Huge stone temple built 1,000 years ago uncovered in mountains – and reveals secrets of ancient civilisation
A MASSIVE stone temple built 1,000 years ago has been uncovered, revealing the secrets of an ancient civilisation.
The historic structure, known as Palaspata, was discovered in a remote part of South America and is thought to have been built by the Tiwanaku civilisation.
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Sitting on top of a ridge near Lake Titicaca, in western Bolivia, the temple is an impressive feat of craftsmanship.
But due to its remote location, researchers only spotted the area when they spotted unusual shapes in satellite photos.
Drone 3D imaging confirmed the ancient site with researchers believing it provides key insight into the Tiwanaku civilisation.
The ancient society was a powerful Andean civilisation that existed around 400 to 1000 CE.
Researchers say Tiwanaku individuals formed part of a "highly organised societal structure", which left behind remnants of impressive monuments including pyramids, temples and monoliths.
Most of these are located in sites around Lake Titicaca.
Though little remains of it now, researchers believe the temple once housed an advanced irrigation system, and fine art and pottery before disappearing around 1000 AD.
The site measures around 410 feet long by 476 wide and features 15 rooms which encircle a central courtyard.
Archaeologists suggest over 20,000 people may have inhabited the area, believing it to have been a "strategic hub" or "entry point" for trade.
It is believed the temple enabled access to a number of goods and foods.
Bible archaeologists discover ancient relic that may 'prove the existence of legendary warrior from holy book'
Lead researcher José Capriles told the Mail Online: "This was not just a temple, it was a strategic hub, an entry point between the highlands and lowland trade routes.
"This was a place where people, goods, and gods all crossed paths."
The discovery comes just weeks after an ancient Mayan city was discovered by archaeologists in northern Guatemala.
The nearly 3,000-year-old remains include remarkable pyramids and monuments that appear to be "sculpted with unique iconography".
This ancient city, named Los Abuelos - the Spanish for "The Grandparents" - once stood around 21km from the significant archaeological site of Uaxactún, Guatemala's culture ministry said on Thursday.
Los Abuelos gets its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found there.
These figures "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship", the ministry added.
The city is likely to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres" of Mayan civilisation.
Monuments unearthed at the site have been dated to the Middle Preclassic period of 800-500 BC, while the city itself "presents remarkable architectural planning".
The city covers an area of around six square miles and is found in Guatemala's northern Petén department.
Researchers also found a 108 foot high pyramid nearby that had Preclassic murals and "a unique canal system".
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Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Huge stone temple built 1,000 years ago uncovered in mountains – and reveals secrets of ancient civilisation
This is the first time the site has ever been explored due to its remote location LOST TEMPLE Huge stone temple built 1,000 years ago uncovered in mountains – and reveals secrets of ancient civilisation Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MASSIVE stone temple built 1,000 years ago has been uncovered, revealing the secrets of an ancient civilisation. The historic structure, known as Palaspata, was discovered in a remote part of South America and is thought to have been built by the Tiwanaku civilisation. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A huge stone temple built 1,000 years ago has revealed the secrets of the Tiwanaku civilisation Credit: Cambridge University Press 3 The enormous area where the temple once sat Credit: Cambridge University Press 3 The ancient civilisation lived around Lake Titicaca in western Bolivia Credit: Cambridge University Press Sitting on top of a ridge near Lake Titicaca, in western Bolivia, the temple is an impressive feat of craftsmanship. But due to its remote location, researchers only spotted the area when they spotted unusual shapes in satellite photos. Drone 3D imaging confirmed the ancient site with researchers believing it provides key insight into the Tiwanaku civilisation. The ancient society was a powerful Andean civilisation that existed around 400 to 1000 CE. Researchers say Tiwanaku individuals formed part of a "highly organised societal structure", which left behind remnants of impressive monuments including pyramids, temples and monoliths. Most of these are located in sites around Lake Titicaca. Though little remains of it now, researchers believe the temple once housed an advanced irrigation system, and fine art and pottery before disappearing around 1000 AD. The site measures around 410 feet long by 476 wide and features 15 rooms which encircle a central courtyard. Archaeologists suggest over 20,000 people may have inhabited the area, believing it to have been a "strategic hub" or "entry point" for trade. It is believed the temple enabled access to a number of goods and foods. Bible archaeologists discover ancient relic that may 'prove the existence of legendary warrior from holy book' Lead researcher José Capriles told the Mail Online: "This was not just a temple, it was a strategic hub, an entry point between the highlands and lowland trade routes. "This was a place where people, goods, and gods all crossed paths." The discovery comes just weeks after an ancient Mayan city was discovered by archaeologists in northern Guatemala. The nearly 3,000-year-old remains include remarkable pyramids and monuments that appear to be "sculpted with unique iconography". This ancient city, named Los Abuelos - the Spanish for "The Grandparents" - once stood around 21km from the significant archaeological site of Uaxactún, Guatemala's culture ministry said on Thursday. Los Abuelos gets its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found there. These figures "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship", the ministry added. The city is likely to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres" of Mayan civilisation. Monuments unearthed at the site have been dated to the Middle Preclassic period of 800-500 BC, while the city itself "presents remarkable architectural planning". The city covers an area of around six square miles and is found in Guatemala's northern Petén department. Researchers also found a 108 foot high pyramid nearby that had Preclassic murals and "a unique canal system". "Archaeological investigations have included the active participation of Guatemalan and international professionals, with the support of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia," a ministry spokesperson said.
The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
Huge stone temple built 1,000 years ago uncovered in mountains – and reveals secrets of ancient civilisation
A MASSIVE stone temple built 1,000 years ago has been uncovered, revealing the secrets of an ancient civilisation. The historic structure, known as Palaspata, was discovered in a remote part of South America and is thought to have been built by the Tiwanaku civilisation. 3 3 3 Sitting on top of a ridge near Lake Titicaca, in western Bolivia, the temple is an impressive feat of craftsmanship. But due to its remote location, researchers only spotted the area when they spotted unusual shapes in satellite photos. Drone 3D imaging confirmed the ancient site with researchers believing it provides key insight into the Tiwanaku civilisation. The ancient society was a powerful Andean civilisation that existed around 400 to 1000 CE. Researchers say Tiwanaku individuals formed part of a "highly organised societal structure", which left behind remnants of impressive monuments including pyramids, temples and monoliths. Most of these are located in sites around Lake Titicaca. Though little remains of it now, researchers believe the temple once housed an advanced irrigation system, and fine art and pottery before disappearing around 1000 AD. The site measures around 410 feet long by 476 wide and features 15 rooms which encircle a central courtyard. Archaeologists suggest over 20,000 people may have inhabited the area, believing it to have been a "strategic hub" or "entry point" for trade. It is believed the temple enabled access to a number of goods and foods. Bible archaeologists discover ancient relic that may 'prove the existence of legendary warrior from holy book' Lead researcher José Capriles told the Mail Online: "This was not just a temple, it was a strategic hub, an entry point between the highlands and lowland trade routes. "This was a place where people, goods, and gods all crossed paths." The discovery comes just weeks after an ancient Mayan city was discovered by archaeologists in northern Guatemala. The nearly 3,000-year-old remains include remarkable pyramids and monuments that appear to be "sculpted with unique iconography". This ancient city, named Los Abuelos - the Spanish for "The Grandparents" - once stood around 21km from the significant archaeological site of Uaxactún, Guatemala's culture ministry said on Thursday. Los Abuelos gets its name from two human-like sculptures of an "ancestral couple" found there. These figures "could be linked to ancient ritual practices of ancestor worship", the ministry added. The city is likely to have been "one of the most ancient and important ceremonial centres" of Mayan civilisation. Monuments unearthed at the site have been dated to the Middle Preclassic period of 800-500 BC, while the city itself "presents remarkable architectural planning". The city covers an area of around six square miles and is found in Guatemala's northern Petén department. Researchers also found a 108 foot high pyramid nearby that had Preclassic murals and "a unique canal system".
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'Lost city' deep below Atlantic offers tantalizing clues to how life on Earth began
An ancient 'lost city' found at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean has shed new light on how life on Earth began. Scientists say the haunting undersea world has existed for more than 120,000 years and could help unlock how life first evolved from non-living matter, an unsolved mystery in biology. Its vast field of mineral towers and isolated location 2,300ft beneath the surface offer tantalizing clues to Earth's earliest conditions - undisturbed by human activity. The oldest known hydrothermal system in the ocean, its extreme conditions mirror the early Earth, offering clues to how the first life forms might have emerged. Officially known as The Lost City Hydrothermal Field, it lies on the slopes of an underwater mountain in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a massive underwater mountain range that runs through the Atlantic Ocean. It marks the boundary between tectonic plates and is a hotspot for geological activity. Researchers estimate the Lost City has existed for more than 120,000 years, making it the longest-living hydrothermal vent field ever discovered. In a recent breakthrough, scientists successfully recovered a core sample of mantle rock from the site. This rock is the deep Earth source that fuels the vent system. The core sample could help scientists better understand the chemical reactions happening beneath the seafloor, reactions that produce hydrocarbons in the absence of sunlight or oxygen, serving as food for marine life. These same reactions may have played a role in the origin of life on Earth billions of years ago. The Lost City is made up of towering spires of carbonate rock, some nearly 200ft tall, formed by a unique geological reaction called serpentinization, where seawater interacts with mantle rock deep below the seafloor. These reactions release methane and hydrogen gas, which fuel microbial life that survives without sunlight or oxygen, something rarely seen on Earth. The site is located roughly nine miles west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, just south of the Azores islands. Its isolated position means it has remained undisturbed by human activity for thousands of years, preserving an ecosystem that offers a window into Earth's earliest conditions. Each hydrothermal vent, nicknamed IMAX, Poseidon, Seeps, and Nature emits warm, alkaline fluids. These create a stable environment for life in one of the most extreme corners of the planet. Now, with renewed global attention, scientists believe the Lost City may help explain how life first formed from non-living matter, an unsolved mystery in biology. Unlike most hydrothermal systems powered by volcanic heat, the Lost City is powered by chemical energy from the Earth's mantle, giving it a distinct structure and chemistry. Inside its towering chimneys, fluids reach up to 194 Fahrenheit, not boiling, but hot enough to fuel chemicals reactions. These vents produce hydrocarbons, organic compounds made from carbon and hydrogen, which are considered the building blocks of life. The site is special because its hydrocarbons form through deep Earth chemical reactions, not sunlight or photosynthesis. This makes the Lost City a rare second example of how life could begin. Microbes inside these chimneys live in total darkness, with no oxygen, using methane and hydrogen as their only fuel. On the outer surfaces, rare animals like shrimp, snails, sea urchins, and eels cling to the mineral-rich structures. Larger animals are uncommon here likely because the energy supply is limited. Unlike surface ecosystems, there's no sunlight or abundant food chain, only chemical nutrients trickling out of the vents. Microbiologist William Brazelton told Smithsonian Magazine: 'This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus or Europa right this second.' These are moons of Saturn and Jupiter, which have oceans beneath icy crusts, raising the hope that similar life could exist beyond Earth. Some spires have grown to 200ft tall over tens of thousands of years. Scientists say they act like natural laboratories, showing how life might arise in environments without sun, plants, or animals. In 2017, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) gave the Polish government a 15-year exploration license for an area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which includes territory surrounding the Lost City. Though Lost City itself lacks valuable minerals, nearby vent fields may contain polymetallic sulfides, a target for future deep-sea mining. That's where the threat comes in. Mining operations near hydrothermal vents can stir up sediment plumes, releasing toxic chemicals or particles that drift through the water column and harm nearby ecosystems, even if the site itself isn't directly touched. The Convention on Biological Diversity has already designated Lost City as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSA), based on its uniqueness, biodiversity, and scientific value. Being listed as an EBSA gives scientists leverage to argue for protective measures, though it carries no binding legal protection. Meanwhile, UNESCO is reviewing the site for World Heritage status, which could offer stronger international backing against mining and disturbance. Scientists argue this is urgently needed. Once disturbed, such systems may never recover, and we could lose a living example of how life began.
