Too many times, the idea floats that commerce in the past wasn’t as interesting as it is today. Archaeologists beg to differ. There’s nothing like stumbling upon an ancient business and seeing the tools a surgeon held, how wine was made, or even ancient customers who took shelter. Even better, newly discovered workshops reveal mysterious products, enigmatic peoples, and technology more advanced than anything seen before.

10 The Pompeii Shop

A group of customers went shopping in AD 79 and never made it out of the shop alive. The infamous volcanic eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius hit the shop near the outskirts of Pompeii and overwhelmed them. In 2016, a mixed team of French and Italian archaeologists rediscovered the unlucky patrons, among them a teenage girl, while excavating the Herculaneum port. The other people who died there were also young. In addition to their remains, the diggers found gold coins and a gold necklace pendant that somehow got overlooked by looters.

While investigating the shop, researchers found telltale signs that somebody ransacked the business during the disaster, looking for things to steal. What product or service was sold at the shop is not entirely clear. However, it appeared to have been some sort of workshop with an oven, possibly to forge objects made of bronze. The same dig uncovered a second shop with a well and a spiral staircase, but researchers are presently at a loss about what type of business was conducted at the site.

9 The Flint Factory

In 2016, archaeologists were shoveling beneath an abandoned kindergarten in Bulgaria. When they found flint, it didn’t take them long to realize that the different-sized pieces meant a lot of tool-shaping once occurred there in antiquity. The more they looked, the more the scope of the factory became apparent. This wasn’t just a hearth around which a few people had gathered and chipped some tools for themselves. It was literally a production line manned by individuals specialized in different aspects of product creation.

Ancient employees toiled 6,500 years ago and mass-produced items such as flint knives. Moreover, experts believe that this was a prehistoric exporting business. No completed tools were found. The only signs of stone were flint cores, chips, and weapons in different stages of production—but none that were finished. This supports the idea that as soon as a knife or ax was done (or a whole batch of them), they were moved elsewhere to be sold. Another interesting discovery at the factory was a grave dating back to the same time it was still in use. Inside was a man clasping a stone ax scepter.

8 Nonstick Frying Pans

A first-century Roman cookbook called De Re Coquinaria mentioned cookware that nobody could find. Called Cumanae testae or Cumanae patellae, these nonstick wonders were described by the author as best suited for cooking chicken stew. In 1975, archaeologist Giuseppe Pucci suggested that a brand of ceramics called Pompeian Red Ware was the Cumanae described in the ancient cookbook.

Backup for his theory arrived in 2016, when a trash site near Naples produced 2,000-year-old pottery fragments. Nearly 50,000 pieces of pots, lids, and frying pans were recovered. Just like Pompeian Red Ware, most were coated with a red-slip layer on the inside to prevent food from burning to the bottom. The fragments at the dump site were likely freshly made wares that didn’t make the cut or broke during production. What supports Pucci’s claim is the fact that the city of Cumae, which gave the mysterious kitchen utensils their name, was located just 19 kilometers (12 mi) from Naples. The city once mass-produced and exported pottery to places as far-flung as Africa as well as across Europe and the Mediterranean.

7 The Naxos Mine

A prehistoric workshop was discovered in 2013 on the Greek island of Naxos. The extraordinary thing was that it appeared to have been in use for thousands of years. Also, it wasn’t owned by modern humans. Earlier hominids had passed something on to each successive generation, something critical for survival: the location of a seemingly endless supply of chert. The valuable stone was necessary for the creation of tools and weapons. On Naxos was essentially a 118-meter-high (387 ft) hill consisting almost entirely of the sought-after raw material. Called Stelida, the site was first discovered in 1981 by a survey on the northwestern coast of the island.

The 2013 excavations found the rubble left behind by toolmakers who mined the hill from the Paleolithic era right through to the Mesolithic. There was also ample evidence that tools and weapons were created at the site, although none have been found so far. The discovery could also change how researchers piece together human migration. This area of Greece is now being studied as previously unknown route that early humans took to spread from Asia to Europe.

6 The Galilee Kiln

The ancient world needed places to manufacture ceramic, and Galilee was no different. However, one pot workshop found in the modern-day town of Shlomi is unique. Found in 2016, what made it so special was its industrial oven. Unlike other kilns made of stone or even mud, this one was cut straight into the bedrock. Archaeologists found that the geology of the area likely accounted for this unusual firing pit. The region had a chalky type of bedrock that was soft enough to be shaped into the desired form while resistant enough to endure the heat of the pottery-making process.

The shop was active around 1,600 years ago, during Roman times. By studying the ceramic remains in the double-chambered kiln, it was determined that the owners focused mainly on storage jars and containers designed to hold oil and wine. One box was used to feed a fire with branches and tinder, while the other chamber was used to harden the clay.

5 Foundry Complex

A happy accident occurred in 2016 when a group of people headed toward a sightseeing area on Lake Baikal in Siberia. Many tourists had trampled this route before, but these weren’t just any visitors. Noticing the slag and clay on the path, the trained eyes of the archaeology party quickly realized that something was up—or more like down. Soon, a medieval foundry was unearthed. Used to make weapons, the complex was highly advanced and professional. A pair of rare, ancient stone furnaces were once part of a skilled metallurgic operation that churned out weapons, metal parts for horse tack, clothing, and even sickles.

The Baikal region has a rich history of working with metal and exporting the excess. However, the new foundry, which dates to around AD 1000, shows a level of technology that’s a step above anything the experts have ever seen before. The location was well-chosen, high on a hill, in order to harness the wind to help with the combustion process. The ancient blacksmiths may have been the Kurykan people, who were known for their expert metallurgic abilities.

4 The Glass Community

In prehistoric Poland, an isolated community left behind a fascinating part of their identity. Apart from a few houses, artifacts found on Mount Grojec in 2017 showed that they were glassmakers. There were no completed items that might have placed them instead as glass buyers, but there were artistic blunders, slag (melted waste glass), and half-glass, ready to be heated and shaped. The only finished product found were small beads.

The discovery of the 2,000-year-old factory is an important one for Polish history. Not only is this probably the oldest glass workshop found in the country, but it’s also the only proof that glass processing occurred in Poland much earlier than the Middle Ages, which is when conventional thought believes the craft blossomed. There are numerous furnaces at the small village, and some were for forging metal as well. The pieces of raw glass were of particular interest. The half-processed material was acquired from somewhere, but researchers aren’t sure who the suppliers were. It’s not even certain who the villagers were.

3 Christian Winery

In 2013, a Byzantine-era wine factory was discovered in Israel. Located near the archaeological site of Hamei Yo’av, the ruins covered enough area to indicate that the residents of the settlement produced wine on a large scale. Spanning over 100 square meters (1,100 ft²), the complex consisted of sections where grapes were dumped after being delivered to the factory. The fruit was probably also left to ferment in these compartments. In the middle was a vast floor constructed at a sloping angle to allow the juice from pressed grapes to flow into holding vats.

Archaeologists believe that besides producing the best wine they could, the workers turned grape waste into secondary products, such as vinegar and a less refined “pauper’s wine.” The owner might also have been Christian. One of the artifacts found at the wine press was a small ceramic lamp fashioned in the shape of a church. The hollow artifact was carved with crosses that would glow once a flame was lit on the inside.

2 The Surgeon’s Room

When archaeologists cleared away ancient earthquake rubble in Cyprus in 2017, they found what they believe to be a doctor’s office. Found near the city square of Nea Paphos, it had several rooms. In one of them, the team found a glass unguentarium in mint condition. Such bottles were used to store liquids like oils, perfumes, and medicines. But the best discovery was a surgeon’s 2,000-year-old tools.

The surgical instruments were all made from metal. One was iron, and the other five were bronze. They included a long, narrow spoon, pliers, and devices most likely used to set a patient’s broken bones. Like the bottle, the set was well-preserved. Coins found in a second room roughly date to the time when a big earthquake hit Nea Paphos in AD 126, collapsing the building that housed the doctor’s office as well as other businesses. The debris was never cleared away or replaced with anything else, which helped to seal the artifacts away safely.

1 Revenue Office

Nicopolis ad Istrum was a city founded by Roman emperor Trajan in what is modern-day Bulgaria. Raised around AD 102, it was sacked by several different barbarian hordes throughout its long history and was eventually settled by the Bulgarian Empire between the tenth and 14th centuries. Like any well-run Roman city, commerce was tightly governed by the powers that be. After its ruins were found in 2016 near Veliko Tarnovo, the city proved to be huge.

One fascinating building was a public place that appeared to have been the office of that eternal unfavorite: the tax man. Inside, archaeologists found stone weights and measuring devices in large numbers. Called egzagia, they were compulsory for anyone selling goods anywhere in the city so that buyers would not be deceived. The team that investigated the site believe that the building was a tax agency and government center where trade in Nicopolis ad Istrum was strictly controlled.

FADE IN:

3120 CE. During a routine scan of planets in the Solar Federation, a surveillance probe detects a shiny object reflecting from XP-3. A signal is transmitted to Inter-Galactic Command, which quickly dispatches The Rocinante for a closer look. Unbeknownst to the crew, the lifeless, toxic sphere — long ago ravaged by nuclear war, disease, and climate transformation — will soon yield a bounty of peculiar items…

The scene just described might seem like the opening of a science fiction flick, but future archaeologists will find themselves nonplussed by the piles of weird stuff found on the third rock from the sun. 

8. Vaping

By now, most people are aware that cigarettes are bad for you. Extensive studies and millions of deaths have led to widespread public bans on smoking and not-so-subtle warning labels declaring THIS PRODUCT WILL KILL YOU. As a result, a new alternative to lighting up was born. 

Vaping involves a battery-powered heating device (including e-cigarettes), which vaporizes liquid inside a cartridge or reservoir. The user then inhales the nicotine-laced aerosol residue. Unlike conventional cigarettes, which contain over 7,000 chemicals (several of which are carcinogenic), vaping is marketed as a ‘healthier’ substitute than sucking on old fashioned cancer sticks. Or is it?

Although more information is needed before long-term effects can be fully understood, health concerns related to vaping — especially respiratory injuries — are becoming increasingly common. Meanwhile, shops continue popping up everywhere, featuring terrible puns (Planet of the Vapes, Darth Vaper, etc.) that will only further confuse a 31st century Indiana Jones.  

7. Botox 

There’s an old French saying: “Il faut souffrir pour être belle.” Roughly translated, it means, “beauty is pain.” Although dangerous fashion trends are nothing new, sticking a needle between your eyes and injecting a deadly form of bacteria seems a bit excessive. 

Botox was originally designed to treat muscle spasms until a patient’s wrinkles suddenly disappeared. Before long, the miracle serum vials emerged as a multi-billionaire dollar business for anyone looking to defy the dreaded ravages of old age. 

According to Dr. John Paul Tutela, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York, “Botox is a cosmetic injectable neurotoxin that is a very diluted form of botulinum toxin, which is found in the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. In this diluted format, it is used to relax your muscles—typically in your forehead, in between your eyebrows, and around your eyes.”

While it’s always best to have a trained professional administer these procedures, the product has become readily available online for those looking to save a few bucks and go the DIY route. Big mistake. Even though free delivery and a BOGO (Buy One Get One) coupon can be tempting, the risk of permanently damaging your face should probably be left to the pros. 

6. Silicone Breast Implants

On November 26, 1922, famed Egyptologist Howard Carter stood at the doorway leading to the long-buried tomb of King Tutankhamun. As Carter peered into the darkness with a flickering candle, his patron, Lord Carnarvon, asked: “Can you see anything?” Carter replied: “Yes. Wonderful things. Wonderful things!”

It’s a safe bet that probably won’t be the response when graveyards like Hollywood Forever Cemetery are excavated in the distant future. Instead of golden treasures and priceless artwork, a trove of synthetic orbs will be discovered next to piles of dusty old bones. 

Breast augmentation surgery originated in the early 1960s when Drs. Frank Gerow and Thomas Cronin first invented silicone breast implants. Since then, the procedure has been performed on countless women, from porn stars to First Ladies, all seeking to be fuller-figured gals at any cost.

5. The Sport of Hurling 

Hurling is a stick and ball game steeped in ancient Irish history. Billed as the fastest sport on grass (Giancarlo Stanton may beg to differ), it combines elements of hockey, baseball, and lacrosse — or as rocker Noel Gallagher once described it, “gang war with sticks.”

Teams of 15 players square off on a rectangular grass pitch with H-shaped goals at each end, using a wooden stick (‘hurley’) and a stitched leather ball (‘slioter’) that can travel at speeds over 110 miles per hour. Goals are scored by hitting the ball into the net, which is worth three points, and putting the ball over the crossbar scores a point. 

The athletic, highly skilled game is fast-paced and played over two 35-minute halves. It’s also extremely hard-hitting. But unlike other violent contests such as Aztec and Mayan ball games, at least the losing captain isn’t sacrificed to the gods. 

4. Bleached Flour 

A staple found in most kitchens, bleached flour is a versatile foodstuff used to make many of our favorite baked goods, from bread and cakes to cookies and doughnuts. Unfortunately, it also undergoes a transformation that strips away nearly all of its nutrient value and contains the same chemicals used to disinfect swimming pools.

The production of flour dates back to prehistoric times, in which grains such as wheat are milled into a powdery meal. Later, bleaching agents (benzoyl peroxide, chlorine gas, etc.) were added to the mix to speed up the aging process, brighten the color, and create a longer shelf life. 

Although this refinement produces a softer texture resulting in moist and fluffy desserts, the loss of minerals and vitamins can impact one’s health. Furthermore, when combined with other ingredients such as sugar, oils, and preservatives typically associated with beloved processed foods, the likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and cancer is drastically increased. 

3. Thrill Rides 

The new HBO Max documentary Class Action Park “explores the legend, legacy, and truth behind the world’s most insane amusement park.” Throughout the 1980s, thrill-seekers flocked to the New Jersey attraction, where the price of admission included head injuries, broken bones, and even death by electrocution. 

From small-town carnivals to world-renowned destinations, thrill ride accidents continue to occur at an alarming rate. Roughly 30,000 amusement park-related injuries are reported each year in the US, often stemming from loose regulations, poorly-trained staff, and structural flaws. 

In 2016, a 10-year-boy was decapitated when his raft on “the world’s tallest waterslide” went airborne and hit a metal pole at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. Murder and other criminal charges were filed against the designers and operators of the 17-story ride. The case, however, was later dismissed by the local county judge. 

2. 8-Track Tapes 

Here’s a nostalgic riddle for you: What was portable, melted like butter, and sounded terrible? If you guessed 8-track tapes, give yourself a well deserved martini while cruising down memory lane with speakers on full blast. 

As the first commercially successful platform for playing recorded music in the car, 8-tracks became wildly popular as the must have automobile accessory. Plastic cartridges contained a spool of magnetic-tape on a loop, featuring four program segments comprised of two tracks for stereo sound — hence the term “8-track.” By 1967, all Ford vehicles offered the tape player as a dash-mounted upgrade option. 

These bulky ‘carts’, however, had several shortcomings. The tape would often fade in and out, become tangled up, or simply broke. Additionally, the plastic components easily warped from being left in the player too long. After peaking in the late 1970s, 8-tracks were eventually replaced by smaller cassette tapes, which then became obsolete with the arrival of compact discs a decade later. 

1. KUWTK

Shakespeare tells us that “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Unless, of course, you’re a Kardashian, in which case a sex video and 24/7 TV cameras would lead to a global empire.  

Since 2007, the queens of reality TV have garnered fame and fortune with their hit show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians (KUWTK), revealing all the intimate ups and downs of what it’s like to be “famous for being famous.” 

Kris, the matriarch (or “momager”) of the clan, had her first brush with celebrity back in the 1990s when her ex-husband helped acquit OJ Simpson of a brutal double murder. She later married Bruce Jenner and had two more daughters, only to wind up single again when Bruce came out as a woman named Caitlyn.

The family recently announced via Instagram that the show would end in 2021 after a record-setting 20 seasons on the air. Years from now, the discovery of landfills strewn with KUWTK merchandise will undoubtedly lead to some serious head-scratching. The same goes for all those boxes of Wheaties featuring a heavily jacked decathlete who bears a striking resemblance to Caitlyn.