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The world is filled with unsolved mysteries, and one of the most intriguing ones sits quietly beneath the ocean’s surface—known as the Yonaguni Monument.

This massive, pyramid-like formation lies 25 meters below sea level near the Japanese island of Yonaguni. Its shape and structure have sparked debate among researchers and history enthusiasts for decades.

The monument was first discovered in 1987, and it gets its name from its proximity to Yonaguni Island, which lies at the westernmost point of Japan’s territory.

 

 

The discovery itself happened by complete accident. Local diver Kihachiro Aratake came across the strange formation while exploring the area underwater.“I was very emotional when I found it,” he told the BBC, reflecting on the moment he made the unexpected find.

“Upon discovering it, I realized that this would become a treasure of Yonaguni island. I kept it a secret. I didn’t tell anyone on my staff.”

Of course, such a major find didn’t stay under wraps for long. Soon after, a group of scientists swooped in to investigate the curious formation more closely.

 

 

Some experts now believe the monument may date back as far as 10,000 years. That’s led to even more curiosity, especially since the structure features what look like staircases, flat platforms, and sharply carved angles—things you’d expect in something man-made.

Because of these details, some have started calling the Yonaguni Monument “Japan’s Atlantis” and even argue that it might be older than both the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge.

 

 

To put it in perspective, historians say the Egyptian pyramids are about 4,500 years old.Meanwhile, Stonehenge is believed to be around 5,000 years old, according to English Heritage.

 

 

But when it comes to the age and origin of the Yonaguni Monument, experts are still pretty divided. The big question is whether the structure was naturally formed or carved by human hands.This very debate came to a head during a 2024 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, where writer Graham Hancock and archaeologist Flint Dibble shared very different takes on the monument’s origin.

It’s long been debated whether the monument was natural or man-madeYouTube/@PADI_JP

 

 

“I’ve seen a lot of crazy natural stuff and I see nothing here that to me reminds me of human architecture,” argued Dibble during the conversation.To which Hancock fired back: “To me, Flint, it’s stunning that you see that as a totally natural thing, but I guess we’ve just got very different eyes.”

He went on to say, according to the New York Post“If this really was built by a mysterious civilization more than 10,000 years ago, it would place Yonaguni in the same league as Göbekli Tepe in Turkey – one of the oldest known man-made structures, dated to around 9500 BC.”

 

 

Japanese marine geologist Masaaki Kimura also shares Hancock’s view that the structure didn’t form on its own. He believes the monument is one of the oldest man-made creations we’ve ever come across.Back in 2007, Kimura said he thought the Yonaguni Monument was at least 6,000 years old. But interestingly, when he first studied it, he believed it was natural. That opinion changed as he continued examining the site.

 

 

“I think it’s very difficult to explain away their origin as being purely natural, because of the vast amount of evidence of man’s influence on the structures,” he told National Geographic.And so, the mystery lives on… and continues to divide opinions across the globe.

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