On the southern shore of Lake Managua in Nicaragua, numerous footprints are distinctly imprinted on the rocks. The people of Nicaragua refer to these ancient footprints as the traces of Akkowarlink.
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Lake Managua (Photo: nica-adventures) |
To protect this rare ancient site, a large tent has been constructed, and two deep holes, approximately 2-3 meters deep, have been dug underneath the tent. At the bottom of these holes, a smooth, flat rock surface is marked with a variety of footprints, both large and small, deep and shallow. The shallow footprints resemble those made by a person walking across soft ground or mud, with clear toe impressions. The larger, deeper footprints are big enough to fit a bare foot, similar to the prints left when someone walks through a muddy area.
The Akkowarlink footprints were initially buried under several meters of mud due to the low-lying terrain. Each rainy season, a significant amount of rainwater flows into Lake Managua, eroding the mud day after day, revealing the ancient footprints more clearly.
The first person to discover these footprints was Dr. Plither, who lived on this land. In 1878, he announced his discovery, but it wasn’t until 63 years later that it caught the attention of archaeologists from the Canneki Museum in Washington, who conducted excavations at the site. Based on their assessments, the archaeologists concluded that these ancient footprints date back approximately 6,000 years, and they remain remarkably clear, as if someone had just walked by. How could the ancients leave such distinct footprints on solid rock?
Archaeologists speculate that the ancient people may have walked across the area when the lava had not yet fully hardened. The Atlantic coast of Nicaragua is home to many volcanoes; when a volcano erupts, people panic and flee in all directions. After the eruption ceases, they would run towards safer areas. It is believed that these footprints were left behind as the ancient people ran across the still-soft ground. However, in 1915, American scientists conducted an experiment: when the California volcano stopped erupting, the lava solidified within a few hours, making it impossible to leave any traces. This indicates that the hardening process of lava is indeed very rapid.
To the south of Akkowarlink lies a volcano, while to the north is Lake Managua. At that time, the only way for people to cross was to run along the lake’s shore. However, these footprints indicate a movement away from the lakeshore. Some argue that, in fleeing danger, individuals would run as fast as possible. Yet, the footprints suggest they were walking rather than running, and the deep impressions indicate that they might have been carrying heavy burdens. In the face of a life-threatening situation, who would think about carrying heavy objects? Thus, to this day, we still do not have a precise and logical explanation for the footprints at Akkowarlink, while scientists continue to investigate, study, and discuss this intriguing mystery.
