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Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA,
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00:00:05,439 --> 00:00:07,606
A SPECTACULAR ANCIENT MAYA CITY
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SHROUDED IN MYSTERY AND MYTHS.
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00:00:10,177 --> 00:00:13,912
IT'S THE GREATEST
ANCIENT CITY IN THE WORLD.
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00:00:13,914 --> 00:00:16,181
Narrator:
IT'S A JUNGLE METROPOLIS
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WITH A HIDDEN UNDERWORLD
AND DARK SECRETS.
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00:00:21,155 --> 00:00:24,289
WHAT HAPPENED
TO THIS LOST CIVILIZATION?
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00:00:24,291 --> 00:00:28,394
THE BIG QUESTION THAT DRIVES US
IS WHY PEOPLE WERE HERE.
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00:00:28,396 --> 00:00:33,065
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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00:00:38,339 --> 00:00:41,807
THE ONLY WAY TO
SOLVE THESE MYSTERIES
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00:00:41,809 --> 00:00:46,145
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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00:00:53,554 --> 00:00:56,355
AT THE HEART
OF THIS ANCIENT WONDER.
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00:00:56,357 --> 00:00:59,358
-- 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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00:01:17,912 --> 00:01:21,113
IN ASTRONOMY, MATHEMATICS,
AND ARCHITECTURE.
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00:01:23,184 --> 00:01:26,151
AND FOR THEIR BLOOD-CURDLING
RELIGIOUS RITES.
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00:01:30,291 --> 00:01:33,425
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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00:01:37,465 --> 00:01:40,499
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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00:02:31,785 --> 00:02:35,821
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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00:02:56,744 --> 00:02:59,044
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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00:03:04,218 --> 00:03:07,019
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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00:03:39,987 --> 00:03:42,221
ALL THIS MATERIAL
IS RIGHT THERE.
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00:03:42,223 --> 00:03:45,757
Narrator: THE LIMESTONE
LAY WITHIN VERY EASY REACH.
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THE SOIL IS VERY, VERY THIN.
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00:03:47,861 --> 00:03:51,496
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
70
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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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00:04:18,192 --> 00:04:22,794
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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00:04:30,871 --> 00:04:33,338
THAT THEY STARTED WORKING.
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'CAUSE, SEE,
THIS IS PERFECTLY ROUND,
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00:04:35,876 --> 00:04:39,311
AND WE CAN SEE ON ONE SIDE
THE START OF THE FORMATION
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00:04:39,313 --> 00:04:42,714
OF A MOUTH OF A SNAKE.
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00:04:42,716 --> 00:04:46,285
BUT SOMEHOW, THEY LEAVE IT HERE.
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00:04:46,287 --> 00:04:50,088
MAYBE BECAUSE IT GOT BROKEN.
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00:04:50,090 --> 00:04:53,258
Narrator: A REMARKABLE CLUE
CARVED BY A MAYA CRAFTSMAN
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00:04:53,260 --> 00:04:55,060
A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
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00:04:55,062 --> 00:04:57,696
De Anda:
AND IT SHOWS US BY BEING HERE
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IS THAT THEY OBTAINED
THE MATERIAL,
86
00:05:00,167 --> 00:05:02,034
AND THEY WORK IT RIGHT HERE.
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00:05:02,036 --> 00:05:06,638
THEY TAKE IT WHEN IT WAS
FINISHED UP TO THE CITY.
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00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,574
SO THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING.
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00:05:09,576 --> 00:05:12,511
Narrator: THE LOCAL GEOLOGY
PROVIDED CHICHEN ITZA'S BUILDERS
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00:05:12,513 --> 00:05:15,714
WITH AN ENDLESS SUPPLY
OF LIMESTONE.
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00:05:15,716 --> 00:05:18,216
BUT THERE'S A FURTHER MYSTERY.
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00:05:18,218 --> 00:05:21,787
THE ANCIENT MAYA
HAD NO ACCESS TO METAL TOOLS.
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00:05:21,789 --> 00:05:25,090
HOW DID THEY GET THIS STONE
OUT OF THE GROUND?
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00:05:25,092 --> 00:05:26,558
De Anda: IT IS INTERESTING,
95
00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:28,527
AND IT'S AMAZING
AT THE SAME TIME.
96
00:05:28,529 --> 00:05:31,396
HOW CAN THEY BUILD
THESE FANTASTIC CITIES
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00:05:31,398 --> 00:05:34,266
ONLY WITH STONE TOOLS?
98
00:05:34,268 --> 00:05:35,801
Narrator: THE RESOURCEFUL MAYA
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00:05:35,803 --> 00:05:38,503
CAME UP WITH
AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION.
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00:05:41,542 --> 00:05:46,278
THEY USED SHARDS OF
RAZOR-SHARP STONES LIKE CHERT,
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00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,081
SOMETIMES ATTACHING THEM
TO WOODEN STICKS.
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00:05:51,985 --> 00:05:55,754
THEY GOUGED DEEP CHANNELS
INTO THE GROUND,
103
00:05:55,756 --> 00:05:59,424
CARVING A CHECKERBOARD PATTERN
INTO THE LIMESTONE ROCKS.
104
00:06:02,896 --> 00:06:04,896
THE WORKERS DUG DOWN
UNTIL THEY REACHED
105
00:06:04,898 --> 00:06:07,432
A NATURAL BREAK
IN THE LIMESTONE BEDROCK.
106
00:06:08,736 --> 00:06:10,702
THIS WAY,
THE CHECKERBOARD BLOCKS
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00:06:10,704 --> 00:06:13,004
WOULD CRACK AWAY
FROM THE GROUND.
108
00:06:14,808 --> 00:06:18,110
THEN THEY USED WOODEN LEVERS
TO PRY THE BLOCKS OUT.
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00:06:24,017 --> 00:06:27,786
HOW MUCH EFFORT DID IT TAKE
TO REMOVE HEAVY LIMESTONE BLOCKS
110
00:06:27,788 --> 00:06:30,088
WITHOUT MODERN MACHINERY?
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00:06:30,090 --> 00:06:34,493
TO FIND OUT, MEMO IS HEADING TO
A STONE MASONS YARD IN MERIDA,
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00:06:34,495 --> 00:06:37,963
ABOUT 70 MILES
FROM CHICHEN ITZA.
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00:06:38,999 --> 00:06:42,334
THE STONE MASONS
ATTEMPT AN EXPERIMENT.
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00:06:45,739 --> 00:06:48,006
THEY USE WOODEN LEVERS
TO TRY TO EXTRACT
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00:06:48,008 --> 00:06:51,143
A TWO-TON LIMESTONE BLOCK,
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00:06:51,145 --> 00:06:54,212
JUST AS THE ANCIENT MAYA
WOULD HAVE DONE.
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00:06:56,383 --> 00:07:00,819
De Anda: ALL THE STONES THEY
PUT THERE TO MAKE A LEVER.
118
00:07:00,821 --> 00:07:03,321
I THINK WE PUT
A LITTLE BIT TOO MANY.
119
00:07:03,323 --> 00:07:07,626
SO WE NEED SPACE
FOR THE BIG LEVER.
120
00:07:09,129 --> 00:07:11,663
THESE GUYS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY
SKILLFUL AND STRONG.
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00:07:11,665 --> 00:07:14,599
I MEAN, THEY'RE GREAT.
122
00:07:14,601 --> 00:07:16,368
SO FAR, SO GOOD.
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[ LAUGHS ]
124
00:07:18,505 --> 00:07:21,039
Narrator: SHIFTING THE LIMESTONE
THE OLD FASHIONED WAY
125
00:07:21,041 --> 00:07:25,777
CLEARLY REQUIRED BOTH TECHNIQUE
AND PLENTY OF MANPOWER.
126
00:07:25,779 --> 00:07:27,345
De Anda: TODAY, THAT I HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY
127
00:07:27,347 --> 00:07:30,649
TO MOVE THIS RELATIVELY
SMALL STONE
128
00:07:30,651 --> 00:07:32,751
AND IT WAS SO HARD.
129
00:07:32,753 --> 00:07:34,753
AND THERE WERE
A LOT OF PEOPLE,
130
00:07:34,755 --> 00:07:37,622
I REALIZED HOW HARD IT WAS.
131
00:07:37,624 --> 00:07:42,127
AND I'M GETTING MORE AND MORE
AND MORE RESPECT FOR THE MAYA,
132
00:07:42,129 --> 00:07:43,428
FOR WHAT THEY DO.
133
00:07:43,430 --> 00:07:44,830
IT'S AMAZING.
134
00:07:44,832 --> 00:07:46,731
WOW, THAT WAS GREAT.
135
00:07:46,733 --> 00:07:47,766
[ LAUGHS ]
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00:07:47,768 --> 00:07:49,634
THESE GUYS ARE GREAT.
137
00:07:49,636 --> 00:07:52,604
[ APPLAUSE ]
138
00:07:52,606 --> 00:07:54,172
WOW.
139
00:07:54,174 --> 00:07:57,676
Narrator: MOVING ONE STONE
WAS BACK-BREAKING WORK.
140
00:07:57,678 --> 00:08:00,579
YET THIS PYRAMID IS MADE
OF TENS OF THOUSANDS
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00:08:00,581 --> 00:08:02,714
OF LIMESTONE BLOCKS.
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00:08:02,716 --> 00:08:06,351
HOW DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
BUILD IT?
143
00:08:06,353 --> 00:08:08,954
THE SECRET TO CONSTRUCTING
THIS AMAZING TEMPLE
144
00:08:08,956 --> 00:08:11,490
LIES HIDDEN INSIDE
145
00:08:11,492 --> 00:08:14,526
BECAUSE THIS PYRAMID
ISN'T QUITE WHAT IT SEEMS.
146
00:08:17,731 --> 00:08:21,700
CONCEALED BENEATH THE SMOOTH
FACADE IS A LAYER OF RUBBLE.
147
00:08:24,271 --> 00:08:26,304
UNDER THAT, AN OLDER PYRAMID,
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00:08:26,306 --> 00:08:30,075
ROUGHLY HALF
THE CASTILLO'S SIZE.
149
00:08:30,077 --> 00:08:36,181
ITS STAIRCASE LEADS TO A SACRED
TEMPLE WITH TWO CHAMBERS.
150
00:08:36,183 --> 00:08:39,584
AT THEIR HEART, A THRONE
IN THE SHAPE OF A JAGUAR
151
00:08:39,586 --> 00:08:44,823
WITH JADE STONE EYES
AND WHITE FLINT TEETH
152
00:08:44,825 --> 00:08:49,060
AND A MYSTERIOUS RECLINING
STATUE KNOWN AS A CHAC MOOL.
153
00:08:50,831 --> 00:08:52,731
BUILDING ON TOP OF THIS
EXISTING TEMPLE
154
00:08:52,733 --> 00:08:56,001
WAS AN INGENIOUS WAY
TO BUILD BIG
155
00:08:56,003 --> 00:08:58,970
AS A NEW ERA IN THE LIFE
OF THE CITY DAWNED.
156
00:09:01,174 --> 00:09:04,042
De Anda: THE ANCIENT MAYA,
THEY DID NOT DESTROY A BUILDING
157
00:09:04,044 --> 00:09:05,443
TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE.
158
00:09:05,445 --> 00:09:09,648
THEY JUST GO AHEAD AND BUILT
ON TOP OF THE OLD BUILDING.
159
00:09:09,650 --> 00:09:12,851
AND BUILT SOMETHING
MAJESTIC LIKE THIS.
160
00:09:12,853 --> 00:09:15,053
Narrator:
BUT WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
161
00:09:15,055 --> 00:09:19,591
BUILD A GREAT CITY HERE
IN THE MIDDLE OF DENSE JUNGLE?
162
00:09:24,778 --> 00:09:27,111
Narrator: IN THE VAST
LANDSCAPE OF THE YUCATAN,
163
00:09:27,113 --> 00:09:29,781
WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
CHOOSE THIS LOCATION
164
00:09:29,783 --> 00:09:31,949
FOR THEIR CITY?
165
00:09:31,951 --> 00:09:34,685
TO FIND OUT,
GEOPHYSICIST RENE CHAVEZ
166
00:09:34,687 --> 00:09:38,256
IS 75 MILES
WEST OF CHICHEN ITZA CITY.
167
00:09:38,258 --> 00:09:41,759
USING A NEW TECHNIQUE TO SEE
BENEATH ANCIENT MAYA PYRAMIDS,
168
00:09:41,761 --> 00:09:45,696
HE BELIEVES THE ANSWER
MAY LIE UNDERGROUND.
169
00:09:45,698 --> 00:09:48,433
THIS IS ONE OF DOZENS
OF ANCIENT PYRAMIDS
170
00:09:48,435 --> 00:09:51,769
HIDDEN IN THE MEXICAN JUNGLE.
171
00:09:51,771 --> 00:09:55,139
IT MAY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT
FROM THE FAMOUS CASTILLO,
172
00:09:55,141 --> 00:09:57,341
BUT IT'S WHAT MANY
MAYA PYRAMIDS LOOK LIKE
173
00:09:57,343 --> 00:10:00,578
BEFORE ARCHEOLOGISTS
RESTORE THEM.
174
00:10:00,580 --> 00:10:05,483
WE HAVE TO DEPLOY THE ELECTRODES
ON TOP OF THE PYRAMID...
175
00:10:08,388 --> 00:10:11,556
Narrator: RENE'S TEAM
LAYS A WEB OF ELECTRODES,
176
00:10:11,558 --> 00:10:12,790
WHICH THEY WILL USE TO SEND
177
00:10:12,792 --> 00:10:16,160
AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT
THROUGH THE GROUND.
178
00:10:16,162 --> 00:10:20,131
THE TEAM WILL MEASURE
HOW EASILY THE CURRENT TRAVELS.
179
00:10:20,133 --> 00:10:22,400
THEIR READINGS WILL REVEAL
IF ANY STRUCTURES
180
00:10:22,402 --> 00:10:26,204
OR STRANGE NATURAL FORMATIONS
LIE BENEATH THE ROCKS AND SOIL.
181
00:10:58,872 --> 00:11:02,573
IT TAKES TIME TO PROCESS
THE DATA FROM TODAY'S SURVEY.
182
00:11:05,078 --> 00:11:07,445
RENE CAN ONLY HOPE
IT PROVIDES RESULTS
183
00:11:07,447 --> 00:11:09,447
AS SPECTACULAR
AS HIS RECENT FINDINGS
184
00:11:09,449 --> 00:11:11,082
FROM A SIMILAR INVESTIGATION
185
00:11:11,084 --> 00:11:13,918
AT CHICHEN ITZA'S
GREAT CASTILLO PYRAMID.
186
00:11:21,861 --> 00:11:24,061
IN THIS MODEL,
EACH COLOR REPRESENTS
187
00:11:24,063 --> 00:11:26,030
A DIFFERENT GEOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
188
00:11:46,786 --> 00:11:50,021
RENE'S RESULTS REVEAL
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
189
00:11:54,494 --> 00:11:58,896
HIDDEN DIRECTLY BENEATH
THE CASTILLO PYRAMID,
190
00:11:58,898 --> 00:12:02,166
BELOW A FIVE-YARD-THICK
LAYER OF LIMESTONE
191
00:12:02,168 --> 00:12:05,870
SITS A GIANT UNDERGROUND CAVE
FULL OF WATER --
192
00:12:05,872 --> 00:12:09,373
A FORMATION KNOWN AS A CENOTE.
193
00:12:09,375 --> 00:12:14,712
THE CAVE CONTAINS AS MUCH WATER
AS SIX OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS.
194
00:12:14,714 --> 00:12:18,849
IT EXTENDS
OVER 65 FEET UNDERGROUND.
195
00:12:18,851 --> 00:12:20,952
BUILDING A PYRAMID
RIGHT ON TOP OF A CAVE
196
00:12:20,954 --> 00:12:25,523
FULL OF WATER
MIGHT SEEM SURPRISING,
197
00:12:25,525 --> 00:12:28,426
BUT ITS EXISTENCE HERE
HAS DRAMATIC IMPLICATIONS
198
00:12:28,428 --> 00:12:31,529
FOR OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THIS ICONIC TEMPLE.
199
00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,188
WITHOUT DIGGING, THERE'S NO WAY
TO ACCESS THE CENOTE
200
00:12:57,190 --> 00:12:59,223
HIDDEN UNDER THE CASTILLO.
201
00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,493
SO ARCHEOLOGISTS MEMO DE ANDA
202
00:13:02,495 --> 00:13:05,129
IS VISITING
ANOTHER NEARBY CENOTE
203
00:13:05,131 --> 00:13:08,299
TO INVESTIGATE WHAT MAY LIE
BENEATH THE PYRAMID.
204
00:13:08,301 --> 00:13:09,700
De Anda: ISN'T THIS WONDERFUL?
205
00:13:09,702 --> 00:13:12,737
IT'S ONE OF THE MANY CENOTES
206
00:13:12,739 --> 00:13:15,206
WE HAVE
IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.
207
00:13:15,208 --> 00:13:18,442
IT'S A WONDER OF NATURE.
208
00:13:18,444 --> 00:13:21,812
HUGE CAVERN, THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY WHAT CENOTES ARE.
209
00:13:21,814 --> 00:13:25,850
IT'S A HUGE CAVERN THAT GOT
FLOODED WITH LOTS OF RAIN
210
00:13:25,852 --> 00:13:28,019
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
211
00:13:28,021 --> 00:13:31,956
AND YOU CAN REALLY FEEL
THE MAGIC OF BEING HERE.
212
00:13:33,359 --> 00:13:34,792
Narrator: THERE'S ONE
CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE
213
00:13:34,794 --> 00:13:38,863
BETWEEN THIS CENOTE
AND THE ONE UNDER THE CASTILLO.
214
00:13:38,865 --> 00:13:41,098
AT THIS CENOTE,
THE ROOF HAS FALLEN IN,
215
00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:44,802
MAKING IT LOOK MORE LIKE
A LAKE THAN A CAVE.
216
00:13:44,804 --> 00:13:46,837
THE ONE BELOW EL CASTILLO
217
00:13:46,839 --> 00:13:48,939
PROBABLY IS GOING
TO COLLAPSE ONE DAY.
218
00:13:48,941 --> 00:13:50,474
WE DON'T KNOW WHEN.
219
00:13:50,476 --> 00:13:52,910
IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR CENTURIES.
220
00:13:52,912 --> 00:13:55,880
SO, HOPEFULLY,
NOT FOR A LONG TIME.
221
00:14:00,553 --> 00:14:02,887
Narrator: UNDERGROUND LAKES
LIKE THIS ARE THE REASON
222
00:14:02,889 --> 00:14:07,124
THE GREAT CITY OF CHICHEN ITZA
WAS BUILT IN THIS AREA.
223
00:14:07,126 --> 00:14:10,494
THERE ARE NO SURFACE RIVERS
IN THIS PART OF MEXICO.
224
00:14:12,065 --> 00:14:13,698
THE ONLY SOURCE
OF DRINKING WATER
225
00:14:13,700 --> 00:14:16,434
WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND
IN CENOTES.
226
00:14:18,304 --> 00:14:20,705
BUT THESE WEREN'T
JUST A SOURCE OF WATER.
227
00:14:24,077 --> 00:14:26,377
De Anda:
THEY WERE PLACES FOR WORSHIP,
228
00:14:26,379 --> 00:14:28,946
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE
DON'T UNDERSTAND,
229
00:14:28,948 --> 00:14:32,583
BUT WHEN YOU STAND HERE
AND SEE THIS BEAUTY
230
00:14:32,585 --> 00:14:36,087
AND FEEL THIS MAGIC,
YOU UNDERSTAND.
231
00:14:37,290 --> 00:14:39,657
Narrator: CENOTES HAD DEEP
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
232
00:14:39,659 --> 00:14:43,060
AND WERE SEEN AS A PHYSICAL LINK
TO THE MAYA UNDERWORLD.
233
00:14:46,132 --> 00:14:48,065
IS IT POSSIBLE THE ANCIENT MAYA
234
00:14:48,067 --> 00:14:52,036
KNEW ABOUT THE CENOTE
HIDDEN UNDER THE CASTILLO?
235
00:14:52,038 --> 00:14:56,040
DID THEY BUILD
ON TOP OF IT ON PURPOSE?
236
00:14:56,042 --> 00:14:58,609
MEMO BELIEVES THE MUST HAVE
237
00:14:58,611 --> 00:15:01,045
BECAUSE THE CASTILLO
HAS A REMARKABLE RELATIONSHIP
238
00:15:01,047 --> 00:15:03,147
WITH FOUR OTHER IMPORTANT
UNDERGROUND LAKES
239
00:15:03,149 --> 00:15:07,118
THAT ARE VISIBLE
ON THE CHICHEN ITZA SITE.
240
00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,288
De Anda: THIS IS EL CASTILLO
OR KUKULKAN TEMPLE.
241
00:15:11,290 --> 00:15:14,158
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
AMAZING ABOUT THIS BUILDING
242
00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:19,063
IS THAT IT'S SITUATED RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF FOUR CENOTES.
243
00:15:19,065 --> 00:15:23,000
IT'S THE SACRED CENOTE
TO THE NORTH,
244
00:15:23,002 --> 00:15:26,003
THE XTOLOC CENOTE TO THE SOUTH,
245
00:15:26,005 --> 00:15:30,207
SAGRADO CENOTE TO THE EAST,
246
00:15:30,209 --> 00:15:33,244
AND HOLTUN CENOTE TO THE WEST.
247
00:15:33,246 --> 00:15:35,679
Narrator: THE ANCIENT MAYA
DIVIDED THEIR UNIVERSE
248
00:15:35,681 --> 00:15:38,349
INTO QUADRANTS.
249
00:15:38,351 --> 00:15:41,952
THESE WERE ALIGNED WITH
THE FOUR POINTS OF THE COMPASS.
250
00:15:41,954 --> 00:15:43,754
COULD CHICHEN ITZA'S LAYOUT BE
251
00:15:43,756 --> 00:15:48,392
A PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION
OF THE MAYA UNIVERSE?
252
00:15:48,394 --> 00:15:51,061
SO IF YOU DRAW TWO LINES,
253
00:15:51,063 --> 00:15:55,966
THE CENTER OF THOSE LINES
IS EL CASTILLO.
254
00:15:55,968 --> 00:15:57,401
EL CASTILLO WAS BUILT THERE
255
00:15:57,403 --> 00:16:01,772
BECAUSE THE ORIENTATION
OF THOSE FOUR CENOTES.
256
00:16:01,774 --> 00:16:03,574
Narrator:
HOW THOSE ANCIENT MAYA KNEW
257
00:16:03,576 --> 00:16:07,244
ABOUT THE FIFTH CENOTE UNDER
THE CASTILLO REMAINS A MYSTERY,
258
00:16:07,246 --> 00:16:09,680
BUT MEMO BELIEVES THEY DID,
259
00:16:09,682 --> 00:16:11,882
AND THAT THE GREAT PYRAMID
WAS BUILT ON THIS SITE
260
00:16:11,884 --> 00:16:16,086
BECAUSE IT SYMBOLIZED
THE CENTER OF THE MAYA UNIVERSE.
261
00:16:16,088 --> 00:16:19,223
De Anda: WHEN THEY SAID THERE IS
A CENOTE UNDER THE CASTILLO,
262
00:16:19,225 --> 00:16:24,295
AND YOU SEE IT'S THE CENTER
OF THESE SACRED ALIGNMENT,
263
00:16:24,297 --> 00:16:27,331
IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
264
00:16:27,333 --> 00:16:28,699
Narrator: THE LAYOUT
OF THESE CENOTES
265
00:16:28,701 --> 00:16:31,702
CREATED A LOCATION
WITH DEEP RELIGIOUS MEANING.
266
00:16:33,906 --> 00:16:36,674
BUT THE SACRED SIGNIFICANCE
DOESN'T END HERE.
267
00:16:39,612 --> 00:16:42,379
DURING EXCAVATIONS
AT THE CASTILLO PYRAMID,
268
00:16:42,381 --> 00:16:45,616
ARCHEOLOGISTS MAKE
AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY.
269
00:16:52,467 --> 00:16:54,500
Narrator: AT THE BASE
OF THE CASTILLO PYRAMID,
270
00:16:54,502 --> 00:16:57,470
ARCHEOLOGISTS MAKE
A SURPRISING DISCOVERY.
271
00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:08,114
DIGGING MORE THAN
SIX FEED UNDERGROUND,
272
00:17:08,116 --> 00:17:10,349
THEY UNEARTHED A DARK SECRET.
273
00:17:12,887 --> 00:17:17,690
AMONGST THE RUBBLE,
THEY FOUND SHARDS OF BONE,
274
00:17:17,692 --> 00:17:19,825
SKULL FRAGMENTS, AND EVEN TEETH
275
00:17:19,827 --> 00:17:24,363
THAT PROVE
THESE REMAINS ARE HUMAN.
276
00:17:24,365 --> 00:17:27,133
ARCHEOLOGISTS UNEARTHED
OVER 900 PIECES
277
00:17:27,135 --> 00:17:31,604
BELONGING TO OVER 100
DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.
278
00:17:31,606 --> 00:17:33,839
WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE?
279
00:17:33,841 --> 00:17:35,674
AND WHY WERE THEY BURIED HERE?
280
00:17:42,784 --> 00:17:46,819
THESE MYSTERIOUS FINDS
TELL AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.
281
00:17:48,523 --> 00:17:52,491
AT HER LAB IN MERIDA,
BIO-ARCHEOLOGIST VERA TIESLER
282
00:17:52,493 --> 00:17:55,194
FORENSICALLY ANALYZES THE BONES.
283
00:17:56,330 --> 00:17:58,431
SHE'S UNCOVERING
THE REMARKABLE SECRETS
284
00:17:58,433 --> 00:18:00,900
OF WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE
285
00:18:00,902 --> 00:18:04,904
AND WHY THEY WEREN'T GIVEN
A PROPER BURIAL OR CREMATED.
286
00:18:04,906 --> 00:18:08,374
THESE REMAINS WERE FOUND
AT ONE SIDE OF THE CASTILLO'S,
287
00:18:08,376 --> 00:18:11,243
AND THERE WAS A HIGH INCIDENCE
OF DIFFERENT FORMS
288
00:18:11,245 --> 00:18:13,913
OF A NUTRITIONAL DEPRIVATION,
289
00:18:13,915 --> 00:18:16,615
EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO
WITH SUFFERING, HUNGER,
290
00:18:16,617 --> 00:18:18,384
NOT BEING NOURISHED ADEQUATELY,
291
00:18:18,386 --> 00:18:22,421
OR SUFFERING FROM MANY, MANY
EPISODES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE,
292
00:18:22,423 --> 00:18:24,957
FOR EXAMPLE.
293
00:18:24,959 --> 00:18:26,926
Narrator: THESE BONES
COME FROM PEOPLE
294
00:18:26,928 --> 00:18:29,128
ON THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY,
295
00:18:29,130 --> 00:18:30,729
INDIVIDUALS IN POOR HEALTH
296
00:18:30,731 --> 00:18:34,934
WHO WERE NOT VALUED
OR WHO WERE EXPENDABLE.
297
00:18:34,936 --> 00:18:36,402
IN THIS SKULL CAP,
298
00:18:36,404 --> 00:18:39,405
WHAT WE SEE ARE THESE
DISTINCTIVE PORES.
299
00:18:39,407 --> 00:18:45,244
THEY MOSTLY STEM FROM EPISODES
OF ANEMIA DURING INFANCY.
300
00:18:45,246 --> 00:18:49,381
IF WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT THESE TEETH,
301
00:18:49,383 --> 00:18:52,284
WE CAN SEE THESE
DISTINCTIVE GROOVES
302
00:18:52,286 --> 00:18:55,054
THAT CROSS OVER THE SURFACE.
303
00:18:55,056 --> 00:18:58,224
AND THESE BASICALLY TELL US
THAT A PERSON SUFFERED
304
00:18:58,226 --> 00:19:02,461
FROM SEVERAL EPISODES
OF PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS.
305
00:19:05,299 --> 00:19:07,633
Narrator: VERA FINDS EVIDENCE
THAT THE SURROUNDING FLESH
306
00:19:07,635 --> 00:19:10,970
WAS DELIBERATELY REMOVED
FROM SOME OF THESE BONES.
307
00:19:13,941 --> 00:19:16,208
THE BONY REMNANTS
THAT WE RECOVERED
308
00:19:16,210 --> 00:19:20,813
AROUND EL CASTILLO SHOW
DISTINCTIVE CUT MARKS.
309
00:19:20,815 --> 00:19:23,115
Narrator: IT'S NO NORMAL BURIAL.
310
00:19:23,117 --> 00:19:27,419
WHAT THESE REMAINS SHOW
IS BASICALLY PRACTICES
311
00:19:27,421 --> 00:19:32,725
THAT RELATE TO FLAYING
TO DE-FLESHING --
312
00:19:32,727 --> 00:19:36,362
BODY PROCESSING, SO TO SPEAK.
313
00:19:36,364 --> 00:19:37,930
Narrator: VERY BELIEVES
THESE BONES
314
00:19:37,932 --> 00:19:42,668
ARE EVIDENCE OF GRUESOME
SACRIFICIAL RITUALS.
315
00:19:42,670 --> 00:19:44,803
Tiesler: THEY'RE REMNANTS
THAT PROBABLY STEM
316
00:19:44,805 --> 00:19:48,874
FROM RITUAL ACTIONS INVOLVING
ANIMAL AND HUMAN SACRIFICE.
317
00:19:50,978 --> 00:19:54,113
BUT THESE WERE PART OF PRACTICES
318
00:19:54,115 --> 00:19:56,649
CONDUCTED BY
ELITE PRACTITIONERS,
319
00:19:56,651 --> 00:20:00,786
ELITE PRIESTS FROM CHICHEN ITZA.
320
00:20:02,723 --> 00:20:05,591
Narrator: THIS IS
A REMARKABLE CLAIM.
321
00:20:05,593 --> 00:20:08,394
HOW CAN VERA EVEN BE CERTAIN
THAT REMAINS LIKE THESE
322
00:20:08,396 --> 00:20:10,195
BELONG TO THE ANCIENT MAYA?
323
00:20:12,633 --> 00:20:17,002
SOME TRULY COMPELLING EVIDENCE
COMES FROM THE SACRED CENOTE --
324
00:20:17,004 --> 00:20:18,737
ONE OF THE FOUR
UNDERGROUND LAKES
325
00:20:18,739 --> 00:20:20,839
THAT SURROUND THE CASTILLO.
326
00:20:20,841 --> 00:20:26,178
THIS SKULL COMES FROM THE SACRED
CENOTE OF CHICHEN ITZA.
327
00:20:26,180 --> 00:20:29,315
IT'S CAST FROM A CHILD'S SKULL.
328
00:20:32,186 --> 00:20:34,086
Narrator:
ONE CRUCIAL CLUE REVEALS
329
00:20:34,088 --> 00:20:37,256
THAT THIS CANNOT
BE A MODERN SKULL --
330
00:20:37,258 --> 00:20:38,724
ITS SHAPE.
331
00:20:38,726 --> 00:20:43,162
Tiesler: THIS HEAD FORM
HAS BEEN CALLED TOP FLATTENING.
332
00:20:43,164 --> 00:20:45,664
IT'S A SORT OF ARTIFICIAL SHAPE
333
00:20:45,666 --> 00:20:48,601
THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCED
WITH BOARDS
334
00:20:48,603 --> 00:20:54,206
AND ADAPTED TO MAKE THE TOP
OF THE HEAD MORE FLATTENED.
335
00:20:54,208 --> 00:20:56,842
Narrator: HEAD SHAPING
WAS A COMMON MAYA PRACTICE,
336
00:20:56,844 --> 00:20:59,712
AND ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND
MANY MORE SKULLS LIKE THIS
337
00:20:59,714 --> 00:21:01,614
IN THE SACRED CENOTE.
338
00:21:01,616 --> 00:21:05,918
THIS HEAD IS ONE OUT OF MORE
THAN A HUNDRED INFANT SKELETONS
339
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,121
THAT WERE FOUND
IN THE SACRED CENOTE.
340
00:21:09,123 --> 00:21:10,823
Narrator: THE PRESENCE
OF SO MANY BONES
341
00:21:10,825 --> 00:21:13,158
CAN BE NO ACCIDENT.
342
00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,061
THEY MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED
IN THE CENOTE INTENTIONALLY --
343
00:21:16,063 --> 00:21:19,098
PROBABLY AS OFFERINGS
TO THE MAYA GODS.
344
00:21:20,167 --> 00:21:21,734
ARCHEOLOGIST MEMO DE ANDA
345
00:21:21,736 --> 00:21:24,503
IS NOW INVESTIGATING
THIS ASTONISHING THEORY.
346
00:21:24,505 --> 00:21:29,041
WHY WOULD A SOPHISTICATED
SOCIETY LIKE THE ANCIENT MAYA
347
00:21:29,043 --> 00:21:31,443
HAVE PRACTICED HUMAN SACRIFICE?
348
00:21:31,445 --> 00:21:34,847
NEW CLUES LIE AT THE BOTTOM
OF THIS DEEP ABYSS.
349
00:21:39,378 --> 00:21:41,411
Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA...
350
00:21:41,413 --> 00:21:43,380
THIS MYSTERIOUS ANCIENT CITY
351
00:21:43,382 --> 00:21:46,783
IS SLOWLY GIVING UP
ITS SECRETS.
352
00:21:46,785 --> 00:21:49,219
INVESTIGATIONS ARE SHEDDING
DRAMATIC NEW LIGHT
353
00:21:49,221 --> 00:21:52,589
ON ITS SPECTACULAR BUILDINGS
AND RELIGIOUS RITUALS.
354
00:21:55,460 --> 00:21:58,261
THE REMAINS OF HUNDREDS
OF VICTIMS OF HUMAN SACRIFICE
355
00:21:58,263 --> 00:22:01,931
HAVE BEEN FOUND INSIDE
CHICHEN ITZA'S SACRED CENOTE.
356
00:22:03,435 --> 00:22:06,970
COULD THIS DARK PRACTICE HAVE
HAPPENED AT OTHER CENOTES, TOO?
357
00:22:14,146 --> 00:22:16,246
ARCHEOLOGIST MEMO DE ANDA
IS CONDUCTING
358
00:22:16,248 --> 00:22:18,782
A MAJOR NEW INVESTIGATION
AT UNDERGROUND LAKES
359
00:22:18,784 --> 00:22:20,850
ACROSS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.
360
00:22:22,688 --> 00:22:24,821
HE'S INVESTIGATED
HUNDREDS OF CENOTES
361
00:22:24,823 --> 00:22:27,123
OVER HIS 25-YEAR CAREER.
362
00:22:28,727 --> 00:22:31,995
MEMO WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
THE PART HUMAN SACRIFICE PLAYED
363
00:22:31,997 --> 00:22:35,198
IN MAYA'S SACRED RITES.
364
00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,400
HE'S CREATING
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING
365
00:22:37,402 --> 00:22:40,236
OF THE OFFERINGS HE FINDS
TO HUNT FOR CLUES.
366
00:22:41,540 --> 00:22:42,972
TODAY, THIS WORK
HAS BROUGHT HIM
367
00:22:42,974 --> 00:22:44,574
TO ANOTHER OF THE FOUR CENOTES
368
00:22:44,576 --> 00:22:47,610
THAT SURROUND
THE CASTILLO PYRAMID.
369
00:22:47,612 --> 00:22:52,949
WE ARE AT CENOTE HOLTUN
INSIDE CHICHEN ITZA.
370
00:22:52,951 --> 00:22:56,486
AND THE ANCIENT MAYA
CARVED THE ENTRANCE.
371
00:22:56,488 --> 00:22:58,321
IT'S SPECTACULAR,
IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL.
372
00:22:58,323 --> 00:23:00,356
IT'S A HUGE DOME.
373
00:23:00,358 --> 00:23:01,658
READY TO GO.
374
00:23:01,660 --> 00:23:04,094
Narrator: THE ONLY WAY
TO EXPLORE THIS HIDDEN LAKE
375
00:23:04,096 --> 00:23:06,963
IS TO DIVE.
376
00:23:06,965 --> 00:23:09,399
BUT THE ONLY WAY
TO REACH THE WATER
377
00:23:09,401 --> 00:23:13,837
IS A NEARLY 80-FOOT
VERTICAL ABSEIL INTO THE DARK.
378
00:23:13,839 --> 00:23:16,072
THIS IS NOT
FOR THE FAINTHEARTED.
379
00:23:18,210 --> 00:23:23,046
THIS VAST CAVERN
EXTENDS OVER 225 FEET DOWN.
380
00:23:23,048 --> 00:23:25,348
IT CONTAINS A LARGE
UNDERGROUND LAKE
381
00:23:25,350 --> 00:23:28,418
OVER 160 FEET DEEP.
382
00:23:28,420 --> 00:23:30,453
De Anda: GOING DOWN IN A CENOTE
383
00:23:30,455 --> 00:23:33,289
IS ONE OF THE BEST
EXPERIENCES IN THE WORLD.
384
00:23:41,500 --> 00:23:44,534
Narrator: RAINWATER CARVED
THIS IMMENSE CAVERN
385
00:23:44,536 --> 00:23:48,905
INTO THE LIMESTONE BEDROCK
OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
386
00:23:48,907 --> 00:23:51,441
De Anda: WE'RE ABOUT
EIGHT, NINE METERS DOWN.
387
00:23:51,443 --> 00:23:56,279
AND CAN SEE THE CULTURAL
RICHNESS OF THIS PLACE.
388
00:24:01,286 --> 00:24:03,820
AND I DON'T WANT
TO APPROACH TOO CLOSE
389
00:24:03,822 --> 00:24:08,658
BECAUSE IT CAN DESTROY
EVERYTHING IN A SECOND.
390
00:24:08,660 --> 00:24:11,961
Narrator: MEMO IS MAKING
SOME SHOCKING DISCOVERIES --
391
00:24:11,963 --> 00:24:14,697
CERAMIC OFFERINGS,
392
00:24:14,699 --> 00:24:16,432
A KNIFE,
393
00:24:16,434 --> 00:24:18,868
ANIMAL BONES,
394
00:24:18,870 --> 00:24:22,038
AND HUMAN REMAINS.
395
00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,474
EACH TIME HE DIVES
INTO THIS CENOTE,
396
00:24:24,476 --> 00:24:26,643
MEMO TAKES
HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
397
00:24:26,645 --> 00:24:29,012
OF HIS FINDS FROM ALL ANGLES.
398
00:24:29,014 --> 00:24:32,649
BUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
IN THIS MYSTERIOUS CAVERN?
399
00:24:32,651 --> 00:24:35,351
MEMO HAS FOUND
A REMARKABLE CLUE.
400
00:24:35,353 --> 00:24:38,955
De Anda: RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,
YOU CAN SEE A SHELF.
401
00:24:38,957 --> 00:24:44,127
IT'S A NATURAL SHELF,
IDEAL TO MAKE A RITUAL DEPOSIT.
402
00:24:44,129 --> 00:24:47,030
Narrator: MORE BONES,
OTHER OFFERINGS,
403
00:24:47,032 --> 00:24:51,267
AND EVEN TRACES OF CHARCOAL
REMAIN ON THIS SHELF.
404
00:24:51,269 --> 00:24:53,203
AMAZINGLY, IT APPEARS
THIS PLATFORM
405
00:24:53,205 --> 00:24:55,438
WAS ONCE A SACRED ALTAR.
406
00:24:56,575 --> 00:24:59,676
De Anda: THIS IS PART OF
THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
407
00:24:59,678 --> 00:25:01,945
CENOTES ARE SILENT WITNESSES
408
00:25:01,947 --> 00:25:06,382
OF A VERY IMPORTANT PART
OF THE ANCIENT MAYAN LIFE.
409
00:25:06,384 --> 00:25:09,152
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF THEIR UNIVERSE.
410
00:25:13,692 --> 00:25:16,392
Narrator: MEMO HAS FOUND SOME
TRULY EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE
411
00:25:16,394 --> 00:25:19,028
ABOUT THE RITES
CONDUCTED IN THIS CENOTE.
412
00:25:22,133 --> 00:25:24,167
De Anda: IT WAS
A VERY, VERY NICE DIVE.
413
00:25:24,169 --> 00:25:27,070
AND I THINK WE GET
WHAT WE NEEDED.
414
00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,773
Narrator: MEMO HAS BEEN
PHOTOGRAPHING THIS SITE
415
00:25:30,775 --> 00:25:33,676
FOR FIVE YEARS.
416
00:25:33,678 --> 00:25:35,511
A CUSTOM-MADE
COMPUTER PROGRAM
417
00:25:35,513 --> 00:25:38,348
HAS PROCESSED THE PHOTOS
TAKEN SO FAR...
418
00:25:38,350 --> 00:25:41,117
AND TURNED THEM INTO AMAZING
THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS
419
00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:42,952
OF HIS DISCOVERIES.
420
00:25:42,954 --> 00:25:45,521
WHAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW
IS A BIRD'S EYE VIEW
421
00:25:45,523 --> 00:25:47,523
OF THE WHOLE SHELF.
422
00:25:47,525 --> 00:25:50,159
THIS IS AN AMAZING,
AMAZING IMAGE.
423
00:25:50,161 --> 00:25:52,528
I CAN TELL YOU
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT
424
00:25:52,530 --> 00:25:54,030
IT'S UNIQUE IN THE WORLD.
425
00:25:54,032 --> 00:25:58,268
THERE'S NO OTHER ARCHEOLOGICAL
PROJECT THAT IS DOING THIS.
426
00:25:58,270 --> 00:26:00,970
Narrator: THE MODELS PROVIDE
AN INCREDIBLE PERMANENT RECORD
427
00:26:00,972 --> 00:26:04,040
OF THE CENOTE'S
MYSTERIOUS CONTENTS.
428
00:26:05,410 --> 00:26:08,311
IT'S THE NEXT BEST THING
OF HAVING AN OBJECT IN MY HAND.
429
00:26:08,313 --> 00:26:12,448
AND THE BEAUTY OF THIS
IS THAT WE LEAVE THEM THERE.
430
00:26:14,019 --> 00:26:15,351
Narrator: THIS MODEL ALLOWS MEMO
431
00:26:15,353 --> 00:26:17,854
TO STUDY THE SHELF
IN MORE DETAIL.
432
00:26:17,856 --> 00:26:19,989
IT EVEN SHOWS STINGRAY SPINES,
433
00:26:19,991 --> 00:26:23,860
ANOTHER ITEM ASSOCIATED
WITH MAYA RELIGIOUS RITUALS.
434
00:26:23,862 --> 00:26:28,064
STINGRAY SPINES WERE USED
IN CEREMONIES, RITUALS --
435
00:26:28,066 --> 00:26:30,066
RITUALS TO ATTRACT RAIN.
436
00:26:30,068 --> 00:26:32,268
THEY USED TO BE, LIKE,
SELF-SACRIFICE.
437
00:26:32,270 --> 00:26:36,973
BLOODLETTING -- A LOT OF BLOOD
COULD MEAN A LOT OF FERTILITY,
438
00:26:36,975 --> 00:26:40,643
ESPECIALLY IF THIS BLOOD
COMES FROM THE PENIS.
439
00:26:40,645 --> 00:26:42,178
Narrator: IS IT POSSIBLE RITUALS
440
00:26:42,180 --> 00:26:45,648
LIKE BLOODLETTING
WERE CARRIED OUT HERE?
441
00:26:45,650 --> 00:26:49,919
AND IF SO, HOW DID THE MAYA
UTILIZE THIS UNDERWATER PLACE
442
00:26:49,921 --> 00:26:53,222
WITHOUT MODERN DIVING EQUIPMENT?
443
00:26:57,565 --> 00:26:59,965
Narrator: ARCHEOLOGIST
MEMO DE ANDA IS UNCOVERING
444
00:26:59,967 --> 00:27:01,400
HOW THE MAYA CONSTRUCTED
445
00:27:01,402 --> 00:27:04,002
A SACRED ALTAR
ON A SHELF DEEP UNDERWATER
446
00:27:04,004 --> 00:27:07,172
WITHOUT THE USE
OF DIVING EQUIPMENT.
447
00:27:07,174 --> 00:27:09,441
PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO.
448
00:27:09,443 --> 00:27:11,610
MEMO BELIEVES
THE WATER LEVEL IN THE CENOTE
449
00:27:11,612 --> 00:27:14,112
MUST HAVE BEEN MUCH LOWER WHEN
THE OFFERINGS WERE LEFT HERE,
450
00:27:14,114 --> 00:27:16,415
THANKS TO A TERRIBLE
NATURAL PHENOMENON
451
00:27:16,417 --> 00:27:19,418
THAT THREATENED THE ENTIRE
FUTURE OF CHICHEN ITZA --
452
00:27:19,420 --> 00:27:21,753
DROUGHT.
453
00:27:21,755 --> 00:27:28,560
THIS SHELF, PROBABLY, WAS ABOVE
WATER SOME 1,200 YEARS AGO,
454
00:27:28,562 --> 00:27:31,330
WHEN THIS PLACE WAS DRY.
455
00:27:31,332 --> 00:27:35,567
AND MAYBE IT WAS DRY
BECAUSE OF THIS BIG DROUGHT.
456
00:27:35,569 --> 00:27:40,906
SO THIS SHELF, THIS LEDGE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
457
00:27:43,010 --> 00:27:45,544
Narrator: THE SHELF LIES
NEARLY 100 FEET DOWN,
458
00:27:45,546 --> 00:27:48,280
TUCKED AWAY AT THE FAR EDGE
OF THE CAVERN.
459
00:27:48,282 --> 00:27:51,283
AS DROUGHTS HIT, THE WATER LEVEL
IN THE CENOTE DROPPED,
460
00:27:51,285 --> 00:27:53,018
EXPOSING THE SHELF.
461
00:27:55,222 --> 00:27:57,923
THE MAYA PROBABLY CLIMBED
DOWN INTO THE CENOTE
462
00:27:57,925 --> 00:28:00,325
USING A LADDER BUILT FROM
PIECES OF TREE TRUNK
463
00:28:00,327 --> 00:28:02,728
TIED TOGETHER
WITH FLEXIBLE BRANCHES.
464
00:28:07,334 --> 00:28:09,301
THEY COULD DESCEND
INTO THE CENOTE
465
00:28:09,303 --> 00:28:11,570
TO LEAVE THEIR OFFERINGS,
466
00:28:11,572 --> 00:28:14,006
PERHAPS REACHING
THE SHELF BY CANOE.
467
00:28:17,144 --> 00:28:19,177
MANY YEARS LATER,
WITH THE DROUGHTS OVER,
468
00:28:19,179 --> 00:28:21,013
THE WATER LEVEL ROSE AGAIN,
469
00:28:21,015 --> 00:28:24,549
COVERING THE ARTIFACTS
AND PRESERVING THEM TO THIS DAY.
470
00:28:25,819 --> 00:28:29,955
WHY DID THE ANCIENT MAYA
CONDUCT THESE ELABORATE RITUALS?
471
00:28:29,957 --> 00:28:34,226
THE MOSTLY GOD THAT THEY
WERE OFFERED TO WAS CHAAC,
472
00:28:34,228 --> 00:28:35,761
THE RAIN GOD.
473
00:28:35,763 --> 00:28:38,964
I THINK THEY MAKE THESE
OFFERINGS TO ENCOURAGE RAINS.
474
00:28:42,236 --> 00:28:46,772
Narrator: CENOTES LAY
AT THE HEART OF CHICHEN ITZA.
475
00:28:46,774 --> 00:28:49,041
THEY PROVIDED LIFE-GIVING WATER.
476
00:28:51,111 --> 00:28:52,844
THEY HAD IMMENSE
RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE,
477
00:28:52,846 --> 00:28:54,613
ESPECIALLY WHEN DROUGHT HIT.
478
00:28:57,885 --> 00:28:59,618
AND THEY EVEN DICTATED
THE LOCATION
479
00:28:59,620 --> 00:29:02,721
OF THE GREAT CASTILLO PYRAMID.
480
00:29:02,723 --> 00:29:05,257
BUT COULD THE CASTILLO'S
DISTINCTIVE SHAPE
481
00:29:05,259 --> 00:29:07,192
HOLD HIDDEN MEANING, TOO?
482
00:29:07,194 --> 00:29:09,394
COULD THERE BE MORE
TO ITS OUTER APPEARANCE
483
00:29:09,396 --> 00:29:11,096
THAN FIRST MEETS THE EYE?
484
00:29:13,233 --> 00:29:15,100
De Anda:
IT'S MUCH MORE THAN A BUILDING.
485
00:29:15,102 --> 00:29:17,636
YOU SEE THE PERFECTION
IN THE LINES.
486
00:29:17,638 --> 00:29:19,671
BUT WHEN YOU KNOW
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT,
487
00:29:19,673 --> 00:29:24,342
IT'S -- YOU KNOW,
IT'S A MATHEMATICAL BUILDING.
488
00:29:24,344 --> 00:29:27,012
IT'S RELATED TO ASTRONOMY.
489
00:29:27,014 --> 00:29:30,549
IT'S RELATED TO
THE AGRICULTURAL CYCLES.
490
00:29:35,189 --> 00:29:38,690
Narrator: THIS PYRAMID
CONTAINS ANOTHER SECRET.
491
00:29:38,692 --> 00:29:42,794
IT'S ALSO A MONUMENTAL
CALENDAR FOR THE CITY.
492
00:29:42,796 --> 00:29:48,366
18 STONE TERRACES REPRESENT
THE 18 MAYA MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
493
00:29:48,368 --> 00:29:52,537
91 STEPS ON EACH SIDE,
PLUS THE TOP PLATFORM,
494
00:29:52,539 --> 00:29:55,507
GIVE 365 STEPS --
495
00:29:55,509 --> 00:29:57,976
ONE FOR EACH DAY OF THE YEAR.
496
00:29:57,978 --> 00:29:59,978
AND TWICE A YEAR ON THE EQUINOX,
497
00:29:59,980 --> 00:30:03,014
THE SUN CASTS A SHADOW
SO PERFECTLY ALIGNED,
498
00:30:03,016 --> 00:30:08,186
AN IMMENSE SNAKE APPEARS
TO SLITHER DOWN THE MAIN STEPS.
499
00:30:08,188 --> 00:30:10,722
THIS IS THE SERPENT GOD
KUKULKAN,
500
00:30:10,724 --> 00:30:12,858
TO WHOM THE TEMPLE IS DEDICATED.
501
00:30:16,196 --> 00:30:17,529
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND
502
00:30:17,531 --> 00:30:20,031
HOW THEY COULD MASTER
THE TECHNIQUE
503
00:30:20,033 --> 00:30:23,034
NOT ONLY TO BUILD
THIS FANTASTIC BUILDING,
504
00:30:23,036 --> 00:30:25,837
BUT TO MAKE IT SO BEAUTIFUL,
SO INTERESTING,
505
00:30:25,839 --> 00:30:28,573
AND RELATE IT TO THE SUN,
506
00:30:28,575 --> 00:30:31,576
TO RELATE IT TO
THE CHANGES OF SEASONS.
507
00:30:31,578 --> 00:30:34,079
IT'S GREAT.
508
00:30:37,050 --> 00:30:39,017
Narrator: THE ANCIENT MAYA
WERE SO DEDICATED
509
00:30:39,019 --> 00:30:41,887
TO TRACKING THE MOVEMENTS
OF THE PLANETS AND STARS
510
00:30:41,889 --> 00:30:44,623
THAT THEY EVEN
CONSTRUCTED THIS BUILDING --
511
00:30:44,625 --> 00:30:47,692
AN EXTRAORDINARY OBSERVATORY.
512
00:30:47,694 --> 00:30:49,895
De Anda:
WELL, THIS IS EL CARACOL.
513
00:30:49,897 --> 00:30:52,497
IT'S A WONDERFUL BUILDING.
514
00:30:52,499 --> 00:30:56,301
IT RECEIVED THAT NAME
BECAUSE OF THE SPIRAL FORM.
515
00:30:56,303 --> 00:31:01,406
Narrator: "CARACOL" MEANS SNAIL
OR SEA SHELL IN SPANISH
516
00:31:01,408 --> 00:31:03,608
BECAUSE HIDDEN INSIDE
THE OBSERVATORY
517
00:31:03,610 --> 00:31:05,544
IS A SPIRAL STAIRCASE.
518
00:31:08,115 --> 00:31:10,749
De Anda: THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR
SERVED THE PURPOSE
519
00:31:10,751 --> 00:31:15,086
OF GAZING THE SKIES
AND MAPPING THEM.
520
00:31:15,088 --> 00:31:18,089
AND THEY WERE
VERY GOOD ASTRONOMERS.
521
00:31:18,091 --> 00:31:20,025
THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD KNOWLEDGE
522
00:31:20,027 --> 00:31:23,695
OF THE MOVEMENT
OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES.
523
00:31:25,532 --> 00:31:27,499
Narrator: THE ANCIENT MAYA
DIDN'T HAVE TELESCOPES,
524
00:31:27,501 --> 00:31:28,967
BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP THEM
525
00:31:28,969 --> 00:31:33,638
FROM MAKING INCREDIBLY DETAILED
OBSERVATIONS WITH THE NAKED EYE.
526
00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,242
De Anda: THIS BUILDING, IT'S
ON TOP OF SEVERAL PLATFORMS,
527
00:31:37,244 --> 00:31:43,114
AND STANDS OUT MAYBE TO AVOID
THE CANOPY OF TREES.
528
00:31:43,116 --> 00:31:47,719
JUST HIGH ENOUGH FOR
THE ANCIENT MAYAN ASTRONOMERS
529
00:31:47,721 --> 00:31:49,554
TO LOOK ALL AROUND,
530
00:31:49,556 --> 00:31:53,291
EVEN WHEN THE SUN
IS RISING OR IT'S SETTING.
531
00:31:54,494 --> 00:31:56,761
Narrator: DUE TO
THE CARACOL'S RUINED CONDITION,
532
00:31:56,763 --> 00:31:59,431
FEW OF THE OBSERVATORY WINDOWS
REMAIN.
533
00:32:01,935 --> 00:32:03,902
De Anda:
THERE IS ACTUALLY THREE OF THEM.
534
00:32:03,904 --> 00:32:06,471
THEY'RE
VERY INTERESTINGLY ALIGNED.
535
00:32:10,677 --> 00:32:14,346
Narrator: THE MAYA ALIGNED
THE CARACOL WITH THE HEAVENS.
536
00:32:14,348 --> 00:32:17,782
THE MAIN STAIRCASE FACES
THE SETTING POINT OF VENUS,
537
00:32:17,784 --> 00:32:21,186
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
OBJECTS IN THE MAYA SKY.
538
00:32:23,724 --> 00:32:26,157
THE TOWER ON THE TOP
HAS WINDOWS THAT LINE UP
539
00:32:26,159 --> 00:32:28,827
WITH VENUS' NORTHERN
AND SOUTHERNMOST POSITIONS.
540
00:32:28,829 --> 00:32:32,030
AND A THIRD WINDOW IS ALIGNED
WITH ASTRONOMICAL SOUTH.
541
00:32:34,134 --> 00:32:37,602
THE CORNERS OF THE BASE PLATFORM
ALIGN WITH THE SUN'S SHADOW
542
00:32:37,604 --> 00:32:40,171
ON THE SOLSTICE
SUNRISE AND SUNSET.
543
00:32:45,679 --> 00:32:48,313
INCREDIBLY, AT LEAST
20 ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
544
00:32:48,315 --> 00:32:52,217
ARE INCORPORATED
INTO THIS STRUCTURE.
545
00:32:52,219 --> 00:32:56,087
THE MAYA USED THEIR OBSERVATIONS
TO PREDICT HARVESTS, DEATHS,
546
00:32:56,089 --> 00:32:58,423
AND EVEN GOOD TIMES
TO GO TO WAR.
547
00:33:01,728 --> 00:33:03,161
CHICHEN ITZA...
548
00:33:03,163 --> 00:33:05,597
A CITY SHAPED BY THE EARTH,
549
00:33:05,599 --> 00:33:06,965
BY WATER,
550
00:33:06,967 --> 00:33:09,401
AND BY THE MOVEMENTS
OF THE PLANETS.
551
00:33:09,403 --> 00:33:13,104
WHERE THE BUILDINGS
ARE MOLDED BY BELIEFS,
552
00:33:13,106 --> 00:33:16,908
WHERE SACRED MEANING
IS NEVER FAR AWAY.
553
00:33:16,910 --> 00:33:19,411
BUT HOW DID THIS CITY
BECOME SO SUCCESSFUL
554
00:33:19,413 --> 00:33:21,046
AND SO POWERFUL?
555
00:33:21,048 --> 00:33:26,551
AN INVESTIGATION 125 MILES AWAY
REVEALS STARTLING CLUES.
556
00:33:31,685 --> 00:33:35,220
Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO.
557
00:33:35,222 --> 00:33:37,922
THIS ABANDONED CITY WAS ONCE
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
558
00:33:37,924 --> 00:33:42,927
POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CENTERS
IN THE AMERICAS,
559
00:33:42,929 --> 00:33:46,498
DRAWING PILGRIMS FROM FAR
AND WIDE TO ITS SACRED SITES.
560
00:33:48,535 --> 00:33:51,436
HOW DID PEOPLE TRAVEL ACROSS
THE CITY, THROUGH DENSE JUNGLE
561
00:33:51,438 --> 00:33:54,005
AND SOMETIMES
WATERLOGGED GROUND?
562
00:33:56,443 --> 00:34:02,247
THE SOLUTION --
SACBES, A UNIQUE KIND OF ROAD.
563
00:34:02,249 --> 00:34:06,150
THIS AMAZING ROAD
WE'RE WALKING ON NOW,
564
00:34:06,152 --> 00:34:09,454
IT'S ONE OF THE SACBES
OR WIDE ROADS.
565
00:34:09,456 --> 00:34:11,656
YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY WIDE.
566
00:34:11,658 --> 00:34:14,092
AND IT'S HIGH.
567
00:34:14,094 --> 00:34:17,262
Narrator: THIS MIGHT NOT LOOK
LIKE ANYTHING SPECIAL,
568
00:34:17,264 --> 00:34:21,199
BUT A MIRACLE OF ENGINEERING
LIES HIDDEN BENEATH THE SURFACE.
569
00:34:23,970 --> 00:34:25,770
RAISED HIGH ABOVE
THE JUNGLE FLOOR
570
00:34:25,772 --> 00:34:29,607
TO ESCAPE THE SWAMPY GROUND
OF THE RAINY SEASON,
571
00:34:29,609 --> 00:34:31,576
THESE SOPHISTICATED CAUSEWAYS
572
00:34:31,578 --> 00:34:35,446
ARE A MARVEL
OF ANCIENT ENGINEERING.
573
00:34:35,448 --> 00:34:38,016
AT THE BASE, LARGE STONES
ARE FIXED IN PLACE
574
00:34:38,018 --> 00:34:42,453
WITH ANCIENT MORTAR
TO CREATE A SOLID FOUNDATION.
575
00:34:42,455 --> 00:34:45,757
TINY STONES LEVEL THE SURFACE,
576
00:34:45,759 --> 00:34:48,359
AND MASONRY WALLS
ENCLOSE THE SIDES.
577
00:34:50,130 --> 00:34:52,564
ANCIENT PLASTER MADE FROM
POWDERED LIMESTONE
578
00:34:52,566 --> 00:34:55,400
FORMS THE TOP LAYER,
579
00:34:55,402 --> 00:34:58,036
CREATING A FORTIFIED,
SMOOTH PATH TO ALLOW
580
00:34:58,038 --> 00:34:59,437
CHICHEN ITZA'S CITIZENS
581
00:34:59,439 --> 00:35:01,839
TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE CITY
WITH EASE.
582
00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:09,881
I THINK THEY HAD
A LOT OF FUNCTIONS.
583
00:35:09,883 --> 00:35:12,517
COMMUNICATING --
THAT'S FOR SURE ONE OF THEM.
584
00:35:12,519 --> 00:35:14,953
THAT'S THE MAIN USE OF ROADS.
585
00:35:14,955 --> 00:35:18,156
THIS IS LIKE AN UMBILICAL CORD,
586
00:35:18,158 --> 00:35:20,725
JUST PULLING THE SITE TOGETHER.
587
00:35:20,727 --> 00:35:23,628
BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF REASONS,
588
00:35:23,630 --> 00:35:26,998
JUST PRACTICALLY
OR SYMBOLICALLY,
589
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:31,202
OR TO EXTEND
THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES.
590
00:35:31,204 --> 00:35:32,804
Narrator:
ARCHEOLOGISTS ARE CONSTANTLY
591
00:35:32,806 --> 00:35:35,773
FINDING NEW CAUSEWAYS.
592
00:35:35,775 --> 00:35:40,011
THE SCALE OF THOSE DISCOVERED
SO FAR AT CHICHEN ITZA IS VAST.
593
00:35:43,350 --> 00:35:45,984
SACBES CAUSEWAYS
CRISSCROSSED OVER THE CITY,
594
00:35:45,986 --> 00:35:48,119
CONNECTING THE MAIN
TEMPLES WITH QUARRIES
595
00:35:48,121 --> 00:35:50,021
AND OUTLYING COMMUNITIES.
596
00:35:53,426 --> 00:35:56,828
ONE LED TO THE SACRED CENOTE
OVER 300 YARDS AWAY,
597
00:35:56,830 --> 00:35:58,596
THROUGH THE JUNGLE.
598
00:35:58,598 --> 00:36:00,698
OTHERS EVEN STRETCHED
OUT OF CHICHEN ITZA
599
00:36:00,700 --> 00:36:03,635
TO DISTANT SETTLEMENTS
OVER FOUR MILES AWAY.
600
00:36:05,872 --> 00:36:08,906
MORE THAN 90 OF THESE WHITE
ROADS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED,
601
00:36:08,908 --> 00:36:12,477
REVEALING THE COMPLEX NETWORK
OF THIS GREAT METROPOLIS.
602
00:36:15,682 --> 00:36:19,784
THEY ALL LED BACK
TO THE CENTER OF CHICHEN ITZA.
603
00:36:19,786 --> 00:36:21,586
IN ITS PRIME, A BUSTLING CITY
604
00:36:21,588 --> 00:36:24,422
WITH A POPULATION
OF MORE THAN 30,000.
605
00:36:25,825 --> 00:36:28,593
THESE SACBES WERE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
606
00:36:28,595 --> 00:36:32,497
THEY REALLY HELPED
THE CITIES TO THRIVE.
607
00:36:32,499 --> 00:36:33,965
Narrator:
BUT CAUSEWAYS ON THEIR OWN
608
00:36:33,967 --> 00:36:38,069
WERE NOT ENOUGH TO ENSURE
CHICHEN ITZA'S SUCCESS.
609
00:36:38,071 --> 00:36:40,405
THERE WERE NO NEARBY RIVERS.
610
00:36:40,407 --> 00:36:41,739
IT WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF YEARS
611
00:36:41,741 --> 00:36:45,076
BEFORE THE FIRST HORSES
ARRIVED IN MEXICO.
612
00:36:45,078 --> 00:36:47,912
AND THE MAYA HAD NOT
INVENTED THE WHEEL.
613
00:36:47,914 --> 00:36:50,481
HOW COULD PEOPLE TRAVEL
LONGER DISTANCES
614
00:36:50,483 --> 00:36:52,617
OR MOVE GOODS FAST?
615
00:36:58,091 --> 00:37:01,392
125 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CHICHEN ITZA,
616
00:37:01,394 --> 00:37:03,795
ARCHEOLOGIST JEFFREY GLOVER
AND HIS TEAM
617
00:37:03,797 --> 00:37:05,863
ARE SEARCHING FOR CLUES.
618
00:37:07,233 --> 00:37:10,201
WATER BECAME
THE HIGHWAY, YOU KNOW.
619
00:37:10,203 --> 00:37:12,704
YOU WOULD HAVE HUNDREDS,
THOUSANDS OF THESE CANOES
620
00:37:12,706 --> 00:37:15,606
ANNUALLY TRAVELING
UP AND DOWN THE COAST.
621
00:37:17,544 --> 00:37:19,777
HOME, SWEET HOME.
622
00:37:19,779 --> 00:37:21,913
Narrator: THIS IS VISTA ALEGRE,
623
00:37:21,915 --> 00:37:24,315
THE SITE OF A MYSTERIOUS
LONG-ABANDONED,
624
00:37:24,317 --> 00:37:26,951
COASTAL SETTLEMENT.
625
00:37:26,953 --> 00:37:29,987
JEFFERY BELIEVES VISTA ALEGRE
WAS ONCE A SEA PORT
626
00:37:29,989 --> 00:37:33,458
WITH CONNECTIONS
TO CHICHEN ITZA.
627
00:37:33,460 --> 00:37:36,761
HE'S TRYING TO FIND EVIDENCE
TO LINK THE TWO SITES.
628
00:37:38,732 --> 00:37:40,164
SO FAR, JEFFREY AND HIS TEAM
629
00:37:40,166 --> 00:37:44,001
HAVE FOUND THE REMAINS
OF ANCIENT STRUCTURES,
630
00:37:44,003 --> 00:37:47,538
SHARDS OF OBSIDIAN --
A ROCK USED IN TOOLS --
631
00:37:47,540 --> 00:37:50,108
AND FRAGMENTS OF POTTERY.
632
00:37:50,110 --> 00:37:51,576
BUT A KEY CLUE COMES FROM
633
00:37:51,578 --> 00:37:53,678
A PARTICULAR VARIETY
OF POTTERY
634
00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,981
KNOWN AS BALANTUN
BLACK ON SLATE.
635
00:37:59,319 --> 00:38:05,189
Glover: SO THIS
IS BALANTUN BLACK ON SLATE.
636
00:38:05,191 --> 00:38:06,758
IT HAS THAT
LOVELY TRICKLE DESIGN
637
00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:09,494
THAT WAS REALLY POPULAR
ACROSS THE YUCATAN
638
00:38:09,496 --> 00:38:11,229
FROM THE CLASSIC PERIOD.
639
00:38:11,231 --> 00:38:13,131
YOU KNOW, THE COOL THING
ABOUT THIS, RIGHT, IS THAT
640
00:38:13,133 --> 00:38:18,669
IT'S A DOMESTIC WARE
THAT'S VERY COMMON AT CHICHEN.
641
00:38:18,671 --> 00:38:22,206
IT'S WHAT YOU TYPICALLY WOULD
FIND IN HOUSEHOLDS AT CHICHEN.
642
00:38:22,208 --> 00:38:24,041
YEAH, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T
SEEM LIKE MUCH.
643
00:38:24,043 --> 00:38:26,177
IT'S JUST A BIT
OF BROKEN POTTERY.
644
00:38:26,179 --> 00:38:28,279
BUT IT CLEARLY
DEMONSTRATES A LINK
645
00:38:28,281 --> 00:38:32,316
BETWEEN OUR REGION
AND THE CHICHEN REGION.
646
00:38:32,318 --> 00:38:34,018
Narrator:
FROM THE POTTERY EVIDENCE,
647
00:38:34,020 --> 00:38:37,889
WE KNOW THAT THIS SETTLEMENT
WAS LINKED TO CHICHEN ITZA.
648
00:38:37,891 --> 00:38:40,825
BUT WHAT EXACTLY WAS THIS PLACE?
649
00:38:40,827 --> 00:38:42,326
A PORT TO PROVIDE TRADERS
650
00:38:42,328 --> 00:38:46,130
EN ROUTE TO CHICHEN
WITH FOOD AND PROVISIONS?
651
00:38:46,132 --> 00:38:47,698
OR SOMETHING MORE?
652
00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:50,201
AN OFFICIAL OUTPOST
THAT CHICHEN ITZA CREATED
653
00:38:50,203 --> 00:38:52,570
TO CONTROL SEA TRADE?
654
00:38:52,572 --> 00:38:56,974
JEFFREY HOPES HIS WORK HERE
WILL ONE DAY SOLVE THIS RIDDLE.
655
00:38:56,976 --> 00:39:00,077
EITHER WAY, IT APPEARS
VISTA ALEGRE WAS ONE COG
656
00:39:00,079 --> 00:39:01,913
IN A HIGHLY EFFICIENT
TRADING MACHINE
657
00:39:01,915 --> 00:39:05,116
THAT SERVED THE GREAT CITY
OF CHICHEN ITZA.
658
00:39:07,287 --> 00:39:12,223
LONG-DISTANCE TRADE
WAS CONDUCTED BY SEA
659
00:39:12,225 --> 00:39:15,293
AND BASED AROUND THE MAYA CANOE.
660
00:39:15,295 --> 00:39:17,361
EACH CANOE WAS
UP TO 60 FEET LONG
661
00:39:17,363 --> 00:39:19,831
AND COULD CARRY
SEVERAL TONS OF CARGO.
662
00:39:24,137 --> 00:39:27,805
EACH PORT WAS ABOUT
25 MILES FROM THE NEXT --
663
00:39:27,807 --> 00:39:30,908
THE DISTANCE THAT COULD BE
TRAVELED BY CANOE IN ONE DAY.
664
00:39:34,347 --> 00:39:38,549
THIS POWERFUL TRADE NETWORK
STRETCHED ALL AROUND THE COAST.
665
00:39:38,551 --> 00:39:42,386
THE STEPPING STONES LED
TO CHICHEN ITZA'S MAIN PORT --
666
00:39:42,388 --> 00:39:44,455
ISLA CERRITOS.
667
00:39:46,159 --> 00:39:49,760
UP TO 400 CANOES
TRADED HERE AT ONE TIME.
668
00:39:49,762 --> 00:39:52,663
THIS LUCRATIVE PORT STRENGTHENED
CHICHEN ITZA'S POWER
669
00:39:52,665 --> 00:39:55,700
OVER THE WHOLE PENINSULA.
670
00:39:55,702 --> 00:39:58,336
Glover: THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAVE
REALLY FUELED THE CITY,
671
00:39:58,338 --> 00:40:00,204
THAT IT GREW INTO A HUGE CITY,
672
00:40:00,206 --> 00:40:02,240
I THINK, THROUGH
THE RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
673
00:40:02,242 --> 00:40:04,909
AS A PILGRIMAGE CENTER
WAS IMPORTANT.
674
00:40:04,911 --> 00:40:09,780
BUT IT BEING AN ECONOMIC
JUGGERNAUT WAS, I THINK,
675
00:40:09,782 --> 00:40:12,149
PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT
TO ITS SUCCESS.
676
00:40:14,487 --> 00:40:17,622
Narrator: TRADE HELPED
CHICHEN ITZA TO THRIVE.
677
00:40:17,624 --> 00:40:22,727
THE CITY GREW RICH SELLING SALT,
CACAO, AND TEXTILES,
678
00:40:22,729 --> 00:40:24,095
AND BROUGHT IN PRECIOUS STONES
679
00:40:24,097 --> 00:40:27,131
SUCH AS OBSIDIAN
USED TO CREATE TOOLS.
680
00:40:28,868 --> 00:40:33,104
BUT, SOON, THE MIGHT WOULD FALL.
681
00:40:33,106 --> 00:40:35,172
BY THE END OF THE 11th CENTURY,
682
00:40:35,174 --> 00:40:37,642
CHICHEN ITZA
WAS IN MAJOR DECLINE.
683
00:40:40,446 --> 00:40:43,915
WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS
POWERFUL CITY-STATE TO COLLAPSE?
684
00:40:46,953 --> 00:40:48,653
MEMO BELIEVES THE ANSWER LIES
685
00:40:48,655 --> 00:40:50,588
IN THE CENOTES
THAT WERE SO IMPORTANT
686
00:40:50,590 --> 00:40:53,691
TO THE ANCIENT PEOPLE
OF THIS REGION
687
00:40:53,693 --> 00:40:57,695
AND IN THE EVIDENCE
THEY CONTAIN OF DROUGHT.
688
00:40:57,697 --> 00:41:00,698
De Anda:
WE HAD FOUND THAT THE SITE
689
00:41:00,700 --> 00:41:04,535
HAD TO OVERCOME A HUGE DROUGHT,
690
00:41:04,537 --> 00:41:07,805
5, 10, OR MAYBE
15 YEARS WITHOUT RAIN.
691
00:41:07,807 --> 00:41:09,573
THEY HAD NO AGRICULTURE.
692
00:41:09,575 --> 00:41:12,143
SO NO WAY TO FEED THE PEOPLE.
693
00:41:12,145 --> 00:41:15,947
WE HAVE FOUND
THIS EVIDENCE IN CENOTES
694
00:41:15,949 --> 00:41:20,518
WHERE WE COULD SEE
HOW THE WATER LEVEL LOWERED.
695
00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:22,753
Narrator: UNDERGROUND LAKES
WITH THEIR SEEMINGLY
696
00:41:22,755 --> 00:41:25,356
BOTTOMLESS SUPPLY OF FRESH WATER
HAD BEEN THE KEY
697
00:41:25,358 --> 00:41:27,491
TO CHICHEN ITZA'S SUCCESS.
698
00:41:29,762 --> 00:41:34,432
NOW AS THAT WATER RAN LOW
AND THE HARVESTS FAILED,
699
00:41:34,434 --> 00:41:39,070
CHICHEN ITZA'S GLORY DAYS
HAD COME TO AN END.
700
00:41:39,072 --> 00:41:42,740
THE RULERS, THE KINGS
OF THE MAYAN AREA,
701
00:41:42,742 --> 00:41:46,444
THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
DESCENDENTS OF THE GODS.
702
00:41:46,446 --> 00:41:52,416
SO THEY ATTRIBUTED
THEMSELVES A DIVINE ORIGIN.
703
00:41:52,418 --> 00:41:56,253
SO WHEN THEY CANNOT,
COULD NOT PRODUCE WATER,
704
00:41:56,255 --> 00:41:59,423
PEOPLE MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY, VERY ANGRY.
705
00:41:59,425 --> 00:42:01,058
SOME PEOPLE MOVING AWAY,
706
00:42:01,060 --> 00:42:04,929
SOME OTHERS TRYING
TO GET THE POWER AND TO CONTROL.
707
00:42:04,931 --> 00:42:07,064
Narrator: CHICHEN ITZA
WAS GRADUALLY ABANDONED
708
00:42:07,066 --> 00:42:10,368
AND RECLAIMED BY THE JUNGLE.
709
00:42:10,370 --> 00:42:12,903
ITS SECRETS WERE
ALMOST LOST FOREVER.
710
00:42:15,308 --> 00:42:20,611
BUT THANKS TO INVESTIGATIONS
BY ARCHEOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS,
711
00:42:20,613 --> 00:42:24,815
THE MYSTERIOUS CITY
OF CHICHEN ITZA IS BEGINNING,
712
00:42:24,817 --> 00:42:26,751
LITTLE BY LITTLE,
713
00:42:26,753 --> 00:42:29,220
TO GIVE UP
ITS BEST-KEPT SECRETS.
714
00:42:31,758 --> 00:42:35,926
THE INGENIOUS STRUCTURE
OF ITS SACBES CAUSEWAYS,
715
00:42:35,928 --> 00:42:40,598
THE ANCIENT PYRAMID
HIDDEN INSIDE THE CASTILLO,
716
00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:45,169
AND THE HUMAN REMAINS
IN ITS VERY FOUNDATIONS.
717
00:42:45,171 --> 00:42:48,406
THESE MAKE CHICHEN ITZA
718
00:42:48,408 --> 00:42:52,943
ONE OF THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING
ANCIENT WONDERS EVER BUILT.
57289
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