In many parts of the world, Mesopotamia modern Iraq for one, the principal building materials were mud or mud brick, neither of which was very durable. When a mud house collapsed, as it inevitably did sooner or later, the owner went off to find more hospitable quarters and rain reduced what was left to a flat pile of mush.
Eventually some mope scrounged up more mud and built a new house on top of the old one. Meanwhile, trash and sewage were piling up in the streets. After a few centuries of this the prevailing grade rose to such an extent that the town wound up sitting on an artificial hill or mound. Wholesale destruction due to war or fire obviously accelerated things.
If and when the site was finally abandoned, natural forces gradually reduced it to an odd bump on the landscape. It might even be farmed, since it was basically just a big mud pile. They have to dig especially deep to find things like temples, because these generally were kept free of trash and in good repair, meaning that their grade did not rise with the surrounding city. Many temples, in fact, were semi-buried even in ancient times. Cities built of more durable materials like stone or fired brick are usually not completely buried.
The monuments of Rome, for example, have always been visible, even though prior to the start of serious archaeological work some were half-buried due to siltation, plant overgrowth, trash accumulation, and so on. The real problem was medieval and Renaissance contractors carting away parts of old buildings to use in putting up their own. In some cases, not just in Rome, buildings were completely razed and new structures built on the old foundations, providing yet another lode of archaeological ore — a fact that must give us pause, given the state of many modern basements.
Clean up that mess today, lest you make us look bad in the eyes of scientists yet unborn. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Researchers can only assume the city lies underground somewhere, waiting to be rediscovered.
According to legend, Gangga Negara lies somewhere among cities in Perak, Malaysia. The founder was said to be a descendant of Alexander the Great or the Khmer royals, but an attack by invaders caused its collapse.
Statues and other artifacts have been discovered in nearby cities, but it's likely that Gangga Negara is underground somewhere, resting uneasily while archaeologists continue their search. Erynn Ruiz is a freelance writer with a history of writing about pop culture, travel, and parenting. As a California native, she finds it intriguing to write about and plan to visit exotic locales. Her ghostwriting work also takes her from website copy to blogging and back, and Erynn credits such projects with her vast knowledge of random facts.
Erynn's also a bibliophile with a day job as a homeschooling mom of two. By Erynn Ruiz Published Apr 07, Share Share Tweet Email Comment. Danny the Digger. Ancient Code. Science Channel. Hakai Magazine. The Daily Beast. Live Science. The Sphinx was buried up to its head in sand until archaeologists re-excavated it in When ancient towns were abandoned entirely, plant seeds quickly took root and created more bulk from the CO 2 they pulled from the air.
Their roots stabilised the soil created from rotting plant matter and the layers gradually built up. Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator.
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