All language subtitles for Mummies Unwrapped S01 E07_track3_[eng]

Romany: THREE MUMMIFIED
CHILDREN...

THEY ARE THE BEST-PRESERVED
MUMMIES IN THE WORLD.

...DISCOVERED ON A MOUNTAIN
KNOWN FOR ITS 500 YEARS

OF UFO SIGHTINGS.

WHY CARRY OUT THESE
HUMAN SACRIFICES HERE?

WHOA!

COULD THESE MUMMIES
MAP OUT A MYSTERY

BEHIND A DEADLY PATH OF HUMAN
SACRIFICE 1,000 MILES LONG?

IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE HERE
ANYMORE.

WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.

I'M ARCHAEOLOGIST
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 IT.

THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

THIS IS...

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

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

MARCH 16, 1999.

AN INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITION
DISCOVERED THREE FROZEN MUMMIES

ON TOP OF MOUNT LLULLAILLACO
IN NORTHERN ARGENTINA.

THE 22,000-FOOT ELEVATION
MAKES IT

THE WORLD'S HIGHEST
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE.

THE WELL-PRESERVED
500-YEAR-OLD MUMMIES

WERE FOUND TO BE INCAN HUMAN
SACRIFICES OF CHILDREN.

BUT THEY WERE 1,200 MILES
FROM HOME.

WHY DID THE INCAS TRAVEL
ALL THE WAY FROM CUSCO, PERU,

CLIMB A 22,000-FOOT MOUNTAIN,

AND SACRIFICE CHILDREN
ON A REMOTE SITE?

THIS IS WHY I'M HERE
IN SALTA, ARGENTINA,

TO TRY AND UNLOCK THESE SECRETS

THOSE MUMMIES HAVE KEPT
FOR OVER 500 YEARS.

♪♪

THE INCAS WERE THE ROMANS
OF THE NEW WORLD.

THEY BUILT 26,000 MILES OF ROADS

AND RULED OVER 10 MILLION PEOPLE

FROM ONE END OF THE ANDES
TO THE OTHER.

SALTA WAS ONCE AT THE VERY
FRINGE OF THE INCAN EMPIRE.

♪♪

I AM ON MY WAY TO THE MUSEUM
OF HIGH ALTITUDE ARCHAEOLOGY,

WHICH WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY
TO SAVE THOSE THREE MUMMIES

THAT WERE FOUND ON TOP OF
MOUNT LLULLAILLACO CLOSE BY.

RESEARCHERS AT THE MUSEUM HAVE
CONDUCTED FORENSIC TESTS

ON THE MUMMIES AND THE NUMEROUS
ARTIFACTS DISCOVERED WITH THEM.

BUT KEY ASPECTS OF THE RITUAL
REMAIN A MYSTERY.

I'M MEETING WITH
GABRIELA RECAGNO,

THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM.

SHE'S AN ARCHAEOLOGIST
AND ANTHROPOLOGIST

AND HAS BEEN THE DIRECTOR
SINCE 2010.

THEY ARE THE BEST-PRESERVED
MUMMIES IN THE WORLD,

THESE THREE KIDS
OF LLULLAILLACO.

AND SHE'S RIGHT
BEHIND THE GLASS?

YES, YOU'RE GOING
TO MEET HER.

WE DON'T SAY, "WE HAVE
A MUMMY IN EXHIBITION."

WE SAY, "WE HAVE A CHILD,

WE HAVE A LITTLE GIRL,
AND YOU ARE GOING TO MEET HER."

I'M READY.OKAY, COME WITH ME.

THANK YOU, MARIO.

WE'RE PUTTING ON STERILE SUITS

TO MINIMIZE TRANSMISSION
OF HARMFUL BACTERIA,

VIRUSES, AND OTHER
MICROORGANISMS.

IN A SENSE, WE'RE PROTECTING
THE MUMMIES FROM OURSELVES,

AND OURSELVES FROM THE MUMMIES.

FEEL LIKE I'M GOING
INTO SPACE.

READY?

ONLY ONE OF THESE MUMMIES
IS ON DISPLAY AT A TIME,

TO MINIMIZE EXPOSURE
TO U.V. RAYS.

THE TEMPERATURE MUST
REMAIN AT A CONSTANT

NEGATIVE-4 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

AND WE'LL HAVE TO BE OUT OF
THE LAB IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES,

BEFORE OUR COLLECTIVE BODY HEAT
RAISES THE ROOM'S TEMPERATURE.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO
PREVENT THE RELEASE

OF DANGEROUS PATHOGENS

THAT HAVE REMAINED DORMANT
FOR OVER 500 YEARS --

PATHOGENS THAT COULD INCLUDE
ANYTHING FROM PNEUMONIA,

TUBERCULOSIS, OR EVEN A FORM
OF FLESH-EATING DISEASE.

JUST LOOKING AT THIS UP CLOSE
IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

YOU CAN SEE THE COLOR
OF HER EYE.

HER LEFT EYE IS PARTIALLY OPEN.

YOU CAN SEE THE REMAINS OF
THE COCA RIGHT IN HER TEETH.

IT IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE
ABLE TO DO THIS.

THESE MUMMIES I'M EXAMINING

ARE A PART OF THE INCAN
CAPACOCHA RITUAL.

THERE ARE STILL MANY QUESTIONS

ABOUT WHAT WAS KNOWN
AS A ROYAL OBLIGATION.

FROM ALL AROUND
THE INCAN EMPIRE,

TRIBUTES IN THE FORM OF GOLD,
SILVER, AND TEXTILES

WOULD FLOW INTO
THE CAPITAL, CUSCO.

BUT THE HIGH PRIEST ALSO
DEMANDED CHILDREN

TO BE OFFERED UP IN
HUMAN-SACRIFICE RITUALS.

THEY WERE THE PUREST OFFERINGS
TO THE GODS

THE INCAS COULD MAKE.

THERE ARE MANY SACRIFICIAL SITES
IN PERU NEAR CUSCO,

BUT THESE MUMMIES
ARE AN ANOMALY.

THEY WERE FOUND AT THE OUTER
EDGE OF THE EMPIRE.

THE TREK TO THIS REGION
TOOK SIX MONTHS.

THEY WALKED DAY AFTER DAY
TO GO TO THESE PLACES.

HOW DID THEY CHOOSE WHERE TO GO?

WHAT WAS GUIDING THEM?

RELIGIOUS BELIEF,
SOMETHING OTHERWORLDLY?

AS THEY BEGAN TO CLIMB
THE 22,000-FOOT MOUNTAIN,

THE PRIESTS GAVE THE SACRIFICES
A STRONG ALCOHOLIC DRINK

MADE OF CORN, CALLED CHICHA,
AND COCA LEAVES TO CHEW.

ONCE AT THE SUMMIT,
THIS COMBINATION,

ALONG WITH THE EXTREME COLD
AND LACK OF OXYGEN,

CAUSED THE CHILDREN
TO LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS.

AND IN A LOW STONE MONUMENT
CREATED FOR THAT RITUAL,

THEY WERE LEFT
TO FREEZE TO DEATH.

IT'S JUST A REALLY
UNEASY FEELING,

STARING RIGHT AT
A LIFELIKE CHILD.

♪♪

I HAVE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF MY CAREER

RESEARCHING MUMMIES OF EGYPT.

I'VE SEEN DOZENS
OF THEM UP CLOSE.

EGYPTIAN MUMMIES HAVE
HAD THEIR ORGANS REMOVED

AND THEIR BODIES DRIED OUT
IN ELABORATE RITUALS.

BUT THESE INCAN MUMMIES,
THEY'RE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THEY ALMOST LOOK LIKE
THEY'RE SLEEPING

BECAUSE THEY DIED INTACT
AND WERE IMMEDIATELY FROZEN.

YOU CAN SEE HIS FINGERNAILS.

HIS FINGERNAILS ARE STILL THERE,
INTACT.

YEAH?BEAUTIFUL.

LET'S DO IT.

WHAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE
IS NOT MUMMIES.

THEY'RE DEAD CHILDREN.

MY MIND IS FILLED WITH QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE RITUAL

AND WHY WOULD THEY SACRIFICE
THEIR CHILDREN.

♪♪

IN THE 1530s, THE SPANISH
ARRIVED WITH HORSES,

WEAPONS, AND ARMOR, POSING
A HUGE THREAT TO THE INCAS.

THE INCAN HIGH PRIESTS TURNED
TO THEIR GOD VIRACOCHA

TO HELP PROTECT THEIR EMPIRE.

BUT COULD THIS BE WHY
THEY BELIEVED VIRACOCHA

DEMANDED THESE SACRIFICES?

I'M HEADING TO MEET
ASHLEY COWIE,

A HISTORIAN WHO SPECIALIZES
IN INCAN MYTHOLOGY.

HE PRIDES HIMSELF ON
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

WHEN IT COMES TO ANCIENT GODS.

IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT VIRACOCHA,

HE'S THE MAN TO HAVE ANSWERS.

♪♪

WHO WAS VIRACOCHA, EXACTLY?

VIRACOCHA IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
UNDERCARRIAGE,

IF YOU LIKE,
OF THE ENTIRE INCA CIVILIZATION.

VIRACOCHA CREATED
THE FIRST MAN AND WOMAN.

HE WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE DEITY
THAT LIVED IN THE SKY,

THAT CREATED THE SUN,

SO HE WAS DEEMED
AS MORE SACRED

AND MORE COSMICALLY POWERFUL
THAN EVEN THE SUN.

EVERYTHING THAT
THE INCAS DID

WAS DEVOTED TO VIRACOCHA
IN THE SKY.

I WONDER WHAT COULD HAVE
INSPIRED SUCH A BELIEF.

VIRACOCHA IS NOT HUMAN.

LOTS OF THE GODS WERE WORSHIPED
IN HUMAN FORM.

VIRACOCHA WASN'T.

HE COMES FROM THE SKY.

HE'S AN ENERGY OR
AN ENTITY MORE POWERFUL

AND HAS CONTROL OVER
EVENTS ON EARTH.

ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME

THAT VIRACOCHA WAS AN
EXTRATERRESTRIAL?

VIRACOCHA WAS 100%
EXTRATERRESTRIAL.

HE WAS NOT OF THIS PLANET.

THE BELIEF THAT VIRACOCHA
CONTROLLED THE DESTINY OF HUMANS

ON THIS PLANET WAS SO GREAT

THAT THEY SACRIFICED 7-
AND 15-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN.

BUT STILL --
WHY THIS MOUNTAIN PEAK?

THERE ARE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PEAKS
CLOSER TO THEM.

WHY WOULD THEY WALK
ALL THIS DISTANCE?

IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING

TO DO WITH THE SAME THING
THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

I MEAN,
THIS IS A UFO HOT SPOT.

THERE'S MORE SIGHTINGS HERE THAN
ANY OTHER PART OF SOUTH AMERICA.

AND IT HAPPENS TO BE
IN THE SAME REGION

AS THE MUMMIES ARE FOUND.

HOW COMMON KNOWLEDGE IS IT
THAT THIS AREA

IS ACTUALLY A HOT SPOT
OF UFO SIGHTINGS?

YOU KNOW, EVEN WITHIN
THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY,

THAT'S ACCEPTED.

MY CONTACTS DOWN HERE ALL
JUST ACCEPT THIS AS IPSO FACTO.

SO, DO LOCALS HERE BELIEVE THAT
THAT IS A HOT SPOT?

80% OF SOUTH AMERICANS
BELIEVE THAT ALIENS EXIST,

SO YOU'VE GOT 80%
OF LOCALS HERE

WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED
THAT THIS PLACE IS SURROUNDED.

SO, THE INCAS
WERE WORSHIPING

SOMETHING IN THE SKY
AROUND HERE?

AND LOCALS TODAY, THEY ALL

STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS A HOT SPOT?

IT'S EXACTLY
WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHAT IF WHAT THE LOCALS
ARE SEEING TODAY

IS EXACTLY WHAT
THE INCAS SAW BACK THEN?

IT'S ABSOLUTELY
POSSIBLY THE CASE.

I WOULD LOVE TO
PERSONALLY MEET A LOCAL

WHO ACTUALLY ENCOUNTERED
A SIGHTING.

I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.
MY FRIEND -- PROFESSOR LUIS.

WE HEAD OUT INTO THE REMOTE
OUTSKIRTS OF CACHI,

IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ANDES.

ACCORDING TO ASHLEY, WE ARE NOW
ENTERING A 40-SQUARE-MILE AREA

THAT IS FAMOUS FOR ITS HIGH
NUMBER OF UFO SIGHTINGS

AND OTHER AERIAL ANOMALIES.

WHY DO YOU THINK
IT'S THIS SPOT?

WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT?

IT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST
MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE WORLD,

SECOND ONLY TO
THE EVEREST RANGE, RAMY.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS A REAL
CLARITY OF AIR.

THERE'S NO POLLUTION
IN THE AIR,

SO YOU CAN SEE THINGS
IN THE SKY BETTER HERE

IN THIS REGION THAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT --

A 40-MILE-SQUARE REGION.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
HUNDREDS OF MILES.

AND THAT'S WHY THESE SACRED
MOUNTAINS ARE IN THIS REGION.

I THINK IT'S 'CAUSE IT ENHANCES
ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS.

IS IT PURE COINCIDENCE

THAT SO MANY OF THESE
RECENT UFO SIGHTINGS

TOOK PLACE IN THE SAME AREA
WHERE THE INCAS

CARRIED OUT HUMAN SACRIFICES?

COULD THESE TWO PHENOMENA
BE LINKED IN SOME WAY?

WE'RE ABOUT TO MEET
A UFO EYEWITNESS

WHO BELIEVES THAT'S
THE CASE --

A LOCAL PROFESSOR
NAMED LUIS GONZALEZ.

CóMO ESTáS.
CóMO ESTáS.

MUCHO GUSTO, PROFESSOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR SEEING US.

TELL ME WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED,
WHAT YOU SAW.

BUENO.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

PROFESSOR LUIS TOLD US THAT
HE OFTEN TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS

OF THE UNIQUE TOPOGRAPHY
OF THIS AREA.

IN OCTOBER OF 2008,

MYSTERIOUS ANOMALIES BEGAN
APPEARING IN SOME OF HIS PHOTOS.

WHAT IS THIS?

THANK YOU.

I'M IN RURAL ARGENTINA,
INVESTIGATING THE INCAS'

HUMAN SACRIFICES TO THEIR
SKY GOD, VIRACOCHA.

THEY CONDUCTED THESE RITUALS
500 YEARS AGO

AT A 22,000-FOOT SUMMIT
OF A NEARBY MOUNTAIN.

PROFESSOR LUIS GONZALEZ CLAIMS
TO HAVE SEEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED

ANOMALIES AT SIMILAR ALTITUDES
IN THIS AREA.

WHAT IS THIS?

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

Cowie: HE'S NOT QUITE SURE
HOW IT'S CONTROLLED

OR MUCH MORE ABOUT IT,
BUT HE CAN'T DENY

THAT WHAT'S IN THAT PHOTOGRAPH,
HE BELIEVES IS A FLYING MACHINE.

THOSE PICTURES ARE DEFINITELY
VERY INTRIGUING.

THE PROFESSOR SAYS THERE'S
ALWAYS BEEN TALK LOCALLY

OF OBJECTS IN THE SKY,

BUT WHEN THIS HAPPENED,
IN 2008,

IT STOPPED BEING A THING
OF SPECULATION

AND IT'S BECOME A THING
OF REALITY LOCALLY.

PEOPLE ACCEPT NOW THAT
THERE'S PHENOMENA IN THE SKY.

CAN YOU TAKE US TO
THAT SAME EXACT SPOT

THAT YOU TOOK THESE
PICTURES AT?

Sí, POR SUPUESTO.

GREAT. LET'S GO. THANK YOU.

WHEN 80% OF AN ENTIRE REGION
BELIEVES IN UFOs,

IT'S WORTH INVESTIGATING
FURTHER.

PROFESSOR LUIS IS TAKING US
TO PLACE IN CACHI

WHERE THERE'S A CONSISTENT SPIKE
IN UFO SIGHTINGS

REPORTED AT EXACTLY
THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

WHOA!

WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

A UFO AIRPORT?

Sí, OVNI PUERTO.

WHO DID THIS?

SO, A NORWEGIAN MAN CLAIMED

THAT HE WAS COMMUNICATED TO
BY THE ALIENS,

AND THEY TOLD HIM TO
MOVE HIMSELF HERE TO CACHI

TO BUILD THIS
UFO LANDING PORT.

THAT MAN BELIEVED HE WAS
CONTACTED BY ALIENS --

SO MUCH SO THAT
HE LEFT HIS FAMILY,

CAME HERE,
AND BUILT THIS.

♪♪

THIS IS A UFO's POINT OF VIEW.

[ DRONE BUZZING ]

OH, LOOK AT THAT!

IF I WAS A UFO,
THIS IS WHERE I'M LANDING.

ALL THE LOCALS HERE BELIEVE
THAT THIS IS THE SPOT.

THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE THEY SEE
ANOMALIES IN THE SKY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE

IF WE CAN EYEWITNESS SOME OF
THOSE ANOMALIES OURSELVES.

♪♪

ONE THING I ALWAYS
THINK OF IS THAT,

500 YEARS AGO, 700 YEARS AGO,

WHEN THE INCAS WERE HERE,

THEY WERE LITERALLY
SITTING HERE,

LOOKING AT EXACTLY THE SAME
STARS I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

RAMY, THERE.WHERE?

FLASHING AND MOVING
ACROSS THE SKY.

THE HIGH ALTITUDE AND CLEAR
SKIES MAKE THIS LOCATION IDEAL

FOR OBSERVING COSMIC ACTIVITY
LIKE THIS METEOR SHOWER.

A THOUSAND YEARS AGO,
THE INCAS WITNESSED

THE SAME CELESTIAL EVENTS
ON THIS MOUNTAINTOP.

BUT WITHOUT A SCIENTIFIC
EXPLANATION, THEY LIKELY

INTERPRETED THE METEORS AS
EVIDENCE OF THEIR GODS.

ACROSS AGES, THE SKY HAS ALWAYS
BEEN THAT BIGGEST MYSTERY.

♪♪

SO, THE INCAS BELIEVED THEY WERE
SEEING THEIR GOD VIRACOCHA

COMING DOWN FROM THE SKY.

I WANT MORE RECORDS
FOR VIRACOCHA --

THE WRITTEN RECORDS.

I WANT SOMETHING THAT
I CAN HOLD IN MY HANDS.

I WANT EVIDENCE.

THE INCAS DIDN'T
HAVE WRITTEN RECORDS,

SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS
REALLY, REALLY HARD TO FIND.

THE CLOSEST YOU'RE GONNA GET
WAS THE GOLDEN SUN DISK.

THIS IS A LARGE PLATE DISK
OF GOLD

THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE INCAS
BY VIRACOCHA.

ACCORDING TO AN INCAN LEGEND,

THE DISK LITERALLY CAME DOWN
FROM THE SKY

AT THE INCAN CITY
OF MACHU PICCHU.

SPANISH RECORDS SUGGEST IT WAS
SUSPENDED FROM GOLDEN ROPES

AT THE CENTER OF THE TEMPLE
OF CUSCO.

THE INCAS BELIEVED IT WAS A
DIRECT CONNECTION TO THEIR GOD.

WHEN THE CONQUISTADORS
ARRIVED IN 1532,

THEY BEGAN THEIR EFFORTS
TO COLONIZE SOUTH AMERICA.

THEY PLUNDERED GOLD AND TREASURE
AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

THE INCAS WOULD HAVE KNOWN
THEIR MOST PRIZED RELIC,

THE SUN DISK, WAS AT RISK.

WHERE IS THAT
GOLDEN SUN DISK NOW?

HMM. THE QUESTION

THAT'S BEEN ON THE LIPS OF EVERY
TREASURE HUNTER FOR 500 YEARS.

THE GOLDEN SUN DISK VANISHED
SIX MONTHS

BEFORE THE SPANISH
ARRIVED IN CUSCO.

THE SUN DISK,
IN MY THINKING,

WOULD HAVE BEEN MOVED SOMEWHERE
AROUND CUSCO SO IT POSSIBLY

COULD BE RETURNED TO THE
CORICANCHA TEMPLE OF THE SUN

AT THE CENTER OF
THE INCA EMPIRE.

HAS ANYONE LOOKED FOR
THE SUN DISK HERE IN SALTA?

NO, NOBODY'S LOOKED HERE.
THERE'S NO REASON TO.

THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
THAT IT WAS EVER HERE.

IT'S AROUND CUSCO -- THE HEART
OF THE EMPIRE, IN CUSCO,

SO EVERYBODY BELIEVES
IT'S GONNA BE AS CLOSE TO CUSCO

AS IT PHYSICALLY CAN BE
AND BE SAFE.

SO, FOR 500 YEARS, THE SPANISH
AND THEN THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS

HAVE BEEN LOOKING
RIGHT UNDER CUSCO,

HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING,

AND THEY'RE STILL CONVINCED
THAT IT'S DOWN THERE?

WELL, THEY'RE
CONVINCED BECAUSE

THE GOLDEN SUN DISK WAS
THE CENTER OF THE CENTERS.

YOU DON'T MOVE
A CENTER POINT.

BUT ISN'T VIRACOCHA THE REASON
THEY SACRIFICED THEIR CHILDREN

SPECIFICALLY AT A MOUNTAIN PEAK
HERE, CLOSE TO SALTA?

YEAH, BUT, RAMY,
YOU'RE TALKING --

THAT'S A 1,000-KILOMETER
LEAP OF FAITH.

BUT THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE
THEY BELIEVED VIRACOCHA WAS.

MM-HMM.

AND IF THEY ARE TRYING
TO HIDE THE GOLDEN SUN DISK

FROM THE SPANISH
AND KEEP IT

AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE
TO VIRACOCHA,

WHY WOULDN'T THEY MOVE IT
ALL THE WAY HERE,

TO THE VERY FRINGE
OF THEIR EMPIRE,

NEXT TO THE PEAK
THAT THEY BELIEVED

VIRACOCHA WAS ON TOP OF?

IF THE SUN DISK
WAS ACTUALLY

HIDDEN HERE IN SALTA,
WHERE WOULD THAT BE?

IT'S GOING TO BE WHERE 90% OF
THE GOLD OFFERINGS

TO THE GODS ARE FOUND,
AND THAT IS IN PAYOGASTA.

PAYOGASTA?

PAYOGASTA IS ONE
OF THE LARGEST FORTRESSES

OF THE INCA EMPIRE.LET'S DO IT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CAVES
IN THIS REGION

WHERE THE SUN DISK
COULD HAVE BEEN HIDDEN,

BUT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ONE THAT
SEEMS THE MOST PROMISING.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE CAVE WOULD
BE A GOOD PLACE TO START?

IN CUSCO, AT THE CENTER
OF THE INCAS' CAPITAL,

THEY WORSHIPED ON THE TOPS OF
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS,

BUT THEY ALSO MADE OFFERINGS
TO THEIR GODS

AT THE DEEPEST POINTS OF THE
LOWEST AND DEEPEST CAVES.

THIS HERE IS ONE
OF THE DEEPEST CAVES

IN THE ENTIRE REGION WHERE ALL
THESE PHENOMENA ARE OCCURRING.

THE CAVE'S WATER SOURCE CONNECTS

WITH THE SACRED MOUNTAIN,
LLULLAILLACO,

WHERE THE MUMMIES FROM THE HIGH
ALTITUDE MUSEUM WERE FOUND.

ARE THESE FOR US?[ Chuckling ] YEAH.

NO, SERIOUSLY?
THEY ARE.

WE'RE GONNA NEED IT TO TAKE
THE REST OF THE WAY, RAMY.

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

[ ENGINE REVVING ]

IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST
DIFFICULT CAVES TO REACH,

SO THE LIKELIHOOD OF IT
BEING EXPLORED IS LOW,

WHICH MEANS A BETTER CHANCE
FOR US TO FIND THE SUN DISK.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO HIKE FROM HERE.

IF THIS SACRIFICE WAS AT
THE EDGE OF THE EMPIRE,

THEN THIS WOULD BE THE SAFEST,
MOST REMOTE PLACE

TO HIDE A PRICELESS RELIC
FROM THE SPANIARDS.

OH, MY GOD, LOOK AT THIS.

ASH,
IT'S GETTING WINDY!

THERE'S A WEATHER FRONT
COMING IN, RAMY.

WE'VE GOT TO GET DOWN TO
THE RAVINE, INTO THE CAVE,

AND OUT OF THERE
AS QUICK AS WE CAN.

I AGREE. LET'S GO.

THIS CAVE IS PROMISING BECAUSE
THE RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH IT

ORIGINATES ON THE MOUNTAIN WHERE
THE MUMMIES WERE SACRIFICED.

BUT THAT SAME WATER SOURCE COULD
BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR US TODAY.

THE FIRST RAINSTORM OF THE
SEASON IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY.

FLASH FLOODS CAN QUICKLY
SUBMERGE THE CANYON,

SO TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

THIS IS IT, RAMY.

TOTALLY INACCESSIBLE
FOR MOST OF THE YEAR.

SO THAT CAVE WOULD BE PRETTY
MUCH FULL OF WATER?

NINE MONTHS A YEAR, YOU CAN'T
GET DOWN HERE, NOT EVEN HERE.

THAT DOES MAKE IT
A PERFECT HIDING SPOT.

ABSOLUTELY.OKAY, WELL, LET'S DO THIS.

CAN YOU FEEL THE CURRENT?

YEAH, IT'S PULLING
MY LEGS AWAY ALREADY.

ASHLEY AND I ARE HOPING THAT
SOMEWHERE IN THIS CAVE SYSTEM

COULD BE THE LONG-LOST
INCAN SUN DISK.

LOOK AT THIS.

WITH A CURRENT THIS STRONG,
ANYTHING HIDDEN HERE

WOULD NEED TO HAVE BEEN PLACED
IN ONE OF THE PROTECTED ALCOVES.

ANYWHERE ELSE, IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN SWEPT AWAY

BY THE POWERFUL WATERS

THAT RUSH THROUGH THIS CAVE
MOST OF THE YEAR.

THERE'S NOTHING HERE.

BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF PLACE
WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT.

♪♪

ASH, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

I THINK WE SHOULD
LOOK THERE.

I AGREE.

♪♪

LOOK AT THIS.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT?

THIS IS AT LEAST
10 FEET DEEP.

[ GRUNTS ]

♪♪

IT'S ABSOLUTELY
THE PERFECT PLACE.

THEN GET IN THERE.

I'M EXPLORING A REMOTE
ARGENTINEAN RIVER CAVE,

TRYING TO LOCATE
THE GOLDEN SUN DISK,

AN ANCIENT INCAN RELIC THAT
WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE RECEIVED

DIRECT INSTRUCTIONS FROM
THE SUN GOD, VIRACOCHA.

FINDING THE DISK WOULD HELP US
UNDERSTAND WHY THE INCAS

CAME TO THIS PARTICULAR REGION
TO SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

BUT SEASONAL RAINS THREATEN
TO SUBMERGE THIS CAVE,

ENDANGERING OUR LIVES
AND MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE

TO SEARCH UNTIL
THE NEXT DRY SEASON.

♪♪

I THINK YOU COULD SEE
THE END OF THIS.

I NEED MORE TIME.

YEAH, BUT WE JUST DON'T
HAVE MORE TIME.

I'M GONNA GO BACK UP.

THE WATER HAS RISEN ABOUT 3 FEET
SINCE WE'VE BEGUN EXPLORING

THIS CAVE,
AND IT'S GETTING HIGHER.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO
GET OUT OF HERE SOON.

IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE
HERE ANYMORE.

YEAH, THE CURRENT'S
GETTING STRONG.

THE WATER IS GETTING HIGH.

WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.

WATCH YOURSELF!
WATCH YOURSELF!

♪♪

WITH THE CHANGE OF THE SEASONS,

THE CAVE WILL NOW BE FLOODED
FOR MONTHS TO COME.

ASHLEY INTENDS TO EXPLORE
THE REMAINING CAVES

WHEN THE WATER
HAS SUBSIDED AGAIN,

IN THE HOPES OF
FINDING THE DISK.

♪♪

AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE
TRACKED DOWN A HISTORIAN

WHO MAY BE ABLE TO
HELP US LEARN MORE

ABOUT WHAT THE SUN DISK
DID FOR THE INCAS.

WHAT MADE YOU START
WORKING ON THIS?

I AM FASCINATED WITH
THE INCA CULTURE,

AND I READ A LOT
OF DOCUMENTS

AND THE HISTORY ABOUT
THE GOLDEN SUN DISK.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ IS A HISTORIAN
BASED IN SALTA

WHO'S CREATED A REPLICA
OF THE SUN DISK,

BASED ON DOCUMENTS FROM
THE SPANISH CONQUISTADORS

THAT DATE BACK TO 1531.

DESCRIPTIONS VARY, SO
THE ORIGINAL MAY HAVE BEEN

SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THIS ONE.

THIS IS MARVELOUS.

FINALLY, I'M COMING FACE-TO-FACE
WITH THE INCAN GOD VIRACOCHA.

WOW.IT'S QUITE AWE-INSPIRING

TO SEE IT IN FRONT OF US,
ISN'T IT?

PEDRO, WHAT IS YOUR THEORY
ON THE SUN DISK'S ORIGIN?

YOU THINK VIRACOCHA
IS AN ALIEN?

MAYBE.

ALL THE LOCALS STILL BELIEVE

THAT VIRACOCHA IS LITERALLY
AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL.

THE WORD "EXTRATERRESTRIAL"

DOES HAVE A VERY NEGATIVE
CONNOTATION.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM, THOUGH.

"EXTRATERRESTRIAL"
LITERALLY MEANS

"ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T
COME FROM THIS EARTH."

IT DOESN'T MEAN A GREEN ALIEN
WALKING AROUND.

SO, FOR THE INCAS, WHAT DO YOU
THINK THEY USED IT FOR?

WHAT ARE THE CEQUE LINES?

THEY'RE JUST SYMBOLIC LINES
THAT COME OUT?

NO, NO.

FROM THIS DISK,
41 LONG-DISTANCE ALIGNMENTS

EXTENDED THROUGHOUT
THE INCA EMPIRE.

ESSENTIALLY,
SPIRITUAL ENERGY LINES

THAT EXTENDED ACROSS THE EMPIRE,
LINKING UP THEIR SACRED SHRINES,

SPIRITUAL HOT SPOTS.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT
THIS IS AN ACTUAL MAP.

DO YOU HAVE A MAP
OF SOUTH AMERICA?

YES.

OKAY, SO, THESE ARE 41 CEQUES
FROM CUSCO.

OKAY, GREAT.MAP OF THE ASTRONOMERS.

SO, CUSCO IS HERE.
THIS IS OUR CENTER.

MM-HMM.

WE HAVE ONE LINE RIGHT THERE,
ONE LINE RIGHT THERE.

MM-HMM.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS?

EVERY ONE OF THESE LINES

POINTS TO A PLACE OF
SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE?

YES, IT DOES.IF THE SUN DISK

WAS THE MAP IN THE CENTER
OF THE EMPIRE,

EVERY TIME THE EMPIRE EXPANDS,

THOSE LINES SHOULD
EXTEND LONGER.

THE SPIRITUAL ENERGY
AND THE POWER

OF VIRACOCHA EXTENDS, TOO.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS BELIEVE
THEY EXTEND

ABOUT 80 MILES FROM CUSCO.

THAT'S ABOUT
AS FAR AS THEY GO.

YES, BUT DON'T WE KNOW
THAT THE PRIESTS

ACTUALLY WALKED
ALL THE WAY THROUGH?

WE KNOW THAT THESE
ARE NOT JUST LINES.

THERE'S ACTUAL ROUTES.

IT'S A FACT THAT
THE PRIESTS WALKED

FROM CUSCO TO THESE
MOUNTAINTOPS.

AND IT'S LITERALLY THE EXTENSION
OF THE CEQUE LINES.

DO YOU KNOW MY ONLY
PROBLEM WITH THIS?

I'VE NOT HEARD IT BEFORE.
IT'S NEW.

THIS ISN'T ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PLANNER, RIGHT?

THESE GO 80 MILES, RAMY,

SEE, WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF
DOING IS GOING

10 TIMES FURTHER
THAN PEOPLE BELIEVE.

IF YOUR ONLY PROBLEM
IS THAT THIS IS NEW,

THAT IS A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

[ CHUCKLES ]
THAT'S A VERY POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

THERE'S NO EVIDENCE
AT THE MOMENT, RAMY,

THAT THESE
EXTENDED SO FAR.

IF THIS IS TRUE,

THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY
THOSE MOUNTAIN PEAKS

HAD THOSE MUMMIES, WHY THE INCA
FAMILIES FROM CUSCO

WOULD WALK 700 MILES
AND 20,000 FEET UP

TO HIT THAT EXACT MARK AND
SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY DEFINITELY
WALKED THE CHILDREN

TO THE TOP OF THOSE MOUNTAINS TO
MAKE SACRIFICES TO VIRACOCHA

IN CUSCO,
SO IT'S OUT THERE,

BUT IT'S A BIT
OFF-THE-WALL.

OFF-THE-WALL
IS MY MIDDLE NAME.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE HIGHEST
MOUNTAIN PEAK'S IN THIS REGION?

YES.

WHICH WE FOUND MUMMIES AT?

YES.AND THEN WHERE ELSE?

AND THAT'S WHERE WE FOUND
OTHER MUMMIES.

YES.

RIGHT ABOUT HERE?YES.

WATCH THIS --
THE THIRD CEQUE LINE.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING

DISCOVERED ON THIS
MOUNTAIN PEAK?

IT UNIFIES THIS ENTIRE QUARTER
OF THE EMPIRE

WITH CUSCO THROUGH
VIRACOCHA.

AND IF THIS THEORY IS TRUE,

ON THE TOP OF THIS
MOUNTAIN PEAK,

THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT
DISCOVERIES.

Romany:
I'M IN CACHI, ARGENTINA,

INVESTIGATING WHY,
500 YEARS AGO,

THREE CHILD MUMMIES WERE
SACRIFICED ON A MOUNTAINTOP

1,200 MILES AWAY
FROM THEIR HOME.

MY THEORY IS
THAT THE INCA FOLLOWED A GRID

OF CEQUE LINES THAT EXTENDED
ALL THE WAY FROM THEIR CAPITAL

THROUGHOUT THEIR EMPIRE,
BUT TO PROVE THIS,

I NEED TO DISCOVER
A NEW SACRIFICIAL SITE

ALONG THESE LINES.

DRAWING A LINE ON A MAP CAN LOOK
VERY PRECISE AND VERY CLEAN,

AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S POINTING
EXACTLY AT ONE SPOT

THAT YOU WOULD THINK I'D
COME HERE AND FIND RIGHT AWAY,

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THIS IS A MOUNTAIN RANGE

WITH MORE THAN A HUNDRED
MOUNTAIN PEAKS ON IT.

THAT'S WHY I ARRANGED
FOR A LOCAL MOUNTAIN GUIDE.

HE KNOWS
THE TOPOGRAPHY VERY WELL

AND CAN HELP ME
NARROW DOWN MY SEARCH.

WELL, IT'S
A HUGE AREA OVER THERE,

SO IT'S GONNA BE ALMOST,
UH, IMPOSSIBLE

TO GET EXACTLY
THAT POINT.

THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS

THAT WE ALREADY
FOUND MUMMIES ON

WOULD PROBABLY NARROW DOWN
WHERE WE LOOK HERE.

FOUR YEARS AGO,
I WORKED WITH A TEAM

WHICH UNCOVERED MORE
THAN A DOZEN UNKNOWN PYRAMIDS

AND OVER 1,000 LOST TOMBS.

WE AVOIDED YEARS OF LEGWORK
SIMPLY BY SEARCHING

SATELLITE IMAGES
FOR MANMADE SHAPES

OF DIFFERENT COLORS
THAT STOOD OUT

FROM THE SURROUNDING TOPOGRAPHY,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
I'M PLANNING TO DO HERE TODAY.

THOSE MOUNTAIN PEAKS
THAT WE FOUND MUMMIES ON WERE,

LIKE, 22,000 FEET HIGH.YES.

SO, LET'S
START THINKING

WHICH MOUNTAIN PEAKS
IN THIS AREA ARE

LIKE 17,000 FEET
OR HIGHER.

SO, WE HAVE MANY ONES --
MORE THAN A HUNDRED, ACTUALLY.

WE NEED TO
NARROW IT DOWN EVEN MORE.

GIVEN THAT
THE ANDES MOUNTAINS COVER

MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION
SQUARE MILES OF LAND,

I NEED HELP FINDING
MOUNTAINS THAT MIGHT HAVE

RITUAL SITES
AT THEIR SUMMITS.

SUPERIMPOSING CEQUE LINES
OVER A MAP OF THE REGION,

WE CAN MASSIVELY NARROW DOWN
OUR SEARCH.

I WOULD START UP HERE
WITH THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS, RIGHT?

TWO EYES ARE
BETTER THAN ONE,

AND I HAVE TWO,
SO I DON'T NEED YOU.

[ CHUCKLES ]

WAIT, LOOK AT THIS.
DO YOU SEE THE SHADOW?

YEAH.

THAT'S RECTANGULAR.

IT IS.
RIGHT HERE.

ON ONE MOUNTAIN PEAK
THAT FITS OUR SEARCH CRITERIA,

THERE'S A DISCOLORED SHAPE THAT
LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE MANMADE,

BUT THE ONLY WAY
TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS

ACTUALLY THE SITE
OF AN INCAN RITUAL

IS TO CLIMB UP THERE
AND INVESTIGATE FOR OURSELVES.

AND THAT'S, LIKE...
STRAIGHT THIS WAY, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

LITERALLY RIGHT BEHIND
THAT MOUNTAIN.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

CLOSE BY ON A MOUNTAIN PEAK,
A CAPACOCHAN RITUAL HAPPENED,

AND THAT'S
WHAT WE NEED TO FIND.

IT'S ABOUT SIX HOURS GOING UP
TO REACH THE SUMMIT,

SO THAT'S WHY
WE HAVE TO START EARLY.

SO, COCA TEA,
FIVE LITERS OF WATER,

A BUNCH OF COCA
IN MY CHEEK...

YES.
...A HEAVY JACKET,

AND THEN HOPE NOT TO DIE.RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD.

WE'LL START OUR JOURNEY
EARLY TOMORROW.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

I NEED A BREAK.THEN WE'LL BREAK.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN HIKING
FOR A FEW HOURS,

BUT THE ALTITUDE IS
TAKING ITS TOLL,

AND THE SMART THING TO DO IS
TAKE A BRIEF BREAK.

HOW DO YOU DO THIS?
[ CHUCKLES ]

♪♪

MMM.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN
UP TO THE SPOT

WHERE THE FROZEN MUMMIES
WERE FOUND?

I'VE BEEN THERE ONCE.

A DRUM?

[ IMITATES DRUMBEAT ]

AND WHAT WAS IT?

YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST ONE
TO GO UP THERE

AND HEAR CEREMONIAL DRUMS
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

YEAH. YEAH.

DO YOU BELIEVE
IN THE RELIGION OF THE INCAS?

I BELIEVE.
YES, I DO.

DO YOU BELIEVE
IN VIRACOCHA?

I BELIEVE
IN VIRACOCHA, YES.

REALLY?
REALLY.

MOUNTAINEERS CLIMBING
OVER 17,000 FEET

REPORT HALLUCINATIONS
THAT ARE SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR.

THEY DESCRIBE BEING JOINED
BY ANOTHER PERSON

WHO GUIDES THEM
TO THE SUMMIT.

RESEARCHERS CALL IT
"THIRD-MAN SYNDROME"

AND SUSPECT
THAT OXYGEN DEPRIVATION

IS MOST LIKELY
THE EXPLANATION.

NOW, COULD THAT HELP EXPLAIN
WHY THE INCAS INSISTED

THAT VIRACOCHA BROUGHT THEM
EXACTLY TO THIS RITUAL SITE?

LET'S GO.

HEARING ALE'S STORY
HAS LIT A FIRE IN ME.

I HAVE RESTED ENOUGH
AND AM READY TO FIND OUT

IF WHAT WE'VE SPOTTED IS
JUST SOME DISCOLORED ROCKS

OR A MANMADE STRUCTURE
WHERE THE INCAS MAY HAVE

CONDUCTED A RITUAL SACRIFICE
MORE THAN 500 YEARS AGO.

♪♪

[ Panting ] HOW --

HOW HIGH ARE WE, ALE?

UH, IT'S
ABOUT 3,800 METERS.

MAYBE MORE OR LESS.

IT'S, WHAT,
MAYBE 12,500 FEET?

YEAH, THAT'S WHY
YOU CAN FEEL IT.

YEAH, I CAN FEEL IT.
YEAH.

♪♪

ARE YOU OKAY?
YOU FEEL GOOD?

I HAVE SOMETHING
WHICH IS, UM...

I'LL TAKE ANYTHING.

YES.I TRUST YOU.

♪♪

COCA LEAVES, EH?COCA LEAVES.

YOU PUT IT THERE
IN ONE OF YOUR SIDES.

KEEP IT THERE.

AND THAT WILL REALLY HELP YOU
TO KEEP YOU AWAKE,

TO GIVE YOU ENERGY.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

WE'LL DO IT.

I CAN DO IT.
LET'S GO.

Romany: THIS TREK TODAY
TAKES ME BACK 500 YEARS

TO WHEN THE INCAS MADE THE TRIP
TO MOUNT LLULLAILLACO

JUST TO MAKE
THEIR SACRIFICES.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY
COULD CLIMB HERE

WHILE DRINKING CORN ALCOHOL,

BUT NOW I SEE
WHY THEY CHEWED ON COCA LEAVES.

IT IS HELPING REDUCE
THE ALTITUDE SICKNESS SYMPTOMS

SO I CAN KEEP ON
CLIMBING TOWARDS

WHAT I'M HOPING IS
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.

♪♪

ALE, WHERE DO WE GO
FROM HERE?

UH, WE HAVE TO
CLIMB UP.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE IS
JUST GO STRAIGHT AHEAD THIS WAY.

THE ONLY WAY UP RIGHT NOW
IS TO CLIMB.

Romany: MOUNTAIN CLIMBING IS
A GREAT SPORT...

THAT I SUCK AT.

BUT ALEJANDRO IS HERE.

HE'S JUST FREE CLIMBED
THIS ROCK FACE

TO PROVE
THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.

THAT'S WHY I'M PUTTING ON
A HARNESS, ROPES,

AND ALL THE HELP
I CAN GET.

I CAN'T FIND FOOTING.

I CAN'T FIND FEET.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

THEY'RE ALL SO BRITTLE,
AND THE ALTITUDE IS NOT HELPING.

THERE'S NOTHING
I CAN HOLD TO.

ALE, LOOSE.
I CAN'T FIND THE WAY UP.

♪♪

WHOA!

[BLEEP]

RAMY?

♪♪

Romany: BEFORE I TUCK
INTO THE MOUNTAINS,

THERE'S ONE LAST THING
I NEED TO DO.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

ONE OF THE THINGS
WE KNOW ABOUT THE INCANS

THAT LIVED AROUND HERE
IS THEIR DIET.

MMM.
MUCHA GRACIAS.

THIS IS A HAUGHTY, SAVORY STEW
WITH LOTS OF CARBS.

IT'S LIKE EATING MASHED POTATOES
WITH GRAVY, PLUS CORN AND BEANS.

ABOUT TO BREAK MY DIET
RIGHT NOW.

AS IF I HAD ONE.

CARBOHYDRATES PREVENT MUSCLE
FROM BEING USED AS ENERGY

AND REQUIRE LESS OXYGEN
FOR METABOLISM,

WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
UP THERE,

WHERE THERE'S MUCH LESS OXYGEN.

I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT GETS
ALTITUDE SICKNESS AT SEA LEVEL,

SO, HOPEFULLY,
THIS WORKS FOR ME.

♪♪

Romany: I CAN'T FIND FEET.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

THEY'RE ALL SO BRITTLE,
AND THE ALTITUDE IS NOT HELPING.

WE ARE 13,000 FEET
IN THE ARGENTINEAN ANDES,

FOLLOWING THE ANCIENT
INCAN CEQUE LINES

TO THE TOP OF THIS SUMMIT.

I'M LOOKING TO CONFIRM
WHETHER THE ANCIENT INCAS

ALSO USED THESE CEQUE LINES
AS A GUIDE TO DETERMINE

WHERE THESE RITUAL SACRIFICES
WOULD TAKE PLACE.

THE ONLY WAY TO PROVE THAT IS TO
FIND A SACRED BURIAL SITE HERE.

THERE'S NOTHING
I CAN HOLD TO.

ALE, LOOSE.

I CAN'T FIND
THE WAY UP.

WHOA!

[BLEEP]

RAMY?

♪♪

NOPE.
THAT'S NOT BETTER.

♪♪

[ GRUNTING ]

♪♪

[ HEAVY BREATHING ]

THERE WAS A MOMENT I THOUGHT,
"I'M GONNA DIE."

ROCKS STARTED
FALLING DOWN.

THIS MOUNTAIN
IS BRITTLE.

Martinez: IT IS.

IT'S NOT SAFE
FOR CLIMBING.

IT'S NOT SAFE.
THE ROCKS ARE SOFT.

MM-HMM.

LET'S GO.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST
GRUELING CLIMB IN MY CAREER.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN
IN HIGH ALTITUDE BEFORE,

YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT LOW OXYGEN MEANS.

EVERYTHING MY BODY IS TELLING ME
IS TO GO BACK DOWN,

BUT MY BRAIN IS TELLING ME
TO KEEP GOING.

LOOK AT THIS.

♪♪

DO YOU SEE THIS?
THIS IS DEFINITELY...MANMADE.

IT LOOKS LIKE
IT FELL APART.

♪♪

IT'S HANDMADE,
AND IT'S THE SAME ROCK STRUCTURE

THAT THE INCAS USED.

THIS IS
DEFINITELY INCAN.

THE VOLCANIC ROCKS AND HOW
IT ALL BUILDS LIKE A PUZZLE --

ALL OF THE INCA WALLS LOOK
EXACTLY LIKE THAT,

LIKE A PUZZLE
COMING TOGETHER IN PIECES.

THIS IS IT.

COMPARING THE REMAINS OF THIS
STRUCTURE WITH THE BURIAL TOMBS

ON LLULLAILLACO,
THE SIMILARITIES ARE STRIKING.

THE STONES ARE
ALL HAND-PLACED.

THERE'S NO MOTOR USED, AND
THE SHAPE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE'RE
STANDING IN THE SAME SPOT

WHERE ANCIENT INCAS CONDUCTED
SACRED HUMAN SACRIFICES

HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE THIS?

UH, I'VE BEEN HIKING AROUND
THESE MOUNTAINS FOR YEARS,

AND I NEVER SEE
SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THEY ARE
REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD'VE
WALKED 1,200 MILES,

CLIMBED 22,000 FEET
TO A MOUNTAIN PEAK

THAT BRINGS THEM AS CLOSE
AS THEY CAN TO THEIR GODS.

AND THAT EXPLAINS THE EXTENSION
OF THE CEQUE LINES.

THE EXTENSION
OF THE POWER OF THE INCAS.

FINDING THIS RITUAL SITE,
FOR ME, IS EVIDENCE

THAT THE INCAS REALLY WERE
FOLLOWING THE CEQUE LINES

TO THIS REGION
TO SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY WERE DRINKING CORN ALCOHOL,
CHEWING COCA LEAVES.

THEY MIGHT EVEN HAVE EXPERIENCED
ALTITUDE-INDUCED HALLUCINATIONS

THAT CONVINCED THEM THEY WERE
LITERALLY IN THE PRESENCE

OF ANOTHER BEING.

ALL THESE FACTORS LIKELY
ENHANCED THEIR BELIEF

THAT THEY WERE CARRYING OUT
VIRACOCHA'S WISHES.

LET'S GO.

♪♪

I TRACED ONE CEQUE LINE
TO THE MUMMIES DISCOVERED

ON MOUNT LLULLAILLACO.

I'VE NOW FOLLOWED ANOTHER CEQUE
LINE AND FOUND THIS RITUAL SITE.

IF THIS PATTERN CONTINUES,
THERE CAN BE AS MANY

AS 39 MORE SITES
ALONG THESE CEQUE LINES

THROUGHOUT
THE INCAN EMPIRE.

THIS COULD MEAN
MORE THAN 100 MUMMIES OUT THERE

WAITING TO BE FOUND,
WAITING TO REVEAL THEIR SECRETS,

WAITING TO TEACH US EVEN MORE

ABOUT THE INCAS'
MYSTICAL RITUALS.