Ancient Ruins Are Always Buried: 7 Underground Cities Archaeologists Are Still Searching For
- 3 years ago
Ancient Ruins Are Always Buried: 7 Underground Cities Archaeologists Are Still Searching For
https://art.tn/view/3174/en/ancient_ruins_are_always_buried:_7_underground_cities_archaeologists_are_still_searching_for/
Underground ruins are a boon for archaeologists. They can find out so much about long-gone civilizations, and artifacts can shed light on details that would otherwise remain a mystery. A lot of work goes into excavating delicate sites, not to mention protecting them from tourists and other hazards.But why are ancient ruins always buried? Science Focus explains that the only remaining ruins are ones "protected" by silt, sand, and dust that came with time. Archaeologists still struggle to find many rumored underground cities. Of course, we can only assume these ten cities are out there, somewhere, waiting to be discovered.
Turquoise Mountain
The Turquoise Mountain was the capital of the Ghorid dynasty in Afghanistan, per Wikipedia. Genghis Khan's son is credited with destroying the city in the 1220s, and the remains have yet to be found. Researchers can only assume the city lies underground somewhere, waiting to be rediscovered.
Kalahari City
Apparently, somewhere in the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa is an ancient city. No doubt, it currently lies under tons of sand (if it exists at all), but some "unusual rock formations" suggest there's more than lies on the surface. Ultimately, one researcher figured out the most likely spot to search and said that a set of "monumental rocks" was all that was there, notes Wikipedia.
Thinis, Egypt
While the existence of Thinis isn't disputed, it hasn't yet been found. It was the capital city in ancient Egypt, and numerous ancient writers depicted it in well-preserved documents. The first pharaoh, Menes, was credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt. Only time will tell whether Thinis will ever be found.
El Dorado
While there was even a movie made about El Dorado, more recent research suggests that the name referred to a glorious ruler who bathed in gold (hence "dorado," which means golden in a handful of Latin languages). But if there is a city by the same name out there, it's clearly under tons of dirt by now, meaning archaeologists may never know the true story.
The Biblical Cities
Most folks who know their Bible well remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and how the cities of those names had judgment passed on them. It's said that the cities are somewhere in the area of the Dead Sea, but to date, no site has been found that otherwise matches the ancient texts that describe the lost cities.
Aztlán
It might by mythological, but it also might be somewhere in northwestern Mexico or the southwestern United States. Either way, the lore of Aztlán says that people migrated from the ancient city to Mexico, each tribe dispersing to its own area. If Aztlán is out there, it's no doubt been underground for centuries.
Rumored City:Atlantis
The ancient city once described by Plato has been "found" multiple times—and on many different continents. LiveScience explains that researchers rolled their eyes when folks in Spain exclaimed that they'd found Atlantis. Most scientists think it's "rubbish," and there's not enough information to confirm the findings. So, Atlantis remains a mystery.
https://art.tn/view/3174/en/ancient_ruins_are_always_buried:_7_underground_cities_archaeologists_are_still_searching_for/
Underground ruins are a boon for archaeologists. They can find out so much about long-gone civilizations, and artifacts can shed light on details that would otherwise remain a mystery. A lot of work goes into excavating delicate sites, not to mention protecting them from tourists and other hazards.But why are ancient ruins always buried? Science Focus explains that the only remaining ruins are ones "protected" by silt, sand, and dust that came with time. Archaeologists still struggle to find many rumored underground cities. Of course, we can only assume these ten cities are out there, somewhere, waiting to be discovered.
Turquoise Mountain
The Turquoise Mountain was the capital of the Ghorid dynasty in Afghanistan, per Wikipedia. Genghis Khan's son is credited with destroying the city in the 1220s, and the remains have yet to be found. Researchers can only assume the city lies underground somewhere, waiting to be rediscovered.
Kalahari City
Apparently, somewhere in the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa is an ancient city. No doubt, it currently lies under tons of sand (if it exists at all), but some "unusual rock formations" suggest there's more than lies on the surface. Ultimately, one researcher figured out the most likely spot to search and said that a set of "monumental rocks" was all that was there, notes Wikipedia.
Thinis, Egypt
While the existence of Thinis isn't disputed, it hasn't yet been found. It was the capital city in ancient Egypt, and numerous ancient writers depicted it in well-preserved documents. The first pharaoh, Menes, was credited with uniting Upper and Lower Egypt. Only time will tell whether Thinis will ever be found.
El Dorado
While there was even a movie made about El Dorado, more recent research suggests that the name referred to a glorious ruler who bathed in gold (hence "dorado," which means golden in a handful of Latin languages). But if there is a city by the same name out there, it's clearly under tons of dirt by now, meaning archaeologists may never know the true story.
The Biblical Cities
Most folks who know their Bible well remember the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and how the cities of those names had judgment passed on them. It's said that the cities are somewhere in the area of the Dead Sea, but to date, no site has been found that otherwise matches the ancient texts that describe the lost cities.
Aztlán
It might by mythological, but it also might be somewhere in northwestern Mexico or the southwestern United States. Either way, the lore of Aztlán says that people migrated from the ancient city to Mexico, each tribe dispersing to its own area. If Aztlán is out there, it's no doubt been underground for centuries.
Rumored City:Atlantis
The ancient city once described by Plato has been "found" multiple times—and on many different continents. LiveScience explains that researchers rolled their eyes when folks in Spain exclaimed that they'd found Atlantis. Most scientists think it's "rubbish," and there's not enough information to confirm the findings. So, Atlantis remains a mystery.