One of the most impregnable natural monuments, the highest mountain of Roraima, is located at the junction of the borders of three states of South America: Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil. A majestic hill with breathtaking steep cliffs and a flat top is isolated from the surrounding landscape.
General information
Located on the border of three states: Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana, Mount Roraima is the highest elevation with a flat top. This area is part of the Canaima National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The surface area of the plateau is approximately 34 km 2. The height of Roraima Mountain is 2810 m.
Tepui - the lost world of the ancient gods
Mountains with smooth steep slopes and a truncated flat top are called "canteens." They usually consist of sedimentary rocks. They are found in different parts of the world: Gamsberg in Namibia, Monte Santo and Monte San Antonio on the island of Sardinia, Sierra Negro in Argentina.
Uplands from the plateau located on the Guiana Plateau are called tepui. These giant masses of sandstone are considered the oldest mountain formations on the planet. In the language of the Pemon Indians living in the surrounding areas, the word tepui means "house of the gods." One of the most famous is the table mountain of Roraima. At first glance, the hills shrouded in dense fog resemble the scenery for a science fiction film. Tepui are located in one of the least studied corners of the planet. For many centuries this region remained mysterious and unknown, which led to the emergence of all kinds of legends, myths and stories about the lost terrain of the fantasy world. Until the 19th century, Europeans could not discover Mount Roraima in South America. Therefore, the land covered with a halo of mystery was long considered an invention of the Indians.
Discovery story
For a long time, only some brave people from Native American tribes went here, then telling about a fairy-tale world filled with strange animals, unusual plants, rivers with colored waters and steep rocky walls. The path to the mountain is blocked by numerous impassable swamps and dense thickets of the jungle.
The first mention of this mountain dates back to 1596. An English traveler wrote about her - Sir Walter Raleigh. Thanks to adventurers, information about the mysterious terrain spread beyond the boundaries of the Indian villages. The first researchers to visit the "lost world" were German scientist Robert Hermann Schombrook and British botanist Yves Cerne. Robert first visited the area in 1835, but attempts to climb an impregnable plateau proved futile.
Half a century later, an expedition was organized, led by Sir Everard Im Thurn. Researchers climbed to the top of a mysterious mountain and fell into a fantasy world. The report on this expedition, published in a German academic journal, was striking in its incredibility. It was difficult to believe in the existence of a world in which colorful rivers seethe, unusual plants grow, birds and animals live, surviving from prehistoric times. And time flows in a completely different way, as if it is not subject to earthly laws customary for us. For several days, a sunny day could continue, then replaced for several hours by the pitch darkness of the night. It was this report of travelers that became the source of inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle to create the science fiction novel "The Lost World".
Expedition to the mountain
More reliable information was obtained after 100 years by the pilot Juan Angel. In search of diamonds in 1937, he flew over the Orinoco River and noticed a tributary that was not marked on the map. Hoping that the river would sooner or later lead him out of the thicket of the jungle, the pilot continued to follow along the stream, and it soon turned out that there was no way to turn aside, since the rocky formations blocked the path. He flew in the only possible direction, until before his eyes appeared a hill with a flat peak on which he landed. However, the plane was mired in a swampy place. The traveler had to go down the mountain and get to the nearest Indian village. It took more than two weeks. After returning home, he set forth his impressions in a book, describing the amazing flora and fauna of Mount Roraima. A full-scale expedition set off on a plateau in 1960. She was led by the son of the pilot Rolland.
Anomalies of the lost world
Mount Roraima, interesting facts about which have spread throughout the world, is actually rich in inexplicable phenomena. Traveling through the mysterious world, the son of pilot Juan Angel Rolland realized that the locals, who considered the mountain a cursed place, were not so far from the truth. One of the anomalies of this world - the mountain attracts numerous lightning strikes. Almost a square meter remained on the surface area, wherever a heavenly electric discharge fell. Lightning struck many trees. This is probably due to the composition of the soil and the location of the mountain.
Another interesting fact is the strange passage of time and the inconsistent change of darkness and sunlight. Travelers noted the unusual duration of the day and night. It seemed that the dark time lasted only a few hours, and the day lasted several days.
Not far from the waterfall, a platform of perfect round shape was discovered. The soil is devoid of any vegetation, and the surface is covered with strange silvery sand. The results of chemical analysis showed that this substance is unknown to science.
Myths and legends of sorrow
Numerous myths are associated with this mountain. For centuries, Indians, pemons and capons, have transmitted legends to their descendants. According to one of the legends distributed among local Indians, the plateau is a platform for landing guests from heaven.
According to another legend, a mountain with a flat top is a giant stump that remains from a tree of incredible size. It grew all the fruits that exist in the world. The tree is cut down by a hero of the traditions named Makunaima. After the fall of a huge trunk on the earth, a powerful flood formed. It is quite possible that this fabulous story is an echo of a natural cataclysm.
Another legend of the inhabitants of nearby villages tells that the mountain is the habitat of the goddess Queen - the ancestor of all mankind.
In the early 2000s, researchers discovered a cave system - Cueva-Ojos-De-Crystal, which means “Cave of Crystal Eyes” in Spanish. It owes its name to quartz formations. Numerous ancient cave paintings were discovered there. On some walls are painted animals of the prehistoric period or creatures that vaguely resemble people. The depth of the cave reaches 72 m. Natural tunnels stretch for 11 km. 18 exits detected.
Many locals are afraid to approach the "Mother of Great Waters" - Mount Roraima, fearing evil spirits.
Flora of Roraima
Flora on the plateau is striking in its unusualness. 26 species of orchids grow here, many carnivorous insectivorous plants, including the romera sundew and penetrating helimamphora. This is due to the peculiar climate. Useful substances are washed out of the soil due to frequent showers, so eating insects remains one of the only ways to obtain plant nutrients. The isolation of the mountain surface from the rest of the area affects the state of the flora. Despite the abundant vegetation in the tropics, on the top of the mountain trees are quite rare.
Animal world
The mysterious world at the top is really inhabited by unusual representatives of the fauna. At the beginning of their journey, the researchers did not notice anything unbelievable. On their way they met lizards, black frogs, possums, spiders. After that, they noticed butterflies unknown to science. Then the travelers saw giant ants about 5 cm long. And a few days later they encountered a snake. She was distinguished by an unusual head shape, strange formations on her back and a length of 15 m. Such an animal could well settle on the pages of the legendary novel by Arthur Conan-Doyle "The Lost World". Later, frogs appeared in their gaze, which birds hatched eggs. There are also several species of birds, mice, amphibians, capybaras and noses.
At the top, the remains of numerous prehistoric inhabitants were discovered. It seems that they died not so long ago.
Weather and climate
The mountain is constantly shrouded in thick fogs and clouds. It rains almost daily. About a fifth of the surface is covered by ponds: peat bogs, clear clear lakes, colorful puddles of bright colors, rapid streams and rivers whose bottom is strewn with crystals of rock crystal. Due to heavy rainfall and a high level of humidity, Roraima is a source of a huge amount of water, so three large rivers begin at its foot: the Amazon, Orinoco and Essekibo.
Almost daily showers are accompanied by thunderstorms. The surface of the peak attracts an incredible number of lightning strikes.
Relief and soil
Description of Mount Roraima can be found in the reports of various travelers and scientists. She surprises with her unusual shape. It seems that the rock formation is carved from a single monolithic piece. Part of the lines connecting the sides of the vertical surface is striking with the evenness of the faces. Some scholars are inclined to think that in ancient times, artificial cutting and processing was carried out, and the mountain is the remains of a once monumental structure. However, so far these are just hypotheses.
From the height of a helicopter or aircraft, it may seem that the surface of the plateau is a flat plain. But in fact, the relief is very chaotic. The sandstone that the mountain consists of is unevenly destroyed under the influence of wind and water, forming a bizarre landscape. The plateau is strewn with an incredible amount of intricate stone piles and complex figures resembling fairytale statues, giant mushrooms, fantastic castles and frozen outlandish animals of the prehistoric period.
The outer surface of the stone formations is covered with a black layer of microscopic algae. In some places protected from direct exposure to sunlight and rain, the true color of sandstone is visible - bright pink.
