Our top ancient archaeological discoveries of 2022

ARCHITECTURE, NEWS I BY BETTY WOOD

Temples, gladiator arenas and a shipwreck are among sites unearthed by experts this year

One of our most-read stories of 2022 wasn’t a new opening, revamped interior or far-flung travel destination – it was an ancient engineering ‘miracle’ unearthed by archaeologists in Egypt. The 4,300 ft long tunnel was part of a temple complex rumoured to be Cleopatra’s last resting place, proving the ancient world still has plenty of secrets to be revealed.

Other major archaeological discoveries this year included mummies with golden tongues, Peruvian geoglyphs, the columns of a snake goddess’ temple, and a gladiator’s amphitheatre in Switzerland (possibly the last one ever built).

We’ve honed in on some of the ancient spaces (re)discovered this year across the globe.

A 5,000-year-old home in Yangshao Village, China



Jiangzhai settlement model, Yangshao culture, Lintong, Shaanx. Photography: Prof Gary Lee Todd

In China’s Henan Province, the foundations of an ancient house believed to be 5,000 years old were unearthed during an excavation, revealing it was constructed from rammed earth. Thought to date back to the neolithic Yangshao culture – which was active in the Yellow River basin as far back as 3000 BC – the ancient house also contained various artefacts, including a jade axe, which offers hints about the community that once inhabited the site.

The Great Giza Pyramid went digital



Photography: Giza.Mused

Technology has made the last remaining ancient wonder of the world accessible to the metaverse for the first time. The Giza Pyramid is around 4,500 years old and was built using 2 million limestone blocks for Pharoah Khufu during the period known as the Old Kingdom. Its three interior chambers, plus passages and hallways, have been digitally scanned for Giza.Mused – a collaboration between Harvard University’s Giza Project and Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiques. Users can now take a digital self-guided tour of its subterranean spaces and hidden chambers.

More:
https://thespaces.com/our-top-ancient-archaeological-discoveries-of-2022/