Geologists stunned to find Siberian family isolated for 40 years, unaware of World War II

In a world driven by constant connectivity and validation, the story of the Lykov family, who lived in isolation for over four decades in the remote Siberian wilderness, seems almost otherworldly. Shielded from major historical events like World War II and the moon landing, the family’s existence was a profound testament to the human instinct for survival and resilience in extreme conditions. As reported by the Smithsonian Magazine, the Lykovs chose to escape the modern world and its tumult to live in near-total isolation.

Led by Karp Osipovich Lykov, the family of five made their home deep in the Siberian taiga, one of the most desolate and inhospitable places on Earth. The area spans hundreds of thousands of square kilometers from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, largely uninhabited due to its extreme climate. The family endured freezing temperatures that often plunged to −13 °F (−25 °C), relying on their resourcefulness and faith to survive.

Their isolation remained undiscovered until 1978, when a geological survey team stumbled upon their settlement while exploring the mineral-rich belt of Siberia. According to Bored Panda, the discovery shocked the modern world. Despite the unimaginable hardships, the Lykovs had carved out a life for themselves, cut off from the rapid advancements and conflicts that defined the 20th century.

A Russian pilot was reportedly flying over the mountainous region scattered with sparse pine and birch woodlands. He came across the unexpected finding and later reported it to a team of senior geologists, per the magazine. Following this, all of them, including some scientists, flew to the contentious spot armed with weapons. However, they found Lykov's family, including his daughter Agafia, the only surviving member of the family to this day.

The discovery astonished the team. The mountain where the Lykovs were residing was more than 150 miles from the nearest settlement in an area they ever explored. Also, the Soviet authorities were unaware of anyone living in the district prior to the finding. The members of the Lykov family were found living inside a primitive wood cabin with a lifestyle reminiscent of seventeenth-century Russian peasants. They were dressed in rags, and to experts, it appeared like they had gone back to the reign of Tsar Peter the Great.

Years later, a well-known journalist, Vasily Peskov, visited the Lykov family. The journalist working for Pravda bonded well with the locals, further revealing his experiences in a book titled "Lost in the Taiga." According to Peskov, the Lykov family started living in the desolate forest after they were forced to leave their homes in Ukraine. They were part of a community of Russian Orthodox fundamentalists who managed to escape religious persecution after Peter the Great started reforming the Church.

"How they came here, how they survived, and how they ultimately prevailed in a climate of unimaginable adversity make for one of the most extraordinary human adventures of this century," Peskov wrote in his book published in the late 1990s. For the next two centuries, they resided in the heart of the "savage" beauty of the Siberian taiga until Stalin's campaign in the 1930s. Despite the onslaught from the Soviet forces, Lykov, along with his family, managed to thrive and moved to deeper regions of the hinterland.

They had been living alone for more than 50 years when Peskov first met them. They could only eat what they could hunt, gather, and build for themselves. It is a stark reminder for those who have yet to experience, or at least get a glimpse of, "survival of the fittest" in their lives. Following his first visit with the Lykov family, the Russian journalist was so inspired that he continued meeting them at least once every year for over a decade.

This article originally appeared 3 months ago.