ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS

RAPA NUI

The name for both the island and the people who lived there,

Rapa Nui (AKA Easter Island) is a Pacific island rife with mystery.

The most remote inhabited island on Earth, Rapa Nui is

famous for its unique artistic design (free of any external influence)

of ahu – ceremonial platforms – and moai – massive statues which

represented Rapa Nui ancestors. Easter Island was first settled by

Polynesians in the 4th century and had 3,000 natives when the

Spanish first arrived in 1770. (The Dutch arrived earlier, in 1722,

but did not count the population.) The population was decimated

to 111 inhabitants barely a century after this first census. Today,

the island still has a permanent population which is sustained

primarily through tourism.

ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISM

Highly regarded as an ancient Greek computer, the Antikythera

Mechanism is one of the most amazing archaeological discoveries

in history. When it was found at the turn of the 20th century,

scientists were unable to determine its purpose for another

70 years. At least 1,500 years ahead of its time (you can imagine

what alien theorists think of it), the Antikythera Mechanism

was an astronomical clock which precisely traced the movement

of the heavens with rotating hands, interlocking gear wheels and

multiple dials. Scientists are still wondering how the Ancient Greeks

could have developed something so advanced.

THE PILATE STONE

Formerly used as part of a theatre’s staircase, the Pilate Stone is the

only widely-accepted evidence of the existence of Pontius Pilate.

Found in Caesarea Maritima, the stone’s inscriptions date it to about

26-37 A.D. Known for trying Jesus Christ, Pontius Pilate likely lived

in Caesarea Maritima as it was the administrative capital of the

area (replacing Jerusalem in 6 A.D.).

BAGHDAD BATTERY

Originally hailed as a two-millennia-old example of early human

ingenuity, the Baghdad Battery (found just outside of Baghdad)

was believed to generate an electrical current, possibly for plating

metal onto objects. The theory has been widely discredited with

modern archaeologists claiming the item was a vessel to store scrolls.

ROSETTA STONE

The Rosetta Stone unlocked our understanding of the Ancient

Egyptians. Finally allowing archaeologists to decipher hieroglyphs

(the stone was written in three languages: Ancient Egyptian

hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Ancient Greek), the Rosetta Stone

has been displayed at London’s British Museum since 1802.

Since its discovery, other multi-lingual inscriptions have been

found, thus making the Stone not unique in itself beyond

being the first one found.

THE GRAUBALLE MAN

About thirty years old when he died, the Grauballe Man was found

over two thousand years later, nearly perfectly preserved. “One

of the most spectacular discoveries from Denmark’s prehistory”,

this corpse was found in a peat bog and has been dated to the

3rd century B.C. Examining his corpse, scientists believe he was a

human sacrifice, common at the time, as his throat was slit open

from ear-to-ear.

NEWGRANGE

Older than both Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids, Ireland’s
Newgrange is one of the most important megalithic structures in

Europe. Built between 3000-2500 B.C., the large, circular mound has

an interior chamber which is illuminated only on the winter solstice

(December 21st). Though not entirely sure of its original purpose,

scientists believe this archaeological discovery could have been

a religious centre. The site is so popular that Irish families and

visitors have to win the equivalent of the “Charlie and the Chocolate

Factory” golden ticket as only 50 people (plus a guest) win the

lottery to see Newgrange from the inside on the winter solstice.