As I was thinking about how fun it would be to have a job where you solve puzzles in the world, it struct me that media never depicts archeology in a real light. My short search seemed to confirm my thoughts. Most ancient sites are not guarded by elaborate traps or secret riddles to get in. From what I’ve found there were some crossbows here and there. Some rare hidden rooms with a lot treasure, but again, no traps.

      • TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zipEnglish
        2·
        1 hour ago

        Well the pyramids at Giza were said to be cursed. Turns out, it was just gross occupational safety violations, but the effect was largely the same. If you breathe a thousand year old pathogens, you’re going to get sick.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      17·
      18 hours ago

      Eh, the terracotta emporer from China almost definitely has booby traps that are likely still functional after 2,000.

      We don’t know, because the absolutely insane amount of open mercury in the tomb would have filled it with toxic gases, although it’s likely that wasn’t the intent.

      But yeah, most “ancient” tombs were pillaged centuries ago. What little happens now is entirely black market and people probably die all the time.

      I know Kim Kardashian took a booty selfie with a sarcophagus at the MET Gala a couple years ago, and one of the illegal tomb raiders recognized it. And because he never got his cut, he snitched to local authorities. So it still happens, we just don’t hear about the vast amount. Just the very careful government sanctioned ones.

    • ApollosArrow@lemmy.worldOP
      171·
      19 hours ago

      I’m surprised there hasn’t been a modern day person that buried their fortune with them under puzzles and traps.