From the Sphinx to the Terracotta Army, photos show 10 historical sites when they were discovered and after they were excavated

One of the heads of the Pharaoh RAMSES II being carried by cranes to the temple's new siteKeystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

• Scientists are still making new discoveries about ancient civilizations.
• Architectural structures that have endured centuries give us insight into ancient civilizations.

The concept of a lost city is enticing. An ancient civilization lost to time and space that holds secrets of how early humans used to live in a time before modern technology sounds more like fiction than fact. Yet, remnants of old civilizations have been found time and time again.

These cities are not always lost, nor are they always "discovered." Dubbing European explorers as "discoverers" can discount the local knowledge and traditions of Indigenous residents.

Nevertheless, European explorers, archaeologists, and diplomats are many times the ones who lead excavations and restorations of historical sites. These ancient sites give us insight into past cultures, climates, warfare, and education.

Here are 10 archeological sites when they were rediscovered and what they looked like after they were restored.