"War ... huh ... yeah What is it good for?" - Edwin Starr.
Archaeology?
"When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt in 1798, however, it was more than just a military enterprise, for he brought along one-hundred sixty 'Savants.'”
"savant: - - 1: a person of learning especially : one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field (as of science or literature)"
DISCOVERY OF THE ROSETTA STONE??
A book review as written by John Steele Gordon.
"It was the greatest puzzle in the world. For three thousand years the ancient Egyptians covered the walls and ceilings of their temples and tombs with a form of writing known as hieroglyphs. More, the bone-dry climate of Egypt had preserved vast quantities of this hieroglyphic text written on papyrus."
NONE of the ancient Egyptian writing could be read prior to the Napoleonic military expedition to Egypt. French troops doing routine military excavation for fortifications accidentally uncovering the Rosetta Stone. That relic providing the key that allowed savants such Champollion to decipher the aged and venerable texts.
2. Jean-Luc Carbucci. The Archaeologist.
"In addition to being a grand military chief, Général Carbuccia . . . was an archaeology enthusiast. Under his orders, his regiment, the 2nd Foreign Regiment [FFL] commenced the various campaign operations of digging, clearing, excavating, recovering, protecting and preserving the Ancient Roman City of Lambaesis. This Ancient City was the military Capital of Roman Numidia. Colonel Carbuccia reconstituted accordingly in recovery the entire geography of the Ancient Roman Province."
Excavations by the French Foreign Legion while doing colonial duty uncovering Roman ruins North Africa. Relics as discovered allowing a reconstruction of ancient Roman life as at the time poorly understood if that! Lots of hard work maintaining fitness for combat, troops not soft and weak from lack of activity!
Further in the modern context we have the Ukraine Conflict.
3. "Ukrainian Soldiers Discover Archaeological Treasures While Digging Defenses in Port City Odessa"
From ARTnews ^ | May 16, 2022 | article by Tessa Solomon the tip from Freeper.
"Ukrainian soldiers discovered a trove of artifacts while digging ditches in anticipation of a Russian strike in the port city Odessa, the Ukrainian military announced last week. Members of the Ukrainian 126th Territorial Defense unearthed amphorae, or ancient containers used to store and transport liquid and dry goods, according to Heritage Daily, which first reported the news"
Odessa a site of settlement from the Classical Greek period. A trading post ancient and as you can well imagine artifacts just waiting to be discovered. As has been now!
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