In Bolivia, almost a hundred kilometers from the actual capital of the state of La Paz, there is a megalithic ritual complex of buildings called Puma Punku. This name is translated as "Gate of the Puma". The Incas consider this ancient city the most important place of the creation of the world.
For many years, Puma Punku did not attract archaeologists and historians. A Bolivian with Polish roots, Artur Poznansky, who throughout his life explored another more famous complex - Tiwanaku, suggested that Puma Punku could be an ancient port structure. He also believed that this building was located on the shores of the famous Lake Titicaca. However, this theory was later recognized as erroneous.
Only by the end of the 20th century, full-fledged archaeological excavations began to be carried out in Puma Punku. Thanks to these works, scientists were able to establish that this is a whole complex of structures of artificial origin, which is surrounded by masonry and rises above the surrounding area in the shape of the letter "T".
Historians have been debating the exact age of the building since the discovery of Puma Punku. Some believe that the first megaliths of the complex were built in the sixth century BC, others - in the second millennium BC. Poznansky explored the starry sky and reported that the buildings were erected 17,000 years ago. According to the conducted radiocarbon analysis, it was possible to find out that the age of the ancient megalithic complex is approximately 3500 years. But to the surprise of archaeologists under the Puma Punku megaliths, none of the cultural layers related to the corresponding era - the Pleistocene - was found.
It is also unknown why the complex was destroyed. According to one theory, a powerful earthquake occurred in ancient times. Which destroyed the Bolivian building. The volcanoes located near Puma Punku also speak in favor of this version. And the megaliths themselves were built at an altitude of about 4 kilometers above sea level. Other researchers disagree with this conclusion, because, as they claim, the nature of the destruction of the ancient complex does not resemble an earthquake.
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Other versions suggest a meteor shower, a global flood, a devastating tsunami. But all this still remains the speculation of scientists that have no confirmation. As well as how the Puma Punku megalithic complex was built. The stones were connected to other slabs using special ties and grooves. Metal parts were used as fasteners. To make them, the metal was melted and poured into grooves and seams.
Also, the builders of the ancient structure somehow carved through holes in stones of different diameters. The stones are set with such precision that a razor blade will not fit between them. Such precision in the execution of construction work suggests that the builders of the complex possessed not only knowledge in the field of descriptive geometry, but also the technologies of stone processing that are now lost.