrahim. "The skull of Spinosaurus has 'fish eating' written all over it, so those are the kinds of animals Spinosaurus would have preyed on," he said.

In addition to anatomical evidence, chemical analyses also suggest Spinosaurus preferred to dine on fish, a 2010 study in the journal Geology shows.

In 2004, researchers found a tooth belonging to Irritator challengeri — a spinosaur, or dinosaur in Spinosaurus' taxonomic family, Spinosauridae — embedded in the remains of a Cretaceous pterosaur (flying reptile). The find, detailed in the journal Nature, suggests the fish-loving spinosaurs also hunted (or scavenged) nonaquatic animals.

Spinosaurus lived in Egypt and Morocco. There is speculation that the Sahara is rich with Spinosaurus fossils, but the harsh environment makes them difficult to unearth.

Sabertooth That Roamed South America 3 Million Years Ago Had Large Canine, Pushing Its Eyes to the Sides of the Head

Sabertooth had extreme canines that extended up to their skulls affecting their eye sockets. The arrangement of their eyes had reportedly affected their eyesight.

Sabertooth's Extreme Canines Forced Their Eyes to the Sides

The extinct marsupials had huge teeth forcing their eyes to move to the sides of their heads. Scientists at the Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología, y Ciencias Ambientales in Argentina modeled the skull of Thylacosmilus - an extinct hypercarnivore that lived in South America three million years ago, Daily Mail reported.

According to the researchers, sabertooth could not see well in 3D because their eyes were positioned far away from each other to allow their huge canines to grow.

The sabertooth's teeth were reportedly "ever-growing." They did not wear down, and their roots extended right up front of the creature's skull and round to its rear.

Despite the position of their eyes, sabertooth was still a successful predator because its eye sockets jutted outwards, giving them a sufficiently wide field of vision.

Thylacosmilus or Thylacosmilus atrox is an extinct genus of sabertoothed metatherian mammals that weighed 220 pounds before they were fully developed. They have to be carried in their mother's pouches while growing up.

They also have eyes on the side of their head like horses and cows, which led researchers to wonder how it affected their eyesight.

The outlet added that if the fields of vision in each eye did not overlap sufficiently, they would have struggled to see the world in three dimensions and determine the position of prey.

New Sabertooth Species With Specialized Teeth for Tearing Discovered

In a previous report from Science Times, paleontologists from San Diego Natural History Museum discovered a sabertooth roaming around California more than 40 million years ago. The team named the new species Diegoaelurus vanvalkenburghae and is declared to be among the earliest known examples of mammals adopting a cat-like approach in their all-meat diet, MailOnline reported.

The fossils found in 1988 at a construction site in Oceanside, California, had a lower jaw like a cat. The team used a modern approach to identify and discovered it belonged to a previously unknown machaeroidine, one of the five now-extinct sabertooth predators.

The early meat-eating predator and its relatives represent a sort of evolutionary experiment of how the first hypercarnivore lived and evolved into modern cats, Mirage News reported. However, the machaeroidines are poorly understood because of the lack of fossil specimens, with only a handful from Wyoming and Asia. Scientists were not sure whether multiple species lived in the same period.

Study co-author Shawn Zack said the analysis of fossils showed that achaeroidines were more diverse than initially thought. They also discovered that the smaller form lived almost simultaneously, raising the possibility that more species were waiting to be discovered.

Ancient platypus-like fossil could rewrite the history of egg-laying mammals

Fossils of a 70 million-year-old platypus relative called Patagorhynchus pascuali found in South America show that egg-laying mammals evolved on more than one continent.

Around 70 million years ago, a small, furry, platypus-like creature shuffled along the banks of an ancient lake. This would not have been a remarkable occurrence, except for one thing: The lake was in present-day Argentina, not Australia.

The creature, dubbed Patagorhynchus pascuali, is the oldest fossil of the egg-laying mammal group known as monotremes ever discovered in South America. The discovery may rewrite the story of where these oddball early mammals evolved. Today, all five species of living monotremes — which include the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), the short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and three species of long-beaked echidnas (Zaglossus) — are found exclusively in Australia and a few of its surrounding islands. So how did a platypus ancestor wind up so far from Down Under?

Millions of years ago, Australia, South America and Antarctica (as well as parts of Africa and Asia) were smooshed together in a supercontinent called Gondwana. This mega landmass began to break up about 180 million years ago, during the Jurassic period, but didn't fully separate until about 66 million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous period.

Because more recent monotreme fossils have been found in South America, scientists previously speculated that the group evolved on the Australian landmass after this continental breakup and later migrated back to South America across a land bridge. But the fact that P. pascuali existed in Argentina before the continental breakup tells a different story.

"Our discovery clearly demonstrates that Monotremes didn't evolve uniquely in the Australian continent, but also in other parts of southern Gondwana," study co-author Fernando Novas, a paleontologist at the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Science Museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, told Live Science in an email.

The specimen, which was described in the journal Communications Biology on Feb. 16, was identified by a fragment of a lower jaw containing a molar. When it comes to studying fossilized mammal remains, "teeth give us a huge amount of information," Robin Beck, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Salford in the U.K. who was not involved in the study, told Live Science in an email. In the case of monotremes, though, dental identification is a bit more complicated.

"Living platypuses lack teeth," Novas said. But another extinct platypus relative, the 30 million-year-old Obdurodon, retained teeth in both its upper and lower jaws. The P. pascuali molar closely resembled these teeth, as well as the very small, imperfect teeth that baby platypuses briefly possess.

Based on its teeth and apparent habitat, P. pascuali likely had a diet similar to that of a modern platypus: mainly, small aquatic invertebrates, including insect larvae and snails. The Argentinian fossil bed where it was discovered bears this out; Novas said that they found insects and snail shells in the sediments around P. pascuali. Additionally, the researchers uncovered the fossilized remains of other early mammals, turtles, frogs, snakes, aquatic plants and a variety of dinosaurs.

While the discovery constitutes an important and interesting new piece of the monotreme evolutionary puzzle, researchers are still far from a complete picture. "There are still huge gaps in the monotreme fossil record," Beck said. For instance, although no monotreme fossils have been discovered in Antarctica, given its previous proximity to Australia and South America, there are likely ancient platypus bones deep beneath the ice.

But as a South American paleontologist, Novas said, it's pretty cool to know that "the great grand-father of the Australian Ornithorhynchus was Argentinian."

Scientists make 'disturbing' find on remote island: plastic rocks

There are few places on Earth as isolated as Trindade island, a volcanic outcrop a three- to four-day boat trip off the coast of Brazil.

So geologist Fernanda Avelar Santos was startled to find an unsettling sign of human impact on the otherwise untouched landscape: rocks formed from the glut of plastic pollution floating in the ocean.

Santos first found the plastic rocks in 2019, when she traveled to the island to research her doctoral thesis on a completely different topic—landslides, erosion and other "geological risks."

She was working near a protected nature reserve known as Turtle Beach, the world's largest breeding ground for the endangered green turtle, when she came across a large outcrop of the peculiar-looking blue-green rocks.

Intrigued, she took some back to her lab after her two-month expedition.

Analyzing them, she and her team identified the specimens as a new kind of geological formation, merging the materials and processes the Earth has used to form rocks for billions of years with a new ingredient: plastic trash.

"We concluded that human beings are now acting as a geological agent, influencing processes that were previously completely natural, like rock formation," she told AFP.

"It fits in with the idea of the Anthropocene, which scientists are talking about a lot these days: the geological era of human beings influencing the planet's natural processes. This type of rock-like plastic will be preserved in the geological record and mark the Anthropocene."

Island paradise

The finding left her "disturbed" and "upset," said Santos, a professor at the Federal University of Parana, in southern Brazil.

She describes Trindade as "like paradise": a beautiful tropical island whose remoteness has made it a refuge for all sorts of species—sea birds, fish found only there, nearly extinct crabs, the green turtle.

The only human presence on the South Atlantic island is a small Brazilian military base and a scientific research center.

"It's marvelous," she said.

"So it was all the more horrifying to find something like this—and on one of the most ecologically important beaches."

She returned to the island late last year to collect more specimens and dig deeper into the phenomenon.

Continuing her research, she found similar rock-like plastic formations had previously been reported in places including Hawaii, Britain, Italy and Japan since 2014.

But Trindade island is the remotest place on the planet they have been found so far, she said.

She fears that as the rocks erode, they will leach microplastics into the environment and further contaminate the island's food chain.

'Paradigm shift'

She and her team's study, published in September in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, classified the new kind of "rocks" found worldwide into several types: "plastiglomerates," similar to sedimentary rocks; "pyroplastics," similar to clastic rocks; and a previously unidentified type, "plastistones," similar to igneous rocks formed by lava flow.

"Marine pollution is provoking a paradigm shift for concepts of rock and sedimentary deposit formations," her team wrote.

"Human interventions are now so pervasive that one has to question what is truly natural."

The main ingredient in the rocks Santos discovered was remnants of fishing nets, they found.

But ocean currents have also swept an abundance of bottles, household waste and other plastic trash from around the world to the island, she said.

Santos said she plans to make the topic her main research focus.

Trindade "is the most pristine place I've ever seen," she said.

"Seeing how vulnerable it is to the trash contaminating our oceans shows how pervasive the problem is worldwide."

The ancient Greeks arrived in Iceland before the Vikings, according to a new theory

There is currently no conclusive evidence that the ancient Greeks reached Iceland before the Vikings. While there are some interesting similarities between certain aspects of Greek and Icelandic cultures, such as the use of similar symbolism and mythological figures, the archaeological and historical evidence linking the two remains scant.

The idea that the ancient Greeks may have reached Iceland before the Vikings is a relatively recent and controversial theory put forward by a few scholars. However, it is not widely accepted in the academic community, and many archaeologists and historians remain skeptical.

There is certainly evidence that the Vikings were the first Europeans to establish a permanent settlement in Iceland, which they did in the late 9th century AD. They called the island "Ísland," which means "land of ice," and went on to create a unique culture that blended Norse, Celtic, and other influences.

The Slendingabók (The Book of the Icelanders), which was composed around 1130, is the oldest known written work.

Landnámabók is another intriguing source from the 12th century (The Book of Settlements).

According to the Icelandic Book of Settlements the island's first permanent resident was a Norwegian named Ingólfr Arnarson, who arrived there in 874.

At a place called Reykjavk, he constructed a house for himself and his wife, Hallveig Fródadóttir.

He was a farmer when more than 400 settlers arrived in Iceland to claim a portion of the land, bringing with them their family, servants, and enslaved people.

Although some arrived from other Nordic nations and the Norse Viking Age settlements in the British Isles, the majority of the inhabitants came from Norway.

The idea that ancient Greeks arrived in Iceland before the Vikings and Norse people has drawn the attention of more and more academics.

This notion is based on the writings of Pytheas of Massilia (350–285 B.C. ), who wrote about his expedition to the Arctic and mentioned a strange land in the north that is now known as Thule.

Greek adventurer, geographer, and astronomer Pytheas is today regarded as the first scientist to have explored and written about the Arctic, polar ice, and Celtic and Germanic people.

In addition to being an excellent astronomer, Pytheas was the first to describe the Midnight Sun to the world.

The stories of Pytheas were rejected for generations, but the concept of Thule sparked the curiosity of those who yearned to know more about this enigmatic region in the North.

"Since classical times, Thule marked the imaginative horizon of the unknown North, first described by Pytheas of Massalia, who in the third century B.C. reported on a strange place far north ('six days sail north of Orcades') where the sun would never set in the summer and where the ocean was solid frozen. Nobody knows for sure how far north Pytheas went himself and how much he relied on secondary knowledge in his own (lost) descriptions of this place." 

Pytheas claimed that people he named the Hyperboreans lived in Thule.

He added that they reside on an island in Britain's north.

It is a location that is "beyond the north wind."

The Hyperboreans were praised by later Greek and Roman writers like Herodotus, Pindar, and Pliny for living pleasant lives and being free from disease.

Thule's exact location is still a mystery.

According to Andrew Breeze, an epigrapher at the University of Navarra, the renowned Thule was actually Iceland based on a new linguistic explanation of the Greek word.

"While the name Thule has no meaning in Greek, Breeze suggests that it could be a scribal error for the original name Thymele, which means "altar" in ancient Greek. This name could perfectly fit the southern coast of Iceland." 

Breeze claims that if we imagine what Pytheas thought when he first saw Iceland, we can find solutions to the enigma.

Breeze describes his theory in an article for The Housman Society Journal, saying that "the dark volcanic cliffs of the south coast (above beaches of black sand) would have an altar's slab-like appearance; and the resemblance would be the more significant if mist and clouds rising from the island (to say nothing of plumes from its volcanoes, several of which are in its southern part) reminded Pytheas of an altar's reeking sacrifices."

No surprise if he referred to the island as "altar, the altar" or "thymele."

Regrettably, his scribes failed to understand his wonder (and possibly awe) at discovering a new continent.

Hence, it would appear that Thymele to Thoule, Thyle, and Thule were corrupted over a period of three centuries."

"According to Breeze, the idea of Iceland as a massive altar meshes nicely with what is known about ancient Greek altars.

Numerous of these altars were extraordinarily huge; one is supposed to have been 600 feet long and stood 40 feet tall at Syracuse."

Breeze contends "Iceland was without a doubt the location Pytheas discovered, a remarkable accomplishment.

Other applicants may be rejected.

Because of its likeness to a temple's sacrificial altar, he gave it the name "Thymele altar (island)".

It is possible to reject the inaccurate and meaningless "Thule" as the result of scribal corruption.

There is no justification for it, any more than there is for "Boadicea," a queen who was appropriately referred to as "the victorious one, she who is successful," in Tacitus.

Yet, anyone who is familiar with academic culture may be certain that, just as we continue to hear about "Boadica," so too will we continue to hear about "Thule" for years to come.

It will be one of the countless scribal monsters that taint copies of classical texts, ancient world histories, and encyclopedias produced by renowned universities.

While the theory of ancient Greek exploration of Iceland is an intriguing idea, it remains a subject of debate among scholars, and more evidence would be needed to confirm it definitively.

Archaeologists Found a Strange 3,400-Year-Old Ancient City After Tigris River Water Receding

The Mittani Empire's urban center is revealed by a drought.

A 3400-year-old city from the Mittani Empire that was formerly situated on the Tigris River has been discovered by a group of German and Kurdish archaeologists.

Early this year, as a result of the severe drought in Iraq, a town erupted from the waters of the Mosul reservoir.

Ancient Zakhiku, which is thought to have been a significant center in the Mittani Empire, may have been the sprawling city with the palace and other major buildings (ca. 1550-1350 BC).

Iraq is one of the nations most impacted by climate change worldwide.

Particularly the south of the nation has endured months of severe drought.

Large volumes of water have been removed from Iraq's most significant water storage, the Mosul reservoir, in order to keep crops from drying up.

Without any preceding archaeological research, this caused a Bronze Age city that had been drowned decades earlier to resurface.

It is situated in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region in Kemune.

Archaeologists were suddenly under pressure to unearth and document at least some of this vast, important metropolis as soon as possible before it was resubmerged due to this unforeseen event.

Within days, a team for the rescue excavations had been assembled.

The Fritz Thyssen Foundation provided funding for the project on short notice through the University of Freiburg.

There was a great deal of urgency on the part of the German-Kurdish archaeological team because it was unclear when the reservoir's water level would rise again.

The researchers quickly completed a substantial portion of the city's mapping.

A gigantic fortification with wall and towers, a monumental, multi-story storage building, and an industrial complex were discovered in addition to a palace, which had already been identified during a brief campaign in 2018.

The vast urban complex was built during the Mittani Empire (1550–1350 BC), which ruled over a sizable portion of northern Mesopotamia and Syria.

The finding of five ceramic receptacles that held a collection of more than 100 cuneiform tablets is particularly noteworthy.

They were created during the Middle Assyrian era, not long after the disastrous earthquake that ravaged the city.

Even some of the clay tablets' clay envelopes, which may be letters, are still there.

The finding could reveal crucial details about when the Mittani-period metropolis came to an end and Assyrian hegemony over the area began.

According to Peter Pfälzner, "It is almost miraculous that cuneiform tablets made of unfired clay survived for so long beneath water."

As part of a comprehensive conservation project supported by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the excavated buildings were totally covered with tight-fitting plastic sheeting and topped with gravel fill to prevent additional harm to the significant site from the rising water.

This is done to prevent water from damaging the unbaked clay walls and any other treasures that may still be buried inside the ruins.

Now the area is entirely underwater once more.

Scientists Just Discovered This 3,500 Year Old Box Next to the Pyramids That Contained This Secret

Over the past century, archeology has helped us learn more about our past. Each discovery offers us a new perspective on human history and past civilizations. In this video, we’ll take a look at the most amazing and impactful archeological discoveries in history.

From a tomb guarded by 8,000 soldiers, to a secret underground city, here are the 15 greatest archeological discoveries!