Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries of 2006

10.) 100,000 Year Old Shell Beads Found in Middle East
In June, two separate sites in the Middle East have yielded a total of three Nassarius shells that appear to have been deliberately modified to make beads for some type of body modification. Carbon dating on these shells show them to be between 90,000 and 100,000 years old, making them the oldest known pieces of jewelry to date.

9.) 5,000 Year Old Dagger Found in Bulgaria
In August, a small gold and platinum dagger was excavated at a dig near Sofia, Bulgaria. Also found were several hundred tiny gold rings, silver vessels, and an array of pottery. Previous digs in the region have produced thousands of tiny gold rings dating to around 5,000-5,200 BC.

8.) 3,000 Year Old Writing Found on Stone Tablet in Mexico
In mid-September, workers discovered a stone slab containing hieroglyphs at a rock quarry in Veracruz, Mexico. Experts feel sure that the 28 different hieroglyphs were made by an ancient society called the Olmec. This civilization thrived in Mexico long before the Maya came to power, making these hieroglyphs the oldest form of writing in the Americas.

7.) Tumi Burials Found in Mexico
In late November, archaeologists found 22 graves containing "tumi" knives. These ceremonial blades have never before been found in a scientific manner as all known pieces have come from tomb robbers. The Peruvian people see the tumi as their national symbol even though this society lived in the region long before the Incas.

6.) Palace of Ajax Found in Greece
In March, Greek archaeologists found what they say is a Mycenaean-era complex thought to be the palace of the legendary warrior-king, Ajax. According to the Greek writer, Homer, Ajax was one of the great heroes fighting against the Spartans during the Trojan War. The ruins were found in exactly the place Homer described in his story, The Illiad. One of the more interesting finds at this dig was a piece of bronze armor with the stamp of Pharaoh Rameses II, who ruled in the 13th century BC. The ruins are thought to date from the same time span.