The Pyramids Beyond the Polar Circle: Truth or Fiction?

A few years ago, there was a lot of hype due to reports about the discovery of pyramids on the Komi Peninsula, which is situated just a few hundred kilometers from the North Pole. According to reports primarily found on Russian-speaking viral platforms, these structures are believed to be several thousand years old and predate even the pyramids in Egypt. The intriguing aspect is that they are rumored to be connected to a mysterious ancient civilization. Our journey in this article is to find out if these claims are true

The Pyramids of Kola Peninsula: The Investigation into the Mystery

Are there really pyramids situated beyond the North Polar Circle?

It is believed that the discovery of pyramids was first mentioned in 1921, during a geographical expedition led by Alexander Barchenko, who was the head of the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine in Moscow. During this expedition, they uncovered pyramids towering at 80 meters in height, along with massive stone slabs, although they thought that these structures were the work of the local Sami population. They were created during the centuries as some kind of funerary monuments dedicated to important deceased individuals. Each new generation, the local Samis added new layers of rocks to the display of ancestor worship, resulting in an increase in their height. There has not been made any connection yet with an unknown ancient civilization. 

In 1997, there is a rumor that a second expedition was launched to explore the Kola Pyramids, guided by Dr. Valery Demin, a Doctor of Philosophy, who was fascinated by the Barchenko report, decided to locate these Sami funeral mounds. Lidia Ivanovna Efimova, who is the head of the ARIADNA studio, returned to research in the area in 2004. 

Alexander Barchenko and Vladimir Demin's footsteps were retraced by a third expedition in 2007. Attempts to locate the pyramids from a helicopter were unsuccessful at first because they were overgrown with grass and moss, making them indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape. Local guides either adamantly refused to lead the group, citing the displeasure of their ancestors, or departed without explanation.The third expedition, after allegedly facing numerous hardships, was finally able to successfully locate the pyramids. They came to an unexpected conclusion that questions the existence of these pyramids and challenges the previously established connections with ancient groups from earlier expeditions. Apparently, in the vicinity of the pyramids, they discovered religious and defensive structures, engraved slabs, remnants of an ancient observatory, and identified new potential candidates for pyramid builders, namely the Hyperboreans.

The structure of pyramids and their purpose

Despite thorough investigations, no one has been able to identify the builders and the ancient people who lived in the region, although the expedition members have their own theories. Their hypothesis is that the ancient Egyptians might have built these pyramids and used them as observatories, hinting at their advanced astronomical knowledge. 

Yuri Kudinov, who led the expedition, explained to the Russian TV channel that. 

To conduct the expedition, we brought along the most advanced geophysical equipment that can examine the internal space of objects in a manner similar to an x-ray. 

Steps at the base of the pyramid leading to nowhere

By utilizing a specialized apparatus that can reveal the inner structure of any object, they claim to have established that these pyramids are not natural formations but rather man-made. The structures were created artificially by a mysterious ancient civilization about 10,000 to 4,000 years ago and are positioned exactly from East to West. They have undergone at least three reconstructions, with their height constantly increasing. The hypothesis is that these pyramids were observation towers where ancient people observed stars, galaxies, and studied celestial changes. The functional purpose appears to be a sophisticated observatory that allows for observation of the night sky. If the age of these mysterious observatories is true, then they would be the oldest man-made astronomical buildings in the world, surpassing by a significant margin the age of the oldest ziggurats in ancient Mesopotamia.

External stone slabs of alleged pyramid structures

The most intriguing aspect is that every pyramid should have an internal cavity that is precisely shaped and whose contents are unknown. Are these cavities similar to tombs that contain sarcophagi, such as the Egyptian pyramids? Are there the mummies of some polar pharaohs lying in eternal rest or something even more mysterious?

Who Were the Hyperboreans?

Ancient Greek mythology featured the Hyperboreans, a mythical and mysterious people. The Hyperboreans were believed by Greek culture to inhabit a mythical and idyllic region named Hyperborea, which was believed to be situated far to the north of Greece. Hyperborea means 'Beyond Boreas', as Boreas is the Greek god of the north wind. According to their description, the Hyperboreans were a blessed and long-lived people who enjoyed a utopian existence similar to Atlantis due to their high technological advancement.

The pyramids were allegedly built by Hyperboreans

Moreover, They were considered to be a highly spiritual and peaceful community, living in harmony with nature. The ancient Greeks believed that the Hyperboreans were untouched by the troubles and hardships that affected the rest of the world. (except the winter....) Traditional Greek myths do not provide detailed information about the Hyperboreans' architectural achievements or their connection to specific geographical locations outside the mythological realm. They only mention that they are situated north of Greece. It's interesting to mention that the Koma Peninsula is 3000 kilometers north of Greece.

Is Everything Different After All?

While there were many people who were thrilled by this news, there were also doubters. This website highlights that although the photos are supposed to show the pyramids, they actually show two volcanic mountains located in the Faroe Islands. Although this does not entirely disprove the existence of pyramids, it's crucial to note that all information about them originates from the Russian internet space without any verification from non-Russian scientific sources. Given the fragile geopolitical situation today, it's necessary to take everything with a grain of salt and caution. The alleged sources for this expedition and claims, that were made are hard to find and don't seem convincing. Moreover, it's highly improbable that an advanced civilization lived in such remote and hostile parts of the world in the past, like the Komi Peninsula. For instance, Egypt has an ideal climate supporting the development of a civilization capable of building pyramids. Can a civilization in a land of perpetual winter do the same? The alleged functions of these northern pyramids also raises many questions. While Egyptian pyramids served as funeral monuments for pharaohs, the alleged purely astronomical function of pyramids in Koma Penninsula sounds improbable. Moreover where are other remnants of this advancent civlization besides pyramids. From ancient Egyptian we know much more than pyramids.

According to the most plausible theory, these alleged pyramids that the expedition encountered are normal geological formations,  two conical volcanic mountains taken for man-made structures. In conclusion, official scientific expeditions from outside of Russia are needed to determine with absolute certainty whether these structures really exist and if yes, whether they are manmade. Until then, I wish you a nice day and hope you enjoy this article.

If you want to read more about mysterious structures of unknown origin, check out the article about the mysterious pyramids in the middle of the Atlantic, The Mystery in the Heart of the Atlantic: Azorean Pyramids, or read about the enigmatic man-made caves structure in China, Mysterious Caves in China: Aliens or Unknown Civilization?