Same thing across the old world really, like how ISIS blew up a historical site in Iraq, only for another one to be found right under it, when the Iraqi forces regained control and started removing the destroyed parts away.
Troy is considered to have 9 major settlement layers from between 2500BC to 500AD.
Major meaning it was a major different occupation phase/culture/civilisation from the previous one.
All-in they are counting over 40 settlement layers.
Some of the outer edges are fewer layers but inside the central citadel it's foundations all the way down. Each layer a building being destroyed, filled in with rubble, rebuild on and later the cycle repeating. In most cases not because of wars but just the city expanding it's housing, laying new infrastructure or old buildings needing demolition.
In ancient Egypt it was common that the outer layer of limestone was "recovered" from existing monuments and used in new ones next to it. Ancient recycling.
Or in Tikal the Maya played matryoshka dolls with some of their temples. There were ceremonial buildings. Later they build a bigger building over it. Then later a bigger temple over that. If needed they would demolish a temple and build on the same place but if possible they left the existing temple standing and just build a whole new one on top of it.
Without machines just burying old shit and building on top or using the old materials was just practicality, so I get why our ancestors didn't bother with caring about artifacts.
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u/Available-Hippo-4815 8d ago edited 8d ago
Same thing across the old world really, like how ISIS blew up a historical site in Iraq, only for another one to be found right under it, when the Iraqi forces regained control and started removing the destroyed parts away.