Anyone Missing a Pyramid?

This is the coolest thing I've seen in the news in a long time. A massive pyramid, one-third larger than the biggest pyramid in Egypt, has been masquerading as a small mountain just outside the town of Visoko, Bosnia, 20 miles northwest of Sarajevo.

The first pyramid discovered in Europe, and not just any pyramid, but the biggest one of all! Once excavated, it could be over 700 feet (70 stories) high, about a third taller than the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt. Who would have thought it? But the discovery doesn't stop there. Apparently two smaller hills nearby could be pyramids as well, connected to the main structure by miles of man-made tunnels.

How old is the complex? The area has been inhabited by humans for at least 24,000 years, with evidence of permanent settlements dating back 7000 years. The pyramid may be older than that, perhaps some 12,000 years old. By comparison, the Great Pyramid of Giza is only 4500 years old. The oldest pyramid in Egypt, the Step Pyramid of Zoser in Saqqara, is less than 5000 years old.

So we're talking old. Really old.

The "mountain" was the site of a Roman observation post and later a medieval fortress. However, it seems the pyramid underneath had been buried and forgotten long before Roman times. Even though the hill just happened to be a perfect pyramid shape, oriented to the cardinal compass direction points.

The local tourist traps have already started selling pyramid key chains and t-shirts. Excavations will be going on all summer, and I'm sure lots of curious visitors will be on hand to take a look.

I'll be looking for more info on this story in the months to come, that's for sure!

Until next Friday...

Joy Nash
www.joynash.com