6. English Gladiator Grave Discovered
Where: York, England
Discovered in 2010; estimated value (human remains): N/A
The York Archaeological Trust in York, England, claims that this discovery is the sole “well-preserved” Roman gladiator grave. This cemetery, which was discovered beneath York in 2003, exposes the actual savagery of antiquity. These buried, severed Gladiators had lion bites on their bodies and colossal muscles on abnormally enormous guys.
York, England: Roman Gladiator Grave Discovered
Before lion bites were discovered, the Roman Gladiators’ grave was once believed to be a prisoner’s grave. Then it dawned on archaeologists that what they were seeing was the last resting place of gladiators who had participated in the notorious bloodsport competitions in ancient Rome. The men’s arms provided yet another important hint as to who these guys were. In many of the remains, one arm was significantly larger than the other, indicating that these Gladiators had been trained from an early age to locate a weapon in their dominant hand.
7. Asian “Hobbit” Skeletons Found
Location: Indonesia’s Liang Bua Cave
Discovered in 2004
Estimated Value: N/A (Remains of Humans)
Millions of people have read The Lord of the Rings, but did you know that J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantastical universe actually contains some truth? Human remains resembling hobbits have been found in caves on a secluded island in Indonesia.
Asia’s “Hobbit” Skeletons Found: @SilpaWattanatham/Facebook
These people had grapefruit-sized skulls and lived 17,000 years ago on the island. They coexisted with pygmy elephants, Komodo dragons, and other animals. The scientific term for the “hobbit” is Homo floresiensis, and these ancient hominins were the closest ancestors of modern humans. The discovery, which was made in the Liang Bua Caves, provided crucial information on the world of prehistoric creatures.
zi ang