These mysterious stones are found on the Mountain (Gornaya) Shoria in the Kemerov region of Russia. At first they just look like lumps of naturally placed stone, but when investigated a little closer they appear to have been crafted and thoughtfully honed at some point in their distant past.
The Gornaya Shoria structures consist of a large number of huge rectangular rocks piled up on top of each other.
PHOTOS FROM KAMCHATKA PENINSULA RUSSIA
Because of a lack of funding and their remote location very little archaeological work has been done in the area. In the autumn of 2013 some funding was finally raised, so we may get a clearer picture once they’ve had a good route around. Whether humans have ever lived in this precise location is up for debate.
The walls of the Gornaya Shoria run for about 200 metres and are about 40 metres high. Some of the blocks are 20 by 7 metres in size. Each stone weighing an estimated 1000 tonnes. To put that in perspective that’s heavier than a fork lift truck containing Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks before their morning dump.
PHOTOS FROM SIBERIA 100 YEARS AGO
It is still possible that these rocks were caused by natural wind or erosion etc, so that’s what the archaeologists are going to find out. Some of the edges, corners and smooth lines certainly appear human made but that’s not evidence enough on it’s own. We forget that nature is pretty good at regular shapes itself.
The Lena Pillars in Siberia are another naturally formed construct that at first glance look human designed. The constant pull of temperatures from very minus in the winter to very mild in the summer puts the ancient rocks under all kinds of duress.
Another theory on the creation of the Gornaya Shoria rocks is tectonic. Rock beneath the ground can be under immense pressure, when this pressure is released as the erosion of the earth uncovers the rock, so called orthogonal joint sets can occur. These orthogonal joints often intersect at 90 degrees and can certainly look similar in shape and size in the rocks at Gornaya Shoria region. This image gives you an idea of the size of the blocks, could a human hand really be responsible?:
If these orthogonal joints occur they can be weathered by pooling water at the bases and joins which further accentuate the already block-like features. So far there have been no other human artifacts discovered in the area, so that points to a natural formation, but then no one has done much digging yet either.
No similar stone constructions like those at Gornaya Shoria have yet been found anywhere in the rest of Russia, so whether they turn out to be natural or human made they’re still going to be fascinating. Some pro-Ruski anthropologists like to theorise that humanity started in Siberia and they point to these rocks as evidence. That might be pushing the boat out a bit far though.
MYSTERIOUS DANCING FOREST OF KALININGRAD
Some say that aliens put these rocks here. I’m not sure if that’s the neatest possible answer either.
Whether the Gornaya Shoria stones are man-made or naturally occurring, when we do get to the bottom of it it’s bound to teach us something new. Watch this space.
