In late 2020, the appearance of a series of metal columns was reported internationally. Referred to as "monoliths", these sheet metal structures began to be constructed in the wake of the discovery of the Utah monolith, a -tall pillar made of metal sheets riveted into a triangular prism, placed in a red sandstone slot canyon in northern San Juan County, Utah. The structure was placed there sometime between July and October 2016 based on images from Google Earth, but only attracted media attention after it was reported in late November 2020 by state biologists who discovered it during a helicopter survey of wild bighorn sheep.
Soon after the Utah discovery on November 18, 2020, reports emerged on social media of similar metal columns being found in many other places throughout the world, including locations across North America, South America, Central America and Europe. Over two hundred similar metal columns have been reported from various locations around the world.
The origins of these structures varied; some monoliths were made by artists inspired by news coverage of the original Utah pillar; others, like the two Pittsburgh monoliths, were made by local businesses for promotional purposes. Some monoliths were subsequently removed. Despite the word monolith referring to a single great stone, these sculptures were mostly made from metal, and the name derives from the Monolith that appeared in the 1968 science fiction film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. This connection gave rise to speculation about an extraterrestrial origin, although the phenomenon has also been viewed as a craze or an Internet hoax, with a number of features in common with crop circles.
List by location
Since November 2020, monoliths similar to the one found in Utah have been reported internationally.
Asia Country Year Date Location Notes Status Refs India 2020 December 29 Ahmedabad, Gujarat One monolith appeared in Symphony Forest Park in Ahmedabad. One of the panels features etched numbers, relating to longitudes and latitudes of wildlife parks in India. The anonymous artist said in an interview that "The monolith is shrouded in mystery around the world because people enjoy the mystery of unlocking new ideas and unlocking new thoughts. And this was my contribution to that – engagement of thinking." It disappeared on 13 January leaving a metallic sphere in its place. Removed 2021 March 10 Bandra, Mumbai The monolith in Jogger's Park was triangular-shaped and around tall with numbers on the side. After two weeks, it disappeared and was replaced with a metallic sphere, much like the one in Ahmedabad. Removed Iran 2020 December 14 Niknam-Deh A monolith appeared on top of a valley in Niknam-Deh, a small village approximately 15 kilometers east of Tehran. The monolith was 3 meters in height and has been engraved with the letters "N" and "S", representing the directions north and south, respectively. Turkey 2021 February 5 Göbekli Tepe A monolith was discovered in Göbekli Tepe with text written in Old Turkic script saying, "If you want to see the moon, look up to sky". It disappeared within a few days. Removed
Africa Country Year Date Location Notes Status Refs Democratic Republic of the Congo 2021 February 17 Kinshasa A monolith was found at a roundabout in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa. The monolith was burned down by locals agitated by its sudden appearance. Destroyed Morocco 2020 December 10 Zenata A monolith was reported in a construction site in Zenata near Casablanca. Upon investigation, it was determined that the structure was installed by the chemicals and logistics company Top Negoce as part of a communication campaign for its new robot Aya.
Europe