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Cerro el Cono in Peru sparks debate over its potential origins from an ancient civilisation (Image: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/geology/el-cono-the-mysterious-sacred-pyramid-hidden-deep-i)
A peculiar peak in the middle of the Amazon rainforest may not just be a geological oddity after all. The 1,310-foot-tall pyramid-shaped hill is known as Cerro El Cono (meaning Cone Hill), and is located in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor National Park.
It has been shrouded in mystery due to its remote positioning and unusual shape, with clear flat surfaces akin to those found on the Great Pyramid of Giza. For centuries local indigenous tribes hail it as ‘Andean Apu’, a sacred mountain spirit which protects them and their communities.
Local legends claim that the mountain is in fact the ruins of an ancient pyramid, built by a civilisation that predates even the Inca Empire. If true, then the pyramid would be tallest ancient structure in history, nearing three times the size of Giza.
Cerro el Cono stands out against the surrounding Amazon (Image: https://peakery.com/cerro-el-cono-peru/)
However, scientists believe it is nothing more than an unusual rock formation, or a volcano of sorts.
The extinct volcano would have formed from the accumulation of volcanic materials ejected from a volcano’s vent during eruptions.
After the volcano becomes inactive, surrounding debris erodes away, leaving the more resistant part made up of hardened magma (known as a plug) standing as a distinct peak.
However, this theory doesn’t dispel those who believe the strange hill to be a man-made structure.
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The supposed pyramid isn’t the only ancient structure that remains mysterious.
Another is Gunung Padang, which is said to be the world’s oldest pyramid, dating back over 16,000 years.
The structure, which was re-discovered by Dutch explorers in 1890, completely rewrites the notion that hunter-gatherer societies were primitive, revealing how their engineering capabilities were actually rather advanced.
Another oddity of the ancient world is the Yonaguni monument, located 82 feet below sea level near the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.
The rocks within the so-called monument date back 12,000 years, but it is a matter of debate whether the structure is man-made or in fact just a natural formation.
The Yonaguni Monument is another supposed ancient structure causing debate over its origins (Image: https://worldadventuredivers.com/yonaguni-monument-diving/)
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