The Lost Civilization of Yonaguni

Published by qlewa, at 16:09, 2008, under Lost civilization

Oct

Humans have been building for a long time. Structures _(1)_ 6,000 years old have been discovered that were built by ancient Egyptians, Indians, Chinese, and Mesopotamians. However, even these very old cultures recorded legends of groups that lived long before. The stories tell of places like Atlantis, Thule, and Mu that _(2)_ terrible disasters and disappeared into the ocean.

In modern times, these are commonly thought to be _(3)_ more than folktales. However, a recent discovery is making scientists and historians think again. Off the shore of Yonaguni Island, just 125 kilometers east of Taiwan, divers discovered _(4)_ appeared to be a huge building underwater. Since the first sighting in 1987, teams of scientists have been back to reexamine the site many times. The structure seems to be about the same size as the Egyptian pyramids but may be nearly 3,500 years older than those famous monuments. This would make it the oldest building on the planet.

_(5)_ Yonaguni, as many as four sites have been discovered in the waters around Taiwan that appear man-made. Nothing is known about the civilization that might have built these sites, and scientists are not sure if they are the work of ancient people. More underwater detective work will have to be done _(6)_ anything is certain. However, as more is learned about these mysterious buildings, we may want to take another look at those old tales of cities _(7)_ beneath the waves.