Louisiana Coast Hides 12,000-Year-Old City?

An amateur archaeologist, retired architect George Gelé, claims to have uncovered evidence of an ancient city submerged off the Louisiana coast, potentially dating back 12,000 years. For nearly five decades, Gelé has collected underwater sonar images near the Chandeleur Islands, which he interprets as the remnants of hundreds of structures, including a purported 280-foot pyramid. He reports that this structure emits electromagnetic energy, causing compasses to malfunction in its vicinity.

Gelé's theory is supported by his discovery of mysterious granite mounds beneath Chandeleur Sound, a material not native to Louisiana. He suggests these were transported and assembled by an ancient civilization. While his findings remain unpublished in peer-reviewed journals, he posits the city, dubbed Crescentis, was submerged by rising sea levels around 11,700 years ago. This claim suggests an advanced civilization existed at the end of the last Ice Age.

However, scientists offer alternative explanations for the underwater formations. Some studies suggest the granite could be debris from shipwrecks, possibly from Spanish or French vessels discarding ballast stones. Another theory proposes the stones might be remnants of an artificial reef created in the 1940s. State archaeologists believe large amounts of stone were dumped, but the exact purpose remains a question.