Puma Punku, which means “Door of Puma”; are the remains of a large temple complex. Located in Bolivia, near the ancient city of Tiwanaku, built high in the mountains. The ruins found in the region, which was used as a settlement by the Incas, are based on a much older advanced civilization. The stones found in Puma Punku, which is in ruins today, have extraordinary features. These stones, many of which are too heavy to be moved, have become the subject of research by scientists.
The megalithic stones found in Puma Punku are counted among the largest on the planet. Some of the rocks are 26 feet long and weigh over 100 tons. Many scholars consider the area to be the most intriguing ancient site on the planet. The settlement area, which is thought to belong to a civilization that disappeared over time, is thought to date back to 17 thousand years ago. Puma Punku stones, the mystery of which cannot be solved with their perfect craftsmanship, receives visitors from various parts of the world.
The Ancient City of Tiwanaku is located on the Altiplano plateau in Bolivia, at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level and in the valley 21 km northeast of Lake Titicaca. Tiwanaku’s name is thought to derive from the Aymara word meaning “stone in the centre”. Because the locals living in the region see this place as the center of the world.
Carbon dating of the organic materials found in the ancient city was made and the complex from the Inca empire It was originally thought to be home to the Tiwanaku empire, an important civilization. The city is thought to have been developed by the Tiwanaku empire between 300 and 1000 BC.
Mystery of Puma Punku Stones
The stone structures in the region are so impressive that; When the Spaniards occupied the area in 1549, he described the grandeur of these structures as “unbelievable”. The stones found in the region were shaped in millimeters and holes of the same depth were drilled on it. Only a harder material should be used to shape these stones, which are made of hard granite, and to drill holes. This is why some archaeologists think they used diamond-tipped abrasive to shape blocks harder than granite.
The stones are not only hard and difficult to cut, but also quite heavy. Chemical analysis reveals that the red sandstone blocks were transported on a steep slope from a quarry near Lake Titicaca. This quarry is located about 16 kilometers from the area. Smaller andesite blocks used for cladding and carving were brought from quarries on the Copacabana Peninsula, about 90 kilometers from Lake Titicaca.
The stones in Puma Punku are smooth and smooth as if they were cut with laser machines. This type of stonework has only been found in a few parts of the world. Even with today’s technology, it is very difficult to cut, shape and transport these stones. How people living in the prehistoric period accomplished this task and what technology they used cannot be resolved. It is thought that people who have the skill of building in this way are also quite advanced in astronomy, soil knowledge and mathematics. These structures are thought to be evidence of ancient civilizations using modern technology.
Mortar was not used in the construction of the structures in Puma Punku, and the stones were joined together with a magnificent engineering skill. The proofs on the stones, which were cut and interlocked with perfect accuracy, were also made with millimeter precision. Experts, who think that these stones cannot be created with primitive tools or by hand, associate them with extraterrestrial life.
Some scientists who argue that it was built by aliens say that Puma Punku was never built by Tiwanaku, but by a more advanced civilization. It is theorized that another civilization crossing the ocean built and left the complex, or that alien beings helped. How the stones are cut, shaped and transported are issues that cannot be fully resolved.
