Archaeologists have stumbled upon a remarkable find on the outskirts of Prague. A mysterious monument that is believed to be about 7,000 years old, which makes it even older than the famous Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza.
The ancient monument is referred to as a roundel, which is the term archaeologists have given to massive circular monuments of a comparable era discovered throughout Central Europe.
Located in the city’s district of Vinoř, the roundel is exceptionally well-preserved and contains troughs where a central wooden structure is thought to have been embedded.
Researchers first learned about the Vinoř roundel’s existence in the 1980s, when construction workers were laying gas and water pipelines, according to Radio Prague International, but in September 2022, the structure was revealed in its entirety for the first time.
The forms and patterns of these roundels vary greatly, but they are frequently composed of a complex of trenches separated by a number of entrances. Some of these designs have a diameter of more than 200 meters.
The overall purpose of these shapes is unknown, however, several theories have been proposed. According to the Czech Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology in Prague, entrances may have been placed to correspond with the motion of celestial bodies. It’s also likely that the roundels were connected with trade, rituals, or rites of passage. The roundel that is presently being examined in Prague could provide further information on this active field of research.
Researchers believe roundels were built during the Stone Age when people had not yet discovered iron. The only tools they could use were made of stone and animal bones.
One thought comes to mind for sure that the roundel might provide some important clues to its actual purpose. However, Miroslav Kraus, who is in charge of the Prague research, believes this is very unlikely because prior inspections have yielded no supporting evidence. Still, it’s possible to determine the true age of the roundel, which would be beneficial in its future studies.
After radiocarbon dating of the samples collected from roundels, researchers believe they age somewhere between 4,900 and 4600 BC. In contrast, all three of Giza’s famed pyramids in Egypt were erected between 2575 and 2465 BC, while Stonehenge in Britain is considered to have begun some 5,000 years ago.
The monument itself is shrouded in mystery, and researchers are still working to uncover its true purpose and significance. We look forward to learning more about this monument and what it can teach us about our ancient past and what mysteries it unravels.
