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Some objects and traditions seem modern, but their origins stretch far beyond what we imagine. Unveiling the true age of these items can sometimes correct historical misconceptions. From proof that amputation dates back to the Ice Age to uncovering the real inventor of the flush toilet, here are the most remarkable discoveries with revised histories.
10. The Folding Chair—1,400 Years Old
When you think of a "folding chair," you might assume it’s a modern convenience, often spotted at camping trips or barbecues. Yet, no historical records show past leaders or thinkers reclining in folding chairs. However, in 2022, archaeologists in Bavaria uncovered a medieval woman's grave, and at her feet was an unexpected find—a folding chair.
This chair, believed to date back to AD 600, was folded and measured about 18 by 28 inches (45 by 70 centimeters). The discovery was celebrated as an "absolute rarity," but it’s not the only one. Across Europe, 29 early medieval burial sites have also revealed similar chairs.
Today, folding chairs are easily accessible to everyone. However, researchers believe that, in ancient times, folding chairs were a symbol of prestige and power, reserved for the elite. This idea is backed by the other grave goods found with the Bavarian woman, including elaborate jewelry and a large pearl.
9. The Oldest Stone Runestone—2,000 Years Old
In 2021, archaeologists unearthed a runestone from a grave in Norway. Runes are commonly found in this region, with thousands already discovered throughout Scandinavia. But this particular one was different. The 12 by 12-inch (30 by 30 cm) sandstone slab bore runes that dated back to 2,000 years ago. While older runes exist on other materials, this is the earliest example of a runestone made of stone.
This groundbreaking find, one of the earliest attempts to “write” using runes in Scandinavia, has pushed back the timeline of the region’s runic tradition by several centuries. Scholars hope this discovery may one day provide more insights into the early development of runes, a topic that remains largely enigmatic.
The mysterious markings are yet to be deciphered. However, when transcribed into Roman letters, eight of the runes seem to spell out “idiberug,” which could translate to “For Idibera.” Although the exact meaning of the word is unclear, it might refer to the name of an individual or a family.
8. The Flush Toilet – A Discovery from 2,400 Years Ago
It's not every day that archaeologists are caught laughing upon discovering an artifact. However, in 2022, during an excavation in Shaanxi province, China, that exact thing happened. The team, while digging through the remains of an ancient palace in Yueyang, uncovered what they quickly realized was an ancient toilet.
What made this find especially amusing was that the team identified it as a flush toilet—something no one would have expected to find in such an ancient site.
Though historical records attribute the invention of the flush toilet to Victorian England, this Chinese version is far older, estimated to date between 2,200 and 2,400 years ago. This could potentially make it the oldest flush toilet ever unearthed. Remarkably, its design was quite sophisticated for its time, consisting of a bowl, some damaged parts, and a pipe that connected to an outdoor pit.
7. River Groynes – A 3,300-Year-Old Discovery
River groynes, which are still used in modern agricultural hydraulic systems, are rocky structures placed along riverbanks to control the flow of water and silt. For many years, it was believed that these groynes were a relatively recent invention. However, a groundbreaking discovery in 2023 revealed that in Sudan, along the River Nile, groynes dating back 3,300 years were uncovered, predating the previous known oldest examples from China's Yellow River by 2,500 years.
The research further uncovered that hundreds of these groynes remain in Sudan, with many still intact, while others are buried under sand or submerged in the Nile. The groynes' size, shape, and placement suggest that they were versatile structures. Nubian farmers likely used them for various purposes, including trapping fertile silt, preventing riverbank erosion, irrigating crops, fishing, and controlling seasonal flooding.
Astoundingly, it was also found that the tradition of constructing river groynes in the region persisted until the 1970s. These ancient systems were not only long-lasting but also remarkably effective, as demonstrated by the local population that continues to cultivate land made fertile by these timeworn structures.
6. Tavern—5,000 Years Old
While the term 'tavern' often brings to mind the image of a medieval English pub filled with patrons raising their mead cups in celebration of the king, recent findings have shown that such establishments have a much older origin than commonly believed.
While studying the daily lives of regular people in ancient Sumeria, American and Italian archaeologists stumbled upon a site that seemed to resemble what we would today refer to as a pub or a medieval tavern.
Located in Iraq within the ancient city-state of Lagash, this 5,000-year-old Sumerian tavern held remarkable features, including an early refrigeration system, likely used for storing food that would be served to the customers.
The site also revealed around 150 serving bowls, a large oven, and benches where diners could sit. The archaeologists deemed it a tavern, convinced that beer was on the menu. This theory isn't far-fetched, as the Sumerians were known to drink more beer than water.
5. Party Straws—5,000 Years Old
Drinking straws aren't a modern invention. But if you imagine straws today, forget the bendy plastic or paper types. When researchers uncovered the world's oldest straws in a Russian grave, they found eight tubes crafted from precious metals. These gold and silver straws weren't used for sipping goat milk. Instead, ancient Russians, about 5,000 years ago, used them to drink beer in style.
Initially discovered in 1897, these straws were so large, measuring over 3 feet (about a meter) in length, that experts mistakenly thought they were either scepters or poles for canopies. However, in 2022, a sharp-eyed researcher recognized that the artifacts closely resembled drinking straws once used by the ancient Sumerians to drink beer from communal pots.
The Sumerian straws had filters at the end to trap impurities commonly found in beer at the time. Similarly, the Russian tubes also featured these filters. When traces of barley were detected on them, it confirmed that the so-called 'scepters' were, in fact, the world’s oldest party straws.
4. Bog Bodies—7,000 Years Old
The discovery of a few well-preserved bodies in the bogs of Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom captured widespread attention, not only due to their lifelike appearance but also because they showed signs of having been murdered. However, recent research into more bog bodies has revealed that these famous finds misrepresented the true nature of these artifacts.
Many believe that bog bodies are well-preserved mummies, numbering only in the low hundreds, and that this phenomenon dates back just a few centuries. In fact, the tradition of peat burials began around 5,000 BC in southern Scandinavia before spreading throughout Europe. Astonishingly, this practice continued well into modern times. Thousands of individuals perished in the bogs, not just hundreds, and many ended up as skeletons rather than mummies.
The reasons behind Europe's engagement in what appears to be a complex mix of social and religious mysteries remain unclear. It wasn’t solely about accidental deaths or intentional killings. Some individuals died in the bogs by their own hand, while excavations have revealed animal bones, ornaments, mass warrior burials from the battlefield, and even stashes of weapons.
3. The Oldest Burial Site—200,000 Years Old
Long ago, there was Homo naledi, a distant relative of humans who climbed trees in southern Africa and stood around 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall. In 2023, archaeologists made an astounding discovery: several of these hominids were found in a cave system near Johannesburg, South Africa. Unlike a jumbled pile of bones, these remains were arranged in a burial site.
This discovery shook existing beliefs. Homo naledi was previously thought to lack the capacity for complex behaviors such as burial rituals, due to its primitive nature and a brain about the size of an orange.
However, researchers pointed out that the graves were deliberately dug and filled after the body was placed inside. At least five individuals were buried, indicating that the site was no accident. This suggested that Homo naledi, despite its small brain, was capable of complex cognitive and emotional behavior.
The notion that Homo sapiens were the first hominids to perform funerals has been debunked. This discovery reveals a non-human cemetery that predates any burials by our species by at least 100,000 years.
2. A Remarkable Surgical Amputation—31,000 Years Ago
In 2022, a fascinating find emerged as archaeologists dug into a cave in Borneo. Their goal was to understand who, approximately 40,000 years ago, had been responsible for the cave paintings over generations. Although the artists' identities remained unknown, they uncovered a grave.
The grave contained the remains of a teenager who had passed away 31,000 years ago. Astonishingly, researchers discovered that the left foot had been expertly amputated halfway down the calf. The individual not only survived the procedure but also lived for another six to nine years before dying at the age of around 19.
Many archaeologists have doubted that hunter-gatherer societies could have possessed advanced technology or medical knowledge. However, these ancient Ice Age hunters and foragers demonstrated the ability to perform a complex operation involving bone removal, managing blood loss, and preventing infection—long before modern surgeons mastered such techniques. In fact, it wasn't until the late 1800s, with the invention of antiseptics, that successful amputations became standard in Western medicine.
1. The Oldest Tree-Ring Dated Structure—7,275 Years Old
In 2018, a road crew in the Czech Republic uncovered a crate-like structure. It was soon identified as the top of an ancient well, square-shaped with four corner poles and flat planks for sides. The wood used was oak, prompting researchers to consider dating the tree rings to determine when the trees were felled, providing a precise date for the well's construction.
A year later, this method revealed that the trees used for the planks were felled around 7,275 years ago, roughly between 5255 and 5256 BC. The poles were slightly older, suggesting they had been repurposed from another structure, such as a previous well. While the Czech well may not be the oldest wooden structure globally, it holds the distinction of being the oldest identified through tree-ring dating.
The remarkable preservation of the wood also showcased the skill of the builders, who were evidently expert carpenters. Despite using only tools made from bone, horns, and stone, the precision of their craftsmanship was extraordinary.
