The virtually unknown Chinese pyramids, the term refers to pyramidal shaped srtuctures, are historic monuments that now struggle against the ravages of time and the elements.

By the year 2000 it was recognised that there were some 400 pyramids in the Shanxi region, to the north of Xi’an. Smaller than the legendary “Great White” pyramid, these ancient remains have been classified by some as burial mounds. While some of these structures do in fact serve as tombs, others suggest the earliest Chinese pyramids served a more mysterious purpose. Hartwig Hausdorf, German author of UFO & Ancient Astronaut Theory, even asserts that these structures have an extra-terrestrial origin.

One of the earliest photos ever of the 'Great White' Pyramid

One of these bizarre pyramids of unknown origin is located in China’s Qinghai Province.

The mystery pyramid sits on Mount Baigong, has three caves with triangular openings on its facade and is filled with red-hued pipes leading into the mountain and a nearby salt water lake.

Rusty iron scraps, pipes and unusually shaped stones are scattered around the inhospitable and largely uninhabited area.

ET Theory

Dating done by the Beijing Institute of Geology determined these iron pipes were smelted about 150,000 years ago, if they were indeed made by humans, according to Brian Dunning of Skeptoid.com. And if they were made by humans, history as it is commonly viewed would have to be reevaluated.

The dating was done using thermoluminescence, a technique that determines how long ago crystalline mineral was exposed to sunlight or heated. Humans are only thought to have inhabited the region for the past 30,000 years. Even within the known history of the area, the only humans to inhabit the region were nomads whose lifestyle would not leave any such structures behind.

Dating done by the Beijing Institute of Geology determined these iron pipes were smelted about 150,000 years ago ( Image Source

A research fellow at a nearby observatory of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Yang Ji, told Xinhua the theory the pyramid was created by extra terrestrials was “understandable and worth looking into.”

“But scientific means must be employed to prove whether or not it is true,” Yang said.

Xinhua has not given any details on the age of the structure, or any other possible explanations for it.

But a study carried out by a local smeltery suggests the pipes are very old, Liu Shaolin, the engineer who carried out the analysis, told Xinhua.

These findings have made the site more mysterious, says Qin Jianwen, a spokesman for the Delingha government.

“Nature is harsh here. There are no residents let alone modern industry in the area, only a few migrant herdsmen to the north of the mountain,” Qin said.

A half-pipe about 40 cm in diameter tilting from the top to the inner end of the cave ( Image Source

Other Theories

Besides the above, there were several other theories regarding the ancient pipes. Jiandong states that iron-rich magma might have come out from beneath in the earth bringing the iron into fissures where they could have solidified into tubes. He admitted, “There is indeed something mysterious about these pipes.” He cites radioactivity as an example of the strange qualities of the tubes.

Others are of the opinion that iron sediments may have washed into the fissures, carried with water during floods. Many publications in China like Xinhua have referred it as a mysterious pyramid with pipes. Some of them have reported the pyramid-shape to be a natural formation.

The pipes being fossilized tree roots is another theory that was reported by Xinmin Weekly in 2003. According to the report, scientists found plant matter while analyzing the pipes which resembled tree rings. The article related the discovery of a geological theory that states in particular temperatures and under certain chemical conditions, tree roots undergo diagenesis (transform the soil into rock) and other processes that cause iron formations.

Although several theories are trying to decode this mystery, it is certainly unclear how these pipes came into being.

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