The Longyou Caves
In 1992, villagers pumped the water out of a pond and found a vast, carved cavern underneath. Nobody knows who made it, or why.
What was reported
In 1992, a villager in Longyou County, Zhejiang province, pumped the water out of a small pond that local people had believed was bottomless. Beneath it was an enormous man-made cave, with high ceilings, columns and walls covered in neat, parallel chisel marks.
Two dozen similar caves have since been found in the area, some covering more than 1,000 square metres. No historical records mention them.
Explanations offered
Archaeologists estimate they were dug at least 2,000 years ago, removing huge amounts of rock by hand. Suggestions for their purpose include quarries, storage, military use or tombs for nobles, but no clear evidence has settled it. The lack of any record of such an enormous project is the real mystery.
- When
- Found in 1992; at least 2,000 years old
- Where
- Longyou County, Zhejiang, China
- Witnesses
- Villagers and archaeologists
- Status
- Unexplained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.