Archaeology is a discipline of history that studies the historical past of man on the basis of material evidence found. These include works of art, tools of production and material goods of mankind. Unlike written sources, such sources do not tell directly about the events that took place. Evidence-based conclusions about human work become the results of scientific reconstruction. We can say that archeology studies the results of human labor in the past.
Historical monuments
Thanks to archaeological research, history has incredibly expanded the temporal and spatial horizon of knowledge. Writing, according to the news of archeology, originated about 5 thousand years ago. And the entire previous history of mankind, and this is no less than 2 million years, became known only from the beginning of the development of archeology.
Archaeologists have also found the first written sources for 2 thousand years of their existence. These are Babylonian cuneiform scripts, and linear Greek scripts,and Egyptian hieroglyphs. The history of archeology is of great importance for the eras of writing, medieval and ancient history. The information obtained during the study from material sources perfectly complements and confirms the written ones.
Why is everything hidden so deep?
The remains of human life are called archaeological sites. Treasures, canals, ancient mines, settlements, mounds, burial grounds and other structures are considered to be them. As a rule, they are all underground. The history of archeology has proven that not all mounds and burial grounds were covered with earth, as, for example, they were covered with ash from the volcanic eruption of the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most often, burials are buried underground as a result of human activities. In some seaside towns, piles of shells can be found. They represent the remains of ancient settlements under the shells of mollusks that served as food for the ancient inhabitants.
Ancient houses
In areas where clay was the main building material, you can still find towering residential hills. They arose due to the destruction and dilapidation of clay buildings. New houses were built over the foundations of houses, others were built over those, and so for many millennia.
The discovered remains of ancient buildings are always deepened into the ground by several meters. Archaeologists give the following explanation: new ones were laid on top of the old pavements, ditches were filled up, temples were erected, inside them were old foundations. Formed as a result of humanlayering activities are called the cultural layer. Archeology explains what the study of the cultural layer is and is its main goal, namely: tracing the sequence of formation of layers, stratigraphy and the history of archaeological sites.
Dating historical finds
The chronology of the finds can be determined by the distribution of the layers of cultural layers. In the lowest layers there should be ancient things, in the upper ones - finds of relatively recent use. The task of archaeologists is also to establish dating. They determine the exact dates, the real age of the found items in years, centuries and even millennia.
Sometimes it turns out to determine the most accurate dates. Thanks to stratigraphy, for example, as in the story of Pompeii, it became known from written sources that the city was razed to the ground after the eruption of the legendary volcano Vesuvius. It happened in August 79 AD. e. According to the surviving written sources, it is possible to accurately determine the exact dates of fires, destruction, enemy seizures and other incidents. But individual cases show that such dating principles are not always correct.
Determining the period by coins
Very often the date of formation of a historical monument is determined by the coins of the cultural layer. The minting of coins began only in the 8th-7th centuries. BC e. on the Greek island of Aegina in Lydia. Therefore, archeology, what are natural science methods of absolutedating, knows firsthand.
First of all, they use the radiocarbon method, or, as it is also called, the radiocarbon method. Coal, wood and any other organic remains that archaeologists find during excavations contain radioactive carbon. It has a well-known half-life, i.e., by the carbon content, it is possible to determine its time of entry into the earth layer, with an accuracy of 250 years. This method of determining dates is good for periods of past millennia.
Kolchin method
Relatively recently, a new method of determining the exact date of the ancient period has come to the aid of archaeologists. The dendrochronological method was discovered by American archaeologists and first applied by the Soviet archaeologist B. A. Kolchin during excavations in Novgorod. Archeology has proven that such a calculation is one of the most accurate ways to determine the date.
The Americans noticed that the width of the tree cut rings is the same for all trees that grew in different periods. Everyone knows that one ring has time to fully form in a year. In order to establish the exact date of the period needed by archaeologists, it is enough to find saw cuts of trees of that time. For example, if you find out the size and number of log cabin rings laid in the foundation of the church, then the date of construction of such a structure will already be known for sure from historical sources. Thus, according to archeology news, you can get a scale of annual rings, from which you can easily calculate any date.
Forbidden archeology
Along with permitted excavations, secret excavations are underway- those whose results are not customary to speak aloud. Here are some of the undisclosed secret finds.
Butcher
Archaeologists have discovered upright walking crocodiles that lived 230 million years ago. From Latin, their scientific name translates as "butcher from Carolina." The alligator received such a terrifying name because of its three-meter height, huge teeth and jaws. He could break any bone. The latest technology and 3D scanners have helped scientists recreate the animal and understand that this monster has been the most feared of predators for many millennia. Today, the skeleton of an erect crocodile is stored by the American Museum of Archeology.
Lost treasure
For many years, scientists have been struggling to unravel the map to the legendary treasures of Lu. The map is encrypted with Masonic symbols, and whoever can solve the ciphers will receive 14 tons of pure gold. According to legend, gold came to the US with the Nazis during World War II.
In 1940, the Japanese army of soldiers stopped in Bacuit Bay. The island of Bucket Bay itself is famous for its lost treasures. The army general decided to hide the conquered jewels on this island, because Japan had to capitulate, and it was dangerous to bring treasures home. The general buried gold and jewelry in 172 places on the Philippine island. He planned to return there later and collect the jewelry, but it did not happen. Today, the value of hidden treasures is more than one billion dollars. Part of the treasure was found in the 70s.
Giant people
Science is skeptical about the existence of huge people, but forbidden archeology proves otherwise. Over the years, mysterious footprints of large people have been discovered. Abnormally large bones and skulls have been found in various parts of the world. Today you will not surprise anyone with a human height of more than two meters, but even photographs of the 19th century testified that already at that time there were people much taller than 2 meters.
In 1911, guano mining was suspended in Nevada. Scientists have discovered huge human bones. The Institute of Archeology collected the found bones together. It turned out that the resulting skeleton belonged to a man whose height was 3 meters 65 cm. Archaeologists were also surprised by his jaw: it was three times the size of the jaw of an ordinary modern person.
Real sensation forbidden archeology received in Australia. During the extraction of jasper, a human tooth was discovered, the height of which was 67 mm, and the width was 42 mm! Scientists created a sample of the skeleton, it turned out that the growth of the owner of the tooth was at least 6 meters.
An amazing find has been discovered in India. The military found perfectly preserved skeletons of giant people. The bones were transferred to the Institute of Archeology, and scientists accurately measured their growth. He reached 12 meters! The place of discovery of the remains was immediately closed, as it is still prohibited archeology.
Proof of the existence of giant people
Australian excavations undeniably proved the existence of hugeof people. The found stone tools are silent witnesses of their life on earth. The weight of knives, axes, clubs, chisels, plows ranged from 5 to 10 kg. Similar items have been found near the Okavango River. The American Museum of Archeology exhibited a bronze ax that was over 1 meter long and had blades over 50 cm. The total weight of this exhibit is 150 kg! Even a modern athlete could not cope with such a tool.
No less revealing artifacts are the mysterious megalithic structures that can be found on every continent of the planet. They all silently talk about the existence of giants.
Lebanese Baalbek deserves special attention. This is a real city for giants, there is no other way to say it. At least, archeology, what kind of structure stands in Lebanon, still cannot scientifically explain. An amazing design with perfectly matched stone slabs. Each one weighs up to 800 tons!
History has left a lot of mysteries and inexplicable facts for mankind, and excavations and archeological research will help us get closer to the answers.
