15 Unbelievable LOST Cities Found
From amazing hidden treasures to sand dunes that have secrets, these are 17 unbelievable lost cities!
8 – Still a hidden treasure…
In order for you to witness the beauty of El Tigre in Guatemala, you will need to complete a 2-day hike and sleep in hammocks. The jungle has enveloped this Lost City, which used to be a powerful centre around the 6th Century BC. It was first discovered in 1926, but excavation only began in 1978. It’s been suggested that the people living there caused their own city to fail by deforestation and without the trees, there was mud and sand and when the rain came, the city got buried with mud.
7 – Even the sand dunes have secrets…
This incredible discovery was in Scotland, on an Island called Orkney. Skara Brae lay hidden in a ginormous sand dune for centuries. It’s one of the best preserved Stone Age villages in all of Europe, because of the sand. The furniture was also made of stone, so survived. It was occupied from around 3180 BC -2500 BC. The climate change was the main reason people left, as it became very cold and wet. A terrible storm in 1850 led to its discovery.
6 – Dawn of happiness
And you can see why it’s called that. Sukothai means Dawn of Happiness or Place of Happiness. Around 80 000 people used to live there in the 13th century. In 1438 the town was conquered and eventually abandoned in the late 15th century, reasons unknown.
Sukothai was covered in thick vegetation when it was rediscovered by Mongkut in the 1800’s when he was travelling the kingdom as a monk. It’s been a Unesco World Heritage site since 1991.
5 – Not your regular find…
It’s called the Great Zimbabwe, and used to the capital of the Kingdom of Zimbabwe around the Late Iron Age. It was built during the 11th century right through to the 15th century. It’s guessed around 18 000 people lived there, and it used to be a bustling place with lots of trading. It’s not known why it was deserted and although various people have come across it over the centuries, investigations of the area only began in 1871.
4 – The City with 9 lives…
This intriguing Lost City is Hatussa, found in Turkey. According to research, Hattusa was around in about 1200 BC. Hattusa has actually been destroyed and restored several times over the centuries, and due to its close proximity to water and fertile soil, was abundant with life and around 40-50 000 people at a time. Archaeologists rediscovered the lost city of Hatussa.
3 – The Mountains are calling, I must go!
Let’s head to the cliff dwellings of the ancient people of Anasazi, who built these incredible homes in the shallow caves and under the rocks. Situated in southwestern Colorado, Mese Verde is thought to have begun in the 12th century. Some houses had as many as 150 rooms. The cave was abandoned around 1300, either due to crop failures of invasion. It was rediscovered in 1888 by two cowboys looking for lost cattle.
2 – Fact or fiction…
You be the decider… Atlantis, the most legendary Lost City, but never actually discovered. It’s been thought that Atlantis holds the key to world peace. Many people have used the information shared in famous written works to find its exact location, but answers differ… Some say the Atlantic Ocean, others Bolivia, Antarctica, Malta, the Caribbean and even Germany. It’s a legend that will be kept alive probably forever!
1 – What once was…
Leptis Magna used to be a bustling city, with markets, shops, homes and loads of activity. Found in Libya, it was this amazing city around 1000 BC. At one stage it was the 3rd most prominent city in Africa! Arabs eventually conquered Leptis Magna. They didn’t look after the land, which became dry and eventually the sand just buried the whole city. This amazing place was only rediscovered in 2005!
