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Statue of Akhenaten (Reigned c. 1351-1334 BC). 18th Dynasty. One of a series of colossal statues that once lined a colonnade in the Precinct of the Aten at Karnak.
29 lost burials archaeologists have yet to find (and 1 they did) The burials of famous people provide enduring archaeological mysteries. Here are 30 of the most acclaimed "lost" tombs.
A fragmented wooden tablet with Latin writing on it in charcoal ink on display against a neutral background
2,000-year-old RSVP: A birthday invitation from the Roman frontier that has the earliest known Latin written by a woman This wafer-thin wooden tablet from a first-century Roman fort in the U.K. includes a heartfelt birthday party invitation.
Two people look at an ancient wooden lyre on display at a museum
Queen Puabi's lyre: A bull-headed music maker played for Mesopotamian royalty 4,500 years ago A lyre in a treasure-laden royal tomb discovered in Mesopotamia is the earliest stringed instrument ever found.

Latest about Archaeology

A close-up of bones in a grave

Medieval 'vampire' burial in Croatia contains decapitated and twisted remains

By Tom Metcalfe published

The "vampire" find illustrates a popular fear that the "undead" could rise from their graves.

Archaeology
Statue of Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki, Makedonia, Greece

Alexander the Great quiz: How well do you know the famous king and conqueror from the ancient world?

By Laura Geggel published

How much do you know about Alexander the Great?

Archaeology
A small gold cylinder with rivets and a keyhole sits on a reflective black table

1,600-year-old Roman padlock with spring mechanism discovered in Germany — and it's tiny

By Kristina Killgrove published

A miniature gold lock dated to the third to fourth centuries was found by a metal detectorist in Germany.

Romans
An orange-colored parchment is fragmented and covered in Greek letters

1,900-year-old papyrus 'best-documented Roman court case from Judaea apart from the trial of Jesus'

By Kristina Killgrove published

A newly translated papyrus found in Israel provides information about criminal cases and slave ownership in the Roman Empire.

Romans
Pile of over 400 gold and silver coins from the 1st century AD, against a light grey background

Over 400 gold and silver Roman-era coins unearthed in the Netherlands depict rulers from Rome, Britain and Africa

By Kristina Killgrove published

A hoard of over 400 coins dated to the first century is a rare mix of Roman and British money.

Archaeology
A fragmentary human skeleton is being exposed in reddish-brown soil. A north arrow points down in the middle of the burial.

1,200-year-old remains of dismembered pregnant woman in Ecuador hint at 'enigmatic' sacrifice to thwart El Niño

By Kristina Killgrove published

The unusual burial of a woman and fetus in prehistoric Ecuador may reflect the community's fear of her power.

Archaeology
A colorful embroidered scene from the Bayeux Tapestry depicts the death of King Harold

Bayeux Tapestry: A 1,000-year-old embroidery depicting William the Conqueror's victory and King Harold's grisly death

By Kristina Killgrove published

A long roll of cloth embroidered with key scenes from British history is a unique medieval chronicle.

Archaeology
A picture shows the rebuilt skull of a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman, named Shanidar Z, after the cave in Iraqi Kurdistan where her skull was found in 2018, at the University of Cambridge, eastern England, on April 25, 2024.

Neanderthal quiz: How much do you know about our closest relatives?

By Kristina Killgrove published

Think you know everything about Neanderthals? Take our quiz to find out.

Archaeology
piles of gold and silver coins and rings spread out on a black background

15th-century hoard of gold and silver coins discovered in Israel near Sea of Galilee

By Owen Jarus published

A coin hoard dating to the 15th century has been discovered near a medieval synagogue in Israel. Why it was deposited there, however, is a mystery.

Archaeology
A small wooden bowl filled with silver coins — and one gold coin. A pile of silver coins is spread in front of it.

More than 1,300 coins buried during Roman emperor Nero's reign found in England

By Owen Jarus published

A hoard of 1,368 coins, most of them silver, was discovered in England. Why they were buried is a mystery.

Romans
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