Unexplained monolith’s have been suddenly appearing around the globe. With no hint of the builder or insight from the unknown masterminds who have planted them there.
The first strange structure was found in the sandy red Utah desert miles from civilization on November 18, 2020 and disappeared nine days later. It has been described as being made of stainless steel, multi sided and stood approximately ten to 12 feet tall.
The next reported monolith sighting was discovered nearly 6,000 miles away in Romanian forest, on the very day its mysterious Utah counterpart vanished. This new three sided formation appeared standing on the Bâtca Doamnei plateau, near an archaeological site overlooking the city of Piatra Neamt and a neighboring holy mountain.
Being metallic and roughly the same height of the Utah structure the Romanian equivalent oddly vanished by December 1, 2020 as reported by Reuters news agency.
So what are these strange monuments and what do they represent? The word monolith translates from Greek to mean “a single block of stone” or carved from a single stone. Additionally the word often refers to a geological formation such as a tall feature made of rock, even a mountain. Our planet is filled with large staggering pillars and rugged natural solid mineral deposits that qualify being a true monolith by definition.
The Navajo Nations Monument Valley lying within Arizona and Utah certainly contain fascinating examples of monolithic rocks that are beautiful natural phenomena rising between 400 to 1,000 feet above the ground. The valley was once part of a seafloor where sediments and sandstone piled up in layers for millions of years. Tectonic forces pushed the slab above the water line creating a plateau. Tens of millions of years later wind and erosion wore away at the sedimentary rock giving us the towering structures that we see today.
Monoliths that are not sculptured by nature are occasionally done by man. The most famous is Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. A concentric ring of stones each 13 feet high and weighing 25 tons a piece have been methodically erected on a grassy plain perhaps as long as 4,500 years ago. By our definition, each single standing stone is monolithic as described.
To this day it is unknown why such a towering ancient structure was made. The most common explanation claims Stonehenge was built by the Druids, but modern evidence confirms that the structure was built one thousand years before their arrival to the area. In any case the earliest studies prove Stonehenge was used for burial and religious ceremonies and was important to the peasants and nobility of the region for many generations.
Monoliths are also related to obelisks, which are man-made structures that are much taller than they are wide usually have 4 sides that taper from the ground upwards. At the top of the obelisk a pyramid is usually found. Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics are incorporated into the stone in many circumstances.
Obelisks have origin in ancient Egypt and represent some of the oldest roots to mankind. Examples can be found worldwide. One of the most well known is Cleopatra’s Needle located in New York city’s Central Park, having been relocated there from Egypt. It is currently the only Egyptian Obelisk in the united states.
This is a true priceless treasure carved from a solid block of rose granite and being one of two similar obelisks erected in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis by Thutmose III, around 1450 B.C. in celebration of his 30 year rule. The pair were moved to Alexandra for Queen Cleopatra, during the reign of Augustus around 12 BC. Eventually the obelisks were sold by the Government of Egypt. One was sent to London in 1880 and the other to New York in 1881.
Perhaps there is a question as to the recent monolith trend by classic definition. The current sightings are not of solid rock or of stone structure, and thus by simple observation are man or even alien made.
They all appear to made of metal, sheet metal to be specific, held together with rivets. This is not something we would expect a race of aliens to construct, thus it we should surmise the current batch of newly discovered monoliths are in fact terrestrially manufactured, right here on the good old earth.
Are the current day monoliths a gesture of hope for mankind?
The builder of any earthly made monolith could be trying to make a statement, especially in such dire times. In Stanley Kubrick’s wondrous 1968 film – “2001 a Space Odyssey” a mysterious black monolith appears to pack of Ape-like humans that incites considerable attention. The film eventually purports this is a device or machine that is built by extraterrestrials encouraging humankind to progress forward for advancement of humanity and technology.
A later scene climaxes when one of the hominids uses a bone of an animal to smash the skull of cow, while under presence of the strange and alien monolith. The film presents a moment of superiority for the primitive Ape man for he has used the first “tool” for benefit of himself and others to hunt prey. However it ultimately becomes a tool of evil and he uses the bone as a weapon to destroy other ape-men.
The film suggests that as mankind advances so does his evil ways. Are the creators of today’s monoliths also pushing the same messages?
Today, our societies exist under many pressures. At the time of this writing the great Covid 19 pandemic is torturing the world. Many are begging for relief, as the suffering has greatly affected our lives and the fear of the unknown is monumental.
It would not be unexpected that some, perhaps an individual or variety of artists may wish to change fear to something we can believe in. Placing a monolith in an obscure location could be interpreted as symbolic gesture of an advanced culture. In any case the presence of a mysterious force that watches over us can be therapeutic and an omen of hope in the thoughts and minds of the masses.
Perhaps Kubrick’s film also points us to the awe and wonder of the strangely beautiful monolith and how even primitive man has become memorized in its presence. The shot below characterizes the need of mankind to become comfortable and familiar with the unknown just as the hominoids gather around to touch, feel and appreciate something they too, do not understand.
In looking through barrage of recent monoliths, some speculate that John McCracken , famous sculptor and artist maybe the person who created the Utah monolith. McCracken was known for his free-standing plank structures” but died in 2011. Since the earliest evidence of the Utah monolith first appear on Google Earth Maps in October 2016 it is doubtful McCracken is directly responsible. Interestingly it was not located in the same 2013 and 2015 series of maps.
McCracken who lived in New York and Los Angeles found one of his residences in New Mexico, in the American south west. He often placed his works on display in the David Zwirner Gallery in New York. Zwirner claimed the Utah Monolith is definitely one of McCracken’s creations that was kept a secret. The images below feature strikingly similar examples of monoliths being found today. However, they both were made by McCracken from stainless steel during his lifetime.
Yet, a spokesperson later commented that “While this is not a work by the late American artist John McCracken, we suspect it is a work by a fellow artist paying homage to McCracken…”
This was apparently determined by a detailed photographic inspection of the Utah monolith which reveals an assembly of rivets ,screws and perhaps less crafty workmanship. “This was not consistent with John’s work” David Zwirner replied in an interview with NBC News.
So, the mystery continues. Or does it?
A Group called The Most Famous Artist organized by artist Matty Mo posted an Instagram message that suggests they are responsible for the Utah monolith. The group has Monoliths for sale at $ 45,000.
Since the date of this article, dozens of monoliths have appeared all over the world, from Africa, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia. In the United Sates more than a dozen states have reported new pillars, cropping up almost anywhere. Some in vague places other in the business districts of cities and towns. More than a few have been removed and again consist mostly of sheet metal, rivets and screws bolted to a wood or metal framework.
They can be fabricated in a day or so at any sheet metal shop, which are plentiful around the world. Furnace duct work, and shrouds made for the professional kitchen industries are great examples of businesses that could make you good sized monolith. Perhaps for your pool or back yard.
A concrete base and some bolts would be needed to securely attach the monolith to the ground, to prevent it from being toppled over in a wind or rain storm. This would not need to be very complex.
It is unfortunately that these “pillars of hope” have been taken down in a number of cases. The author does not believe that the individuals who have built or installed these marvelous structures are malicious.
Perhaps a few have been erected unlawfully but they appear to draw interest and pleasure for many that travel even great distances to see them. To some they serve no purpose but to others they offer a symbol, a belief that perhaps someone or something is watching over us in a comforting way.
They become fascinating and amusing, and can provide a wonderful visual and spiritual sense of interest or satisfaction.
Let them continue to inspire us for we need great inspiration in these troubling times…..
