Khojapil – Plateau of Dinosaurs

Tucked away in the far southeastern corner of Turkmenistan, nestled among mountain ranges that border Uzbekistan, lies the remote highland village of Khojapil—a name that translates as “Sacred Elephants.” Just three kilometers southwest of this village, perched at an elevation of around 1,800 meters, is a vast slanted limestone slab measuring approximately 400 by 300 meters. What makes this site extraordinary is that the surface of this ancient rock is densely covered with over 3,000 preserved dinosaur footprints from the Jurassic period, dating back roughly 140–150 million years. The sheer volume and remarkable preservation of these prehistoric tracks make Khojapil one of the most unique paleontological sites on Earth—without parallel anywhere else in the world.

But this plateau holds more than just ancient reptilian tracks. It conceals mysteries that conventional science often avoids addressing. While modern science tells us humans have existed for no more than three million years, what are we to make of a distinct human footprint embedded in stone right next to massive dinosaur tracks?

Reaching Khojapil is no small feat. While it is possible to hire a vehicle, this journey doesn’t come cheap. It’s highly recommended to rent a 4×4, as the route from the nearby town of Koytendag (formerly Koyten) is notoriously rough, with steep elevation gains along the way. The village itself is charming, nestled in a scenic mountain valley at 1,200 to 1,300 meters above sea level. Towering above it, like a colossal ski jump, looms the Dinosaur Plateau—an inclined slab rising starkly against the horizon.

Local residents have long been aware of this curious site. According to regional legend, the strange footprints etched into the stone were believed to be those of the war elephants belonging to the army of the legendary conqueror Alexander the Great, known in local lore as Iskander Zulqarnain. The village’s name—“Sacred Elephants”—is a testament to this ancient tale.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that local villagers guided geologists and historians to the site. Word quickly spread within the Soviet scientific community, and soon paleontologists from the USSR Academy of Sciences, along with university students and research teams, began extensive studies. Their findings were nothing short of astonishing.

The Dinosaur Plateau, inclined at a 25-degree angle, spans 400 meters in length and 300 meters in width, resting at a lofty 1,800 meters above sea level. Here, scientists recorded over 3,000 dinosaur tracks and identified 31 distinct trails. This volume of fossilized dinosaur footprints concentrated in one location is unprecedented globally. Of these trails, 26 were determined to have been made by megalosaurs. Some of these trails stretch 195, 226, 266, and even 311 meters—breaking the previous world record of 147 meters held by a site in Portugal. Additionally, the megalosaur tracks here are the largest known from the Jurassic period.

Megalosaurs were formidable, carnivorous dinosaurs with large heads, elongated jaws filled with sharp teeth, and powerful hind limbs. They roamed the edges of ancient bodies of water, moving on two massive legs with four toes, including a clawed spur on the back of the foot. Their front limbs were much shorter and didn’t touch the ground, making them true bipedal hunters. The megalosaur footprints at Khojapil measure up to 70 cm long and 65 cm wide, with stride lengths exceeding two meters. Tracks of smaller three-toed dinosaurs also abound, making up the majority of the prints.

Back in the Jurassic era, this area was likely a swampy shoreline. The soft ground perfectly captured the imprints of dinosaurs as they hunted for small prey. Over time, the swamp dried out and fossilized, preserving the tracks. Later geological activity caused the ground to rise and tilt, and erosion gradually revealed this remarkable slab, making it visible to the modern world.

In addition to megalosaurs, tracks of other dinosaurs such as iguanodons and tyrannosaurs have been discovered on the plateau. However, the greatest sensation came with the discovery of what appeared to be “human-like” footprints interspersed among the dinosaur tracks. These unusual prints were first formally recorded during the third expedition by the Turkmen SSR Academy of Sciences in the 1960s, led by Kurbanniyaz Amanniyazov, Vitaly Plutalov, and Oleg Gorbachev.

These footprints were distinctly different from the three-toed dinosaur tracks. One such footprint showed a clear heel and was elongated, measuring 26 cm—equivalent to a European size 43 shoe. In total, six such prints were documented, and their age was estimated to be between 150–200 million years. Research into these prints involved scientists from the USSR, the US, and the UK, but the results have never been fully revealed to the public. Many suspect these findings are deliberately downplayed because they challenge long-standing scientific beliefs about human evolution.

Unfortunately, with fame also came exploitation. Looters and “black archaeologists” began to frequent the site, attempting to extract and steal sections of the rock containing the human-like footprints. As a result, several of these prints have been damaged or destroyed.

Despite the challenges of access and preservation, Khojapil’s Dinosaur Plateau remains a fascinating destination for adventurous travelers and history enthusiasts alike—a place where the lines between science, legend, and mystery blur, inviting you to explore one of the world’s most extraordinary windows into our planet’s ancient past.