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Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA,
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00:00:05,633 --> 00:00:07,773
A SPECTACULAR ANCIENT MAYA CITY
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SHROUDED IN MYSTERY AND MYTHS.
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00:00:10,367 --> 00:00:14,067
IT'S THE GREATEST
ANCIENT CITY IN THE WORLD.
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00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:16,330
Narrator:
IT'S A JUNGLE METROPOLIS
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WITH A HIDDEN UNDERWORLD
AND DARK SECRETS.
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WHAT HAPPENED
TO THIS LOST CIVILIZATION?
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THE BIG QUESTION THAT DRIVES US
IS WHY PEOPLE WERE HERE.
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Narrator: HOW AND WHY
WAS THIS VAST CITY BUILT?
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AND DID THE PEOPLE LIVING HERE
PRACTICE HUMAN SACRIFICE?
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00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:41,930
THE ONLY WAY TO
SOLVE THESE MYSTERIES
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IS TO GO DEEP INTO
THE HEART OF THE MAYAN CITY.
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EXPLORING ITS STRUCTURES
STONE BY STONE
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WILL HELP US UNEARTH
THE ASTONISHING SECRETS
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AT THE HEART
OF THIS ANCIENT WONDER.
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-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
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CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
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CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO.
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A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, THIS WAS
A POWERFUL WORKING CITY...
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HOME TO 30,000 PEOPLE --
THE ANCIENT MAYA --
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A CIVILIZATION KNOWN FOR
THEIR REMARKABLE SKILL
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IN ASTRONOMY, MATHEMATICS,
AND ARCHITECTURE.
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AND FOR THEIR BLOOD-CURDLING
RELIGIOUS RITES.
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ARCHEOLOGIST MEMO DE ANDA
HAS SPENT MUCH OF HIS LIFETIME
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TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF
THIS MYSTERIOUS JUNGLE CITY
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AND IT'S AWE-INSPIRING
BUILDINGS.
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WE'RE JUST SCRATCHING
THE SURFACE.
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THAT'S LITERALLY
WHAT WE'RE DOING.
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I'M SURE THIS BUILDING
IS STILL HIDING
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MANY, MANY SECRETS INSIDE.
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Narrator: THE RUINS OF MORE
THAN 30 ANCIENT STRUCTURES
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AND TEMPLES LIE HIDDEN HERE
AMONGST THE TREES,
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INCLUDING THIS IMMENSE PYRAMID.
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THE CASTILLO,
OR TEMPLE OF KUKULKAN,
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ONE OF THE NEW
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD.
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BUILT FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF LIMESTONE BLOCKS,
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IT TOWERS 100 FEET HIGH --
AS TALL AS A 10-STORY BUILDING.
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AT ITS PEAK, A SACRED TEMPLE
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DEDICATED TO
THE SERPENT GOD KUKULKAN.
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ON EACH SIDE, STEEP STEPS
THAT REFLECT HE MAYA CALENDAR.
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AND AT THE BASE, SERPENT HEADS
LINKED TO THE EQUINOX.
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THIS 60,000-TON STRUCTURE IS
A MARVEL OF ANCIENT ENGINEERING.
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De Anda: THIS IS ONE OF
THE MOST WONDERFUL BUILDINGS
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FROM THE ANCIENT WORLD.
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IT'S A DEMONSTRATION OF POWER,
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A DEMONSTRATION OF SPIRITUALITY,
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A DEMONSTRATION OF SCIENCE.
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IT'S AN IMPORTANT BUILDING.
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Narrator:
WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
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BUILD THIS SPECTACULAR CITY
IN THE JUNGLE?
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AND HOW DID THEY SOURCE
THE MANY THOUSANDS OF TONS
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OF STONE NEEDED TO BUILD HUGE
TEMPLES AND PYRAMIDS LIKE THIS?
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ONE-THIRD OF A MILE
FROM THE MAIN PYRAMID,
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MEMO IS SEARCHING FOR CLUES.
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IT SEEMS THIS IS
NO ORDINARY JUNGLE.
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THE MAYA DIDN'T HAVE TO
REALLY GO FAR AWAY
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TO FIND THE MATERIAL
TO BUILD THEIR BIG CITIES.
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LIMESTONE -- IT'S EVERYWHERE.
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THE MATERIAL IS
BENEATH THEIR FEET --
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ALL THIS MATERIAL
IS RIGHT THERE.
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Narrator: THE LIMESTONE
LAY WITHIN VERY EASY REACH.
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THE SOIL IS VERY, VERY THIN.
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IT'S NOT EVEN
TWO CENTIMETERS OF SOIL
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THAT'S LAYING OVER
THE HUGE LIMESTONE BEDROCK.
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IT'S LIMESTONE ALL AROUND US.
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IT'S ACTUALLY
THE WHOLE PENINSULA.
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IT'S A BIG LIMESTONE PLATFORM.
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Narrator: LIMESTONE WAS
THE CRUCIAL INGREDIENT
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THAT ALLOWED THE MAYA
TO CONSTRUCT CHICHEN ITZA'S
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GREAT BUILDINGS.
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WORKERS MINED IT IN THIS QUARRY
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JUST 500 YARDS
FROM THE CASTILLO PYRAMID.
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MEMO UNCOVERS SOME EXTRAORDINARY
EVIDENCE TO PROVE IT.
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RIGHT HERE,
WE CAN SEE A PRE-FORM.
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IT'S A HUGE PIECE OF ROCK --
OF LIMESTONE --
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THAT THEY STARTED WORKING.
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'CAUSE, SEE,
THIS IS PERFECTLY ROUND,
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00:04:36,067 --> 00:04:39,467
AND WE CAN SEE ON ONE SIDE
THE START OF THE FORMATION
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OF A MOUTH OF A SNAKE.
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00:04:42,900 --> 00:04:46,430
BUT SOMEHOW, THEY LEAVE IT HERE.
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00:04:46,467 --> 00:04:50,227
MAYBE BECAUSE IT GOT BROKEN.
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Narrator: A REMARKABLE CLUE
CARVED BY A MAYA CRAFTSMAN
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A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
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De Anda:
AND IT SHOWS US BY BEING HERE
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IS THAT THEY OBTAINED
THE MATERIAL,
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00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,230
AND THEY WORK IT RIGHT HERE.
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THEY TAKE IT WHEN IT WAS
FINISHED UP TO THE CITY.
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00:05:06,867 --> 00:05:09,767
SO THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
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00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,700
Narrator: THE LOCAL GEOLOGY
PROVIDED CHICHEN ITZA'S BUILDERS
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WITH AN ENDLESS SUPPLY
OF LIMESTONE.
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00:05:15,933 --> 00:05:18,403
BUT THERE'S A FURTHER MYSTERY.
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00:05:18,433 --> 00:05:21,973
THE ANCIENT MAYA
HAD NO ACCESS TO METAL TOOLS.
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00:05:22,067 --> 00:05:25,267
HOW DID THEY GET THIS STONE
OUT OF THE GROUND?
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00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:26,730
De Anda: IT IS INTERESTING,
95
00:05:26,767 --> 00:05:28,697
AND IT'S AMAZING
AT THE SAME TIME.
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00:05:28,733 --> 00:05:31,573
HOW CAN THEY BUILD
THESE FANTASTIC CITIES
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ONLY WITH STONE TOOLS?
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00:05:34,467 --> 00:05:35,967
Narrator: THE RESOURCEFUL MAYA
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CAME UP WITH
AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION.
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00:05:41,733 --> 00:05:46,433
THEY USED SHARDS OF
RAZOR-SHARP STONES LIKE CHERT,
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SOMETIMES ATTACHING THEM
TO WOODEN STICKS.
102
00:05:52,167 --> 00:05:55,897
THEY GOUGED DEEP CHANNELS
INTO THE GROUND,
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00:05:55,933 --> 00:05:59,633
CARVING A CHECKERBOARD PATTERN
INTO THE LIMESTONE ROCKS.
104
00:06:03,133 --> 00:06:05,103
THE WORKERS DUG DOWN
UNTIL THEY REACHED
105
00:06:05,133 --> 00:06:07,703
A NATURAL BREAK
IN THE LIMESTONE BEDROCK.
106
00:06:08,967 --> 00:06:10,897
THIS WAY,
THE CHECKERBOARD BLOCKS
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00:06:10,933 --> 00:06:13,273
WOULD CRACK AWAY
FROM THE GROUND.
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00:06:15,067 --> 00:06:18,367
THEN THEY USED WOODEN LEVERS
TO PRY THE BLOCKS OUT.
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00:06:24,233 --> 00:06:27,973
HOW MUCH EFFORT DID IT TAKE
TO REMOVE HEAVY LIMESTONE BLOCKS
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00:06:28,067 --> 00:06:30,267
WITHOUT MODERN MACHINERY?
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00:06:30,300 --> 00:06:34,670
TO FIND OUT, MEMO IS HEADING TO
A STONE MASONS YARD IN MERIDA,
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00:06:34,700 --> 00:06:38,370
ABOUT 70 MILES
FROM CHICHEN ITZA.
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00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,570
THE STONE MASONS
ATTEMPT AN EXPERIMENT.
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THEY USE WOODEN LEVERS
TO TRY TO EXTRACT
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A TWO-TON LIMESTONE BLOCK,
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JUST AS THE ANCIENT MAYA
WOULD HAVE DONE.
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00:06:56,567 --> 00:07:01,067
De Anda: ALL THE STONES THEY
PUT THERE TO MAKE A LEVER.
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I THINK WE PUT
A LITTLE BIT TOO MANY.
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00:07:03,567 --> 00:07:07,897
SO WE NEED SPACE
FOR THE BIG LEVER.
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00:07:09,367 --> 00:07:11,867
THESE GUYS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY
SKILLFUL AND STRONG.
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I MEAN, THEY'RE GREAT.
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SO FAR, SO GOOD.
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[ LAUGHS ]
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Narrator: SHIFTING THE LIMESTONE
THE OLD FASHIONED WAY
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00:07:21,267 --> 00:07:25,967
CLEARLY REQUIRED BOTH TECHNIQUE
AND PLENTY OF MANPOWER.
126
00:07:26,067 --> 00:07:27,527
De Anda: TODAY, THAT I HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY
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00:07:27,567 --> 00:07:30,827
TO MOVE THIS RELATIVELY
SMALL STONE
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00:07:30,867 --> 00:07:32,927
AND IT WAS SO HARD.
129
00:07:32,967 --> 00:07:34,927
AND THERE WERE
A LOT OF PEOPLE,
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00:07:34,967 --> 00:07:37,797
I REALIZED HOW HARD IT WAS.
131
00:07:37,833 --> 00:07:42,303
AND I'M GETTING MORE AND MORE
AND MORE RESPECT FOR THE MAYA,
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FOR WHAT THEY DO.
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IT'S AMAZING.
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WOW, THAT WAS GREAT.
135
00:07:46,933 --> 00:07:47,933
[ LAUGHS ]
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THESE GUYS ARE GREAT.
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[ APPLAUSE ]
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00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:54,330
WOW.
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00:07:54,367 --> 00:07:57,827
Narrator: MOVING ONE STONE
WAS BACK-BREAKING WORK.
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YET THIS PYRAMID IS MADE
OF TENS OF THOUSANDS
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00:08:00,833 --> 00:08:02,933
OF LIMESTONE BLOCKS.
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00:08:02,967 --> 00:08:06,567
HOW DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
BUILD IT?
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00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,170
THE SECRET TO CONSTRUCTING
THIS AMAZING TEMPLE
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LIES HIDDEN INSIDE
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BECAUSE THIS PYRAMID
ISN'T QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS.
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CONCEALED BENEATH THE SMOOTH
FACADE IS A LAYER OF RUBBLE.
147
00:08:24,500 --> 00:08:26,500
UNDER THAT, AN OLDER PYRAMID,
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ROUGHLY HALF
THE CASTILLO'S SIZE.
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00:08:30,300 --> 00:08:36,370
ITS STAIRCASE LEADS TO A SACRED
TEMPLE WITH TWO CHAMBERS.
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00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,770
AT THEIR HEART, A THRONE
IN THE SHAPE OF A JAGUAR
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00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:45,070
WITH JADE STONE EYES
AND WHITE FLINT TEETH
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00:08:45,067 --> 00:08:49,297
AND A MYSTERIOUS RECLINING
STATUE KNOWN AS A CHAC MOOL.
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BUILDING ON TOP OF THIS
EXISTING TEMPLE
154
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WAS AN INGENIOUS WAY
TO BUILD BIG
155
00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,200
AS A NEW ERA IN THE LIFE
OF THE CITY DAWNED.
156
00:09:01,433 --> 00:09:04,273
De Anda: THE ANCIENT MAYA,
THEY DID NOT DESTROY A BUILDING
157
00:09:04,300 --> 00:09:05,670
TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE.
158
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THEY JUST GO AHEAD AND BUILT
ON TOP OF THE OLD BUILDING.
159
00:09:09,900 --> 00:09:13,070
AND BUILT SOMETHING
MAJESTIC LIKE THIS.
160
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Narrator:
BUT WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
161
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BUILD A GREAT CITY HERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF DENSE JUNGLE?
162
00:09:25,567 --> 00:09:27,867
Narrator: IN THE VAST
LANDSCAPE OF THE YUCATAN,
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00:09:27,900 --> 00:09:30,530
WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
CHOOSE THIS LOCATION
164
00:09:30,567 --> 00:09:32,697
FOR THEIR CITY?
165
00:09:32,733 --> 00:09:35,433
TO FIND OUT,
GEOPHYSICIST RENE CHAVEZ
166
00:09:35,467 --> 00:09:39,067
IS 75 MILES
WEST OF CHICHEN ITZA CITY.
167
00:09:39,067 --> 00:09:42,497
USING A NEW TECHNIQUE TO SEE
BENEATH ANCIENT MAYA PYRAMIDS,
168
00:09:42,533 --> 00:09:46,433
HE BELIEVES THE ANSWER
MAY LIE UNDERGROUND.
169
00:09:46,467 --> 00:09:49,167
THIS IS ONE OF DOZENS
OF ANCIENT PYRAMIDS
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00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,500
HIDDEN IN THE MEXICAN JUNGLE.
171
00:09:52,533 --> 00:09:55,873
IT MAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT
FROM THE FAMOUS CASTILLO,
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BUT IT'S WHAT MANY
MAYA PYRAMIDS LOOK LIKE
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BEFORE ARCHEOLOGISTS
RESTORE THEM.
174
00:10:01,333 --> 00:10:06,273
WE HAVE TO DEPLOY THE ELECTRODES
ON TOP OF THE PYRAMID...
175
00:10:09,133 --> 00:10:12,273
Narrator: RENE'S TEAM
LAYS A WEB OF ELECTRODES,
176
00:10:12,300 --> 00:10:13,500
WHICH THEY WILL USE TO SEND
177
00:10:13,533 --> 00:10:16,873
AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT
THROUGH THE GROUND.
178
00:10:16,900 --> 00:10:20,830
THE TEAM WILL MEASURE
HOW EASILY THE CURRENT TRAVELS.
179
00:10:20,867 --> 00:10:23,097
THEIR READINGS WILL REVEAL
IF ANY STRUCTURES
180
00:10:23,133 --> 00:10:26,973
OR STRANGE NATURAL FORMATIONS
LIE BENEATH THE ROCKS AND SOIL.
181
00:10:59,567 --> 00:11:03,367
IT TAKES TIME TO PROCESS
THE DATA FROM TODAY'S SURVEY.
182
00:11:05,833 --> 00:11:08,173
RENE CAN ONLY HOPE
IT PROVIDES RESULTS
183
00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,170
AS SPECTACULAR
AS HIS RECENT FINDINGS
184
00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:11,800
FROM A SIMILAR INVESTIGATION
185
00:11:11,833 --> 00:11:14,703
AT CHICHEN ITZA'S
GREAT CASTILLO PYRAMID.
186
00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,770
IN THIS MODEL,
EACH COLOR REPRESENTS
187
00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:26,800
A DIFFERENT GEOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
188
00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:50,770
RENE'S RESULTS REVEAL
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
189
00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,570
HIDDEN DIRECTLY BENEATH
THE CASTILLO PYRAMID,
190
00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,900
BELOW A FIVE-YARD-THICK
LAYER OF LIMESTONE
191
00:12:02,933 --> 00:12:06,603
SITS A GIANT UNDERGROUND CAVE
FULL OF WATER --
192
00:12:06,633 --> 00:12:10,103
A FORMATION KNOWN AS A CENOTE.
193
00:12:10,133 --> 00:12:15,433
THE CAVE CONTAINS AS MUCH WATER
AS SIX OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS.
194
00:12:15,467 --> 00:12:19,567
IT EXTENDS
OVER 65 FEET UNDERGROUND.
195
00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:21,670
BUILDING A PYRAMID
RIGHT ON TOP OF A CAVE
196
00:12:21,700 --> 00:12:26,230
FULL OF WATER
MIGHT SEEM SURPRISING,
197
00:12:26,267 --> 00:12:29,127
BUT ITS EXISTENCE HERE
HAS DRAMATIC IMPLICATIONS
198
00:12:29,167 --> 00:12:32,297
FOR OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THIS ICONIC TEMPLE.
199
00:12:54,833 --> 00:12:57,873
WITHOUT DIGGING, THERE'S NO WAY
TO ACCESS THE CENOTE
200
00:12:57,900 --> 00:13:00,070
HIDDEN UNDER THE CASTILLO.
201
00:13:01,533 --> 00:13:03,233
SO ARCHEOLOGISTS MEMO DE ANDA
202
00:13:03,267 --> 00:13:05,867
IS VISITING
ANOTHER NEARBY CENOTE
203
00:13:05,900 --> 00:13:09,070
TO INVESTIGATE WHAT MAY LIE
BENEATH THE PYRAMID.
204
00:13:09,067 --> 00:13:10,427
De Anda: ISN'T THIS WONDERFUL?
205
00:13:10,467 --> 00:13:13,467
IT'S ONE OF THE MANY CENOTES
206
00:13:13,500 --> 00:13:15,930
WE HAVE
IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.
207
00:13:15,967 --> 00:13:19,167
IT'S A WONDER OF NATURE.
208
00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,530
HUGE CAVERN, THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY WHAT CENOTES ARE.
209
00:13:22,567 --> 00:13:26,567
IT'S A HUGE CAVERN THAT GOT
FLOODED WITH LOTS OF RAIN
210
00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,730
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
211
00:13:28,767 --> 00:13:32,727
AND YOU CAN REALLY FEEL
THE MAGIC OF BEING HERE.
212
00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:35,500
Narrator: THERE'S ONE
CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE
213
00:13:35,533 --> 00:13:39,573
BETWEEN THIS CENOTE
AND THE ONE UNDER THE CASTILLO.
214
00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,800
AT THIS CENOTE,
THE ROOF HAS FALLEN IN,
215
00:13:41,833 --> 00:13:45,503
MAKING IT LOOK MORE LIKE
A LAKE THAN A CAVE.
216
00:13:45,533 --> 00:13:47,533
THE ONE BELOW EL CASTILLO
217
00:13:47,567 --> 00:13:49,627
PROBABLY IS GOING
TO COLLAPSE ONE DAY.
218
00:13:49,667 --> 00:13:51,167
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN.
219
00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,600
IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR CENTURIES.
220
00:13:53,633 --> 00:13:56,633
SO, HOPEFULLY,
NOT FOR A LONG TIME.
221
00:14:01,333 --> 00:14:03,633
Narrator: UNDERGROUND LAKES
LIKE THIS ARE THE REASON
222
00:14:03,667 --> 00:14:07,867
THE GREAT CITY OF CHICHEN ITZA
WAS BUILT IN THIS AREA.
223
00:14:07,900 --> 00:14:11,300
THERE ARE NO SURFACE RIVERS
IN THIS PART OF MEXICO.
224
00:14:12,833 --> 00:14:14,433
THE ONLY SOURCE
OF DRINKING WATER
225
00:14:14,467 --> 00:14:17,227
WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND
IN CENOTES.
226
00:14:19,067 --> 00:14:21,497
BUT THESE WEREN'T
JUST A SOURCE OF WATER.
227
00:14:24,833 --> 00:14:27,103
De Anda:
THEY WERE PLACES FOR WORSHIP,
228
00:14:27,133 --> 00:14:29,673
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE
DON'T UNDERSTAND,
229
00:14:29,700 --> 00:14:33,300
BUT WHEN YOU STAND HERE
AND SEE THIS BEAUTY
230
00:14:33,333 --> 00:14:37,073
AND FEEL THIS MAGIC,
YOU UNDERSTAND.
231
00:14:38,067 --> 00:14:40,367
Narrator: CENOTES HAD DEEP
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
232
00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,830
AND WERE SEEN AS A PHYSICAL LINK
TO THE MAYA UNDERWORLD.
233
00:14:46,867 --> 00:14:48,767
IS IT POSSIBLE THE ANCIENT MAYA
234
00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:52,730
KNEW ABOUT THE CENOTE
HIDDEN UNDER THE CASTILLO?
235
00:14:52,767 --> 00:14:56,727
DID THEY BUILD
ON TOP OF IT ON PURPOSE?
236
00:14:56,767 --> 00:14:59,297
MEMO BELIEVES THE MUST HAVE
237
00:14:59,333 --> 00:15:01,803
BECAUSE THE CASTILLO
HAS A REMARKABLE RELATIONSHIP
238
00:15:01,833 --> 00:15:03,903
WITH FOUR OTHER IMPORTANT
UNDERGROUND LAKES
239
00:15:03,933 --> 00:15:07,873
THAT ARE VISIBLE
ON THE CHICHEN ITZA SITE.
240
00:15:07,900 --> 00:15:12,070
De Anda: THIS IS EL CASTILLO
OR KUKULKAN TEMPLE.
241
00:15:12,067 --> 00:15:14,897
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
AMAZING ABOUT THIS BUILDING
242
00:15:14,933 --> 00:15:19,803
IS THAT IT'S SITUATED RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF FOUR CENOTES.
243
00:15:19,833 --> 00:15:23,733
IT'S THE SACRED CENOTE
TO THE NORTH,
244
00:15:23,767 --> 00:15:26,727
THE XTOLOC CENOTE TO THE SOUTH,
245
00:15:26,767 --> 00:15:30,927
SAGRADO CENOTE TO THE EAST,
246
00:15:30,967 --> 00:15:33,967
AND HOLTUN CENOTE TO THE WEST.
247
00:15:34,067 --> 00:15:36,397
Narrator: THE ANCIENT MAYA
DIVIDED THEIR UNIVERSE
248
00:15:36,433 --> 00:15:39,073
INTO QUADRANTS.
249
00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:42,670
THESE WERE ALIGNED WITH
THE FOUR POINTS OF THE COMPASS.
250
00:15:42,700 --> 00:15:44,470
COULD CHICHEN ITZA'S LAYOUT BE
251
00:15:44,500 --> 00:15:49,100
A PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION
OF THE MAYA UNIVERSE?
252
00:15:49,133 --> 00:15:51,773
SO IF YOU DRAW TWO LINES,
253
00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:56,670
THE CENTER OF THOSE LINES
IS EL CASTILLO.
254
00:15:56,700 --> 00:15:58,100
EL CASTILLO WAS BUILT THERE
255
00:15:58,133 --> 00:16:02,533
BECAUSE THE ORIENTATION
OF THOSE FOUR CENOTES.
256
00:16:02,567 --> 00:16:04,327
Narrator:
HOW THOSE ANCIENT MAYA KNEW
257
00:16:04,367 --> 00:16:08,067
ABOUT THE FIFTH CENOTE UNDER
THE CASTILLO REMAINS A MYSTERY,
258
00:16:08,067 --> 00:16:10,427
BUT MEMO BELIEVES THEY DID,
259
00:16:10,467 --> 00:16:12,627
AND THAT THE GREAT PYRAMID
WAS BUILT ON THIS SITE
260
00:16:12,667 --> 00:16:16,827
BECAUSE IT SYMBOLIZED
THE CENTER OF THE MAYA UNIVERSE.
261
00:16:16,867 --> 00:16:19,967
De Anda: WHEN THEY SAID THERE IS
A CENOTE UNDER THE CASTILLO,
262
00:16:20,067 --> 00:16:25,067
AND YOU SEE IT'S THE CENTER
OF THESE SACRED ALIGNMENT,
263
00:16:25,067 --> 00:16:28,067
IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
264
00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:29,430
Narrator: THE LAYOUT
OF THESE CENOTES
265
00:16:29,467 --> 00:16:32,497
CREATED A LOCATION
WITH DEEP RELIGIOUS MEANING.
266
00:16:34,667 --> 00:16:37,467
BUT THE SACRED SIGNIFICANCE
DOESN'T END HERE.
267
00:16:40,367 --> 00:16:43,097
DURING EXCAVATIONS
AT THE CASTILLO PYRAMID,
268
00:16:43,133 --> 00:16:46,373
ARCHEOLOGISTS MAKE
AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY.
269
00:16:53,833 --> 00:16:55,833
Narrator: AT THE BASE
OF THE CASTILLO PYRAMID,
270
00:16:55,867 --> 00:16:58,867
ARCHEOLOGISTS MAKE
A SURPRISING DISCOVERY.
271
00:17:07,700 --> 00:17:09,500
DIGGING MORE THAN
SIX FEED UNDERGROUND,
272
00:17:09,533 --> 00:17:11,803
THEY UNEARTHED A DARK SECRET.
273
00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:19,070
AMONGST THE RUBBLE,
THEY FOUND SHARDS OF BONE,
274
00:17:19,100 --> 00:17:21,200
SKULL FRAGMENTS, AND EVEN TEETH
275
00:17:21,233 --> 00:17:25,733
THAT PROVE
THESE REMAINS ARE HUMAN.
276
00:17:25,767 --> 00:17:28,497
ARCHEOLOGISTS UNEARTHED
OVER 900 PIECES
277
00:17:28,533 --> 00:17:32,973
BELONGING TO OVER 100
DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
278
00:17:33,067 --> 00:17:35,197
WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE?
279
00:17:35,233 --> 00:17:37,103
AND WHY WERE THEY BURIED HERE?
280
00:17:44,167 --> 00:17:48,227
THESE MYSTERIOUS FINDS
TELL AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.
281
00:17:49,900 --> 00:17:53,830
AT HER LAB IN MERIDA,
BIO-ARCHEOLOGIST VERA TIESLER
282
00:17:53,867 --> 00:17:56,597
FORENSICALLY ANALYZES THE BONES.
283
00:17:57,700 --> 00:17:59,770
SHE'S UNCOVERING
THE REMARKABLE SECRETS
284
00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,300
OF WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE
285
00:18:02,333 --> 00:18:06,303
AND WHY THEY WEREN'T GIVEN
A PROPER BURIAL OR CREMATED.
286
00:18:06,333 --> 00:18:09,773
THESE REMAINS WERE FOUND
AT ONE SIDE OF THE CASTILLO'S,
287
00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,630
AND THERE WAS A HIGH INCIDENCE
OF DIFFERENT FORMS
288
00:18:12,667 --> 00:18:15,297
OF A NUTRITIONAL DEPRIVATION,
289
00:18:15,333 --> 00:18:18,073
EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO
WITH SUFFERING, HUNGER,
290
00:18:18,067 --> 00:18:19,767
NOT BEING NOURISHED ADEQUATELY,
291
00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,800
OR SUFFERING FROM MANY, MANY
EPISODES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE,
292
00:18:23,833 --> 00:18:26,333
FOR EXAMPLE.
293
00:18:26,367 --> 00:18:28,297
Narrator: THESE BONES
COME FROM PEOPLE
294
00:18:28,333 --> 00:18:30,503
ON THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY,
295
00:18:30,533 --> 00:18:32,103
INDIVIDUALS IN POOR HEALTH
296
00:18:32,133 --> 00:18:36,303
WHO WERE NOT VALUED
OR WHO WERE EXPENDABLE.
297
00:18:36,333 --> 00:18:37,773
IN THIS SKULL CAP,
298
00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,770
WHAT WE SEE ARE THESE
DISTINCTIVE PORES.
299
00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:46,600
THEY MOSTLY STEM FROM EPISODES
OF ANEMIA DURING INFANCY.
300
00:18:46,633 --> 00:18:50,733
IF WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THESE TEETH,
301
00:18:50,767 --> 00:18:53,627
WE CAN SEE THESE
DISTINCTIVE GROOVES
302
00:18:53,667 --> 00:18:56,397
THAT CROSS OVER THE SURFACE.
303
00:18:56,433 --> 00:18:59,573
AND THESE BASICALLY TELL US
THAT A PERSON SUFFERED
304
00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,930
FROM SEVERAL EPISODES
OF PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS.
305
00:19:06,733 --> 00:19:09,073
Narrator: VERA FINDS EVIDENCE
THAT THE SURROUNDING FLESH
306
00:19:09,067 --> 00:19:12,427
WAS DELIBERATELY REMOVED
FROM SOME OF THESE BONES.
307
00:19:15,367 --> 00:19:17,597
THE BONY REMNANTS
THAT WE RECOVERED
308
00:19:17,633 --> 00:19:22,203
AROUND EL CASTILLO SHOW
DISTINCTIVE CUT MARKS.
309
00:19:22,233 --> 00:19:24,503
Narrator: IT'S NO NORMAL BURIAL.
310
00:19:24,533 --> 00:19:28,803
WHAT THESE REMAINS SHOW
IS BASICALLY PRACTICES
311
00:19:28,833 --> 00:19:34,103
THAT RELATE TO FLAYING
TO DE-FLESHING --
312
00:19:34,133 --> 00:19:37,733
BODY PROCESSING, SO TO SPEAK.
313
00:19:37,767 --> 00:19:39,297
Narrator: VERY BELIEVES
THESE BONES
314
00:19:39,333 --> 00:19:44,073
ARE EVIDENCE OF GRUESOME
SACRIFICIAL RITUALS.
315
00:19:44,067 --> 00:19:46,167
Tiesler: THEY'RE REMNANTS
THAT PROBABLY STEM
316
00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:50,300
FROM RITUAL ACTIONS INVOLVING
ANIMAL AND HUMAN SACRIFICE.
317
00:19:52,367 --> 00:19:55,467
BUT THESE WERE PART OF PRACTICES
318
00:19:55,500 --> 00:19:58,070
CONDUCTED BY
ELITE PRACTITIONERS,
319
00:19:58,067 --> 00:20:02,197
ELITE PRIESTS FROM CHICHEN ITZA.
320
00:20:04,100 --> 00:20:06,930
Narrator: THIS IS
A REMARKABLE CLAIM.
321
00:20:06,967 --> 00:20:09,727
HOW CAN VERA EVEN BE CERTAIN
THAT REMAINS LIKE THESE
322
00:20:09,767 --> 00:20:11,597
BELONG TO THE ANCIENT MAYA?
323
00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:18,330
SOME TRULY COMPELLING EVIDENCE
COMES FROM THE SACRED CENOTE --
324
00:20:18,367 --> 00:20:20,067
ONE OF THE FOUR
UNDERGROUND LAKES
325
00:20:20,100 --> 00:20:22,170
THAT SURROUND THE CASTILLO.
326
00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:27,500
THIS SKULL COMES FROM THE SACRED
CENOTE OF CHICHEN ITZA.
327
00:20:27,533 --> 00:20:30,703
IT'S CAST FROM A CHILD'S SKULL.
328
00:20:33,533 --> 00:20:35,403
Narrator:
ONE CRUCIAL CLUE REVEALS
329
00:20:35,433 --> 00:20:38,573
THAT THIS CANNOT
BE A MODERN SKULL --
330
00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:40,030
ITS SHAPE.
331
00:20:40,067 --> 00:20:44,467
Tiesler: THIS HEAD FORM
HAS BEEN CALLED TOP FLATTENING.
332
00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:46,970
IT'S A SORT OF ARTIFICIAL SHAPE
333
00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,900
THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED
WITH BOARDS
334
00:20:49,933 --> 00:20:55,503
AND ADAPTED TO MAKE THE TOP
OF THE HEAD MORE FLATTENED.
335
00:20:55,533 --> 00:20:58,133
Narrator: HEAD SHAPING
WAS A COMMON MAYA PRACTICE,
336
00:20:58,167 --> 00:21:01,067
AND ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND
MANY MORE SKULLS LIKE THIS
337
00:21:01,100 --> 00:21:02,970
IN THE SACRED CENOTE.
338
00:21:03,067 --> 00:21:07,267
THIS HEAD IS ONE OUT OF MORE
THAN A HUNDRED INFANT SKELETONS
339
00:21:07,300 --> 00:21:10,470
THAT WERE FOUND
IN THE SACRED CENOTE.
340
00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:12,170
Narrator: THE PRESENCE
OF SO MANY BONES
341
00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,500
CAN BE NO ACCIDENT.
342
00:21:14,533 --> 00:21:17,403
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED
IN THE CENOTE INTENTIONALLY --
343
00:21:17,433 --> 00:21:20,503
PROBABLY AS OFFERINGS
TO THE MAYA GODS.
344
00:21:21,533 --> 00:21:23,073
ARCHEOLOGIST MEMO DE ANDA
345
00:21:23,100 --> 00:21:25,830
IS NOW INVESTIGATING
THIS ASTONISHING THEORY.
346
00:21:25,867 --> 00:21:30,367
WHY WOULD A SOPHISTICATED
SOCIETY LIKE THE ANCIENT MAYA
347
00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,770
HAVE PRACTICED HUMAN SACRIFICE?
348
00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,200
NEW CLUES LIE AT THE BOTTOM
OF THIS DEEP ABYSS.
349
00:21:41,267 --> 00:21:43,267
Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA...
350
00:21:43,300 --> 00:21:45,230
THIS MYSTERIOUS ANCIENT CITY
351
00:21:45,267 --> 00:21:48,627
IS SLOWLY GIVING UP
ITS SECRETS.
352
00:21:48,667 --> 00:21:51,067
INVESTIGATIONS ARE SHEDDING
DRAMATIC NEW LIGHT
353
00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:54,500
ON ITS SPECTACULAR BUILDINGS
AND RELIGIOUS RITUALS.
354
00:21:57,333 --> 00:22:00,173
THE REMAINS OF HUNDREDS
OF VICTIMS OF HUMAN SACRIFICE
355
00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,930
HAVE BEEN FOUND INSIDE
CHICHEN ITZA'S SACRED CENOTE.
356
00:22:05,367 --> 00:22:08,927
COULD THIS DARK PRACTICE HAVE
HAPPENED AT OTHER CENOTES, TOO?
357
00:22:16,067 --> 00:22:18,127
ARCHEOLOGIST MEMO DE ANDA
IS CONDUCTING
358
00:22:18,167 --> 00:22:20,667
A MAJOR NEW INVESTIGATION
AT UNDERGROUND LAKES
359
00:22:20,700 --> 00:22:22,800
ACROSS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.
360
00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,700
HE'S INVESTIGATED
HUNDREDS OF CENOTES
361
00:22:26,733 --> 00:22:29,073
OVER HIS 25-YEAR CAREER.
362
00:22:30,633 --> 00:22:33,873
MEMO WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
THE PART HUMAN SACRIFICE PLAYED
363
00:22:33,900 --> 00:22:37,070
IN MAYA'S SACRED RITES.
364
00:22:37,100 --> 00:22:39,270
HE'S CREATING
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING
365
00:22:39,300 --> 00:22:42,170
OF THE OFFERINGS HE FINDS
TO HUNT FOR CLUES.
366
00:22:43,433 --> 00:22:44,833
TODAY, THIS WORK
HAS BROUGHT HIM
367
00:22:44,867 --> 00:22:46,427
TO ANOTHER OF THE FOUR CENOTES
368
00:22:46,467 --> 00:22:49,467
THAT SURROUND
THE CASTILLO PYRAMID.
369
00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:54,800
WE ARE AT CENOTE HOLTUN
INSIDE CHICHEN ITZA.
370
00:22:54,833 --> 00:22:58,333
AND THE ANCIENT MAYA
CARVED THE ENTRANCE.
371
00:22:58,367 --> 00:23:00,227
IT'S SPECTACULAR,
IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
372
00:23:00,267 --> 00:23:02,267
IT'S A HUGE DOME.
373
00:23:02,300 --> 00:23:03,570
READY TO GO.
374
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,070
Narrator: THE ONLY WAY
TO EXPLORE THIS HIDDEN LAKE
375
00:23:06,067 --> 00:23:08,867
IS TO DIVE.
376
00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:11,300
BUT THE ONLY WAY
TO REACH THE WATER
377
00:23:11,333 --> 00:23:15,733
IS A NEARLY 80-FOOT
VERTICAL ABSEIL INTO THE DARK.
378
00:23:15,767 --> 00:23:18,067
THIS IS NOT
FOR THE FAINTHEARTED.
379
00:23:20,133 --> 00:23:24,933
THIS VAST CAVERN
EXTENDS OVER 225 FEET DOWN.
380
00:23:24,967 --> 00:23:27,227
IT CONTAINS A LARGE
UNDERGROUND LAKE
381
00:23:27,267 --> 00:23:30,297
OVER 160 FEET DEEP.
382
00:23:30,333 --> 00:23:32,333
De Anda: GOING DOWN IN A CENOTE
383
00:23:32,367 --> 00:23:35,227
IS ONE OF THE BEST
EXPERIENCES IN THE WORLD.
384
00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,400
Narrator: RAINWATER CARVED
THIS IMMENSE CAVERN
385
00:23:46,433 --> 00:23:50,773
INTO THE LIMESTONE BEDROCK
OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
386
00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,300
De Anda: WE'RE ABOUT
EIGHT, NINE METERS DOWN.
387
00:23:53,333 --> 00:23:58,203
AND CAN SEE THE CULTURAL
RICHNESS OF THIS PLACE.
388
00:24:03,233 --> 00:24:05,733
AND I DON'T WANT
TO APPROACH TOO CLOSE
389
00:24:05,767 --> 00:24:10,567
BECAUSE IT CAN DESTROY
EVERYTHING IN A SECOND.
390
00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,870
Narrator: MEMO IS MAKING
SOME SHOCKING DISCOVERIES --
391
00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:16,600
CERAMIC OFFERINGS,
392
00:24:16,633 --> 00:24:18,333
A KNIFE,
393
00:24:18,367 --> 00:24:20,767
ANIMAL BONES,
394
00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,930
AND HUMAN REMAINS.
395
00:24:23,967 --> 00:24:26,367
EACH TIME HE DIVES
INTO THIS CENOTE,
396
00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,530
MEMO TAKES
HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
397
00:24:28,567 --> 00:24:30,897
OF HIS FINDS FROM ALL ANGLES.
398
00:24:30,933 --> 00:24:34,533
BUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
IN THIS MYSTERIOUS CAVERN?
399
00:24:34,567 --> 00:24:37,227
MEMO HAS FOUND
A REMARKABLE CLUE.
400
00:24:37,267 --> 00:24:40,827
De Anda: RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,
YOU CAN SEE A SHELF.
401
00:24:40,867 --> 00:24:46,067
IT'S A NATURAL SHELF,
IDEAL TO MAKE A RITUAL DEPOSIT.
402
00:24:46,067 --> 00:24:48,897
Narrator: MORE BONES,
OTHER OFFERINGS,
403
00:24:48,933 --> 00:24:53,133
AND EVEN TRACES OF CHARCOAL
REMAIN ON THIS SHELF.
404
00:24:53,167 --> 00:24:55,067
AMAZINGLY, IT APPEARS
THIS PLATFORM
405
00:24:55,100 --> 00:24:57,400
WAS ONCE A SACRED ALTAR.
406
00:24:58,467 --> 00:25:01,597
De Anda: THIS IS PART OF
THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
407
00:25:01,633 --> 00:25:03,873
CENOTES ARE SILENT WITNESSES
408
00:25:03,900 --> 00:25:08,300
OF A VERY IMPORTANT PART
OF THE ANCIENT MAYAN LIFE.
409
00:25:08,333 --> 00:25:11,133
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF THEIR UNIVERSE.
410
00:25:15,633 --> 00:25:18,303
Narrator: MEMO HAS FOUND SOME
TRULY EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE
411
00:25:18,333 --> 00:25:21,073
ABOUT THE RITES
CONDUCTED IN THIS CENOTE.
412
00:25:24,067 --> 00:25:26,067
De Anda: IT WAS
A VERY, VERY NICE DIVE.
413
00:25:26,100 --> 00:25:29,070
AND I THINK WE GET
WHAT WE NEEDED.
414
00:25:30,367 --> 00:25:32,667
Narrator: MEMO HAS BEEN
PHOTOGRAPHING THIS SITE
415
00:25:32,700 --> 00:25:35,570
FOR FIVE YEARS.
416
00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,400
A CUSTOM-MADE
COMPUTER PROGRAM
417
00:25:37,433 --> 00:25:40,233
HAS PROCESSED THE PHOTOS
TAKEN SO FAR...
418
00:25:40,267 --> 00:25:43,067
AND TURNED THEM INTO AMAZING
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS
419
00:25:43,067 --> 00:25:44,827
OF HIS DISCOVERIES.
420
00:25:44,867 --> 00:25:47,397
WHAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW
IS A BIRD'S EYE VIEW
421
00:25:47,433 --> 00:25:49,403
OF THE WHOLE SHELF.
422
00:25:49,433 --> 00:25:52,073
THIS IS AN AMAZING,
AMAZING IMAGE.
423
00:25:52,067 --> 00:25:54,397
I CAN TELL YOU
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT
424
00:25:54,433 --> 00:25:55,903
IT'S UNIQUE IN THE WORLD.
425
00:25:55,933 --> 00:26:00,203
THERE'S NO OTHER ARCHEOLOGICAL
PROJECT THAT IS DOING THIS.
426
00:26:00,233 --> 00:26:02,903
Narrator: THE MODELS PROVIDE
AN INCREDIBLE PERMANENT RECORD
427
00:26:02,933 --> 00:26:06,073
OF THE CENOTE'S
MYSTERIOUS CONTENTS.
428
00:26:07,367 --> 00:26:10,227
IT'S THE NEXT BEST THING
OF HAVING AN OBJECT IN MY HAND.
429
00:26:10,267 --> 00:26:14,427
AND THE BEAUTY OF THIS
IS THAT WE LEAVE THEM THERE.
430
00:26:15,967 --> 00:26:17,267
Narrator: THIS MODEL ALLOWS MEMO
431
00:26:17,300 --> 00:26:19,770
TO STUDY THE SHELF
IN MORE DETAIL.
432
00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:21,900
IT EVEN SHOWS STINGRAY SPINES,
433
00:26:21,933 --> 00:26:25,773
ANOTHER ITEM ASSOCIATED
WITH MAYA RELIGIOUS RITUALS.
434
00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:29,970
STINGRAY SPINES WERE USED
IN CEREMONIES, RITUALS --
435
00:26:30,067 --> 00:26:31,967
RITUALS TO ATTRACT RAIN.
436
00:26:32,067 --> 00:26:34,167
THEY USED TO BE, LIKE,
SELF-SACRIFICE.
437
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,870
BLOODLETTING -- A LOT OF BLOOD
COULD MEAN A LOT OF FERTILITY,
438
00:26:38,900 --> 00:26:42,530
ESPECIALLY IF THIS BLOOD
COMES FROM THE PENIS.
439
00:26:42,567 --> 00:26:44,067
Narrator: IS IT POSSIBLE RITUALS
440
00:26:44,100 --> 00:26:47,530
LIKE BLOODLETTING
WERE CARRIED OUT HERE?
441
00:26:47,567 --> 00:26:51,797
AND IF SO, HOW DID THE MAYA
UTILIZE THIS UNDERWATER PLACE
442
00:26:51,833 --> 00:26:55,133
WITHOUT MODERN DIVING EQUIPMENT?
443
00:27:00,067 --> 00:27:02,427
Narrator: ARCHEOLOGIST
MEMO DE ANDA IS UNCOVERING
444
00:27:02,467 --> 00:27:03,867
HOW THE MAYA CONSTRUCTED
445
00:27:03,900 --> 00:27:06,470
A SACRED ALTAR
ON A SHELF DEEP UNDERWATER
446
00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:09,630
WITHOUT THE USE
OF DIVING EQUIPMENT.
447
00:27:09,667 --> 00:27:11,897
PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.
448
00:27:11,933 --> 00:27:14,073
MEMO BELIEVES
THE WATER LEVEL IN THE CENOTE
449
00:27:14,100 --> 00:27:16,570
MUST HAVE BEEN MUCH LOWER WHEN
THE OFFERINGS WERE LEFT HERE,
450
00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,870
THANKS TO A TERRIBLE
NATURAL PHENOMENON
451
00:27:18,900 --> 00:27:21,870
THAT THREATENED THE ENTIRE
FUTURE OF CHICHEN ITZA --
452
00:27:21,900 --> 00:27:24,200
DROUGHT.
453
00:27:24,233 --> 00:27:31,073
THIS SHELF, PROBABLY, WAS ABOVE
WATER SOME 1,200 YEARS AGO,
454
00:27:31,067 --> 00:27:33,767
WHEN THIS PLACE WAS DRY.
455
00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,070
AND MAYBE IT WAS DRY
BECAUSE OF THIS BIG DROUGHT.
456
00:27:38,067 --> 00:27:43,397
SO THIS SHELF, THIS LEDGE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
457
00:27:45,467 --> 00:27:47,967
Narrator: THE SHELF LIES
NEARLY 100 FEET DOWN,
458
00:27:48,067 --> 00:27:50,697
TUCKED AWAY AT THE FAR EDGE
OF THE CAVERN.
459
00:27:50,733 --> 00:27:53,703
AS DROUGHTS HIT, THE WATER LEVEL
IN THE CENOTE DROPPED,
460
00:27:53,733 --> 00:27:55,503
EXPOSING THE SHELF.
461
00:27:57,667 --> 00:28:00,397
THE MAYA PROBABLY CLIMBED
DOWN INTO THE CENOTE
462
00:28:00,433 --> 00:28:02,803
USING A LADDER BUILT FROM
PIECES OF TREE TRUNK
463
00:28:02,833 --> 00:28:05,273
TIED TOGETHER
WITH FLEXIBLE BRANCHES.
464
00:28:09,833 --> 00:28:11,773
THEY COULD DESCEND
INTO THE CENOTE
465
00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,070
TO LEAVE THEIR OFFERINGS,
466
00:28:14,067 --> 00:28:16,527
PERHAPS REACHING
THE SHELF BY CANOE.
467
00:28:19,633 --> 00:28:21,633
MANY YEARS LATER,
WITH THE DROUGHTS OVER,
468
00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:23,467
THE WATER LEVEL ROSE AGAIN,
469
00:28:23,500 --> 00:28:27,230
COVERING THE ARTIFACTS
AND PRESERVING THEM TO THIS DAY.
470
00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:32,400
WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
CONDUCT THESE ELABORATE RITUALS?
471
00:28:32,433 --> 00:28:36,673
THE MOSTLY GOD THAT THEY
WERE OFFERED TO WAS CHAAC,
472
00:28:36,700 --> 00:28:38,200
THE RAIN GOD.
473
00:28:38,233 --> 00:28:41,473
I THINK THEY MAKE THESE
OFFERINGS TO ENCOURAGE RAINS.
474
00:28:44,700 --> 00:28:49,200
Narrator: CENOTES LAY
AT THE HEART OF CHICHEN ITZA.
475
00:28:49,233 --> 00:28:51,533
THEY PROVIDED LIFE-GIVING WATER.
476
00:28:53,567 --> 00:28:55,267
THEY HAD IMMENSE
RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE,
477
00:28:55,300 --> 00:28:57,100
ESPECIALLY WHEN DROUGHT HIT.
478
00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,100
AND THEY EVEN DICTATED
THE LOCATION
479
00:29:02,133 --> 00:29:05,203
OF THE GREAT CASTILLO PYRAMID.
480
00:29:05,233 --> 00:29:07,733
BUT COULD THE CASTILLO'S
DISTINCTIVE SHAPE
481
00:29:07,767 --> 00:29:09,667
HOLD HIDDEN MEANING, TOO?
482
00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:11,870
COULD THERE BE MORE
TO ITS OUTER APPEARANCE
483
00:29:11,900 --> 00:29:13,630
THAN FIRST MEETS THE EYE?
484
00:29:15,733 --> 00:29:17,573
De Anda:
IT'S MUCH MORE THAN A BUILDING.
485
00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:20,100
YOU SEE THE PERFECTION
IN THE LINES.
486
00:29:20,133 --> 00:29:22,133
BUT WHEN YOU KNOW
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT,
487
00:29:22,167 --> 00:29:26,797
IT'S -- YOU KNOW,
IT'S A MATHEMATICAL BUILDING.
488
00:29:26,833 --> 00:29:29,473
IT'S RELATED TO ASTRONOMY.
489
00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:33,070
IT'S RELATED TO
THE AGRICULTURAL CYCLES.
490
00:29:37,667 --> 00:29:41,127
Narrator: THIS PYRAMID
CONTAINS ANOTHER SECRET.
491
00:29:41,167 --> 00:29:45,227
IT'S ALSO A MONUMENTAL
CALENDAR FOR THE CITY.
492
00:29:45,267 --> 00:29:50,797
18 STONE TERRACES REPRESENT
THE 18 MAYA MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
493
00:29:50,833 --> 00:29:54,973
91 STEPS ON EACH SIDE,
PLUS THE TOP PLATFORM,
494
00:29:55,067 --> 00:29:57,927
GIVE 365 STEPS --
495
00:29:57,967 --> 00:30:00,397
ONE FOR EACH DAY OF THE YEAR.
496
00:30:00,433 --> 00:30:02,403
AND TWICE A YEAR ON THE EQUINOX,
497
00:30:02,433 --> 00:30:05,433
THE SUN CASTS A SHADOW
SO PERFECTLY ALIGNED,
498
00:30:05,467 --> 00:30:10,597
AN IMMENSE SNAKE APPEARS
TO SLITHER DOWN THE MAIN STEPS.
499
00:30:10,633 --> 00:30:13,133
THIS IS THE SERPENT GOD
KUKULKAN,
500
00:30:13,167 --> 00:30:15,327
TO WHOM THE TEMPLE IS DEDICATED.
501
00:30:18,633 --> 00:30:19,933
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND
502
00:30:19,967 --> 00:30:22,427
HOW THEY COULD MASTER
THE TECHNIQUE
503
00:30:22,467 --> 00:30:25,427
NOT ONLY TO BUILD
THIS FANTASTIC BUILDING,
504
00:30:25,467 --> 00:30:28,227
BUT TO MAKE IT SO BEAUTIFUL,
SO INTERESTING,
505
00:30:28,267 --> 00:30:30,967
AND RELATE IT TO THE SUN,
506
00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:33,970
TO RELATE IT TO
THE CHANGES OF SEASONS.
507
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,530
IT'S GREAT.
508
00:30:39,467 --> 00:30:41,397
Narrator: THE ANCIENT MAYA
WERE SO DEDICATED
509
00:30:41,433 --> 00:30:44,273
TO TRACKING THE MOVEMENTS
OF THE PLANETS AND STARS
510
00:30:44,300 --> 00:30:47,000
THAT THEY EVEN
CONSTRUCTED THIS BUILDING --
511
00:30:47,033 --> 00:30:50,073
AN EXTRAORDINARY OBSERVATORY.
512
00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:52,270
De Anda:
WELL, THIS IS EL CARACOL.
513
00:30:52,300 --> 00:30:54,870
IT'S A WONDERFUL BUILDING.
514
00:30:54,900 --> 00:30:58,670
IT RECEIVED THAT NAME
BECAUSE OF THE SPIRAL FORM.
515
00:30:58,700 --> 00:31:03,830
Narrator: "CARACOL" MEANS SNAIL
OR SEA SHELL IN SPANISH
516
00:31:03,867 --> 00:31:06,067
BECAUSE HIDDEN INSIDE
THE OBSERVATORY
517
00:31:06,067 --> 00:31:08,067
IS A SPIRAL STAIRCASE.
518
00:31:10,567 --> 00:31:13,167
De Anda: THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR
SERVED THE PURPOSE
519
00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:17,500
OF GAZING THE SKIES
AND MAPPING THEM.
520
00:31:17,533 --> 00:31:20,503
AND THEY WERE
VERY GOOD ASTRONOMERS.
521
00:31:20,533 --> 00:31:22,433
THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD KNOWLEDGE
522
00:31:22,467 --> 00:31:26,167
OF THE MOVEMENT
OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES.
523
00:31:27,967 --> 00:31:29,897
Narrator: THE ANCIENT MAYA
DIDN'T HAVE TELESCOPES,
524
00:31:29,933 --> 00:31:31,373
BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP THEM
525
00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:36,070
FROM MAKING INCREDIBLY DETAILED
OBSERVATIONS WITH THE NAKED EYE.
526
00:31:36,067 --> 00:31:39,627
De Anda: THIS BUILDING, IT'S
ON TOP OF SEVERAL PLATFORMS,
527
00:31:39,667 --> 00:31:45,497
AND STANDS OUT MAYBE TO AVOID
THE CANOPY OF TREES.
528
00:31:45,533 --> 00:31:50,103
JUST HIGH ENOUGH FOR
THE ANCIENT MAYAN ASTRONOMERS
529
00:31:50,133 --> 00:31:51,933
TO LOOK ALL AROUND,
530
00:31:51,967 --> 00:31:55,897
EVEN WHEN THE SUN
IS RISING OR IT'S SETTING.
531
00:31:56,900 --> 00:31:59,130
Narrator: DUE TO
THE CARACOL'S RUINED CONDITION,
532
00:31:59,167 --> 00:32:01,927
FEW OF THE OBSERVATORY WINDOWS
REMAIN.
533
00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,330
De Anda:
THERE IS ACTUALLY THREE OF THEM.
534
00:32:06,367 --> 00:32:08,967
THEY'RE
VERY INTERESTINGLY ALIGNED.
535
00:32:13,133 --> 00:32:16,773
Narrator: THE MAYA ALIGNED
THE CARACOL WITH THE HEAVENS.
536
00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:20,200
THE MAIN STAIRCASE FACES
THE SETTING POINT OF VENUS,
537
00:32:20,233 --> 00:32:23,673
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
OBJECTS IN THE MAYA SKY.
538
00:32:26,167 --> 00:32:28,567
THE TOWER ON THE TOP
HAS WINDOWS THAT LINE UP
539
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,230
WITH VENUS' NORTHERN
AND SOUTHERNMOST POSITIONS.
540
00:32:31,267 --> 00:32:34,497
AND A THIRD WINDOW IS ALIGNED
WITH ASTRONOMICAL SOUTH.
541
00:32:36,567 --> 00:32:40,067
THE CORNERS OF THE BASE PLATFORM
ALIGN WITH THE SUN'S SHADOW
542
00:32:40,067 --> 00:32:42,627
ON THE SOLSTICE
SUNRISE AND SUNSET.
543
00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:50,700
INCREDIBLY, AT LEAST
20 ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
544
00:32:50,733 --> 00:32:54,603
ARE INCORPORATED
INTO THIS STRUCTURE.
545
00:32:54,633 --> 00:32:58,473
THE MAYA USED THEIR OBSERVATIONS
TO PREDICT HARVESTS, DEATHS,
546
00:32:58,500 --> 00:33:00,930
AND EVEN GOOD TIMES
TO GO TO WAR.
547
00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:05,600
CHICHEN ITZA...
548
00:33:05,633 --> 00:33:08,073
A CITY SHAPED BY THE EARTH,
549
00:33:08,067 --> 00:33:09,397
BY WATER,
550
00:33:09,433 --> 00:33:11,833
AND BY THE MOVEMENTS
OF THE PLANETS.
551
00:33:11,867 --> 00:33:15,527
WHERE THE BUILDINGS
ARE MOLDED BY BELIEFS,
552
00:33:15,567 --> 00:33:19,327
WHERE SACRED MEANING
IS NEVER FAR AWAY.
553
00:33:19,367 --> 00:33:21,827
BUT HOW DID THIS CITY
BECOME SO SUCCESSFUL
554
00:33:21,867 --> 00:33:23,467
AND SO POWERFUL?
555
00:33:23,500 --> 00:33:29,070
AN INVESTIGATION 125 MILES AWAY
REVEALS STARTLING CLUES.
556
00:33:34,733 --> 00:33:38,233
Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO.
557
00:33:38,267 --> 00:33:40,927
THIS ABANDONED CITY WAS ONCE
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
558
00:33:40,967 --> 00:33:45,927
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CENTERS
IN THE AMERICAS,
559
00:33:45,967 --> 00:33:49,567
DRAWING PILGRIMS FROM FAR
AND WIDE TO ITS SACRED SITES.
560
00:33:51,567 --> 00:33:54,427
HOW DID PEOPLE TRAVEL ACROSS
THE CITY, THROUGH DENSE JUNGLE
561
00:33:54,467 --> 00:33:57,067
AND SOMETIMES
WATERLOGGED GROUND?
562
00:33:59,467 --> 00:34:05,297
THE SOLUTION --
SACBES, A UNIQUE KIND OF ROAD.
563
00:34:05,333 --> 00:34:09,203
THIS AMAZING ROAD
WE'RE WALKING ON NOW,
564
00:34:09,233 --> 00:34:12,503
IT'S ONE OF THE SACBES
OR WIDE ROADS.
565
00:34:12,533 --> 00:34:14,703
YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY WIDE.
566
00:34:14,733 --> 00:34:17,133
AND IT'S HIGH.
567
00:34:17,167 --> 00:34:20,297
Narrator: THIS MIGHT NOT LOOK
LIKE ANYTHING SPECIAL,
568
00:34:20,333 --> 00:34:24,303
BUT A MIRACLE OF ENGINEERING
LIES HIDDEN BENEATH THE SURFACE.
569
00:34:27,067 --> 00:34:28,797
RAISED HIGH ABOVE
THE JUNGLE FLOOR
570
00:34:28,833 --> 00:34:32,633
TO ESCAPE THE SWAMPY GROUND
OF THE RAINY SEASON,
571
00:34:32,667 --> 00:34:34,597
THESE SOPHISTICATED CAUSEWAYS
572
00:34:34,633 --> 00:34:38,473
ARE A MARVEL
OF ANCIENT ENGINEERING.
573
00:34:38,500 --> 00:34:41,070
AT THE BASE, LARGE STONES
ARE FIXED IN PLACE
574
00:34:41,067 --> 00:34:45,467
WITH ANCIENT MORTAR
TO CREATE A SOLID FOUNDATION.
575
00:34:45,500 --> 00:34:48,770
TINY STONES LEVEL THE SURFACE,
576
00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,430
AND MASONRY WALLS
ENCLOSE THE SIDES.
577
00:34:53,167 --> 00:34:55,567
ANCIENT PLASTER MADE FROM
POWDERED LIMESTONE
578
00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:58,400
FORMS THE TOP LAYER,
579
00:34:58,433 --> 00:35:01,103
CREATING A FORTIFIED,
SMOOTH PATH TO ALLOW
580
00:35:01,133 --> 00:35:02,503
CHICHEN ITZA'S CITIZENS
581
00:35:02,533 --> 00:35:04,973
TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE CITY
WITH EASE.
582
00:35:10,567 --> 00:35:12,927
I THINK THEY HAD
A LOT OF FUNCTIONS.
583
00:35:12,967 --> 00:35:15,567
COMMUNICATING --
THAT'S FOR SURE ONE OF THEM.
584
00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,070
THAT'S THE MAIN USE OF ROADS.
585
00:35:18,067 --> 00:35:21,197
THIS IS LIKE AN UMBILICAL CORD,
586
00:35:21,233 --> 00:35:23,773
JUST PULLING THE SITE TOGETHER.
587
00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,670
BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF REASONS,
588
00:35:26,700 --> 00:35:30,070
JUST PRACTICALLY
OR SYMBOLICALLY,
589
00:35:30,067 --> 00:35:34,227
OR TO EXTEND
THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES.
590
00:35:34,267 --> 00:35:35,827
Narrator:
ARCHEOLOGISTS ARE CONSTANTLY
591
00:35:35,867 --> 00:35:38,797
FINDING NEW CAUSEWAYS.
592
00:35:38,833 --> 00:35:43,103
THE SCALE OF THOSE DISCOVERED
SO FAR AT CHICHEN ITZA IS VAST.
593
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,070
SACBES CAUSEWAYS
CRISSCROSSED OVER THE CITY,
594
00:35:49,067 --> 00:35:51,127
CONNECTING THE MAIN
TEMPLES WITH QUARRIES
595
00:35:51,167 --> 00:35:53,097
AND OUTLYING COMMUNITIES.
596
00:35:56,467 --> 00:35:59,827
ONE LED TO THE SACRED CENOTE
OVER 300 YARDS AWAY,
597
00:35:59,867 --> 00:36:01,667
THROUGH THE JUNGLE.
598
00:36:01,700 --> 00:36:03,770
OTHERS EVEN STRETCHED
OUT OF CHICHEN ITZA
599
00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:06,770
TO DISTANT SETTLEMENTS
OVER FOUR MILES AWAY.
600
00:36:08,967 --> 00:36:11,967
MORE THAN 90 OF THESE WHITE
ROADS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED,
601
00:36:12,067 --> 00:36:15,597
REVEALING THE COMPLEX NETWORK
OF THIS GREAT METROPOLIS.
602
00:36:18,767 --> 00:36:22,827
THEY ALL LED BACK
TO THE CENTER OF CHICHEN ITZA.
603
00:36:22,867 --> 00:36:24,627
IN ITS PRIME, A BUSTLING CITY
604
00:36:24,667 --> 00:36:27,527
WITH A POPULATION
OF MORE THAN 30,000.
605
00:36:28,900 --> 00:36:31,630
THESE SACBES WERE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
606
00:36:31,667 --> 00:36:35,527
THEY REALLY HELPED
THE CITIES TO THRIVE.
607
00:36:35,567 --> 00:36:37,067
Narrator:
BUT CAUSEWAYS ON THEIR OWN
608
00:36:37,067 --> 00:36:41,097
WERE NOT ENOUGH TO ENSURE
CHICHEN ITZA'S SUCCESS.
609
00:36:41,133 --> 00:36:43,433
THERE WERE NO NEARBY RIVERS.
610
00:36:43,467 --> 00:36:44,767
IT WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF YEARS
611
00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:48,100
BEFORE THE FIRST HORSES
ARRIVED IN MEXICO.
612
00:36:48,133 --> 00:36:50,933
AND THE MAYA HAD NOT
INVENTED THE WHEEL.
613
00:36:50,967 --> 00:36:53,497
HOW COULD PEOPLE TRAVEL
LONGER DISTANCES
614
00:36:53,533 --> 00:36:55,703
OR MOVE GOODS FAST?
615
00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:04,470
125 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CHICHEN ITZA,
616
00:37:04,500 --> 00:37:06,870
ARCHEOLOGIST JEFFREY GLOVER
AND HIS TEAM
617
00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:09,070
ARE SEARCHING FOR CLUES.
618
00:37:10,333 --> 00:37:13,273
WATER BECAME
THE HIGHWAY, YOU KNOW.
619
00:37:13,300 --> 00:37:15,770
YOU WOULD HAVE HUNDREDS,
THOUSANDS OF THESE CANOES
620
00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:18,730
ANNUALLY TRAVELING
UP AND DOWN THE COAST.
621
00:37:20,633 --> 00:37:22,833
HOME, SWEET HOME.
622
00:37:22,867 --> 00:37:24,967
Narrator: THIS IS VISTA ALEGRE,
623
00:37:25,067 --> 00:37:27,367
THE SITE OF A MYSTERIOUS
LONG-ABANDONED,
624
00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,070
COASTAL SETTLEMENT.
625
00:37:30,067 --> 00:37:33,067
JEFFERY BELIEVES VISTA ALEGRE
WAS ONCE A SEA PORT
626
00:37:33,067 --> 00:37:36,497
WITH CONNECTIONS
TO CHICHEN ITZA.
627
00:37:36,533 --> 00:37:39,873
HE'S TRYING TO FIND EVIDENCE
TO LINK THE TWO SITES.
628
00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:43,200
SO FAR, JEFFREY AND HIS TEAM
629
00:37:43,233 --> 00:37:47,073
HAVE FOUND THE REMAINS
OF ANCIENT STRUCTURES,
630
00:37:47,067 --> 00:37:50,567
SHARDS OF OBSIDIAN --
A ROCK USED IN TOOLS --
631
00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,130
AND FRAGMENTS OF POTTERY.
632
00:37:53,167 --> 00:37:54,597
BUT A KEY CLUE COMES FROM
633
00:37:54,633 --> 00:37:56,703
A PARTICULAR VARIETY
OF POTTERY
634
00:37:56,733 --> 00:38:00,133
KNOWN AS BALANTUN
BLACK ON SLATE.
635
00:38:02,433 --> 00:38:08,273
Glover: SO THIS
IS BALANTUN BLACK ON SLATE.
636
00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:09,830
IT HAS THAT
LOVELY TRICKLE DESIGN
637
00:38:09,867 --> 00:38:12,567
THAT WAS REALLY POPULAR
ACROSS THE YUCATAN
638
00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:14,300
FROM THE CLASSIC PERIOD.
639
00:38:14,333 --> 00:38:16,203
YOU KNOW, THE COOL THING
ABOUT THIS, RIGHT, IS THAT
640
00:38:16,233 --> 00:38:21,733
IT'S A DOMESTIC WARE
THAT'S VERY COMMON AT CHICHEN.
641
00:38:21,767 --> 00:38:25,267
IT'S WHAT YOU TYPICALLY WOULD
FIND IN HOUSEHOLDS AT CHICHEN.
642
00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:27,100
YEAH, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T
SEEM LIKE MUCH.
643
00:38:27,133 --> 00:38:29,233
IT'S JUST A BIT
OF BROKEN POTTERY.
644
00:38:29,267 --> 00:38:31,327
BUT IT CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATES A LINK
645
00:38:31,367 --> 00:38:35,367
BETWEEN OUR REGION
AND THE CHICHEN REGION.
646
00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:37,070
Narrator:
FROM THE POTTERY EVIDENCE,
647
00:38:37,100 --> 00:38:40,930
WE KNOW THAT THIS SETTLEMENT
WAS LINKED TO CHICHEN ITZA.
648
00:38:40,967 --> 00:38:43,867
BUT WHAT EXACTLY WAS THIS PLACE?
649
00:38:43,900 --> 00:38:45,370
A PORT TO PROVIDE TRADERS
650
00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:49,170
EN ROUTE TO CHICHEN
WITH FOOD AND PROVISIONS?
651
00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:50,730
OR SOMETHING MORE?
652
00:38:50,767 --> 00:38:53,227
AN OFFICIAL OUTPOST
THAT CHICHEN ITZA CREATED
653
00:38:53,267 --> 00:38:55,597
TO CONTROL SEA TRADE?
654
00:38:55,633 --> 00:39:00,073
JEFFREY HOPES HIS WORK HERE
WILL ONE DAY SOLVE THIS RIDDLE.
655
00:39:00,100 --> 00:39:03,170
EITHER WAY, IT APPEARS
VISTA ALEGRE WAS ONE COG
656
00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,070
IN A HIGHLY EFFICIENT
TRADING MACHINE
657
00:39:05,067 --> 00:39:08,267
THAT SERVED THE GREAT CITY
OF CHICHEN ITZA.
658
00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:15,300
LONG-DISTANCE TRADE
WAS CONDUCTED BY SEA
659
00:39:15,333 --> 00:39:18,373
AND BASED AROUND THE MAYA CANOE.
660
00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:20,430
EACH CANOE WAS
UP TO 60 FEET LONG
661
00:39:20,467 --> 00:39:22,967
AND COULD CARRY
SEVERAL TONS OF CARGO.
662
00:39:27,233 --> 00:39:30,873
EACH PORT WAS ABOUT
25 MILES FROM THE NEXT --
663
00:39:30,900 --> 00:39:34,070
THE DISTANCE THAT COULD BE
TRAVELED BY CANOE IN ONE DAY.
664
00:39:37,433 --> 00:39:41,603
THIS POWERFUL TRADE NETWORK
STRETCHED ALL AROUND THE COAST.
665
00:39:41,633 --> 00:39:45,433
THE STEPPING STONES LED
TO CHICHEN ITZA'S MAIN PORT --
666
00:39:45,467 --> 00:39:47,567
ISLA CERRITOS.
667
00:39:49,233 --> 00:39:52,803
UP TO 400 CANOES
TRADED HERE AT ONE TIME.
668
00:39:52,833 --> 00:39:55,703
THIS LUCRATIVE PORT STRENGTHENED
CHICHEN ITZA'S POWER
669
00:39:55,733 --> 00:39:58,733
OVER THE WHOLE PENINSULA.
670
00:39:58,767 --> 00:40:01,367
Glover: THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAVE
REALLY FUELED THE CITY,
671
00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:03,230
THAT IT GREW INTO A HUGE CITY,
672
00:40:03,267 --> 00:40:05,267
I THINK, THROUGH
THE RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
673
00:40:05,300 --> 00:40:07,930
AS A PILGRIMAGE CENTER
WAS IMPORTANT.
674
00:40:07,967 --> 00:40:12,797
BUT IT BEING AN ECONOMIC
JUGGERNAUT WAS, I THINK,
675
00:40:12,833 --> 00:40:15,233
PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT
TO ITS SUCCESS.
676
00:40:17,533 --> 00:40:20,633
Narrator: TRADE HELPED
CHICHEN ITZA TO THRIVE.
677
00:40:20,667 --> 00:40:25,727
THE CITY GREW RICH SELLING SALT,
CACAO, AND TEXTILES,
678
00:40:25,767 --> 00:40:27,097
AND BROUGHT IN PRECIOUS STONES
679
00:40:27,133 --> 00:40:30,203
SUCH AS OBSIDIAN
USED TO CREATE TOOLS.
680
00:40:31,900 --> 00:40:36,100
BUT, SOON, THE MIGHT WOULD FALL.
681
00:40:36,133 --> 00:40:38,173
BY THE END OF THE 11th CENTURY,
682
00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,700
CHICHEN ITZA
WAS IN MAJOR DECLINE.
683
00:40:43,467 --> 00:40:46,967
WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS
POWERFUL CITY-STATE TO COLLAPSE?
684
00:40:49,967 --> 00:40:51,627
MEMO BELIEVES THE ANSWER LIES
685
00:40:51,667 --> 00:40:53,567
IN THE CENOTES
THAT WERE SO IMPORTANT
686
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,670
TO THE ANCIENT PEOPLE
OF THIS REGION
687
00:40:56,700 --> 00:41:00,730
AND IN THE EVIDENCE
THEY CONTAIN OF DROUGHT.
688
00:41:00,767 --> 00:41:03,727
De Anda:
WE HAD FOUND THAT THE SITE
689
00:41:03,767 --> 00:41:07,567
HAD TO OVERCOME A HUGE DROUGHT,
690
00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,830
5, 10, OR MAYBE
15 YEARS WITHOUT RAIN.
691
00:41:10,867 --> 00:41:12,597
THEY HAD NO AGRICULTURE.
692
00:41:12,633 --> 00:41:15,173
SO NO WAY TO FEED THE PEOPLE.
693
00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:18,970
WE HAVE FOUND
THIS EVIDENCE IN CENOTES
694
00:41:19,067 --> 00:41:23,527
WHERE WE COULD SEE
HOW THE WATER LEVEL LOWERED.
695
00:41:23,567 --> 00:41:25,767
Narrator: UNDERGROUND LAKES
WITH THEIR SEEMINGLY
696
00:41:25,800 --> 00:41:28,370
BOTTOMLESS SUPPLY OF FRESH WATER
HAD BEEN THE KEY
697
00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:30,570
TO CHICHEN ITZA'S SUCCESS.
698
00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:37,430
NOW AS THAT WATER RAN LOW
AND THE HARVESTS FAILED,
699
00:41:37,467 --> 00:41:42,067
CHICHEN ITZA'S GLORY DAYS
HAD COME TO AN END.
700
00:41:42,100 --> 00:41:45,730
THE RULERS, THE KINGS
OF THE MAYAN AREA,
701
00:41:45,767 --> 00:41:49,427
THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
DESCENDENTS OF THE GODS.
702
00:41:49,467 --> 00:41:55,397
SO THEY ATTRIBUTED
THEMSELVES A DIVINE ORIGIN.
703
00:41:55,433 --> 00:41:59,233
SO WHEN THEY CANNOT,
COULD NOT PRODUCE WATER,
704
00:41:59,267 --> 00:42:02,467
PEOPLE MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY, VERY ANGRY.
705
00:42:02,500 --> 00:42:04,100
SOME PEOPLE MOVING AWAY,
706
00:42:04,133 --> 00:42:07,973
SOME OTHERS TRYING
TO GET THE POWER AND TO CONTROL.
707
00:42:08,067 --> 00:42:10,097
Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA
WAS GRADUALLY ABANDONED
708
00:42:10,133 --> 00:42:13,403
AND RECLAIMED BY THE JUNGLE.
709
00:42:13,433 --> 00:42:16,073
ITS SECRETS WERE
ALMOST LOST FOREVER.
710
00:42:18,367 --> 00:42:23,627
BUT THANKS TO INVESTIGATIONS
BY ARCHEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS,
711
00:42:23,667 --> 00:42:27,827
THE MYSTERIOUS CITY
OF CHICHEN ITZA IS BEGINNING,
712
00:42:27,867 --> 00:42:29,767
LITTLE BY LITTLE,
713
00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:32,300
TO GIVE UP
ITS BEST-KEPT SECRETS.
714
00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:38,930
THE INGENIOUS STRUCTURE
OF ITS SACBES CAUSEWAYS,
715
00:42:38,967 --> 00:42:43,597
THE ANCIENT PYRAMID
HIDDEN INSIDE THE CASTILLO,
716
00:42:43,633 --> 00:42:48,173
AND THE HUMAN REMAINS
IN ITS VERY FOUNDATIONS.
717
00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:51,400
THESE MAKE CHICHEN ITZA
718
00:42:51,433 --> 00:42:55,973
ONE OF THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING
ANCIENT WONDERS EVER BUILT.
54359
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