Structures made of huge stone blocks. Megalithic structures: types and types. Residence of the Emperor of Japan - the styling is amazing

On all continents of our planet, with the exception of Antarctica, you can find mysterious structures made of processed blocks of stone. They are called megaliths. Most buildings consist of huge blocks of stone, weighing from tens to hundreds and even thousands of tons.

The stone blocks were carefully cut and polished thousands of years ago. But even the past centuries could not affect the quality of their connection - they are fitted to each other so precisely that it is impossible to insert a knife blade into the connections.

Most megaliths are located near the shores of seas and rivers, sometimes they are under water, and often occupy highlands. The material for making megaliths is often not found in the immediate area and was probably transported hundreds of kilometers from the mining site to the construction site.

All tens of thousands of currently known dolmens can be divided into several types, according to the features of their design:

1. Actually classical dolmens.
2. Underground dolmens - tulumus.
3. Ensembles of dolmens - cairns.
4. Single processed stones - menhirs.
5. Structures made of three stones - trilithons.
6. Complexes of many trilithes - cromlechs.
7. Cyclopean walls, made of something like bricks - huge stone blocks.

Classic dolmens. They are the most common. More than 65 thousand of them have been scientifically described in the world! In terms of their design, they consist of four vertically placed stone slabs forming walls, and a thicker slab covering them - a kind of lid.

Often the “lid” is located with a bevel in one direction and an overhang in the opposite direction. Thus, a “visor” is formed. In the slab, under this canopy, at a height of about half a meter from the ground, there is a through hole drilled with excellent quality. The diameter of such a hole is about 50-60 centimeters.

It is extremely rare to find dolmens whose holes are either completely absent or are closed with a kind of mushroom-shaped plug, carved from the same material as the wall slabs. Even rarer are the classic dolmens, which have no walls at all; they are replaced by four pillars hewn from stone on which a multi-ton lid rests.

Tulumus are a rare type of classical dolmens. Even in ancient times, builders placed them either in the depths of caves, or simply covered them with earth for unknown purposes. Otherwise, in their design, tulumuses are no different from ordinary dolmens.

Cairns. They are huge ensembles of many classical dolmens. Placed side by side, these dolmens form giant covered galleries. In size, cairns are in no way inferior to pyramids. But not in terms of height - it rarely exceeds 15-20 meters, but in its area - for example, the Barneys cairn (located in the north of France) covers an area of ​​more than two hectares!

Menhirs. This is another type of dolmen that stands out for its minimalism. Their appearance It consists of stone columns up to 25-30 meters high, whose weight sometimes exceeds 500 tons! Such columns are often installed strictly vertically or at a certain, strictly adjusted angle in desert places.

Sometimes dozens, or even thousands of menhirs are installed not far from each other. Thus, they form huge fields of vertically standing cyclopean columns.

Triliths. A curious type of dolmen is a development of the menhir - two vertical stone columns were installed nearby, and a third was placed horizontally on top of them. This is how the giant gates turned out.

Cromlechs are complex ring-shaped complexes of trilithes spread over vast areas. Such a structure is the well-known Stonehenge. This monument ancient architecture built from dozens of stone blocks, whose weight is about 50 tons and length is 8-10 meters! The area of ​​Stonehenge exceeds one and a half hectares!

Especially worth it. For a very long time it was believed that megaliths could only be on the surface of the land. However, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, authoritative archaeological expeditions made a series of sensational discoveries - they discovered a mass of underwater megaliths!

The first such discovery was made by west coast islands of Cuba (at a depth of more than 600 meters), a little later megaliths were discovered in Indian Ocean- off the coast of Indonesia and in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Japan and a number of islands in Oceania.

Not far from the last of the megaliths, there are essentially almost a hundred small islands with an area of ​​more than 90 hectares. Here, under the waters Pacific Ocean found giant buildings- Non-Madol temple, fortress walls and sea dams.

Their height in some places exceeds 20-30 meters and nowhere falls below 10 meters. Since the dynamics of the ocean level is well known from the research of paleoclimatologists, and there is no doubt, this makes it possible to accurately date the minimum age of these grandiose structures: from 10 to 15 thousand years ago!

But, despite all of the above, official historical science is still recognized as an immutable truth: megaliths were built by primitive tribes at the end of the Stone Age - in the Neolithic. This was, according to the assurances of venerable archaeologists, no earlier than the 7th millennium BC.

The material for the construction of megaliths was a natural mineral that was formed hundreds of millions of years ago. There is still no sufficiently reliable method for determining the time when the megalith blocks were cut out of the rock mass in a quarry.

For this reason, radiocarbon analysis is carried out on the remains of human activity found next to the megalith in the cultural layers accompanying it. Often such objects are traces of ancient fires that were lit inside dolmens.

In the case of menhirs, the age of the closest Paleolithic site of primitive people is usually taken as the point of their creation. Despite all the obvious unreliability and proximity of such dating, even it suggests that the megaliths are orders of magnitude older than all the peoples known to us who lived on these lands.

BEHIND THE SECRETS OF THE MEGALITHS.

As a result, a logical question arises: why did people build these gigantic structures in those ancient times? The first step to answering this question is to find out how the megaliths were built.

The most common explanation in the scientific community for the method of building megaliths comes down to an analogy with the construction of pyramids. In the sense that hundreds of people were involved, from blocks, ropes and levers. It was in this way that giant stone blocks were transported and placed one on top of the other.

But if you think about it, you can find a number of contradictions in this explanation. First of all, there are relatively few pyramids and they were built over decades in lands rich in resources to provide for the builders. But tens of thousands of megaliths are known. And many of them stand in hard to reach places, and in the lands surrounding them there were never rich sources for the life of primitive tribes.

We can conclude that the megaliths were built quite quickly. This is confirmed by many legends among various peoples about the creators of megaliths. These legends tell of white, red-bearded gods or goddesses who came to these lands from afar and built megaliths in a matter of days.

Having analyzed all the above facts, we can conclude that the megaliths were built by some ancient sailors. They belonged to an ancient culture unknown to us, quite highly developed, possessing a significant amount of knowledge about mechanics, geometry and crystal chemistry.

In search of an answer to the question of the purpose of megaliths, it was believed for a very long time that they were tombs. But in thousands of structures studied in detail, not even a hint of burial remains has been revealed. And if they were there, then they were from a much later era. If megaliths were structures for ritual purposes, then why are they so different from other structures for performing religious rituals? Why are megaliths so simple and utilitarian?

Another common explanation for the purpose of megaliths is that they were ancient observatories. As evidence, the facts were usually cited that most megaliths are oriented according to the time and place of the equinox. But this is completely irrational even for primitive thinking. The stone blocks used were too huge.

And, what is most interesting, indeed, since ancient times there have been structures made of stones that were used as observatories (this is a proven fact), but the maximum weight of the stones from which they were built does not exceed 250-300 kilograms, and not 50 tons like ordinary megaliths!

From time to time, publications appear in the tabloid press, the authors of which claim that megaliths were landmarks for some kind of transport (most often alien). But then why are the signs located in such huge complexes and often in hard-to-reach places where they are not visible at all?

By studying megaliths in detail, researchers were able to find a number interesting facts. First of all, it turned out that without exception, all megalithic buildings on all continents of the planet were built from the same material - quartz sandstone. Often its deposits are located hundreds of kilometers from the location of the megalith.

Science now knows that quartz (the main element of which quartz sandstone is composed) is an excellent generator of electric current when it is compressed (this is called the piezoelectric effect) and is capable of stabilizing the oscillation frequency. After the emergence of an electromagnetic field and with simultaneous compression, quartz crystals simultaneously generate ultrasound and radio waves.

Nowadays, all these features of quartz are used in electronics. For example, during a study of the well-preserved Royallight cromlech (located in Britain), it was revealed that this cromlech emits powerful ultrasonic pulses shortly before sunrise. They are most intense and complex in structure during the equinox.

All individual stones of the Royallight megalith have their own diagram and radiation intensity. This is multiplied and somehow modulated due to the thoughtful arrangement of all the stone blocks that make up this megalith.

Almost all megalithic buildings, without exception, are emitters. To increase their power, one stone block was placed on top of another in a special way. And the menhirs were installed on a thinner end, under which a specially processed supporting stone was placed - which had a well-defined piezoelectric effect.

And last mysterious fact— many megaliths are located above deep faults in the earth’s crust. These are the so-called pathogenic/geopathogenic areas. This is unlikely to be a mere coincidence, but what does it mean and how did Stone Age people determine the structure of the earth's surface at a depth of kilometers? All this remains a mystery awaiting scientific solution.

The term “megaliths” comes from the Greek words μέγας - large, λίθος - stone. Megaliths are structures made of stone blocks or blocks, from different rocks, various modifications, sizes and shapes, combined and installed in such an order that these blocks/blocks constitute a single monumental structure.

Stone blocks in megalithic structures weigh from several kilograms to hundreds and even thousands of tons. Individual structures are so huge and unique that it is not at all clear how they were built. Also in the scientific world there is no consensus regarding the technologies of ancient builders.

Some megaliths seem to have been carved (processed) with some kind of tools, some objects seem to have been cast from liquid materials, and some objects have traces of clearly artificial processing by unknown technologies.

Megalithic culture is represented in absolutely all countries of the world, on land and under water (and...probably not only on our planet..). The age of the megaliths is different, the main period of megalith construction is determined from the 8th to the 1st millennium BC, although some objects have much more ancient origin, which is often denied by official science. Megalithic monuments of a later period are also widely represented - 1-2 millennia AD.

Classification and types of megaliths

According to their classification, megaliths are divided into separate categories:

• megalithic complexes (ancient cities, settlements, temples, fortresses, ancient
• observatories, palaces, towers, walls, etc.);
• pyramids and pyramidal mountain complexes;
• mounds, ziggurats, kofuns, cairns, tumuli, tombs, galleries, chambers, etc.;
• dolmens, trilithons, etc.;
• menhirs (standing stones, stone alleys, statues, etc.);
• seids, Sin-stones, trail-stones, cup-stones, altar-stones, etc.;
• stones/rock with ancient images - petroglyphs;
• rock, cave and underground structures;
• stone labyrinths (surads);
• geoglyphs;
• and etc.

There are many hypotheses about the purpose of megaliths, but there are some features that are characteristic of many megaliths of the world, regardless of their classification, modification, size, etc. - these are their external similarity, locations (geolocation), geophysical characteristics and belonging to certain highly developed civilizations. The study of megaliths using geophysics and dowsing began in the 20th century. During the study, it was absolutely established that the places for the construction of megaliths were not chosen by chance; very often megaliths are located in places (near) dowsing anomalies (in different-frequency geopathogenic zones - near or on a tectonic fault in the earth’s crust).

Thus, it can be assumed that the generator of these waves of different frequencies are tectonic faults, and stone structures in this case act as multifunctional acoustic devices that resonate with this frequency.

It turns out that megaliths can influence human bioenergy! This allows you to effectively correct a person’s biofield by influencing both his energy points of the body and individual systems.

In ancient times, dedicated priests engaged in similar practices, and this was practiced with the help of various rites and rituals.

With the help of stones, ancient priests, shamans, healers communicated with the spirits of departed ancestors, with the gods, received the answers they were interested in, treated diseases, etc., and also made offerings and demands (not sacrifices, which appeared later and most likely not by the creators of megaliths). Knowledge about this was first distorted, then completely erased.

Almost everywhere near the megaliths there was or is water (some kind of reservoir, stream, spring, etc.)! Often the orientation of megaliths is directed towards the water, this is especially clearly seen in the example of most dolmens Krasnodar region, which in turn, not without reason, are the standard in dolmen construction.

It is also worth mentioning the orientation of many megaliths to the cardinal points, taking into account some astronomical features.

Often, when studying megaliths, one gets the impression that over time the builders seemed to have lost the ability to erect stone structures and over time the megaliths became like only distant copies of the original structures.

Perhaps, for some reason, the ancients lost that knowledge and technology, and most importantly, over time, the need for megalith construction was lost.

However, despite the time, megalith building continues to exist in the world. Even today in Sumatra (Indonesia), people continue to create funerary stone monuments that are similar in appearance to ancient megaliths, thus preserving the memory and customs of their ancestors.

In many places around the world, traditions, legends and stories have been preserved that many megaliths are associated with the reincarnation of dead people.

Many megaliths are closely related to astrology, in connection with this, a new direction in antiquity researchers has emerged - archaeoastronomy. It is archaeoastronomers who study the astronomical aspect in megalith construction. It was archaeoastronomers who proved many hypotheses regarding the purpose of many ancient stone structures.

Some megalithic structures were created to determine the main solar and lunar cycles of the year. These objects served as calendars and observatories for observing celestial bodies.

Megaliths - the legacy of ancient civilizations

Unfortunately, in our time, in all corners of the world, for various reasons, the tendency to destroy ancient monuments continues, but new finds of ancient structures also continue to be discovered all over the world.

Many studies and the objects themselves are stubbornly hushed up by official departments, or dates are deliberately incorrectly determined and reports and conclusions of scientists are falsified, because many objects simply do not fit into the generally accepted chronology of our civilization.

Megaliths are the very objects that connect us with the distant past, with the deep past, and it can definitely be said that they have not yet revealed all their secrets to people...

Megalithic structures appeared and spread widely during the Bronze Age. Megaliths include the following structures:

• menhirs;
• dolmens;
• alinemans;
• cromlechs;
• covered walkways;
• and other buildings made of large stone blocks and slabs.

Megalithic structures can be found in every corner of the globe: in the Caucasus, Crimea, Western and Northern Europe (England, France, Denmark, Holland), in India, Iran, on the Balkan Peninsula, in North Africa and other countries.

Figure 1. Megalithic structures. Author24 - online exchange of student works

History of the appearance of megalithic structures and types

The appearance of various types of megalithic structures is often associated with cults of veneration of ancestors, the sun or fire, and totems. Large-scale work on processing and moving stone blocks was carried out with the help of a huge number of people under the primitive community of labor organization. The most common monuments of this type are dolmens.

Definition 1

Dolmens are burial structures that consist of several slabs arranged vertically and covered with a horizontal slab.

The weight of the slabs reached several tens of tons. Initially, dolmens reached a length of two meters, their height did not exceed 150 centimeters. However, over time, their size became larger; the approach to them was arranged in the form of a stone gallery. The length of such galleries could reach 20 meters. Another type of megalithic structures are menhirs.

Definition 2

Menhirs are vertically installed stone pillars that have a rounded cross-section, a height of up to 20 meters, and a weight of about 300 tons.

Menhirs are located near dolmens, so there is an assumption that funeral rites connect them. Menhirs can often be found in small groups that are arranged in parallel rows. It happens that the length of such rows reaches 30 kilometers.

An example is Carnac in Brittany, where the number of menhirs reaches 3000. It is believed that each menhir is a monument to a deceased person.

Note 1

Menhirs did not arise out of vital necessity, when a person needed to build a home or warehouses. The creation of menhirs was based on an idea that is not related to the struggle for existence. But, despite this, considerable efforts were made to extract, deliver and hoist these blocks, which reached impressive sizes and considerable weight.

The fact of such a rapid spread of this type of megalithic structure indicates that menhirs were a kind of expression of ideas that were the same for the people of that era, regardless of their actual location.

It is no coincidence that these stones were enormous in size and weight. If we take into account their historical relationship with subsequent structures that had architectural features, then a menhir is a funerary monument or monument that is similar in its memorial column, but a dolmen is a crypt, tomb or sarcophagus. The cromlech at Stonehenge is already a kind of temple, albeit a very primitive one.

Definition 3

Cromlechs are large groups of menhirs that are arranged in closed circles. Sometimes circles consist of several rows of vertically placed stones.

An example of a complex megalithic structure is Stonehenge. This is a circle with a diameter of 30 meters, which consists of vertically placed stones. From above they are covered with horizontal slabs. In the middle of the structure there are two rings of low stones, and between them there is a third ring of tall blocks arranged in pairs. In the center is a single stone, which is believed to be an altar. Stonehenge is a famous megalithic structure, which already has such architectural elements as center, rhythm, symmetry.

In this type one can see a structure in which a technical problem not only found a certain type of solution, but also received an aesthetic embodiment, which indicates the architect’s mastery of a sense of rhythm, space, form, scale and proportions. Other megaliths do not possess such qualities, since according to all the above characteristics, they are all closer to amorphous natural creatures than to the work of human hands.

Despite this, the cromlech located in Stonehenge also cannot be called an architectural structure. It is too massive in relation to the horizontals, its verticals are too heavy. The technicality of the appearance in this case prevails over its artistic composition. Exactly the same as in all other structures that preceded the formation of the cromlech:

• dugouts;
• semi-dugouts;
• huts;
• above-ground adobe structures that had a utilitarian purpose.

The artistic form arose only when the utilitarian form reached perfection. It was also at the final stage of the Bronze Age, when crafts and the artistic industry actively emerged.

A huge number of megalithic structures have been collected in the Caucasus. Stone alleys, which in Armenia were called the stone army, became widespread here. There are also stone images of fish, which were the personification of the deity of fertility.

Magical architecture of megalithic structures

The origins of architecture date back to the late Neolithic. At that time, stone was already used to create monumental structures. All megaliths of antiquity can be divided into two large groups:

• Ancients architectural structures prehistoric societies: cromlechs, menhirs, dolmens, temples of Malta. Almost unprocessed stones were used to build such structures. Cultures that used such structures are called megalithic. This culture also includes labyrinths made of small stones, as well as individual stone blocks with petroglyphs. Megalithic architecture also includes dolmens of the Korean nobility and tombs of Japanese emperors.
• Megalithic structures of more developed architecture. These are structures made of large stone blocks that have a regular geometric shape. Such megalithic architecture is characteristic of early powers, which were not built in later times. This includes monuments of the Mediterranean: megalithic structures Mycenaean civilization, pyramids in Egypt, temple mount, which is located in Jerusalem.

The most beautiful megalithic structures in the world

Gobekli Tepe, Türkiye. The complex is located on the Armenian Highlands. This megalithic structure is considered the oldest in the world. According to historical data, it was formed in the 10th–9th millennium BC. People at that time were engaged in gathering and hunting. The shape of this megalithic temple resembles circles, of which there are more than 20 pieces. According to experts, this architectural complex was deliberately covered with sand. Its height reached 15 meters, and its diameter was 300 meters.

Megaliths in Carnac (Brittany) France. Many megalithic structures were represented as ceremonial centers in which cults for the burial of the dead were carried out. This includes the megalith complex in Carnac (Brittany), which is located in France. It contains about 3000 stones. The megaliths reached a height of 4 meters, they were arranged in the form of an alley, the rows ran parallel to each other. This architectural complex can be dated back to the 5th–4th millennium BC. There were legends that Merlin ordered the ranks of Roman legionnaires to be turned to stone.

Figure 8. Megaliths at Carnac (Brittany), France. Author24 - online exchange of student works

Nabta Observatory, Nubia, which is located in the Sahara. Some megalithic structures were previously used to determine astronomical events (equinox and solstices). At that time, a megalithic structure was found in the Nubian desert in the Nabta Playa area, which was used for astronomical purposes. Thanks to the special arrangement of the megaliths, it was possible to determine the day of the summer solstice. Archaeologists believe that people then lived seasonally, only when there was water in the lake. That's why they needed a calendar.

Stonehenge, UK, Salisbury. Stonehenge is a megalithic structure, which is presented in the form of 82 columns, 30 stone blocks and five huge trilithons. The weight of the columns reaches 5 tons, stone blocks - 25 tons, and huge stones weigh 50 tons. The stacked blocks form arches that previously pointed to the cardinal directions. According to scientists, this structure was erected in 3100 BC. The ancient monolith was not only a lunar and solar calendar, but was also an exact cross-section of the solar system.

Figure 9. Stonehenge, UK, Salisbury. Author24 - online exchange of student works

By comparing the mathematical parameters of the geometric figures of the cromlech, it was possible to establish that they all reflect the parameters of the various planets of the solar system, and also model the orbits of their rotation. What is surprising is that Stonehenge is a representation of the 12 planets of the solar system, although today it is believed that there are only 9 of them. Astronomers have long believed that there are two more planets beyond the outer orbit of Pluto, and the asteroid belt is the remains of a previously existing 12th planets. How could the ancient builders of the cromlech know about this?

There is another interesting version about the purpose of Stonehenge. During the excavation of the path along which ritual processions were carried out, in Once again support the hypothesis that the cromlech was built along the Ice Age terrain. This place was special: the natural landscape was located along the solstice axis, connecting heaven and earth.

Cromlech Broughgar or Sun Temple, Orkney. Initially, this structure had 60 elements, but today only 27 rocks have been preserved. The place where the cromlech is located is ritual. It is “stuffed” with various mounds and burials. All the monuments here are united into a single architectural complex, which is preserved by UNESCO. Today, archaeological excavations are being carried out on the islands.

Temples of Ggantija in Šara. It is located in the central part of the island of Gozo and is one of the world's most important attractions. The megalithic structure is presented in the form of two separate temples, each of which has a concave façade. In front of the entrance there is a platform made of stone blocks. Most ancient temple architectural complex consists of several semicircular rooms arranged in the shape of a trefoil.

Figure 10. Ggantija Temples in Šara. Author24 - online exchange of student works

Scientists believe that such a trinity is a symbol of the past, present and future. According to historians, temple complex- This is a sanctuary for worshipers of the goddess of fertility. However, there is a version that the Ggantija temple is a tomb, because the population of the megalithic era followed traditions. They revered their ancestors and erected tombs, and later these places became sanctuaries where they worshiped the gods.

4 950

In many countries of the world and even on the seabed there are mysterious structures made of huge stone blocks and slabs. They were called megaliths (from the Greek words “megas” - large and “lithos” - stone). It is still not known exactly who and for what purpose carried out such titanic work in very ancient times in various places on the planet, because the weight of some blocks reaches tens or even hundreds of tons.

The most amazing stones in the world

Megaliths are divided into dolmens, menhirs and trilithons. Dolmens are the most common type of megaliths; these are peculiar stone “houses”; in Brittany (province of France) alone there are at least 4,500 of them. Menhirs are vertically mounted elongated stone blocks. If a third is placed on top of two vertically mounted blocks, then such a structure is called a trilith. If the trilithons are installed in a ring ensemble, as in the case of the famous Stonehenge, then such a structure is called a cromlech.

Until now, no one can say for sure for what purpose these impressive structures were built. There are a lot of hypotheses on this matter, but none of them can comprehensively answer all the questions posed by these silent, majestic stones.

For a long time, megaliths were associated with an ancient funeral ritual, but archaeologists did not find any burials near most of these stone structures, and those that were found were most likely made at a later time.

The most widespread hypothesis, supported by many scientists, connects the construction of megaliths with the most ancient astronomical observations. In fact, some megaliths can be used as sights, allowing one to record the rising and setting points of the Sun and Moon on the solstices and equinoxes.

However, opponents of this hypothesis have quite fair questions and criticisms. Firstly, there are a lot of megaliths that are difficult to associate with any astronomical observations. Secondly, why did the ancients at that distant time need such a labor-intensive method of understanding the movement of the heavenly bodies? After all, even if they set the timing of agricultural work in this way, it is well known that the start of sowing depends much more on the condition of the soil and weather than on a specific date, and can shift in one direction or another. Thirdly, opponents of the astronomical hypothesis rightly point out that with such an abundance of megaliths, as, for example, in Karnak, you can always pick up a dozen stones allegedly installed for astronomical purposes, but what were thousands of others intended for then?

The scale of work carried out by the ancient builders is also impressive. Let's not dwell on Stonehenge, a lot has already been written about it, let's remember the megaliths of Karnak. Perhaps this is the largest megalithic ensemble in the whole world. Scientists believe that at first it numbered up to 10 thousand menhirs! Now only about 3 thousand vertically installed stone blocks have survived, in some cases reaching a height of several meters.

It is believed that this ensemble originally stretched for 8 km from Saint-Barbe to the Crash River; now it has survived for only 3 kilometers. There are three groups of megaliths. To the north of the village of Karnak there is a cromlech in the form of a semicircle and eleven ranks, in which there are 1169 menhirs with a height of 60 cm to 4 m. The length of the row is 1170 m.

No less impressive are the other two groups, which, most likely, once, together with the first, formed a single ensemble, back at the end of the 18th century. it was more or less preserved in its original form. The largest menhir of the entire ensemble was 20 meters high! Unfortunately, now it has been toppled and split, however, even in this form, the megalith inspires involuntary respect for the creators of such a miracle. By the way, even with the help of modern technology it is very difficult to cope with even a small megalith if it needs to be restored to its original form or moved to another place.

Are dwarfs “to blame” for everything?

Megalithic structures have been discovered even at the bottom Atlantic Ocean, and the oldest megaliths date back to the 8th millennium BC. Who was the author of such labor-intensive and mysterious stone structures?

Many legends in which megaliths are mentioned in one way or another often feature mysterious, powerful dwarfs who can effortlessly perform work that is beyond the capabilities of ordinary people. So, in Polynesia such dwarfs are called menehunes. According to local legends, they were ugly-looking creatures, only vaguely reminiscent of people, only 90 cm tall.

Although the menehunes had a look that made your blood run cold, the dwarves were generally kind to people and sometimes even helped them. Menehunes could not stand sunlight, so they appeared only after sunset, in the dark. Polynesians believe that these dwarfs are the authors of megalithic structures. It is curious that menehunes appeared in Oceania, arriving on the large three-tiered island of Kuaihelani.

If the Menehunes needed to be on land, their flying island would descend into the water and float to the shore. After completing the intended work, the dwarfs on their island again rose into the clouds.

The Adyghe people call the famous Caucasian dolmens houses of dwarfs, and Ossetian legends mention dwarfs who were called the Bitsenta people. The bicenta dwarf, despite his height, had remarkable strength and was capable of knocking down a huge tree with one glance. There are also references to dwarfs among the aborigines of Australia: as is known, megaliths are also found in large numbers on this continent.

IN Western Europe, where there is no shortage of megaliths, there are also widespread legends about powerful dwarfs who, like the Polynesian menehunes, cannot stand daylight and are distinguished by remarkable physical strength.

Although many scientists still maintain a certain skepticism towards legends, the widespread dissemination in the folklore of peoples of information about the existence of a small powerful people must be based on some real facts. Maybe a race of dwarfs actually once existed on Earth, or were aliens from outer space mistaken for them (remember the flying island of the Menehunes)?

The mystery remains a mystery for now

Megaliths may have been created for purposes that are still unclear to us. This conclusion was reached by scientists who studied the unusual energy effects that are observed in the locations of megaliths. Thus, in some stones the instruments were able to register weak electromagnetic radiation and ultrasounds. In 1989, researchers even detected inexplicable radio signals under one of the stones.

According to scientists, such mysterious effects can be explained by the fact that megaliths were often installed in places where there are faults in the earth's crust. How did the ancients find these places? Maybe with the help of dowsers? Why were megaliths installed in energetically active places in the earth’s crust? Scientists do not yet have clear answers to these questions.

In 1992, Kyiv researchers R. S. Furduy and Yu. M. Shvaidak proposed a hypothesis that megaliths could be complex technical devices, namely generators of acoustic or electronic vibrations. Quite an unexpected assumption, isn't it?

This hypothesis was not born out of nowhere. The fact is that English scientists had already established that many megaliths emit ultrasonic pulses. As scientists at Oxford University have suggested, ultrasonic vibrations arise due to weak electrical currents induced by solar radiation. Each individual stone emits a small amount of energy, but as a whole, a megalithic stone complex can create a powerful burst of energy at times.

It is curious that for most megaliths their creators selected rocks containing a large number of quartz. This mineral is capable of generating a weak electric current under the influence of compression... As is known, stones either shrink or expand due to temperature changes...

They tried to unravel the mystery of the megaliths based on the fact that their creators were primitive people of the Stone Age, but this approach turned out to be unproductive. Why not assume the opposite: the creators of megaliths had a very developed intellect, allowing them to use the natural properties of natural materials to solve technical problems still unknown to us. In fact - a minimum of costs, and what a disguise! These stones have stood for thousands of years, fulfilling their tasks, and only now people have some still vague doubts about their true purpose.

No metal could have withstood so much time, it would have been stolen by our enterprising ancestors or eaten away by corrosion, but the megaliths still stand... Perhaps someday we will reveal their secret, but for now it is better not to touch these stones. Who knows, maybe these structures are neutralizers of some formidable natural forces?

All over the world you can see incredible blocks of stone that have stood on Earth for thousands of years. They were installed long before people began to make any historical records, and therefore who built them and why remains unknown. It is believed that some dolmens were used as burial sites, others for observing the stars. Our review contains the most interesting megalithic structures and the stories associated with them.

1. Beltani stone circle

Found in the north-west of Ireland, near the town of Raphoe, the Beltany stone circle consists of 64 stones arranged in a 45 meter diameter circle around a mound. It is believed that the stones (which are mostly 2 meters high) were installed around 1400 - 800 BC.

There appears to have been some preliminary exploration of the site in the early 20th century when one Oliver Davies stated that "the site of the stone circle had recently been unscientifically excavated and left everything in a terrible confusion." Despite excavations, almost nothing is known about Beltani. The word "Beltany" possibly comes from the word "Beltane", which was the name of a pagan holiday.

"Beltane" in turn comes from "Baal Tinne", which means "fire of Baal". During this festival, bonfires were lit on the top of the mountain to “restore the power of the Sun.” Other theories claim that the Beltany Circle is similar to those at Carrowmore Cemetery, hinting that the site was used during burial procedures.

2. Megaliths of the Bada Valley

In the Bada Valley in Indonesia, you can find well-preserved sculptural monuments carved from solid stone blocks. Thanks to their unusual, remarkable appearance and the skill of their unknown creators, one would think that it would be fairly easy to determine when and why these megaliths were created. However, historians find it difficult to even answer how old they are, let alone why they were made. When trying to ask local residents about their purpose, the invariable answer is always that the stones "were always there." \

Although archaeological evidence regarding the purpose of these megaliths has not yet been found, local residents have their own legends. Some believe that megaliths date back to the time of human sacrifice, others say that they exist to ward off evil spirits.

The most interesting theories say that these are criminals who have turned into stone or that stones are able to move on their own. Adding special intrigue is the fact that the megaliths are made of stone that is not found anywhere else in the area.

3. Wheel of Spirits

Also known as the "Wheel of Giants", the Wheel of Spirits is a large circular megalithic structure near the Sea of ​​Galilee. It looks like a giant stone wheel with inner rings and "spokes" that connect them. Right in the middle of the inner ring is a burial site. Not only are archaeologists unsure if this burial site was made at the same time as the wheel, further study of the Spirit Wheel revealed that there were, in fact, no burials at this site.

It is believed that once upon a time this place There were valuable artifacts, as there is evidence that the excavation site was looted. As for the proposed functions, archaeologists do not believe that the site was built for habitation or defense. Some believe it was a calendar, given how the sunrise at the solstices aligns with the "spokes" of the wheel.

4. Rudston Monolith

The Rudston Monolith is the tallest menhir in the whole of Great Britain, which is located in the village of Rudston in the church cemetery. This impressive 7.6 meter high stone was probably erected around 1600 BC. Considering the age and popularity of the menhir in the village, it is not surprising that there are a lot of legends among local residents about its origin.

One legend claims that the monolith was a spear created by the devil to attack the church. Fortunately for him, he supposedly missed and the spear ended up in the cemetery instead of the church. As for the archaeological evidence of its origin, Sir William Strickland excavated and found that the monolith is half underground, i.e. it is at least 2 times higher than what is visible from the outside. He also discovered a huge number of skulls, potentially hinting at a sacrificial or religious purpose for the monolith.

5. Pipers and the Merry Maidens

Located in Cornwall, Pipers and Merry Maidens are separate megalithic monuments. The Pipers consists of two standing stones, while the Merry Maidens, located a short distance away, form a stone circle. The circle is completely complete, and on it east side is the entrance to the entire structure, which may hint at the astronomical purpose of the megaliths.

The area around these rock formations is rife with burial sites, which may be due to the fact that the stones had something to do with spiritual or funerary practices. Local legend claims that two pipers once played for dancing maidens on a Sunday, which was prohibited. As a result, they petrified on the spot.

6. Turua Stone

A beautiful sculptured stone in the early Celtic style can be found in County Galway, Ireland. The Turua Stone was once located within an Iron Age ring fort called the Rath of Feerwore. The upper half of the stone is covered with traditional Celtic abstract patterns made using the La Tene technique.

However, given that the stone has a slightly phallic shape, some sources claim that it may have been used in fertility rites. However, the name "Turoe" comes from "Cloch an Tuair Rua" ("Stone of the Red Pasture"), leading some to believe that the red symbolism is indicative of sacrifices performed in front of the Turoe Stone. Others believe that the stone originally came from France and only then was transported to Ireland.

7. Gisando Bulls

Found in the Spanish province of Avila, Spain, the "Bulls of Guisando" are a strange group of four bull statues carved from stone. They are part of a group of 400 similarly carved animals called verracos, which date back to around the fourth century BC.

Even though "verraco" means "boars", the statues are different types like these bulls. The four bulls are made in different poses, so they look like a group of bulls grazing in a field. It is believed that they were once horned, but due to the influence of atmospheric phenomena, the horns disappeared over the centuries.

Archaeologists do not know why verracos were made, but speculate (since such sculptures are usually found in places where they can be easily discovered) that they had a religious element and may have served to protect cities and farms from evil spirits.

8. Gray sheep

The "Grey Rams" on England's Dartmoor are a rare occurrence among megaliths in that they are not one, but two stone rings right next to each other. Both circles are made of 30 stones and their diameter is approximately 33 meters. During the excavation of the circles, a thin layer of charcoal was discovered, which suggests that fires were once often burned in this place. Why they did this in stone circles is a mystery.

Some claim that the circles were used to communicate with the world of spirits - one of them contained the living, the other was intended for spirits. Others place less emphasis on the spiritual element, stating that the two circles served for a ritual in which men were in one circle and women in the other. Still others believe that the circles could have been used as a meeting place for two neighboring tribes.

As with many other mysterious structures, the Gray Rams have their own myths associated with them. One of them says that a farmer who moved to Dartmoor once criticized the selection of sheep at the local market. After drinking ale in a tavern, the locals convinced him that they had fine sheep for sale. They led him to a foggy ravine, where the farmer allegedly saw the silhouettes of a herd. He bought sheep, and the next morning when he woke up, he discovered that he had actually bought "Grey Rams."

9. Dromberg

Also known as the "Altar of the Druids" among locals, Dromberg is a stone circle of 17 menhirs. While its exact origins are relatively unknown, there is some evidence as to why it was built. One of the stones is oriented in such a way that it coincides with sunset during the winter solstice.

During excavations in the Dromberg area, something even more interesting was discovered: the remains of a cremated person in a broken pot. The age of this burial was determined to be from 1100 BC. to 800 BC No one knows why the person was buried in such a peculiar way, but it hints at ritual purposes. In addition, there is evidence that people lived near Dromberg.

10. Deer stones

Reindeer stones, which are found throughout Northern Mongolia, are amazing carved megaliths that are often found around burial mounds. The height of these megaliths (which are this moment about 1200 have been found) typically ranges from 1 meter to 5 meters. They are believed to have been made around 1000 BC.

What makes these stones especially interesting is that they have deer depicted on them. The most ancient stones depict deer in “ordinary poses.” But as the years passed, deer began to be depicted on the stones, soaring in the sky. Next, deer began to be depicted interacting with the Sun, for example, holding it on their antlers. Interestingly, the remains of warriors with deer tattoos were also found in Northern Mongolia.