), The Mangrove Caves of Thailand and a Beautiful Kayaking Experience, The Best Caves in Kentucky, USA: Complete List, The Maropeng and Sterkfontein Caves: An Archaeological Look, Lechuguilla Cave: 138 Miles (222 km) of Exciting Exploration. And thats thanks to a number of reasons. Another hypothesis is that the Longyou Caves were used for mining and extracting some type of mineral resource. I love sleeping and writing. © 2023 IFLScience. Longyou County is a county of Quzhou City, in the west of Zhejiang Province, China. Nobody has any idea who built the caves. Even with current archaeological research and engineering examination, the origin of the caves still remains a mystery. The interior of the caves are in pristine condition, despite their age. What were their methods? I choose to leave my footprint in the world with written works. He used a hydraulic pump for emptying the pond and after 17 days of pumping uncovered the truth. Each of the caves is near identical in design. If thats the case, then add one more mystery to the growing list of unanswered questions. First discovered in 1992 by a local villager who set out to drain some ponds which locals believed to be bottomless, to date 24 hand-carved caves have been discovered covering a massive 30,000 square meters (322,917 ft sq). They would have taken many, many years to build so it is unlikely to have been done in preparation for war, which tends to come about much more quickly. So how did ancient people work in the dark? The Longyou Caves were only discovered late in the 20th century. However, after the first cave was pumped dry, not a single fish was to be seen, or any other sign of life. Indeed, no ancient records of the caves or their construction have ever been recovered. Also known as the Xiaonanhai Stone Chambers, thes caves are at least 2,000 years old. #instalove #backpacking #mysticplaces #vibes #mood, A post shared by Billboard Bay ???? However, these caves could not have been built in a short period of time. Yet strangely, there is no trace or evidence of their construction anywhere. Massive pillars supported the roof, and the pillars, walls, and roof were all carved out using a distinctive arrangement of parallel bands or courses that were each about 24 inches (a cubit and a span) wide. The mysterious underground grottoes located in China are one of the largest excavations discovered of ancient times and continue to be an enduring mystery. #???? The total area is 30,000 square meters. The walls are uniform, straight with clean corners. Tullus Hostilius, the Legendary Roman Warrior King, Genghis Khan: The Man Who Forged the Most Feared Empire in History (Video), Mighty Queens: 8 Royal Powerhouses Who Shaped History (Video), The Enigma of Sweden's Great Lake Beast (Video), Smallpox Vaccine Sheds New Light on Mysterious Kaspar Hauser Legend, Mystery of the Latin Inscribed Artifacts Found in Arizona (Video), Haunting Tales: Exploring 4 of the Most Famous Ancient Ghost Stories. The caves were found in 1992 when local farmers drained several ponds revealing five large caverns. My e-mail address is poet@gmx.us - Blessed Be! The chisel marks on the bands were consistently situated at a 60-degree angle to the courses axis. This post may contain affiliate links. Yet those who focus on the carvings and the artistic style employed, connect them to a much older time period (3400-2250 BC). What kind of technology allowed the builders to complete such a massive project, more than 2,000 years ago? No evidence supports either of these theories, especially since none of the grottoes are connected. Logically, historians date the Longyou Cave Complex to the 1st century BC (during the Western Han Dynasty). Vorgestern war ich an einem magischen Ort.. When the caves were first discovered, they were filled with water, which presumably had been there for a long period of time. But this interpretation is far-fetched. Who would you pick for the best military leaders of all time? These mysteries are clarified in greater detail below. metres look like an underground palace of a king. The caverns are also aligned along a south to southwest orientation, maximising the use of sunlight to illuminate the interior, with inclined sidewalls that reduces the stress on the cave ceilings preventing collapse. History is my thing. Each grotto resembles a stately hall. It may have been for aesthetics. there are countless writings of humans having to go underground due to warring on the surface and natural cataclysms (that might not have been so natural). In order to truly survive and thrive in the world we live in, each one of us must take the bold step to tell the world who we are and what we believe in. With 24 caves spread over an area of 1 square kilometer, the caves are one of China's best examples of ancient underground constructions. One side is steep and another side is 45% inclined. All of which were carved by hand. However, mining operations would have required equipment and apparatus to extract the rocks and transport them. Image credit: Zhangzhugang via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Why? Upon further study, it was found that each complete cavern has only one portal, associated with a vertical shaft with a carved stairwell that allows rainfall and surface runoff to enter the caverns. Was such labor-intensive work solely for aesthetic purposes? No grave goods or tombs were discovered, nor were any antiquities left behind. The Quzhou Longyou Caves or Grottoes ( ; Qzhu Lngyu shk , 290343N 1191103E / 29.06200N 119.18412E / 29.06200; 119.18412 For more than 2,000 years, the caves have maintained their structural integrity proving that whoever built them made sure they would survive for thousands of years. (Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 4.0 ). A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Fascinating and mysterious underground Longyou Grottoes (also known as Longyou Caves) must have been some kind of an extraordinary man-made project of the ancient skilled builders, who created them more than 2000 years ago. However, its likely that construction happened slowly. One side is steep and another side is 45% inclined. The cave's total area covered exceeds 30,000 square . These are a series of large artificialsandstone caverns located near the village of Shiyan Beicun in China. Finally, 24 caverns with an area of 1000 sq. The Longyou Caves , also called the Xiaonanhai Stone Chambers , are a group of 24 artificial sandstone caverns located at Fenghuang Hill, near the village of Shiyan Beicun on the Qu River in Longyou County, Quzhou prefecture, Zhejiang province, China. The entire excavation involved almost a million cubic meters of stone and the distribution pattern is so that seven grottoes among the 24 grottoes (three groups of eight) resemble that of the seven stars of the Big Dipper. You can take the high-speed train from Hangzhou East Railway Station to Longyou Station (about one hour), then take a taxi or public bus to reach the Longyou Grottoes. They drained every drop of water from the adjacent bottomless pond. They observed no fish or other life forms, unlike other bottomless ponds they were familiar with. Source: Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 4.0. For privacy reasons, she has previously written on Ancient Origins under the pen name April Holloway, but is now choosing to use her real name, Joanna Gillan. Another odd feature is the design of the overall complex. LONGYOU CAVES MYSTERY - CHINA Wandering Wolf 16.4K subscribers 67K views 3 years ago LONGYOU GROTTOES My name is Michael Collins and I travel the world with a focus on ancient sites,. Buddhism was first recorded during the Eastern Han Dynasty during the 1st Century AD, but, the female form didnt appear in China until the 12th Century AD. Being some of the largest ancient underground excavations, its only right that we take a closer look. The Mystery of The Longyou Caves | Amusing Planet Every grotto is like a grand hall. Mystery of the Longyou Caves - Nspirement These lines are expertly chiseled; a task which would have taken considerable manpower and time. Required fields are marked *. 1 post 12 reviews 4 helpful votes Longyou Caves 6 years ago Save Hi. However, this was at least two millennia ago and nothing that could have been used for lighting has been found. The most mysterious underground constructions on Earth was discovered near the town of Shiyan Beicun, in the province of Zhejiang. But if it was commissioned by an Emperor, why are there no historical records of its construction? Feel free to comment or reach out to me directly if the need arises. Created more than 2,000 years ago, they were not recorded in any historical documents and were . Copyright 2023 RJ Schwartz. The craftsmanship tells the story of a highly developed workforce, able to carve out over one million cubic feet in total with such precision. The tools that were used in the building of this massive subterranean monument remains a profound enigma. Mark Milligan is an award winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. Using modern apparatus and techniques, the investigators measured the dimensions of the walls and discovered, to their surprise, that the overall construction was extremely accurate. By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time. Carved into solid siltstone, each grotto descends around 30 meters (98 ft) underground and contains stone rooms, bridges, gutters and pools. April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. . On the walls, engravings of trees, birds, mustangs, sharks, fish, and scenes that appear to depict martial arts practice and hunting, as well as Buddhist imagery. Also known as the Xiaonanhai Stone Chambers, thes caves are at least 2,000 years old. Longyou Caves - Wikipedia Our ancient ancestors have accomplished many wondrous feats, but this discovery from China remains an unsolved enigma. Its very likely that the reason for the caves being built will never be known. Longyou Caves: Created by a Lost Ancient Civilization with - YouTube The question on who, when, and why the Longyou Caves were created has been an ongoing investigation by archaeologists and academics since their first initial discovery. All the caves are carved into solid siltstone, a naturally hardened sedimentary rock. In addition, there are no traces of human habitation in the caverns. Longyou Caves - Magnificent Architecture - Showsta The caverns were carved into solid siltstone descending about 30 meters per grotto. Another befuddling mystery of the caves' construction lies in the markings on the walls. In 1992, a Chinese villager named Wu Anai, made an amazing discovery near the small village of Shiyan Beicun in the Zhejiang province (Peoples Republic of China). Early Humans Were Weaving Baskets in the Philippines 40,000 Years Ago! But, because none of those were reported, it seems that they were filled up entirely during a very short window. Longyou caves: 2000 years old Enigmatic caves built using advanced The water itself brings up another unanswered question. No tools have been found in the area, and, as we will explore later, scientists still dont know how they achieved such symmetry, precision, and similarity between the different caves. Also, there are no cemeteries or grave sites in the area; wed expect injuries and loss of life in a huge project such as this. Sweden's Great Lake monster, often referred to as "Storsjodjuret" or the Storsj Lake Monster. In many regions, the walls between caverns are only 50 centimetres (20 inches) thick, but they were never connected, so it appears they were deliberately kept apart. Longyou Caves Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Created more than 2,000 years ago, they were not recorded in any historical documents and were rediscovered by farmers in 1992.The caves are notable in several respects:The caves are very large considering their man-made origin: the average floor area of each cave is over 1,000 square metres (11,000 sq ft), with heights of up to 30 metres (98 ft), and the total area covered is in excess of 30,000 square metres (320,000 sq ft).The ceiling, wall and pillar surfaces are all finished in the same manner, as a series of parallel bands or courses about 60 cm wide containing parallel chiselling marks set at an angle of about 60 to the axis of the course.They have maintained their structural integrity do not interconnect with each other.The reasons behind why the Longyou caves were built, by whom and when is still a mystery till this day and although a lot of theories have emerged, but no theory stands up as a validated reason.Twitter - https://twitter.com/jinxtravelFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/jinxtravel Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jinx_uk Tumblr - https://jinxtravel.tumblr.com/ Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jinxtravel/ In 1992, a local villager named Wu Anai grew dissatisfied with the legend that the ponds lacked a foundation. Great Wall Of Chinas Most Popular Section Gets A Visitors Cap, Eat, Stay And Explore: The Ultimate Travel Guide To Mukteshwar, 10 Coolest Things To Do In Hong Kong This Month. Government officials and academic experts were consulted. Despite this, the interior of the caves is filled with intricate patterns. No one knows who built them. Despite their immensity and the effort required to create them, archival sources have yet to reveal any evidence of their construction or existence. A rough estimation of the workload involved in building the Longyou Caves is awe-inspiring. The Longyou Caves located in the village of Shiyan Beicun in Zhejiang Province is known as the 'ninth wonder of the ancient world' in China. The villagers considered them an endless source of water, or bottomless pools. So how did they achieve this precision? There are 24 of them connected to each other with thin walls. It would have taken a very powerful person, perhaps a king or ruler, to finance and coordinate such a building project. Our ancient ancestors have achieved many wondrous things throughout history, but this discovery from China is truly an unsolved mystery which has yet to be cracked. When the Longyou caverns were first pumped dry, no evidence of life and absolutely no fish were found inside their walls. The entire territory the Longyou Caves occupies is only one square kilometre (0.38 sq mi). The Longyou Caves contain numerous mysteries, some of which remain unresolved. My total guess on this is that they were created around the fall of the last golden age of humanity as an escape and place to live in relative safety while all hell broke loose on the surface. 2023 - Curiosmos | All rights reserved | Created with, Cracking the Code: AI Model Unlocks Ancient Akkadian Text, 10 Fascinating Facts About Marco Polo, the Renowned Venetian Explorer, Lost in Time: Pit of Severed Hands Offers Glimpse into Mysterious Ancient Egyptian Ceremony, The Oldest Odin Inscription Dates Back to The 5th Century. The Longyou Caves are a progression of expansive counterfeit sandstone sinkholes situated at Phoenix Hill, close to the town of Shiyan Beicun on the Qu River in Longyou County, Quzhou prefecture, Zhejiang area, China. Was such labor-intensive work purely for decoration? Longyou Caves: Mystery Solved on the Purpose of These Caves? Were they slaves who constructed these caves by Some chinese emperor who let them.out after the construction was finished? Although the overall excavation involved almost a million cubic metres of stone, there is . If the caves had been used as an emperors palace, they would have been designed differently, with distinct rooms for entertaining, meeting, and sleeping. The magnificent Longyou caves are a series of large artificial sandstone caverns, located at Phoenix Hill, near the village of Shiyan Beicun in Zhejiang province . What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? Browse 5 LONGYOU CAVES photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. . One of the caverns has been opened to tourists because it contains stone carvings depicting a horse, a fish, and a bird. Using estimates, a six year long (likely more) work camp supporting that many people would have burned a forest worth of timber and left a permanent scar on the land. What strategies did they use? By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. The caves were discovered by accident in 1992, when local farmers drained several ponds revealing five large manmade caverns and 19 smaller caves. Are the lines or motifs somehow symbolic? All of this even when some of the walls are as thin as 50 centimeters thick and the region is prone to natural disasters. 363 Longyou Caves Chinaculture.org According to Chinese media, Hongxun argues that Goujian used the caves to hide his thousands of soldiers following a crushing defeat in battle. The water had to be drained out for them to realize that these were not the same as the other bottomless ponds in the area but rather structures created by humans. / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 ). The area has endured numerous floods, disasters, and conflicts over the centuries, the mountains have changed appearance, and exposed stones have been weathered, but inside the Longyou Caves, the form, patterns, and markings are as clear and precise as if they were constructed yesterday. Whats strange about this site is not just the size, but that no records exist about its creation, how it was made, why it was made, and who it was made by. The caves were found to contain historical relics from the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han who lived from 91 to 48 BCE, suggesting the cave was forged by humans over 2,000 years ago. As mentioned, there were no artifacts found inside; not even a small item. The construction of the caves involved sophisticated techniques. Despite this, the caves remain impeccably well-preserved. The local area is known for having deep naturally occurring caverns that are filled with water. Since they were totally submerged, no signs of obvious water damage are evident. The Longyou Caves were first discovered in 1992, the Longyou Caves are a series of large artificial caverns located in Zhejiang province, China. The walls of modern mines made with continuous mining machines look very much like the walls of the Longyou caverns. The Longyou Caves in Chinas Zhejiang province is interesting to say the least. (Zhangzhugang / CC BY-SA 4.0 ). We seek to retell the story of our beginnings. Never miss a news release from the Curiosmos team. Today, they are one of the enduring enigmas that have baffled specialists from every field. They will however continue to amaze and impress visitors to the region with both their grandiosity and size. Located near the village of Shiyan Beicun in Zhejiang province, China, lie the Longyou Caves - an extensive, magnificent and rare ancient underground world considered in China to be the ninthwonder of the ancient world. Thought to date back at least 2,000 years, theLongyou Caves, also known as the Xiaonanhai Stone Chambers, represent one of the largest underground excavations of ancient times and are an enduring mystery that have perplexed experts from every discipline that has examined them. Parallel lines have been incised into virtually every surface of the Longyou Caves, from floor to ceiling. Scientists have predicted that it would take 1,000 individuals labouring day and night for six years to complete, taking into consideration the average pace of digging per day per person. Tom is a writer in London with a Master's degree in Journalism whose editorial work covers anything from health and the environment to technology and archaeology. Longyou Caves - Quzhou , China - Atlas Obscura Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - Contact us. Does anyone know if this would be possible as a day trip from Shanghai? As per Jia Gang, an expert in civil engineering at Tongji University, There should be lamps because the caves entrance is very narrow and the sunlight could only enter the cave at a specific angle and time. There are similar machining marks in the cavities at Petra and at many megalithic quarries. Of all of the mysteries around the caves, perhaps the biggest is figuring out just how they were constructed.