Archeology answers our questions about the past and sometimes, if we're lucky, provides some insight into the present and future. However, it also happens that archaeologists bring to light such secrets that are simply impossible to solve. It's like a fascinating novel - but with an open ending. Here are ten of the most intriguing archaeological finds.
Templar Buildings - Malta and Gozo
From about 4000 to 2900 BC, the Templars lived on the islands of Malta and Gozo, leaving behind many temple complexes. What is surprising is not only the architecture of these buildings, but also the fact that the templars simply disappeared at some point, leaving not a single trace behind them, besides the already mentioned temples.
All that archaeologists can say about this is that the reason for the disappearance of the Templar civilization was not an epidemic, not war or famine. Perhaps there was religious extremism or environmental factors - there are no other versions.
All that is known about the Templars is that they were apparently obsessed with building stone temples - there are more than thirty of them on both islands. Researchers found traces of sacrifices and complex rituals there, and also found out that the templars were fixated on the ideas of life, sex and death - this is evidenced by sculptures and images of phallic symbols and plump (and, accordingly, fertile) ladies.
Archaeologists also found a complex system of underground tombs, which confirmed the respectful attitude of the templars towards the dead.
Por-Bazhyn - Siberia
In 1891, in the middle of a mountain lake, scientists discovered one of the most mysterious structures in Russia - Por-Bazhyn or “Clay House”. It’s hard to call it a home: Por-Bazhyn is a whole complex of 1,300-year-old buildings, covering an area of seven acres and located just 30 kilometers from the border with Mongolia, writes Listverse.
In more than a century that has passed since the discovery of Por-Bazhyn, researchers have not come a hair closer to understanding who built this complex and why.
It is possible that the rulers of the Uyghur Empire were involved in the construction of Por-Bazhyn, since the architectural style is similar to the Chinese. However, since the "Clay House" is located far from trade routes and settlements, it may well be that it was originally intended as a monastery, summer palace, observatory or monument.
Several artifacts discovered on the territory of the complex suggest that a Buddhist monastery was located at its center, but there is still too little evidence for this theory.
Etruscan underground pyramids - Italy
Four years ago, Italian archaeologists discovered that a whole complex of pyramids was hidden under the medieval city of Orvieto. However, researcher Claudio Bizzari sadly notes: “The problem is that we don’t know how much more we need to dig to get to them.”
It all started with the fact that in an old wine cellar, archaeologists noticed steps in the Etruscan style that went under the floor. Excavations led scientists to a tunnel and a room with inclined walls that converged at one point. During further excavations, archaeologists found Etruscan pottery from the fifth and sixth centuries BC and more than 150 inscriptions in the Etruscan language.
Interestingly, the staircase from the wine cellar went even lower than the level to which the researchers reached, and the tunnel led them to another underground pyramid. Archaeologists ruled out that it might have been a tank for storing something. But there are still plenty of options for the purpose of these strange pyramids.
Ancient Tundra - Greenland
Until recently, scientists believed that glaciers were a kind of “skating rink” that erased not only plants, but also the top layer of soil from the surface of the Earth. However, under a three-kilometer ice sheet in Greenland, real tundra was discovered in its original form. The soil and all organic matter lay deep frozen for more than two and a half million years.
This ancient landscape will help understand exactly how the planet's climate changed, says researcher Dylan Rood. In the near future, scientists intend to check whether the soil is preserved under other glaciers in Greenland. It is possible that this island was once as green as the tundra in Alaska, notes Listverse.
Musasir Temple - Iraq
In Kurdistan, in northern Iraq, local residents accidentally stumbled upon a real Iron Age treasure - the bases of columns of the supposedly lost temple of Musasir, as well as life-size sculptures of people and a figurine of a goat. At the time these items were created, the northern territories of Iraq were under the control of the city-state of Musasir, but the Assyrians, Scythians, and Urartians all fought for control of the region.
The center of the city-state was located near Lake Van on the Armenian Highlands, stretching across the territory of modern Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Armenia.
Despite the discovery of the bases of the columns of a temple dedicated to Khaldi, the supreme god of the Urartu pantheon, the location of the temple itself remains unknown. Further research is complicated by the fact that many mines remain in the region from past military conflicts, and the Islamic State group controls several Iraqi cities, although Kurdistan formally retains autonomy.
Han Dynasty Palace - Siberia
In 1940, in the vicinity of Abakan, workers involved in the construction of the Abakan-Askiz road accidentally excavated the foundation of an ancient palace. Excavations lasted throughout the Great Patriotic War, and although the ruins were eventually completely excavated, archaeologists never solved their mystery.
The approximate age of the ruins was determined to be two thousand years. The palace itself, with an area of more than one and a half thousand square meters, was built in the style of the Chinese Han dynasty, which ruled from 206 BC to 220 AD. It is interesting that the palace was located in enemy territory - at that time it was controlled by the nomadic Xiongnu tribe. The Xiongnu were such dangerous enemies that the Great Wall of China was built precisely to protect against them.
The Xiongnu did not leave behind any “explanations” as to who might have owned this palace. Historians have put forward two versions. The first says that the owner of the palace was a contender for the throne of the Han dynasty, Liu Fan, who ultimately defected to the Xiongnu side and lived on their territory with his family.
According to another version, General Li Lin, who capitulated after the battle with the Xiongnu in 99 BC, lived in the palace. Emperor Wu Di, considering the general a traitor, executed his family. Having learned about this, Li Ling undertook to teach the Xiongnu military skills, and they, in gratitude, allowed him to build a palace on their territory.
"Provincial Pyramids" - Egypt
The pyramids can rightly be called the hallmark of Egypt, and that is why the discovery of new pyramids is of such interest to archaeologists. One of the most famous “unofficial” pyramids is the three-tiered pyramid in the vicinity of the ancient settlement of Edfu, and it is notable for the fact that it is several decades older than its “relative” in Giza. The pyramid, made of sandstone blocks held together with clay mortar, is today only five meters high, although archaeologists believe it was originally about 13 meters high. In the central and southern regions of Egypt, a total of seven such pyramids, called “provincial”, were discovered.
The similarity of the pyramids is obvious - they were clearly built according to the same plan, notes archaeologist Gregory Marouar, who led the work at Edfu. However, the purpose of these pyramids is still unknown. They do not have internal chambers, which means they could not be used as tombs. Most likely, the pyramids served as a monument to the power and authority of the pharaoh - although which one has not yet been established.
Three-thousand-year-old sanctuaries – Armenia
Archaeologists, who carried out excavations on the territory of the Armenian fortress near the city of Gegharot in 2003-2011, found three small sanctuaries there, the age of which is estimated at 3.3 thousand years. In the clay floor of each of these mini-temples, consisting of one room, depressions were made, filled with ash, and ceramic vessels stood around.
Apparently, shrines were used to predict the future, and diviners burned certain plants and drank wine during rituals to achieve an altered state of consciousness. Professor Adam Smith of Cornell University suggested that the sanctuaries "served" members of the ruling class. However, since there was no written language in Armenia at that time, the names of these rulers are unknown.
Around 9,000 years ago, during the Neolithic period, parts of what is now the Sahara Desert experienced a very humid climate. For several thousand years this "green Sahara" was home to many domestic and wild animals, as well as people. In 2000, a burial area was discovered in Niger containing hundreds of skeletons from two different archaeological cultures, each dating back thousands of years. In addition to human skeletons, hunting tools, fragments of ceramics, and animal and fish bones were found in the burials.
This dinosaur skeleton, found in Agadez (Niger), was presented to the country of Niger by paleontologist Paul Sereno in a ceremony to mark the end of the five-year civil war. This creature with the body of a dinosaur and the head of a crocodile is about 110 million years old.
Human skeleton with the middle finger inserted into the mouth.
Average daily temperature in this part Sahara desert(49 degrees) is far from the times of the “green Sahara” 4-9 thousand years ago.
Men from one of the local tribes of Niger dancing and singing at the annual festival. Representatives of this tribe may be descendants of those who lived in these places many thousands of years ago, during the existence of the “green Sahara”.
An aerial view of a camp by a small group of archaeologists excavating among huge sand dunes in the completely deserted region of the Sahara. Looking at these places, it’s hard to believe that thousands of years ago everything here was surrounded by greenery.
Nigerian Army Soldiers, hired to protect archaeologists from a possible attack by bandits, are overseeing the excavation of an old skeleton, which is about 6 thousand years old. In this region of the Sahara, archaeologists have found many skeletons, tools, weapons, pottery shards and jewelry.
Six thousand years ago there were mother and two children buried. They lie in the grave holding hands. Someone carefully placed flowers at their head and at their feet, traces of which were discovered by scientists. How exactly these people died remains unclear.
Frequent sandstorms, whose speed reaches 30 miles per hour, greatly interfere with the work of archaeologists, falling asleep and destroying skeletons.
One of the best-preserved skeletons, lying in the sand for 6 thousand years, looks as if it was buried quite recently. The position of the skeleton suggests that the person was buried in a sleeping position.
Archaeologists are examining the skeleton of a woman who died at the age of twenty.
This man was buried with a pot on his head. Among the grave goods, archaeologists also found crocodile bones and wild boar tusks.
This 8,000-year-old rock carving of a giraffe is considered one of the best petroglyphs in the world. The giraffe is depicted with a leash on its nose, which implies the domestication of these animals by people. This image was discovered relatively recently on the top of Granit Hill by local Tuaregs.
These two skeletons are almost perfectly preserved and were found at the very beginning of the excavation process. The skeleton on the left was found with the middle finger inserted into its mouth. The skeleton on the right was buried in a grave where bones from a previous burial had been pushed to the side.
Interestingly, ancient sands can store information about the last time they “saw” light. To explore the original bottom of the former lake, it is necessary to carry out excavations on a moonless night. Optical luminescent studies of sand carried out in a US laboratory proved that the bottom of this lake was formed 15,000 years ago during the last ice age.
Found in Siberia by European scientists, the first archaeological find dates back to the 18th century, when travelers D. Messerschmidt and F. Tabbert-Strallenberg found mysterious ancient monuments on the Yenisei: large stone steles with inscriptions in an unknown language with strange images and high mounds surrounded by vertical stone slabs. Having learned about such a find, the learned Abbot Bagli from France, who spent a lot of energy searching for the mysterious Atlantis, hypothesized that an entire country of mounds and stone steles was left behind not by the Siberian tribes who had sunk into oblivion, but by the wise Atlanteans, sung by Plato. These and a whole series of other discoveries that are associated with the endless Siberia were the driving force that has haunted archaeological scientists for two centuries now.
Bad start
Despite periodic attempts by scientists to conduct systematic archaeological excavations of ancient Siberian settlements, the first large expedition was sent beyond the Urals only in the mid-20s of the last century. At that time, archaeologists explored the Paleolithic settlement of Buret, which later became famous, between the Angara and Lena rivers. What was unusual and mysterious about this settlement was that almost all the dwellings, which were more than 25–30,000 years old, were built from mammoth bones, rhinoceros skulls and reindeer antlers.
Local residents of the surrounding Buryat villages, who since time immemorial have considered the location of the ancient settlement sacred, and therefore the appearance of scientists caused discontent. Repeatedly, locals tried to set fire to the archaeologists’ camp and secretly damaged tools and mechanisms. The expedition's leadership even organized security of the archaeological excavation site by local police.
"Black Mark"
Scientists found rich and quite valuable material already in the first days of archaeological excavations. Among other artifacts, a long, flat, well-polished black stone was found, the purpose of which at that time could only be guessed at. And quickly, unpleasant events began to happen in the camp. Thus, one archaeologist accidentally wounded his hand with a bone fragment, and soon he developed gangrene. The second scientist was seriously poisoned and decided to have a snack on the breadcrumbs he had stored right at the excavation site. In the convoy transporting the found artifacts to Irkutsk after the inventory, half of the horses died. And 2 months after the start of excavations, cholera broke out on the expedition. The arriving doctors could not find the cause that caused such a serious disease, the archaeologists, following the instructions, drank only boiled water, did not come into contact with local residents, and no cases of cholera were recorded in the surrounding villages. As a result, the excavations were stopped, and at the end of summer the expedition returned to Moscow.
Later, one of the scientists who participated in those archaeological excavations learned that the polished stone found was a kind of “black mark” - a magical object that served as a talisman. Archaeologists will find similar objects more than once at excavation sites.
Shaman Cape Burkhan
Archaeological excavations, which were carried out in the forties of the 20th century on the Baikal island of Olkhon, on the sacred Cape Burkhan (or Shaman Rock), burials of the Neolithic era, caused a lot of trouble for researchers.
Cape Burkhan has been known to Russian settlers since the mid-18th century as a place where the shamans of Tuva, Buryatia, and Khakassia gathered to worship spirits. The most respected representatives of the pagan cult were buried here since ancient times. The excavations carried out confirmed this - in none of the cultural layers, even at the greatest depths, were household items or other artifacts found that testified to the existence of ancient settlements or even sites on the island. At the same time, archaeologists stumbled upon a large number of religious objects made of bone, stone, bronze and even precious metals.
Don't disturb the spirits!
From the memoirs of one of the expedition members, scientist Igor Bogdanovich Seliverstov from Tomsk, as soon as their group landed on the shore of Olkhon on a warm July day, the weather began to rapidly deteriorate. The sky was overcast with low clouds, and a hurricane wind rose. The waves of the lake rolled one after another onto the cape, trying to wash away boxes and bags with equipment, tents and food. It seemed to the expedition participants as if nature itself was angry with the uninvited guests. But the real tests were yet to come.
On the first day the new batteries failed. A pair of rowing boats that were moored to the shore developed a leak. And at night, all members of the expedition heard someone walking between the tents, making sounds similar to groans. Since that time, not a day has passed without someone being injured during excavations. Soon, female archaeologists began to claim that someone was strangling them in their dreams. They felt the touch of someone's cold invisible hands on them.
Two weeks after the start of the excavations, one of the scientists almost died due to an unfortunate mistake. The young man found a flint flint with some marks on it and tried to strike a fire with it. As a result, his clothes caught fire, and only the decisive actions of his colleagues, who began to pour water from buckets on him, saved the scientist’s life.
One day, an old Tuvan sailed to the island and demanded a meeting with the leader of the group, during which he warned that if the archaeologists did not leave the spirits of the great ancestors alone, they would be severely punished by the supreme deities...
The archaeological team worked on Olkhon for another seven days and left the mysterious island for Irkutsk, and then to Novosibirsk, taking with them the few but valuable objects that the scientists were able to discover.
Enchanted Ax
Unfortunately, it often happens that finds found in the ground bring with them many unpleasant surprises. So, in the fall of 1977, on the right bank of the Amur, near the village of Bogorodskoye in the Khabarovsk Territory, archaeologists discovered an ancient human site. During archaeological excavations, scientists recovered from thousands of years of soil deposits a number of unique everyday and cultural objects, and among them a perfectly preserved ax, whose age, presumably, could be about 100 thousand years. At that time, local residents worked together with archaeologists on auxiliary jobs. Due to an oversight by the expedition leader, the ax fell into the hands of the five-year-old son of one of the workers. As a result, the boy almost lost his leg. According to him, the ax suddenly flew into the air and fell on his leg just above the thigh.
This is beyond the reach of the human mind
There are cases when museums suffered from valuable archaeological exhibits that seemed to bear the mark of a curse. So, in 1879 a big fire broke out in Irkutsk. The investigation established that the fire occurred in a local museum, after which the fire began to cover all new city blocks. Soon after this, rumors spread throughout the city that the museum had been set on fire... objects that were in its storerooms and found seven years earlier. Then in 1872, during the construction of the Irkutsk military hospital, bones of fossil animals from the Ice Age, stone and bone products and human remains of the Paleolithic era were discovered in the ground. These finds were sent to the museum. But in the fire of 1879, priceless artifacts were lost...
Sometimes a mysterious fate literally haunts scientists who have made significant archaeological discoveries. Some people write off these facts as mere accidents, while others try to explain them from the point of view of materialistic science. But living witnesses of such events agree that in each specific case there is an influence of some higher forces that is incomprehensible to the human mind.
“Mysteries of History” – Newspaper “Secrets of the 20th Century”
The ancient mounds of the north-east of the Moscow region near Aniskin, Oseev, Obukhovo, Vorya-Bogorodsky can tell us not only about the ancient history of these places, but also remind us of the first steps in the formation of archeology as a scientific historical discipline in Russia. Who took the lead in discovering these silent monuments of the past, who was the first to dare to disturb the ashes of ancient burials with his shovel and pickaxe, when the first excavations were carried out - has long been and firmly forgotten in these places...
Meanwhile, the name of this person is quite well known. He was a Russian zoologist, anthropologist, historian of zoology, one of the founders of Russian anthropology, Anatoly Petrovich Bogdanov (1834-1896) - a man of rare and interesting destiny...
At the beginning of October 1834, a foundling was found in the gatehouse of the church in the village of Bogoroditskoye, Voronezh province. The owner of the neighboring estate, E.F. Tatarinova took him into her house. Tatarinova’s mother, Princess G.N., took a great part in the fate of the child, who received the surname Bogdanov from “given by God.” Keykuatova. After Tatarinova’s death, the adopted son turned out to be a serf of her heirs, but the adoptive grandmother soon managed to take him into her home. Enrolling a serf in a provincial gymnasium was unthinkable, but an unexpected petition from Archbishop Anthony of Voronezh and Zadonsk helped. Having successfully graduated from high school, Anatoly Bogdanov entered the natural sciences department of the Physics and Mathematics Department of Moscow University in 1851 and in 1855 graduated from the course with the title of candidate. The talent of the student, who was still considered a serf, was noticed by teachers, and his work “On the Signs of Determining Formations of Sedimentary Rocks” was awarded a silver medal and was recommended for publication.
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The foster grandmother continued to help her foster child. With 15,000 rubles given by her, he bought a house in Moscow, on Spasopeskovsky Lane.
At her expense, after completing the course, he went on a scientific trip to Germany, Belgium and France, where the young scientist became acquainted with the latest achievements of Western European science. In 1858, under the leadership of his scientific supervisor, Karl Frantsevich Roulier (1814-1858), A.P. Bogdanov joined the committee for the preparation of the Acclimatization Exhibition, the holding of which predetermined the opening of the Moscow Zoological Garden.
Karl Frantsevich Roulier (1814-1858).
But even here the scientist was in trouble. The defense of his master's thesis "On the color of bird feathers" in 1858 almost ended in failure, but thanks to the help of K.F. Roulier, A.P. Bogdanov still managed to soon take a position as a teacher at Moscow University. At the age of 23 he became an adjunct, at the age of 29 (1863) - an extraordinary professor and head of the Zoological Museum.
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During these years, he buried his grandmother, finally revealing the secret of his origins. His mother turned out to be none other than this same “grandmother,” and his father was the aforementioned Archbishop Anthony.
In 1863, on the initiative of A.P. Bogdanov, the Society of Natural History Lovers was founded at Moscow University, which entered into competition with the authoritative Society of Natural Scientists, founded in 1805. While “testers” accepted only specialists, “amateurs” accepted everyone.
The authority of the scientist in the scientific community was quite low. Most colleagues considered A.P. Bogdanov is a clever and unprincipled careerist.
Token "Society of Natural History Lovers at Moscow University".
In 1864, the Society of Amateurs created a department of anthropology and ethnography, which was absent in the Society of Testers. In the same 1864 A.P. Bogdanov became interested in a new field for himself - anthropology. In the Podolsk district of the Moscow province, human skulls were found extracted from ancient mounds, two of which were personally given to A.A. Bogdanov. Gatsuk.
The next step was to organize excavations. To analyze their results A.P. Bogdanov involved: botanist Nikolai Nikolaevich Kaufman (1834-1870), who analyzed the remains of the tree, assistant of the Petrovsky Agricultural Academy P.A. Grigoriev (d. 1891) - for the chemical analysis of metal objects, the analysis of leather and fabrics was undertaken by Professor Modest Yakovlevich Kittary (1825-1880), the mineralogical characteristics of beads and stones were entrusted to Professor Ivan Bogdanovich Auerbach (1815-1867).
Excavations began in 1864 in Kolomensky district. They were led by a doctor from Kolomna, Alexander Mikhailovich Anastasyev (d. 1877), and Bogdanov’s close associates, Alexey Pavlovich Fedchenko (1844-1873) and Nikolai Grigorievich Kertselli (1822-1882), took part.
Excavations began widely the following year, 1865, when A.P. personally Bogdanov and his collaborators examined 129 mounds in nine districts of the Moscow province (only two districts were not covered - Klinsky and Dmitrovsky). The largest number of mounds were excavated in Bogorodsky district - 43 [Bogdanov A.P. Materials for the anthropology of the Kurgan period in the Moscow province. 1867, p.12]. In the vicinity of the city, Setun, excavations were carried out by Bogdanov himself with the participation of A.P. Fedchenko. A young biologist, Nikolai Karlovich Zenger (d. 1877), worked in Cherkizovo. Personally A.P. Bogdanov led excavations northeast of Moscow, in the villages of Bogorodsky district: Aniskin, Oseev and Vorya-Bogorodsky, (now Shchelkovsky district), Obukhov and the churchyard of Peter and Paul (now Noginsky district), and also visited excavations in Mozhaisk ( Vlasyevo), Vereysky (the village of Krymskoye, Ruzsky district), Zvenigorodsky (Yabedino, Istra district) and Podolsky (Dubrovichi, Dobryatino, Zabolotye and Pokrov) districts.
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The study of skulls from the indicated burials of A.P. Bogdanov devoted two works: “The Kurgan tribe of the Moscow province” and the monograph “Materials for the anthropology of the Kurgan period in the Moscow province.” For the latter in 1867 A.P. Bogdanov was awarded a doctorate without defending a dissertation.
In "Materials" A.P. Bogdanov noted: “The Bogorodsk mounds had the peculiarity that many of them, after pouring an arshin and a half of land above the deceased, were covered with large stones and then covered with earth again” [Bogdanov A.P. Materials for the anthropology of the Kurgan period in the Moscow province. 1867, p.14].
In Bogorodsky district, excavations were directly carried out by Nikolai Fedorovich Petrovsky ,
N.I. Kulakovsky and M.G. Vinogradov. The excavations were assisted by the former district police officer N.P. Bogdanov and staff caretaker V.M. Mikhailov. The “Materials” provides a brief description of the four burial mound groups examined:
"Obukhov Kurgans lie near the village of Obukhovaya, next to the Tyulyaev factory, near Shelovka and 10 versts from Bogorodsk. Most of the mounds had already been demolished by the owners of the area, and the last remaining ones, apparently, had already been demolished from above, since the skeletons lay covered with a very small layer of earth.
Petro-Pavlovsk mounds lie near Obukhovskiye, on the Shelovka River and on the estate of V.G. Vysotsky. With special gratitude I remember the enlightened assistance that the venerable and deeply respected rector of the local church, Tikhon Matveevich Kolychev, provided me in this area. The mounds lie on a fairly elevated area near the river, in a fairly large group.
Aniskinsky mounds are located near the village of Aniskin along the Ostromyn road, 30 versts from Moscow (along the Klyazma River).
Oseevskie mounds lie on the same river, between the villages of Oseevo and the village of Lukino, on the land of Count Lansky, who allowed the excavation" [Bogdanov A.P. Materials for the anthropology of the Kurgan period in the Moscow province. 1867, p. 124].
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The following is a description of the Oseevsky mounds: “The mounds are located in two groups: one on the steepest bank; the other further from the shore, in the field. The near group. Kurg.1. The circumference is 15 fathoms. Depth to bones 2 arsh. 5 vershk. the skeleton lies 1/2 arsh above the mainland. Head to the right side, feet to SE; legs bent, arms along. Around the mound there are pits from the southeast. from. Kurg.2. Circumference 8 fathoms. Depth to bones 2 arsh. 10 vershoks. On the north side of the mound there is a small hole. the skeleton lies on the mainland, with its feet to the SE. head to the side (left), arms along the body. Found on the skeleton were the remains of a headdress with hair and rings. Kurg. 3(distant group) Circumference 12 fathoms. Depth to bone 3 1/2 arsh. The frame is on the mainland, head to the right, feet to SE, arms along the body. There is a pit on the northern side of the mound. Coal was found in small quantities in all previous mounds. Kurg. 4. Circumference 11 fathoms. Depth to bone 2 1/2 arshins. The backbone is slightly higher than the mainland, in the NO-SE direction. Right hand on the chest, left along the body. On the right hand is a bracelet. In addition, earrings, beads, remnants of hair. Kurg. 5. circumference 12 fathoms. Depth 3 1/4 arch. Dimples on the E.S. and S. of the mound. The skeleton is above the mainland in the NO-SE direction. lined with birch bark. Kurg. 6. Circumference 15 fathoms. Depth to bone 3 3/4 arch. Pit near the mound on the E. and W. Skeleton on the mainland in the direction O-E; arms along the body. Items: rings, beads and bracelet. Kurg. 7. Circumference 13 fathoms. Depth 3 arshins 2 vershok. Dimples near the mound on the S.S. and W. Kostyak in the direction NO-SE; covered with birch bark; arms along the body. Found: hair, rings, the remains of a headdress, the remains of cloth at the feet. Kurg. 8. Circumference 8 fathoms. The backbone is higher than the mainland; direction NO-SE, arms along the body. Among the things: earrings, part of a headdress. Kurg. 9. circumference 17 fathoms; depth 1 1/4 arch. The skeleton is 1/2 arshin higher than the mainland. Hands along the body, face to the side; direction NO-SE. To the left of the feet is a broken pot. Kurg.10. Circumference 19 fathoms. Depth 5 arshins. Backbone on the mainland, direction NO-SE. Lined with birch bark; arms along the body" [Bogdanov A.P. Materials for the anthropology of the Kurgan period in the Moscow province. 1867, p. 134].
The reason why the remains in some burials lay above the mainland was explained by A.P. To Bogdanov, local hired excavators: “The workers who were excavating these mounds explained this exception very plausibly: such dead people, in their opinion, were buried in winter, when clearing the site was difficult, which was confirmed by the position of the feet to the winter east” [Materials for anthropology of the Kurgan period in the Moscow province. P. 9-10].
During the expedition of the following 1866, another 60 mounds were excavated in the same areas. 
Open sheet issued by A.P. Bogdanov to carry out excavations of mounds and ethnographic research in the Moscow, Tver, Vladimir, Ryazan, Tula, Smolensk, Kostroma, Kaluga and Yaroslavl provinces (1866).From here.
The results of the research of 1864-1866 were reflected in the exposition of the Ethnographic Exhibition, opened in the Moscow Manege in 1867 and which was very popular among Muscovites.
From here.
Hundreds of finds made by the expedition in the Moscow province were presented here. 
Ethnographic exhibition. Photo of the exhibition. From here.
Download the album of the Ethnographic Exhibition of 1867.
Later, on the basis of this exhibition, the Ethnographic (Dashkovsky) Museum arose, which existed until 1941 (merged with the Museum of Ethnography of the Peoples of the USSR). 
Medal A.P. Bogdanov. OLE at Moscow University (04/05/1867).
In 1872, the next exhibition took place - the Polytechnic, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Peter I, and housed in 62 pavilions built in the Alexander Garden and along the Kremlin wall along the banks of the Moscow River. Soon its organizers turned to the emperor with a petition to open a historical museum in Moscow and transfer the exhibited materials there. Permission was obtained and a government subsidy was allocated.
Token from the Polytechnic Exhibition of 1872
From here.
Historical department of the Polytechnic Exhibition of 1872. From here.
Anthropological department. Polytechnic exhibition of 1872. From here.
In 1879, an Anthropological Exhibition took place in the arena, in which materials from the Moscow region occupied a prominent place. In addition to items from the excavated mounds, visitors were shown life-size models of these burial structures based on excavations near Setun and the village of Pokrov near Podolsk.
Lithograph depicting the mounds of the village of Pokrova, Podolsk district. Moscow province
The materials of this exhibition formed the basis of the Anthropological Museum in the old building of Moscow University.
Passage to the Anthropological Department of the Anthropological Exhibition in Moscow in 1879. From here.
Ticket of the Chairman of the Committee of the Anthropological Exhibition in Moscow - A.P. Bogdanov (04/03/1879).
Government subsidies for the opening of these three exhibitions of A.P. Bogdanov did not have to attract capital from private patrons. Assistant Trustee of the Moscow Educational District V.A. allocated 10,000 rubles for the ethnographic exhibition. Dashkov, for the Polytechnic - 20,000 rubles were given by the railway magnate P.I. Gubonin. The anthropological exhibition was “unlucky” in this sense. Previously from the merchants F.A. Tereshchenko and L.S. Polyakov was donated 60,000 rubles. This money was soon spent on trips to collect exhibits and their purchase, but the entrance fee did not cover the costs, and a large debt fell directly on A.P. Bogdanov, who paid it from his personal funds until the end of his days. After the Anthropological Exhibition, Bogdanov no longer worked on enterprises of this kind and devoted his organizational talent to the Moscow Zoological Garden, to whose management he returned in the 1880s.
Anatoly Petrovich Bogdanov in his office. From here.
By the end of his life, the tireless researcher and talented organizer became a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences and received the rank of Privy Councilor. Anatoly Petrovich died in 1896 and was buried in the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent.
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A.P. Bogdanov in his office (1895).
According to A.A. Formozova: “The merits of Bogdanov’s works are indisputable, but for archeology their significance turned out to be much less than one might expect. The excavation process, the burials themselves, and the objects found in them remained undescribed. Collections from different places were not put in order in time and were not properly inventoried, they gradually became confused, lost their labels and turned into a pile of uncertified items. It is now impossible to understand where, from which burial mound group and from which grave these or those items come."
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Photographic materials from the site were used in preparing the text. arran.ru and work by A.A. Formozov "Pathfinders of the Moscow Land", M., 1988.
There have always been many historical mysteries in the world. Fortunately, the answers to many questions were practically under our very noses, or rather under our feet. Archeology has opened up ways for us to understand our origins through found artifacts, documents, and more. Until now, archaeologists are tirelessly digging up more and more new imprints of the past, revealing the truth to us.
Some archaeological discoveries simply shocked the world. For example, the Rosetta stone, thanks to which scientists were able to translate many ancient texts. The discovered Dead Sea Scrolls turned out to be extremely important for world religion, allowing the texts of a Jewish canon to be confirmed. Similar significant finds include the tomb of King Tut and the discovery of Troy. Finding traces of ancient Roman Pompeii gave historians access to knowledge of ancient civilization.
Even today, when it would seem that almost all science is looking forward, archaeologists are still finding ancient artifacts that can change our understanding of the planet’s past. Here are the ten most influential discoveries on world history.
10. Khisarlyk mound (1800s)
Hisarlik is located in Turkey. In essence, the discovery of this hill represents evidence of the existence of Troy. For centuries, Homer's Iliad was nothing more than a myth. In the 50-70s of the 19th century, trial excavations were successful, and it was decided to continue the research. Thus, confirmation of the existence of Troy was found. Excavations continued into the twentieth century with a new team of archaeologists.
9. Megalosaurus (1824)
Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be studied. Of course, fossil skeletons of dinosaurs had been found before, but then science could not explain what kind of creatures they were. Some believe that the study of Megalosaurus was the beginning of many science fiction stories about dragons. However, not only this was a consequence of such a find, there was a whole boom in the popularity of archeology and mankind’s fascination with dinosaurs, everyone wanted to find their remains. The found skeletons began to be classified and exhibited in museums for public viewing.
8. The Treasure of Sutton Hoo (1939)
Sutton Hoo is considered Britain's most valuable treasure. Sutton Hoo is the burial chamber of a King who lived in the 7th century. Various treasures, a lyre, wine cups, swords, helmets, masks and much more were buried with him. The burial chamber is surrounded by 19 mounds, which are also graves, and excavations at Sutton Hoo continue to this day.
7. Dmanisi (2005)
Ancient man and the creatures that evolved into modern homosapiens have been studied for many years. It would seem that today there are no blank spots left in the history of our evolution, but a skull 1.8 million years old, found in the Georgian city of Dmanisi, made archaeologists and historians think. It represents the remains of a Homoerectus species that migrated from Africa, and supports the hypothesis that this species stands alone in the evolutionary chain.
6. Gobekli Tepe (2008)
For a long time, Stonehenge was considered the most ancient religious building in the world. In the 1960s, this hill in southeastern Turkey was potentially said to be older than Stonehenge, but it was soon recognized as a medieval cemetery. However, in 2008, Klaus Schmidt discovered stones there that were 11 thousand years old, which were clearly processed by prehistoric man, who did not yet have either clay or metal tools for this.
5. Headless Vikings of Dorset (2009)
In 2009, road workers accidentally stumbled upon human remains. It turned out that they had unearthed a mass grave in which more than 50 people were buried with severed heads. Historians immediately looked into the books and realized that there had once been a massacre of Vikings here, it happened somewhere between 960 and 1016. The skeletons belong to young people about twenty years old, from history it follows that they tried to attack the Anglo-Saxons, but they resisted very zealously, which led to massacre. The Vikings are said to have been stripped and tortured before being beheaded and thrown into a pit. This discovery sheds some light on the historical battle.
4. Petrified Man (2011)
Findings of fossilized human remains are far from new, but this does not make them any less terrible and, at the same time, attractive. These beautifully mummified bodies reveal a lot about the past. Recently, a fossilized body was found in Ireland, its age is approximately four thousand years, scientists suggest that this man died a very cruel death. All the bones are broken and his posture is very strange. This is the oldest fossilized human ever found by archaeologists.
3. Richard III (2013)
In August 2012, the University of Leicester, in collaboration with the City Council and the Richard III Society, led to the discovery of the lost remains of one of England's most famous monarchs. The remains were found under a modern parking lot. The University of Leicester has announced that it will initiate a full DNA study of Richard III, so the English monarch could become the first historical figure to have his DNA examined.
2. Jamestown (2013)
Scientists have always talked about cannibalism in the ancient settlements of Jamestown, but neither historians nor archaeologists have ever had direct evidence of this. Of course, history tells us that in ancient times, people in search of the New World and riches often met a terrible and cruel end, especially in the cold winter time. Last year, William Kelso and his team discovered the fractured skull of a 14-year-old girl in a pit containing the remains of horses and other animals that settlers had eaten during times of famine. Kelso is convinced that the girl was killed to satisfy hunger, and the skull was pierced to get to the soft tissue and brain.
1. Stonehenge (2013-2014)
For many centuries, Stonehenge remained something mystical for historians and archaeologists. The location of the stones did not make it possible to determine what exactly they were used for and how they came to be arranged in this particular way. Stonehenge remained a mystery that many struggled with. Recently, archaeologist David Jackis organized excavations that led to the discovery of the remains of bison (in ancient times they were eaten and also used in agriculture). Based on these excavations, scientists were able to conclude that in the 8820s BC Stonehenge was inhabited and was not at all conceived as a separate site. Thus, previously existing assumptions will be revised.
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