The Lost
Civilization of Yonaguni
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. |