Ten years of scientific and archaeological investigation of the Bosnian pyramids have brought many exciting moments as well as dramatic turnovers which are seeking the redefining of our knowledge about history.

One such breakthrough happened in April 2015. During the six-months of cleaning and passing through new sections of the prehistoric underground tunnels, which had been discovered some time ago, the employees of the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation were faced with various difficulties. During the winter of 2014 and spring of 2015, they hardly won new meters of tunnel. In one moment, in February 2015, one branch of the tunnel which leads to the South, toward the Bosnian pyramid of Sun, ended with a huge rock.

We decided to go around the rock by using side passageways. Like many other tunnels which we already discovered, these were packed with fill-out material (gravel and sand). Two side passages, to the East and West, ended in conglomerate material after about ten meters. We tried one more direction but that one didn’t led us to the desired result as well.

Then we decided to go around a large rock by digging a tunnel around it. Employees carried out this activity carefully, constantly checking the stability of the material, and checking measurements of oxygen and carbon dioxide. After thirty meters, the rock was bypassed.

Discovery of New Tunnels

I was in Houston when they told me that they discovered a new tunnel behind the rock. It was a new section, without any fill-in material, but was submerged underwater. I made the decision that workers should stop the work and wait for my return to Bosnia.

I formed a team of six members for the first scientific screening of the newly discovered sections.

This was not the first time that we had found open sections in which the human foot had not entered for a long period of time. It is a special feeling for every researcher and the moment when dreams come true.

Every time when the investigators have found prehistoric underground tunnels in Egypt, Mexico, China or Peru, those were often the world’s attractions and leading news which were shared across all media.

In our case, we have already explored many sections of tunnel made by intelligent hands in the distant past. So far, we have discovered 1,550 meters.

Exploration of the New Tunnels

The day of entry in the new section of the tunnel finally came. On April 30, 2015, with full protective equipment, rubber boots and waterproof suits, lamps, and compasses, we were ready for adventure.

The team consisted of the following members:

Dr. Sam Osmanagich, Discoverer and Principal Investigator of Bosnian Pyramids

Anela Preljević, B.C.in Archaeology (UCL London) and Foundation’s field archaeologist

Mejra Kozlo, B.C. in Geology and Foundation’s field geologist of Foundation

Engineer Osman Buza, assistant of Cantonal Minister for Economy

Jock Doubleday, videographer and PR Director of the Foundation

Edo Građan, employee of the Foundation

We went to the left side, heading towards the West. The height of the tunnel is around 110-120 cm. We started walking in a bent over position. I led the team. The tunnel was filled with water 20 cm deep. In some places it reached 30 cm. We found three dry sections, without water. We were looking left and right, there weren’t side passages. On the pebble floor we did not see tools or artifacts. There were no traces of burning on either the walls or the ceiling. We found some interesting elongated pieces of stone that our archaeologist Anela took for analysis.

Finally, the tunnel ended. A dry section with pebbles at the end had a round pool fifty centimeters in radius and fifty centimeters in depth. The water was clear and clean. We gave the first statement to the camera and turned back. Osman and Edo measured the length of this part of the tunnel. It was 41 meters long.

We went back to the entrance. We agreed to visit a section in the opposite direction. I said to Jock to go first and to record while the water is clear. Behind him were Anela and Meira, then Osman, Edo and me. We moved to the East. After a few meters we came to the first intersection. It has led exactly in the direction of the South. I liked that because it is the direction of the Pyramid of Sun. The tunnel, which was open, ran for about three meters before being filled with gravel material to the ceiling. We were stopped there and took a photo.

In front of us was a continuation of the tunnel in the direction of the Northeast. The water level was deeper in this section, approximately 1 meter. Osman returned back, and we continued. After seventeen meters we came to a new crossroads. Our route was blocked by stone walls and then filled with material. An open section continued to the left, towards the East. The water was becoming deeper, and found its way into my boots.

We continued even though we were getting wet. The ceiling height was now about two meters. We walked slowly through the muddy, clay soil. The water was freezing. We came to a new crossroads. The tunnels were intersecting at 90 degrees. The side passages were blocked by stone walls, and then by gravel material. I comment to Anela:

“Now you have the opportunity to enter into a new section of the tunnel. You can see that is not true that our Foundation makes drywall tunnels or digs it, these are prehistoric tunnels.”

[Note: The Foundation had previously been accused of making the tunnels themselves.]

She agreed with me and gave a statement to Jock. Mejra joined her. We continued and after only a few meters we saw one more crossroads and again the side passages were blocked. One part of the dry wall was underwater, Anela commented. She recognized a difference in the compactness of the loaded material and conglomerates in which the tunnels were made.

We continued with the investigation. With every step it became harder to walk. After a few meters, we came to the end of the flooded parts of the tunnel. It ended with sandy ground. Anela spotted a piece of wood. Organic material! She took some samples.

After a few minutes we turned back and headed for the exit. This time I measured the length of the tunnel. The branch which leads toward the East is 60 meters long. I gave information to the Mejra about the schedule of the side passages. The tunnel in the Northeast-Southwest direction is 17 meters long. The last section, which is oriented toward the West is nine meters long.

We summed up the total length of open, prehistoric section of tunnel. In total it has 127 meters. It is great information!

After two hours of investigation and adventures, we went outside. We changed our clothes and then took a photo of the organic material.

In our minds we made a plan about what to do next with the tunnels. We want to clean up the tunnel that leads to the South, in a direction of the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun. We need to bridge the nine meters of water, and make a barrier toward the rest of open tunnel.

One phase of investigation of tunnels is finished, and another just begins.

Our hypothesis that this is a labyrinth, which we have named ‘Ravne’, with countless tunnels and that you can always choose a direction of tunnel that will be clear, has been confirmed.

Video recording of expedition:

Images: All photographs courtesy of Dr Sam Semir Osmanagich, Ph.D.

By Sam Osmanagich