The 7 Most Stunning Archaeological Discoveries of 2024

Here is a non-exhaustive list of discoveries which have revolutionized the knowledge acquired so far concerning certain given periods.

• The tomb of Joachim du Bellay

Two lead sarcophagi found as part of the restoration work on Notre-Dame de Paris in 2022 were the subject of additional analyzes by specialists. According to specialists, one of these tombs is that of the poet Joachim du Bellay, co-founder of the Pléiade literary movement, who died in 1560, because the autopsy shows traces of bone tuberculosis, a disease which directs researchers to this historical figure , as does a careful analysis of the bones of the skeleton.

• The cow and the prehistoric gallery

Côtes d’Armor, Brittany. A farmer realizes that one of her cows is missing, before finding her dead at the bottom of a three-meter-deep hole. After some excavations, professionals found pottery there, took photos and measurements… before filling the hole, “for safety”. Funded by the General Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Brittany, this earthworks would have cost around €2,000, according to information from Ouest France.

• Gladiator drawings in Pompeii

For several reasons, the archaeological site of Pompeii is still the subject of fruitful discoveries, which help to shed light on the lifestyle of the victims of the eruption of Vesuvius. In May 2024, charcoal drawings, sketched by children between 5 and 7 years old, were found on the walls of a service courtyard of the colonnaded Refectory house on Via dell'Abbondanza. The latter would provide additional information concerning childhood in Roman Antiquity.

• The skeletons of 28 horses

Signed by INRAP, (National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research) and located in Villedieu-sur-Indre, this discovery is dated from the end of the Gallic period to the beginning of Roman Antiquity. It is special for several reasons: first, the unusual number of equine bones discovered and the way they were organized suggests that they were carefully arranged. If the reason for their death remains unclear until now, the hypothesis of an epidemic has been raised.

• A new titanosaur

Due to the rarity of dinosaur fossils, new species are sometimes attested by paleontologists after the discovery of bones, following additional analyses. This is what happened to the Qunkasaura pintiquiniestraa sauropod dinosaur that belongs to a group of herbivores and quadrupeds, which populated the Earth 70 million years ago.

• 1000 gold coins hidden in a house

It is impossible to talk about the year 2024 without talking about numismatic treasures (coins), particularly appreciated by specialists since they allow us to cast a precise spotlight on a given period. In 2019, a couple, Betty and Robert Fook, began renovating their kitchen. This is where they discovered more than 1000 coins kept in a bowl on the floor of the room. In November 2024, they were finally sold at auction for the modest sum of 35,000 pounds.

• Glass bottles from George Washington's former property

According to a press release published on April 22 by the official website of Mount Vernon, the historic property of George Washington, cherries and a strange liquid were found in glass bottles, buried in the floor of the house. So, colonial drink or method of preserving cherries? Since then, speculation has been rife…

Special mention for: the golden owl

Although this discovery is not archaeological, nor made by archaeologists, this owl was still buried for 31 years before being found by “owlers”, participants in a giant treasure hunt. The latter had to find the exact position of the loot worth 150,000 euros by solving several puzzles, written by Régis Hauser, alias Max Valentin.