Top 16 Tales of Unexpected Discoveries That'll Leave You in Awe!

13. Fruit-filled baskets dating back 2,400 years were discovered in a submerged Egyptian city.

Location: Abu Qir, Egypt's Thonis-Heracleion Year Found: 2021 Estimated Value: Not Known For an extended period, scholars investigated the submerged metropolis of Thonis Heracleion, situated in the Egyptian port of Abu Qir. Numerous priceless artefacts that have been found have provided insight into the way of life of ancient Egyptians in the fourth century B.C.E.

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Found in a submerged Egyptian city, 2,400-year-old baskets still full of fruit ©Memphis Tours/Flickr Archaeologists found wicker fruit baskets in 2021 that still contained grape seeds and doum nuts, a fruit from the African palm tree that the ancient Egyptians thought to be sacred. The baskets were discovered near to a large burial mound that contained a variety of Greek funerary artefacts, suggesting that they had been kept underground as a burial offering. Mercenaries and merchants passing by who had paid their respects to whichever dignitary buried in the tumulus most likely left the items.

14. A Novice Treasure Seeker Discovers an Iron Age Chariot

Place: Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom, Wales. Year Found: 2018 Estimated Value: $1.152 million* Although they aren't very experienced, amateur treasure seekers occasionally come across valuable items. However, these discoveries are rare. Mike Smith is a history buff and treasure hunter who went searching for hidden gems in a field in Pembrokeshire, Wales, using a metal detector.

Iron Age Chariot Discovered by an Amateur Treasure Hunter @artnet/Pinterest He discovered a remarkable discovery there. Smith discovered the first-ever Celtic chariot discovered in Wales, which dates back 2,500 years. According to the detectorist, it would have been customary to bury a queen or chieftain with it during the Iron Age. After thirty years of metal detecting, Smith's hard work paid off handsomely in 2018.