Here¡¯s A Timeline Of All The Mysterious Monoliths That Popped Up Across The World
For the millions intrigued by the monolith and its mysteries, there are crucial questions that still need concrete answers, who made it? What was it for? How long had it been around? Is it just a prank?
2020 has been a year of great uncertainty and distress, and it¡¯s not just owing to the pandemic but also because of several mysterious occurrences. Of the numerous strange events that defined 2020, one has been the mysterious appearance (and disappearance) of monoliths in different parts of the world.
For the millions intrigued by the monolith and its mysteries, there are crucial questions that still need concrete answers. Who made them? What were they for? How long have they been around? Is it just a prank?
The first monolith, found in a remote part of Utah, drew comparisons to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, in which a group of apes discovers a monolith and that triggers a shift in evolution.
For those confused about this strange occurrence, here¡¯s a brief timeline of the mysterious monoliths and the theories behind the same.
1. Utah, USA
AFP
On November 18, 2020, during a routine survey of bighorn sheep in Utah¡¯s Red Rock Country, the US state¡¯s wildlife agency discovered a 10-12 ft tall, three-sided metal monolith at the base of a canyon. The riddle in the desert, twice as tall as an average adult, drew scores to see it even though its exact location was not made public, according to accounts on social media.
On November 27, an unknown party removed the monolith in Utah and the officials had no hand in this. However, BASE jumper Andy Lewis and adventure guide Sylvan Christensen, claimed they removed the monolith from the desert on November 27, and apparently even filmed themselves doing so. It was reportedly then replaced with a small pyramid.
Guesses as to what happened ran wild online, with one person postulating, ¡°The space aliens returned to remove it.¡±
The art world has speculated that the object was the work of John McCracken, a sculptor fond who died in 2011. His son, Patrick McCracken, has told The New York Times his father told him in 2002 that ¡°he would like to leave his artwork in remote places to be discovered later.¡±
Also Read: Monolith Mystery Continues: Another Structure Shows Up In England And No One Knows How It Got There
2. Romania
The day the Utah monolith disappeared, a second monolith appeared on Batca Doamnei, a hill close to the town of Piatra Neamt, Romanian news outlet Ziar Piatra Neamt reported. This monolith disappeared on December 1.
A shiny metal monolith vanished from Romania¡¯s mountainous Neamt county, four days after its sudden appearance close to an ancient Dacian fortress sparked speculation it may be related to a mystery structure seen in the United States https://t.co/3gAljvbVoO 1/4 pic.twitter.com/x9jRy0GD1t
¡ª Reuters Science News (@ReutersScience) December 1, 2020
The two structures are strikingly similar but bear a few differences. Both structures were reported to be about 3 metres (nearly 10 feet) tall. But the Romanian monolith was covered in circles, while the one found in Utah was smooth.
This monolith also mysteriously disappeared.
In Romania, the triangular structure had a height of about 13 feet and one side faced Mount Ceahlau, known locally as the Holy Mountain.
3. California, US
One day after the second monolith disappeared, a third one emerged on top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California on December 2nd. This one was made of stainless steel and was 10 feet tall and about 18 inches wide. However, this one was torn down by a group of young men, who replaced the metal structure with a wooden cross.
? ? BREAKING NEWS ? ?
¡ª Connor Allen (@ConnorCAllen) December 2, 2020
There is currently a monolith at the top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero!!
(Photos by @Atownreporter) pic.twitter.com/0vPhEWYkeY
Once again, the origins of this monolith are unclear. Daily hiker Ray Johnson told Atascadero News that he had not noticed while hiking the day before.
4 Nevada, US
reviewjournal.com
Another monolith was discovered at the Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. A Fremont Street Experience spokesperson said the team first noticed the object in the early morning hours on Friday but no further immediate information was available to share.
5. The Netherlands
Another mysterious metal monolith is found: The Netherlands #monolith #monolithmystery pic.twitter.com/qIey4odrWv
¡ª Marijn van den Berg (@marijn_2004) December 6, 2020
Another metal the monolith was discovered ¨C this time in a Dutch nature reserve, overlooking an icy puddle. In the Netherlands, local media reported that there were no footprints leading up to the steel object, and it is unclear how the statue arrived in the Kiekenberg reserve, near the town of Oudehorn.
6. England, UK
Another monolith was found on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England, UK. A group of people walking their dog discovered the strange object on the island's Compton Beach early in the morning.
WORLD: Another monolith appears, this time on the Isle of Wight, UK pic.twitter.com/67HywAGwo3
¡ª Norbert Elekes (@NorbertElekes) December 8, 2020
This monolith was around 10 feet tall and reflective. According to sources, this monolith is 8-foot-tall. Alexia Fishwick who found the monolith told the BBC that she was "dumbstruck" by it and "many people walked past and ignored it."
7. Colorado, USA
There's now a #monolith in #Colorado. This one showed up early this morning at the Colorado Air & Space Port outside of Mile High Aircraft Services. Bill Zempel, lead mechanic, built it as a joke and says "We're at the Space Port after all". #Monoliths @CBSDenver pic.twitter.com/h8EAevo3vv
¡ª Mark Neitro (@CBS4Mark) December 4, 2020
Colorado witnessed numerous monoliths and they were spotted at Chautauqua Park in South Boulder as well as in front of McDevitt Taco Supply in South Boulder, though the two sightings could have been of the same monolith, which may have been moved.
8. Pittsburgh
Capitalizing on the intrigue surrounding the other monoliths and hoping to provide a distraction from the daily drumbeat of COVID-19 news, the owner of Grandpa Joe¡¯s Candy Shop, Christopher Beers, commissioned a 10-foot tall, 24-inch wide triangle of plywood covered in sheet metal.
MONOLITH IN PITTSBURGH? They've been popping up all over the world and now there's one in the Strip District. https://t.co/st8AQPQuc0 pic.twitter.com/CKJzLO0Vt4
¡ª KDKA (@KDKA) December 4, 2020
Beers said he was captivated by sculptures that made headlines starting in November, the first appearing in Utah¡¯s Red Rock Country, vaguely resembling the so-called monoliths in Stanley Kubrick¡¯s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
9. El Paso, Texas
The latest mysterious metal monolith to appear across America is in El Paso, Texas.
The first monolith appeared in a Utah desert and was originally found by wildlife biologists performing a helicopter survey of bighorn sheep.https://t.co/EmyDvsmS6V
¡ª ABC 13 News - WSET (@ABC13News) December 8, 2020
Onlookers gathered to get their picture taken with the tall, silver, shining object near Sunset and Doniphan, across from an Ardovino's Pizza restaurant.
Popular theories:
There are three theories behind the mysterious appearances of the monoliths in Utah, Romania and California.
1. Aliens, of course!
The first and the most popular theory among netizens is that these monoliths are in fact artefacts left on earth by an alien race.
2. Artworks
Another speculation is that the monolith is clearly "somebody's art installation or an attempt at that. These artworks could have been created and installed in the vein of the Earth Art (Land Art) Movement which emerged in the 1960s and 70s.
Reportedly, the movement was in protest against the "ruthless commercialization" of art in the United States. It had also gained momentum in Great Britain and many other countries.
However, based on the photos shared by the Utah authorities, many people have pointed out that the monolith lacks the finesse expected from an artist, and so is most likely created as a prank.
3. Prank
The third theory is that these monoliths are a prank or a hoax like the crop circles or geometric patterns which mysteriously began to appear in fields in England in the 1970s.
What do you think?
