A mysterious steel monolith on a Wales hill took aback thousands. Residents of Hay-on-Wye spotted the over three-meter-tall steel block on Hay Bluff near the town of Powys over the weekend. This follows a series of similar sightings in the UK and the US in recent years. In 2020, multiple sightings were reported in mostly secluded areas across Europe. A sighting at Compton Beach on the Isle of Wight and the Merry Maidens stone circle in Cornwall drew in hundreds of TikTok and Instagram users eager to go viral. It also sparked social media commentary speculating it was the work of extraterrestrials. Some dismissed these rumors, believing instead that it’s another elaborate piece of covert art.
An Extraterrestrial Monolith?
The recent sightings in Wales have garnered much criticism on social media. Though they may seem attention-grabbing and could attract TikTok users, some say they’re cheesy, not fun, and environmentally damaging. Furthermore, hundreds of people assert there’s nothing “extraterrestrial” about them.
“I went up to Hay Bluff where the trig point is and looked over to my right. I thought it looked a bit odd and might be something related to the media’s scientific research, collecting rainwater. But then I realized it was too tall and strange for that. So I got closer, and it was at least 3 meters tall, was triangular, and definitely stainless steel. It was hollow and, I imagine, quite light. Light enough for two people to carry it and plant it in the ground.”
In 2020, two monoliths briefly appeared with just months apart in Colorado, California, and Utah. Those objects are similar to the one that has emerged in Wales. Hence, the notion of artwork has not been ruled out.
This story was written in Spanish by Miguel Fernandez in Cultura Colectiva.
