China’s Guizhou Province is home to approximately a dozen conical hills known as the Anlong Pyramids due to their striking resemblance to Egypt’s famous pyramids.
Anlong County has seen an increase in tourism in recent years due to the pyramid-shaped mountains that have captured people’s attention worldwide. The structured stacking of the rock layers in the formations gives the impression of planned construction, which raises questions regarding their origins. Despite professional attempts to verify the Anlong Pyramids’ natural origins, conspiracy theories have been used since images and videos of the structures started making the rounds on the internet in 2018. Some still believe that extraterrestrials or an extinct human civilization created these constructions.
Zhou Qiuwen, a professor at Guizhou Normal University, claims that the Anlong Pyramids, which date back about 200 million years, are an excellent illustration of karst terrain. According to Zhou, the foundation of today’s pyramids was formed when minerals dissolved in the water and recrystallized as dolomite when Anlong County was submerged under a shallow sea. He pointed out that the different piled rock layers result from periodic changes in climate, geological structure, and other things.
Zhou went on to say that a well-known geological process is responsible for the block-like structure of these rocks, which is frequently cited as proof of human or extraterrestrial construction. Water can progressively erode the rocks through tiny cracks, resulting in segmented, block-like structures. He also explained the pyramidal structure of these karst formations: water erosion tears away the upper layers more quickly than the lower ones, creating broad bases and pointed peaks.
Despite these scientific theories, there is still debate regarding the origins of the Anlong Pyramids. Some people think they are prototypes of actual pyramids, some say they are old graves constructed by a long-lost culture, and some even think aliens created them.
Natural formations resembling pyramids have always attracted people, frequently leading to conspiracy theories. For example, there are similar theories about a mountain in Antarctica that resembles a pyramid. The Anlong Pyramids’ unique combination of ethereal beauty and enigmatic charm never fails to awe and intrigue.
