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As an archaeologist, you typically have a solid idea of what you'll uncover and where to find it. For instance, in the Egyptian desert, you’d expect to stumble upon pyramids. But Richard III’s remains under a Leicester parking lot? That’s a rarity. With the recent discovery, we began to wonder what other surprising archaeological treasures have been discovered in the most unlikely locations. Some of these finds will truly amaze you!
10. Richard III
Discovery: The Remains of King Richard III Found Beneath a Leicester Car Park
He was the king who became infamous. King Richard III ruled England from 1483 until his death in 1485. Although his reign was brief, it was undeniably filled with controversy.
From seizing the throne from his own nephews (and eventually having them murdered) to orchestrating the deaths of his wife and brother, King Richard III became one of England's most reviled monarchs. His hatred was so strong that in William Shakespeare's play, Richard was portrayed as a deformed hunchback, his physical deformity symbolizing his corrupt nature.
Though his reign was short, Richard met a brutal end at the Battle of Bosworth, where he suffered two deadly blows to the back of his head. Legend claimed that after his death, his body was thrown into the River Soar. However, archaeologists were convinced that Richard had been buried at the Greyfriars Friary, the very site now occupied by a Leicester car park—where, as we discovered last week, his remains were found.
9. Gladiator School
Discovery: Roman Gladiator Training School Unearthed in Austria
When you think of Austria, your mind likely goes to castles, schnitzel, or Arnold Schwarzenegger. But how about the remains of a Roman gladiator school? That’s exactly what archaeologists in Vienna discovered in 2011. Located in Carnuntum Archaeological Park, near the Danube River, the school dates back to around A.D. 150 during the reign of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It is believed to have rivaled the Ludus Magnus, the largest gladiator training school in Rome.
Partially uncovered in 1923, the site was further explored in 2011 with the help of cutting-edge ground sensors. What the archaeologists found was nothing short of amazing. The sprawling complex covered 200,000 square feet (19,000 square meters), featuring a large courtyard, a bathhouse, a training area, a cemetery, and small living quarters that measured only five meters square.
It’s believed that Emperor Aurelius’ son, Commodus, witnessed his first gladiator fight here before bringing the idea back to Rome. And while it might seem strange to find a Roman gladiator school in Austria, it makes perfect sense when you consider that Carnuntum was the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia, which included parts of modern-day Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
8. Ancient Well
Discovery: Medieval Well Found Beneath Living Room
Every old house has its quirks, with sagging floors or uneven dips. Colin Steer’s home in Plymouth, Devon, had such a dip in his living room, and his curiosity got the best of him. After digging for three days, seventeen feet deep, Steer stumbled upon a historical gem: a thirty-three-foot medieval well, dating back to the 16th century. This well, built by Sir Francis Drake to transport water from Dartmoor to Plymouth, was covered sometime around 1895.
Steer, reflecting on the dip in his living room, joked that he always wanted to dig it out to see 'if I could find a pot of gold at the bottom.' While he didn’t find a pot of gold, Steer did uncover something else: a peasant’s sword, also from the 16th century. As for the well, it now sits proudly in his living room, illuminated with lights and safely sealed under a trapdoor.
7. Viking Burial Pit
Discovery: Viking Burial Pit Found During Roadwork in Dorset, UK
The expansion of a road from Weymouth to the Isle of Portland in Dorset, passing through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was controversial from the start. However, the road crew’s excavation unearthed something far more extraordinary—a mass grave containing fifty-four skeletons and fifty-one decapitated heads of Scandinavian men, executed between A.D. 910 and 1030. After further investigation, archaeologists speculated that the grave belonged to the Jomsvikings, a brutal group known for their raids on England around the year 1000.
The remains showed clear signs of a violent mass execution. All the bodies were found naked, with their heads in one pile and their torsos in another. Some victims appeared to have fought back, with evidence of sliced fingers. It also seemed that not all the killings were swift—many had multiple blows to their vertebrae, jaws, and skulls.
As for why these men were executed in Dorset, archaeologists have two theories. One suggests they were punished by fellow Vikings for desertion. The other posits that, upon leaving their ship, they were ambushed by an organized group of Saxons who forced them to surrender before killing them.
6. Whale
Discovery: Whale Remains Found Beneath Railroad Tracks
In 1849, as a railroad was being built to connect the small town of Charlotte, Vermont, to the capital, Burlington, the workers were accustomed to finding arrowheads and old spears. However, what they uncovered next was truly remarkable. While digging on a secluded hillside, a large skull surfaced. Initially, they thought it belonged to a horse, but as they continued excavating, more of the skeleton emerged, revealing that this was no horse—there were no legs to be found.
Once fully uncovered, the skeleton measured nearly twenty feet in length and appeared to be that of a massive sea creature. Yet, the mystery remained: how did this animal end up in such a remote location, 250 miles away from the nearest ocean?
After examining the remains, geologists developed a theory. The creature, later named Charlotte, was identified as an 11,000-year-old white whale that had swum into shallow waters and eventually perished near the mouth of a river. As its body was covered by silt, it became shielded from scavengers, allowing it to decompose slowly, which in turn preserved the skeleton intact.
At the time, the ice age was retreating from Vermont, and a process known as 'glacial rebound' was occurring—where land previously covered by glaciers rises back up after the weight of the ice is removed. This phenomenon explains how Charlotte the whale ended up buried beneath the train tracks in this quiet Vermont town.
5. Viking Outpost
Discovery: Viking Outpost Unearthed in Newfoundland
As we saw in entry number seven, the Vikings might not have been greeted with open arms in the UK. However, based on archaeological findings from Baffin Island in Newfoundland, it appears that they could have been trading partners with the Native Americans in an extensive transatlantic trade network.
While digging at an ancient structure on Baffin Island, archaeologists uncovered signs of a Viking outpost. Among the discoveries were Viking whetstones, yarn, bronze artifacts crafted by Viking metalworkers, and a whalebone shovel similar to those used by Viking settlers in Greenland. It is known that Viking sailors ventured to the New World around A.D. 1000, with Leif Eriksson, a Viking chieftain, making a brief stop at Baffin Island to explore the coast.
Archaeologists also believe that Viking sailors journeyed to the Canadian Arctic in search of northern luxuries, coveted by medieval nobility. In exchange for these prized items, Viking traders are thought to have offered iron and wooden pieces that could be carved into figurines and other goods.
4. Mayan Mural
Discovery: Mayan Mural in Guatemalan Family Kitchen
Every DIY enthusiast is familiar with the excitement of home renovations. But imagine scraping the paint off your walls only to reveal, layer by layer, a centuries-old Mayan mural. This is exactly what happened to Lucas Asicona Ramírez in Guatemala as he was renovating his family kitchen. Located in the small town of Chajul, the house is nearly 300 years old. While the identity of the original owner remains unknown, archaeologists believe this person was likely of significant importance.
Archaeologists suggest that the images uncovered were painted on the oldest plaster layers of the walls and likely created after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala in the 16th century. The murals’ style closely resembles artwork found in 17th and 18th-century illustrated texts from the region. Despite the generally good condition of the murals, some signs of decay are visible, as the space has been used for living and cooking over the years.
As a modern-day descendant of the Maya civilization, Ramírez hopes to transform the room into a small museum, though he currently lacks the funds to make this vision a reality.
3. Royal Hair Pin
Discovery: Catherine de Medici’s Hair Pin Found in Toilet
Talk about a royal discovery! During the restoration of Paris’ Fontainebleau Palace, workers stumbled upon a true treasure when they unearthed a hairpin belonging to 16th-century French Queen Catherine de Medici, found in a communal latrine. The -inch hairpin was easily identified due to its distinctive interlocking 'Cs' and the white and green color scheme, both personal symbols of Catherine.
The real mystery, however, lies in how the hairpin ended up in the communal latrine. As Queen of France, Catherine would almost certainly have had access to her own private royal toilet, so its presence in a shared facility raises many questions. This discovery is particularly valuable given that Catherine, married to King Henry II from 1547 until his death in 1559, was known for her extensive jewelry collection, yet very little of it has ever been recovered.
2. Ancient Building
Discovery: Building Possibly Older than the Pyramids Found Under Wales Housing Development
While excavating land for a proposed housing development in Monmouth, Wales, construction workers uncovered timber foundations of a large structure that once stood on the site. Surprisingly, this discovery may date back even further than Egypt’s iconic pyramids. The massive foundation, composed of whole tree trunks, spans over fifty feet in length and more than three feet in width.
Upon further testing, archaeologists determined that the structure could be as old as 6,500 years, which would make it a Neolithic structure, predating the pyramids by approximately 2,000 years. This would make it the oldest known building in the world. Experts believe it was constructed on the site of an ancient lake, which gradually filled with silt over time, preserving the wooden foundations. The structure is thought to have been a 'long house,' likely used as a family home or a space for communal gatherings and meetings.
1. Roman Gravesite
Discovery: Roman Gravesite Found in Bulgaria
Bulgaria is renowned for its stunning beaches and scenic mountains, but back in the second century, it earned the nickname 'Little Rome.' This title was confirmed when a Roman soldier's gravesite was discovered during a construction incident. While workers were pouring concrete for a project in the town of Debelt, vibrations from the mixer caused the ground to crack open, revealing a tomb.
Archaeologists have determined that the tomb belonged to soldiers of the eighth legion under Augustus. Once known as Deultum, Debelt played a significant role in the Roman Empire. Among the artifacts uncovered were gold jewelry, needles, beads, bath and massage tools, medicinal items, and gold medallions.
