There are a number of archaeological finds and stories that will be told in 2022. There are new discoveries from Egypt's "lost golden city" and Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, as well as finds that may shed light on what life was like 11,000 years ago. Live Science made five archaeology predictions.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has an image.
The "Rise of Aten", a lost golden city near Luxor in Egypt, was discovered in 2021. Archaeologists have excavated a small portion of the discovery. The pharaoh Amenhotep III had three palaces in the city. We can expect to hear more discoveries from this city in the years to come. There are some historical mysteries, such as why Amenhotep III's son tried to focus Egypt's religion around the worship of the Aten, the sun disk, rather than ancient Egypt's traditional pantheon of gods.
The 'Lost Golden City' was discovered in Egypt.
Where do you live?
An archaeological dig is taking place at a Hohokam culture site. Steve Northup is the photographer.
Travel restrictions are coming back into effect and some governments are implementing lockdowns as the COVID-19 Pandemic rages on. It's more expensive to travel and buy electronics because of inflation. Funding for archaeology may become less available in the year 2022, as governments and universities cut back on grants to meet their own expenses.
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Many overseas archaeological expeditions will likely be scaled back or canceled due to the health and economic challenges, and much of the work will likely be done by archaeologists in their own country. Archaeologists may choose to dig at sites close to where they live so that they can avoid travel and hotel costs.
"Dig where you live" is a popular trend in the field. Those who can't do this may have to use data from archaeologists who can.
Excavations at Karahantepe.
There is a part of the site that is visible. New discoveries will likely be made in the year 2022. Anadolu Agency is the image credit.
The Karahantepe excavation gives us new insights into what life was like 11,000 years ago in this part of the world. Archaeologists have found a complex with pillars and a carved human head. It's a big site, and excavations are ongoing, so we can expect more discoveries about the people who built it.
Gobekli Tepe is a massive ceremonial complex that dates back around 11,000 years. The Karahantepe complex was used by people involved with Gobekli Tepe. But who were they? How many sites did they build? Did they build large buildings? We may find clues to help us answer these questions in 2022.
Afghanistan has decisions and loot.
A village in Afghanistan. The country is facing an economic and humanitarian crisis that may result in more people trying to loot. Shilo Watts is the photographer.
Afghanistan was hurtling into an economic crisis after the Taliban took over. The governments of the world stopped aid to Afghanistan's government because it couldn't do basic things like purchase food. There is a good chance that people will steal as they struggle to feed themselves and their families.
The United States and other countries will be forced to make tough choices because of the stolen antiquities from Afghanistan. The Taliban have destroyed antiquities in the past, so do they return them to the government? Do they keep artifacts in storage or do they direct law-enforcement agencies to ignore stolen artifacts from Afghanistan? Live Science asked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection what to do with the artifacts in 2021, but they will probably have to make a decision in 2022.
News from Qumran.
There are caves that held Dead Sea scrolls. The image is from Shutterstock.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were buried in caves near the site of Qumran in the West Bank. They plan to dig a cave and investigate a number of tunnels near Qumran. The team's previous digs have unearthed some fascinating remains, including a 12th cave that once held Dead Sea Scrolls, and we may hear of new discoveries from the site in 2022, as the excavations continue.
Live Science published the original article.
