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Beneath Naples, Italy,
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the occupant of a centuries-old
tomb is called into question.
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00:00:08,008 --> 00:00:10,134
Researchers suggested
that one of the graves
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00:00:10,135 --> 00:00:12,303
in the monument
is not what it seems.
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00:00:12,304 --> 00:00:15,056
In the cliffside
caves of the Judean Desert,
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an archaeologist makes
a grim discovery.
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They uncovered
Roman cult objects,
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Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts,
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00:00:22,981 --> 00:00:27,652
and the skeletal remains
of at least 17 individuals.
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00:00:27,653 --> 00:00:31,239
But who carried these
objects into the cliffs and why?
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00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,242
A massive limestone
cave structure is discovered
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below the streets of Malta.
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What we now call
the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
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revealed itself as a sprawling
subterranean labyrinth.
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But who carved
this intricate
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subterranean labyrinth? And why?
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Below the busy
streets of the world's cities
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exists a hidden
realm of wonder.
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Sprawling ancient complexes,
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mysterious tombs,
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top-secret military bases,
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strange structures,
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and lost artifacts
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buried beneath our feet
and long forgotten...
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until now.
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Underground marvels are exposed
to reveal what lies
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Hidden Beneath the Cities.
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23 miles northwest of Italy's
iconic Amalfi Coast,
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nestled in the country's
Campania region,
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is the bustling city of Naples.
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Naples is
a quintessential Italian city,
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{\an8}but interestingly it was founded
by Greek settlers in 600 BCE.
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After centuries of rule by
a shifting array of leaders,
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it joined the newly unified
Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
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The city has
incredible historic monuments,
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centuries-old palaces,
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{\an8}and because of its Catholic
roots, over 450 churches.
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It's also a city
on top of a city.
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Deep below
its cobblestone streets
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00:02:10,922 --> 00:02:15,427
{\an8}is an abandoned metropolis
called Napoli Sotterranea.
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An awe-inspiring underworld
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made up of ancient
Greek and Roman ruins.
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{\an8} One of the most
fascinating historical sites
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{\an8}in Naples is situated
at the center of town,
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the Monumental Complex
of Santa Maria la Nova.
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00:02:33,028 --> 00:02:36,864
It was founded in 1279
as a Franciscan citadel,
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00:02:36,865 --> 00:02:39,617
but it eventually became
a cultural hub for the city,
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00:02:39,618 --> 00:02:41,827
collecting artistic works
from the Renaissance
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00:02:41,828 --> 00:02:44,288
and Baroque periods.
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00:02:44,289 --> 00:02:47,625
Today, it boasts a museum,
a breathtaking church,
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00:02:47,626 --> 00:02:49,293
and cloisters that are lined
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with the tombs and
monuments of nobles.
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In 2014, a startling
claim from outside the walls
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00:02:58,845 --> 00:03:02,890
of Santa Maria la Nova shakes
the spiritual foundation
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of this historic landmark.
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Researchers suggested
that one of the graves
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00:03:07,646 --> 00:03:10,648
in the monument Saint Giacomo
della Marca Cloister
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is not what it seems.
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00:03:13,402 --> 00:03:15,069
The marble tomb
was sculpted
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by a renowned Italian artist
named Jacopo della Pila
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{\an8}and has all the hallmarks
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{\an8}of an elaborate
Renaissance-era design.
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There's a large decorative arch
adorned with rosettes
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and an insignia depicting
the Madonna and Child.
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And a series of remarkable
carvings adorn the tomb,
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including a dragon and
a pair of opposing sphinxes.
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For hundreds of years,
the tomb was always assumed
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to be that of Matteo Ferrillo,
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a powerful nobleman
in 15th century Naples.
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But the scholar contends that
the tomb is merely a decoy
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designed to conceal
the secret burial site
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of its true occupant,
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a 15th century prince
named Vlad III Draculea,
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a man who would become
the inspiration
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for none other
than Count Dracula.
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It's an astounding proposition.
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Prince Vlad dedicated
most of his adult life
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to fighting back the expansion
of the Ottoman Empire,
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and he became known for his
cruel and brutal tactics
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on the battlefield.
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00:04:19,050 --> 00:04:21,760
He was particularly famous
for executing his victims
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by impalement, earning him
the moniker Tepes,
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which means "the Impaler."
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Reportedly,
during a winter battle
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against the Ottomans in 1476,
Vlad was decapitated.
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His head was preserved in honey
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and sent to the sultan
in Constantinople.
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But it's never been clear
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where his headless corpse
was eventually buried.
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In the 15th century,
the Kingdom of Naples
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was a military powerhouse
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and a known ally to those
fighting the Ottoman Empire.
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So it's plausible that
after his untimely death,
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Prince Vlad's followers
may have fled Romania
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and brought his corpse
to Naples for burial.
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00:04:59,758 --> 00:05:01,759
It's also been
suggested that the prince
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wasn't killed in battle.
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Instead, he was captured
by the Ottomans
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and ransomed by his daughter,
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who had previously escaped
to the Court of Naples.
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It's alleged that Vlad was
then brought to the city
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to live out the rest
of his days,
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and upon his death,
he was secretly entombed
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at the monumental complex
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to protect the body
from his enemies.
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Researchers point
to the sculptural details
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00:05:25,826 --> 00:05:30,663
carved into the sarcophagus
as clues about its inhabitant.
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The dragon carving is
interpreted as a key symbol
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linking the tomb
to Vlad Draculea,
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a reference to his last name,
Son of the Dragon.
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00:05:38,964 --> 00:05:42,216
And like his father before him,
Prince Vlad was a member
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00:05:42,217 --> 00:05:45,803
of an order of knights called
the Order of the Dragon.
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00:05:45,804 --> 00:05:47,513
The image of the two
sphinxes could also be
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00:05:47,514 --> 00:05:51,141
a coded message, representing
the Egyptian city of Thebes,
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which proponents claim to be
phonetically similar to tepes,
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the Romanian word for "impaler."
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00:05:57,816 --> 00:05:59,692
But these
interpretations of the carvings
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are fairly tenuous,
to say the least.
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00:06:02,028 --> 00:06:06,532
We see sphinxes and dragons
as common motifs in many pieces
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from the Neapolitan Renaissance.
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But there's another
clue carved into the marble,
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that confounds even
the harshest skeptics
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of the Naples burial.
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Hidden beneath the tomb
there's a strange inscription
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that doesn't seem to be written
in any known language.
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When the characters
of the epigraph were analyzed,
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it was estimated that
it was likely written
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00:06:26,970 --> 00:06:30,681
in the 16th century,
after the tomb was installed.
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00:06:30,682 --> 00:06:32,725
So why would someone
chisel these letters
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00:06:32,726 --> 00:06:36,020
into the back of a tomb
100 years later?
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The bizarre writing
is fuel for proponents
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of the Naples burial theory,
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but critics challenge the very
premise of Vlad's arrival here.
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We know that
Prince Vlad had three sons,
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but there's no certainty
that he had a daughter.
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It makes the entire idea
that Vlad somehow survived
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00:06:50,869 --> 00:06:52,202
the battle with the Ottomans
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00:06:52,203 --> 00:06:55,998
before being whisked away
to Naples seem highly suspect.
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00:06:55,999 --> 00:06:59,209
But if we can assume
he was killed in battle,
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what happened to his body?
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00:07:01,421 --> 00:07:03,714
For centuries,
local folklore in Romania
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00:07:03,715 --> 00:07:05,549
told an altogether
different story
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00:07:05,550 --> 00:07:08,010
of Prince Vlad's final days.
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It was said that after he was
killed on the battlefield
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and beheaded by the Ottomans,
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00:07:12,140 --> 00:07:17,394
monks recovered his body to give
it a proper Christian burial.
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00:07:17,395 --> 00:07:19,897
The corpse of Vlad
reportedly was transported
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00:07:19,898 --> 00:07:23,984
to the Snagov Monastery, located
on an island near Bucharest,
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00:07:23,985 --> 00:07:26,236
where he was buried in front
of the church altar,
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00:07:26,237 --> 00:07:31,075
hidden away from anyone who may
have wanted to defile the grave.
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00:07:31,076 --> 00:07:34,244
So could this be
the final resting place
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00:07:34,245 --> 00:07:37,039
of Vlad the Impaler?
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00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,751
In 1933, archaeologists
received permission
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to excavate the unmarked grave.
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Inside the tomb,
they found a coffin
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and a collection
of bizarre artifacts,
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including fragments
of prehistoric pottery
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and horse bones.
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A second monastery
in Romania may hold
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a more credible claim
to the body of the prince.
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00:07:57,602 --> 00:08:00,479
In 1461, Vlad founded
his own monastery
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in Comana, Romania.
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It was located just
south of Bucharest,
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where the prince
would meet his end
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during that fateful
winter battle.
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After he was killed,
it seems entirely possible
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that the prince's followers
would have transported him
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to his own monastery.
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00:08:12,784 --> 00:08:14,702
And here's where
it gets interesting.
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Sometime in the 1970s,
a group of archaeologists
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supposedly excavated
the monastery grounds
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and discovered a tomb.
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However, as enticing as
it may be, there's no proof
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that the tomb found at Comana
was Vlad the Impaler.
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The excavation was
poorly documented,
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so it's unknown if the remains
were ever analyzed
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or where they're
even housed today.
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Another problem
with the Comana theory
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00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:44,314
is that the original church
founded by Vlad was demolished
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and then rebuilt
in the 16th century.
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Even if we can assume that
Vlad was buried there,
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it's highly unlikely
the original tomb
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would have survived
the monastery's demolition.
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Ultimately,
the real occupant of the tomb
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00:08:57,579 --> 00:09:00,164
may be hidden in plain sight.
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There's a clear
inscription written in Latin
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stating the name of
the Neapolitan nobleman
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it was commissioned for:
Matteo Ferrillo.
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Lying on top of the sarcophagus
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is a stone effigy
of Ferrillo himself.
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Notably, the facial features of
the effigy bear no resemblance
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00:09:17,932 --> 00:09:20,684
to the famous painting
of Vlad Draculea,
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which sits today in
the Ambras Castle in Austria.
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The dragon carved
into the marble tomb
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00:09:26,524 --> 00:09:29,860
is actually the official crest
of the Ferrillo family.
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And a winged dragon was also
a symbol associated
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00:09:32,447 --> 00:09:36,158
with the kings of Aragon,
whom Ferrillo had served.
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00:09:36,159 --> 00:09:37,951
And there's another
important feature to the tomb
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00:09:37,952 --> 00:09:40,704
that makes Vlad's
Naples burial problematic.
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00:09:40,705 --> 00:09:42,873
The tomb itself
is dated to 1499.
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00:09:42,874 --> 00:09:44,708
This flies in the face
of the accepted timeline
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00:09:44,709 --> 00:09:46,710
around Vlad's death.
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00:09:46,711 --> 00:09:48,378
If he had died
on the battlefield
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00:09:48,379 --> 00:09:49,963
in the winter of 1476,
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why would his headless body
have been transported to Naples
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over 20 years later
to be buried in the tomb
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00:09:55,303 --> 00:09:57,054
of the Ferrillo family?
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00:09:57,055 --> 00:09:58,722
In June of 2025,
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00:09:58,723 --> 00:10:00,724
an international team
of researchers
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00:10:00,725 --> 00:10:05,104
from Italy, Estonia, and
Romania make a startling claim
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00:10:05,105 --> 00:10:07,731
about the mysterious
inscription.
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00:10:07,732 --> 00:10:09,900
They claim they've
managed to decipher the text
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00:10:09,901 --> 00:10:11,235
on the back of the tomb.
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00:10:11,236 --> 00:10:14,655
Incredibly, they allege it's
the epitaph of an individual
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00:10:14,656 --> 00:10:20,577
who is not Matteo Ferrillo,
but that of Vlad the Impaler.
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00:10:20,578 --> 00:10:23,497
The full text of the
epigraph has not been released,
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00:10:23,498 --> 00:10:27,334
nor has it been submitted to a
third party for academic review.
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00:10:27,335 --> 00:10:30,337
So we have no idea what
methodology they're using
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00:10:30,338 --> 00:10:33,924
to decipher the inscription
or what it might say.
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00:10:33,925 --> 00:10:36,093
The decoded text
could be a revelation,
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00:10:36,094 --> 00:10:39,763
a gross misinterpretation,
or an elaborate hoax.
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00:10:39,764 --> 00:10:43,100
At this point,
we just don't know.
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00:10:43,101 --> 00:10:46,019
Far from solving
the mystery of Dracula's tomb,
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00:10:46,020 --> 00:10:49,148
the translated epigraph
has instead created
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00:10:49,149 --> 00:10:51,275
more questions than answers.
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00:10:51,276 --> 00:10:55,445
For now, the story of Vlad the
Impaler's final resting place
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00:10:55,446 --> 00:10:57,531
remains as mythic as the tale
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00:10:57,532 --> 00:11:01,161
of the fictional vampire
he inspired.
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About 20 miles
south of Qumran,
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near the modern border
of Jordan,
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00:11:07,458 --> 00:11:11,461
the Nahal Hever stream winds
through the Judean Desert.
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{\an8} The Judean Desert,
located east of Jerusalem,
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00:11:14,090 --> 00:11:16,592
{\an8}spans about 580 square miles,
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stretching between the
Judean Hills and the Dead Sea.
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Its proximity to ancient urban
and religious centers
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00:11:21,723 --> 00:11:23,974
like Bethlehem, Hebron, and Arad
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00:11:23,975 --> 00:11:28,312
made it a critical crossroads
throughout history.
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00:11:28,313 --> 00:11:30,147
The caves scattered
across the desert
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have served as refuges
since prehistoric times.
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Their remote, rugged terrain
offered natural concealment,
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00:11:37,322 --> 00:11:41,241
{\an8}making them ideal shelters
for rebels, religious sects,
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00:11:41,242 --> 00:11:44,495
{\an8}and anyone fleeing conflict
or persecution.
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00:11:46,456 --> 00:11:49,958
{\an8} After the 1947 discovery
of the Dead Sea Scrolls
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00:11:49,959 --> 00:11:53,712
at Qumran, these caves
attracted intense interest
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00:11:53,713 --> 00:11:56,840
from both archaeologists
and looters alike.
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The region's extreme aridity
helped preserve
247
00:11:59,427 --> 00:12:02,221
organic materials
exceptionally well,
248
00:12:02,222 --> 00:12:04,681
making these caves
rare repositories
249
00:12:04,682 --> 00:12:08,352
of cultural and
historical evidence.
250
00:12:08,353 --> 00:12:11,521
In 1960, an Israeli
archaeologist climbs
251
00:12:11,522 --> 00:12:15,817
into a hidden cave carved
into the cliffs of Nahal Hever
252
00:12:15,818 --> 00:12:18,695
on the western bank
of the Dead Sea,
253
00:12:18,696 --> 00:12:20,489
bringing to light a trove
254
00:12:20,490 --> 00:12:24,035
untouched for nearly
2,000 years.
255
00:12:26,287 --> 00:12:28,580
After crawling
nearly 450 feet
256
00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:32,542
into the bat-infested cave, they
uncovered Roman cult objects,
257
00:12:32,543 --> 00:12:37,214
copper vessels, incense shovels,
Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts,
258
00:12:37,215 --> 00:12:42,511
and the skeletal remains
of at least 17 individuals.
259
00:12:42,512 --> 00:12:45,430
Most of these artifacts date
to a period of intense upheaval
260
00:12:45,431 --> 00:12:48,935
and Roman suppression
in the second century CE.
261
00:12:50,395 --> 00:12:52,229
The so-called
Cave of Letters
262
00:12:52,230 --> 00:12:55,357
lies 300 feet below
the Judean Desert plateau
263
00:12:55,358 --> 00:12:59,069
and 650 feet above
the valley floor.
264
00:12:59,070 --> 00:13:01,989
Inside, the cave splits
into three vaults,
265
00:13:01,990 --> 00:13:07,202
each reachable only by squeezing
through narrow, rocky gaps.
266
00:13:07,203 --> 00:13:12,416
So far, nearly 1,800 feet of
passages have been explored.
267
00:13:12,417 --> 00:13:15,127
Interest in the cave
began years earlier,
268
00:13:15,128 --> 00:13:17,713
when Bedouins reported
fragmentary finds
269
00:13:17,714 --> 00:13:19,381
north of Masada.
270
00:13:19,382 --> 00:13:22,384
But when excavators
returned in 1961,
271
00:13:22,385 --> 00:13:24,928
they found an even
larger trove--
272
00:13:24,929 --> 00:13:27,222
dozens of papyri,
legal contracts,
273
00:13:27,223 --> 00:13:29,224
and biblical manuscripts.
274
00:13:29,225 --> 00:13:30,767
But they also found
everyday items,
275
00:13:30,768 --> 00:13:34,354
such as utensils, baskets,
textiles, jewelry, clothing,
276
00:13:34,355 --> 00:13:37,316
all of which offers us
a glimpse of survival
277
00:13:37,317 --> 00:13:39,401
on the desert's edge.
278
00:13:39,402 --> 00:13:41,945
{\an8} But the deeper
purpose of this hidden cave
279
00:13:41,946 --> 00:13:43,447
{\an8}is still a total mystery.
280
00:13:43,448 --> 00:13:45,282
{\an8}We don't know who carried
these objects into the cliffs.
281
00:13:45,283 --> 00:13:46,616
We don't know why.
282
00:13:46,617 --> 00:13:50,454
But the bigger question is,
how did they hope to endure
283
00:13:50,455 --> 00:13:53,040
in this totally
unforgiving place?
284
00:13:53,041 --> 00:13:56,918
And what do these traces reveal
about how they balanced
285
00:13:56,919 --> 00:14:00,630
resistance, faith,
and everyday life?
286
00:14:00,631 --> 00:14:03,300
The cave of letters
may have served a purpose
287
00:14:03,301 --> 00:14:05,969
deeply tied to
writing, language,
288
00:14:05,970 --> 00:14:07,888
and cultural identity.
289
00:14:07,889 --> 00:14:09,806
Texts from the cave
reveal at least four
290
00:14:09,807 --> 00:14:12,309
distinct private archives,
offering rare insight
291
00:14:12,310 --> 00:14:15,896
into daily life, legal disputes,
and social networks in Judea
292
00:14:15,897 --> 00:14:18,231
during the first and second
centuries CE.
293
00:14:18,232 --> 00:14:20,025
So could the Cave of Letters
have been used
294
00:14:20,026 --> 00:14:23,028
to safeguard family memory
and legal identity?
295
00:14:23,029 --> 00:14:26,907
Among these archives,
35 separate papyrus scrolls
296
00:14:26,908 --> 00:14:28,992
belonged to a woman
named Babatha,
297
00:14:28,993 --> 00:14:31,661
the daughter of a wealthy
Jewish landowner.
298
00:14:31,662 --> 00:14:35,832
Born around 104 CE in Mahoza,
south of the Dead Sea,
299
00:14:35,833 --> 00:14:38,293
she inherited her father's
date orchards
300
00:14:38,294 --> 00:14:41,004
and became
an independent landowner.
301
00:14:41,005 --> 00:14:44,424
In 106 CE, the region was
annexed by Rome,
302
00:14:44,425 --> 00:14:47,135
forcing locals to navigate
new legal systems
303
00:14:47,136 --> 00:14:50,263
and Roman provincial courts.
304
00:14:50,264 --> 00:14:53,183
Babatha's archive
included marriage contracts,
305
00:14:53,184 --> 00:14:56,937
property deeds, court petitions,
and loan records
306
00:14:56,938 --> 00:14:59,523
show how she actively
defended her rights
307
00:14:59,524 --> 00:15:01,650
as a twice-widowed mother,
308
00:15:01,651 --> 00:15:03,568
even confronting Roman-appointed
309
00:15:03,569 --> 00:15:06,446
guardians in Petra.
310
00:15:06,447 --> 00:15:09,366
Written in Greek, Nabataean,
and Aramaic,
311
00:15:09,367 --> 00:15:12,994
these documents reveal
her wealth, her authority,
312
00:15:12,995 --> 00:15:15,872
and underscore how crucial
written records were
313
00:15:15,873 --> 00:15:18,708
for protecting property
and social standing
314
00:15:18,709 --> 00:15:20,377
under Roman rule.
315
00:15:20,378 --> 00:15:23,547
The team also uncovered
Babatha's personal belongings.
316
00:15:23,548 --> 00:15:28,385
Jewelry, expensive clothing,
sandals, a mirror, cosmetics,
317
00:15:28,386 --> 00:15:31,555
all of it carefully stashed
in a rock crevice
318
00:15:31,556 --> 00:15:34,057
and then covered with a stone.
319
00:15:34,058 --> 00:15:38,228
Now, that suggests
she intended to come back.
320
00:15:38,229 --> 00:15:40,397
So even while fleeing,
321
00:15:40,398 --> 00:15:43,400
she prioritized preserving
her identity and rights.
322
00:15:43,401 --> 00:15:46,570
And this reinforces the idea
that the Cave of Letters
323
00:15:46,571 --> 00:15:50,073
functioned as a sanctuary
for safeguarding
324
00:15:50,074 --> 00:15:54,494
vital personal
and legal records.
325
00:15:54,495 --> 00:15:55,829
10 miles to the north,
326
00:15:55,830 --> 00:15:58,415
evidence at
the Wadi Murabba'at caves
327
00:15:58,416 --> 00:16:01,543
reveals a strikingly
similar pattern.
328
00:16:01,544 --> 00:16:05,672
In 1952, excavations at
the site uncovered textiles,
329
00:16:05,673 --> 00:16:08,508
baskets, ropes, and
a substantial collection
330
00:16:08,509 --> 00:16:10,427
of leather and papyrus fragments
331
00:16:10,428 --> 00:16:13,138
written in Greek, Hebrew,
and Aramaic.
332
00:16:13,139 --> 00:16:15,891
Most date to the early
second century CE,
333
00:16:15,892 --> 00:16:19,060
including a Greek
marriage contract from 124.
334
00:16:19,061 --> 00:16:21,229
Further evidence
that families carried
335
00:16:21,230 --> 00:16:25,233
legal and personal records
while fleeing Roman forces.
336
00:16:25,234 --> 00:16:28,445
This pattern supports the idea
that the Cave of Letters
337
00:16:28,446 --> 00:16:32,657
was chosen as a secure location
to protect important materials
338
00:16:32,658 --> 00:16:34,910
during times of crisis.
339
00:16:34,911 --> 00:16:36,786
The last document
in Babatha's archive
340
00:16:36,787 --> 00:16:39,873
dates to August 132 CE
in Mahoza.
341
00:16:39,874 --> 00:16:43,460
Soon after, she likely fled
south as Roman forces advanced,
342
00:16:43,461 --> 00:16:46,087
ultimately seeking shelter
in the Cave of Letters.
343
00:16:46,088 --> 00:16:47,881
Her carefully deposited
archive provides
344
00:16:47,882 --> 00:16:50,800
rare archaeological evidence
of how Jewish families fought
345
00:16:50,801 --> 00:16:52,552
to preserve their rights
and identities
346
00:16:52,553 --> 00:16:54,054
in the face of upheaval.
347
00:16:54,055 --> 00:16:55,472
And it also raises
the possibility
348
00:16:55,473 --> 00:16:59,309
that the cave's role extended
beyond just simple storage.
349
00:16:59,310 --> 00:17:01,478
Other evidence
inside the cave suggests
350
00:17:01,479 --> 00:17:03,813
a sudden, organized occupation
351
00:17:03,814 --> 00:17:08,485
tied to a critical moment
of resistance and a tragic end.
352
00:17:08,486 --> 00:17:10,320
Inside the cave,
archeologists found
353
00:17:10,321 --> 00:17:13,823
11 to 15 letters
from Simon Bar Kokhba.
354
00:17:13,824 --> 00:17:16,993
He's the leader of
a fierce Jewish uprising
355
00:17:16,994 --> 00:17:19,913
against Rome during
Emperor Hadrian's reign.
356
00:17:19,914 --> 00:17:22,999
So the question is,
could this cache indicate
357
00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:27,671
that the cave once functioned
as a hidden command post
358
00:17:27,672 --> 00:17:30,131
as Roman forces were closing in?
359
00:17:30,132 --> 00:17:31,508
Seven of these letters
were addressed
360
00:17:31,509 --> 00:17:36,304
to his deputy commander, issuing
orders for supplies and arrests.
361
00:17:36,305 --> 00:17:40,475
These documents anchor the cave
to the revolt's second phase,
362
00:17:40,476 --> 00:17:43,186
around 132 to 135 CE,
363
00:17:43,187 --> 00:17:47,857
when fighters shifted from open
battle to guerrilla tactics.
364
00:17:47,858 --> 00:17:50,026
By that time,
the rebels had turned
365
00:17:50,027 --> 00:17:51,361
to defensive strategies,
366
00:17:51,362 --> 00:17:54,489
creating a network of
hidden strongholds in caves
367
00:17:54,490 --> 00:17:59,119
and remote hideouts throughout
Judea to stall Roman advances.
368
00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:02,706
This fierce resistance was
driven by Emperor Hadrian's
369
00:18:02,707 --> 00:18:07,043
severe measures, including
the founding of Aelia Capitolina
370
00:18:07,044 --> 00:18:08,628
on the ruins of Jerusalem,
371
00:18:08,629 --> 00:18:10,880
with plans to build
a temple to Jupiter
372
00:18:10,881 --> 00:18:13,008
over the destroyed
Jewish temple;
373
00:18:13,009 --> 00:18:16,219
acts that pushed many
to the breaking point.
374
00:18:16,220 --> 00:18:19,764
By 2015, archaeologists
had recorded about 350
375
00:18:19,765 --> 00:18:24,019
of these hideouts
across 140 villages.
376
00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:26,896
The Cave of Letters fits
within this strategy.
377
00:18:26,897 --> 00:18:28,189
It's a concealed sanctuary
378
00:18:28,190 --> 00:18:32,403
reached only when surface
positions are no longer tenable.
379
00:18:34,572 --> 00:18:36,406
Around 25 miles
south of Jerusalem,
380
00:18:36,407 --> 00:18:38,408
just west of the Dead Sea,
381
00:18:38,409 --> 00:18:42,245
another cave offers a chilling
glimpse into a community
382
00:18:42,246 --> 00:18:45,248
pushed to the edge under siege.
383
00:18:45,249 --> 00:18:46,416
The Cave of Horror,
384
00:18:46,417 --> 00:18:49,419
accessible only by descending
200 feet on ropes,
385
00:18:49,420 --> 00:18:52,714
was discovered in the 1950s
and used as a hidden refuge
386
00:18:52,715 --> 00:18:54,382
during the Bar Kokhba Revolt,
387
00:18:54,383 --> 00:18:57,218
which was a Jewish rebellion
against Roman rule in Judea.
388
00:18:57,219 --> 00:19:00,055
Archaeologists have since
uncovered 40 human skeletons,
389
00:19:00,056 --> 00:19:02,432
including a child
wrapped in cloth.
390
00:19:02,433 --> 00:19:05,143
Roman encampments found directly
above the cave suggest
391
00:19:05,144 --> 00:19:08,521
that those inside were besieged,
cut off from supplies,
392
00:19:08,522 --> 00:19:10,774
and ultimately died
of starvation.
393
00:19:10,775 --> 00:19:13,276
Like the Cave of Horror,
the Cave of Letters shows
394
00:19:13,277 --> 00:19:15,945
a carefully planned
attempt at survival.
395
00:19:15,946 --> 00:19:18,281
But evidence inside
challenges the idea
396
00:19:18,282 --> 00:19:20,742
of a final military fortress.
397
00:19:20,743 --> 00:19:22,285
The presence of women
and children,
398
00:19:22,286 --> 00:19:25,622
combined with extreme heat
and a lack of water,
399
00:19:25,623 --> 00:19:29,459
suggests it wasn't designed
for prolonged defense.
400
00:19:29,460 --> 00:19:32,462
The conditions of
the remains supports this:
401
00:19:32,463 --> 00:19:35,965
skulls were separated
and gathered in baskets,
402
00:19:35,966 --> 00:19:37,801
jaw bones are missing,
403
00:19:37,802 --> 00:19:40,220
long bones are wrapped in mats.
404
00:19:40,221 --> 00:19:45,642
These are all signs of
crisis-driven makeshift burials.
405
00:19:45,643 --> 00:19:48,812
And the absence
of violent trauma
406
00:19:48,813 --> 00:19:50,647
also indicates that
these individuals
407
00:19:50,648 --> 00:19:54,901
likely died from starvation,
not combat.
408
00:19:54,902 --> 00:19:56,486
While the letters
from Bar Kokhba
409
00:19:56,487 --> 00:19:58,947
point to an organized
military presence,
410
00:19:58,948 --> 00:20:01,157
the cave's proximity
to En Gedi,
411
00:20:01,158 --> 00:20:03,993
a communal settlement
and key economic center
412
00:20:03,994 --> 00:20:07,038
from which rebels fled during
the revolt's final stages,
413
00:20:07,039 --> 00:20:10,959
suggests that local fighters,
possibly joined by families,
414
00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:15,422
used it as an emergency refuge,
not a fortified holdout.
415
00:20:15,423 --> 00:20:19,175
Together, these clues point
to a short-term shelter
416
00:20:19,176 --> 00:20:23,471
during extreme danger, rather
than a permanent military base.
417
00:20:23,472 --> 00:20:26,099
This perspective also
opens the possibility
418
00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:28,852
that the cave's use
began even earlier,
419
00:20:28,853 --> 00:20:32,021
during an older and
equally desperate chapter
420
00:20:32,022 --> 00:20:33,481
in Jewish history.
421
00:20:33,482 --> 00:20:36,276
Archaeologists uncovered
about 80 new fragments
422
00:20:36,277 --> 00:20:38,987
of the Dead Sea Scrolls
in the Cave of Horror,
423
00:20:38,988 --> 00:20:43,199
dating from the third century
BCE to the first century CE.
424
00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,368
These fragments,
including sections
425
00:20:45,369 --> 00:20:48,371
of The Book of the Twelve Minor
Prophets written in Greek,
426
00:20:48,372 --> 00:20:51,040
offer a glimpse into
the religious mindset
427
00:20:51,041 --> 00:20:53,209
of refugee communities.
428
00:20:53,210 --> 00:20:56,379
Beyond family
archives and rebel hideouts,
429
00:20:56,380 --> 00:20:59,215
some interpreted evidence
from the Cave of Letters
430
00:20:59,216 --> 00:21:01,217
as holding secrets
tied to the fall
431
00:21:01,218 --> 00:21:03,970
of Jerusalem's
holiest sanctuary.
432
00:21:03,971 --> 00:21:05,722
During the original
excavations,
433
00:21:05,723 --> 00:21:07,849
archaeologists uncovered
bronze objects,
434
00:21:07,850 --> 00:21:09,350
including incense shovels,
435
00:21:09,351 --> 00:21:11,352
originally believed
to be Roman items,
436
00:21:11,353 --> 00:21:13,730
but possibly plundered
by Bar Kokhba's fighters
437
00:21:13,731 --> 00:21:14,898
from En Gedi.
438
00:21:14,899 --> 00:21:16,357
But decades later, another team
439
00:21:16,358 --> 00:21:18,067
proposed a bold
reinterpretation.
440
00:21:18,068 --> 00:21:21,571
Could these objects actually
date to the first century CE,
441
00:21:21,572 --> 00:21:22,781
hidden after the destruction
442
00:21:22,782 --> 00:21:26,326
of Jerusalem's second temple
in 70 CE?
443
00:21:26,327 --> 00:21:29,996
Excavations in 1999
and 2000 uncovered coins
444
00:21:29,997 --> 00:21:34,834
from multiple periods, including
a Nabataean coin from 106 CE,
445
00:21:34,835 --> 00:21:37,587
a Trajan coin
from around 113 CE,
446
00:21:37,588 --> 00:21:41,007
a silver coin of Vespasian
dated to 70 CE,
447
00:21:41,008 --> 00:21:44,260
and a First Revolt coin
from 68 CE.
448
00:21:44,261 --> 00:21:47,096
Together, these finds suggest
that the cave may have been
449
00:21:47,097 --> 00:21:50,558
occupied even before
the Bar Kokhba uprising,
450
00:21:50,559 --> 00:21:55,104
perhaps during the earlier
First Jewish Revolt.
451
00:21:55,105 --> 00:21:57,273
About 100 miles
north in Migdal
452
00:21:57,274 --> 00:22:00,026
on the western shore
of the Sea of Galilee,
453
00:22:00,027 --> 00:22:02,946
another discovery may shed
light on the movement
454
00:22:02,947 --> 00:22:07,283
of sacred objects and
practices beyond Jerusalem.
455
00:22:07,284 --> 00:22:09,786
Archaeologists uncovered
a delicately crafted
456
00:22:09,787 --> 00:22:11,913
bronze incense shovel and jug
457
00:22:11,914 --> 00:22:14,290
in a 2,000-year-old
Jewish settlement.
458
00:22:14,291 --> 00:22:18,169
Magdala was once a bustling port
and later a military base
459
00:22:18,170 --> 00:22:22,173
for Jewish rebels against Rome
and held a large synagogue
460
00:22:22,174 --> 00:22:24,884
dating to the early
first century CE.
461
00:22:24,885 --> 00:22:27,053
The shovel was from
the Second Temple period
462
00:22:27,054 --> 00:22:28,805
and was likely used
to rake coals
463
00:22:28,806 --> 00:22:30,723
during ritual incense offerings,
464
00:22:30,724 --> 00:22:34,811
though it might have also served
practical daily purposes.
465
00:22:34,812 --> 00:22:37,397
The Magdala shovel
closely resembles
466
00:22:37,398 --> 00:22:40,149
the incense shovel found
at the Cave of Letters,
467
00:22:40,150 --> 00:22:44,988
and that parallel suggests that
implements originally tied
468
00:22:44,989 --> 00:22:47,240
to temple rituals in Jerusalem
469
00:22:47,241 --> 00:22:49,951
were present across
distant communities,
470
00:22:49,952 --> 00:22:52,912
possibly carried by the people
who lived there
471
00:22:52,913 --> 00:22:57,000
seeking to protect their
sacred practices and objects
472
00:22:57,001 --> 00:22:59,168
from Roman pressure.
473
00:22:59,169 --> 00:23:02,088
In the end,
no definitive evidence confirms
474
00:23:02,089 --> 00:23:04,007
that the Cave of Letters
was occupied
475
00:23:04,008 --> 00:23:05,842
during the first century CE.
476
00:23:05,843 --> 00:23:08,177
And whether it served
as a temporary refuge,
477
00:23:08,178 --> 00:23:12,015
a secure archive, or a secret
treasury for temple relics,
478
00:23:12,016 --> 00:23:13,683
that's all still up for debate.
479
00:23:13,684 --> 00:23:17,896
The cave's full story
is yet to be unfolded.
480
00:23:17,897 --> 00:23:20,356
The Cave of Letters
holds a stratified record
481
00:23:20,357 --> 00:23:22,191
of refuge, resistance,
482
00:23:22,192 --> 00:23:25,653
and the effort to safeguard
identity under Roman rule.
483
00:23:25,654 --> 00:23:30,033
Each artifact unearthed not
only expands our understanding,
484
00:23:30,034 --> 00:23:31,701
but also deepens the questions
485
00:23:31,702 --> 00:23:35,414
surrounding the cave's
shifting roles across time.
486
00:23:39,043 --> 00:23:40,668
Two miles
south of Valletta,
487
00:23:40,669 --> 00:23:42,503
perched on a low
limestone ridge
488
00:23:42,504 --> 00:23:48,051
above Malta's Grand Harbour,
sits the modern town of Paola.
489
00:23:48,052 --> 00:23:51,054
Paola lies at the
center of Malta's urban sprawl,
490
00:23:51,055 --> 00:23:52,430
just beyond the capital.
491
00:23:52,431 --> 00:23:55,892
{\an8}Built in the 17th century to
ease overcrowding in Valletta,
492
00:23:55,893 --> 00:23:58,227
{\an8}it became a home for
dock workers and laborers
493
00:23:58,228 --> 00:24:00,605
tied to the booming harbor.
494
00:24:00,606 --> 00:24:07,111
More than 9,000 people live here
in less than one square mile.
495
00:24:07,112 --> 00:24:08,696
Malta is a crossroads,
496
00:24:08,697 --> 00:24:12,325
an island just 60 miles
south of Sicily.
497
00:24:12,326 --> 00:24:15,370
{\an8}Its central position in
the Mediterranean made it a hub
498
00:24:15,371 --> 00:24:18,916
{\an8}for trade and cultural exchange
for millennia.
499
00:24:20,918 --> 00:24:25,004
{\an8} Malta's story begins
long before recorded history.
500
00:24:25,005 --> 00:24:29,258
By about 5200 BCE, Neolithic
settlers had arrived
501
00:24:29,259 --> 00:24:31,594
from Sicily, mainly fishermen,
502
00:24:31,595 --> 00:24:34,764
hunters, and farmers
who lived in caves.
503
00:24:34,765 --> 00:24:39,852
But by 3600 BCE, they were
constructing megalithic temples,
504
00:24:39,853 --> 00:24:43,940
vast stone complexes that
predate both Stonehenge
505
00:24:43,941 --> 00:24:47,568
and the pyramids of Egypt.
506
00:24:47,569 --> 00:24:49,779
In 1902,
during the construction
507
00:24:49,780 --> 00:24:53,282
of a housing subdivision
on Hal Saflieni Street,
508
00:24:53,283 --> 00:24:55,702
a stonemason falls
through a roof
509
00:24:55,703 --> 00:24:58,955
and stumbles into
something strange.
510
00:24:58,956 --> 00:25:00,790
There was
a hollow chamber
511
00:25:00,791 --> 00:25:02,792
beneath the soft limestone.
512
00:25:02,793 --> 00:25:05,294
{\an8}Initially, the discovery
was suppressed
513
00:25:05,295 --> 00:25:07,463
{\an8}to avoid disrupting
construction.
514
00:25:07,464 --> 00:25:11,801
{\an8}But in 1903, once most of the
homes had already been built,
515
00:25:11,802 --> 00:25:13,428
it was formally reported.
516
00:25:13,429 --> 00:25:15,930
The Valletta Museum
assigns a Jesuit priest
517
00:25:15,931 --> 00:25:18,474
to lead the first
official excavation.
518
00:25:18,475 --> 00:25:23,188
What he uncovers is unlike
anything Malta had seen.
519
00:25:25,816 --> 00:25:28,818
What we now call
the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
520
00:25:28,819 --> 00:25:34,490
revealed itself as a sprawling
subterranean labyrinth.
521
00:25:34,491 --> 00:25:37,326
The oldest chamber was
likely a natural cave
522
00:25:37,327 --> 00:25:40,329
that was gradually transformed
into a complex
523
00:25:40,330 --> 00:25:43,332
of over 30 rooms
across three levels.
524
00:25:43,333 --> 00:25:46,836
It descends to a depth
of nearly 35 feet
525
00:25:46,837 --> 00:25:50,715
and stretches across
almost 5,400 square feet
526
00:25:50,716 --> 00:25:52,175
beneath the modern city.
527
00:25:52,176 --> 00:25:53,676
There are no
straight lines,
528
00:25:53,677 --> 00:25:57,513
just fluid organic curves, and
all of it was carved by hand,
529
00:25:57,514 --> 00:26:00,933
using nothing but stone,
horn, and antler.
530
00:26:00,934 --> 00:26:03,686
The complex is dated at
over 6,000 years old,
531
00:26:03,687 --> 00:26:06,689
making it one of the most
extensive and best-preserved
532
00:26:06,690 --> 00:26:09,358
Neolithic environments
ever found.
533
00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:14,530
But who carved this intricate
subterranean labyrinth? And why?
534
00:26:14,531 --> 00:26:17,450
Another archaeologist
takes over the excavation
535
00:26:17,451 --> 00:26:19,869
of the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum
536
00:26:19,870 --> 00:26:22,997
and discovers
something unexpected.
537
00:26:22,998 --> 00:26:24,373
The chambers,
especially those
538
00:26:24,374 --> 00:26:26,751
on the lower level
and near the entrance,
539
00:26:26,752 --> 00:26:29,295
were packed with
dense red earth,
540
00:26:29,296 --> 00:26:31,672
around three feet deep
in places.
541
00:26:31,673 --> 00:26:33,508
Embedded in it were bones,
542
00:26:33,509 --> 00:26:37,553
Neolithic pottery,
tools, and beads.
543
00:26:37,554 --> 00:26:40,723
They also found burial chambers
in the upper level.
544
00:26:40,724 --> 00:26:43,893
Given the density and placement
of these remains,
545
00:26:43,894 --> 00:26:48,564
it seems like it may have been
used as a burial site.
546
00:26:48,565 --> 00:26:50,691
It was first believed
that the Hypogeum
547
00:26:50,692 --> 00:26:54,237
may have functioned as
a vast secondary ossuary.
548
00:26:54,238 --> 00:26:56,864
Bodies would have been
defleshed elsewhere
549
00:26:56,865 --> 00:26:59,242
and only the bones brought here.
550
00:26:59,243 --> 00:27:03,079
Some estimates suggest that
based on the site's scale,
551
00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:05,414
layout, and depth,
it was estimated
552
00:27:05,415 --> 00:27:07,208
that it could have
held the remains
553
00:27:07,209 --> 00:27:12,130
of up to 7,000 individuals
accumulated over centuries.
554
00:27:12,131 --> 00:27:15,758
When some of the skulls
were re-examined in the 1980s,
555
00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:17,927
surprising clues jumped out.
556
00:27:17,928 --> 00:27:20,847
One skull had clear signs
of sun exposure,
557
00:27:20,848 --> 00:27:23,975
suggesting that it had been
left to dry before burial.
558
00:27:23,976 --> 00:27:26,018
That tells us that
there may have been
559
00:27:26,019 --> 00:27:28,521
a secondary burial practice.
560
00:27:28,522 --> 00:27:31,524
Some of the skulls
are removed for examination,
561
00:27:31,525 --> 00:27:34,610
and the results are
rather surprising.
562
00:27:34,611 --> 00:27:36,696
They have an elongated
cranial shape
563
00:27:36,697 --> 00:27:38,281
known as dolichocephaly,
564
00:27:38,282 --> 00:27:41,909
and later tests showed evidence
of thalassemia intermedia,
565
00:27:41,910 --> 00:27:46,455
a blood disorder that can
lead to bone abnormalities.
566
00:27:46,456 --> 00:27:49,792
In antiquity, physical
traits like elongated skulls,
567
00:27:49,793 --> 00:27:52,628
or even extra digits,
were often interpreted
568
00:27:52,629 --> 00:27:56,382
as signs of semi-divine
status or ancestry.
569
00:27:56,383 --> 00:27:59,385
And interestingly, similar
cranial features appear
570
00:27:59,386 --> 00:28:02,597
in depictions
of New Kingdom pharaohs.
571
00:28:02,598 --> 00:28:04,140
It raises the possibility
572
00:28:04,141 --> 00:28:07,602
that this wasn't just
a communal burial site,
573
00:28:07,603 --> 00:28:10,104
but a sacred resting place
for individuals
574
00:28:10,105 --> 00:28:13,482
believed to hold special status.
575
00:28:13,483 --> 00:28:16,986
But the burials here
don't fit a ceremonial pattern.
576
00:28:16,987 --> 00:28:21,824
One skeleton at Hal Saflieni was
found twisted on its right side,
577
00:28:21,825 --> 00:28:26,746
frozen in a contorted position
consistent with cadaveric spasm.
578
00:28:26,747 --> 00:28:28,331
That's the kind
of muscular rigidity
579
00:28:28,332 --> 00:28:32,668
that occurs in sudden,
traumatic deaths, like drowning.
580
00:28:32,669 --> 00:28:36,339
That stands in sharp contrast
to ritual burials
581
00:28:36,340 --> 00:28:38,799
at nearby sites like Bur-Meghez,
582
00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,428
where individuals with
similar elongated skulls
583
00:28:42,429 --> 00:28:47,475
were carefully placed in
a uniform left-facing pose.
584
00:28:47,476 --> 00:28:50,686
And in one chamber,
over 120 skeletons
585
00:28:50,687 --> 00:28:54,357
were crammed into a space that
could barely fit a dozen bodies.
586
00:28:54,358 --> 00:28:57,026
The remains were so mixed up
and disturbed
587
00:28:57,027 --> 00:29:00,196
that artifacts were found
inside skulls.
588
00:29:00,197 --> 00:29:04,033
Whatever happened here,
it wasn't a structured burial.
589
00:29:04,034 --> 00:29:07,286
Just half a mile
away, at Santa Lucija,
590
00:29:07,287 --> 00:29:08,996
researchers discovered a site
591
00:29:08,997 --> 00:29:12,875
with noticeable parallels
to the Hypogeum.
592
00:29:12,876 --> 00:29:14,460
They found
a subterranean chamber
593
00:29:14,461 --> 00:29:17,463
filled with red soil,
disarticulated bones,
594
00:29:17,464 --> 00:29:20,341
and a chaotic scattering
of pottery and tools,
595
00:29:20,342 --> 00:29:22,510
as if the contents
had been dumped in there
596
00:29:22,511 --> 00:29:24,178
from the surface.
597
00:29:24,179 --> 00:29:26,764
Given the site's proximity
to the Hypogeum,
598
00:29:26,765 --> 00:29:30,726
could the same kind of event
have unfolded there?
599
00:29:30,727 --> 00:29:32,979
One theory points
to the alluvial nature
600
00:29:32,980 --> 00:29:36,399
of the deposit, suggesting
a catastrophic flood
601
00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:38,734
swept through
the original entrance,
602
00:29:38,735 --> 00:29:42,071
carrying centuries of
artifacts, human remains,
603
00:29:42,072 --> 00:29:45,908
and ochre-stained soil
into the open chambers below.
604
00:29:45,909 --> 00:29:49,161
Similar material found
near the original entrance
605
00:29:49,162 --> 00:29:50,913
supports this idea.
606
00:29:50,914 --> 00:29:54,542
But as the chambers
deepen, so does the complexity.
607
00:29:54,543 --> 00:29:57,628
And some features seem designed
not for the dead,
608
00:29:57,629 --> 00:29:59,297
but for the living.
609
00:30:01,216 --> 00:30:02,758
Red ochre spirals,
checkerboards,
610
00:30:02,759 --> 00:30:06,554
and honeycomb patterns cover
the walls and ceilings--
611
00:30:06,555 --> 00:30:11,017
Malta's only surviving
prehistoric paintings.
612
00:30:11,018 --> 00:30:13,686
Figurines of birds and animals,
613
00:30:13,687 --> 00:30:16,022
some small enough
to be worn as pendants,
614
00:30:16,023 --> 00:30:17,606
appear carefully placed.
615
00:30:17,607 --> 00:30:21,110
And at the heart of it all,
the so-called Sleeping Lady,
616
00:30:21,111 --> 00:30:24,864
which is a ceramic figure
of a reclining woman,
617
00:30:24,865 --> 00:30:29,285
was found in the main hall,
which is the largest room.
618
00:30:29,286 --> 00:30:32,329
There's also an
interesting parallel at Tarxien.
619
00:30:32,330 --> 00:30:35,583
Figures representing diseased
body parts were found there.
620
00:30:35,584 --> 00:30:38,794
They displayed exaggerated
abdominal swelling,
621
00:30:38,795 --> 00:30:42,590
hollowed iliac regions,
and a kyphotic spine,
622
00:30:42,591 --> 00:30:44,383
which could reflect
health issues,
623
00:30:44,384 --> 00:30:46,469
such as abdominal tumors.
624
00:30:46,470 --> 00:30:48,846
It suggests that those temples
may have served
625
00:30:48,847 --> 00:30:50,973
a votive or healing function,
626
00:30:50,974 --> 00:30:54,935
where people left offerings in
the hope of divine intervention.
627
00:30:54,936 --> 00:31:00,149
So maybe that's what was
happening at the Hypogeum, too.
628
00:31:00,150 --> 00:31:01,901
At the core
of the Hypogeum,
629
00:31:01,902 --> 00:31:05,654
one team discovers
the so-called Holy of Holies,
630
00:31:05,655 --> 00:31:08,282
a chamber that closely
mirrors the design
631
00:31:08,283 --> 00:31:10,785
of Malta's
above-ground temples.
632
00:31:10,786 --> 00:31:11,994
Just in front of it,
633
00:31:11,995 --> 00:31:15,122
they found a set of carved
floor holes, likely used
634
00:31:15,123 --> 00:31:18,751
for pouring libations
or securing ritual offerings.
635
00:31:18,752 --> 00:31:21,837
These same features appear
on other above-ground sites
636
00:31:21,838 --> 00:31:24,006
in Malta, like Ggantija.
637
00:31:24,007 --> 00:31:26,509
It suggests a shared
ceremonial language
638
00:31:26,510 --> 00:31:30,137
between the worlds
above and below.
639
00:31:30,138 --> 00:31:32,681
That continuity
runs deeper.
640
00:31:32,682 --> 00:31:35,851
Beveled cornices,
pitted stone surfaces,
641
00:31:35,852 --> 00:31:38,521
even trilithon-style doorways,
642
00:31:38,522 --> 00:31:41,690
all echo what we see
at other Maltese sites.
643
00:31:41,691 --> 00:31:45,694
And a carved plate featuring
horned bulls was found,
644
00:31:45,695 --> 00:31:48,864
which mirrors the motifs
found at Tarxien,
645
00:31:48,865 --> 00:31:51,200
a nearby archaeological complex.
646
00:31:51,201 --> 00:31:54,954
Near the entrance
of one of the decorated rooms,
647
00:31:54,955 --> 00:31:58,290
there's a carved hand,
eight inches long,
648
00:31:58,291 --> 00:32:01,377
with six fingers
instead of five.
649
00:32:01,378 --> 00:32:05,172
It's far larger than
any normal human hand.
650
00:32:05,173 --> 00:32:07,049
In many ancient cultures,
651
00:32:07,050 --> 00:32:10,719
polydactyly was seen
as a sign of divinity,
652
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,223
and it's been tied
to cult ceremonies.
653
00:32:14,224 --> 00:32:16,642
On the second level,
archaeologists uncover
654
00:32:16,643 --> 00:32:18,686
one of the most
mysterious features
655
00:32:18,687 --> 00:32:20,271
in the entire structure,
656
00:32:20,272 --> 00:32:24,191
and the clues shift from
the visual to the acoustic.
657
00:32:24,192 --> 00:32:26,485
Inside the so-called
Oracle Room,
658
00:32:26,486 --> 00:32:29,697
there's a two-foot-wide
hemispherical niche,
659
00:32:29,698 --> 00:32:31,699
about the height
of a man's mouth,
660
00:32:31,700 --> 00:32:33,742
carved directly into the stone.
661
00:32:33,743 --> 00:32:37,371
When someone speaks or hums
at that exact spot,
662
00:32:37,372 --> 00:32:39,248
the effect is astonishing.
663
00:32:39,249 --> 00:32:42,418
Low tones are amplified 100-fold
664
00:32:42,419 --> 00:32:45,671
and carry throughout
the entire complex.
665
00:32:45,672 --> 00:32:48,340
You could be in a completely
different chamber
666
00:32:48,341 --> 00:32:51,594
and still hear every word.
667
00:32:51,595 --> 00:32:53,262
There's also
a carved projection
668
00:32:53,263 --> 00:32:54,722
behind the oracle niche
669
00:32:54,723 --> 00:32:57,099
that functions almost
like a sounding board.
670
00:32:57,100 --> 00:33:00,186
A voice projected from that spot
could create the illusion
671
00:33:00,187 --> 00:33:02,730
of sound coming from all around
672
00:33:02,731 --> 00:33:05,566
and with echoes lasting
seven to eight seconds,
673
00:33:05,567 --> 00:33:08,777
amplifying even a single phrase.
674
00:33:08,778 --> 00:33:11,113
All this suggests
the Hypogeum was designed
675
00:33:11,114 --> 00:33:16,661
as a ritual performance space,
long before places like Delphi.
676
00:33:18,288 --> 00:33:21,123
Archaeologists notice
that even the ceiling appears
677
00:33:21,124 --> 00:33:23,292
to have been shaped
like a waveguide,
678
00:33:23,293 --> 00:33:27,922
carefully contoured to help
direct and amplify sound.
679
00:33:27,923 --> 00:33:30,549
Inside the Oracle Room,
it was discovered
680
00:33:30,550 --> 00:33:34,303
that when a male voice
hits certain tones,
681
00:33:34,304 --> 00:33:36,639
the entire chamber resonates.
682
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,642
Studies have shown that
frequencies in this range
683
00:33:39,643 --> 00:33:41,518
can alter brain activity,
684
00:33:41,519 --> 00:33:45,731
much like we've found inside
megalithic chambers in the UK.
685
00:33:45,732 --> 00:33:48,776
It's likely the space was
deliberately engineered
686
00:33:48,777 --> 00:33:50,778
for chanting or incantation
687
00:33:50,779 --> 00:33:56,408
to induce hypnotic, trance-like
states of consciousness.
688
00:33:56,409 --> 00:33:59,954
Recent 3D wave
simulations suggest
689
00:33:59,955 --> 00:34:03,249
those resonant peaks
weren't accidental.
690
00:34:03,250 --> 00:34:07,127
To produce them, the builders
would have needed to calibrate
691
00:34:07,128 --> 00:34:12,716
six to eight non-adjacent walls
across multiple chambers,
692
00:34:12,717 --> 00:34:18,347
each within only four to 10
inches of precision.
693
00:34:18,348 --> 00:34:21,183
That level of
geometric coordination
694
00:34:21,184 --> 00:34:25,396
across separate spaces
is no coincidence.
695
00:34:25,397 --> 00:34:29,024
The hypogeum is one of
the oldest known examples
696
00:34:29,025 --> 00:34:32,987
of engineered resonance
in human history.
697
00:34:32,988 --> 00:34:36,615
Between
3600 and 2500 BCE,
698
00:34:36,616 --> 00:34:38,951
Malta's prehistoric builders
constructed
699
00:34:38,952 --> 00:34:42,037
more than 30
megalithic temples,
700
00:34:42,038 --> 00:34:43,372
an architectural legacy
701
00:34:43,373 --> 00:34:46,710
unparalleled in Neolithic Europe.
702
00:34:48,503 --> 00:34:50,254
What makes these
temples remarkable
703
00:34:50,255 --> 00:34:53,882
isn't just their age,
it's their sophistication.
704
00:34:53,883 --> 00:34:56,093
Each site is
uniquely engineered,
705
00:34:56,094 --> 00:34:58,512
but most follow
a recognizable pattern.
706
00:34:58,513 --> 00:35:01,223
A concave facade,
a central passage,
707
00:35:01,224 --> 00:35:04,893
and a series of semicircular
chambers, or apses,
708
00:35:04,894 --> 00:35:07,062
arranged symmetrically.
709
00:35:07,063 --> 00:35:09,398
The scale is staggering.
710
00:35:09,399 --> 00:35:13,027
Builders quarried, transported,
and raised limestone blocks
711
00:35:13,028 --> 00:35:17,740
weighing up to 20 tons
to heights of nearly 20 feet.
712
00:35:17,741 --> 00:35:20,909
This kind of construction
demanded coordinated labor,
713
00:35:20,910 --> 00:35:22,911
shared engineering knowledge,
714
00:35:22,912 --> 00:35:26,832
and long-term planning
across generations.
715
00:35:26,833 --> 00:35:30,169
The Hal Saflieni
Hypogeum takes that ambition
716
00:35:30,170 --> 00:35:31,420
even further.
717
00:35:31,421 --> 00:35:35,007
It's the only known subterranean
labyrinth of its kind
718
00:35:35,008 --> 00:35:40,138
in Neolithic Europe,
from 4000 to 2500 BCE.
719
00:35:41,890 --> 00:35:45,100
In many ways, it feels like
an intentional attempt
720
00:35:45,101 --> 00:35:48,896
to surpass everything
above ground.
721
00:35:48,897 --> 00:35:51,690
Artifacts dating
to the 1700s,
722
00:35:51,691 --> 00:35:55,069
such as a coin from
the Knights of St. John
723
00:35:55,070 --> 00:35:56,945
and a French cannonball,
724
00:35:56,946 --> 00:36:00,616
hint that the Hypogeum
may have been exposed,
725
00:36:00,617 --> 00:36:02,451
or at least partially known,
726
00:36:02,452 --> 00:36:06,872
long before its official
rediscovery in the 20th century.
727
00:36:06,873 --> 00:36:13,128
But if anyone understood what
it was, we have no record of it.
728
00:36:13,129 --> 00:36:15,923
Today, the
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum stands
729
00:36:15,924 --> 00:36:19,093
as a testament to the ingenuity
and imagination
730
00:36:19,094 --> 00:36:24,139
of a society at the dawn
of agriculture.
731
00:36:24,140 --> 00:36:25,516
But for all we've uncovered--
732
00:36:25,517 --> 00:36:28,727
its artistry, acoustics,
and architecture--
733
00:36:28,728 --> 00:36:31,814
much of its meaning remains
sealed in stone,
734
00:36:31,815 --> 00:36:33,817
buried under the city.
735
00:36:36,903 --> 00:36:38,028
On Kenya's
southeastern coast
736
00:36:38,029 --> 00:36:39,655
lies Kilifi County,
737
00:36:39,656 --> 00:36:42,324
a region renowned for
its dazzling beaches,
738
00:36:42,325 --> 00:36:46,829
spectacular landscapes,
and rich biodiversity.
739
00:36:46,830 --> 00:36:48,330
Unlike a lot
of northern Kenya,
740
00:36:48,331 --> 00:36:51,208
{\an8}which is quite dry, this part
of the country is humid
741
00:36:51,209 --> 00:36:53,168
{\an8}and tropical with lush forests
742
00:36:53,169 --> 00:36:58,173
that are home to a wide variety
of plant species and wildlife.
743
00:36:58,174 --> 00:37:01,760
It's an ecotourism hotspot.
744
00:37:01,761 --> 00:37:03,679
The coastal areas
near the Indian Ocean
745
00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:05,681
have sweeping mangrove forests;
746
00:37:05,682 --> 00:37:08,475
important breeding grounds
for mollusks, crustaceans,
747
00:37:08,476 --> 00:37:09,977
and many species of fish.
748
00:37:09,978 --> 00:37:11,186
They also help protect
the coastline
749
00:37:11,187 --> 00:37:14,189
from growing sea levels
and damaging storms,
750
00:37:14,190 --> 00:37:15,357
{\an8}and they play a vital part
751
00:37:15,358 --> 00:37:18,360
{\an8}in capturing atmospheric
carbon dioxide.
752
00:37:18,361 --> 00:37:22,823
Just under 10 miles
inland are the Dzitsoni Uplands,
753
00:37:22,824 --> 00:37:26,910
{\an8}a series of limestone hills
almost two miles wide,
754
00:37:26,911 --> 00:37:28,871
{\an8}situated in an ecotone,
755
00:37:28,872 --> 00:37:31,957
{\an8}which is a transitional area
between two biomes.
756
00:37:31,958 --> 00:37:36,211
In this case, the intersection
of grassland savanna
757
00:37:36,212 --> 00:37:39,006
and tropical forest.
758
00:37:39,007 --> 00:37:42,468
The hills are pocked
with natural rock shelters
759
00:37:42,469 --> 00:37:45,053
and extensive cave complexes.
760
00:37:45,054 --> 00:37:48,891
{\an8} One of these complexes
is known as Panga ya Saidi,
761
00:37:48,892 --> 00:37:53,270
a multi-chambered cave system
that extends over half a mile
762
00:37:53,271 --> 00:37:54,688
with a cavernous main chamber
763
00:37:54,689 --> 00:37:59,234
that reaches 1,100 square feet
at its widest.
764
00:37:59,235 --> 00:38:02,571
It's partially unroofed,
and the limestone walls tower
765
00:38:02,572 --> 00:38:07,409
almost 100 feet above
the cave floor in some spots.
766
00:38:07,410 --> 00:38:10,245
In 2010, a team
of international researchers
767
00:38:10,246 --> 00:38:12,206
arrives at Panga ya Saidi
768
00:38:12,207 --> 00:38:15,209
to investigate the history
of Indian Ocean trade
769
00:38:15,210 --> 00:38:17,252
along East Africa's coast,
770
00:38:17,253 --> 00:38:21,089
only to discover much more
than they bargained for.
771
00:38:21,090 --> 00:38:23,425
They quickly realized
after the initial surveys
772
00:38:23,426 --> 00:38:25,928
that the site may be far more
scientifically important
773
00:38:25,929 --> 00:38:27,221
than they'd initially thought.
774
00:38:27,222 --> 00:38:29,598
And so began a decade-long
series of excavations
775
00:38:29,599 --> 00:38:34,103
that may upend long-held beliefs
about human evolution in Africa.
776
00:38:36,064 --> 00:38:39,775
They discovered 19
unique stratigraphic layers
777
00:38:39,776 --> 00:38:41,276
showing evidence
of human presence
778
00:38:41,277 --> 00:38:44,613
going back about 78,000 years.
779
00:38:44,614 --> 00:38:46,448
That is the longest
uninterrupted
780
00:38:46,449 --> 00:38:48,450
archaeological sequence
in East Africa.
781
00:38:48,451 --> 00:38:51,370
That stretches from
the Middle Stone Age
782
00:38:51,371 --> 00:38:55,207
all the way to about
500 years ago.
783
00:38:55,208 --> 00:38:57,876
One school of thought
was that modern human behavior
784
00:38:57,877 --> 00:39:02,631
in Africa began during a
somewhat short and sudden burst
785
00:39:02,632 --> 00:39:04,299
around 50,000 years ago.
786
00:39:04,300 --> 00:39:06,969
It's known as
the Human Revolution Theory,
787
00:39:06,970 --> 00:39:11,306
a time when early Homo sapiens
showed a major cognitive leap
788
00:39:11,307 --> 00:39:13,976
possibly because
of a genetic mutation
789
00:39:13,977 --> 00:39:15,686
or a change in brain function
790
00:39:15,687 --> 00:39:20,399
resulting in more complex
language and abstract thought.
791
00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:23,485
But the archaeological
record at Panga ya Saidi
792
00:39:23,486 --> 00:39:27,781
seems to fly in the face of
the Human Revolution Theory,
793
00:39:27,782 --> 00:39:31,827
showing evidence
of prolonged gradual change
794
00:39:31,828 --> 00:39:34,288
much different from
other early human
795
00:39:34,289 --> 00:39:36,915
archaeological sites in Africa.
796
00:39:36,916 --> 00:39:38,333
Throughout
the excavations,
797
00:39:38,334 --> 00:39:41,128
the researchers discover
hearths, ash layers,
798
00:39:41,129 --> 00:39:44,423
and man-made features
like pits and hollows.
799
00:39:44,424 --> 00:39:47,175
They also found
over 30,000 stone artifacts
800
00:39:47,176 --> 00:39:49,678
which provide this great record
801
00:39:49,679 --> 00:39:53,849
of how tool technologies
evolve over time.
802
00:39:53,850 --> 00:39:56,560
If you go back to the earliest
inhabitants of the cave,
803
00:39:56,561 --> 00:40:01,189
in the Middle Stone Age, like
78,000 to 73,000 years ago,
804
00:40:01,190 --> 00:40:02,733
you see tools that
are characterized
805
00:40:02,734 --> 00:40:04,943
by these large flakes.
806
00:40:04,944 --> 00:40:06,945
Those people were using
variations of what's called
807
00:40:06,946 --> 00:40:08,363
the Levallois technique,
808
00:40:08,364 --> 00:40:11,325
where you take a big stone and
you chip off fragments of it,
809
00:40:11,326 --> 00:40:14,703
and you make sort of a rounded
top and a flat bottom,
810
00:40:14,704 --> 00:40:17,372
almost like a turtle shell.
811
00:40:17,373 --> 00:40:19,374
Artifacts at the site
from the later Stone Age,
812
00:40:19,375 --> 00:40:23,295
around 67,000 years ago,
show a shift to smaller tools
813
00:40:23,296 --> 00:40:25,422
and a change of material
from limestone
814
00:40:25,423 --> 00:40:27,716
to finer-grained
quartz or chert.
815
00:40:27,717 --> 00:40:30,385
But what's interesting is that
the new tool technologies
816
00:40:30,386 --> 00:40:32,387
did not simply replace
the old ones.
817
00:40:32,388 --> 00:40:35,223
Instead, they appear in the same
stratigraphic layers,
818
00:40:35,224 --> 00:40:38,977
one dating to roughly between
51,000 and 48,000 years ago
819
00:40:38,978 --> 00:40:39,978
and again, much later,
820
00:40:39,979 --> 00:40:42,898
at around 14,000 to 1,000
years ago.
821
00:40:42,899 --> 00:40:45,567
This tells us that
the people who inhabited
822
00:40:45,568 --> 00:40:50,739
Panga ya Saidi may have been
an isolated conservative group
823
00:40:50,740 --> 00:40:52,199
resistant to change,
824
00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:56,495
and that the area was not
a focal point of innovation.
825
00:40:56,496 --> 00:40:58,705
So while changes
may have been occurring
826
00:40:58,706 --> 00:41:00,707
in other parts of Africa,
827
00:41:00,708 --> 00:41:01,875
the people living here
828
00:41:01,876 --> 00:41:04,878
were content with their
way of life and customs,
829
00:41:04,879 --> 00:41:07,255
and saw no need to be influenced
830
00:41:07,256 --> 00:41:10,425
by what was happening
in other communities.
831
00:41:10,426 --> 00:41:15,013
But this begs the question,
what was it about Panga ya Saidi
832
00:41:15,014 --> 00:41:18,266
that made it such
a comfortable refuge?
833
00:41:18,267 --> 00:41:20,852
Analysis of ancient
biological material
834
00:41:20,853 --> 00:41:24,231
from the site may just
provide some insights.
835
00:41:24,232 --> 00:41:26,441
They found
animal teeth and remains,
836
00:41:26,442 --> 00:41:29,444
and microscopic traces
of plants.
837
00:41:29,445 --> 00:41:31,029
When the data was examined,
838
00:41:31,030 --> 00:41:33,782
it showed that the region
around the cave--
839
00:41:33,783 --> 00:41:36,785
the transitional area
between grassland savanna
840
00:41:36,786 --> 00:41:38,286
and tropical forest--
841
00:41:38,287 --> 00:41:41,289
remained largely unchanged
over the millennia,
842
00:41:41,290 --> 00:41:45,293
which provided the people with
a stable supply of resources,
843
00:41:45,294 --> 00:41:47,587
even at times when
other areas of Africa
844
00:41:47,588 --> 00:41:51,633
would have been too hostile
to sustain life.
845
00:41:51,634 --> 00:41:53,301
One long-held theory
holds that innovation
846
00:41:53,302 --> 00:41:55,804
in early humans was mainly
caused by having to adapt
847
00:41:55,805 --> 00:41:58,473
to changing climates and
environmental conditions.
848
00:41:58,474 --> 00:42:00,976
But that doesn't match
the evidence at Panga ya Saidi.
849
00:42:00,977 --> 00:42:02,769
Because despite
not facing stresses
850
00:42:02,770 --> 00:42:03,979
induced by their surroundings,
851
00:42:03,980 --> 00:42:06,148
the people here still
progressed and evolved,
852
00:42:06,149 --> 00:42:08,442
but didn't do so
out of critical necessity;
853
00:42:08,443 --> 00:42:09,985
they did it out of choice.
854
00:42:09,986 --> 00:42:11,069
One of the discoveries
855
00:42:11,070 --> 00:42:12,487
that the research team makes
856
00:42:12,488 --> 00:42:15,824
becomes the most important
and surprising.
857
00:42:15,825 --> 00:42:19,161
Under the overhang of
the cave, roughly 10 feet deep,
858
00:42:19,162 --> 00:42:20,495
they discovered
the remains of a child
859
00:42:20,496 --> 00:42:23,665
between two and a half and
three and a half years old.
860
00:42:23,666 --> 00:42:25,292
The body was in
a flexed position,
861
00:42:25,293 --> 00:42:28,837
lying on its right side, with
knees drawn towards the chest,
862
00:42:28,838 --> 00:42:30,964
suggesting a shrouded burial.
863
00:42:30,965 --> 00:42:33,300
The position of the head
showed signs of collapse,
864
00:42:33,301 --> 00:42:35,844
indicating that a support,
possibly a pillow,
865
00:42:35,845 --> 00:42:37,846
may have been there
at the time of burial.
866
00:42:37,847 --> 00:42:41,349
The remains are dated
to the earliest occupation layer
867
00:42:41,350 --> 00:42:44,853
of the site,
roughly 78,000 years ago,
868
00:42:44,854 --> 00:42:46,855
making it the oldest known
869
00:42:46,856 --> 00:42:49,900
deliberate human burial
in Africa.
870
00:42:49,901 --> 00:42:54,613
It represents not just an early
example of funerary practice,
871
00:42:54,614 --> 00:42:58,200
but an important indicator
of abstract thought,
872
00:42:58,201 --> 00:43:01,453
cultural nuance,
and community care.
873
00:43:01,454 --> 00:43:05,874
And it took place thousands
of years before the proposed
874
00:43:05,875 --> 00:43:10,796
Human Revolution Theory
supposedly gripped Africa.
875
00:43:10,797 --> 00:43:13,465
Overall, the
discoveries at Panga ya Saidi
876
00:43:13,466 --> 00:43:17,928
show that some early humans
engaged in prolonged, gradual
877
00:43:17,929 --> 00:43:20,055
technological and social change.
878
00:43:20,056 --> 00:43:22,682
Maybe the people
of Panga ya Saidi existed
879
00:43:22,683 --> 00:43:26,228
in an isolated, comfortable
environment that allowed them
880
00:43:26,229 --> 00:43:30,565
to evolve organically
over a longer period of time.
881
00:43:30,566 --> 00:43:31,733
The picture that emerges
882
00:43:31,734 --> 00:43:33,568
is that at the time
of early humans,
883
00:43:33,569 --> 00:43:36,738
{\an8}Africa was maybe more of a
mishmash of distinct cultures
884
00:43:36,739 --> 00:43:38,615
{\an8}living in vastly
different environments,
885
00:43:38,616 --> 00:43:40,867
{\an8}not a uniform group of people.
886
00:43:40,868 --> 00:43:44,496
{\an8}Each culture adapted, innovated,
and evolved in unique ways,
887
00:43:44,497 --> 00:43:46,581
{\an8}but they all contributed
to the overall origins
888
00:43:46,582 --> 00:43:49,417
{\an8}of the human species
as we know it today.
889
00:43:49,418 --> 00:43:52,546
{\an8} Like many significant
archaeological discoveries,
890
00:43:52,547 --> 00:43:55,590
{\an8}Panga ya Saidi answers
a lot of questions,
891
00:43:55,591 --> 00:43:58,510
{\an8}but arguably raises even more.
892
00:43:58,511 --> 00:44:01,096
{\an8}Future excavations
may just continue
893
00:44:01,097 --> 00:44:02,597
{\an8}to further our understanding
894
00:44:02,598 --> 00:44:05,434
{\an8}of humankind's journey
through the millennia.