Yonaguni is an underwater city. Underwater city of Yonaguni island: Japan

Yonaguni complex - mysterious underwater ruins near Okinawa April 11th, 2013

The Okinawa archipelago stretches like a scattering of small islands for hundreds of kilometers south of Japan, up to the island of Taiwan. 100 km east of the island of Taiwan is the last island of the Okinawa archipelago - the Japanese island of Yonaguni, which is popular with diving enthusiasts.

In the spring of 1985, in the coastal waters of a small Japanese island Yonaguni local diving instructor Kihachiro Aratake accidentally stumbled upon strange object. Not far from the shore, literally under the surface of the waves, he saw a huge stone monument, stretching to the limits of visibility. Wide flat platforms, covered with an ornament of rectangles and rhombuses, turned into intricate terraces running down large steps. The edge of the object breaks vertically down the wall to the very bottom to a depth of 27 meters, forming one of the walls of the trench running along the entire Monument.

Even if it turned out to be only a game of nature, Arataka would already be lucky - he found an object worthy of surprise even for the most picky tourist. But the abundance of regular geometric shapes made us think about the possibility of their man-made nature, and Aratache decided to report his find to the experts. Japanese newspapers were full of sensational headlines.

Alas… The scientific community has almost completely ignored these reports. Historians have no information about the culture capable of creating such a structure here. Therefore, they preferred to declare the hypothesis of the artificial origin of the underwater Yonaguni monument as mere speculation and write it off as a bizarre game of nature. And quite quickly, the discussion of the find became the property of only esoteric publications, ignored by official science.

Only Masaaki Kimura, a professor at Ryukyu University, took the discovery seriously. And in this, the Monument was very lucky, since Kimura is a recognized specialist in the field of marine geology and seismology. He has been studying the underwater surroundings of Yonaguni for more than 10 years, during which time he has made more than a hundred dives and has become the main expert on the object. As a result of his research, Professor Kimura decided to go against the vast majority of historians and risk his reputation by defending the artificial origin of the Monument.

But, as often happens in such cases, his opinion for a long time remained the voice of one crying in the wilderness ...

It is not known how long the “conspiracy of silence” around the Aratache find would have continued if Graham Hancock, a staunch supporter of the hypothesis of the existence of a highly developed civilization in ancient times and the author of a number of books on this topic, had not found out about it.

In September 1997, he arrived in Yonaguni with a film crew. He managed to interest and attract to the trip Robert Schoch, a professor at Boston University, a geologist, best known for his conclusion that the real age of the famous Egyptian Sphinx much more than official Egyptology believes. And Hancock expected that Schoch would confirm with his authority artificial nature finds of Aratake. But it was not there…

During the first trip in 1997, Schoch did not find unequivocal evidence of the man-made nature of the object. Rather the opposite...

The fact is that the Monument consists of sandstone and sedimentary rocks, outcrops of which are still visible on the coast of the island. Under influence sea ​​waves, rains and winds, they are destroyed in such a way that forms arise like steps and terraces. Nature is not capable of such "quirks", but here, in addition, the very structure of the deposits leads to the appearance of almost perfectly straight cracks. Yes, and at angles of 90 and 60 degrees to each other, which contributes to the formation of strict geometric shapes: rectangular steps, triangles and rhombuses ...

Everything seems to speak for the fact that the Monument has natural origin. This was the first conclusion of Shoch.

Characteristically, several films—including one of the BBC films—carried out Schoch's opinion as an argument against Hancock's theory. Unfortunately, the authors of these films "forgot" to mention that this story had a direct continuation ...

Shoch was well aware that in a few dives it is impossible to see absolutely everything and it is quite possible to miss some important details. Therefore, he, along with Hancock's group, flew to Okinawa to meet with Kimura, whose arguments markedly shook his position. Moreover, these arguments were supported by photographs and diagrams of details that Schoch simply did not see during his dives.

From the point of view of Massaki Kimura, the following facts speak in favor of the artificial origin of the Yonaguni megalith:

First, the blocks separated from the rock during the formation of the Monument do not at all lie where they should have fallen under the influence of gravity and other natural forces. Instead, they are often collected in one place, and sometimes not at all. If the structure were created by erosion, then there would be quite a lot of debris on the bottom next to it, as is the case, say, on the modern shores of the island. But the Monument does not have such an abundance of clastic material at all.

Secondly, quite often within a limited area of ​​the monument, several elements are quite close to each other. different type, for example, a sharp-edged edge, round holes two meters deep, a stepped descent, a perfectly straight narrow trench. If the cause was only in natural erosion, then it would be logical to expect that it would manifest itself equally in the entire piece of rock. The fact that there are such different forms side by side is a strong argument in favor of artificial origin.

Thirdly, in some upper sections, steeply descending into southbound, there are deep symmetrical trenches, the formation of which cannot be explained by known natural processes at all.

Fourth, on south side The monument has steps rising at regular intervals from a depth of 27 meters to the very top, located at a depth of 6 meters.

And fifth, western part The monument is closed by a pronounced "wall", the presence of which is difficult to explain by the action of natural processes, since it is made of limestone blocks, which are not typical for the Yonaguni zone.

Upper Terrace of the Monument:

District road:

Stone of the sun (now fallen from the site):

A very remarkable and obviously artificial element is two colossal megaliths near western edge Monument. Their appearance and position evokes associations with the famous Stonehenge. These megaliths are sometimes called "twin pillars". Looking at their strict geometric shape, it is difficult to doubt their artificial origin. Moreover, Kimura’s research leads to the same conclusion: the “twins” are not made of the same material as the monument itself, but of limestone. But where did they come from then? Who and why dragged these blocks here, reaching, according to some estimates, two hundred tons each!?.

And another question: why are they here? .. Their position seems simply meaningless. Masaaki Kimura considers the "twins" a symbolic gateway to the Monument. But why is such an effort needed, which requires the movement of such blocks, for the sake of some kind of symbolism? .. The usual logic suggests a completely different option: the “twins”, it seems, just fell from the top of the Monument ...

“After meeting with Professor Kimura,” Schoch later wrote, “I cannot completely rule out the possibility that the Yonaguni monument was at least partially processed and altered by human hands. Professor Kimura pointed out a number of important elements that I did not see during my first, brief visit…”.

The meeting of two professional geologists was literally epoch-making for the Yonaguni monument. If earlier Schoch adhered to the version natural nature object, Kimura insisted on its completely artificial origin. As a result of taking into account all the available facts, both specialists agreed on a kind of "compromise", together refusing to extreme points vision. They came to the conclusion that the Monument belongs to the so-called "terra-formations", that is, the original natural "blank" was later changed and finalized by human hands. Such "terra formations" are not entirely unusual, but were quite common in the ancient world...

The materials of the 1997 expedition were included in documentary"Search Lost Civilization”, shown by British television and accompanying the release of Hancock's next book, Mirror of Heaven. The film and book received a wide response. The information blockade around the Yonaguni megalith was broken, and science community was forced to respond.

13 years after the opening of the Monument, in July 1998, a decision was finally made on its cross-sectoral scientific research. Led by diver and certified archaeologist Michael Arbuthnot, a group of specialists attempted to solve the mystery of the object. The group included geologists, underwater archaeologists, experienced divers, and even anthropologists with linguists. Shoch was also invited to the expedition, who had the opportunity to satisfy his desire to re-examine the Monument and to be convinced of the fruitfulness of his “compromise” approach with Kimura.

The group members spent 3 weeks diving and exploring. And, perhaps, the opinion of its leader speaks very eloquently about the results of the expedition. At first, Arbuthnot was skeptical of Kimura's theory of the artificiality of the Monument, but in the course of research he was forced to abandon his skepticism.

“I was convinced of the handling of the Yonaguni object by human hands,” he concluded. — We have studied the natural geology near the find, but there are no such uniform external forms, and therefore the probability of human processing of the monument is very high. There are also many such details that exclude the version of the formation of the object in a natural way.

Kimura's report at a conference in Japan in 2001 was a kind of intermediate result of research that continued after the expedition. The general conclusion that the Yonaguni megalith is a trace of an ancient civilization has received the support of most Japanese scholars.

It would seem that the question of the nature of the Monument is closed. However, the scientific community is very inert, and even conservative in matters of ancient history. And despite the conclusions of the conference, despite the numerous eyewitness accounts, including geologists, writers, journalists and just amateur divers, until now in the world scientific literature the fact that the Yonaguni Monument is artificial is either simply ignored or attempted to be denied. And as it often happens, the most active "refuters" themselves have never seen it with their own eyes...

While there were disputes between supporters and opponents of the artificial origin of the Monument, searches in the coastal waters of Yonaguni continued. It soon became clear that this is not the only contender for the title of the ruins of an ancient civilization.

200 meters southeast of the Monument is an object called the Stadium. It really looks like a kind of stadium, representing a clean area about 80 meters in size, surrounded by stepped structures resembling spectator stands. Although the “tribunes” themselves are very similar to purely natural formations, they also contain cut gutters and “paths”.

In the end, an object was found that removed all questions. From a distance, it is somewhat reminiscent of the wheelhouse of a large submarine. But as you get closer to this “cabin”, it turns into… a 7-meter human head!!! She is sometimes referred to as a "moai-like figure" in reference to the statues of distant Easter Island. And if desired, a certain similarity can be found, although very separate.

In principle, the “head” itself could well be a purely natural formation. But what is absolutely indisputable is that the recesses that form the mouth and eyes have signs, if not of artificial origin, then of obvious refinement. In addition, the remains of a bas-relief are visible on the side of the head, in which some catch a detached resemblance to an Indian feather headdress. To be honest, the "similarity" is so-so ... Unless you turn on unlimited imagination ...

If anyone else could have any doubts about the presence of evidence of an ancient civilization in the coastal waters of Yonaguni, then with the discovery of this statue, skeptics find themselves in a very unenviable position ...

Head:

However, the problem is by no means limited to adding another one to the list of ancient civilizations. The fact is that although megaliths were found below sea level, they must have been created clearly on land. Then, in order to determine the time of their creation, you must first answer the question of how the structures ended up in the sea: very quickly during the catastrophe, how, for example, in an earthquake or volcanic eruption, or slowly, in the course of gradual geological or climatic changes. As, say, this is happening now, when, as a result of global warming, the ice of the polar caps and mountain glaciers is melting, the water of which flows into the sea, causing a rise in the level of the World Ocean. Some of the little ones island states even fear for their continued existence...

In favor of the option of a rapid change in the position of Yonaguni objects is the fact that the area is located in a very active tectonic zone. This is not surprising, since the island is located directly on the so-called fault line; here the Pacific and Eurasian plates collide, supported in addition by the Philippine plate, which is wedged from the south between them.

But if the area near Yonaguni were to sink under water in some kind of catastrophe, it would have to be a miracle that the Monument would not only maintain its horizontal position on the seabed, but also dispense with any signs of destruction inevitable in such an impressive earthquake, which is accompanied by a change in altitude by several tens of meters. In such catastrophic events, the Monument was not only to be covered with cracks, but almost inevitably to break apart. And obviously, at least its small fragments should have remained next to it. But there is nothing like it! And the same is the case with other underwater objects near the island. Everything indicates that the water covered the structures gradually as a result of the slow rise in the level of the World Ocean. However, the slow sinking of the Yonaguni objects (given their size and depth) means that they could only be created when the sea level was several tens of meters below present. That is, no later than 8-10 thousand years ago!!! This is what shocks historians! ..

But the arguments of geologists are inexorable. Inexorable are the facts directly pointing to such a distant time. So, for example, in the immediate vicinity of the Yonaguni monument, the diver Chouhachiro Izumi discovered a “stalactite cave” on the seabed. But in nature stalactite caves form only on land when weakly acidic rain or river water seeps into the limestone. Water dissolves limestone salts and, having met a cavity or cave on its way down, drips from its ceiling to the floor. Slowly, over centuries, these salt-rich drops create stalactites on the ceiling and stalagmites below. This is the only way the “stalactite cave” found at Yonaguni could have formed.

Radioisotope dating (whatever the degree of its reliability), carried out for this cave, indicated that the process of formation of a stalactite and stalagmite in it was completed no later than 10 thousand years ago! .. Just when the cave was swallowed up sea ​​waters during changes in the level of the oceans. Although for the time of creation of the underwater objects of Yonaguni, many researchers give much earlier dates. Up to 16 thousand years ago! ..

Who created the Monument in such a distant time? If there was a whole civilization here, then there must have been something else that would allow us to lift the veil of the mystery of the builders of gigantic structures. There are indeed other finds.

Researchers, for example, raised several stone exhibits from the bottom with simple symbols such as dashes, crosses and hooks carved on them. Similar symbols are found on stones that are still under water. Most interesting exhibit- a stone with a relief in the form of a four-legged animal resembling a bull. And at the bottom around Yonaguni, several parts of stone tools were also found - primitive scrapers.

On the "upper terrace" of the Monument, the researchers also found traces of wedges that ancient people used to split rocks - wedges hammered into recesses were poured with water, the wood swelled from the water and split the monolith. The same traces were found on separate blocks in other places of coastal waters and on the island itself ...

The simplest symbols, primitive tools and the same primitive technologies... Somehow it all does not fit with the strict elegance of the smooth lines and geometric shapes of the Monument. And even less is it combined with its size and the scale of work that was required to create not only the Monument, but also other underwater objects. Megalithic structures Yonaguni are more in line with a highly advanced rather than a primitive civilization. However, the main expert, Dr. Kimura, agrees with this, who believes that the creation of the Monument required a high level of technology and the use of machines. How to be?..

In fact, 2 periods in the history of the monument are clearly traced here. At the first stage, very long time ago, in the period somewhere from 10 to 16 thousand years ago, the Monument was created by a highly developed civilization that possessed quite sophisticated technologies that made it easy to handle multi-ton blocks. At the second stage, this civilization was replaced after many thousands of years by another, primitive one, which did not find (and could not find) anything better than to dig a certain number of holes in the heritage it inherited and use it only as a convenient berth and, perhaps a burial ground, until the Monument was completely covered with water ...

At the 2001 conference, there were reports that a giant stepped structure similar to the Yonaguni Monument had been found off Chatan Island in Okinawa; near the island of Kerama there are mysterious underwater "mazes"; and near the island of Aguni, cylindrical depressions similar to those found in the “triangular pool” of the Monument were found. On the other side of Yonaguni, in the strait between Taiwan and China, underwater structures resembling walls and roads were discovered ...

At the moment, these listed objects, unfortunately, lack scientific data. Their research has not really begun yet. But one can hope that it will still take place without such long breaks, as was the case with the Yonaguni Monument, which is still the most exciting find in the region.

However, there is something interesting on the island itself…

In one of the ancient Japanese legends, which even the schoolchildren of Okinawa know, tells about a fisherman named Urashima-Taro, who lived in ancient times on the seashore. Once Urashima went on a boat for fish. But on this day, he was clearly unlucky, and instead of a fish, the same turtle came across three times on the hook, which the fisherman, regretting, each time released back into the sea. So without catching anything, he already sent his boat to the shore, but then, out of nowhere, appeared big ship with the messenger of Otohime, the daughter of the Lord of the Seas, who invited Urashima to visit her. Urashima boarded a ship, which suddenly plunged into the depths of the sea and sailed to such magnificent palace whose beauty you will not find on earth ...

Otohime arranged a sumptuous feast in honor of the young fisherman. And he liked it so much in the underwater palace that three years flew by like one day. But at last he longed for home, and in parting Otohime gave him a chest, which Urashima was supposed to open in case of insurmountable trouble.

When the fisherman returned to his village, he found that everything around him had changed a lot, since during this time not three years, but three hundred years had passed on earth. Grieved, Urashima opened the casket, aged in an instant, turned into a crane and flew away. And Otohime turned into a turtle and climbed ashore to meet with Urashima ...

There is a curious detail in the legend about the fisherman, which we have briefly retold. When Urashima, having returned, went to look at the ruins of his house, he saw that only the slabs in the yard and stone bowls for washing hands remained from it. Slabs and stone bowls, as it turns out, have a very real embodiment - they are found throughout the island. But some of the bowls are so large that you can not only rinse your hands in them, but also wash yourself completely. Not a jacuzzi, but still... locals, however, they prefer to grow flowers in them ... The true initial purpose of the bowls and information about those who made them have long been covered by the darkness of time. And only their presence in one of the most ancient legends gives at least one hint: plates and bowls already existed in those ancient times when this legend was composed ...

During the expedition, it turned out that some photographs of Yonaguni objects published on the Internet were clearly retouched in order to give greater “credibility” to the artificiality of their origin: the edges of the chute on the top platform of the Monument are excessively sharpened; the bas-relief on the underwater head is painted on to give a greater resemblance to an Indian headdress of bright feathers and the like. Such techniques do not help supporters of the ancient history of Yonaguni underwater objects, but only discredit their arguments and mislead the uninitiated.

I had to abandon the version of the artificial origin of the "arched gate". On the Internet, their photos are most often published only from one side and from a favorable angle - so that one gets the impression of their man-made creation by someone from huge stones. However, the view from the other side of the “gate” makes one very, very doubtful about this: nature is capable of even more than that…

Nevertheless, no matter how many arguments are given in favor of the human, one might say, highly developed human origin of structures, there are those who challenge this idea. If you try to accept their point of view, it will turn out that all these blocks and even sculptures got their shape just because of the random play of nature - the features of the flow of water, fluctuations in its temperature and composition.

One of the most famous skeptics is Robert Schoch, a professor at Boston University. He visited these ruins, studied them carefully and did not find anything "human" in them. He emphasizes that the monolith consists of a type of sandstone, and this stone tends to crack along the planes. Hence the straight lines, sharp corners, the surface in the form of brickwork and the like. And if we take into account such a factor as the increased seismic activity of the region, then the large “fracturing” of the rock is not at all surprising.

It seems that representatives of the Japanese authorities, alas, adhere to a similar point of view. They do not recognize any cultural value in the ancient monument. And, of course, they refuse to engage in any support for researchers of the heritage of an unknown people who founded an amazing stone city.

Because of this, the study of underwater structures is very slow. It is still unknown how the city ended up under water. Obviously, the reason is some kind of cataclysm - apparently, some kind of tsunami that happened, according to Kimura, about 2 thousand years ago. But how strong the disaster was is still unclear.

It remains to be hoped that these mysteries will be solved sooner or later, and some of them will become known to us. Interesting Facts of the past. And, perhaps, of the future... How do you know what the heavy silent stones of a mysterious civilization store?

Three professional geologists - Masaaki Kimura, Robert Schnoh and Wolf Wichmann - dived at Yonaguni, got "first-hand" impressions of underwater formations, and commented publicly on what they saw. As far as is known, at the time of this writing, they were the only geologists who had ever carried out underwater research there. Therefore, when we talk about the “opinion of geologists” regarding the Yonaguni anomalies, it is very important to consider that we are relying on the results of the work and ideas of only three people who also disagree with each other, and thus there is no consensus in opinions. Other geologists who expressed their opinions without having dived at Yonaguni were unlikely to be professional enough to participate in the debate.

One of Japan's most unusual attractions is the underwater terraces near Yonaguni Island in Okinawa. These terraces resemble the creation of human hands, which is why disputes over the origin of the underwater monument have not subsided for more than 30 years.

The underwater pyramids of Yonaguni are several rocks located at a depth of 25 meters, not far from one of the islands of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. The rocks have the form of stepped terraces, platforms and pyramids, striking with even and sharp edges.

The mystery of the Yonaguni monument lies in the fact that it is still not clear how these underwater platforms and terraces appeared. Some scientists believe that the terraces are of natural origin, others believe that the monument was created by man.

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History of the Discovery of the Yonaguni Monument

The waters near Yonaguni Island have long been popular with divers: many come here to watch the life of a large population of hammerhead sharks. In 1986, Kihachiro Aratake (head tourism association Yonaguni Island) was looking for a suitable place to watch sharks. In the process of searching, he noticed several strange formations resembling architectural structures, like the pyramids of Ancient Sumer.

After some time, the object was investigated by a group of scientists led by Masaaki Kimura from Ryukyu University. In 1997, an expedition was organized to explore the underwater pyramids, in which geologist Robert Schoch of Boston University took part.

Versions of the origin of the pyramids of Yonaguni

Disputes about the origin of the underwater city of Yonaguni have not subsided so far. Masaaki Kimura believes that underwater monuments are of artificial origin: built about 5,000 years ago and were flooded as a result of a tsunami or earthquake about 2,000 years ago. The version is confirmed by traces of processing and notches found on the walls of the platforms, as well as various artifacts found during the expedition.

Robert Schoch believes that underwater city"appeared about 10,000 years ago as a result of tectonic activity. According to the scientist, similar "buildings" can be seen on land. The monolith of the monument is made of sandstone, a material prone to cracking along the planes, which explains the smooth edges of the plates. According to the geologist, the holes in the rocks appeared due to natural erosion.

After Robert Schoch met with Masaaki Kimura, his version changed somewhat. Now the geologist believes that the Yonaguni monument was formed naturally, but was later processed by man. He was convinced of this by the sharp edges of the platform-steps, perfectly flat narrow trenches, which the geologist did not pay attention to when personally examining the underwater pyramids, as well as a number of artifacts discovered by Kimura.

There is also a version according to which the age of the underwater city of Yonaguni is about 10,000 years. However, this version is at odds with the generally accepted history of mankind. According to this version, it turns out that the inhabitants of Yonaguni knew how to build such monuments long before the creation of the famous Egyptian pyramids.

Since no version is one hundred percent proven, the Japanese authorities felt that it was not worth including underwater pyramids near the island of Yonaguni in the list of objects of cultural and historical heritage.

The underwater city of Yonaguni

To date underwater monument Yonaguni is very popular with divers. Underwater terraces are not protected by the state, so everyone can visit this unusual attraction, if, of course, they can scuba dive. Divers from all over the world come to take a look at the underwater city, despite the strong current in this part of the sea.

In 1985, in the spring, in Japanese newspapers, information appeared on the front pages about a great discovery - about the discovery of amazing pyramids that are located under the coastal waters of the Japanese island of Yonaguni.

These giant steps, which are at the bottom of the sea, have sharp edges. Experts believe that this ancient "construction" has existed for more than 10 thousand years. Scientists are still arguing about the origin of this inexplicable miracle: some say that the Yonaguni pyramids have natural origin, while others believe that these huge underwater "rocks" were built ancient civilization that once inhabited our planet.

pyramid detection

The Yonaguni monument was discovered by an experienced diver Kihachiro Aratake, who was choosing a place for his team to dive. Hammerhead sharks live in this place, so the waters are very popular among professional scuba divers.

It is worth saying right away that in the place where they were discovered giant pyramids there are very strong currents. It is thanks to these water flows that this monument has managed to preserve its originality and beauty.

All divers who decide to personally look at this beauty are met by a rather narrow arched gate, which is located between two huge boulders. Looking at this stone passage, one gets the feeling that some giant creature decided to play with “pebbles” and put them into a special structure.

Mystery of the pyramids

Looking at this place, it seems that everything is natural and natural. But then two twin stones, which have a strictly rectangular shape, catch the eye. These monumental "twins" are made of limestone, which is rather strange, because, as you know, this material cannot split so evenly and correctly. It means that they were created by someone and for some purpose.

The entire monument is “decorated” with even triangles, the origin of which is also difficult to explain.

Further you can see a huge monument, which seems immense and even unreal. This is a very unusual, but at the same time strict architecture, looking at which it is hard to believe that it was created by nature without anyone's participation.

Around this structure there is a ring road, which is almost completely cleared from big stones. Moving along this path, you can fully experience the beauty and mystery of the Japanese pyramids.

In front of the monument there is a ten-meter "terrace", with even steps. Everything is smooth, clear and somehow too correct. This is what suggests that the Yonaguni monument is an ancient technical facility, great and beautiful.

Pyramids of Yonaguni

Ancient quadrangular pyramids of various sizes are found not only in Egypt or South America, they are also known in Burma, China and Korea. But perhaps the most interesting discovery of this kind should be considered an amazing complex found on the seabed near small island Yonaguni is in the westernmost part of the Japanese archipelago.

For the sake of this spectacle, it is worth coming to the island of Yonaguni. After all, neither colorful photographs, nor vivid drawings or video shooting can convey all the greatness and perfection ancient pyramids. Just imagine this miracle! And we learned about the pyramids only a few decades ago!

How many more inexplicable great wonders does our planet hide? Are there more great discoveries to come?

Photos

In the 1980s, underwater stone formations, named "Yonaguni Pyramids".

This island is part of the Ryukyu archipelago and is the westernmost of its islands.

Until now, there are disputes about the origin of these formations. Some argue that this is the work of nature, others argue that the pyramids are partially or completely made by man.

Discovery of the Yonaguni Pyramids

The coastal waters of the island are popular place for lovers of scuba diving, because huge hammerhead sharks often appear here.

In 1986 director tourist center Yonaguni searched suitable places under water to organize observation posts for sharks. During the search, he drew attention to several unusual formations located at a depth of five meters and having a very strong resemblance to architectural structures.

Outwardly, they resembled pyramids with sides in the form of steps, built of rectangular stone blocks.

The central formation had five steps and reached a height of over 40 meters, with a side length of 150 and 180 meters.
Near it were smaller pyramid-shaped forms, having a height of 10 and a length of 2 meters.

At first, the director rated these pyramids as unusual. natural objects, capable of attracting the attention of tourists, but later decided to inform specialists about them.

Research

Scientific survey of underwater formations began only in 1997, after the availability of funds for the organization of the expedition. The sponsor was a Japanese businessman.

The expedition was led by Graham Hancock, a well-known journalist and writer.

The scientific side was led by Boston geologist and geographer Robert M. Schoch.

The well-known writer John B. West, several experienced scuba divers, and a group from the Discovery Channel who filmed a film about the expedition also took part in the research.

Study of the Yonaguni Phenomenon by Robert Schoch

As a result of research, Professor Shoch stated that these formations are natural in origin and not created by man.

As evidence, it was pointed out that in the layered sandstone of which the monolith is composed, longitudinal cracks often form, which leads to the appearance of various regular shapes - even surfaces and edges, sharp corners, etc.

The appearance of additional cracks in the rock could be facilitated by tremors, which are not uncommon in this area. These cracks, directed at different angles to each other, led to the formation of such amazing stone shapes as steps, rhombuses, triangles.

But at the same time, Schoch specified that perhaps the person was engaged in additional processing of these surfaces when the monument was still part of a quarry or quarry.

Divers of the expedition found several unusual objects near the pyramids, among them stones with signs carved on them, tools in the form of scrapers, a bas-relief depicting a wild bull.

Masaaki Kimura

The second expedition was organized by a geologist and marine archaeologist, Professor Masaaki Kimura from Ryukyu University.

According to the results of research, Kimura gave the opposite explanation for the appearance of the monument, he considered that this formation is completely artificial.

After that, the Yonaguni pyramids became a popular theme in media mass media and an object of increased attention from divers.

The famous French diver Jacques Maillol made several dives here, he later wrote a book about it.

Age of the pyramids

The age of the monument was clarified after studying the isotopic composition of stalactites in the nearest underwater cave. The number of beryllium isotopes indicates that stalactites were formed no earlier than ten thousand years ago. This gives the approximate time for the land and the monument itself to submerge under water.

Currently, the age of the underwater pyramids is estimated at between ten and sixteen thousand years.

Yonaguni Island is located in western Japan. Yonaguni became famous in the mid-80s, when divers discovered mysterious rock terraces and pyramids with sharp corners underwater. There are still disputes, but no one knows what secrets the island holds. Scientists are inclined to believe that these pyramids were created artificially many millennia ago. unknown civilization that disappeared from the face of the earth.

The mysterious underwater pyramids of Yonaguni Island off the coast of Japan still cause controversy - is this a natural phenomenon, or a human creation? If the monument to Yonaguni is man-made, it will radically change the history of mankind. The history of these underwater pyramids dates back to 1986, when divers discovered an unusual rock formation at a depth of 25 meters underwater. These were rocks in the form of even stepped terraces, pyramids and platforms. One of the most high pyramids was 600 feet wide and 90 feet high.

There were traces of processing and carving on the stone blocks, which confirms the theory of scientists that the Yonaguni monument is not a natural formation, but artificially created. Masaki Kimura, a marine geologist at the University of Japan, has been studying underwater pyramids for over 15 years. The scientist believes that this place is more than five thousand years old, but it was flooded 2 thousand years ago during an earthquake.

Other scientists believe the structure is much older, including Teruaki Ishi, a professor of geology at the University of Tokyo. He determined that the immersion of the terraces under water occurred at the end of the last ice age- about 10 thousand years ago. In this case, the age of the Yonaguni pyramids is twice as old as Egyptian pyramids. Interestingly, the number of artifacts found was about the same on land and under water. Not far from the pyramids, a man's head carved from stone was discovered, on which many unknown hieroglyphs were carved. It is hard to imagine that this is a natural formation.

“There is a land of the Gods called Nirai-Kanai, where the ancient gods live – this unknown distant place is the source of happiness for the whole world”

“After meeting with Professor Kimura,” Schoch wrote later, “I cannot completely rule out the possibility that the Yonaguni monument was at least partially processed and modified by human hands. Professor Kimura pointed out a number of important elements that I did not see during my first, brief visit..."