On the wind-blown steppes of central
Asia, in an isolated corner of Kazakhstan, there’s a large pentagram
etched into the Earth’s surface. And now an archaeologist has revealed
the source of the mysterious structure.
The five-pointed star surrounded by a circle, located on the southern shore of the Upper Tobol Reservoir, shows up vividly on Google Maps.
There are almost no other signs of human habitation in the area; the
closest settlement is the city of Lisakovsk, about 12 miles (20
kilometers) to the east.
The region surrounding Lisakovsk is
riddled with ancient archaeological ruins. Bronze Age settlements,
cemeteries and burial grounds — many of which have yet to be explored —
dot the windswept landscape.
What is this bizarre symbol, measuring
roughly 1,200 feet (366 meters) in diameter, doing on the side of a
desolate lake in northern Kazakhstan? Naturally, many online comments
have already linked the site with devil worship, nefarious religious
sects or denizens of the underworld.
It certainly doesn’t help that, upon
zooming into the center of the pentagram, viewers will see two places
highlighted by previous visitors to Google Maps: One spot is called Adam, the other, Lucifer — a name often linked to Satan.
The pentagram is an ancient symbol used
by many (non-Satanic) cultures and religious groups. It has been adopted
by the Mesopotamians, Pythagoreans (followers of Pythagoras, the
ancient Greek mathematician), Christians, Freemasons and Wiccans.
The Kazakh pentagram certainly isn’t the
first odd discovery gleaned from Google Maps. Etched onto the desert
floor of New Mexico are two large diamonds surrounded by a pair of
overlapping circles. This is reportedly the site of a hidden bunker
belonging to the Church of Scientology, according to the author of a
book on the religious group.
Deep in the Gobi Desert, viewers of
Google Maps can find a Yagi antenna array, a device that looks like a
giant piece of cracked glass but is used for atmospheric research. And
in a remote corner of Nevada, there’s an enormous KFC advertisement,
featuring the smiling face of Colonel Sanders.
