Mystery behind Kazakhstan's large pentagram revealed

A large pentagram, etched on the wind-blown steppes of central Asia, in an isolated corner of Kazakhstan, has continued to baffle many.

But, an archaeologist has now revealed the source of the mysterious structure.

The five-pointed star measuring roughly 1,200 feet (366 meters) in diameter, surrounded by a circle, located on the southern shore of the Upper Tobol Reservoir, shows up vividly on Google Maps.

There are almost no other signs of human habitation in the area; the closest settlement is the city of Lisakovsk, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) to the east.

The region surrounding Lisakovsk is riddled with ancient archaeological ruins. Bronze Age settlements, cemeteries and burial grounds - many of which have yet to be explored - dot the windswept landscape.

Though it's difficult to discern from an aerial photograph exactly what the Kazakh pentagram is, Emma Usmanova, an archaeologist with years of experience working in the Lisakovsk area, has an answer.

Usmanova told LiveScience that it is the outline of a park made in the form of a star.

The star was a popular symbol during the Soviet era (Kazakhstan was a part of the former Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991).

Stars were often used throughout the Soviet Union to decorate building facades, flags and monuments.

The star in the lakeside park is marked by roadways that are now lined with trees, Usmanova said, which make the star shape even more distinct in aerial photos.