All language subtitles for Mummies Unwrapped S01 E03_track3_[eng]

Romany: IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS
1,200 YEARS AGO...

A POWERFUL CIVILIZATION
APPEARED OUT OF THIN AIR.

[ INDISTINCT WHISPERING ]

THE ANCIENT INCAS
ACCUSED THEM OF SORCERY.

DO YOU KNOW ANYONE
THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CURSED?

♪♪

SOME BELIEVE THESE WERE
THE FIRST EUROPEANS TO SETTLE

IN SOUTH AMERICA.

COULD THEY REALLY BE A TRIBE
OF LOST WARRIORS

FROM ACROSS THE ATLANTIC?

NOW THE TRUTH ABOUT
THESE MYSTERIOUS PEOPLE

MAY FINALLY BE REVEALED...

IS THIS WHAT I THINK IT IS?

...BY THE MUMMIES
THEY LEFT BEHIND.

I FOUND SOMETHING!

♪♪

I'M ARCHEOLOGIST
AND MUMMY EXPERT RAMY ROMANY.

ACROSS THE GLOBE,
EARTH IS GIVING UP HER DEAD.

OH, MY GOD, PEDRO, LOOK AT THIS.

THANKS TO CUTTING-EDGE
TECHNOLOGY,

NEW MUMMIES ARE UNEARTHED
EVERY DAY.

IT'S LIKE AN UNDERWATER
CRIME SCENE.

THESE MUMMIES HOLD
EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS...

OH, MY GOD, WHAT IS THIS?

PRICELESS.

...IF YOU KNOW
HOW TO UNWRAP THEM.

THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

THIS IS...

--Captions by VITAC--
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

Romany: HUNDREDS OF MUMMIES
HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED

IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES,

DATING BACK
TO THE TIME OF THE INCA.

♪♪

BUT UNLIKE THE INCA,
WHO BURIED THEIR DEAD,

THESE MUMMIES
WERE FOUND ENTOMBED

IN CLAY STATUES HANGING OFF
OF SHEER CLIFF FACES.

♪♪

VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT
THE MYSTERIOUS CLOUD PEOPLE.

THEY VANISHED AS SUDDENLY
AS THEY APPEARED.

THE SECRETS OF THE CLOUD PEOPLE
ARE PROTECTED

BY A POWERFUL MUMMY'S CURSE
THAT'S SAID TO CLAIM THE LIFE

OF ANYONE FOOLISH ENOUGH
TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR DEAD.

♪♪

I'VE COME TO PERU TO EXAMINE
THESE MOUNTAIN MUMMIES

FOR MYSELF
AND TO SEE IF I CAN FINALLY

UNWRAP THE TRUE IDENTITY
OF THE CLOUD PEOPLE.

♪♪

I'VE ARRANGED SPECIAL ACCESS
TO THE LARGEST COLLECTION

OF MUMMIES IN SOUTH AMERICA.

I'LL BE EXAMINING THESE CLOUD
PEOPLE MUMMIES WITH THE DIRECTOR

OF THE LEIMEBAMBA MUSEUM,

ARCHAEOLOGIST AND MUMMY EXPERT
SONIA GUELLEN.

I OBSESS OVER MUMMIES, SONIA.

HOW MUCH MUMMIES ARE THERE
IN THAT MUMMY VAULT OF YOURS?

WOW.

♪♪

LOOK AT THESE. THAT'S WILD.[ DOOR OPENS ]

THEY LOOK SO DIFFERENT.

♪♪

AND WHERE WERE THE --

Romany:
THESE MUMMIES WERE DISCOVERED
IN SIX CLIFFSIDE TOMBS

300 FEET ABOVE NEARBY
LAGUNA DE LOS CONDORES.

IN CONTRAST TO EGYPTIAN MUMMIES,
WHOSE ENTRAILS WERE REMOVED

THROUGH AN INCISION
ALONG THEIR LEFT SIDE,

THESE MUMMIES' ORGANS
WERE REMOVED THROUGH THE ANUS.

THEIR HANDS WERE THEN
PLACED NEAR THEIR FACES,

AND THEY WERE SEATED UPRIGHT,

ALLOWING THEIR BODILY FLUIDS
TO CONTINUE DRAINING.

THIS HELPED DRY THE MUMMY
IN THIS HUMID CLIMATE.

WOW.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

OH, I SEE IT.

IS THERE A BIG
LOOTING PROBLEM?

CERTAINLY. VERY BIG. MM.HMM.

Romany:
LOOTING AND TOMB RAIDING

IS A PROBLEM
ALL OVER THE WORLD.

MUMMIES LIKE THESE WOULD'VE
HAD METAL ARTIFACTS

WRAPPED UP WITH THEM.

THESE ARTIFACTS COULD HAVE
GIVEN US VALUABLE INSIGHTS

INTO THEIR OWNERS' ANCESTRY.

HOW HARD IS IT TO GET ANY DNA
SAMPLES FROM THESE MUMMIES?

THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH DNA,

IS THAT SOME PEOPLE THINK
DNA IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWER.

YOU GET THE DNA FROM THE MUMMY

AND YOU KNOW
EVERYTHING FROM THAT,

BUT WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW
IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES,

IT'S VERY HARD TO GET SOUND DNA
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Romany: USING DNA TO TRACE
THE ORIGIN OF A MUMMY

IS AN INEXACT SCIENCE AT BEST.

BONES AND TEETH
PROVIDE DNA SAMPLES,

BUT IT'S DNA THAT HAS BEEN
DECOMPOSING FOR CENTURIES.

A SAMPLE IS ALMOST ALWAYS
DEGRADED AND CONTAMINATED.

IT IS THEN FURTHER DAMAGED

DURING THE UNAVOIDABLE LABS
EXTRACTION PROCESS AND ANALYSIS.

IT'S CLEAR WHY THE DNA TESTS

OF THESE MUMMIES
HAVE BEEN INCONCLUSIVE.

WHAT WERE THEY LIKE?

-THEY WERE WARRIORS?
-YES.

THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.

THE PLACEMENT OF THESE MUMMIES
HIGH UP AMONG CLIFFS NEAR WATER

IS INTRIGUING.

IT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER
BURIAL PRACTICE IN THIS REGION.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE,

I NEED THE EQUIVALENT
OF EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS.

THAT MEANS I'M HEADING TO LIMA.

♪♪

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

I'M HEADING TO
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY TO MEET

A HISTORIAN AND RESEARCHER
NAMED FELIPE PORTOCARRERO.

HE'S AN EXPERT ON PERU'S
INDIGENOUS CULTURES

AND HAS STUDIED
THE CHACHAPOYAS FOR YEARS.

-HEY, RAMY.
-FELIPE.

-FINALLY, I GET TO MEET YOU.
-HOW ARE YOU DOING, MY FRIEND?

-HOW ARE YOU DOING?
-VERY WELL.

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS,

AND I KNOW
YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME ANSWERS.

YEAH, I MEAN, THE CHACHAPOYANS
ARE A MYSTERY.

THEY WERE DIFFERENT FROM CLASSIC
ANDEAN SORT OF CULTURES.

THEY BURIED THEIR MUMMIES

INSIDE SARCOPHAGUS
INSIDE, LIKE, CASKETS.

THAT'S DIFFERENT
FROM ALL THE INCAS.

YES, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, INCAS DO IT
UNDERGROUND,

AND THE CHACHAPOYAS WERE TRYING
TO PROTECT THEIR MUMMIES

WITH SOME SORT OF SPELL,
YOU KNOW,

SO THAT ANYONE THAT WOULD EVEN
COME NEAR TO THEM

WOULD SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.

AND DID PEOPLE BELIEVE
THAT IF THEY GET ANYWHERE CLOSE

TO THEIR MUMMIES
THAT THEY WOULD BE CURSED?

DEFINITELY.

Romany: THE CHACHAPOYAS WERE
A REGIONAL POWER

IN THE NORTHERN ANDES OF PERU
FROM THE 7th CENTURY A.D.

THROUGH THE MID 16th CENTURY.

THEIR ONLY SIGNIFICANT RIVALS
IN THE AREA WERE THE INCAS,

STARTING IN THE 15th CENTURY.

THE INCAS -- THE MOST FEARED
CIVILIZATION IN SOUTH AMERICA.

DID THE INCAS THEMSELVES
FEAR THE CHACHAPOYAN PEOPLE?

I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THE INCAS
DIDN'T FEAR ANYBODY, YOU KNOW?

BUT WITH THE CHACHAPOYANS,
THEY WERE CAUTIOUS.

WE HAVE THIS ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT

THAT GIVES US DECENT DETAIL
ON WHO THEY WERE.

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

-ABSOLUTELY.
-LET'S GO.

♪♪

CALLED "CRóNICA DEL PERú,"
OR "CHRONICLES ABOUT PERU."

IT WAS WRITTEN BY
PEDRO CIEZA DE LEON.

Romany: PEDRO CIEZA DE LEON'S
FOUR-VOLUME WORK

CHRONICLED THE LOCAL GEOGRAPHY,
PLANTS, AND ANIMALS OF PERU.

IT IS CONSIDERED THE MOST
CREDIBLE SOURCE OF ITS TIME.

BUT MOST IMPORTANT
TO MY INVESTIGATION,

IT IS A FIRSTHAND DESCRIPTION
OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

THE DESCRIPTION ON WHERE
THE CHACHAPOYANS CAME FROM --

FORTRESS-LIKE BUILDINGS --

HUGE, UP HIGH
IN THE MOUNTAINS, YOU KNOW?

LIKE A FOGGY TERRITORY.

THEY GAVE THEM THE CLOUD
PEOPLE'S NAME

BECAUSE THEY JUST LITERALLY
LOOKED AT THEM

COMING FROM THE CLOUDS.YES.

PEDRO CIEZA DESCRIBES
CHACHAPOYAS AS TALL,

THEY WERE WHITER,
OR LIGHT SKINNED,

AND THEY WERE
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL.

TALL, WHITE, AND BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFUL IS RELATIVE,
BUT THEY WERE TALL AND WHITE?

YES.

DID THE SPANISH DESCRIBE
ANY OTHER CULTURE THEY SAW HERE

ANYWHERE CLOSE TO HOW
THEY DESCRIBED THE CLOUD PEOPLE?

I WOULDN'T SAY SO.

THEY LOOKED COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

THAN ANYONE ELSE
IN THE REGION.

EXACTLY.

AND WE HAVE NO CLUE
WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

THE DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS
OF THIS PRIME RESOURCE

CLEARLY POINT
TO AN ANCIENT PEOPLE

WHO HAD COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT FEATURES

THAN ANY OTHER PEOPLE
EVER SEEN IN THE NEW WORLD.

WHEN I APPROACHED THIS BOOK,
I WAS HOPING TO FIND ANSWERS,

BUT I ENDED UP EVEN
WITH MORE QUESTIONS

AND WITH NO IDEA
WHERE TO START NOW.

♪♪

FELIPE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I DID END UP WITH MANY
MORE QUESTIONS

AFTER LOOKING
AT THOSE DOCUMENTS,

BUT NOW I AM MORE MOTIVATED

THAN EVER TO GO
DEEP INTO THE AMAZONAS

TO FIND ANSWERS
ABOUT THIS MYSTICAL TRIBE.

BUT FIRST, I GOT TO DO
SOME SHOPPING.

AS ALWAYS,

A LITTLE LOCAL PREPARATION
IS KEY.

♪♪

THIS IS THE BIGGEST MARKET
IN LIMA, PERU --

THE GAMARRA MARKET.

IT BEGAN AS A TEXTILE MARKET
MORE THAN 120 YEARS AGO

AND HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE
MORE THAN 20,000 STALLS.

THEY SELL ALL KINDS OF THINGS,
INCLUDING EXACTLY WHAT I NEED

FOR MY EXPEDITION HIGH UP
INTO THE ANDES MOUNTAINS.

THESE ARE COCA LEAVES --
YOU KNOW,

THE ONES THEY MAKE COCAINE FROM,
EXCEPT THIS IS LEGAL.

COCA LEAVES HAVE BEEN USED
AS MEDICINE IN PERU

SINCE 3,000 B.C.

THEY HELP REDUCE THE NAUSEA
AND HEADACHE

OF THE ALTITUDE SICKNESS

THAT MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE
ABOVE 8,000 FEET.

AND I WILL BE TRAVELING
TO 10,000 FEET.

IT'S THE ULTIMATE MEDICINE
FOR ALTITUDE.

I'M READY.

THE MORE EXOTIC SIDE
OF THE MARKET

IS AN AREA THAT SELLS ITEMS
RELATED TO BLACK MAGIC.

EVEN TODAY, LOCAL PERUVIANS
STILL BELIEVE IN CURSES.

♪♪

SOME BELIEVE THAT THE MOST
POWERFUL CURSES

CAME FROM THE CLOUD PEOPLE,

WHOSE SORCERERS USED THEM
TO PROTECT THEIR MUMMIES.

SOMEONE TOLD ME ABOUT
A LOCAL SHAMAN HERE

WHO DOES CEREMONIAL PROTECTION

BEFORE YOU GO DEEP
INTO THE AMAZONAS

TO PROTECT YOU FROM THE CURSE.

BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY.

HOLA.
HOLA. QUé TAL.

¿COMO ESTAS?

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING
FOR THE CURSE OF THE MUMMIES?

LIKE THIS?

[ SPEAKS SPANISH ]

[ COUGHS ]

[ RATTLING ]

I'M BEING PROTECTED
RIGHT NOW.

[ RATTLING CONTINUES ]

WHOA.

THAT'S IT?
YES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW I CAN GO LOOKING
FOR MUMMIES.

♪♪

WITH A STASH OF COCA LEAVES
AND A SHAMAN'S PROTECTION

FROM ANY CURSE,
I'M HEADING TO KUéLAP,

THE LARGEST CHACHAPOYAN CITY
EVER FOUND.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS
LOCATION MIGHT TELL ME

ABOUT THE CLOUD PEOPLE'S
ORIGINS.

♪♪

KUéLAP IS THE CROWNING
ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CLOUD PEOPLE.

IT HAS A MASSIVE FORTRESS-LIKE
STONE STRUCTURE

THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST
IMPRESSIVE IN THE AMERICAS.

♪♪

WE ARE LITERALLY ON THE EDGE
OF A CLIFF.

I CAN'T EVEN SEE HOW FAR
DOWN IT GOES.

MOST OF KUéLAP WAS BUILT
AROUND 900 A.D.,

MORE THAN 300 YEARS
BEFORE THE INCAS

BECAME THE REGION'S SUPERPOWER.

THE FINAL APPROACH
IS A MUDDY TRAIL,

AND THIS TIME OF THE YEAR,

MY BEST OPTION IS TO REACH IT
ON HORSEBACK.

THE ENGINEERING SKILLS REQUIRED
TO BUILD SUCH A REMOTE FORTRESS

AT AN ELEVATION
OF ABOUT 10,000 FEET

ARE JUST NOT SEEN
ANYWHERE ELSE IN THIS REGION.

WOW!

I DID NOT EXPECT THAT.

♪♪

♪♪

Romany:
I'M IN PERU ON A MISSION

TO UNCOVER THE UNEXPLAINED
ORIGINS OF THE CLOUD PEOPLE.

THEY WERE DESCRIBED
AS TALL AND WHITE,

DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER PEOPLE
IN SOUTH AMERICA,

AND THEIR MUMMIES WERE PRESERVED
IN HIGHLY UNUSUAL WAYS.

♪♪

WOW!

KUéLAP IS THE LARGEST CITY
OF THE CLOUD PEOPLE EVER FOUND.

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT
THESE RUINS MIGHT TELL ME

ABOUT WHERE THIS MYSTERIOUS
TRIBE COULD HAVE COME FROM.

BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION
OF MY FRIEND

AND FELLOW EXPLORER
JOSH GATES,

I'VE ARRANGED TO MEET
RESEARCHER BRIEN FOERSTER.

HE'S AN EXPERT ON
MEGALITHIC STRUCTURES

THROUGHOUT SOUTH AMERICA.

I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW EXCITED
I AM ABOUT THIS PLACE.

15-ACRE STRUCTURE

THAT APPARENTLY
THE CLOUD PEOPLE LIVED IN.

AND THERE'S ENOUGH STONE HERE

TO BUILD THE GREAT PYRAMID
OF GIZA THREE TIMES.

♪♪

Foerster: 30 MILLION
TO 40 MILLION CUBIC FEET.

LOOK AT THIS.YEAH.

THIS IS GLORIOUS.

I AM BLOWN AWAY.

♪♪

WHAT DID THEY USE THIS PART
OF THE BUILDING FOR?

WELL, THIS COULD BE, LIKE,
THE ROYAL NOBLE CENTER,

AND NOTICE HOW MANY
OF THE BUILDINGS ARE ROUND.

THEY ARE REALLY UNIQUE.

CIRCULAR STRUCTURES
ARE VERY UNCOMMON

IN PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICA.

HERE WE HAVE 400-PLUS OF THEM,

SO THAT MEANS THAT NO KNOWN
ANDEAN CIVILIZATION BUILT THIS.

THE ONLY OTHER ROUND BUILDINGS
THAT PEOPLE LIVED IN

FROM THE IRON AGE
WERE THE CELTICS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

Romany:
THE CLOUD PEOPLE'S RUINS

ARE SIMILAR TO CELTIC
STRUCTURES IN EUROPE

THAT WERE STILL BEING BUILT
AT THE SAME TIME.

BUILDERS IN BOTH PLACES
CUT AND PLACED STONES

OF A SIMILAR SIZE

TO CONSTRUCT BASES OF
A SIMILAR DIAMETER AND HEIGHT.

AND THEY BOTH FINISHED
EACH STRUCTURE

WITH A THATCHED ROOF.

AND NO OTHER STRUCTURE IN
SOUTH AMERICA HAS SUCH A DESIGN.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT
THE CHACHAPOYAS,

THE CLOUD PEOPLE,
CAME FROM EUROPE?

I BELIEVE SO.

WOW.

THERE IS NO OTHER RECORD

THAT THE EUROPEANS
WOULD HAVE BEEN

ANYWHERE CLOSE TO HERE
AT THIS TIME.

NOT ACCORDING
TO THE ACADEMICS,

BUT I LISTEN TO
THE ORAL TRADITIONS

OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE.

THE CLOUD PEOPLE
COMPLETELY PRE-DATE

THE VIKINGS
BY HUNDREDS OF YEARS,

AND YOU THINK
THEY CAME FROM EUROPE?

EXACTLY, BECAUSE CURRENTS
FROM THE STRAIGHT OF GIBRALTAR

COULD TAKE YOU RIGHT
TO THE MOUTH OF THE AMAZON.

♪♪

WOW.

Romany: THE CELTICS WERE
AN ANCIENT SEAFARING CULTURE,

AND THEIR EMPIRE STRETCHED
FROM SCOTLAND TO SPAIN.

IT IS VERY POSSIBLE
THAT A CELTIC VESSEL

COULD'VE BEEN CAUGHT IN
THE ATLANTIC'S POWERFUL CURRENT

AND CARRIED HUNDREDS OF MILES TO
THE MOUTH OF THE AMAZON RIVER.

STRANDED, THIS ROGUE GROUP
COULD HAVE TRAVELED

TO THE RIVER'S SOURCE

UNTIL THEY HIT
THE ANDES MOUNTAINS.

IN THIS UNINHABITED PLACE,
THEY COULD'VE BUILT

AND DEFENDED A FORTRESS
HIGH UP IN THE CLOUDS.

THIS WOULD MAKE THE CLOUD PEOPLE
THE FIRST EVER EUROPEANS

TO SETTLE
IN THE NEW WORLD,

PRE-DATING THE VIKINGS' ARRIVAL
IN NORTH AMERICA BY 300 YEARS.

HERE AT THEIR FORTRESS, KUéLAP,
NUMEROUS CLOUD PEOPLE BODIES

WERE DISCOVERED
WITHIN THE CITY WALLS,

AND BOTH CULTURES WRAPPED
HEIRLOOMS UP WITH THE DEAD.

BUT AT KUéLAP, ANY EVIDENCE THAT
MIGHT PROVE A CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE CLOUD PEOPLE
AND THE CELTS WAS LOOTED

AND LOST LONG AGO.

♪♪

BUT IF I CAN FIND A TOMB
THAT HASN'T BEEN DISCOVERED,

HASN'T BEEN LOOTED,
THERE MAY BE STILL RELICS

AND OTHER EVIDENCE THAT
COULD PROVE THE CLOUD PEOPLE

ACTUALLY CAME FROM EUROPE.

I'LL NEED SOME HELP TO FOCUS
A SEARCH THAT WILL INCLUDE

THOUSANDS OF SQUARE MILES
OF VIRGIN CLOUD FOREST.

♪♪

I'M ON MY WAY TO MEET
PEDRO CóRDOVA.

HE'S A LOCAL EXPLORER
AND A RESEARCHER

WORKING ON CHACHAPOYAN CULTURE

AND TRYING TO FIND
THEIR UNDISCOVERED RUINS.

I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS CASE,

THE CLOUD PEOPLE'S
POWERFUL MUMMY CURSE

MIGHT ACTUALLY HELP ME.

-PEDRO!
-HEY!

HEY, MAN.

FEAR OF A CURSE
MAY HAVE KEPT LOOTERS AWAY,

AND LOCALS MIGHT KNOW THE AREAS

THAT MOST PEOPLE
WOULD WANT TO AVOID.

FROM WHAT I READ,
THE CLOUD PEOPLE WERE SORCERERS,

AND THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY PUT
A CURSE ON THEIR MUMMIES

TO PROTECT THEM
FROM ANYTHING.

I KNOW THAT LOCAL PERUVIANS
DO BELIEVE IN THE MUMMY CURSE.

IT'S ANTIMONIA.

IT'S THIS CURSE,
AND USUALLY HAPPENS

ONCE SOMEBODY GETS CLOSER
TO SOME SORT OF RUIN, REMAINS.

Romany: MUMMY CURSES CAPTIVATE
PEOPLE'S IMAGINATIONS,

BUT THEY ARE ROOTED
IN SCIENTIFIC FACT.

RECENT LAB STUDIES HAVE REVEALED
THAT ANCIENT MUMMIES IN TOMBS

CAN CARRY TOXIC MOLD,

WHICH CAN INFECT ANYONE
THAT TOUCHES THE DEAD.

DO YOU KNOW ANYONE
THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CURSED?

THIS GUY, HIS NAME IS JORGE,
AND HE HAD ALL THE SYMPTOMS.

DO YOU THINK HE REMEMBERS

OR KNOWS THE PLACE
THAT HE'S BEEN CURSED AT?

I'M PRETTY SURE HE DOES.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEVER
WILL GO AWAY FROM HIS MIND.

THAT'S PERFECT.

I WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE CURSE
IS AND I WANT TO GO THERE.

♪♪

HOLA, JORGE.

¿COMO ESTAS?

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME
WHAT HAPPENED?

[ CATTLE LOWING ]

ALL THE LOCAL DOCTORS
COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHAT HE HAD.

HE DECIDED THAT DOCTORS
DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER,

AND HE WENT TO A SHAMAN,
AND THE SHAMAN TOLD HIM

TO DESCRIBE THE EXACT SPOT

HE WENT TO
WHEN THE CATTLE STOPPED.

♪♪

AND HE DESCRIBED THE EXACT SPOT,
AND THE SHAMAN TOLD HIM,

"I KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU.
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SPOT."

THAT IS THE CURSE.

THE ANTIMONIA.

ACCORDING TO THE SHAMAN,
IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS AN INDICATION

OF NEARBY CLOUD PEOPLE
TOMBS AND RUINS.

JORGE, WHERE EXACTLY
WAS THAT SPOT?

ON THIS MAP?

RIGHT HERE?
Sí.

[ SPEAKS SPANISH ]

I KNOW WHAT JORGE'S
TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S FAR AWAY,
IT'S A LONG JOURNEY.

IT'S DEFINITELY CHACHAPOYA
PEOPLES UP IN THE FOREST,

UP NEAR THE CLOUDS, UP IN
THE SKY, AS HE'S DESCRIBING.

CAN WE GET THERE?

YES, BUT IT'S A VERY
DANGEROUS PLACE.

TAKE ME THERE.

♪♪

Romany: I'M HEADING INTO AN AREA
OF THE PERUVIAN CLOUD FOREST,

WHERE THE LOCALS BELIEVE
A POWERFUL CURSE

IS PROTECTING THE MUMMIES
OF AN ANCIENT TRIBE.

I'M HOPING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER
THE MYSTERIOUS CLOUD PEOPLE

COULD REALLY HAVE BEEN
THE FIRST EUROPEANS

TO ARRIVE
IN SOUTH AMERICA,

MORE THAN 600 YEARS
BEFORE THE SPANIARDS DID.

♪♪

APPARENTLY, THE ONLY WAY TO GET
TO THE LOCATION IS USING HORSES,

THAT PEDRO IS PREPPING
BEHIND ME RIGHT NOW.

THAT IS THE LOCATION.

ALL THE LOCAL PERUVIANS
BELIEVE IT'S CURSED.

EVEN PEDRO HIMSELF IS VERY
UNCOMFORTABLE GOING UP THERE,

BUT THAT IS EXACTLY
WHY I NEED TO GO UP THERE.

♪♪

NORMALLY, ARCHAEOLOGY
IS DIGGING DOWN INTO THE DIRT

TO UNLOCK THE SECRETS
OF HISTORY.

THIS IS TAKING US UP
THOUSANDS OF FEET IN ELEVATION,

TO MAYBE UNLOCK THE SECRETS
OF THE CHACHAPOYAS.

♪♪

[ HORSE BLUSTERING, NEIGHING ]

PEDRO, MY HORSE IS ACTING UP.YEP, YEP.

YES!

THE HORSES ARE OBVIOUSLY
BOTHERED BY SOMETHING.

[ WHINNYING ][ SHOUTS ]

-IT'S A SIGN. HEY --
-SHH.

YOU WANT TO GO BACK?

MOST LIKELY, THE HIGH ALTITUDE.HEY, RIGHT, MAN, I DON'T THINK

THESE HORSES
ARE GONNA GO ANYWHERE.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HIKE.OKAY. LET'S GET OFF.

Romany: THE SOLUTION?
NO HORSES.

WE'RE WALKING.

♪♪

SOME CHACHAPOYAN SITES HAVE
RECENTLY BEEN FOUND

IN THIS GENERAL AREA.

BASED ON THE INFORMATION
JORGE GAVE US,

WE'LL HAVE TO NAVIGATE
THIS THICK JUNGLE

TO GET NEAR THE RUINS JORGE
BELIEVES GAVE HIM THE CURSE,

THE ANTIMONIA.

BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE'LL
LOOK FOR AN UNLOOTED TOMB,

AND AN UNDISTURBED MUMMY.

♪♪

WOW.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

THIS IS THE THICKEST
I'VE EVER BEEN IN.

♪♪

WATCH OUT WHERE YOU STEP.

♪♪

LOOK AT THIS!
IS THIS WHAT I THINK IT IS?

♪♪

BE CAREFUL, PEDRO.

DID YOU SEE THOSE SYMBOLS?

WOW.

THIS IS THE SAME EXACT SYMBOLS
THAT THERE IN KUéLAP.

[ PANTING ]

LOOK AT THAT.

-THIS IS AMAZING.
-THIS IS CLOUD PEOPLE RUINS.

-THIS IS IT.
-IT IS.

THOSE SYMBOLS REPRESENT
AUTHORITY,

SO MOST LIKELY WE ARE ON A PLACE
WHERE SOMEBODY WITH POWER LIVED.

WE'D BE VERY LUCKY TO FIND HERE
AN ITEM WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

LET'S TRY TO GET IN.

Romany:
THESE ROUND STRUCTURES

ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL TO
WHAT WE SAW AT KUéLAP.

I FIND THESE SYMBOLS
OF ROYALTY,

THE EYES OF THE PUMA,
ENCOURAGING.

MY HOPE IS TO FIND
A METAL ARTIFACT

WHOSE MAKE-UP
AND CRAFTSMANSHIP REVEAL

WHETHER THERE'S A LINK
BETWEEN THE CLOUD PEOPLE

AND THE CELTIC WARRIORS.

♪♪

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

♪♪

♪♪

Romany: WE ARE NOW
JUST OVER 9,000 FEET,

AND I'M DEFINITELY
FEELING THE ALTITUDE.

♪♪

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

THE LOW-OXYGEN ENVIRONMENT MEANS
I HAVE TO BREATHE MORE

TO GET THE SAME AMOUNT OF AIR.

MY HEART RATE IS HIGHER,
AND MY HEAD IS STARTING TO HURT.

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

PEDRO, LOOK AT THIS.

-DO YOU SEE THIS?
-WOW.

LOOK.

♪♪

[ PANTING ]

IT LOOKS DEEP.

PEDRO, THIS IS VERY PROMISING.

THIS LOOKS VERY SIMILAR
TO WHAT YOU WOULD FIND IN A TOMB

OR A MAUSOLEUM --
IT STARTS WITH A SHAFT

LIKE THAT,
YOU GO ALL THE WAY IN,

AND IT ENDS UP LEADING
TO A BURIAL CHAMBER.

I'M GOING IN.

♪♪

[ GRUNTS ]

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

I CAN BARELY FIT IN HERE.

SOME CELTS BURIED THEIR DEAD
IN WHAT ARE CALLED WEDGE TOMBS.

THE WALLS OF SUCH CHAMBERS
NARROW TOWARDS THE END,

AND THE STONES
WE'RE SEEING HERE

WOULD SERVE AS SLABS
FOR THE ROOF OF THE WEDGE TOMB.

THE ENTRANCE TO SUCH TOMBS

ALWAYS FACE TOWARDS
THE SETTING SUN, THE WEST.

IT LOOKING DARK, MAN.

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.

THERE'S A TON OF SPIDERS HERE,
PEDRO.

♪♪

[ GRUNTING ]

♪♪

I SEE THE END OF THIS TUNNEL.

♪♪

[ GRUNTING ]

♪♪

I SEE THE LIGHT.

♪♪

WOW, LOOK AT THAT.

PEDRO! PEDRO!

I FOUND A SKULL!

♪♪

[ GRUNTING,
BREATHING HEAVILY ]

♪♪

I SEE THE LIGHT.

Romany:
HIGH UP IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES,

I'M LOOKING FOR A CLOUD PEOPLE
TOMB THAT HASN'T BEEN LOOTED.

I BELIEVE THEIR MUMMIES
COULD PROVIDE ME WITH

THE EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THAT
THE CLOUD PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN

THE FIRST EUROPEANS
TO ARRIVE IN THE NEW WORLD,

HUNDREDS OF YEARS EARLIER
THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

♪♪

LOOK AT THAT!

WOW!

I'VE JUST DISCOVERED
A HUMAN SKULL

AT THE OTHER END
OF THE TUNNEL.

OH, MY GOD, PEDRO.
THIS IS AMAZING.

LOOK.
WOW.

YOU SEE THE MARKINGS
RIGHT HERE?

YEP.

THESE ARE ALL PROOF
THAT THIS IS AN ANCIENT,

EITHER INCAN OR CHACHAPOYAN,

MOST LIKELY CLOUD PEOPLE MUMMY.

THIS IS VERY, VERY EXCITING.

HAVING A SKULL LIKE THIS HERE

IS A GREAT CLUE FOR US.

WOW, LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS VERY LIKELY
AN ANCIENT MUMMY.

WE SHOULD KEEP LOOKING
AROUND HERE.

ABSOLUTELY.

LET'S GO.

THE CELTICS WERE
AT THE IRON AGE.

IF THIS SKELETON WAS CELTIC,
WE VERY LIKELY WOULD FIND

AN IRON ARTIFACT
THAT WAS BURIED WITH IT.

YEAH, LET'S DO THIS.

MY METAL DETRACTOR
WILL LET US KNOW

IF THERE ARE ARTIFACTS
NEAR THIS FIND

THAT CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
CLUES ABOUT THIS SKULL.

[ METAL HACKING ]

[ BEEPING ]
-PEDRO?

SO, ALL THAT DIRT...

[ MUTTERS ]

♪♪

-WHAT IS THIS?
-THIS BURNS.

I GOT BIT OR SOMETHING.IT'S URTICA.

VERY, VERY ITCHY.WHAT IS THAT?

IT'S GONNA BURN. IT'S A PLANT.
A WEED THAT BURNS YOU.

[ GROANS SOFTLY ]

♪♪

IT'S ON FIRE.

ALL THIS -- ALL THIS WEED.

WE HAVE BURNING PLANTS
ALL AROUND US

AND YOU MENTION THIS NOW?SORRY ABOUT THAT.

HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?

COULD LAST UP TO 30 MINUTES.
JUST DON'T SCRATCH.

JUST WIPE IT CAREFULLY
AND DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE,

'CAUSE YOU'RE
GONNA PASS IT ON.

GOTTA BE CAREFUL.

Romany: I'LL BE LEAVING
THIS CLOUD PEOPLE SKULL HERE,

AND REPORT THIS SITE
TO THE PERUVIAN AUTHORITIES.

♪♪

BUT IT IS EVIDENCE THAT THERE
ARE NO UNDISTURBED TOMBS HERE.

♪♪

THE CLOUD PEOPLE PLACED THEIR
ROYAL MUMMIES IN SARCOPHAGI,

HIGH UP ON THE CLIFFS
NEAR THEIR CITIES.

THE SKULL WE FOUND COULD HAVE
BEEN WASHED DOWN

BY THE HEAVY RAINS AND EROSION
FROM THE CLIFFS ABOVE,

SO THE ONLY WAY FORWARD,

AND THE NEXT PLACE TO LOOK,
IS UP.

PEDRO, DO YOU SEE THIS?
RIGHT THERE?

OH, YEAH.

THAT COULD VERY WELL
BE A BURIAL CHAMBER.

LET ME GET A CLOSER LOOK.

LET'S DRONE.

♪♪

THIS WAY, WE CAN GET
A CLOSER LOOK AT IT.

IT'S WORTH IT.

WE GET THERE.[ BEEPS ]

♪♪

[ DRONE WHIRRING ]

♪♪

♪♪

OH, MY GOD.
DO YOU SEE THIS?

THESE ARE SARCOPHAGI.

LOOK AT THAT!

LOOK AT THIS.

IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY
INCREDIBLE SIGHT,

TO SEE 13 SARCOPHAGI WITH THEIR
CLOUD PEOPLE ART, RIGHT THERE.

A THOUSAND YEARS AGO,
THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

DO YOU SEE THIS?IS THAT A HOLE?

WHAT IS IT?

I THINK IT'S A HOLE.

OH, NO.

LOOTERS.

WE SAW THESE 13 SARCOPHAGI

THAT ARE IDENTICAL
TO THE ONES IN A MUSEUM.

THEY LOOK LIKE CLOUD PEOPLE'S
ART AND SARCOPHAGI.

THEY ARE LOOTED.
SOMEONE HAS BEEN THERE BEFORE.

THIEVES HAVE COMPLETELY BUSTED
INTO THESE SARCOPHAGI

AND HAD STOLEN THE MUMMIES,
AND PROBABLY EVERYTHING ELSE.

PEDRO, WHERE ELSE?

SO, THE HIGHER STATUS YOU GET
IN THIS CULTURE,

THE HIGHER YOU WILL GET BURIED,
SO LET'S KEEP LOOKING HIGHER.

THE HIGHER, THE BETTER.

WE ARE NOW AT 10,000 FEET.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA FIND
ANYTHING ELSE HERE.

♪♪

WAIT, LOOK AT THIS.

THAT'S A WATERFALL.

WHEN I WAS IN LEIMEBAMBA MUSEUM,
TALKING TO SONIA,

SHE SAID
THAT'S THE PRIME PLACE --

IN FRONT OF A LAKE, WHERE WATER
IS, HIGH IN THE CLIFF.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE BEST
HIDING SPOT,

'CAUSE IF THERE'S A WATERFALL
RIGHT IN FRONT OF A CAVE,

THEN MOST LIKELY
THERE'S NO LOOTERS

THAT WERE EVEN
ABLE TO REACH THERE.

I THINK WE SHOULD GO
TO THE WATERFALL.

LET'S GO.

♪♪

♪♪

LOOK AT THAT!

-WOW!
-WHOO-HOO!

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SAW
ON THE DRONE.

IN THE MIDDLE OF IT,
IF WE GO ALL THE WAY DOWN,

WE CAN PROBABLY
FIND MULTIPLE CAVES

THAT THE CHACHAPOYANS
WOULD HAVE USED

1,000 YEARS AGO
AS A BURIAL PLACE.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE
IS TO FOLLOW THE WATER.

AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT,
WE'RE GONNA NEED A WHOLE TEAM.

WE'RE GONNA NEED ROPES.

IT'S GONNA BE MORE COMPLEX
THAN WHAT YOU THINK.

WELL, NO ONE SAID
IT'S GONNA BE EASY.

Romany: THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS LOCATIONS

I'VE EVER TRIED TO REACH,

BUT DIFFICULT-TO-ACCESS PLACES
ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BE LOOTED,

AND THE MOST LIKELY
TO HAVE A FIND.

WE GOT THIS, PEDRO.[ LAUGHS ]

WE GOT THIS.

TAKE CARE. VAMOS, GUYS.
VAMOS, VAMOS.

[ WATER RUSHING ]

AS MUCH AS I'D HOPED TO FIND
A CLOUD PEOPLE TOMB,

MY CURIOSITY ONCE AGAIN

IS PUTTING ME IN AN EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS POSITION.

♪♪

[ LAUGHS ]

WHOA!

[ BLEEP ]
[ LAUGHS ]

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,
I CAN'T GET A GRIP!

WAIT!

WHERE? BOTH FEET WHERE?

AGH!

OHH!

♪♪

-HOLA.
-HOLA.

I WOULD LOVE TO GET THE BEST
DRINK IN THE HOUSE.

OKAY.
GRACIAS.

I COME TO BARS WHEN
I'M IN TOWNS LIKE THIS

BECAUSE IN BARS YOU CAN
ACTUALLY LEARN THE MOST

ABOUT LOCAL CULTURE,
LOCAL BELIEFS.

AND I AM HERE TO LEARN
ABOUT THE MUMMY CURSE AND SEE...

♪♪

UM, BUT...

WHICH...

WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW?

ANTS?

ARE YOU SURE I EAT THESE?

I EAT THESE? I EAT THEM?
IN MY MOUTH?

[ SHUDDERS ]

THAT'S ONE
DELIGHTFUL-LOOKING ANT.

OKAY, I'M GOING FOR IT.

♪♪

OOF.

I C-- [ LAUGHS ]

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D THINK
ANTS WOULD TASTE LIKE.

NOT GREAT.

♪♪

AGH!

OH! [BLEEP]

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,
I CAN'T GET A GRIP! WAIT!

♪♪

Romany:
I'VE BEEN SEARCHING

FOR AN UNDISCOVERED
CLOUD PEOPLE TOMB,

SEARING AMONG THE CLIFFS NEAR
THE MYSTERIOUS TRIBE'S RUINS.

♪♪

I BELIEVE THEIR MUMMIES
AND THE ARTIFACTS

WRAPPED WITH THEM
WILL TELL US

WHETHER THESE PEOPLE
COULD HAVE BEEN THE DESCENDENTS

OF ROGUE CELTIC
WARRIORS FROM EUROPE...

♪♪

...LIVING IN SOUTH AMERICA
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS

BEFORE THE SPANIARDS
ARRIVED IN THE 16th CENTURY,

BUT FIRST, I HAVE TO GET
PAST THIS WATERFALL.

WHOA!

OH! [BLEEP]

[ LAUGHS ]
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,

I CAN'T GET A GRIP!
WAIT!

WHERE? BOTH FEET WHERE?

THERE'S NO PLACE
TO PUT YOUR FEET.

FASTER?

AH! AGH!

♪♪

[ MAN SHOUTING ]

WHY DO PEOPLE DO THIS?

THE WATERFALL IS VERY SLIPPERY.

THERE'S NO PLACE
TO PUT YOUR FEET.

SO YOU END UP FLYING DOWN.

THERE IS NO SIGN OF A CAVE.

MAYBE THERE'S FOUR
MORE DIPS LIKE THAT.

AND THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO
IS THAT I LIVE.

-THAT IS MORE STEEP.
-YOU GOT IT.

♪♪

-AHH!
-[ SHOUTS ]

Romany:
WE ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE LATEST

IN MODERN
MOUNTAINEERING EQUIPMENT,

SO HOW COULD THE CLOUD PEOPLE
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS

500 OR MORE YEARS AGO?

WE KNOW THEY MOVED
GIANT BOULDERS

TO BUILD THEIR STRUCTURES
HIGH UP IN THE MOUNTAINS,

AND I BELIEVE
IF THEY COULD DO THAT,

THEY COULD'VE HANDLED
THESE WATERFALLS

EVEN WITH THE HEAVY LOADS.

IT'S A CAVE.
THAT'S A FULL-ON CAVE.

IT'S DEEP.

THAT IS
EXACTLY THE PERFECT SPOT

WHERE THE CHACHAPOYANS
WOULD HAVE DONE IT.

♪♪

AFTER DAYS OF EXPLORING
THE RAIN FOREST

AND THOUSANDS OF VERTICAL FEET,
UP AND DOWN,

THIS CAVE LOOKS
INCREDIBLY PROMISING.

[ GRUNTING ]

♪♪

WHEN I'M IN A CAVE LIKE THIS,
I'M LOOKING FOR GENERALLY

A FLAT, HORIZONTAL SURFACE

THAT IS MORE LIKELY
TO HAVE HAD HUMAN ACTIVITY.

I'M ALSO ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR BATS AND SNAKES.

♪♪

♪♪

IT'S POSSIBLE THAT I'VE GOTTEN
ALL THIS WRONG,

BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.

[ SIGHS ]

♪♪

[ BREATHES SHARPLY ]

I FOUND SOMETHING!

♪♪

THERE ARE SO MANY BONES
IN HERE.

ALL HUMAN BONES.

ABOUT SEVEN SKULLS.

THIS SEEMS TO BE A FULL FAMILY
BURIED TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.

AND THEY'RE COMPLETELY
DESTROYED.

WRAPPING EVERYWHERE.

I CAN SEE MOSS ALL OVER
THE BONES.

♪♪

THIS IS AN UNDISTURBED TOMB.

ONLY DISTURBED BY THE WATERFALL,
BUT UNLOOTED.

THE BONES ARE OLD AND DRY

AND DON'T HAVE ANY
MUMMIFIED FLESH ON THEM,

SO I'M NOT REALLY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ANTIMONY AT THIS SITE.

THE CURSE HAS PROBABLY KEPT THIS
A SECRET FOR 1,000 YEARS.

BUT THIS CAN TELL US WHERE THE
CLOUD PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAME FROM.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

♪♪

WHAT AN AMAZING FEELING TO HAVE
RAPPELLED FROM A MOUNTAIN,

FROM ONE WATERFALL TO THE OTHER,
WHILE I'M SEARCHING THE RUINS --

FROM GOING AGAINST THE CURSE

TO JUST FINALLY FIND
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SEARCHING AMONG THE CLIFFS
NEAR A BODY OF WATER

CLOSE THE CLOUD PEOPLE RUINS
HAS PAID OFF,

AND FORENSIC TESTS OF THESE
BONES DISCOVERED HERE TODAY

HAVE LED TO ASTONISHING RESULTS.

THESE CLOUD PEOPLE BODIES WERE
AFFLICTED WITH TUBERCULOSIS.

THIS MEANS THAT A CLOUD PEOPLE
DISEASE WAS PRESENT HERE

IN SOUTH AMERICA
MORE THAN 600 YEARS

BEFORE THE ARRIVAL
OF THE SPANIARDS.

AND IF ONE MORE CLOUD PEOPLE
TOMB THAT HASN'T BEEN LOOTED

OR DAMAGED BY CENTURIES OF WATER
CAN BE FOUND,

IT WILL PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE.

WE WILL KNOW ONCE AND FOR ALL

WHETHER THE MYSTERIOUS
CLOUD PEOPLE OF PERU

WERE IN FACT THE FIRST EUROPEANS
TO ARRIVE IN SOUTH AMERICA.

WE WILL KNOW BECAUSE THE CLOUD
PEOPLE'S MUMMIES WERE THE KEY

TO UNLOCKING THE SECRETS
OF THE PAST.

♪♪