A Tomb Raider's World Tour Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Valley of the Kings

The world-famous Valley of the Kings is the site of King Tut's tomb, along with another 60 or so other tombs. The Valley is located on the western bank of the Nile, near Thebes, and is home to dozens of royal and private tombs. Surrounded by mountains, the pharaohs believed this would keep their tombs safe from robbers.

But alas, real life tomb raiders would not let this stop them and sadly a lot of the tombs in the valley were pillaged long ago. Still, you might be lucky enough to find some hidden treasure if you look hard enough!

Answer: Axum

If it's the Ark of the Covenant you wish to seek, Axum is one place you might wish to try. Although no one is certain if this is the resting place of the Ark, the ancient city of Axum is one of the most likely locations according to several academics and to the Ethiopian people. Axum can be found close to the border with Eritra in the north of Ethiopia and is Ethiopia's oldest city and ancient capital.

Although the Ark was originally kept in the church of St. Mary of Zion, it was moved to a sanctuary next to it in the 1960s by order of Haile Selassie. So you're not likely to find it within the actual church.

But don't count on waltzing into the sanctuary either as no one except the guardian of the Ark may see it!

Answer: Jordan

The ancient city of Petra can be found in Jordan. Located a few hours' drive away from Amman and about 80 kilometres south of the Dead Sea, Petra was the principal city of the Nabataeans and was famous for its trade and its hydraulic engineering systems. Petra had been occupied by the Edomites, who called the city "Edom" (or "red") until around 312BC, when the Nabataeans forced them out and made Edom/Petra their capital.

More information about Petra can be found at this link : http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Anthropology/Petra/excavations/history.html

Answer: The Acropolis

If you're looking for the Acropolis, then you'd be in the wrong country! The Acropolis can be found in Athens, Greece, and is the location of the Parthenon, a beautiful temple that was dedicated to the goddess Athena.

While in Turkey, though, you could visit the Haghia Sofia (Ayasofya), a basilica which was turned into a mosque during the Ottoman Period.

You could also try your luck at digging up Helen's treasures in Troy. Troy was also known as Ilium and was reputedly where the most beautiful woman in the ancient world, Helen, was from. The archaeologist Schliemann discovered this ancient city in 1870.

Ephesus is also in Turkey and was the site of one of the seven wonders of the world, the Temple of Artemis. Built in around 550BC, the Temple became a popular site with merchants, kings and travellers. In 356BC, it was burnt down by Herostratus so that he could immortalise his name. This happened on the same night that Alexander the Great was born and the historian Plutarch writes that the Temple was destroyed as the goddess Artemis was too busy taking care of Alexander's birth! The Temple was rebuilt in 323BC and was finally torn down in the 5th Century AD after most of the Ephesians converted to Christianity. The site was then excavated in the 19th Century and travellers can see some of the Temple's remains today.

Answer: Santorini

Santorini is one of the places which some academics believe was the lost continent of Atlantis. The island's ancient name was Thera (which is also the name of its main town today) and the site of Akoritiri is home to ruins of a Minoan settlement. In around 1500BC, a huge explosion from a volcano in the centre of the island destroyed the Minoan city as well as cause damage to buildings and settlements on neighbouring islands.

A tidal wave caused by the explosion destroyed the palace of Knossos. The spectacular explosion is thought to have caused the destruction of the Minoan civilisation.

Answer: Yes

Yes, Ur is indeed in Iraq. Ur is the site of a royal cemetery of the Sumerians and is in the region of 4,500 years old! Tomb raiders would be very pleased to hear that the region was very rich in treasures. Objects of gold and silver, precious stones and beautiful objects of art were found in Ur in the late 1920s by the British archaeologist C. Leonard Woolley.

His discovery of the cemetary was eclipsed only by the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb by Howard Carter.

Answer: Afghanistan

In 2001, the Taliban ordered the destruction of the centuries-old Buddha statues at Bamiyan in Afghanistan on the grounds that they were "graven images". The largest of these statues was the world's tallest standing Buddha statue, measuring around 50 metres in height. Restoration of the statues is currently underway.

Answer: The Terracota Warriors

You'd find the Terracota Warriors in Xi'an. The other three sites are in Beijing, the capital of China. The Terracota Warriors were unearthed in the 1970s and are part of the yet unexcavated tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang. Each warrior is believed to be unique and they used to hold weapons and were painted in ancient times.

The years have worn away the paint and most of the weapons have disappeared as some of them were made from wood, which is a perishable material.

Answer: Ming

Around 25 miles north of the centre of Beijing, you can find the Ming Tombs, which are believed to contain the remains of 13 Ming emperors. The Ming Dynasty lasted from 1368 to 1644. Although some tombs have been opened, there are still a number which remain unopened and which may contain a treasure trove of artifacts just waiting for the skillful tomb raider!

Answer: Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat would be your stop. This great temple complex was built by Suryavarman II in the 12th Century and is surrounded by a moat. Angkor Wat boasts a good number of stunning examples of early Cambodian architecture and art. Sadly, the site and neighbouring temples have been damaged in recent years by pillaging by the Khmer Rouge, who sell pieces of the temples off to foreign buyers.

As a result, the Cambodian government try their best to prevent any more of their heritage from being stolen. So you're going to have to be very careful if you want to take any of it home with you!

Answer: Colorado

Mesa Verde can be found in southwestern Colorado. Between 600AD through 1300AD, Mesa Verde was inhabited by the Anasazi, a people who were related to the Pueblo Indians, who were known for their pottery and basket weaving. Like all other ancient sites, Mesa Verde was looted and was made a national park in order to preserve the site.

Answer: Machu Picchu

Discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu is perhaps Peru's most well-known site. It is of great significance as the city was found virtually intact. The tricky terrain surrounding the city and its rather remote location kept the city from being invaded or discovered for over 400 years.

As for the Nazca Lines, these too can be found in Peru but are not a city. The Pyramid of the Sun can be found, along with the Pyramid of the Moon, in Teotihuacan in modern Mexico. Tiahuanaco is a city in Bolivia and was the capital of the Pre-Inca civilisation.

Answer: Sugar Loaf Mountain

Sugar Loaf Mountain, or Pão de Açucar in Portuguese, is found in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. You can take a cable car up to the mountain top and take in a brilliant view of the beaches and Rio itself.

Table Mountain is found in Cape Town in South Africa, while the other two are completely made-up!

Answer: King Arthur

Although it is not known for certain, many believe that King Arthur and his wife Queen Guinevere are buried in the ground of an abbey in Glastonbury. The abbey itself is the first Christian sanctuary that was built on English soil and tradition has it that Joseph of Arimathea, as well as Saint Patrick and Saint David, made a visit to it.

The abbey has a very long history and it was enlarged and maintained over the centuries.

Answer: Yes

Work on the Colosseum (or Coliseum, as it is sometimes spelt) began in 72AD by Emperor Vespasian and was used for gladiator battles and theatrical productions for several centuries. It had been heavily damaged by a lightning-caused fire in the 3rd Century and was restored.

When the Western Roman Empire fell in 476AD, the Colosseum began to fall into disrepair and disuse. Parts of the Colosseum were removed during the 16th Century as materials for new buildings and the Colosseum may have been completely demolished if it weren't for the intervention of popes in the 19th Century, who believed that the Colosseum should be preserved for future generations.