In the ancient texts of Zoroaster, a tale of a catastrophic event is told – a sudden and brief ice age known as “the days of Malkush,” lasting approximately three years. Prior to this disaster, the deity Ahura Mazda proposed a solution: to construct underground cities as a refuge from the frost. Could there be truth in this narrative, seemingly plucked from a science fiction novel?

Pictured here is Derinkuyu, an enigmatic underground city nestled in Turkey’s Cappadocia region. Archaeologists suggest the heart of this city dates back 2,800 years ago, over eight centuries before Christ. Delving 85 meters deep, Derinkuyu could accommodate up to 20,000 inhabitants, with the natural caves likely predating this era.

Derinkuyu isn’t merely a cave but a sophisticated structure boasting 18 subterranean levels, encompassing wells, chapels, stables, schools, and even areas for wine and oil production. Some sections exhibit medieval modifications, incorporating Christian religious elements, yet the core traces its origins to a far more ancient epoch.

The city remained concealed until 1963 when its accidental discovery by a homeowner renovating his residence unveiled a passage to this subterranean realm. Since then, Derinkuyu has emerged as a testament to ancient human resourcefulness.

Derinkuyu stands as a representative case. The evolution of modern technology has unearthed a global network of underground cities and tunnels, including:

Egypt: Beneath the Giza Plateau lie expansive caverns, artificial tunnels, and rivers, hinting at advanced excavation practices by the ancient Egyptians or their predecessors.

Guatemala: Beneath the Tikal Mayan pyramid complex extends 800 kilometers of mapped but largely unexplored tunnels.

China: The unearthing of 24 meticulously excavated artificial caves in Zhejiang province raises questions about the advanced techniques employed by their builders.

Europe: Enigmatic Stone Age tunnels known as “Erdstall” crisscross the continent, confounding researchers regarding their original purpose.

Approximately 12,000 years ago, Earth encountered the Younger Dryas, a sudden and prolonged ice age spanning 1,300 years with significant global repercussions. Could the “days of Malkush” recounted by Zoroaster be a distorted recollection of this cataclysm? Were underground refuges such as Derinkuyu fashioned to shield against the frost?

The question remains: against what or whom were the ancients fortifying themselves while creating these intricate cities? How did a society seemingly devoid of iron or the wheel manage the construction of such elaborate edifices? The endeavor to replicate a city akin to Derinkuyu even with modern technology would demand decades.

What mysteries does our past enshroud? Is it plausible that advanced civilizations, now obscured, have left concealed imprints beneath our very feet?