Off the southern coast of Japan, beneath the turquoise waters of the East China Sea, lies a structure that has puzzled researchers for decades. Known as the Yonaguni Monument, this underwater formation resembles a giant step pyramid and is the centre of one of archaeology’s most fascinating debates.
A discovery that shook history books
The monument was first discovered in 1986 by a local diver near Yonaguni Island, part of the Ryukyu archipelago. Submerged about 25 metres (82 feet) beneath the surface, the formation stretches some 90 feet high and features sharp-angled terraces, flat platforms, and what appear to be steps.
Photographs of the site instantly fuelled comparisons to Mayan pyramids or even the terraced stonework of Machu Picchu, sparking speculation that it could represent the ruins of a long-lost civilisation.
Initial dating of the stone suggested the formation could be more than 10,000 years old, older than the pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge. If true, this would place the structure’s creation long before the rise of agriculture, when humans were thought incapable of organising such monumental construction.
Between science and speculation
Since its discovery, experts have split into two camps.
The natural formation theory
Geologists argue that Yonaguni’s sandstone and mudstone naturally fracture into straight lines, giving the impression of stairs and plazas. Robert Schoch, who has dived the site extensively, concluded:
“As difficult as it may be for some to accept, I have to report that I do not believe it is an artificial, human-made structure. It is indeed incredible, but it is primarily natural.”
Archaeologist Flint Dibble echoed this view in 2024, telling the Joe Rogan Experience:
“I’ve seen a lot of crazy natural stuff, and I see nothing here that to me reminds me of human architecture.”
The lost civilisation theory
Others, including writer Graham Hancock, argue the monument shows unmistakable signs of intelligent design. Hancock points to arches, terraces, and even face-like carvings as proof of human craftsmanship. “To me, Flint, it’s stunning that you see that as a totally natural thing,” he fired back in the same debate. “But I guess we’ve just got very different eyes.”
Supporters of this view link Yonaguni to myths of Mu, a lost Pacific continent akin to Atlantis. They argue the structure may have been built on dry land before sea levels rose dramatically after the last Ice Age, submerging coastlines worldwide.
Legends, links, and lost worlds
Local folklore speaks of sea gods and submerged kingdoms in the waters around Yonaguni. Some divers even claim to see what look like “roads,” “plazas,” and “altars” when swimming around the monument.
Comparisons with sites such as Göbekli Tepe in Türkiye, a 12,000-year-old stone temple complex built millennia before Stonehenge, fuel speculation that advanced civilisations may have existed earlier than once believed. If Göbekli Tepe is evidence of unexpected sophistication on land, could Yonaguni represent its drowned counterpart under the sea?
Why it still matters
If man-made, the Yonaguni Monument would rewrite the timeline of human history, suggesting complex societies flourished long before agriculture. If natural, it remains a geological wonder, one that may have inspired the island’s earliest inhabitants, who carved tombs and shrines into the surrounding rock.
But perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between: a natural formation later admired, modified, or used by ancient people, much like caves decorated with prehistoric art in Europe.
A mystery that endures
Nearly forty years on, the debate remains unresolved. To some, Yonaguni is Japan’s Atlantis; to others, it is a striking reminder of nature’s power to mimic human artistry.
What is certain is that the monument continues to captivate divers, researchers, and dreamers alike, its terraced stones blurring the line between fact and legend.
As Hancock once remarked:
“We are a species with amnesia. Yonaguni may be part of the memory we’ve lost.”
Whether natural or crafted, the Yonaguni Monument reminds us that beneath the ocean’s surface may still lie secrets powerful enough to change the way we see our past.
Families of 153 Chinese passengers aboard the missing MH370 flight are once again hopeful as a fresh search for the plane is announced....
Residents of Darfur are being systematically held for ransom by the Sudanese paramilitary force that overran a city in late October, with witnesses, a...
Kazakhstan has drafted a bill that would prohibit users under the age of 16 from registering on most online platforms....
Democrats of the House Oversight Committee has released previously unseen footage of Jeffrey Epstein's private island, Little St. James, following Pre...
Foreign professionals seeking employment in the United States now face an ideological litmus test regarding their past work in online safety and conte...
Families of 153 Chinese passengers aboard the missing MH370 flight are once again hopeful as a fresh search for the plane is announced.
Kazakhstan has drafted a bill that would prohibit users under the age of 16 from registering on most online platforms.
Democrats of the House Oversight Committee has released previously unseen footage of Jeffrey Epstein's private island, Little St. James, following President Donald Trump's directive to make public documents related to Epstein's crimes.
Foreign professionals seeking employment in the United States now face an ideological litmus test regarding their past work in online safety and content moderation, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration's battle against what it terms the "censorship" of conservative voices.
A four-part docuseries executive produced by Curtis '50 cent' Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton on Netflix is at the centre of controversy online.
Chinese scientists have unveiled a new gene-editing therapy that they say could lead to a functional cure for HIV, making it one of the most promising developments in decades of global research.
For nearly three decades following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the international system was defined by a singular, overwhelming reality: American unipolarity.
As the year comes to an end, a new initiative bringing civil society actors and regional analysts from Armenia and Azerbaijan together is steadily gaining ground.
Uzbekistan has reopened its border with Afghanistan for the first time since 2021, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Tuesday.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has introduced its newest model, DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale, claiming it can perform some tasks as well as the latest models from Google DeepMind and OpenAI.
A new robotic system developed for the Czech Police is reshaping how complex investigations are carried out, bringing laboratory-level precision directly to crime scenes.
Chinese scientists say they are moving closer to building one of the world’s most powerful neutrino telescopes, an underwater array known as the Tropical Deep sea Neutrino Telescope, or TRIDENT, that will sit around 3,500 metres below the surface.
Russia’s state communications watchdog said it is tightening restrictions on WhatsApp, claiming the US-owned platform violates Russian law and is being used to facilitate criminal activity, according to comments carried by the Tass news agency.
Russia successfully launched a military satellite into space on Wednesday (November 26) from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, marking another milestone in the country's expanding space capabilities.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment