An Entire Civilization Might Be Buried Under the Sahara (Michael Button)

For nearly 9,000 years, the Sahara had one of the most stable and hospitable climates on Earth. It may have been one of the best places to live on the entire planet.

We think of the Sahara as a vast, lifeless desert — a sea of sand stretching from horizon to horizon. But not too long ago, it was the exact opposite. The Sahara was green. Lush. Alive.

Despite its vast size, over 9 million square kilometers, only a tiny fraction of it has been archaeologically surveyed, let alone excavated. Some estimates suggest that less than 1% of the Sahara has been properly explored using modern archaeological methods.

So isn’t it at least plausible that we’re missing something? That perhaps an entire civilisation — or even multiple civilisations — once thrived here, only to be erased by time and sand?

If an advanced culture did once exist here, climate collapse could have buried its remains under dunes that stretch for hundreds of miles. Stone structures, cities, even inscriptions—preserved, but hidden.



[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, July 2, 2025.]