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Were the buried andesite columns placed by people or are they in natural position?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Is there a human-built structure inside the hill older than the visible terraces?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the buried columns are in or near their natural position, cooled in place or slumped downslopeAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The buried columns are in or near their natural position, cooled in place or slumped downslope. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

The buried-pyramid model treats Unit 3 columns as placed masonry⁠[1]; the critics treat them as natural jointing and slump⁠[2]. A magnetic-orientation study begun in 2025 is the first test aimed at this point⁠[3].

Answers 3

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
The buried columns were moved and set by people.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible

History

  1. Natawidjaja et al. puts forward: the buried columns were moved and set by people.
  2. Lewis puts forward: the buried columns are in or near their natural position, cooled in place or slumped downslope.
  3. Lewis: natawidjaja argues the stones are too orderly and too massive to have been moved that far by nature.For: The buried columns were moved and set by people.
  4. Powell: columnar jointing is the natural form of the andesite at the site.For: The buried columns are in or near their natural position, cooled in place or slumped downslope.
  5. Asked on this site
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