7 bone-chilling archaeological discoveries

Archaeologists help us better understand history with each new discovery they make. Even simple artifacts like stone tools can provide information about how early humans lived. For this reason, the work of archaeologists is invaluable to be able to write history without interruption. But some of these discoveries can be a little disturbing. In this article, we are going to talk about 7 of the most terrifying archaeological finds. Here are the details 👇

1. Screaming Mummy

The Screaming Mummy was discovered by Gaston Maspero, a terrifying archaeological find. In 1886, Gaston Maspero, head of the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, was examining mummies that had been found in Deir el-Bahri, near the Valley of the Kings. Maspero discovered a shocking mummy inside an ordinary, unadorned coffin that gives no clue as to the identity of the deceased.

Inside the coffin was the corpse of a young man wrapped in sheepskin with his hands and feet bound and who seemed to be screaming. There was no incision in the man’s left abdomen, which embalmers usually make to remove the viscera; The man was not traditionally mummified. Although theories have been put forward that the man was poisoned or buried alive, no clear explanation has yet been given. The other strange thing is that this unknown man was buried with the greatest kings and queens of his time. The mummy was named “Adam E”, and the incident remains a mystery to this day.

2. Bog bodies

Bog carcasses are carcasses preserved naturally in the peat bogs of Europe. Peat is a slightly spongy rock coal with a color close to black. This is what preserves bodies so well. The conditions of the peat bogs had preserved the skin, hair, and viscera so well that the corpses still looked quite realistic when found. The oldest known bog body was found in Denmark and given the name “Koelbjerg Man”.

The most famous and interesting swamp corpse is the Tollund Man. The body, which was found lying on its side with a rope around its neck in 1950, was so carefully placed in the bog that some believe it to have been sacrificed. Also, his face looked peaceful, as if he was asleep.

Iceman Ötzi is a really interesting archaeological find. Ötzi was accidentally discovered by German hikers in 1991. His body had been covered in ice and snow for nearly 5,300 years in the Otzal Alps, on the Austrian-Italian border. His body was preserved, and his weapons and clothes were found in his immediate vicinity.

At first it was believed that Ötzi the Ice Man had died as a result of an accident. X-rays taken in 2001 revealed an arrowhead on Ötzi’s left shoulder and a gash on his back. Those who examined the man believed that this wound was fatal. The wound on his hand indicates that he was involved in a fight in the days before his death. As a result of all this, Ötzi is believed to be the victim of a murder.

4. Polish vampire cemeteries

In the past decade, archaeologists have found many “vampire” burials in various Slavic countries. Experts state that the bodies in this tomb were held at the throat with a machete and had a sharp tooth. At that time, the belief in vampires was very common in the nature of Europe. It was also believed that vampires were immortal. For this reason, the corpses were buried with a machete held at the throat.

5. Chained Skeletons

In 2016, an interesting discovery occurred in Paleo Faliro, Greece. At least 80 skeletons were found with their hands chained and their mouths open as if they were screaming as they were dying. The bodies were of healthy young men.

Archaeologists believe that these men may have been followers of the Cylon, who attempted to capture Athens in the seventh century BC. When Cylon’s coup failed, his followers took refuge in the Temple of Athena on the Acropolis. The disciples were killed as soon as they left the temple. But it is also possible that the skeletons belonged to slaves or criminals.

6. Neanderthals are cannibals

Evidence of cannibalism by Neanderthals has been found in a cave in Guyet, Belgium. Operations such as extraction of marrow were applied to the bones found in the cave. Such evidence has also been found at Neanderthal sites in other countries. However, given their extreme rarity, it remains unclear why some groups of Neanderthals did this.

7. Aztec skull towers

It is now known that the Aztecs made human sacrifices. Thanks to the work of archaeologists, we know that the skulls of sacrificed people were used as spiritual symbols. In 2015, archaeologists discovered two towers surrounded by this cranial wall, which you see above. These towers are also built entirely from human skulls. According to archaeologists, many people were sacrificed to build these structures.