Turgai region geoglyphs among planet's most mysterious geoglyphs

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ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Smithsonian Magazine has featured the geoglyths of Turgai region into world's five most mysterious geoglyphs in its article "Where to see five of the planet's most mysterious geoglyphs" published on April 20.

According to Jennifer Nalewicki of Smithsonian magazine, geoglyphs are the planet's most baffling wonders that are best viewed from the sky. These mysterious signs etched or otherwise built onto the earth by mankind many years ago give us an insight into societies of the past. They surely pose more questions than answers.



"Often called the "Nazca Lines of Kazakhstan," this cluster of approximately 260 earthworks in the Turgai region of northern Kazakhstan known as the Steppe Geoglyphs includes a variety of geometric shapes, including squares, crosses, circles and a three-pronged swastika-like design. The positive geoglyphs (meaning that their creators used earthen materials, such as dirt, rocks or lumber, to build them up out of the ground) range in size from 295 feet to more than 1,300 feet in length. Dmitriy Dey, a Kazakh economist, made the discovery in 2007 while browsing Google Earth," Nalewcki wrote.

 

"There has been some controversy over when they were formed, with some reports estimating the earthworks to be around 8,000 years old, and others pegging them closer to 2,800 years old. Some researchers believe that they're the work of the Mahandzhar, a nomadic people who once roamed the area. However, scholars are still trying to decipher the geoglyphs' purpose. One theory is that they were used to track the movement of the sun, but significant excavations of the mounds have not yet been done. Recently NASA provided archeologists with satellite photos of the site, in hopes that these images could shed light on the site's intended purpose," the article reads.

 

Discovered ten years ago by Kazakhstani researcher Dmitry Dei, the geoglyths of Turgai region became the subject of many articles and research materials. For instance, Dmitry Dei and his team prepared a series of materials and launched a website about the ancient designs as well as established contacts with top-ranking research institutions around the world.

The New York Times, El Pais, Magnet, leaqu.com, Gazzetta.gr., Numerama and many other world mass media tried to solve the mystery of earthwork shapes located in Turgai region in their articles.

   

 

 

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