Last Updated on September 25, 2025 by Matt Staff
The ruins and relics left behind by ancient civilizations are more than just fragments of stone and metal; they are echoes of human stories that stretch across centuries. Temples overgrown by jungle, weathered statues, and delicate artifacts once used in daily life all remind us of the richness and complexity of these lost worlds. Each site and object carries a sense of wonder, revealing both the brilliance and fragility of cultures long gone.
From monumental structures that still defy time to small treasures that survived against the odds, these images capture the beauty, mystery, and timeless pull of the past. Together, they invite you to look closer, not just at what remains but at the civilizations and people who made them. Let’s take a look at 25 photos of ancient ruins and lost artifacts.
1. This Roman mosaic depicts the Trojan War and was found in Syria three years ago
2. Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan is even older than the Pyramids
3. This 125-ton stone was perfectly placed in Sacsayhuaman, Peru
4. King Ashurbanipal’s Flood Tablet
This tablet tells an extremely similar story to the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark. It describes how a flood was sent to destroy mankind, and a man was warned and told to build an ark of his own.
5. These images highlight the progression of ancient Greek sculptures from 600 BC to 1st AD
6. A 2700-year-old, 18-ton Assyrian Deity that was excavated in Iraq in November 2023
7. These 1,200 Rakan statues were found in a temple called Otagi Nenbutsu-ji, hidden in the hills of Arashiyama
8. The inscription of Xerxes
The translation of the text is as follows: “A great god is Ahuramazda, the greatest of the gods, who created this earth, who created yonder sky, who created man, created happiness for man, who made Xerxes king, one king of many, one lord of many. I (am) Xerxes, the great king, king of kings, king of all kinds of people, king on this earth far and wide, the son of Darius the king, the Achaemenid. Xerxes, the great king proclaims: King Darius, my father, by the favor of Ahuramazda, made much that is good, and this niche he ordered to be cut; as he did not have an inscription written, then I ordered that this inscription be written. May Ahuramazda protect, together with the gods, my kingdom and what I have done.”
9. A man standing on the lap of a statue of Ramesses in Egypt, 1856
10. A colorized photo of the Lion Gate at Mycenae, Greece, 1891
11. This statue depicts the Persian King Mithridates shaking hands with the Greek God Heracles
12. Night workers of Ancient Greece would wear these boots that had a printed message that said “follow me.”
13. The sacred City of Dion, at the foot of Mount Olympus
14. Enigmatic stone horsemen found in the remote Pir Panjal range of Jammu and Kashmir
15. This statue of Hercules was uncovered in Behistun, Iran
16. The Elephanta Caves, India
17. A three-year-old girl found this 3,800-year-old Canaanite seal
18. This papyrus holds a letter a son wrote to his dad almost 2,000 years ago
The letter reads: “Dad, just sent you a basket of figs and 25 nice apples. I put a label with your name on the basket so you can see it’s yours from me. Take care, and write me back!”
19. The Temple of Zeus in the city of Cyrene, Libya
20. The Library of Celsus, Turkey
21. The shield of King Pharnakes, created in 185 B.C.
22. Cave number three of the Badami cave temples in India
23. A statue of a lioness devouring a man, from the palace of Ashurnasirpal II, 9th century BCE
24. An extremely well-preserved baptismal basin, over 1,500 years old
25. A 2,000-year-old sapphire ring that belonged to Caligula, the Roman emperor from 37 A.D.
Want to see more ancient history?
Check out 15 Strange Objects Found in Ancient Ruins, or take a look at 29 Historic Artifacts That Bring the Past to Life. Finally, if you want to see artifacts that have dark pasts, check out 18 Eerie Artifacts Found in Museums Around the Globe.
