Feature of 'Sacred Pyramid' Built by Forgotten Civilization in Amazon Rainforest Named

A 'sacred' pyramid built by a forgotten civilization in the Amazon rainforest may be the tallest ancient structure in the world. Known as Cerro El Cono, the massive pyramid-shaped formation is shrouded in mystery both because of its striking structure and the extreme difficulty of reaching the unusual object.

The pyramid-shaped hill, which stands about 400 metres high, is located in the Sierra del Divisor National Park in Peru, near the Ucayali River in the Amazon, writes the Daily Mail. However, unlike other mountains, this extremely steep peak has a number of clearly defined flat surfaces, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza, which have been covered by vegetation for centuries. What's more, this majestic peak stands out from the completely flat tropical forest that surrounds it, supporting the idea that Cerro el Cono may not be a natural formation. While scientists believe that the giant hill is just a geological oddity, possibly a volcano or a natural rock formation, local tribes revere Cerro El Cono as a sacred mountain spirit that protects their communities, calling it the "Apu of the Andes".

This ancient tradition of worshiping mountain spirits dates back to before the Inca Empire, between 500 and 1000 AD, but another theory surrounding Cerro el Cono predates even these ancient myths, notes the Daily Mail.

Although the few studies of the area have yet to confirm this, local legends claim that Cerro el Cono is located on the ruins of an ancient pyramid built by a long-forgotten civilization that lived in the Amazon.

According to Peruvian news outlet La República, researchers studying local indigenous folklore believe that Cerro el Cono ("Cone Hill") is a man-made structure, like the Great Pyramid of Giza. If proven, Cerro el Cono (1,310 feet) would be the tallest ancient structure in history, towering 481 feet (146 m) above Giza, writes the Daily Mail.

In fact, it's an incredibly cool structure, more than three times taller than any other ancient pyramid or temple ever discovered. Cerro el Cono may one day join a growing list of mysterious ancient structures, some of which predate the Egyptian pyramids.

One such ancient structure is Gunung Padang, first rediscovered by Dutch explorers in 1890 and thought to be the oldest pyramid in the world. Research suggests that the "megalith" embedded in a hill of lava rock is more than 16,000 years old. In 2023, scientists said the structure promises to upend conventional wisdom about how "primitive" hunter-gatherer societies really were, revealing the true "engineering capabilities of ancient civilizations."

Another alleged pyramid, called the Yonaguni Monument, is located just 82 feet below sea level near Japan's Ryukyu Islands. This mysterious site has also continued to baffle researchers since its discovery in 1986, with new research showing that the rocks are approximately 12,000 years old.

However, none of these ancient monuments would be as tall as Cerro el Cono if it were actually man-made: Gunung Padang is only 95 m high, and the Yonaguni monument is only 27 m.

Despite local legends and the mysterious shape of the massive Amazon peak, scientists say the most likely answer is that Cerro el Cono may be an extinct volcano that suddenly emerged from the rainforest. Specifically, it could be an oddly shaped volcanic cone, a volcanic plug, or an igneous intrusion that formed millions of years ago.

A volcanic cone is a hill or mountain formed by the accumulation of volcanic materials such as lava, ash and debris ejected from the mouth of a volcano during eruptions, explains the Daily Mail.