DESPITE many of us not being able to travel this year, archaeologists have continued to make some amazing discoveries all over the world.
Below is a roundup of some of the best ones including an eerie mammoth bone structure and some impressive mummies.
Over 100 Ancient Egyptian coffins found
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Archaeologists in Egypt made a huge announcement back in November at the Saqqara necropolis.
A staggering 100 Ancient Egyptian painted coffins and 40 precious statues were unearthed at the site near Cairo.
Some of the coffins have mummies inside.
They’ve been sealed and buried for around 2,500 years.
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The huge archaeological find was displayed at a a makeshift exhibit near Saqarra’s step pyramid and the artefacts are in the process of being moved to permanent homes.
Major Stonehenge puzzle solved
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A major Stonehenge puzzle has finally been solved after scientists located the origin of the monument’s giant rocks.
Modern scanning tech traced the hulking sandstone boulders that make up Stonehenge to a site in Wiltshire.
Archaeologists think most of the larger stones – known as “sarsens” – were quarried in West Woods, just 15 miles away from Stonehenge.
That’s in contrast to the smaller “bluestones”, which were taken from the Preseli Hills in Wales – around 180 miles away.
Giant Ice Age Mammoth Bone Structure
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Archaeologists found a giant Ice Age structure made up of at least 60 mammoth skeletons.
The creepy site was unearthed in Russia and is a giant circle of around 12.5 metres in diameter.
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Experts think it was built around 25,000 years ago by hunter-gatherers.
It may have been a shelter to protect the ancient people from harsh winter conditions.
Cliff face paintings of lost ‘mega animals’
Tens of thousands of ancient Ice Age paintings discovered in the Amazon rainforest were revealed in a new Channel 4 documentary.
The paintings cover almost eight miles of a cliff face and are thought to show lots of extinct ‘mega animals’.
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Such animals include a giant sloth, an early horse, a porcupine, alligators and a prehistoric elephant relative called a mastodon.
It’s thought the paintings were drawn by Ice Age people around 12,600 to 11,800 years ago.
The paintings are located in an area called the Serranía La Lindosa.
It’s one of the largest rock-art sites in the world and is located above three rock shelters.
Lost Mayan capital city found
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Brown University and Brandeis University researchers claimed to find the lost ruins of a an ancient Maya capital city.
It’s believed the site, which is now a Mexican cattle ranch, was once the capital of the Sak Tz’i’ kingdom.
Largest And Oldest Mayan Monument
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Sticking with the Mayan theme, archaeologists from the University of Arizona found a huge Mayan monument underground using a LiDar scanner.
The monument was found in Tabasco, Mexico and is 4600 foot long.
It’s possibly the largest Mayan monument ever discovered using LiDar.
Prehistoric shafts near Stonehenge
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Another big 2020 discovery was that of numerous prehistoric shafts forming a circle at Durrington Walls near Stonehenge.
The Neolithic shafts have been dated to 2500 BC and may have been used to hold structures that set a boundary or guided worshipers.
They’re about 16 foot deep and 32 foot wide.
Eerie mammoth graveyard with HUNDREDS of bones belonging to 14-foot Ice Age beasts discovered
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In other archaeological news, experts have wiped centuries of dust and dirt from an ancient cross pedant discovered in a field in western Scotland.
A secret stash of gold coins dating back to King Henry VIII’s reign have been found in an English garden.
And, an ancient elite warrior and a Greek battle helmet have been unearthed from a rock-cut tomb in Croatia.
Which archaeological discovery of 2020 is your favourite? Let us know in the comments…
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
