The remains of the ancestors of modern elephants, woolly mammoths, have been discovered all over the world, from Alaska to Siberia. These gentle giants had tusks that could reach up to 15-feet in length and could weigh up to 15 tons, although they weren’t necessarily the largest species of mammoths. Remains of these creatures have been dated back between 39 and 40,000 years ago.
In 2013, researchers discovered perhaps the most well-preserved woolly mammoth to date, deep in Siberia in a tomb of ice. They believe that the female mammoth had lived nearly 40,000 years ago. The body was still so intact that it still had some blood.
A Mysterious Tibetan Skull
Millions of people are fascinated with the idea of looking for bargains at markets and antique shops. One such story of success happened in Vienna back in 2011, when a 300-year-old skull was found in a small antique shop.
According to the Austrian store owner, this skull belonged to a man who provided medical assistance to Tibetan monks. The man's teeth and skull were perfectly preserved, and his head was carved with various depictions of the macabre. The true origins of the skull remain a mystery, but it is still considered a rare piece of history.
An Ice-Man
The body was discovered in Canada in 1999, and scientists dated the corpse to be between 300-600 years old. Aside from the well-preserved body, the hunters that discovered him also found his walking stick and a fur coat.
What’s interesting about this case is that through DNA testing, they were able to find over 15 living relatives of the man in the ice, who had simply been dubbed “Canadian Ice Man.”
Tutankhamun’s Tomb
Egypt holds many incredible archaeological treasures that have revealed much about the sociological traditions of ancient times. One of the fascinating discoveries is Tutankhamun’s Tomb which was found in 1922 by a British archaeologist named Howard Carter.
What else was remarkable about Tutankhamun’s Tomb is that the walls are overlaid with gold, and his sarcophagus itself is made of solid gold too! Additionally, it is believed there are two different rooms hidden in his tomb, but it is not yet clear what may be inside.
The Grave of Richard the Third
The grave of Richard the Third was discovered in a parking lot in August of 2012 by archaeologists from the University of Leicester. It is thought that the English king had been buried there for over 500 years. Richard the Third is said to have died at the Battle of Bosworth and was only 32 years old.
What was notable for archaeologists was how the king appeared to be buried without the traditional respect in which a royal would be laid to rest. By the looks of his remains, archaeologists believe he was buried with no ceremony or even in a coffin. Historians assume that, whoever buried him, were not supporters of the royal.