Scientists think that they could have rediscovered the Pink and White Terraces of New Zealand, which has sometimes been called the eighth wonder of the world. The famed natural site had been lost for the last 131 years before this announcement was made. The potential rediscovery was documented in a research paper in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
How it was rediscovered
On June 10, 1886, nearby Mount Tarawera erupted, causing ash, dirt, and other debris from under the lake to cover the surrounding area. This included the nearby Pink and White Terraces, which were covered, and since then their exact location has been lost to time.
This is because the site was never surveyed before the eruption, so no one knew what the latitude and longitude was in terms of location.
Now, Rex Bunn and Sascha Nolden of the National Library of New Zealand believe that they may have found this so-called eighth wonder of the world buried underneath 30 to 40 feet (9.14 to 12.19 meters) of mud, ash and dirt. They think that the terraces may have minimal damage and may be able to be fully restored. They are now getting ready to conduct a full archaeological investigation in the area.
What are the Pink and White Terraces?
The Pink and White Terraces of New Zealand were a major tourist attraction for travelers from around the world. They became the biggest tourist attraction in the British Empire, with tourists from America, Europe, and the United Kingdom flocking to see them.
It was such a stunning site that it was referred to as the eighth wonder of the world.
The terraces were located on the North Island, near Lake Rotomahana. They were natural cascading pools that descended into the lake, noted for their stunning color and the dramatic view they provided against the landscape.
The pink color from the terrace was called the "fountain of the colored sky," while the white color was referred to as "tattooed rock."
What are the seven wonders of the world?
Despite the Pink and White Terraces and other sites being called the eighth wonder of the world, there are officially only seven. The classic seven wonders of the world include the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Lighthouse at Alexandria, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and the Great Pyramid of Giza. Out of all of these, only the Great Pyramid has not been destroyed.
