The Egyptian pyramids, undoubtedly, were and remain one of the wonders of the world. The titanic work of ancient workers and the art of architects still boggle the imagination.
Many thousands of tourists flock every year to the foot of the majestic structures.
Much less well known are the stone walls erected thousands of years ago in Gornaya Shoria, a picturesque region of Altai.
Despite the fact that these buildings are not yet as famous as the structures in which the Egyptian pharaohs were buried, they also deserve the attention of history buffs.
Opening
On the described territory, at the junction of Sayan and Altai, until recently there were correctional colonies. They were closed in 2013. Then the study of the Siberian "wonder of the world" began.
Promotional video:
A wall several tens of meters high, located in a mountainous area, consists of giant stones of regular shape. These huge "bricks" have flat, as if polished edges.
According to preliminary data, the mass of each of them is not less than one thousand tons.
This clutch was first discovered by a geological expedition headed by Georgy Sidorov. It happened in the early nineties. But due to the correctional colonies located nearby, the territory was closed for large scientific expeditions for many years.
World record
Before the discovery of the Altai giants, the largest stone product in the world was considered to be a huge block found once in Lebanon. It is called the Stone of Baalbek. The weight of this work of ancient masters is 1 thousand tons.
According to scientists, the Altai "bricks" that make up the multi-meter wall in Gornaya Shoria weigh no less. And some of them are several times heavier than the Baalbek stone.
The mystery of history
Who built the gigantic wall and why the ancient inhabitants of this area needed it, is not known for certain.
Most scientists believe that the huge stone blocks are the creation of human hands. Speaking about this, they indicate, first of all, the correct shape of the "bricks". The boulders have a smooth surface and fit perfectly together.
When you look at them, fantastic images of the inhabitants of other planets appear in the imagination, who flew to Earth in time immemorial and left behind these gigantic buildings, or mythological cyclops who created dwellings here of stone.
Scientific point of view
Geologists find it difficult to accurately name the natural processes that could result in the appearance of this wall four tens of meters high.
Each of its blocks fits perfectly with neighboring "bricks". The creators of this miracle have been extremely careful. The durability of their creation speaks for the accuracy of the calculations.
Ancient civilization
Historians, however, suggest that an ancient state could exist on this territory, about the life of which mankind is to learn. This area is a huge field of activity for archaeologists.
The fact that the architectural structure was found in Russia allows us to hope that someday new secrets will be revealed about the people who lived here long before the events described in the famous chronicles.
Geological processes
However, there are opponents to the theory of the man-made origin of this building. Their criticism is primarily based on the fact that ancient people did not have the tools to lift such heavy blocks.
Some of these scientists tried to explain the appearance of giant "bricks" by natural processes that took place in the local mountains.
How the wind built the walls
Some geologists say that there are natural processes that are capable of creating such grandiose structures.
According to them, there are several such "buildings" in the world, which at first were mistaken for the ruins of ancient buildings, but then, it turned out that they were created by nature.
So, when small tremors act on various rocks, for example, granite, as a result of pressure, cracks can form, intersecting at right angles. Gradually the wind penetrating these cracks grinds the edges of the blocks, giving them the correct shape.
The moisture brought in by rains also contributes to this process.
So bricks from rocks appear, which sometimes reach truly enormous sizes.
Riddle
This building also attracted the attention of lovers of the extraordinary. There were reports in the press that the arrows of compasses near the wall instantly turn in the direction opposite to the giant structure. And this is only the most plausible of a number of such messages. Others talk about ancient runes, supposedly showing through after rain on some blocks, traces of explosions that occurred in ancient times and similar fantastic things.
Nevertheless, the version that the structure is the result of the work of ancient craftsmen is supported by many respected scientists.
This theory is the most tempting of the two presented. It promises people to discover something new about the history of civilization. Such information will be of interest, first of all, to the residents of Russia.
What if an unknown culture existed on the territory of the Altai Territory several thousand years ago, and people had forgotten today methods of processing stone, lifting and moving huge loads!
The viability of this theory can be judged when archaeologists and geologists present the results of their research.
In the meantime, it remains to admire the photos of this stunning stone wall, which is fraught with so many mysteries. Some pictures are presented in the article. Perhaps, in the near future, the "wonder of the world" in Siberia, just like the Egyptian pyramids, will attract many tourists.
Laev Alexey