The Mystery of Mount Rushmore

Lena and Petya had always dreamed of real archaeological adventures. This time, their journey took them to the United States — to Mount Rushmore, famous for its giant sculptures of presidents. But the children knew that behind this grand memorial sculpture, there were even deeper secrets related to the history of the indigenous peoples of America.

– Have you ever wondered why this place, in these mountains, was chosen for the sculptures? – Lena asked, looking at Petya, who was intently studying the rocks. – Maybe this place was significant for the local people long before the presidents' faces were carved here.

Petya, always eager to solve mysteries, furrowed his brow and began thinking. Everything really seemed strange: the huge sculptures of presidents, carved directly into the mountain, were not just a monument, but something much more. Soon, they discovered that the legends surrounding Mount Rushmore held many more secrets than one might have thought.

In one of the small gorges, hidden from the eyes of tourists, the children noticed a suspicious crack in the rock. Deciding to investigate it up close, they were surprised to find the entrance to an ancient cave, carefully hidden behind stones. It was dark and damp inside, but Lena, without hesitation, turned on her flashlight, and together with Petya, they stepped inside.

– Look, Petya! – Lena exclaimed, pointing to the cave wall. – These are ancient inscriptions! They look like symbols that the indigenous peoples might have used!

The inscriptions were indeed unusual. Instead of the familiar drawings and signs found in other places, these symbols depicted entire scenes. In the center of one image was Mount Rushmore, carved much earlier than ever recorded in history. The scene showed a group of people gazing at the enormous stone figures. But the most interesting thing was that some of the symbols were surrounded by mysterious circles and lines, which seemed to point to cosmic phenomena.

– This is incredible! – Petya said, examining the image. – It seems that these people might have predicted the appearance of Mount Rushmore or at least understood how this place was connected to the heavens and the stars!

Lena thought for a moment. Perhaps these inscriptions were remnants of an ancient culture, little known to us, that might have had a unique understanding of astronomy. They decided to carefully study every detail to learn more about the symbols and how this ancient culture could have been connected to later events.

As they ventured further into the cave, Petya was lucky to notice something else. On one of the stones near the entrance was a strange figure carved. It was a person holding something that looked like a tool for observing the sky. The scene around showed this person and their companions watching the movement of celestial bodies, with stars and planets depicted in the background.

– This really looks like astronomical observations! – Lena exclaimed, trying to decipher the symbols. – These people were definitely using cosmic knowledge for predictions.

Petya moved closer and touched the figure. At that moment, the stone beneath his hand slightly shifted, revealing a hidden mechanism. He noticed that there were several such mechanisms embedded in the cave walls, which could serve as keys to unlocking ancient knowledge. This was not just an image, but an entire system hidden beneath layers of time and oblivion.

– This is not just a cave, – said Petya. – It’s a kind of archive sealed in stone. Someone left these symbols and signs here for others to decipher. And maybe this place is connected to the very idea of Mount Rushmore!

Lena and Petya continued exploring the mysterious cave, uncovering more and more secrets. Soon, they found additional symbols that linked the ancient culture to various events in the past. However, the most mysterious thing was that these inscriptions pointed to a place that later became Mount Rushmore.

After several hours of investigation, the children concluded that Mount Rushmore was connected not only to later cultural events but also to ancient secrets. Perhaps this place had been deliberately chosen. Archaeologists and historians could only guess how long people had used this site for their rituals and how it became part of a larger network of significant places connected to astronomy and the stars.

– We’ve made an incredible discovery, – said Petya, standing in front of the hidden entrance, which closed again after their research. – This gives a completely new perspective on the history of Mount Rushmore.

Lena and Petya returned to the surface with valuable knowledge, ready to share their discoveries with archaeologists and scholars. But they knew that this was just a small part of a great mystery, and that there was still much work to be done to uncover all its secrets.