Feature Articles – Europe’s pyramid history unveiled The possibility of European pyramids is like London busses: you wait for centuries, and all of a sudden, two come along at the same time: in early 2003 in Italy, and in 2005 in Bosnia. After less than one year’s of scientific analysis, the Bosnian pyramid is already identified as an artificial structure, thus finally providing proof that Europe does have a pyramid past.
by Philip Coppens



It was at this time that Osmanagich decided to invest in followup research. In October 2005, he returned to carry out further geological and archaeological investigations, with fascinating results. The walls of the Visocica pyramid were found to be built from Breccia stone blocks. When these blocks were cleaned, the team found that they had been placed like bricks in a brick wall: the upper block was moved inwards in relation to the lower one. Some of the stones were removed and were found to have a flat, smooth surface. Entrance to the tunnels The results of the test probes inside the structure proved that it is indeed a stone step pyramid. A flat plateau, approximately 2.5 metres wide, is followed by a steep slope of 30 metres, then another plateau, then another steep slope with the same angle—a pattern that is repeated to the top of the pyramid, which has a plateau and the possible remains of a stone structure. The team also discovered that “…the entrance causeway is paved with manufactured sandstone blocks. They are 10 cm thick, cut by human hand, polished and then transported to this area.” Amazingly, the length of this paved causeway is an enormous 420 metres (1/4 mile) and is perhaps the best evidence that proves we are confronted by a genuine manmade pyramid. Small-scale excavations continued until early November, when winter set in, with the work focusing on what may have been the entrance to a pyramid-shaped temple on top of the structure. The team also found underground tunnels. “There are a number of ‘intersections’ along the way. Most of them are covered with dirt and rocks, but we will begin to clean them from the spring of 2006 onwards,” Osmanagich noted. Within a period of six months, the Bosnian team had carried out an amazing amount of work. “Visocica hill could not have been shaped like this by nature,” geologist Nadja Nukich stated unambiguously, according to a BBC report of 26 October. “This is already far more than we have anticipated, but we expect a lot more from further analysis.” Originally, Osmanagich believed that an existing hill had been reshaped into a pyramid shape and then coated with a type of primitive concrete. But in November 2005, after larger areas were unearthed, the team concluded that the whole hill is actually a stone structure—a conclusion that has since been confirmed by satellite and thermal imagery. Building a pyramid Newspapers want conclusions, so Osmanagich had to provide an interpretation of these structures, even though archaeological excavations had only just begun. He speculates that the pyramids come in a pair, one symbolising the Sun, the other the Moon. The Visocica hill has thus been labelled the “the Bosnian pyramid of the Sun”. The “Bosnian pyramid of Moon” he believes to be under the neighbouring hill of Pljesevica. Osmanagich added: “Beside these two artificial structures, several other mounds exist in the same valley, and they tend to have very geometric (triangular) sides and clear, linear breaks. Dr Amer Smailbegovich (Reno, Nevada) has applied remote sensing techniques that showed that the Bosnian pyramids of the Sun and Moon exhibit flat, triangular sides with clear geometric breaklines between the flat sides. The observed phenomena are not to be confused with triangular facets naturally occurring in a tectonic setting, for those occurrences only exhibit single-side triangulation and are uneven in appearance, whereas the observed anomalies exhibit two or more, even triangular sides. The results of thermal inertia [tests] suggest that the pyramids are composed of less consolidated material and tend to cool faster than the surrounding mounds (which are presumed to be denser). This finding is congruent with what would be expected from an artificial structure—lesser density materials, porosity, internal cavities all contribute to increased [heat] loss.”
These mounds which Osmanagich mentions are mutually equidistant and all align to the cardinal directions. The two pyramid structures and a third which could be a pyramid are of approximately the same height but differ in overall size. Osmanagich believes that we can thus “freely talk about the Bosnian Valley of the Pyramids”. Pljesevica, Pyramid of the Moon So who built these pyramids, and how old are they? Osmanagich believes that the hills were reshaped by the Illyrian people, who inhabited the Balkan peninsula long before Slavic tribes conquered it around AD 600. Little is known about the Illyrians, but Osmanagich thinks they were more sophisticated than many experts have suggested— evidence for which would be the pyramids themselves. Osmanagich has unfortunately been misquoted about the possible age of these pyramids as being 27,000 years. This is what Osmanagich actually said: “It’s very well known that a medieval Bosnian town existed on the top of the hill between the 13th and 14th centuries. Artefacts that show traces of small Roman and Illyrian observation posts (2,000 and 2,500 years old, respectively) have also been found. It is a classic example that a later culture built their villages on top of earlier structures. (The same example is seen in Cholula, Mexico, where Hernán Cortés built a huge church on the top of the hill. Three hundred years later, it turned out that the church was built on top of the largest pyramid in Mexico.) These findings show that it is more than 3,000 years old. We know that Bosnia has continuously been populated for 27,000 years. So, the pyramids must have been built in between these two dates.” So the date could be anywhere between 1000 BC and 25,000 BC, though Osmanagich personally favours the Illyrian period, thus providing a much more conservative date than that quoted by the media. Considering the importance of the discovery, the original team has now established a foundation called Archaeological Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun, which is sanctioned by the Bosnian Justice Department and already has a number of Bosnian archaeologists, geologists, geophysicists, historians and other experts amongst its members. “We are in the process of forming an international advisory board and applying for grants and sponsorships. It is very interesting that for the first time in a long period, Bosnian politicians on all political levels have united to give support for this project,” said Osmanagich. Excavation, restoration and long-term protection of the site will recommence on 14 April 2006, after the winter snow. “Hundreds of experts and students, cleaning crews and enthusiasts will come to the middle of mountainous Bosnia to take part in a fantastic archaeological event,” Osmanagich added. “We plan once again to work until the first snow comes at the end of October.” And as such, Europe has truly entered the pyramid age… This article appeared in Nexus New Times 13.3 (April-May 2006) and Frontier Magazine 12.2 (April-May 2006)