The civilizations of various countries in the world are very different, and while leaving a variety of splendid cultural heritages to future generations, they have also left many unsolved mysteries, and have become mysterious places for future generations to explore without fear of hardships and dangers. Although some cultural sites are located in different countries on different continents, separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and belong to different civilizations, the most amazing thing is that these sites are extremely similar in appearance, like twin brothers, which makes people amazed, but it is impossible to answer why this phenomenon occurs. Fangshan, Qixia City, Shandong Province, since ancient times, it is considered to be a holy place that can communicate with the gods, on the Fangshan Mountain, there are dozens of stone sculptures made of stones in ancient times, of which No. 31 stone sculpture dragon is more than 100 meters long, the head is 12 meters wide, 3 meters high, the body is 7-8 meters wide, 1-2 meters high, it is the largest ancient animal sculpture in ancient China. The stone dragons of Fangshan are roughly located on the edge of the cliffs on the mountain, overlooking the rich land and all living beings in the world under the mountain, which is still mysterious and unpredictable.
No. 31 stone plastic dragon, in the distance is the dragon's head.
No. 31 stone plastic dragon body.
The No. 31 stone sculpture dragon head is not only an altar to the sky, but also a dragon's eye.
On the edge of a mountain cliff in Adams County, southern Ohio, USA, there is the world's largest prehistoric animal sculpture - Snake Hill. The snake mound is a large snake image created by a combination of earth and stone, stretching for 411 meters. Although separated by thousands of miles, many images of Snake Hill and the stone dragon on Fangshan have the same effect, the oval ring of the head of the snake hill is exactly the same as the image of Fangshan No. 31 stone plastic dragon head, the difference is that when shaping, the oval shape of Snake Hill is separated from the main body behind a small section, so it causes many speculations such as snake eating eggs or an eye of the snake, but if you see Fangshan No. 31 stone plastic dragon, you will find that the circular shape in front of the stone plastic dragon is closely connected with the dragon body behind, that is, the dragon head, and the center is a dragon's eye。 However, the Fangshan stone dragon does not have as many twists and turns as the snake hill body, the straight line length of the two bodies is roughly the same, the stone dragon is shaped by stones of different sizes, so it is more spectacular, the snake hill is built of earth and stone, twists and turns, more mysterious, and is now a symbol of American national history. Land artist Robert Smithson's inspiration for Snake Hill led to the creation of the Spiral Jetty, which has become an immortal masterpiece in the history of Western art.
Snake Hill. 
Spiral breakwater.
China is known as the "land of dragons", and the Chinese are called "descendants of dragons". The dragon is a symbol of the spirit of the Chinese nation and has an irreplaceable position in traditional Chinese culture. According to archaeological discoveries, the earliest dragon is the stone dragon of the Chahai site in Liaoning, which is formed by the method of stacking, about 8000 years ago, and the other have the pig head pendulum plastic dragon of Xinglonggou in Inner Mongolia, and the clam shell plastic dragon group of the western water slope of Henan. Around 5,000 years ago, jade dragons were found in the late Lingjiatan and Songze cultures to the early Liangzhu culture. "Supplementary History: Three Emperors Benji" records that Fuxi "snake body and human head, there is holy virtue", in ancient China for a long time, dragons and snakes are mixed, "Historical Records: Relatives of the Family" recorded: "The snake turned into a dragon, unchanged its text;."The family becomes a country, and its surname does not change. Because Fuxi has a close relationship with the dragon, the Chinese nation's admiration for Fuxi includes the worship of the dragon. As the times changed, so did the image of the dragon. The dragons of each era have distinct characteristics of the era. Such as the mystery of the Shang and Zhou dragons, the many changes of the Spring and Autumn Warring States dragons, the mighty and strong Qin and Han dragons, the elegant and free and easy dragons of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the gorgeous and rich dragons of the Tang Dynasty, and the majesty and supremacy of the Song and Ming dragons. From the image to the connotation, the dragon has always represented the Chinese nation's respect for the natural world, on behalf of the integration and coexistence of multiple cultures, and has become the concentrated embodiment of the great cohesion, infinite creativity and infinite vitality of the Chinese nation.
Chahai ruins stone plastic dragon.
Dragons are mostly derived from some spiritual animals or animals that can communicate with the gods, such as snakes or crocodiles, and the shape of the dragon is a collection or combination of a variety of spiritual animals, and it is also a reflection of the continuous integration of totems of different ethnic groups. The emergence, development and evolution of the dragon is a long and complex process, which has gone through different historical stages and dynasties, and has been constantly enriched and improved, gradually forming the current image of the dragon. The image of the dragon is recorded in "Erya Wing" as follows: "The horns are like a deer, the head is like a camel, the eyes are like a rabbit, the neck is like a snake, the belly is like a mirage, the scales are like a fish, the claws are like an eagle, the palm is like a tiger, and the ears are like a cow." "On Balance" records: "The secular painting of the dragon image, the head of a horse and the body of a snake." "No matter how the image of the dragon changes, it is fused with the image of a snake, and sometimes, even the dragon and snake are mixed. The ancients believed that snakes could also become dragons after cultivation, but the process was more complicated than that of carp. Since ancient times, the snake has been considered a mysterious and sacred animal by all ethnic groups in the world, and has become a totemic worship of different peoples.
Nine Dragon Wall of Beihai Park.
Although there are many dragon-related sites in various parts of China, but the grandest, most spectacular dragon-related sites are the ancient stone plastic dragon groups on the top of Fangshan Mountain in Qixia City, Shandong Province, these stone dragons are in a variety of postures, magnificent, some are hundreds of meters long, some are specially built to depict the round big eyes, some are also installed teeth, and some also have *** officials, these are unique in China, which are not only rare ancient large-scale sculpture works in the world, but also the symbol of the ancient dragon Tongtian and fertility worship.
Fangshan stone plastic dragon is a difficult problem to solve in the academic circles, because this is not the center of ancient Chinese economy and culture, according to historical records, Jiaodong area is a bird totem area, some experts also clearly believe that Fangshan is a dove totem place, but the reality is that there are dozens of huge stone dragons on Fangshan Mountain, is the dragon totem area. These stone dragons in Fangshan are a huge project in ancient times, the image and characteristics of the dragon are very prominent, and the stone dragon composition and shape of the 8,000-year-old Chahai site in Liaoning Province in the early Hongshan culture are similar.
No. 65 stone plastic dragon eyes.
Fangshan stone plastic dragon is a very unique stone pile on Fangshan Mountain, this kind of stone pile generally has a large round or square stone pile at the beginning, there is generally a stone ring in the middle of the stone pile, there is a long stone pile formed by a curved and very regular stone pile behind the square or round stone pile, the stone pile is hidden in the grass, and it is the image of the dragon at a glance. In ancient Chinese myths and legends, the dragon is a supernatural animal that is good at change, prosperous clouds and rain, and beneficial to all things. In ancient times, the dragon was a symbol of royal power, and having a dragon showed that he was the best person of God in the world, and his power came from the grant of God, which was of great significance in the society at that time. Just as ancient Chinese emperors called themselves "Son of Heaven", "speaking for the gods" often derived the right to rule over the ethnic group, becoming the supreme ruler who integrated divine power, military power, and even financial power.
The shaping techniques of Fangshan stone plastic dragon are adapted to local conditions and are varied. No. 31 Stone Plastic Dragon, No. 62 Stone Plastic Dragon and No. 65 Stone Plastic Dragon are all three-dimensional, and there is a rectangular altar at the turning point of the No. 10 Stone Plastic Dragon, and the dragon is considered semi-three-dimensional. The No. 56 and No. 37 dragons also have rectangular altars, but the body of the dragon is tiled, and the stone paving method is a bit like the feeling of Bulgari's serpentine jewelry inlay. Fangshan stone sculpture dragon is still hidden in the dense forest of Fangshan, few people see its true face, it is more mysterious, however, those who are lucky enough to see its true face, will be shocked by its magnificence, mystery, this is an eternal wonder that can not be seen anywhere else in the country.
Fangshan mountain shape from the air overlooking like a huge turtle lying between heaven and earth, all sides, all like a huge square altar, written in the Jin Dynasty (266-420 years) of the "Three Qi Ji" Fang Mountain records: "Dafang Mountain, the top of the mountain is flat, (the east peak is particularly rising), the spring is clear, the clouds and mist are around, the ups and downs change, there are city pavilions, flags and trees, the shape of people and horses, it is extinguished after time, if the sea is true." "This is the first time that the name Fang Shan has been recorded in ancient texts. Historically, because of the mirage of Fangshan, it was famous in Qi and was considered to be a holy place to communicate with the gods. According to the local county annals, it is also believed to be the place where Emperor Yao's astronomical official Xi Zhongyin went out of the sun and determined the vernal equinox, and it is the Yanggu recorded in the historical books. Yanggu, the sun is out of the valley and the world is bright, so this is considered to be the place where the sun rises, and the name Qixia comes from the record of Yanggu.
Sunrise Yanggu. 
Fangshan scenery. Through the observation and research of Fangshan Stone Plastic Dragon, we can know that it should have the following functions:
First, communicating heaven and earth is a symbol of power.
No. 31 stone plastic dragon is more than 100 meters long, the head is composed of a diameter of 12 meters, two layers of 5 meters of two layers of circular altar, the second layer of the altar is concave, the whole is a jade image, the outside is surrounded by two low walls, and the round mound of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing is extremely similar, it is the altar used to worship the sky, the tail is a square altar, shaped like a jade cong, used to sacrifice to the earth, a dragon, two altars, symbolizing heaven and earth, naturally this dragon is the ancients to communicate the artifact of heaven and earth, representing the divine right of the monarch, is a symbol of power.
Second, having more children and more blessings is a symbol of fertility worship.
No. 62 stone plastic dragon is only 21 meters, but it is located in the center of the southwest of Fangshan, is the only stone plastic dragon located near the center of Fangshan, the most amazing thing about this stone plastic dragon is that there is a *** official behind it, which is a symbol of fertility worship and praying for more children and more blessings.
Fangshan No. 62 Stone Plastic Dragon.
A symbol of the four directions of east, west, north and south.
No. 10 Shisusaurus and No. 65 Shisusaurus are 1210 meters apart, due south and north;Altar No. 26 and Altar No. 63 are 1,210 meters apart, due east and west, and at the same time, No. 56 stone plastic dragon not far from the west side of No. 63 is due west, so Fangshan stone plastic dragon is a symbol representing the four directions of east and west, north and south.
Fourth, it represents the water nature of the dragon.
Some stone dragons in Fangshan are built in the concave ditch on the top of the mountain, people can pass through the dragon, and the rain can pass under them, which not only has the meaning of riding the dragon to the sky, but also represents the water nature of the dragon. There is a spring water under the No. 65 stone plastic dragon head, which saves a lot of water in summer and autumn, which should represent the water nature of the dragon, or the importance of water to agriculture in ancient times.
Fifth, it represents the season.
"Dragon, the length of the scales, can be secluded, can be bright, can be thin, can be huge, can be short, can be long, ascend to the sky at the spring equinox, and dive into the abyss at the autumn equinox." That is to say, the dragon can enter the earth, travel clouds and rain, representing the spring and autumn equinoxes, and many of its characteristics are obviously related to primitive agriculture and celestial phenomena closely related to agricultural time.
Sixth, it represents the stars.
The most important stone dragons in Fangshan are all in the east, representing the Canglong constellation in the east. Fangshan as a whole resembles a turtle, and there is a dragon like a snake on the tortoise shell, and the turtle and snake intersect, forming the image of the northern Xuanwu.
In North America, there is a famous ancient historical site - North American mounds. North American mounds are the remains of earthworks built by ancient Americans in different cultural periods with different forms and functions, and obviously uplift on the surface, they are one of the important symbols of ancient American culture, mainly distributed in the vast area east of the Rocky Mountains in North America, north to the north shore of the Five Great Lakes, south to the Gulf of Mexico, and east to the Atlantic coast. According to the research of experts and scholars, the remains of mounds first appeared in about 3400 B.C., and after a long period of development and evolution, it was not until the end of the 15th century A.D. that Europeans came to the New World, and this cultural phenomenon characterized by artificial construction of mounds gradually disappeared.
Criel Mound, West Virginia
Moundville Archaeological Park, Alabama.
These mounds vary in the form of earthworks and are built in a variety of ways. Some, like snake mounds and alligator mounds, depict a certain animal or creature. Others are high walls that enclose large swaths of land in extremely precise geometric shapes, often corresponding to the winter solstice, summer solstice, or other astronomical time points. Some of the works are tall cones and are located on cliff tops or floodplains overlooking river valleys. Some of the works were pyramid-shaped, with flat tops, and were used for ceremonial activities or as residences for the upper classes. Still others are long and low, similar to the undulating tees and grasses found on modern golf courses.
Snake Hill, USA, photo: Related Organizations are pushing for world heritage
The first North American mounds were discovered by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his expedition. In search of a new kingdom as rich as Peru's, the expedition landed in Tampa Bay, Florida, in 1539 and began a North American expedition that lasted more than four years. During this expedition, the expedition team saw these North American mounds, some of which are still in use by the locals, so they were not interested.
16th-century painting of the burial mound of a Florida Indian chief and his funerary rites.
In 1784, Thomas Jefferson (the third American Emperor) excavated and studied a mound in his Virginia manor, and found that the mound contained multiple layers of human skeletons from the bottom to the top, each layer covered with earth, making the mound gradually increase in size, and finally reach 36 meters, according to which he considers the mound to be a burial mound that was formed in the course of several uses. The excavation is considered to be "the first scientific excavation in the history of archaeology" in the United States, and Jefferson is known as the "father of American archaeology".
Schematic diagram of the Adena burial mound excavated near Snake Mound.
In 1845-1847 Ephraim George Squier and Edwin Hamilton Davis excavated more than 200 mounds, surveyed more than 100 earthen paddocks, and collected many artifacts in the northern United States. At the same time, they also surveyed the remains of many mound buildings and carefully mapped the distribution of the remains with detailed content, accurate locations and contour lines. At the same time, the two also conducted a comprehensive classification survey of the remains of pictographic mounds in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota in the northern region, including animal-shaped, human-shaped or some more abstract forms, and gave different names according to the planar morphological characteristics of the mounds (such as otter, buffalo, lizard, turtle, bear, etc.). The most famous of these are two large animal mounds built by Native Ohio people, the Snake Mound and the Alligator Mound.
Statue mound in the Wisconsin River Valley.
Alligator Mound, located on the edge of a cliff in Granville, Licking County, Ohio, was built about 830 years ago and is about 76 years long2 m (250 ft), 23 m wide1 m (76 ft), height 1At 2 meters (4 feet), Squire and Davis worked together to draw top and side views of the mound, describing in the report that the mound was shaped like "some kind of animal, probably an alligator," when in fact the mound was distinctly not shaped like an alligator. Squire and Davis also note an "altar" of Alligator Mounds, a ring of space covered in stone and raised above the ground, extending from the animal's torso by an earthen embankment with burning marks.
Archaeologist Brad Lepper, director of the Archaeology Museum and head of the Department of Archaeology and Natural History at the Ohio Historical Association, wrote in a note on Alligator Mound: "The historic name Alligator Mound may contain a clue that identifies the creature it represents. He and co-author Tod Frolking interpreted the mound as symbolizing the "underwater panther." It is one of the three animal spirits often depicted in the temples of the eastern woodland tribes, along with the ptarmigian and the longhorned water serpent. Associated with rivers, lakes and hell, underwater panther began to appear in art in eastern North America about 1040 years ago.
About 128 kilometres southeast of Alligator Mound is the famous Serpent Mound. Squire and Davis discovered Snake Mound in 1846 during a topographic survey of the Brashcreek River Valley in Adams County, southern Ohio, and in 1848 they published the book Ancient Monument of the Mississippi Valley, which documented the Snake Mound and Alligator Mound for the first time, along with detailed maps and descriptions of the Snake Mound and Alligator Mound.
Topographic map of Snake Hill.
Many peoples in the ancient world have long regarded snakes as a mysterious force in nature, and some peoples have worshipped snakes as totems. The Snake Mound in Ohio is the world's largest sculpture of prehistoric animals, a U.S. National Historic Landmark, and is known as one of the "Four Holy Sites of the World." Snake Mound stretches 411 meters (1,348 feet) on a hillside in the Brascreek Valley on the edge of a crater in Adams County, southern Ohio, at a height of 12-1.5 meters (3.)9-4.9 feet) with a width of 60-7.6 meters (19.)7-24.9 feet). The snake mound as a whole is north-south, with a crescent-shaped shape, with the head in the northwest and the tail in the southwest, with seven bends in the middle, and the tail spiraling coiled in the southwest. The shape of the front of the snake mound has led to a lot of speculation, with some scholars seeing the oval shape in front of the snake mound as a wide eye or part of a head, others seeing it as an egg or a frog being devoured by the open mouth of the serpent, and still others interpreting the oval of the head as the sun, "devouring" or meaning a solar eclipse.
Snake Hill. In 1875, Frederic Ward Punnam took over as director of the Peabody Museum at Harvard University, and his research interests shifted from zoology to archaeology and anthropology. At the end of the 19th century, Putnam was the first to carry out scientific excavations of Snake Hill when he excavated a conical mound 200 meters southeast of Snake Hill, which unearthed several tombs and related artifacts, including some potteryInitially, Putnam thought that the Snake Mound was also a tomb, and eventually an autopsy of the Snake Mound revealed that it was made of stone and sand, not a tomb. For the first time, Putnam interpreted the ellipse of the head of the snake mound as a snake with an egg in its mouth.
In 1940, archaeologist James Bennett Griffith again analyzed the Snake Mound, identifying it as the Adena culture (c. 800 BC – 100 AD). In 1991, fragments of charcoal dating back to 1025-1215 were found during the excavation of the Snake Mound, suggesting that it was built by the Fort Ancient (1000-1650 years). In 2013, experts conducted radiocarbon dating of charcoal from the soil core collected from the Snake Mound, and after determination, the date of the samples was between 400 BC and 80 AD, indicating that the statue was created by the Adena culture, which is believed to be 2,300 years old. However, charcoal was found scattered throughout the soil, probably from the Old Adna fire pit dug by later Kasbah culture builders. During the study of the snake mound, experts found that the head of the snake mound also had a round shape on each side, but these two forms were later removed. Therefore, experts believe that the Kasbah people may have modified or renovated the snake mound, and pointed out that other monuments in the vicinity also show evidence of restoration or modification by prehistoric groups.
The original appearance of Snake Hill.
Snake Hill partial. In 2018, Brad Leppel and his colleagues published the article "Serpent Mound might depict a creation story," in which they reconstructed the original dimensions of the mound and reinterpreted the mound as a reinterpretation. Their findings overturn earlier interpretations and suggest that Snake Mound depicts a pivotal moment in the creation story of the Dhegiha Siouan (North American Indians): the world's first union of a woman and a serpent. She gained the power of the serpent and created life on Earth. After studying three cemeteries in the area where Snake Mound is located, Lepel eventually attributed the mound to two American Indian cultures: the early Adena culture and the late Kasbah culture.
Since July 19, 1964, Snake Hill has been a National Historic Mark. In 2008, the United States** began considering its inclusion on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List. According to the interpretation of symbolic experts, the "snake" is the most complex of all animal symbols, and it may also be the oldest one, and various ethnic groups have their own views on the snake symbol in different eras. Although many experts and scholars have conducted various in-depth and detailed studies and researches on the Snake Mound, the analysis of its origin, purpose and use of its construction is still a mystery.
Snake Hill terrain model.
Through the research and identification of experts in different eras, we can know that the snake mound should have the following functions:
Clause. 1. Places of worship.
In the study of the snake mound, archaeologists found a circle made of black stone on the oval "egg" of its head, and believed that the snake mound was once used as a place for sacrificial activities, ** meetings and other religious ceremonies.
Second,Deity worship
Many native cultures in North and Central America attribute supernatural powers to snakes or other reptiles and incorporate them into their spiritual practices. In particular, the Native people of the Central Valley of Ohio often made serpentine ornaments out of copper sheets. Therefore, the snake mound may have a spiritual effect of god worship, and many local aborigines believe that the snake mound was built from the gods.
Clause. 3. The astronomical calendar.
Some experts believe that the Snake Hill has the function of an astronomical calendar, and that the site was used to observe celestial phenomena and record time and calendars. After observation, experts found that the angle of the snake's head was aligned with the summer solstice sunset, while the tail pointed to the winter solstice sunrise, and the curvature of the body may be related to the moon phase. The shape and positioning of the snake mound are related to the position and movement of the sun or moon, so it may be related to astronomy, and it is believed that the ancient aborigines here may have used the unique structure of the snake mound to mark the time or seasons, which is believed to be a giant perpetual calendar for ancient humans, guiding humans to grow crops and survive.
Snake Hill with summer solstice sunset.
From top to bottom: summer solstice sunset, summer solstice sunrise, spring and autumn equinox sunrise, winter solstice sunrise.
The curvature of the body of the snake mound or its relationship to the phases of the moon.
Schematic diagram of the relationship between the rise and fall of the snake mound and the moon.
Clause. Fourth, the direction of the constellation.
The design of the Serpent Hill coincides with the shape of the constellation Draco, which was considered the North Star from 3942 BC to 1793 BC, representing due north. The first curve of the Draco constellation with the serpent's torso is aligned from the head, and this alignment hints at another purpose of the Serpent's Mound: a compass that helps determine the true north.
Draco. Dracons and Snake Hills.
Clause. 5. Symbols of power.
Some scholars have studied Snake Hill and the surrounding mounds and concluded that Snake Hill was used for political activities. They believe that the ruins were built for political gatherings, banquets, and other political events. Both the shape and orientation of the serpentine mound are related to social relations and power structures, so it may be related to politics.
In addition to these theories, there are many other theories that explain the use and purpose of the snake mound. However, it is not widely accepted due to the lack of conclusive evidence. To this day, the specific function of the snake mound is still debated. While we may never know the exact logic and purpose of the Serpent's Mound, it remains one of humanity's most incredible achievements and will undoubtedly continue to intrigue, explore, and decipher people around the world.
Stone dragon and snake mound is not only in ancient times people's hearts of the holy land, but also like a piece of land art lying on the hillside, these ancient land art because of the age, not easy to identify, has been intimate with the environment, still existing in the world is already scaly phoenix horns, but they contain rich ancient information still attracts generations of scholars to analyze its intention and connotation. For example, the stone dragon and the snake hill represent a special spirit, and when you come here, you can experience this indescribable mysterious power when you are near the stone dragon or the snake hill. Land art (also known as earthworks or earth art) originated from an art movement between the late 60s and early 70s of the 20th century in the United States, artists use natural landscapes and natural materials to create, is a combination of art and nature, not to renovate the natural landscape, but to decorate with the original appearance, so that people pay attention to, approach, discuss nature, and re-examine the relationship between man and nature and society.
Spiral breakwater.
Robert Smithson (1938-1973), known as "the man who redefined sculpture", was the founder of land art. Smithsonian was a multi-identity artist (as well as writer and critic) whose early paintings were surprisingly imaginative, but as time went on, he wanted to find a new way of making art. In the process of searching, Smithsonian began to think about how to reinvent an art form with cultural continuity and expand new frontiers in art. In exploring external forms, he began to learn Xi from his ancestors and the ancients. Finally, in Ohio, Smithsonian meets Snake Hill, whose mysterious and meaningful shape completely captivates him, prompting him to return to nature and find a harmonious relationship between man and the earth.
Spiral breakwater.