1 00:02:33,905 --> 00:02:45,375 Hidden Worlds in 3D "Caves of the Dead" 2 00:03:00,098 --> 00:03:06,104 Yucatan, a peninsula on the bridge land between North and South America. 3 00:03:06,270 --> 00:03:09,357 The heart of the historic Mayan empire. 4 00:03:09,982 --> 00:03:15,029 Apparently, a coastal region Arid without rivers or large lakes. 5 00:03:15,822 --> 00:03:19,826 But numerous and mysterious wells of water in the middle of the jungle 6 00:03:19,992 --> 00:03:23,579 They tell a different story: of a secret hidden beneath the surface. 7 00:03:28,126 --> 00:03:31,963 trees and plants spread their roots here, in the dark kingdom 8 00:03:32,130 --> 00:03:36,467 of three underground rivers... the soul of Yucatán. 9 00:03:37,135 --> 00:03:42,181 They flow through what is presumed to be the system largest underwater cave on Earth 10 00:03:42,181 --> 00:03:44,434 spreading under the peninsula. 11 00:03:57,113 --> 00:04:02,952 Formed over millennia, accessible only through cracks in the limestone 12 00:04:03,119 --> 00:04:06,414 and surrounded by mysteries... the cenotes. 13 00:04:12,003 --> 00:04:14,922 Even large amounts of rain quickly filter through 14 00:04:15,381 --> 00:04:20,386 of the porous limestone, creating a dry and almost inhospitable effect. 15 00:04:20,928 --> 00:04:24,474 However, the resources underground water 16 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,644 they ensure and even more provide lush and varied vegetation. 17 00:04:52,084 --> 00:04:55,421 The Mayans often built its temples near the cenotes, 18 00:04:55,963 --> 00:04:58,665 as a way to provide water supply, 19 00:04:58,691 --> 00:05:01,494 were considered as the sacred entrances to Xibalba: 20 00:05:01,636 --> 00:05:08,309 the underworld...the mysterious kingdom of darkness, of fear, 21 00:05:08,518 --> 00:05:12,063 of death... ruled by the gods. 22 00:05:13,105 --> 00:05:17,193 The appeasement of these gods constituted a special place 23 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,446 in the rites and ceremonies of the Mayans. 24 00:05:30,081 --> 00:05:33,876 Long before the first Europeans set foot on the American continent, 25 00:05:34,043 --> 00:05:37,588 commerce, science and social life 26 00:05:37,755 --> 00:05:41,801 They flourished in Yucatán. 27 00:05:41,801 --> 00:05:46,472 Divided into city-states, based on strict religious rituals 28 00:05:46,639 --> 00:05:52,687 The Mayan kings ruled their empires without restrictions and on equal terms with their gods. 29 00:05:53,521 --> 00:05:55,398 Numerous mysteries revolve 30 00:05:55,648 --> 00:05:57,608 around history of the most civilization 31 00:05:57,817 --> 00:06:00,736 important of Central American continent. 32 00:06:09,245 --> 00:06:13,457 The ball game, "Pok ta Pok" is Closely associated with the myth of Xibalba. 33 00:06:13,875 --> 00:06:16,460 It was based on an ancient legend, 34 00:06:17,962 --> 00:06:23,175 in which the battle between the twins Hunahpuh and Xbalanque. 35 00:06:24,093 --> 00:06:26,137 They descended to Xibalba, 36 00:06:26,929 --> 00:06:30,099 where they were challenged by the gods to play a ball game. 37 00:06:31,100 --> 00:06:33,978 According to legend, they defeated to the gods of the underworld 38 00:06:34,437 --> 00:06:38,900 and ascended to heaven like the Sun and the Moon. 39 00:06:40,192 --> 00:06:43,050 The game has also been seen as a symbol of the cycle 40 00:06:43,076 --> 00:06:45,932 of life, the journey of humanity from birth to death. 41 00:06:46,115 --> 00:06:51,120 However, death was very real. He captain of the victorious team was sacrificed 42 00:06:51,329 --> 00:06:57,835 to the gods of Xibalba and thus acquired status divine. A bloody custom, but also 43 00:06:58,044 --> 00:07:00,546 apparently of great honor, for which they fought hard. 44 00:07:08,554 --> 00:07:12,516 Now nothing but stone buildings crumbled bear witness to ancient power 45 00:07:12,725 --> 00:07:14,644 and progress of the Mayan kingdom. 46 00:07:25,321 --> 00:07:28,532 Here we have Robbie Schmittner and Florian Huber. 47 00:07:29,158 --> 00:07:32,370 The first is one of the divers most experienced in the region. 48 00:07:32,578 --> 00:07:36,999 Florian is a marine archaeologist from the University of Kiel in Germany. 49 00:07:37,833 --> 00:07:41,462 Both are united by their fascination with ancient relics 50 00:07:41,629 --> 00:07:44,632 that can still be found in and around the cenotes. 51 00:07:45,508 --> 00:07:48,970 For several years now, Florian has been traveling to Mexico with 52 00:07:49,136 --> 00:07:55,017 a team of research divers from the Institute of Prehistory and Ancient History of Kiel. 53 00:07:58,437 --> 00:08:02,525 The virgin jungle of Yucatán is still reveal all the secrets of the Mayans. 54 00:08:03,985 --> 00:08:06,988 Hidden treasures in the dense jungle, 55 00:08:07,196 --> 00:08:10,825 in the underground rivers and in the peninsula cave systems. 56 00:08:19,250 --> 00:08:21,293 The diving center Robbie Schmittner in Tulum. 57 00:08:21,544 --> 00:08:25,214 The key piece to explore the Yucatecan underwater world. 58 00:08:27,091 --> 00:08:33,931 This gives us an idea. What we just saw on the big map 59 00:08:34,098 --> 00:08:38,728 It is only a system of about 200. When we take a look 60 00:08:38,894 --> 00:08:44,316 to what we have in this system, we can see three main arms. This goes down 61 00:08:44,525 --> 00:08:46,527 from that one over there and this one ends here. 62 00:08:46,694 --> 00:08:49,697 That is why this system It was called "Os-Bel-Ha", 63 00:08:49,864 --> 00:08:58,330 which means, "Three courses of water." They are partially connected 64 00:08:58,497 --> 00:09:00,666 on the sides, but the main route is fine. 65 00:09:00,833 --> 00:09:04,378 At some point, sometimes indirectly, the water eventually manages to reach the sea. 66 00:09:04,587 --> 00:09:07,048 Florian Huber, Robert Lehmann, Christian Howe 67 00:09:07,214 --> 00:09:09,133 and Uli Kunz have passed the last four years 68 00:09:09,133 --> 00:09:16,223 exploring the Yucatán cave system. The highly specialized team of professionals 69 00:09:16,390 --> 00:09:21,062 who plan meticulously every dive they make. 70 00:09:22,646 --> 00:09:24,440 Always, unfortunately. You know, every time special characters have to work together, 71 00:09:24,607 --> 00:09:31,238 there is always friction. Since 1980, most researchers 72 00:09:31,405 --> 00:09:34,075 that you have explored here, deliver their data to the QRSS, a database 73 00:09:34,241 --> 00:09:38,204 where all the data is stored and They reach a point where sometimes something is lost 74 00:09:38,370 --> 00:09:43,250 or someone does not hand over their information. It could be that something is missing here or there, 75 00:09:43,417 --> 00:09:48,339 but most of what we have found so far it can be seen on the maps. 76 00:09:51,092 --> 00:09:56,764 We want to take risks and dare to take the journey towards the mythical underworld 77 00:09:57,556 --> 00:10:01,143 of Xibalba, which, at the time of the Mayans, it was a journey of no return. 78 00:10:01,769 --> 00:10:07,274 Today, it is one of the largest challenges that a diver may face. 79 00:10:08,192 --> 00:10:10,653 But before the matter begins Sad, we still have to do tedious things. 80 00:10:11,278 --> 00:10:15,407 Before each dive, you must be carried almost a ton of equipment. 81 00:10:16,033 --> 00:10:18,994 With 30 degrees in the shade, this is a challenge for any deodorant. 82 00:10:29,130 --> 00:10:33,050 Then we left, at first, through difficult terrain 83 00:10:33,050 --> 00:10:35,553 in the middle of the Mexican jungle. 84 00:10:54,697 --> 00:10:57,700 On the road, we have to make our way through the dense jungle with a machete. 85 00:10:58,617 --> 00:11:01,704 Florian's GPS doesn't show the way. 86 00:11:04,540 --> 00:11:07,418 Flo, what does the GPS say? Where are we going? 87 00:11:08,210 --> 00:11:10,504 - I think around here. - This way? Okay? 88 00:11:26,979 --> 00:11:28,647 I think I see water over there. 89 00:11:44,371 --> 00:11:48,375 Oh look, crystal clear water. 90 00:11:54,715 --> 00:11:56,300 Now, that's a pit. 91 00:12:01,472 --> 00:12:04,516 It's a good sign to see fish here. 92 00:12:07,353 --> 00:12:10,356 In every cenote we find with a cave under him, 93 00:12:10,522 --> 00:12:12,650 We almost always find fish. 94 00:12:12,858 --> 00:12:19,657 There is a large amount of organic material here 95 00:12:19,657 --> 00:12:24,245 which first has to be torn off. 96 00:12:24,411 --> 00:12:28,791 Someone has to come in with a mask and see if there is a tunnel. 97 00:12:28,958 --> 00:12:30,751 Rob better go. 98 00:13:03,951 --> 00:13:05,160 Hey, there's something here. 99 00:13:17,089 --> 00:13:18,799 Robbie, I can feel the stone here. 100 00:13:21,844 --> 00:13:27,516 If you look closely, there is a crack in the middle. 101 00:13:27,683 --> 00:13:31,854 It is unlikely that the cave ends in the middle. 102 00:13:33,605 --> 00:13:36,734 Look to the side. Over here. 103 00:14:13,103 --> 00:14:14,605 Oh, old man, where is he? 104 00:14:14,605 --> 00:14:16,065 He's fine. 105 00:14:32,081 --> 00:14:35,626 Fantastic. 106 00:14:37,586 --> 00:14:39,546 It really is a great cave. 107 00:14:40,130 --> 00:14:43,550 It goes down a lot here in the front, but there is a really small crack. 108 00:14:43,717 --> 00:14:45,886 You are about four meters tall, then you have to dive in. 109 00:14:46,887 --> 00:14:50,599 Once you get through it there is a small crack. 110 00:14:51,392 --> 00:14:54,186 We can do it with tanks on the side, so you can forget tanks on your back, 111 00:14:54,353 --> 00:14:55,979 we need a team complete with side tanks. 112 00:14:55,979 --> 00:14:58,315 You probably have to bring the tanks to the front, 113 00:14:58,524 --> 00:15:02,569 It's really narrow. but then the cave It just opens up really big, it's beautiful. 114 00:15:02,736 --> 00:15:08,075 So we went out and we discovered an opening in the cave. 115 00:15:08,242 --> 00:15:09,952 But first we have to collect all the equipment here 116 00:15:10,119 --> 00:15:13,997 and establish a secure base for our first dive in the cave. 117 00:15:25,217 --> 00:15:26,969 As the team prepares, 118 00:15:27,136 --> 00:15:31,098 Robbie looks for the best place to fix the guide rope. 119 00:15:48,782 --> 00:15:52,035 We have to find our I walk back again. 120 00:16:07,551 --> 00:16:09,219 Oh no, something stinks here really bad. 121 00:16:09,386 --> 00:16:10,262 That's us. 122 00:16:13,182 --> 00:16:14,933 Yes, when you go out again maybe. 123 00:16:17,186 --> 00:16:19,271 That will be more than something. Robbie takes a deep breath. 124 00:16:22,232 --> 00:16:23,358 Pretty. 125 00:16:26,737 --> 00:16:28,447 Man, this stinks like hell here. 126 00:16:48,425 --> 00:16:52,012 Okay, let's go! Follow us. 127 00:17:04,024 --> 00:17:08,362 We descended through vegetation dense with reeds and underwater plants. 128 00:17:09,530 --> 00:17:14,493 Some of the plants almost look like breathe from the light of our flashlights: 129 00:17:15,035 --> 00:17:21,124 A surreal vision, which complements our descent into the underworld. 130 00:17:35,847 --> 00:17:41,186 We find the passage one after another and We carefully dive through it. 131 00:17:42,020 --> 00:17:47,150 Now, we are entering the Xibalba, the caves of the dead. 132 00:18:09,172 --> 00:18:12,050 The safety rope He will guide us back. 133 00:18:12,050 --> 00:18:15,137 I hope so. It is vital secure it properly, 134 00:18:15,137 --> 00:18:18,599 since it's easy to get lost in these labyrinths of caves. 135 00:18:18,765 --> 00:18:22,311 That could end very badly, 136 00:18:22,519 --> 00:18:24,396 since down here it is impossible to get out quickly to the surface to take in air. 137 00:18:31,028 --> 00:18:35,282 The cave narrows, we continue carefully our diving... 138 00:18:57,387 --> 00:19:00,515 The first obstacle: A very section narrow that we can only pass through 139 00:19:00,724 --> 00:19:03,810 with scuba tanks spread out in front of us, the so-called "torsion constraint". 140 00:19:04,311 --> 00:19:11,109 It's time to take off your gear and free our stomachs. 141 00:20:12,003 --> 00:20:15,882 The so-called torsional constraint comes from the style you need 142 00:20:15,882 --> 00:20:21,012 adopt to traverse. The only chance that you have to face the bottlenecks 143 00:20:21,221 --> 00:20:24,141 like this is turning, little by little little, like a screwdriver. 144 00:20:24,683 --> 00:20:28,395 At the same time, you must fight against the current. 145 00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:32,232 In addition to this, the sediment scattered hardly helps the matter: 146 00:20:32,232 --> 00:20:37,487 in a short period of time vision is reduced to zero. 147 00:20:38,405 --> 00:20:42,117 This is definitely not for the faint of heart. from heart Do I just have to get in? 148 00:21:19,488 --> 00:21:25,911 Well, he did it! I wonder if I'm the only person 149 00:21:25,911 --> 00:21:28,622 you feel a little dizzy in this total darkness. 150 00:21:35,045 --> 00:21:39,674 Well, not Robbie anyway. Calmly secure a marker to the rope. 151 00:21:40,091 --> 00:21:43,220 It is a sign used by cave divers, so that everyone knows: here there is a detour. 152 00:21:43,386 --> 00:21:47,724 The direction of a point marker can also be felt, 153 00:21:47,891 --> 00:21:52,270 which means you can find your way back in total darkness. So they say. 154 00:22:02,531 --> 00:22:06,952 Little by little, we stretch our guide rope behind us through the cave 155 00:22:07,118 --> 00:22:10,121 and we fix it continuously to specific sections... 156 00:22:10,121 --> 00:22:15,752 As according to Greek legend, Perseus did it once, 157 00:22:15,919 --> 00:22:18,755 using a ball of wool to find his way through the Minotaur's labyrinth. 158 00:22:18,755 --> 00:22:22,884 We need a similar reliable way of orientation, since without it, 159 00:22:23,468 --> 00:22:28,598 Even professionals can lose their way up to here. I knew I should have learned to knit. 160 00:22:59,296 --> 00:23:04,009 Now we're diving through our first room. Over the course of millions of years, 161 00:23:04,175 --> 00:23:07,971 a forest has formed here of stalactites and stalagmites. 162 00:23:21,443 --> 00:23:24,821 By the light of our diving flashlights, 163 00:23:24,988 --> 00:23:27,073 petrified water drops They have a ghostly appearance. 164 00:23:51,181 --> 00:23:54,309 �Then, out of nowhere, our first find! 165 00:23:54,476 --> 00:23:59,022 Florian notices an irregularity dark on the cave floor. 166 00:23:59,022 --> 00:24:03,360 This must have been the bonfire prehistoric that they told us about. 167 00:24:04,402 --> 00:24:08,531 A study with Carbon 14 revealed 168 00:24:08,531 --> 00:24:12,577 that a fire burned here 8,400 years ago. 169 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:16,456 The caves were not flooded completely at that time 170 00:24:16,665 --> 00:24:18,875 and were inhabited by both men as by animals. 171 00:24:19,501 --> 00:24:22,045 The bonfire has been perfectly preserved 172 00:24:22,045 --> 00:24:28,134 due to the slow rise of sea level. An interesting idea, 173 00:24:28,593 --> 00:24:32,931 is to think that here, where we are diving, lived people of the Stone Age: 174 00:24:33,098 --> 00:24:36,351 And that this piece of coal It's a relic of an era, 175 00:24:36,518 --> 00:24:40,772 of many thousands of years in our past. 176 00:25:01,543 --> 00:25:07,424 We dive deeper. Our journey takes us through new stalactite formations. 177 00:25:07,966 --> 00:25:11,511 They hang from the skies of the caves like spearheads. 178 00:25:11,511 --> 00:25:15,265 Inspiring fear, but at the same time fascination time... in that order. 179 00:26:27,420 --> 00:26:31,257 Then we make our second find! We discovered a ceramic vessel on a hill. 180 00:26:31,257 --> 00:26:34,511 The shape and manufacture They suggest that it is from the Mayan period. 181 00:26:34,511 --> 00:26:38,139 The sediment and chips of wood surrounding the discovery site 182 00:26:38,306 --> 00:26:41,893 leads us to think that it probably fell to through a long-buried cenote. 183 00:26:42,393 --> 00:26:45,063 Christian films the pot from all angles 184 00:26:45,063 --> 00:26:47,315 so that it can be examined later. 185 00:26:57,450 --> 00:27:00,578 Immediately at his side, Florian measures another pot. 186 00:27:00,745 --> 00:27:03,665 Record the data in your notes humid, a special notebook 187 00:27:03,832 --> 00:27:06,709 Made of waterproof paper. 188 00:27:07,335 --> 00:27:11,714 The pots could have fallen here while they collected water. 189 00:27:11,714 --> 00:27:14,926 These could be individual cases, but nevertheless they are often found. 190 00:27:15,927 --> 00:27:21,850 They are supposed to be offerings Mayans. Incense, flowers 191 00:27:21,850 --> 00:27:25,270 and even food were offered to the gods in containers like these. 192 00:27:26,980 --> 00:27:29,649 But they were also carried out rites in which hearts are torn out 193 00:27:29,649 --> 00:27:32,569 of those sacrificed were offered 194 00:27:32,735 --> 00:27:34,320 to the gods of Xibalba in clay receptacles. 195 00:27:35,363 --> 00:27:38,366 Simply which version and how often it happened, 196 00:27:38,533 --> 00:27:40,618 It is almost impossible to determine. 197 00:27:48,084 --> 00:27:52,005 What we find in a nearby ledge is not the first 198 00:27:52,172 --> 00:27:56,259 little dead maya of ours expedition, it's just the skull of a monkey. 199 00:28:12,525 --> 00:28:17,488 But time is running out. The discovery Whether it's a mistake or not... we have to go back. 200 00:28:17,655 --> 00:28:21,201 The oxygen reserves of our tanks They limit our stay down here. 201 00:28:21,826 --> 00:28:24,621 We are aware of the fact that we are simply guests 202 00:28:24,829 --> 00:28:27,207 in this fascinating underwater world. 203 00:28:28,374 --> 00:28:32,587 It's easy to lose track of time In this fascinating and strange environment, 204 00:28:33,087 --> 00:28:37,550 what makes the confrontation with the inevitable be even harder. 205 00:28:38,176 --> 00:28:43,097 It is not advisable to go out surface in narrow places and with 206 00:28:43,723 --> 00:28:47,936 miscalculated time limits. I almost can distinguish the lid of my coffin in front of me. 207 00:28:48,603 --> 00:28:51,731 Without taking risks, 208 00:28:51,981 --> 00:28:54,234 we begin our journey I return with Christian at the head. 209 00:30:22,822 --> 00:30:26,868 Our guide line will lead us in the right way. safely back, out of the maze. 210 00:30:26,868 --> 00:30:33,875 Back to daylight. back from Xibalba, the underworld, the place of no return. 211 00:30:41,799 --> 00:30:45,720 The tree roots that have grown through from the limestone and now they hang in the water 212 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:49,849 They assure us that we are close of the surface. We almost did it 213 00:30:50,058 --> 00:30:53,686 and we just have to make our way to through the thicket of aquatic flora. 214 00:31:48,282 --> 00:31:51,411 Of course, this was a completely cave. different from those we have dived in before. 215 00:31:51,577 --> 00:31:55,540 It is a mixture of both light and darkness. The stones are bright enough 216 00:31:55,540 --> 00:31:59,627 but there is a large amount of silt, detritus... all kinds of dead plant material... 217 00:31:59,794 --> 00:32:03,381 distributed to throughout the entire cave. 218 00:32:03,381 --> 00:32:06,426 In all spaces. 219 00:32:06,426 --> 00:32:09,762 And there, in a small pedestal is this broken vessel, 220 00:32:09,971 --> 00:32:11,722 that's really cool. Looks fantastic. 221 00:32:15,309 --> 00:32:18,229 Now we are on our way to the Zapote cenote, 222 00:32:23,860 --> 00:32:26,028 a so-called sinkhole. 223 00:32:26,028 --> 00:32:29,657 This means, there is only one way... down. There are no deviations. 224 00:32:59,979 --> 00:33:04,484 The normal procedure... unloaded tanks and equipment. 225 00:33:40,853 --> 00:33:44,524 But first of all, Robert He has to ask the gods for permission. 226 00:33:46,484 --> 00:33:49,487 I have been told that your somersault backwards is their annual ritual. 227 00:33:58,788 --> 00:34:03,834 We call this cenote "Hell's Bells", and his name did not arise by chance. 228 00:34:04,335 --> 00:34:09,048 Over the millennia, they have bell-shaped stalactites emerged here. 229 00:34:09,674 --> 00:34:13,094 This makes diving into this place is really special. 230 00:34:25,648 --> 00:34:28,776 They are really big, some of them measure two meters. 231 00:34:28,943 --> 00:34:31,487 Hanging from a single point on the ceiling, 232 00:34:31,654 --> 00:34:35,199 They look like bells. They are absolutely stunning. 233 00:34:35,408 --> 00:34:40,496 In fact, never before We have seen something similar. 234 00:34:40,663 --> 00:34:43,833 Without a doubt, this is one of the sites of most beautiful diving I have ever been on. 235 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,044 And I'm very excited to dive down there again. 236 00:35:05,354 --> 00:35:08,858 So let's go down to "Hell's Bells." 237 00:35:32,173 --> 00:35:37,511 We are going down. Soon, our Lanterns will be the only light source 238 00:35:37,678 --> 00:35:39,930 in the unreal darkness of the cenote. 239 00:35:39,930 --> 00:35:43,768 At approximately 30 meters, we find the so-called "halocline": 240 00:35:44,226 --> 00:35:48,230 a mixed layer of fresh groundwater and salt water, a vertical saline gradient, 241 00:35:48,397 --> 00:35:51,859 which is introduced into the caves due to the proximity of the sea. 242 00:35:52,026 --> 00:35:56,864 Fresh or low water salinity lies on the salt water 243 00:35:57,031 --> 00:36:01,410 due to different weights specific to both types of water. 244 00:36:01,577 --> 00:36:04,080 The result is a mixed layer in which Vision is slightly affected. 245 00:36:04,914 --> 00:36:08,125 It's not easy to find your way in this. 246 00:36:57,133 --> 00:37:02,054 But below this, the Visibility becomes normal again 247 00:37:02,054 --> 00:37:05,015 and we continued our descent. We dive through a crack 248 00:37:07,935 --> 00:37:11,105 and there they are... The Bells of Hell. 249 00:37:12,982 --> 00:37:15,359 An unreal world is revealed to us, although partially diffuse, 250 00:37:15,568 --> 00:37:19,488 integrated into the foothills aqueous halocline. 251 00:37:20,114 --> 00:37:23,909 Hundreds of bells... some two meters in diameter, 252 00:37:24,076 --> 00:37:25,828 others apparently tiny in comparison. 253 00:37:28,956 --> 00:37:32,626 The mere sight of them It is truly captivating. 254 00:37:39,967 --> 00:37:44,305 The lights of our lanterns They refract the green. A sure sign, 255 00:37:44,472 --> 00:37:47,725 that the composition of water down here is different 256 00:37:47,892 --> 00:37:49,643 to those of the regions above. 257 00:37:50,436 --> 00:37:54,982 The color of light refraction and concentration of suspended particles 258 00:37:55,191 --> 00:38:01,113 suggest a high sulfur content. This is logical, as bacterial decomposition 259 00:38:01,322 --> 00:38:06,243 of dead organic material releases sulfides when decomposed. 260 00:38:23,135 --> 00:38:25,262 There are several theories regarding the origin of these bell-shaped rarities. 261 00:38:25,429 --> 00:38:27,848 The most popular of these assumes which is due to a bacteria 262 00:38:27,848 --> 00:38:30,726 on the surface of the lake underground, which precipitated the lime. 263 00:38:30,726 --> 00:38:34,522 The level of the sunken water caused these stalactites are quite special 264 00:38:34,688 --> 00:38:37,900 an increase in size, bigger and bigger. There was no water in the cave at this time, 265 00:38:38,067 --> 00:38:42,780 allowing the campaigns to develop like a special form of stalactite. 266 00:38:42,947 --> 00:38:46,826 This phenomenon is also known as a "shower", 267 00:38:46,992 --> 00:38:49,078 being like a reminiscence of a domestic shower delivering water. 268 00:39:22,111 --> 00:39:27,032 And just like that, faced with this unreal world, it no longer seems so absurd, 269 00:39:27,032 --> 00:39:29,952 that this place could be the entrance to the underworld. 270 00:39:30,494 --> 00:39:33,747 In Xibalba, after his death, a man I had to go through several tests and trials 271 00:39:33,914 --> 00:39:38,085 before he could enter paradise. 272 00:39:39,295 --> 00:39:43,757 This is how we have to endure the rigors of cave diving 273 00:39:43,757 --> 00:39:48,971 to be able to explore this world fascinating and mysterious. I must admit, 274 00:39:49,138 --> 00:39:52,099 which is pretty scary... on the one hand, swimming around the same doors 275 00:39:52,766 --> 00:39:55,603 of hell, and on the other, the dangers very real down here in the depth. 276 00:41:12,262 --> 00:41:14,598 And now it's actually time for you Let's start with the return trip. 277 00:41:15,099 --> 00:41:18,811 At 40 meters, the pressure on our bodies is immense. 278 00:41:19,353 --> 00:41:22,189 This has to be periodically monitored during our descent, 279 00:41:22,356 --> 00:41:25,901 to reduce the risk 280 00:41:26,777 --> 00:41:29,279 that any of we reach the curves, 281 00:41:29,446 --> 00:41:33,450 the dreaded diver's disease. 282 00:41:34,034 --> 00:41:37,788 Whatever happens, so we are interested It is the bell tower of the Bells of Hell 283 00:41:38,247 --> 00:41:43,669 of Xibalba, a place that brings back life to the mysticism of the ancient Mayans. 284 00:41:47,506 --> 00:41:53,262 We describe the year 900 AD. The King asks the gods for advice, 285 00:41:53,429 --> 00:41:55,848 as a drought hits their country. 286 00:41:56,598 --> 00:42:01,562 His people still have faith in him, but his supposedly divine power is beginning 287 00:42:02,021 --> 00:42:04,982 to fall apart as you pass that increases famine. 288 00:42:06,191 --> 00:42:12,197 Furthermore, he had waged war on his neighbors and the harvest of blood was abundant. 289 00:42:12,614 --> 00:42:15,909 The prisoners were thrown into the jungle. 290 00:42:28,464 --> 00:42:34,261 The King dances with the gods. It is his descendant. He will appease them. 291 00:42:35,054 --> 00:42:38,807 The chosen one must see the honor conferred upon them. 292 00:42:39,558 --> 00:42:43,687 As it is sacrificed, they will enter directly into paradise 293 00:42:44,229 --> 00:42:47,107 and will not have to suffer suffering in Xibalba. 294 00:42:47,775 --> 00:42:51,195 In any case, they do not have choice in the matter... 295 00:43:24,061 --> 00:43:28,273 And thus, the diplomatic mission of the priest comes here to the caves, 296 00:43:28,941 --> 00:43:34,279 the power of the gods is exceptional strong. It is yours, to ask for admission, 297 00:43:34,446 --> 00:43:37,157 in case you don't want incur his wrath against you. 298 00:44:46,059 --> 00:44:52,357 The King awaits you. It is your duty appease the gods with blood. 299 00:44:52,983 --> 00:44:55,861 For his people. Because of its power. 300 00:45:01,450 --> 00:45:04,661 Back to the present. we have authorization to dive in Las Calaveras, 301 00:45:04,828 --> 00:45:08,540 the Mayan Cave of the Dead. 302 00:45:09,166 --> 00:45:11,418 For this dive Florian and his team 303 00:45:11,585 --> 00:45:13,754 has ordered a special gas mix. 304 00:45:16,256 --> 00:45:20,385 We use a substance known as "Nitrox", which is air enriched with oxygen. 305 00:45:20,552 --> 00:45:23,555 It allows us to work more time underwater. 306 00:45:34,942 --> 00:45:38,153 Nitrogen is always the problem main when we dive. can be saturated 307 00:45:38,362 --> 00:45:40,822 and at some point in time, will force us to go out again. 308 00:45:40,989 --> 00:45:44,159 When we reduce the levels of nitrogen and we increase the oxygen, 309 00:45:44,326 --> 00:45:45,827 we can't dive deeper, 310 00:45:45,994 --> 00:45:48,247 but in everyone's cenote modes we only have 12 meters 311 00:45:48,413 --> 00:45:50,540 and therefore greater underwater effectiveness. 312 00:45:53,627 --> 00:45:57,172 First of all, we have to do 13 meters of rope descent in the cenote. 313 00:45:57,631 --> 00:46:00,926 By means of a pulley, our helpers Mayans have to maneuver each piece of equipment, 314 00:46:01,093 --> 00:46:05,514 individually and then place them in the water. 315 00:46:06,056 --> 00:46:12,062 An exhausting job, with 38 degrees in the shade and with humidity levels close to 90 percent. 316 00:46:43,510 --> 00:46:47,472 It will all be downhill from here... in positive sense. Sunlight shines through 317 00:46:47,639 --> 00:46:49,308 from the crack of the rock, causing fingers or rays of light. 318 00:46:49,683 --> 00:46:54,771 Dramatically, a beginning suitable for our descent 319 00:46:54,771 --> 00:46:57,357 to the Mayan Caves of the Dead. 320 00:47:17,669 --> 00:47:21,673 The name "Las Calaveras" comes from reality of the findings that have been made 321 00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:25,302 like calaveras in Spanish and it means skulls, or skulls of the dead to be precise. 322 00:47:26,261 --> 00:47:31,266 Two years ago, researchers Mexicans discovered 126 skeletons 323 00:47:31,266 --> 00:47:35,771 from the Mayan period, on the floor of the cenote. We are not very sure 324 00:47:35,771 --> 00:47:39,608 If it is a Mayan cemetery, or a cenote reserved for human sacrifice. 325 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:43,945 In both cases, it remains as a sacred site for the Mayans. 326 00:48:07,803 --> 00:48:10,764 Florian is busy measuring a human hip. 327 00:48:11,306 --> 00:48:16,228 Touch or take something with you here it is strictly prohibited. 328 00:48:16,686 --> 00:48:19,731 Write down the data collected in its humid notes. 329 00:48:43,922 --> 00:48:47,050 Under the cover of darkness, the first skull emerges from the ground. 330 00:48:47,509 --> 00:48:49,845 Sharp teeth are proof 331 00:48:50,011 --> 00:48:56,268 that it is definitely a Mayan skull, almost 1,800 years old and well preserved. 332 00:48:57,018 --> 00:49:01,815 Teeth polished and sharpened sometimes even decorated with jade, 333 00:49:01,982 --> 00:49:05,986 was very popular with contemporary fashion. 334 00:49:21,543 --> 00:49:24,588 A little further to the left There is a pile of human bones. 335 00:49:25,046 --> 00:49:27,674 These bones form the basis of a theory 336 00:49:27,883 --> 00:49:30,135 that they were used in human sacrifice ceremonies. 337 00:49:30,886 --> 00:49:36,057 Apart from a few pottery fragments, No offerings have been found in the cenote. 338 00:49:36,224 --> 00:49:38,393 Some of the skulls reveal lesions. 339 00:49:39,102 --> 00:49:42,647 The investigation into this, without However, it is a task for the future. 340 00:49:43,565 --> 00:49:49,196 Meanwhile, Uli takes photographs of the skeletons. In close collaboration with the INAH, 341 00:49:49,196 --> 00:49:50,822 the archaeological authority official of Mexico, 342 00:49:50,989 --> 00:49:57,621 the team built three-dimensional models specials in 2010. The objective was to examine 343 00:49:57,787 --> 00:50:02,042 the findings in greater detail, independent of hours of diving and the ecstasy of depth. 344 00:50:17,849 --> 00:50:20,685 The area, or field, is divided into grids. 345 00:50:20,852 --> 00:50:24,356 Every documented finding and accurately recorded. 346 00:50:24,981 --> 00:50:28,068 There are many mysteries waiting to be resolved down here 347 00:50:28,235 --> 00:50:33,907 but our journey continues; and with it, our fascination. 348 00:50:35,408 --> 00:50:37,911 What I see is simply the incredible potential here. 349 00:50:38,703 --> 00:50:43,291 I think we are about from scratching the surface. 350 00:50:43,291 --> 00:50:46,795 There's too much here discover, there are thousands of cenotes. 351 00:50:46,795 --> 00:50:51,508 There are hundreds of kilometers of systems of caves. In fact, almost everywhere 352 00:50:51,675 --> 00:50:53,677 that you jump in some part, in each cenote, 353 00:50:53,843 --> 00:50:56,388 There are always artifacts from the Mayan period. 354 00:50:56,388 --> 00:51:00,517 And at the bottom of the caves is where you can make so many prehistoric finds 355 00:51:00,684 --> 00:51:02,185 of animals and human skeletons. 356 00:51:03,186 --> 00:51:05,730 In fact, down here, it's a paradise for underwater archaeologists. 357 00:51:09,943 --> 00:51:14,656 The largest cenotes in Yucatan are like lacustrine incursions into the sterile limestone. 358 00:51:15,198 --> 00:51:18,243 Its dimensions easily They could be those of a lagoon. 359 00:51:36,928 --> 00:51:40,890 "But why did the Mayans did they transfigure the washes? 360 00:51:41,391 --> 00:51:45,228 Well, if one remembers that, apart from the sea in Yucatán, 361 00:51:45,395 --> 00:51:48,857 there are no rivers that flow in some part of the surface, 362 00:51:49,024 --> 00:51:50,400 which seems quite logical. 363 00:51:51,067 --> 00:51:55,655 Access to water is only possible through caves and cenotes. 364 00:51:55,655 --> 00:51:59,909 That is why the Mayans declared water as divine transfiguration. 365 00:52:00,619 --> 00:52:04,497 An approach similar to that of many indigenous tribes in Africa. 366 00:52:04,664 --> 00:52:07,250 The guards here They also watch the water. 367 00:52:07,417 --> 00:52:11,546 The one who has direct access, After all, it has divine power. 368 00:52:30,106 --> 00:52:34,986 Many cenotes in Yucatán are fed through the cave system, "Ox Bel Ha". 369 00:52:35,153 --> 00:52:39,783 In the language of the Mayans, Ox Bel Ha means "Three Paths of Water". 370 00:52:40,241 --> 00:52:44,079 This system transports fresh water inland beneath the jungle, 371 00:52:44,245 --> 00:52:48,667 through the forests of mangroves from the coast towards the sea. 372 00:53:03,473 --> 00:53:06,393 The Mayans knew exactly the water routes, and for this reason 373 00:53:06,393 --> 00:53:08,853 were able to found their culture about groundwater. 374 00:53:09,646 --> 00:53:13,775 That is why the largest Mayan temples usually be found in the proximity of the cenotes. 375 00:53:13,942 --> 00:53:18,697 These ensured the well-being of those who settled nearby. 376 00:53:26,037 --> 00:53:30,542 Back to our expedition. The session informative before our next dive. 377 00:53:30,709 --> 00:53:34,504 We dive right here, after the entry on the left line at the first T, 378 00:53:34,671 --> 00:53:37,549 then down the hallway, keeping the left... that's the route 379 00:53:37,549 --> 00:53:41,594 that we already know. We take the jump to the right, 380 00:53:41,594 --> 00:53:44,889 We already saw how it worked last time This is the big arrow 381 00:53:45,098 --> 00:53:49,686 and then we dive into salt water. It is almost 15 382 00:53:49,853 --> 00:53:54,065 or 20 meters deep and we we find the halocline, the layer between 383 00:53:54,232 --> 00:53:56,693 fresh and salt water. Then we reach this immense tunnel, 384 00:53:57,694 --> 00:54:00,447 there. Here, this great tunnel 385 00:54:00,613 --> 00:54:02,866 with the main rope. 386 00:54:03,032 --> 00:54:04,617 It means that we have to fix it again, 387 00:54:04,784 --> 00:54:07,120 and place a jump on the guide line here. 388 00:54:07,746 --> 00:54:12,959 And when we are here, we will begin prospecting this area here 389 00:54:13,126 --> 00:54:15,503 and then it's here. and one of we stay on the guide line 390 00:54:15,503 --> 00:54:17,672 so I can see everything time... and the others, 391 00:54:17,672 --> 00:54:19,883 one is in charge of left and one on the right. 392 00:54:20,049 --> 00:54:22,719 Then we'll see if we can find 393 00:54:22,719 --> 00:54:24,137 the alleged prehistoric bones. 394 00:54:24,429 --> 00:54:27,682 Something very prehistoric is suspected inside this cave system. 395 00:54:29,642 --> 00:54:32,645 Florian can hardly wait to begin with, and in fact, 396 00:54:33,062 --> 00:54:35,523 our curiosity combined has been unleashed. 397 00:54:48,161 --> 00:54:51,247 The first surprise awaits us shortly after we jumped into the water. 398 00:54:51,748 --> 00:54:55,502 A cave is revealed to us of impressive beauty, 399 00:54:55,502 --> 00:54:58,046 as if it were a gigantic underground train tunnel. 400 00:55:40,463 --> 00:55:44,801 But one should never forget the precautions security. Robert shows what he can 401 00:55:45,009 --> 00:55:49,806 happen when you bat reflexively your fins. Down here, the sediment 402 00:55:49,973 --> 00:55:53,852 practically only rests lightly on the seabed. One wrong move 403 00:55:53,852 --> 00:55:56,646 and visibility becomes zero. 404 00:56:14,247 --> 00:56:19,544 We dive through a fissure. It is not what Best for those of a claustrophobic disposition. 405 00:56:20,295 --> 00:56:23,923 The crack is only wide enough for us to swim through. through it without our tanks getting stuck. 406 00:56:33,224 --> 00:56:37,812 Our breath accumulates directly under the roof and it looks like liquid mercury, 407 00:56:37,812 --> 00:56:42,734 floating just above our heads. It seems a scene from a science fiction movie 408 00:56:42,734 --> 00:56:46,571 in which silver surfaces They constitute the transition to another world. 409 00:56:47,363 --> 00:56:50,033 I look around, and I must admit that even though it doesn't seem like it 410 00:56:50,199 --> 00:56:51,743 We have already arrived in this "other world." 411 00:57:13,181 --> 00:57:17,143 Even though the safety rope broke, the silver bubbles under 412 00:57:17,310 --> 00:57:19,896 the roof would serve as signage towards the exit. 413 00:57:20,980 --> 00:57:23,066 We have heard a good number of stories in which cave divers 414 00:57:23,066 --> 00:57:25,485 that they had lost their security, they managed to save their skin 415 00:57:25,485 --> 00:57:29,113 using this trick and following the Bubbles straight towards the exit. 416 00:57:57,308 --> 00:58:01,104 We penetrate even deeper in the cave. ancient stalagmites 417 00:58:01,104 --> 00:58:03,147 They look like sand piles. 418 00:58:03,314 --> 00:58:07,276 Fragile details and strange shapes directly adjacent to them 419 00:58:07,276 --> 00:58:11,656 give the impression of a slide recent earth... only one forged in stone. 420 00:58:48,401 --> 00:58:52,822 Uli named this stalactite, as "The Sword of the Underworld." 421 00:58:53,322 --> 00:58:59,412 I must admit, seen by the light of your flashlight, the scene has something oppressive about it. 422 00:59:15,470 --> 00:59:20,099 We continue our diving. Still There is another cave ahead of us. 423 00:59:28,524 --> 00:59:34,614 A forest of columns is an impressive image. Fragile and staggered in depth, 424 00:59:34,614 --> 00:59:41,120 one column next to the other: Each one different, each one exclusive. 425 00:59:55,510 --> 00:59:59,680 By the way, more than anything else, They are stalactites and stalagmites 426 00:59:59,680 --> 01:00:02,642 are proof that these caves They were not always underwater. 427 01:00:02,642 --> 01:00:04,727 The limestone originates in a moment 428 01:00:04,894 --> 01:00:08,523 when Yucatán was below the level from the sea, but during the last Ice Age, 429 01:00:08,689 --> 01:00:13,402 sea level was almost 100 meters lower than what it is today. 430 01:00:13,402 --> 01:00:17,031 Causing the immense limestone plateau. 431 01:00:17,198 --> 01:00:22,370 The rain penetrated the porous rock, dissolving the minerals, and as they dripped from 432 01:00:22,537 --> 01:00:27,625 the ceiling, stalactites were formed: and those that began to grow towards them 433 01:00:27,792 --> 01:00:33,589 from the ground through millennia they are known like stalagmites. It wasn't until sea level 434 01:00:33,589 --> 01:00:36,259 began to gradually increase again, at the end of the last ice age, 435 01:00:36,425 --> 01:00:39,679 that little by little, the caves They were flooded once again. 436 01:00:55,611 --> 01:00:59,991 We've been moving since quite a while ago. I wonder, 437 01:01:00,158 --> 01:01:04,996 Where does this tunnel lead? I feel a little panic, actually. 438 01:01:05,872 --> 01:01:09,625 We have made quite a bit of progress of a branching cave system 439 01:01:09,834 --> 01:01:14,297 and there is no other exit than going back. 440 01:01:15,298 --> 01:01:20,094 What are we going to do? keep calm and all that. I know, don't waste air. 441 01:01:20,970 --> 01:01:23,181 I manage to calm myself down. 442 01:01:33,608 --> 01:01:37,528 Suddenly, the cave opens and we appeared in the middle of the jungle 443 01:01:37,528 --> 01:01:39,697 in a different cenote. 444 01:01:42,366 --> 01:01:45,745 Thanks, Uli. Did you know that would work. 445 01:01:57,131 --> 01:01:59,467 Fantastic, absolutely fantastic. 446 01:02:00,593 --> 01:02:02,011 Not bad. 447 01:02:04,722 --> 01:02:06,474 Actually, how how big is this tunnel? 448 01:02:20,071 --> 01:02:26,744 Great passageways, fantastic formations. The colors of the cave, the thermocline, 449 01:02:26,911 --> 01:02:29,997 the halocline. So indescribable. 450 01:02:30,164 --> 01:02:32,917 The tunnel is similar to a train tunnel. alone you have to look left and right 451 01:02:33,084 --> 01:02:34,752 and wait until the subway passes. 452 01:02:38,506 --> 01:02:42,051 And the entrance is also relatively complicated. You have to dive here first. 453 01:02:42,218 --> 01:02:45,763 You won't be able to see anything new if it is full of sediment and garbage. 454 01:02:45,763 --> 01:02:49,225 You can make your journey little by little using the lead wire and at some point 455 01:02:49,392 --> 01:02:52,603 you will fall into this cave here and everything will be crystal clear again. 456 01:02:52,770 --> 01:02:56,399 And then you have to deal with this cave system. 457 01:02:56,565 --> 01:02:58,067 Very modern, the whole thing. 458 01:03:07,702 --> 01:03:09,704 After a short rest, It's time to move on. 459 01:03:10,246 --> 01:03:12,790 We haven't found anything vaguely prehistoric until now, 460 01:03:13,249 --> 01:03:16,294 but we have another crossing, another fork to explore. 461 01:03:16,711 --> 01:03:20,840 Maybe we will find something there. We change the tanks 462 01:03:21,007 --> 01:03:23,342 and we prepare for one more dive. 463 01:03:23,843 --> 01:03:26,387 We are not close to give up completely yet. 464 01:04:23,611 --> 01:04:26,405 And once again, back down to the flooded underworld 465 01:04:26,572 --> 01:04:29,158 in search of relics of the past. 466 01:04:29,992 --> 01:04:33,412 Little by little, we are getting used to the strange formations and stalactites 467 01:04:33,412 --> 01:04:39,210 down here, almost ignoring them as We swim as if they were nothing special. 468 01:04:40,044 --> 01:04:45,424 We are more interested in skeletons prehistoric and animal remains 469 01:04:46,175 --> 01:04:48,010 the Stone Age. My patience is decreasing. 470 01:05:07,696 --> 01:05:10,574 We leave some of our tanks behind 471 01:05:10,574 --> 01:05:14,578 fixed to the guide line. The side tunnel is narrow 472 01:05:14,578 --> 01:05:18,082 and the additional tank to our side... the so-called "Stage"... 473 01:05:18,082 --> 01:05:20,209 anyway it is destined only for the return trip. 474 01:06:01,834 --> 01:06:03,586 We discover the side tunnel 475 01:06:03,586 --> 01:06:07,089 and now we regulate our next act with previously defined gestures. 476 01:06:07,548 --> 01:06:11,844 Sign language is the only language that works properly down here. 477 01:06:29,987 --> 01:06:32,198 We are incorporating a jump on the guide rope, 478 01:06:32,531 --> 01:06:37,786 a fork in the still unknown tunnel side. Then we continue diving, 479 01:06:37,953 --> 01:06:40,206 always with the rope in sight, 480 01:06:40,206 --> 01:06:44,793 which, of course, is absolutely vital, especially here in unknown terrain. 481 01:07:04,104 --> 01:07:07,733 Our movements cause detachment of ancient sediment from the ceiling, 482 01:07:07,733 --> 01:07:11,737 which is a clear sign that this Area has been little explored until now. 483 01:07:28,003 --> 01:07:32,049 Then, finally, Florian discovers the skeleton we had heard about. 484 01:07:32,383 --> 01:07:34,301 Well that's the way to get the pulse to accelerate. 485 01:07:49,900 --> 01:07:53,070 Uli take some images to have all well and carefully documented. 486 01:08:05,833 --> 01:08:11,130 It appears to be a Megatherium, a species of giant prehistoric sloth. 487 01:08:11,297 --> 01:08:14,383 About 10,000 years old old and well preserved. 488 01:08:14,925 --> 01:08:18,262 The giant sloths could be up to five meters high 489 01:08:18,429 --> 01:08:23,100 and weigh several tons. This animal seems to have lived here, 490 01:08:23,809 --> 01:08:27,688 since in the caves he could not only find shelter but also water. 491 01:08:31,483 --> 01:08:36,780 The skeleton looks eerie under the light flickering of the halocline before us. 492 01:08:41,035 --> 01:08:43,454 We dive towards the next cave. 493 01:08:43,454 --> 01:08:46,206 Who knows, we may find something more on a day like today. 494 01:08:54,465 --> 01:08:58,552 Looking up, I can't help but be fascinated with the vision of our own expired air, 495 01:08:58,552 --> 01:09:02,514 which is collected on me on the ceiling, it looks like 496 01:09:02,514 --> 01:09:07,186 that the air was gushing out of the rock. But in fact, it is quite the opposite. 497 01:09:07,895 --> 01:09:13,317 After a few hours, the air will open path to the surface through the rock. 498 01:09:34,254 --> 01:09:37,675 The stone structures in This cave has something primordial 499 01:09:37,841 --> 01:09:42,388 in itself. This one is reminiscent to the nave of a church. 500 01:09:42,721 --> 01:09:45,891 The giant stalagmites They rise from the middle of the vault. 501 01:10:06,620 --> 01:10:09,665 Wait, there's something there behind the rock. 502 01:10:10,082 --> 01:10:13,043 At first, hardly I can distinguish its contours, 503 01:10:13,043 --> 01:10:15,170 Until Robert realizes account of the white spots. 504 01:10:15,671 --> 01:10:18,507 With his flashlight, we indicates that we get closer. 505 01:10:19,675 --> 01:10:24,638 Then as it gets closer, becomes clearer. 506 01:10:25,097 --> 01:10:27,808 The lower jaw of a huge animal 507 01:10:27,975 --> 01:10:30,602 of apparently prehistoric origin. Right in front of us. 508 01:10:32,688 --> 01:10:36,817 Once belonged to a Mastodon, an elephant-like animal 509 01:10:36,984 --> 01:10:39,361 who lived here ago many thousands of years. 510 01:11:02,885 --> 01:11:06,513 Biologist Robert is intertwined with the Moon. 511 01:11:06,680 --> 01:11:10,100 Next a conference spontaneous in sign language. 512 01:11:10,559 --> 01:11:15,355 These teeth were perfect to crush branches and leaves. 513 01:11:15,856 --> 01:11:22,070 Strictly speaking, these are two fragments of a lower jaw, very well preserved. 514 01:11:22,905 --> 01:11:26,992 Mastodons were smaller and more robust than their relatives the mammoths. 515 01:11:27,451 --> 01:11:33,207 We can hardly believe our luck...two great finds from the Stone Age in one day! 516 01:11:39,087 --> 01:11:42,883 But now, we really must go back. The Air supply is slowly running out. 517 01:11:43,050 --> 01:11:45,928 The jump will take us with safety back to the guide line. 518 01:11:54,019 --> 01:11:58,941 Then we took our stages again. The additional tanks we left behind earlier 519 01:11:59,566 --> 01:12:02,402 that will provide us with enough air to reach the surface. 520 01:12:10,244 --> 01:12:12,871 Here, Flo shows us how change your equipment on your back 521 01:12:12,871 --> 01:12:15,165 to the "stage" next door. 522 01:12:36,645 --> 01:12:39,523 Everyone is ready to leave. So, let's do it. 523 01:14:04,358 --> 01:14:07,194 We dive through the halocline in a different place, experiencing 524 01:14:07,361 --> 01:14:10,489 another especially strange moment: 525 01:14:10,489 --> 01:14:15,869 dry branches, as if were gnarled fingers, 526 01:14:16,036 --> 01:14:17,579 show us the way towards another exit. 527 01:14:28,465 --> 01:14:32,052 Robert is still excited as that relives the last dive. 528 01:14:32,052 --> 01:14:34,638 We found part of the jaw of a Mastodon. 529 01:14:34,805 --> 01:14:38,767 There were actually two teeth completely preserved in the lower jaw. 530 01:14:38,934 --> 01:14:42,646 A tooth was around 20 cm. long, 531 01:14:42,813 --> 01:14:46,108 weighing at least a kilo and a half, but unfortunately it was broke. 532 01:14:46,274 --> 01:14:48,652 The second tooth was 15 cm. longer. 533 01:14:48,652 --> 01:14:52,572 Just a tooth, that's brilliant. How we made this discovery, 534 01:14:52,739 --> 01:14:56,243 It was very special, 535 01:14:56,410 --> 01:15:00,080 It was really very special. And you could see cracks 536 01:15:00,247 --> 01:15:03,542 in the posterior molars, 537 01:15:03,542 --> 01:15:05,335 which means that this animal was somewhat older. 538 01:15:06,044 --> 01:15:09,798 In truth, the teeth were completely pulverized. This happens to us too. 539 01:15:09,798 --> 01:15:12,009 �We are constantly scrubbing and wearing out our teeth! 540 01:15:12,217 --> 01:15:14,428 But I'm sure that the rest of the Mastodon 541 01:15:14,594 --> 01:15:18,724 It's in there somewhere. It is a very muddy cenote. 542 01:15:18,890 --> 01:15:22,102 The cenote and us, we are barely managing to discover this Mastodon jaw. 543 01:15:22,269 --> 01:15:24,354 But I'm sure the rest It's down there somewhere. 544 01:15:24,354 --> 01:15:25,939 We simply have to go back and look for it. 545 01:15:30,360 --> 01:15:33,321 The next day. We prepare for the 546 01:15:33,488 --> 01:15:36,158 last part and more extreme part of our expedition. 547 01:15:37,159 --> 01:15:40,370 We learned that cenotes They are connected to the sea. 548 01:15:40,537 --> 01:15:45,125 �But you can dive in the caves and in the sea? We want to find out. 549 01:15:45,333 --> 01:15:48,295 According to the map, there are several kilometers to overcome, 550 01:15:48,712 --> 01:15:51,673 what virtually is impossible without scooters. 551 01:15:59,222 --> 01:16:04,311 But before we do anything else, we have to get "Trimix", a special gas mixture for 552 01:16:04,311 --> 01:16:07,439 dive in deep waters. For reasons of For safety, each tank is carefully examined. 553 01:16:08,148 --> 01:16:12,360 The "Trimix" consists of helium, oxygen and nitrogen. 554 01:16:16,823 --> 01:16:20,202 Now we analyze the gas, that is, we check 555 01:16:20,368 --> 01:16:23,330 how much pressure do we have in the tank and 556 01:16:23,497 --> 01:16:28,710 and what exact mix of gas is inside. 557 01:16:28,877 --> 01:16:31,129 This is just so important. 558 01:16:31,296 --> 01:16:35,258 because the gases at certain depths react toxically. 559 01:16:35,425 --> 01:16:38,386 We would have a problem if there is too much oxygen in the tank and we discovered it 560 01:16:38,553 --> 01:16:41,723 at a certain depth. This could become in a potentially dangerous situation. 561 01:16:41,723 --> 01:16:44,726 This is why everything is thoroughly analyzed, 562 01:16:44,726 --> 01:16:46,686 then they label it with date and name, 563 01:16:46,853 --> 01:16:49,356 so that all the The world knows what gas it has, 564 01:16:49,523 --> 01:16:52,317 to whom it was assigned and therefore we can 565 01:16:52,484 --> 01:16:56,071 exclude errors when diving. It is very important to do this in advance. 566 01:17:19,261 --> 01:17:22,889 In case there is ever a accident, errors can be traced 567 01:17:23,056 --> 01:17:25,892 more efficiently this way. Whether it is during the analysis, 568 01:17:26,059 --> 01:17:29,187 or if something went wrong during the subsequent course of a dive, 569 01:17:29,187 --> 01:17:33,358 or is it simply documented, the gas mixture 570 01:17:33,525 --> 01:17:36,111 that is being breathed in the depths. 571 01:17:40,365 --> 01:17:44,870 The controls went well. Now we only have to load the new tanks into the truck 572 01:17:45,078 --> 01:17:46,913 and we can move on. 573 01:18:19,404 --> 01:18:24,534 Our initial cenote is located in the middle of the jungle. We have determined our position 574 01:18:24,701 --> 01:18:26,912 accurate by GPS and we estimate 575 01:18:26,912 --> 01:18:29,706 that we should be able to find a way to enter the sea from here. 576 01:18:30,665 --> 01:18:35,795 First of all, we must make equipment routine, all the way to our base. 577 01:19:12,958 --> 01:19:16,544 We are happy that everything is ready and ready and we can jump into the water at the end. 578 01:19:46,491 --> 01:19:50,996 We have several hours of be submerged ahead. 579 01:19:50,996 --> 01:19:58,586 In our final adventure, our diving from the heart of the jungle to the sea! 580 01:20:05,635 --> 01:20:09,848 To face such a long distance, we need underwater scooters, 581 01:20:10,015 --> 01:20:12,475 self-propelled units in the form of torpedoes, 582 01:20:12,642 --> 01:20:15,312 with which we can almost triple our speed. 583 01:20:31,911 --> 01:20:34,831 And let's not forget, how These things are fun. 584 01:20:34,831 --> 01:20:37,584 We slide down the water as well as fish. 585 01:21:50,657 --> 01:21:54,160 The formations pass us as in a lapse of time. 586 01:21:54,536 --> 01:21:57,956 We dive from one cave to the next with ease, deeper and deeper into the system. 587 01:22:20,603 --> 01:22:25,275 These scooters are like taking a ride in Formula One through the underworld. 588 01:22:25,275 --> 01:22:28,862 We cross the Kingdom of Xibalba On the way to the coast, 589 01:22:29,028 --> 01:22:32,198 much faster than without technology. 590 01:22:32,198 --> 01:22:36,995 Since, on the other hand, the air reserves in our tanks there would never be enough. 591 01:23:34,844 --> 01:23:39,224 We encounter an initial milestone. The hanging roots of mangroves 592 01:23:39,390 --> 01:23:43,728 that occur in coastal areas They show that we are on the right path. 593 01:24:21,849 --> 01:24:25,603 The algae spread before us as we cross the gap. 594 01:24:25,770 --> 01:24:28,273 Have we already reached our destination? 595 01:24:52,797 --> 01:24:57,176 We surface and find ourselves in the mangroves of the riverside strip. 596 01:24:57,343 --> 01:25:02,307 For the moment, we are only separated from the sea through a very thin barrier. So, we headed 597 01:25:02,640 --> 01:25:05,143 down again and we look for another passage. 598 01:25:36,799 --> 01:25:41,304 It takes a while but then we found another gap, 599 01:25:41,304 --> 01:25:44,265 Through which we can see light from the other side. 600 01:25:44,724 --> 01:25:46,225 We go in. 601 01:26:11,084 --> 01:26:16,923 Our first contact with the sea is blurry. Right in the middle of the tunnel 602 01:26:17,090 --> 01:26:21,052 It is as if there were a wall, it is the halocline. For a brief moment we have zero visibility 603 01:26:21,219 --> 01:26:23,805 but we do not lose our orientation. 604 01:26:36,025 --> 01:26:39,946 Then we crossed it. Pure adrenaline. 605 01:26:49,414 --> 01:26:52,208 Function. It was fabulous, a great dive. 606 01:26:52,375 --> 01:26:54,794 Towards the end through of the mangrove forest, 607 01:26:54,961 --> 01:26:58,840 then through the sector beach. Then it gets dark again 608 01:26:58,840 --> 01:27:02,093 and here, in front there is a thin gap. You can see light through it, 609 01:27:02,093 --> 01:27:05,555 although it is relatively milky due to halocline. 610 01:27:06,055 --> 01:27:09,600 And then, suddenly, plop... and you have already crossed, you have done it. 611 01:27:21,988 --> 01:27:25,700 Our last dive has closed the gap between the enigmatic 612 01:27:25,867 --> 01:27:27,326 Mayan world and the sea. 613 01:27:27,869 --> 01:27:32,874 The Yucatan cave system flows into in the sea by means of a continuous current. 614 01:27:33,040 --> 01:27:39,380 We were able to experience it first hand. The basis for drinking water. 615 01:27:40,298 --> 01:27:42,842 The Mayans recognized it and they built their religious sites 616 01:27:43,009 --> 01:27:45,636 in the vicinity of the cenotes. 617 01:27:45,803 --> 01:27:49,390 This was, in fact, the key to the emergence of their civilization. 618 01:27:51,100 --> 01:27:54,645 A thesis for its disappearance, It is a prolonged drought, 619 01:27:54,812 --> 01:27:57,106 that destroyed their social structures. 620 01:27:57,815 --> 01:28:01,652 The climate catastrophe could not be avoided, even with the increase of 621 01:28:01,819 --> 01:28:06,032 human sacrifices. The wars and the secession shook the foundations of the kingdom, 622 01:28:06,949 --> 01:28:09,952 causing the collapse of the Mayan power structures. 623 01:28:18,961 --> 01:28:23,007 We have explored the once sacred places of this advanced civilization. 624 01:28:23,007 --> 01:28:27,804 We have experienced the adventure of diving in caves and overcoming 625 01:28:27,804 --> 01:28:30,640 the biggest challenge that a diver can face. 626 01:28:31,557 --> 01:28:34,143 In this way, we have been able to admire the incredible beauty 627 01:28:34,310 --> 01:28:37,897 and unique of the cenotes. 628 01:28:39,065 --> 01:28:44,028 The Xibalba returned us to our steps and gave us a hard time. 629 01:28:44,278 --> 01:28:48,574 But in the end, we return from the kingdom of shadows, 630 01:28:48,741 --> 01:28:52,620 from the depths of the underworld and from the caves of the dead.