Have you ever considered that in our culture, sand often symbolizes time? This is not only because sand was used to fill hourglasses in ancient times, but also because desert sand perfectly preserves old buildings and other objects abandoned by people many years and centuries ago.
People often travel through deserts, despite the sheer difficulty of survival there, and sometimes they make the most incredible discoveries. From artsy statues to abandoned diners, from rusted car skeletons to whole forgotten towns – here’s a brilliant collection of such discoveries, especially for you!
#1 Springtime In The Sonoran Desert
Image source: Alaric_Darconville
#2 Statue In The Desert
Image source: Whimsical_Ruins
#3 Another Great Day In The Arizona Desert. Not Processed. Just Washed. Came Straight Out Of The Ground. Thank You, Mother Earth
Image source: andy_heuer
Deserts occupy approximately 14% of the planet’s land area, and frankly, this area is only increasing over time. Deserts exist on every continent, from the gigantic Sahara in Africa and the Gobi Desert in Asia to the relatively small Mojave and Atacama Deserts in North and South America. And, well, human activity over the past centuries has directly contributed to the increase in desert areas.
Deserts existed long before humans, and they will continue to exist long after us. Generally speaking, two factors contribute to the emergence of deserts: high mountains nearby or a cold current near the coast. Indeed, if you look at a map, you will see that deserts are always found near mountains.
#4 Abandoned Town (Kolmanskop, Namibia)
Image source: Romolus02
#5 Found An Unfinished And Abandoned Mall In The Middle Of The Desert
Image source: The-Communist-Cat
#6 Found This Guy In The Desert. Ran Across My Boot And Stopped
Image source: HeadlineINeed
The point is that high mountains (or old mountains that were once high) block rain and winds, and so on one side, facing the ocean, there’s almost always excess precipitation and moisture, while on the other, a lifeless desert begins.
A classic example is the Himalayas and Tibet in Asia, which block the moist winds blowing from the Indian Ocean. Therefore, northeastern India, Bangladesh, and other neighboring countries are covered in rainforests, while to the north of the mountains stretches a broad belt of hot, almost lifeless deserts.
#7 Some Petroglyphs I Found Out In The California Desert Today
Image source: stillwaters23
#8 A Few Days Ago I’ve Slept Inside This Abandoned Ship In A Desert Of Uzbekistan
Image source: ILUVYOURMUM
#9 Just A Casual Swimming Hole In The Middle Of A Salt Flat In The Desert. Chile Has Been Full Of Crazy Shit So Far
Image source: ObamasLoveChild
The same applies to the largest desert on our planet, the Sahara. The Atlas Mountains in northern Africa are very old and were once significantly higher, blocking the sea winds. Where cold ocean currents approach the coast, such as the Namib Desert in Africa or the Atacama Desert in Chile, precipitation is virtually nonexistent.
However, the Sahara wasn’t always a vast expanse of sand. Just five million years ago, almost the entire territory of North Africa was a fertile savanna, with rivers flowing, lush vegetation, and a multitude of animals. But time passed, and all this green splendor was swallowed by the merciless sands…
#10 Flintstones Theme Park Left In Disrepair In The Desert
Image source: StephanieKay22
#11 Did You Guys Know How Big Cactus Can Get? That’s Me At The Bottom
Image source: Tll6
#12 Shipwreck In The Mersey Deserts
Image source: Emptyspacesuk
Yes, many deserts once harbored life, and where there’s life, there are people. That’s why deserts around the world conceal thousands and millions of different relics of human activity. Be it a coin dropped by a merchant crossing the desert with a camel caravan or an entire town abandoned and buried by sand.
Yes, it does happen, and some examples are quite modern. The story of Kolmanskop, a once-thriving small town in Namibia, Southwest Africa, is quite telling. At the beginning of the last century, diamond deposits were discovered here, and within just a few years, the diamond rush that followed made Kolmanskop a thriving place.
#13 This Abandoned Restaurant In The Middle Of The Desert
Image source: sozh
#14 Burned-Out Train Car Hidden In The Desert
Image source: Isaac_Zav
#15 Giant Graffiti Wheel Of Fortune Out In The Desert
Image source: tbrady94
But all good things must come to an end. First, World War I broke out, and Kolmanskop, founded by the Germans, was left without any supplies. Then, after the war, a much more significant diamond deposit was discovered a few dozen miles away, and the entire community gradually moved to neighboring Oranjemund.
Today, all the houses in Kolmanskop are partially covered in sand, which simultaneously protects the buildings from destruction. About half a century ago, the De Beers company, the world’s largest diamond company, restored some of the houses, creating a kind of open-air museum.
Today, Kolmanskop is a frequent tourist destination, and documentaries and feature films are shot there, but life, real life, actually disappeared almost a century ago.
#16 Someone Built A Hand In The Desert In Chile
Image source: GaryCPhoto
#17 Abandoned Airplane Crash In The Desert
Image source: sysifuscorp
#18 Strange Find In The California Desert
We stumbled upon this spot down a dirt track while looking for a place to camp for the night. 5 pianos, horns, various other instruments, mannequins, and many other bizarre items. What I found odd was that the spot was very well kept and tidy, no trash, alcohol remnants, evidence of partying etc. This was literally in the middle of nowhere, and I probably could not find it again if given the chance.
Image source: sardinetaco
Incidentally, economics often leads to the emergence of such abandoned places in the most unexpected desert locations. For example, in the Western US, during the height of the gold rush or oil boom, thriving towns with all the trappings of luxury life would sometimes spring up from nothing in a matter of years.
And then the money left them, and with it, their life. As a result, driving along the highways of California, Nevada, or Arizona, you can find abandoned gas pumps, supermarkets, or even entire children’s theme parks with peeling cartoon hero figures staring forlornly into the void right in the middle of the desert…
#19 Abandoned Waterpark In The Desert Shutdown From To Much Debt
Image source: True_explores
#20 Found In The Desert Outside Of Roswell, New Mexico
Image source: Vikingwithguns
#21 Random Piece Of Street In The Middle Of The Desert
Image source: bogbunzhun
Desert explorers might also encounter the work of some daring artists – for example, a surreal statue half-buried in sand, or even a huge hand peeking out from the ground, as if a giant were lurking below.
Incidentally, this hand-shaped sculpture, found in the Chilean desert, is also featured in our collection, and you can see for yourself how impressive yet eerie it actually looks.
#22 Abandoned In The Desert Of Southeast Utah
Image source: commiedeschris
#23 Desert Adventures Lead To Strange Findings
Image source: twister.venture
#24 This Car In The Vegas Desert
Image source: 2MachTime
Anyway, people have always been drawn to the unknown, and the rustling of myriad grains of sand, many of which date back to the time of the dinosaurs, eternally sings the soothing song of life. It tells us that nothing lasts forever under these stars, but you can always encounter something new, something interesting and captivating.
So now, our dear readers, please feel free to explore this collection to the very end, and maybe add your own incredible finds, in case you, too, have ever made your way through the desert.
#25 Found In The Desert
Found roadside on the way to Joshua Tree. Literal desert; there doesn’t appear to be a nearby water source. Several melon/squash fruits attached. I took a pic to show the rangers; they didn’t know.
Image source: SnuggleMama33
#26 I Keep Finding These Stones Near Quartzsite, AZ. They Are Usually A Mix Of Clearish To White, With Sometimes Orange In Patches Or In Lines
They will have a white rind if it hasn’t been broken off. They look “puddled” or blobbed when they are forming, with occasional thumbprint patterns or circular patterns. I scratch tested them with glass and a thumbtack; none left a mark. I smashed one open, and it took some effort. I was thinking quartz because it’s Quartzsite, but I’m not sure.
Image source: byoshin304
#27 Desert Roses In Socotra
Image source: marcograssiphoto
#28 It Happened Just Two Days Ago! I Walked For 80 Km Through The Desert Just To See This Beauty. An Abandoned 60m Heights Space Rocket
Image source: ILUVYOURMUM
#29 Sonoran Desert, AZ
Image source: TravelforPictures
#30 A Lone Tree In The Sahara, Mauritania
Image source: LucaOnAdventure
#31 Chest Found In Mojave Desert
My friend and I were searching around his property with my metal detector when we came across this. It took a while to get it out, but there was nothing inside the chest except that it was filled to the brim with dirt. In the dirt were a few plastic flowers.
We thought it was a coffin at first, but it’s too small, and it was unmarked. I think it may be the past landowner’s chest, but I don’t understand the SS markings. And the fact it was full of dirt. Why would someone bury a chest full of dirt?
Image source: Downtown-Wonder1469
#32 Tick Making It’s Way Through The Sahara Desert
Image source: _NuissanceValue_
#33 My Sister Found “Murdoc Is God” Spray Painted On A Deserted Vehicle In The Middle Of A Texas Desert
Image source: murdocthenob
#34 Found A Cave (Lava Tube) In The Idaho Desert
Image source: RiverStorm3218
#35 Abandoned Railroad In The Desert
Image source: wasimohee
#36 I Found This Rock In The Desert That Looks Like Africa
Image source: jam-unam
#37 You Never Know What You’ll Find Running Out In The Vegas Desert
Was doing a trail run out by Little Red Rock and found a slightly used Toyota 4Runner. Needs a little work.
Image source: tdpnate
#38 Mojave Desert, Nevada
Image source: DocBenway1970
#39 First Time Out And Found This Strange Manhole Thing A Few Inches Down. Out In The Middle Of The Desert
wzl46 replied:
“That’s an irrigation valve. It’s attached to an underground pipe, and the cap is removed to let water flow and flood the field or yard where it’s located. There are gates upstream that are opened or closed based on which area is going to get irrigated.”
Image source: spazzams
#40 This Is A Strong Contender For My Best Lightning Shot Of The Year
Image source: jessej.media
#41 Found In The Californian Mojave Desert At An Elevation Of 1000 Metres
Image source: Atropian-99
#42 Desert Owl Knows How To Shelter In Place. Tucson, Arizona
Image source: Elisabethkcmo
#43 I Found This Seashell In The Middle Of The Desert
Image source: TheRealFalec
#44 Found Mushrooms In The Desert Of Wadi Rum, Jordan
Image source: shamaly
#45 An Old Taco Bell, Gas Station House Found In The Middle Of The Desert
Image source: velveteyesshop
#46 Puna De Atacama, Argentina
Image source: marcograssiphoto, marcograssiphotography
#47 These Dogs Wearing Goggles To Protect Their Eyes In The Sonoran Desert
Image source: JHole666
#48 This Rock I Found In The Desert With A Surface Pattern That Resembles Lightning Burns
Image source: aeranis
#49 Couches Are Surprisingly Abundant In Deserts
Image source: simply__nature_
#50 Went To The Desert On Xmas Day, Found A Model-T And Amazing Light.
Image source: gsuhrie
#51 It Really Is 115ºf, And This Sonoran Desert Tortoise Is Digging Down Into A Bit Shade
Image source: NowOnTheRez
#52 Huge Green Weird Rock/Plant We Saw In The Middle Of The Desert In Uyuni, Bolivia (13,000 Feet Above Sea Level). It Was Like 3 Ft High. Like A Moss Cloud
Image source: My_House_on_Mars
#53 The Things You Find In The Desert
Image source: saschafruehauf
#54 Clown Museum With A 100 Year Old Cemetory Right Next To It… In A Town With 2000 People, Tonopah, Nevada
Image source: charlesblackburngallery
#55 This Sunflower Growing Randomly In The Desert
Image source: MountainMongrel
#56 This Thorny Devil I Found Looks Disappointed In Me For Picking Him Up
Image source: DavenReef
#57 I Found A Random Chair In The Mojave Desert
Image source: disparaginglady
#58 I Didn’t Expect The Desert To Be This Fascinating
Image source: benibensch
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