Centuries of sleuthing on six continents have transformed our understanding of human history.
From early excavations in the ashes of Pompeii to discoveries aided by robotics or DNA sequencing,
the findings shed light on our greatest mystery: Who are we, and how did we get here?
INALFBOEGRTROA LPHUICCA BSY L (^) ÓPEZ
AILLUNDST EVREA CTOIONNASN BTY
MATTHEW TWOMBLY
Rituals and religionFragile scrolls and preserved
bodies are evidence of the grow-ing roles of community and faith.
TomPyrambs and temids, treasure-laden tomples bs,
and ampower, culture, and tradition. bitious cities immortalize
Surprises and mNew societies emerge and ysteries
expand, leaving behind mquestions than answers. ore
Great buildersArchitects of the past construct
temrefuges fromples, pyram unknown dangers. ids, and cliffside
Sovereigns and citizensAn era of sweeping empires
reveals the different lives of rulers and their subjects.
A changing world order New finds, many aided by
mrewrite even recent history.odern technology, help
200 B.C. – A.D. 75 A.D. 75 –6 00 A.D. 600 –10 00 A.D. 1000 –12 00 A.D. 1200 –16 00 A.D. 1600 –present
196 B.C.
Scripts on the lead to the deciphering of ancient ROSETTA STONE
hieroglyphs. •Egypt, 1799
300 B.C.-A.D. 700
Wa city of stone, ater-savvy Nabataeans carve PETRA, in the
desert. •Jordan, 1812
700-1000
Gold artifacts shine new light on a little-known GOLDEN CHIEFS
culture. •Panama, 2010
802-1431
In one of the largest cities ever built, ANGKOR WAT flourishes
deep in a jungle. •1500s Cambodia,
1200-1600
LOtion boomNDON’S BO unearths the bones NES: A construc-
of thousands of forgotten Londoners. •England, 2000s
1250-1500
The thriving network of villages and AMAZON rainforest is a
large-scale, ritual landscape designs, or geoglyphs. •Amazon
PREDNaturally OMINAMNUMTLY 800 B.C.-AMIFIED BO.D. 400DIES Basin, unknown
found in bogs mvictims of ritual sacrifice. ay have been
- Northern Europe, 1800s
100 B.C. ATwo sets of ND AM.D. 790AYA MURALS show-
ing battles and celebrations are found in jungle pyramids. •Guate-
mala, 2001, and Mexico, 1946
300 B.C.-A.D. 100
The long-hidden biblical history. •DEAD SEA SCROLLS reveal West
Bank and Israel, 1947-present
A.D. 50
Silk Road riches are found in the TOMBS OF TILLYA TEPE.
- Afghanistan, 1978
500 B.C.-AThe NASCA LIN.D. 700ES etched into the
desert mto beg for rain. •ay have been ritual routes Peru, 1920s
ASTAN.D. 72-73DOFF AT MASADA: Tragedy
haunts a desert fortress fromRoman-era Israel. •Israel, early 1960s
22 B.C.
Divers explore King Herod’s CAESAREA MARITIMA harbor.
- Israel, 1800s
(^79) A volcanic eruption encases the
thriving RomAND HERCULANan towns of EUM in ash—and POMPEII
in time. •Italy, late 1500s and 1709
100 B.C.-AThe city of .D. 900COPÁN showcases
the Classic age of the M•Honduras, 1839 aya.
100 B.C.-AThe pre-Hispanic M.D. 650 esoameri-
can city align with the stars. •TEOTIHUACÁNMexico, 1675 is built to
(^345) The purported TOMB OF JESUS
CHRIST time in centuries. •is opened for the first Israel, 2016
200-800
The Buddhist comMES AYNAK is recognized as an plex of
archaeological gemmyriad threats. •Afghanistan, 1963, yet one under
EARLY 400S
The including depictions of Noah’s MOSAICS OF HUQOQ,
Ark, are found under a syna-gogue’s floor. •Israel, 2011
200 B.C.-ABuddhist carvings and frescoes .D. 650
are found hidden in the OF AJANTA. •India, 1819CAVES
EAA ship burial at RLY 600S SUTTON HOO
reflects Anglo-Saxon wealth and power. •England, 1939
250
A royal tomfound untouched. •b of the Peru, 1987MOCHE is
(^820) A farmer finds a priceless Viking
burial, the •Norway, 1903OSEBERG SHIP.
800-1000
ANin a tomDEANb of the m TREASURESysterious W are found ari
people. •Peru, 2012
300-1300
The FremPETROGLYPH CANont people carve a YON, then
disappear. •U.S., late 1920s
936
Surveys unmthe Moors’ Mask the grandeur of EDINA AZAHARA.
- Spain, 1910
PEAMud-brick ruins of K 800-1000 JENNE-JENO
help rewrite W•Mali, 1977 est African history.(^1000) L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS proves
the Vikings were the Amfirst Europeans. •Canada, 1961ericas’
900-1600Massive carved faces speak to
remenigmote atic past. •EASTER ISLAOceania, 1722ND’S
800-1200
The Mlinks to the underworld and the aya’s CHICHÉN ITZÁ holds
cosmos. •Mexico, mid-1800s
1050-1200The ancient, agrarian Missis-
sippian culture builds the first metropolis, the CAHOKIA
Mmainland. •OUNDS, in what is now the U.S. U.S., early 1800s
1000-1400
Lidar, light-detection technology, is providing the latest clues to
MMesoamONKEY GOerica’s D.LO •Honduras, 2012ST CITY OF THE
1200-1300
The elaborately carved out CLIFF DWELLINGS of Mesa Verde
shelter Ancelate 1800s stral Puebloans. •U.S.,
1100-1450The Shona people’s stone
cominspires the namplex, GREAT ZIMe of a country. BABWE,
- Zimbabwe, late 1800s
800-1500Excavations reveal the vast trade
networks of S TAT E S. •East Africa, 1960sSWAHILI CITY-
1000-1400
Dense, wet soil in preserves everyday mNOVGOedieval ROD
correspondence. •Russia, 1951(^1281) The drowned fleet of KUBLAI
KHANinvasion. • testifies to a failed MJapan, 1981 ongol
1325-1521A buried Aztec pyramid, TEMPLO
Mleader. •AYOR,M holds no sign of a feared exico, 1914
(^1400) The royal retreat of S MACHU
PICCHUAndes. • is hidden high in the Peru, 1911
1100-1600
Carefully concealed mreveal TIMBUKTU at its peak. anuscripts
- Mali, 1960s
1500
FROZENsacrifices lie undisturbed for som MUMMIES from Inca e
500 years. •Peru, 1995
1545
The shipwreck of the ROSE gives a portrait of life on MARY
King Henry VIII’s favorite ship. •England, 1836
1607
Artifacts and humfound at JAMESTOWan remN tell a dark ains
tale of desperation and cannibal-ism in the legendary colonial
settlement. •U.S., 1994(^1600) WarmSing earth exposes a rich
INAlaska. •DIGENU.S., 2012OUS HISTORY in
1692
An earthquake sinks the pirate haven of PORT ROYAL in the
Caribbean. •Jamaica, late 1950s
(^1860) America’s last slave ship, the
CLOTILDAits illegal journey but found , is set ablaze after
by underwater archaeologists. •U.S., 2019
(^1864) The sunken Confederate subma-
rine 130 years. •H. L. HUNU.S., 1995LEY is found after
(^1912) Drowned on its maiden voyage,
the help of robotic submTITANIC is found with the ersibles.
- Atlantic Ocean, 1985