Scientists Discovered a 70-Meter-Wide Underwater Monument Hidden Beneath the Sea of Galilee

A huge stone monument lying under the Sea of Galilee is catching archaeologists off guard with its size and unclear origins. Weighing more than 60,000 tons, this cone-shaped structure could date back thousands of years and may be tied to early Bronze Age communities.

The discovery happened during a geophysical survey led by Israeli researchers who were initially studying sediment deposits on the lakebed. While scanning the area with sonar, they spotted a massive pile of stones rising from an otherwise flat underwater landscape.

Finds like this matter because they hint at complex construction projects in a region and time period that still hold many gaps. They also raise simple but important questions: how did it end up underwater, and what did it originally stand for?

A Massive Stone Pile That Stands Out Underwater

The monument is about 70 meters wide and 12 meters high, making it hard to miss, even beneath layers of water and sediment. According to the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, it’s built from basalt stones arranged in a clear cone shape, which points to deliberate construction.

“Close inspection by scuba diving revealed that the structure is made of basalt boulders up to 1 m (3.2 feet) long with no apparent construction pattern,” wrote the authors.

They added that the monument stones have natural surfaces, with no signs of cutting or chiseling, and no clear walls or internal arrangement were identified. At the same time, sonar data shows a sharply defined formation rising from the otherwise smooth lake floor. The estimated weight, over 60,000 tons, still points to a massive undertaking.

Monument Linked To Early Bronze Age Communities

There are hints that this structure might have had a ceremonial or burial purpose. According to Dr. Yitzhak Paz from Ben-Gurion University, it resembles early burial sites found in parts of Europe, which could place it in the early Bronze Age. He also noted that the find:

“It’s the most powerful and fortified town in this region and, as a matter of fact, in the whole of Israel.” He added that, “there may be a connection to the nearby ancient city of Beit Yerah,” even if researchers aren’t ready to define it yet.

Built On Land Before Ending Up Underwater

The evidence suggests the monument wasn’t always submerged. According to Professor Shmuel Marco of Tel Aviv University, the stones were likely brought from more than one mile away and carefully arranged according to a plan.

Today, the base is buried under 2 to 3 meters of sand, which built up over time. Based on an accumulation rate of 1 to 4 millimeters per year, the researchers estimate the structure could be between 2,000 and 12,000 years old, as reported in the study.

The monument current position under water may be linked to tectonic activity in the region. The Sea of Galilee sits in an active zone, and shifts in the Earth’s crust could have changed the landscape over time. More underwater excavations are planned to better understand how this massive structure came to rest where it is today.

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