Source: Paul Stonehill youtube
Description:
Paranormal and historical mysteries surrounding Lake Issyk-Kul in Central Asia, a region rich in hidden artifacts, petroglyphs, and unexplained phenomena like UFOs and underwater humanoids.
The main focus is a sunken city near the village of Toru Aigyr on the lake's northwestern coast, located about 1 km offshore at a depth of 5 meters. Tentatively dated to the 10th-13th centuries, the settlement spans approximately 5 km in length and 1 km in width.
In 2025, a Russian Geographical Society expedition used underwater unmanned vehicles (e.g., the Trionics 6M robot with RWLT sonar for real-time mapping) to survey the site, avoiding diver risks.
Dendrochronologists analyzed tree rings from submerged trees to date the event, while paleoseismologists investigated seismic causes. Preliminary findings suggest the city was destroyed by an earthquake or tectonic activity, leading to flooding. Alternative hypotheses include rising lake levels from blocked rivers or underground sources, or a sinking lake bottom.
Another theory links the abandonment to a northward shift in the Silk Road under Mongol control, followed by natural submersion.The site's existence has been known since a 1987 documentary, "The Secret of the Sunken City," with recent diver discoveries in 2019 revealing brickwork, ceramics, and millstones amid old fishing nets. Locals dub it "Issyk-Kul Atlantis," though boundaries remain unclear.
Artifacts confirm medieval origins, but illegal scavenging by "black archaeologists" using scuba gear has looted items, some ending up in private Bishkek museums.Broader context includes ancient maps (from the 16th-18th centuries) showing evolving geography of Central Asia, with the Caspian and Aral Seas depicted inaccurately, hinting at historical geological changes.
The city might have been Christian and suggests deeper, older ruins exist elsewhere in the lake, based on legends. Expedition outcomes include an interactive map of the Orno Petroglyph Valley (spanning Bronze Age to Middle Ages) and plans for a virtual museum for global remote access.
Showing posts with label Lake Issyk-Kul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lake Issyk-Kul. Show all posts
