A STONE structure that is thousands of years’ old and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, standing in England, has inspired awe and much research for several decades. Why and how was it built? Who built it? The monumental task has defied reason and is a subject of much research for archaeologists and historians.

Was it a burial site, a place of worship, black magic, animal and human sacrifice? Or was it an astronomical monument for guidance from the stars? All these possibilities might be one of the real purposes for its construction, and yes the theory of aliens from outer space visiting Mother Earth could also be responsible for this enigma according to some.

While we are still studying this majestic structure, we have yet another one on our hands — a most unique mystery that lies under the depths of the serene waters of Lake Michigan, USA. Archaeologists were scanning the lake underwater for ship wrecks when, to their bafflement, they found a huge boulder with a series of stones around it just like Stonehenge and this one has a carving of a prehistoric species of elephant like creatures called mastodons.

This underwater wonder is at a depth of 40 feet in Lake Michigan. Mark Holly, professor of underwater archaeology at North-western Michigan University College stated during a news conference in 2007: “When you see it in the water you’re tempted to say this is absolutely real, but that’s what we need the experts to come in and verify.”

He explained that the carvings look like the outlines of a mastodon like creature. The hump, head, trunk, tusk and triangular shaped ears, even the shape of its legs suggest that the people who carved this lived alongside this prehistoric animal.

President of the underwater preserve council, Greg MacMaster also said to the press, “We couldn’t believe what we were looking at.” Professor Mark Holly has shown pictures of the boulder to experts in order to confirm that they are an ancient petro-glyph. But these experts who study ancient carvings say that they cannot come to any conclusion unless they see it for themselves. But here is the problem: specialists in ancient petro-glyphs do not go diving so here we are stuck with this huge block of mystery.

The huge rock is 3.5 to 4feet high, almost five feet long. Images show that the surface of the boulder has numerous lines and fissures. While some of these tiny lines might be natural, the others might be the work of some ancient people. The age of this structure has been estimated to be ten thousand years; a time just after the last Ice Age when humans and these mastodons roamed in the upper Midwest.

Coming back to the surface and crossing over the oceans to Europe, we take a look once again at the world famous Stonehenge in England. As work goes on by experts around the site, archaeologists have had to slow down and be more careful in their excavations so as not to spoil or weaken the original structure. Magnetic and radar sensors are now being pulled across the grasses by tractors. Just a little more than half a mile away, a new discovery has been made. Henry Chapman, an archaeologist from the University of Birmingham discovered a circular ring of smaller holes in the ground. He is of the opinion that these holes once had wooden poles in them which were ten or more feet high. The timber-henge probably was another ceremonial or religious structure.

On the other hand, Tim Darvill, professor of archaeology at Bournemouth University in southern England stated to the press that he believed it could be a prehistoric tomb. This largest ceremonial site in England’s Salisbury plain is said to hold many more secrets yet to be discovered by researchers.

Rumour has it that as the Earth is dug around and excavated more and more by archaeologists, we might discover more Stonehenge-like structures around the world. So what were these ancient people doing thousands of miles apart making rings of huge stones which took an unbelievable amount of strength and technology in those times. Were they extremely advanced human civilisations or beings from the stars? Or even more interesting, both.