# How come archaeological ruins are always underground?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-archaeological-ruins-are-always-underground/401333>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 23, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-archaeological-ruins-are-always-underground/401333 "2007-04-23T17:13:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-archaeological-ruins-are-always-underground/401333/1 "2007-04-23T17:13:50Z")

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With regard to [This one](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_351b.html).

The obvious answer I would have given is that if they were’nt underground they’d have gone by now. So like fossils, it’s not that the best place to look for them is underground, it’s the only place you’re gonna find them!

So my questions is Does this have any merit?  
Or am I displaying marked ignorance ?

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-archaeological-ruins-are-always-underground/401333/2 "2007-04-23T18:27:50Z")

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I think you’re right… but so is Cecil. He addresses surface ruins in such places as contemporary Rome, for instance.

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-archaeological-ruins-are-always-underground/401333/3 "2007-05-06T03:25:53Z")

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No, plenty of ancient ruins are above ground. The Colosseum, the Acropolis, various castles, etc.

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**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-archaeological-ruins-are-always-underground/401333/4 "2007-05-06T04:40:57Z")

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[QUOTE=essell]  
With regard to [This one](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_351b.html).

The obvious answer I would have given is that if they were’nt underground they’d have gone by now. So like fossils, it’s not that the best place to look for them is underground, it’s the only place you’re gonna find them!

So my questions is Does this have any merit?  
Or am I displaying marked ignorance ?  
[/QUOTE]  
[Machu Picchu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu)