|
|
Double-Click any word to get its definition
Roughly 300
miles from Okinawa, is the island of Yonaguni-Jima. Stretching southwest from
Japan towards the mainland of China, only 30 miles from Taiwan,
Yonaguni is the last of an island chain known as the Ryuku Islands.
In 1985,
Kihachiro Aratake, a dive tour operator in Yonaguni, was scouting for a
new site to view hammerhead sharks. After dropping into the
water on
the southeast side of the island,
off a place called Arakawa
Point, he discovered something that
can only be described as shocking. Unseen for thousands of years,
60 to 100 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, was a pyramidal
structure
with expansive terraces, large angular steps, and flat vertical walls.
It was divided into five distinct layers. Each step about 3 feet high
with clean edges and sharp angles. Further investigation revealed
symmetrical and angular channels, what appear to be clear cut stairs,
round holes 7 feet deep, and angular raised platforms. The monument,
to many having similarities to ancient buildings found on Okinawa, or
even heiau temples on Hawaii, is over 300 feet long, 90 feet wide, and
45 feet tall. This enigmatic underwater megalith appeared to be
man-made. Believing he had discovered a sunken city, and later naming
it Iseki Point, Aratake announced
his discovery. The news spread slowly, and it was not until 1997 that
investigations led by Masaaki Kimura attracted media attention.
Although
the structures seem clearly defined , there are some who disagree with
the tale that the Yonaguni Monuments are man made. No chambers
orentrances have ever been discovered, and no tools have been found in
the surrounding area that would clearly indicate human involvement.
Many believe that the formations can be attributed to erosion and/or
coral settlements. The sharp angles and lines in the stone may be the
result of erosion, causing the stone to break off at right angles. The
cliffs above the sea tend to erode in a way that leaves naturally sharp
angles. Professor Kimura's view is that if the sharp steps were the
result of natural erosion there would be debris on the seabed
surrounding them, in fact there is none. Others argue that Yonaguni's
strong currents would have easily swept away any debris from the ocean
floor long ago.
Although
the structures seem clearly defined , there are some who disagree with
the tale that the Yonaguni Monuments are man made. No chambers
orentrances have ever been discovered, and no tools have been found in
the surrounding area that would clearly indicate human involvement.
Many believe that the formations can be attributed to erosion and/or
coral settlements. The sharp angles and lines in the stone may be the
result of erosion, causing the stone to break off at right angles. The
cliffs above the sea tend to erode in a way that leaves naturally sharp
angles. Professor Kimura's view is that if the sharp steps were the
result of natural erosion there would be debris on the seabed
surrounding them, in fact there is none. Others argue that Yonaguni's
strong currents would have easily swept away any debris from the ocean
floor long ago.
|
|
|
|
|
