From the discovery of hidden cities beneath dense jungles to reading ancient scrolls using AI, the combination of modern and traditional techniques is shaping the future of archaeology.
Many significant archaeological discoveries come from the application of new techniques to artifacts that have already been uncovered: for example, details about a Bronze Age disaster or the perpetrator in an unsolved murder case in ancient Egypt.
In 2024, modern methods such as DNA analysis and remote sensing technology have revealed new evidence about past cultures, techniques, and social structures.
1. Technology for Discovering Hidden Cities
Lidar (short for Light Detection and Ranging) is a terrain scanning technology that emits thousands of laser light pulses per second. Although this technology has existed for decades, its ability to detect vast structures beneath layers of vegetation and map recent landscape changes has revolutionized archaeology.
By mounting Lidar equipment on a small aircraft, archaeologists can scan large areas, and this technique is particularly useful for exploring beneath the dense jungles of Central and South America.
Thanks to this technology, in 2024, archaeologists discovered Maya settlements in Campeche in southern Mexico, gardens and pathways in the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador, ancient ruins on the island of Tonga in the Pacific, and the remnants of two ancient cities along the Silk Road in Uzbekistan.
2. Tombs and Amulets in Egypt
Egyptian artifacts have inspired the development of modern archaeology, and such discoveries continue to this day.
This summer, archaeologists unearthed 33 tombs in southern Egypt and 63 tombs in the Nile Delta, along with gold amulets, coins, and pottery.
Dating back approximately 2,000 years, archaeologists hope these new artifacts will provide further insights into burial customs and ancient society at that time.
Researchers also discovered a long-lost branch of the Nile that has since dried up, which was used thousands of years ago to transport stones for building the pyramids at Giza.
3. Desert Tombs in Petra
One of the most remarkable discoveries of 2024 was the finding of 12 ancient skeletons in a tomb beneath the Treasury at Petra, a desert archaeological site in Jordan famous for its intricate architecture carved into red sandstone cliffs.
Archaeologists believe that the Nabatean nomads—a precursor to the Arab people—began burying their dead at Petra in the fourth century BCE.
Intricate architecture carved into the stone wall at the Petra Treasury site built approximately 2,000 years ago. (Source: National Geographic)
In the second century BCE, Petra became the capital of the Nabateans with a complex water reservoir system that supplied water to the city.
The carved stone columns of the Treasury, or Al-Khazneh in Arabic, constitute the most iconic structure of Petra.
Archaeologists state that the tomb beneath Al-Khazneh is a priceless discovery that will help them learn more about these deceased individuals.
4. Reading Ancient Scrolls through Artificial Intelligence
In February, researchers announced they had used an artificial intelligence (AI) system to read portions of a 2,000-year-old scroll that was burned during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
This scroll is one of about 1,800 papyrus scrolls discovered in the 18th century among the ruins of Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town about 16 kilometers from Pompeii that archaeologists believe was destroyed by volcanic eruption.
The eruption turned the scrolls into unreadable blackened clumps.
Scientists scanned one of these charred scrolls with X-rays and used AI to decipher its contents. Initial findings indicated that the scroll consists of 15 columns of text and over 2,000 characters discussing how to enjoy life, possibly written by a follower of the Greek philosopher Epicurus.
5. The Oldest Saddle Ever Discovered
This 2,700-year-old saddle was found in the tomb of a woman at the Yanghai cemetery on the edge of the Taklamakan Desert in Northwest China.
Although humans tamed horses thousands of years ago, ancient carvings indicate that riders did not use saddles or only placed a blanket or rug underneath.
The saddle represents an advancement that allowed riders to travel longer distances without causing pain or injury to themselves.
Researchers believe that horseback riding was introduced to China from northern regions of Central Asia, but the Yanghai saddle is the earliest known saddle discovered by archaeologists to date.
It is made from stitched pieces of leather stuffed with straw and animal hair. These organic materials usually decompose quickly, but the arid desert environment helped preserve them.
6. A Jade Mask in a Maya Tomb
An intricately decorated jade mask, made from interlocking jade pieces with shell eyes and teeth, was discovered in the tomb of a Maya king at Chochkitam in Guatemala.
The jade mask depicts a storm deity of the Maya. (Source: National Geographic).
Radiocarbon dating indicates that the mask dates back to around 350 CE and is believed to represent a Maya storm deity.
Such masks were typically made for royal Maya burials, and carved works made with knives or obsidian tools were also decorated on this king’s tomb.
7. The Origins of the Ancient Stonehenge
The Neolithic monument Stonehenge in southwestern England first became famous in the medieval period, but new techniques are revealing more details about its construction process.
In August, researchers discovered that the altar stone near the center of the structure was made from sandstone originating from Scotland, hundreds of kilometers away from the Salisbury Plain.
The Stonehenge stone circle. (Source: National Geographic).
Transporting a 6-ton stone over such a long distance was a formidable task around 4,600 years ago when the wheel had not yet been invented for moving heavy objects.
Previous studies have shown that the massive sarsen stones standing in the main circle were quarried from locally sourced sandstone, while the smaller bluestones inside were brought from southwestern Wales, over 160 kilometers away.
The initial components of Stonehenge date back approximately 5,000 years; researchers believe it originally served as a burial site but was later expanded over thousands of years into a Neolithic religious monument.
