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[narrator] Does this
bizarre object tell
the lost story
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of a 4500-year-old war?
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For both the party and battle.
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So what more do you want
in terms of a story?
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[narrator] Could this weapon
really replace gunpowder
with steam?
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This gun was designed to fire
hundreds of rounds a minute,
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and that was unheard of.
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[narrator] What was
the sinister purpose
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of this strange,
carved monolith?
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[Dr. Marina] They would open
the chest, extract the heart,
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00:00:31,689 --> 00:00:34,034
and make a fire within
the chest.
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[narrator] These are the most
remarkable and mysterious
objects on Earth,
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hidden away in museums,
laboratories, and storage
rooms.
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Now, new research
and technology can get
under their skin
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like never before.
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We can rebuild them,
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pull them apart,
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and zoom in,
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to reveal the unbelievable,
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the ancient,
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and the truly bizarre.
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These are the world's
strangest things.
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In a cabinet at
the British Museum,
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is a unique, 4500-year-old
wooden box,
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from the birthplace
of civilization.
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There's no other object
really like it.
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[narrator] For nearly
a century, its true purpose
has been unknown.
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Now, using cutting-edge
technology,
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we are going to open up
this ancient box and reveal
its secrets.
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This is theStandard of Ur.
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A wooden box,
nearly 20 inches long,
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and eight and a half
inches high.
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At one end is a peculiar,
little doorway,
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and its surface is covered
in detailed mosaic pictures,
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made with polished shell,
red limestone,
and lapis lazuli.
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The result is a truly,
beautiful object.
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[narrator] And these
tiny images seem to tell
a story.
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Of action, of fighting,
but also feasting,
celebration.
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[narrator] But their meaning
is as much a mystery
as the box itself.
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What is this strange thing?
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What do these images mean?
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Where did it come from?
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The mystery begins
in Southern Iraq,
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in the ruins of the ancient,
Mesopotamian city of Ur.
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[Dr. Kevin] Ur is one
of the world's earliest
cities.
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It was founded by
the Sumerians, in the area
that we call today,
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the "Cradle of Civilization."
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This is really
where things began.
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This is where laws began,
where writing began,
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where farming began.
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This is where the beginnings
of cities and city states
took place.
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[narrator] And Ur is at
the heart of it.
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It was a city that gained
tremendous wealth
through trade,
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so we find a lot of artifacts
from Persian Gulf,
and Arabian Sea, Asia, India.
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So, it was a city that was
able to become quite wealthy
and even powerful.
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[narrator] In the 1920s,
renowned archaeologist,
Sir Leonard Woolley,
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excavates a vast
cemetery complex
near the ziggurat,
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a huge, pyramid temple
built from baked mud bricks.
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[Dr. Mark] Leonard Woolley
finds this group of tombs,
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which were quite distinct
because they had
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many individuals buried
in them,
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often placed next
to each other
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and they seem to have been
all buried at the same time,
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which means that
there may have been some form
of sacrifice.
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[narrator] The tombs
are packed with treasures,
gold, sculptures,
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and precious stones.
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It's a sensational discovery.
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The 1920s were absolutely
a golden age for archaeology.
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00:04:05,724 --> 00:04:08,137
We have Howard Carter
in Egypt,
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and Sir Leonard Woolley in Ur,
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matching the splendor
of what was found in Egypt.
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European royalty visited Ur,
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even Agatha Christie.
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[narrator] In one
of the tombs,
Woolley discovers
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something extraordinary.
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[Dr. Kevin] A workman saw
a small shimmer,
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and began to clear away
the earth to reveal a mosaic.
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[narrator] It is
theStandard of Ur,
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or what is left of it
after four and a half
thousand years in the ground.
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The wooden frame
has rotted away,
but the soil has preserved
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the mosaic pieces in place.
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By painstakingly filling
the voids left by
the rotted wood
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with plaster and wax,
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Woolley is able to secure
the mosaics in their original
positions,
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and to retain the shape
of this lost artifact.
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So, what we're seeing now is
a reconstruction of a very
painstaking process.
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[narrator] But of all
the fabulous treasures found
in the royal cemeteries at Ur,
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why does this odd box become
the most famous by far?
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Everything about
the decoration
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of this enigmatic,
4500-year-old object,
shouts success,
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because the polished shell,
sandstone, and especially
the lapis lazuli
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are exotic materials
from distant lands.
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[Dr. Mark] Everything had
to be imported
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from Central Asia,
and Afghanistan, even India.
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So it also gives you the sense
of the objects themselves
reflect the power
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and the wealth of the society.
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This is a city that's able
to accrue
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this tremendous wealth
and make such objects.
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[narrator] It's not just
the exotic origins
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of the box's decoration
that astounds experts.
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It is crafted
with extraordinary skill.
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This is only possible
because a previously unseen
kind of worker
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appears in
the first civilizations.
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[Jeannette] The food surplus
that comes with farming
in these settlements,
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creates a new type of role
in society which is
the craftsman.
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And because these artisans
don't have to go out
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and collect food
for their families,
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they can actually trade
their crafts for food.
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And you see this
increasing skill in everything
that they create.
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They're making furniture,
they're making musical
instruments,
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weaponry, and even jewelry.
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[narrator] TheStandard is
one of the finest examples
of this work.
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And that is one reason
why it becomes
the poster child
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for the lost civilization
of Ur.
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The other reason
is that it's an enigma.
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Nothing like it has ever
been found before or since.
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So just what is it for?
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In the 100 years since
its discovery,
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there's been no shortage
of big ideas to explain
its purpose.
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[Dr. Mark] One idea is that
maybe it's a storage device,
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00:07:01,862 --> 00:07:04,103
perhaps treasure,
perhaps in offerings.
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There's a little area
where you can open this box
and then add and remove funds.
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So maybe it's a kind
of... uh, sort of,
treasure box essentially.
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[narrator] But something
about this idea
just doesn't fit.
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Because money as we know it
has not been invented yet.
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[Dr. Mark] Wealth was often
assumed to be larger objects,
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00:07:19,896 --> 00:07:21,827
metals, or food, or grain.
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00:07:21,862 --> 00:07:25,000
But how are you gonna fit
these large and bulky items
into a very small box?
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[Dr. Kevin] Of course, also,
it needs to be said,
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that no valuables
were discovered inside of it.
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This is not a treasure chest.
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[narrator] Could these
tiny images hold a clue
to its true purpose?
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One of the two main panels
is known as "War."
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[Dr. Mark] We see this battle
going on, chariots, and troops
marching off into war,
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and then in another register,
individuals getting
trounced upon,
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these chariots running
them over.
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And so, both marching
into war, but also the people
who are defeated
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being killed and stampeded
upon by the victors.
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You also see the king,
this large character
also prominently displayed
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as being victorious
in this warfare.
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[narrator] When Woolley finds
the box, he suggests it is
a military standard.
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And the name sticks.
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[Dr. Mark] Standards are
often used in warfare,
in particular
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as a way of demarcating
your side.
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The standard is the key symbol
which you carry into battle.
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So holding the standard
is both a signal to your army,
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but also
a propagandistic tool
to your enemies,
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that, "We're still here,
we're still fighting."
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[narrator] And one
of the images on the standard
looks very familiar.
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[Dr. Mark]
One of the individuals shown
on theStandard of Ur,
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looks like there's something
similar to that standard,
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at least in shape,
under the individual's body.
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[narrator] Is this an image
of a similar standard?
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Unfortunately there are
a few flaws to this idea.
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[Dr. Kevin] One is the size
of the imagery,
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which would have been
almost invisible
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from a more than a few yards
away.
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Second, is the relative
fragility of the piece.
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And then finally, there is
the fact that within
its actual construction,
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there's no obvious point
for the insertion of a pole
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to mount it on top
of the standard.
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[narrator] If it's not
Woolley's standard,
what is it?
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What is this 4500-year-old
object actually for?
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For decades, experts have been
studying
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these intricate mosaics
in search of the answer.
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On the opposite side
to the War panel, is the one
called, "Peace."
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The Peace side
is showing a kind of banquet,
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a kind of celebration.
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[narrator] Zooming in on this
digital reconstruction,
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reveals a possible clue
to its purpose,
hidden in plain sight.
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The upper register
is the most interesting.
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Here we see a large figure,
we assume that this is
the king.
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Before him are arrayed
a group of sitting officials,
raising glasses with the king.
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And beside them there is
a musician playing a lyre.
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[narrator] The theory is that
theStandard of Ur is actually
a sound box for a lyre.
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[Dr. Mark] The most ancient
lyre that we know of is about
3200 BCE
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found in the same region,
in ancient Sumer, which is
southern Mesopotamia.
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So this is a region where
such a musical instrument
was in fact invented.
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[narrator] The similarities
between theStandard of Ur
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and a lyre found in a tomb
at the same excavation,
are striking.
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[Dr. Mark] It's possible
that this is a lyre,
because both of 'em
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have a box-like middle,
with extensions where
the strings would be.
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And the hollow inside the box
could make a musical sound
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when it's strummed up
with strings.
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[narrator] So
is that the answer?
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Is this the sound box
of the king's lyre?
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00:10:56,103 --> 00:10:58,620
This is an attractive notion,
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but there's one big problem
with it.
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If this is a sound box,
it has been coated
with bitumen,
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and with stone and shell,
which would have had
a considerable damping effect,
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00:11:10,482 --> 00:11:15,379
effectively rendering it
useless as a sound box
for a stringed instrument.
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[narrator] There is one
final explanation
for this strange box.
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For years, the assumption
has been that these are
symbolic images,
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representing a well-balanced
society.
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An advertisement in effect
for how civilizations
should run.
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[Dr. Mark] One is
the war-like aspect that's
necessary to maintain power,
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00:11:35,068 --> 00:11:37,034
and the trade connections
that war would have had.
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00:11:37,068 --> 00:11:40,344
So war is a necessary
component of that,
in asserting power.
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But at the same time,
a society enjoys its fruits,
its economic benefits,
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and the partying,
and the feasting
that you would have
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as a way to affirm
the loyalties you have
to the king.
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And the king's, also, power
as... as someone who gives
his people these great feasts.
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[narrator] But experts
now suspect,
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00:11:55,689 --> 00:12:00,000
the events depicted could be
a real historical event.
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00:12:00,034 --> 00:12:02,931
[Dr. Mark] What we're seeing
is a story where there's
a prominent battle
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00:12:02,965 --> 00:12:04,103
in the time of the king.
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00:12:04,137 --> 00:12:05,482
And he was ultimately
victorious,
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00:12:05,517 --> 00:12:08,517
and when you win in battle,
what you do, you usually
celebrate.
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00:12:08,551 --> 00:12:11,413
You're showing
the actual battle happening
one side,
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00:12:11,448 --> 00:12:14,379
and then on the other side
you show the feasting
that would occur
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00:12:14,413 --> 00:12:17,413
after the battle,
that you're celebrating
your great victory.
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00:12:17,448 --> 00:12:19,620
[narrator] An advertisement
of victory fits
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00:12:19,655 --> 00:12:23,655
with the small size,
and the intricate,
delicate decoration.
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00:12:23,689 --> 00:12:26,068
[Dr. Kevin] It's unlikely
that such an elaborate object
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00:12:26,103 --> 00:12:29,206
would've been truly
functional.
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00:12:29,241 --> 00:12:31,413
It would've been largely
for display.
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00:12:34,137 --> 00:12:37,379
[narrator] So perhaps
this strange box once
sat on display
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00:12:37,413 --> 00:12:39,689
in one of the first cities
on Earth,
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00:12:39,724 --> 00:12:43,137
purely to remind people
of a great success in battle
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00:12:43,172 --> 00:12:45,482
of Ur's powerful king.
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00:12:45,517 --> 00:12:47,000
Both a party and battles,
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00:12:48,551 --> 00:12:50,413
so what more do you want
in terms of a story?
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00:12:51,620 --> 00:12:53,344
[narrator] The one thing
we're certain of,
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00:12:53,379 --> 00:12:57,344
is that theStandard of Ur
is a unique and beautiful
snapshot
225
00:12:57,379 --> 00:12:59,896
of an ancient,
lost civilization.
226
00:13:06,206 --> 00:13:08,344
At London's
Royal Armoury Museum,
227
00:13:08,379 --> 00:13:11,620
is an unknown
and very deadly gun.
228
00:13:11,655 --> 00:13:15,103
What we're looking at here,
is the 19th century version
of a weapon
229
00:13:15,137 --> 00:13:16,448
of mass destruction.
230
00:13:17,586 --> 00:13:19,620
[narrator] Now brought
out of the shadows
231
00:13:19,655 --> 00:13:21,689
and painstakingly
reconstructed...
232
00:13:24,482 --> 00:13:27,931
this is 170-year-old
machine gun,
233
00:13:28,586 --> 00:13:31,827
powered by steam.
234
00:13:31,862 --> 00:13:35,310
Who would've thought
that steam could challenge
gunpowder?
235
00:13:35,344 --> 00:13:38,344
[narrator]
Almost five feet long,
it is made of iron,
236
00:13:38,379 --> 00:13:41,655
with a wooden crank handle,
and a bizarre brass funnel.
237
00:13:41,689 --> 00:13:43,413
[cranking]
238
00:13:43,448 --> 00:13:48,517
It might look odd but it is
one of the most devastating
weapons of its time.
239
00:13:48,551 --> 00:13:51,689
This gun was designed to fire
hundreds of rounds a minute.
240
00:13:51,724 --> 00:13:53,517
Some say even
up to a thousand,
241
00:13:55,517 --> 00:13:57,517
and that was unheard of.
242
00:13:57,551 --> 00:13:59,206
[narrator] But did it actually
work?
243
00:14:00,448 --> 00:14:02,241
How did it work?
244
00:14:02,275 --> 00:14:06,413
And why would anyone want
a machine gun powered
by steam?
245
00:14:11,413 --> 00:14:14,551
This was an era when
everything was being converted
to steam power.
246
00:14:16,241 --> 00:14:18,137
It just seemed like steam
was this panacea
247
00:14:18,172 --> 00:14:21,137
that you could use to make
any task easier.
248
00:14:21,172 --> 00:14:24,344
[Dr. Sarah] It was
the driver behind
the Industrial Revolution.
249
00:14:24,379 --> 00:14:28,344
Factories and mills which used
to be powered by water
and horsepower,
250
00:14:28,379 --> 00:14:30,655
were now powered much more
efficiently by steam.
251
00:14:31,724 --> 00:14:34,103
[narrator] The possibilities
seemed endless.
252
00:14:34,137 --> 00:14:35,517
[Dr. Sarah] Steam had
so much potential
253
00:14:35,551 --> 00:14:38,448
that everyone was turning
to it as a new source
of power,
254
00:14:38,482 --> 00:14:41,931
from pragmatic things
like steam powered tractors,
255
00:14:41,965 --> 00:14:44,862
through to really quite
crack-pot inventions.
256
00:14:44,896 --> 00:14:48,965
One of the oddest is the idea
of a sort of steam powered
automaton.
257
00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,172
Like a giant metal soldier
that would pull along
a cart of people.
258
00:14:53,724 --> 00:14:55,172
[train whistling]
259
00:14:55,206 --> 00:14:59,517
[narrator] Steam powers
everything, except guns.
260
00:15:01,310 --> 00:15:05,413
Until this mad contraption
is created.
261
00:15:05,448 --> 00:15:08,827
But who comes up with
such a bizarre device?
262
00:15:17,827 --> 00:15:23,206
This outlandish,
19th century invention
is the steam gun.
263
00:15:23,241 --> 00:15:29,206
The man who dreams it up
is, prolific, American
engineer, Jacob Perkins.
264
00:15:29,241 --> 00:15:32,206
By the time Jacob Perkins
arrives on British shores,
265
00:15:32,241 --> 00:15:35,206
he already has a seriously
impressive track record.
266
00:15:35,241 --> 00:15:37,482
[Dr. Andrew] He'd invented
just a whole range
of different inventions
267
00:15:37,517 --> 00:15:39,793
from devices to measure
the speed of ships,
268
00:15:39,827 --> 00:15:42,379
to a technique
for plating buckles.
269
00:15:42,413 --> 00:15:44,793
That was his first invention
at the age of 15.
270
00:15:44,827 --> 00:15:47,000
He really was born to be
an inventor.
271
00:15:49,034 --> 00:15:51,724
[narrator] While in England,
Perkins catches the steam bug,
272
00:15:51,758 --> 00:15:54,310
and hits on
an extraordinary idea.
273
00:15:54,344 --> 00:15:59,379
[Andrea] As part of his work,
Perkins designed some
really high pressure boilers
274
00:15:59,413 --> 00:16:03,931
pushing the technology
to its limits. And of
the things that he sees,
275
00:16:03,965 --> 00:16:07,793
is that when he releases
the pressure a bit,
276
00:16:07,827 --> 00:16:12,172
he can observe
little particles fired
at great speed,
277
00:16:12,206 --> 00:16:13,655
and that gives him an idea.
278
00:16:17,551 --> 00:16:21,448
[narrator] Perkins begins
to design a revolutionary
steam powered gun
279
00:16:21,482 --> 00:16:24,896
hoping to sell it to
the British military.
280
00:16:24,931 --> 00:16:28,758
Over the years, his son,
Angier, develops
and improves it,
281
00:16:28,793 --> 00:16:33,310
culminating in 1851,
in this.
282
00:16:33,344 --> 00:16:37,068
But this extraordinary
contraption won't be
an easy sell.
283
00:16:37,103 --> 00:16:39,896
The problem with selling
his invention is that
284
00:16:39,931 --> 00:16:42,379
they already know
how to fire a gun.
285
00:16:42,413 --> 00:16:46,000
I mean, gunpowder
and propellants already exist.
286
00:16:46,034 --> 00:16:48,413
[narrator] Since
its invention over
1,000 years ago,
287
00:16:48,448 --> 00:16:51,896
nearly all firearms
are powered by gunpowder.
288
00:16:51,931 --> 00:16:53,896
It was invented in China,
289
00:16:53,931 --> 00:16:59,896
and it's just salt, pewter,
charcoal, and sulfur, very,
very finely ground.
290
00:16:59,931 --> 00:17:02,000
And the things is
that when you ignite it...
291
00:17:02,034 --> 00:17:03,724
[crackling]
292
00:17:03,758 --> 00:17:05,724
...it burns incredibly fast,
293
00:17:06,965 --> 00:17:09,344
and produces huge amounts
of gas.
294
00:17:11,482 --> 00:17:17,310
And so what you've got is
a pulse of gas that can really
push a bullet or a cannonball.
295
00:17:19,482 --> 00:17:21,586
[narrator] Gunpowder is
a winning formula.
296
00:17:21,620 --> 00:17:24,413
So why does Perkins want
to swap it for steam?
297
00:17:29,379 --> 00:17:32,931
By the time Perkins arrives
on British shores in 1819,
298
00:17:32,965 --> 00:17:37,724
recent conflicts had shown
that even gunpowder
has its problems.
299
00:17:37,758 --> 00:17:40,586
In the decade before Perkins
invented the steam gun,
300
00:17:40,620 --> 00:17:44,000
Britain was heavily involved
in the Napoleonic War,
301
00:17:44,034 --> 00:17:49,689
to try and prevent Napoleon
from advancing his empire
across the whole continent.
302
00:17:49,724 --> 00:17:54,758
[narrator] Napoleon's tactics
proved brutally effective
against British fire power.
303
00:17:54,793 --> 00:17:59,517
Napoleon's strategy relied
on speed, momentum,
and mobility.
304
00:17:59,551 --> 00:18:01,137
-[horse neighing]
-[Dr. Sascha] Whereas,
the British favor
305
00:18:01,172 --> 00:18:04,931
a large number soldiers
spread out in a relatively
thin line,
306
00:18:04,965 --> 00:18:06,310
to all fire in one direction.
307
00:18:06,344 --> 00:18:09,137
Napoleon opts for
the column formation.
308
00:18:09,172 --> 00:18:12,689
Narrower, but deeper,
and this favors
forward movement.
309
00:18:12,724 --> 00:18:14,241
[soldiers yelling]
310
00:18:14,275 --> 00:18:17,827
[narrator] The French
are fast, the guns facing them
are anything but.
311
00:18:19,137 --> 00:18:21,034
[Dr. Sarah] If you're fighting
on the British side,
312
00:18:21,068 --> 00:18:23,172
you're most likely
carrying a musket.
313
00:18:23,206 --> 00:18:26,275
And that musket probably
would've been one called,
the "Brown Bess."
314
00:18:26,310 --> 00:18:31,137
[narrator] These muskets use
a ball and a paper cartridge
filled with gunpowder.
315
00:18:31,172 --> 00:18:34,620
Reloading one of these muskets
is a quite laborious process,
316
00:18:34,655 --> 00:18:38,206
'cause every part
of what you're doing
is separate.
317
00:18:38,241 --> 00:18:44,551
You have the gunpowder,
you have the tamping between
the powder and the ball,
318
00:18:44,586 --> 00:18:48,137
you have the ball itself,
which has to be loaded in
separate.
319
00:18:48,172 --> 00:18:50,965
You gotta be careful,
because it's a ball,
and it can roll back out again
320
00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:52,241
if you handle it poorly.
321
00:18:52,275 --> 00:18:55,724
And then to fire the musket,
you have to cock it.
322
00:18:58,103 --> 00:19:00,275
And then you gotta start
the whole process
all over again.
323
00:19:02,275 --> 00:19:06,275
[narrator] Reloading
and firing just once can take
20 seconds,
324
00:19:06,310 --> 00:19:09,137
and even when you fire
chances are you miss.
325
00:19:09,965 --> 00:19:12,068
Muskets aren't just slow,
326
00:19:12,103 --> 00:19:13,896
they are hopelessly
inaccurate.
327
00:19:16,655 --> 00:19:18,413
[Dr. Andrew] Because
the musket was loaded
from the front,
328
00:19:18,448 --> 00:19:20,758
the balls were made
intentionally, slightly
smaller
329
00:19:20,793 --> 00:19:23,413
than the barrel to allow them
to be easily passed inside.
330
00:19:23,448 --> 00:19:25,482
But that means they can
jiggle around inside
the barrel
331
00:19:25,517 --> 00:19:27,068
and come out in all kinds
of different angles.
332
00:19:31,275 --> 00:19:34,068
[narrator] Perkins
is convinced that his
steampunk invention
333
00:19:34,103 --> 00:19:36,448
is not only faster but more
accurate.
334
00:19:38,379 --> 00:19:42,034
His problem is that history
is already littered
with strange weapons
335
00:19:42,068 --> 00:19:44,068
trying to solve
the same issues,
336
00:19:45,068 --> 00:19:46,448
and mostly failing.
337
00:19:48,103 --> 00:19:52,517
Some add more barrels
to the gun so they can be
fired all at once.
338
00:19:52,551 --> 00:19:55,068
[Dr. Andrew] You can
concentrate your fire
in a single shot,
339
00:19:55,103 --> 00:19:57,103
but ultimately it doesn't
solve the problem.
340
00:19:57,137 --> 00:19:58,758
First off, they're still just
as inaccurate
341
00:19:58,793 --> 00:20:00,655
as the individual barrels
that they are made of.
342
00:20:00,689 --> 00:20:03,551
And secondly, although
you can fire lots of shots
at once,
343
00:20:03,586 --> 00:20:05,379
they then take even longer
to reload.
344
00:20:05,413 --> 00:20:08,379
Obviously, as many times
longer as you have barrels.
345
00:20:08,413 --> 00:20:11,344
[narrator] Other weapons try
a rapid loading mechanism.
346
00:20:11,379 --> 00:20:15,448
Back in the 2nd century BCE,
the Chinese developed
a repeating fire crossbow
347
00:20:15,482 --> 00:20:17,827
that used a little magazine
that could drop ten bolts
348
00:20:17,862 --> 00:20:21,344
into position to fire
in 20 seconds.
349
00:20:21,379 --> 00:20:24,344
[narrator] But a rapid firing
mechanism in a gunpowder
weapon
350
00:20:24,379 --> 00:20:26,172
is altogether more complex.
351
00:20:28,068 --> 00:20:30,517
One of the problems
with using gunpowder,
352
00:20:30,551 --> 00:20:34,724
especially if you're trying
to fire again, and again,
and again,
353
00:20:35,413 --> 00:20:37,344
is the gunpowder burns hot.
354
00:20:39,241 --> 00:20:43,620
And so your gun will gradually
get hotter, and hotter,
and hotter.
355
00:20:43,655 --> 00:20:46,758
Until, eventually,
the metal will actually
soften,
356
00:20:46,793 --> 00:20:49,068
and the gun itself
will deform.
357
00:20:51,137 --> 00:20:53,655
[narrator] Perkins believes
the answer to all these
problems
358
00:20:53,689 --> 00:20:56,206
is to do away with gunpowder
altogether,
359
00:20:56,241 --> 00:20:57,896
and replace it with steam.
360
00:20:59,586 --> 00:21:01,689
But is that
just a pipe dream?
361
00:21:10,448 --> 00:21:14,482
This odd, 19th century
contraption is
the Perkins' steam gun.
362
00:21:16,862 --> 00:21:19,827
But he isn't the first
to dream up this idea.
363
00:21:19,862 --> 00:21:22,103
[Dr. Andrew] Back in
the 15th century,
Leonardo da Vinci
364
00:21:22,137 --> 00:21:24,827
who seems to have invented
basically everything
in his sketch books,
365
00:21:24,862 --> 00:21:29,137
had drawn an unusual picture,
of what looks like
a steam powered gun.
366
00:21:29,172 --> 00:21:31,862
[narrator] He calls it,
the "Architonnerre."
367
00:21:31,896 --> 00:21:33,862
[Dr. Andrew] And actually,
da Vinci attributes this idea
368
00:21:33,896 --> 00:21:37,241
to the ancient Greek
scientist, and polymath,
Archimedes,
369
00:21:37,275 --> 00:21:39,551
who lived
in the 3rd century BCE.
370
00:21:39,586 --> 00:21:41,206
Which means, the idea
of a steam gun
371
00:21:41,241 --> 00:21:44,724
could date back
over 2,000 years.
372
00:21:44,758 --> 00:21:48,103
[narrator] The Architonnerre
uses a coal fire
to generate steam
373
00:21:48,137 --> 00:21:49,655
by heating the gun itself.
374
00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,896
Perkins uses his own
state of the art boiler
375
00:21:53,931 --> 00:21:56,482
operating at extremely high
pressure.
376
00:21:56,517 --> 00:22:00,931
And his original machine
is designed to take
full advantage of it.
377
00:22:00,965 --> 00:22:04,379
[Dr. Andrew] There's
a six foot, or two meter long,
smooth ball barrel,
378
00:22:04,413 --> 00:22:07,275
and at one end,
there's a magazine,
which just using gravity
379
00:22:07,310 --> 00:22:10,172
feeds balls into it.
380
00:22:10,206 --> 00:22:13,931
[narrator] The gun
is connected to
a high pressure steam boiler.
381
00:22:13,965 --> 00:22:16,413
[Dr. Andrew] By opening
the valve, you can allow
the pressurized steam
382
00:22:16,448 --> 00:22:20,517
into that barrel which fires
those balls out
the end of the gun.
383
00:22:20,551 --> 00:22:25,000
[narrator] Perkins' son,
Angier, improves on
the original 1824 design,
384
00:22:25,034 --> 00:22:27,862
giving it more
precise control.
385
00:22:27,896 --> 00:22:31,482
In Jacob Perkins'
original design, the balls
were just falling into the gun
386
00:22:31,517 --> 00:22:33,000
under the force of gravity.
387
00:22:33,034 --> 00:22:34,620
Whereas his son, Angier,
extended it,
388
00:22:34,655 --> 00:22:37,448
and made it a slightly more
controllable design.
389
00:22:37,482 --> 00:22:41,068
What that meant was that
by turning a handle,
you are cranking two pins,
390
00:22:41,103 --> 00:22:43,862
which would allow each ball
to fall into the barrel
individually.
391
00:22:43,896 --> 00:22:46,931
And then, as the crank
continued to turn,
it would open a valve
392
00:22:46,965 --> 00:22:49,275
which would blast
that steam pressure through
and fire
393
00:22:49,310 --> 00:22:50,793
the thing out the end
of the gun.
394
00:22:50,827 --> 00:22:53,275
And then that cycle repeats,
as fast as you could crank it,
395
00:22:53,310 --> 00:22:55,034
it would carry on firing.
396
00:22:55,068 --> 00:22:59,931
[narrator] Is steam about
to trump 1,000 years
of gunpowder supremacy?
397
00:23:03,517 --> 00:23:06,310
[narrator] In 1824,
after five years of work,
398
00:23:06,344 --> 00:23:09,793
Jacob Perkins is ready
to demonstrate his original
steam gun
399
00:23:09,827 --> 00:23:12,172
to the top brass
of the British military.
400
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,379
Front and center is none other
than the Duke of Wellington
himself,
401
00:23:17,413 --> 00:23:20,137
who is now
Master General of Ordnance,
402
00:23:20,172 --> 00:23:25,172
responsible for evaluating
and procuring new weapons
for the entire army.
403
00:23:25,206 --> 00:23:28,000
[narrator] Under Wellington's
gaze, Perkins' bizarre
contraption
404
00:23:28,034 --> 00:23:30,655
is subjected to rigorous tests
of speed,
405
00:23:30,689 --> 00:23:32,793
power and accuracy.
406
00:23:32,827 --> 00:23:35,000
If Wellington was looking
for a fast-firing weapon,
407
00:23:35,034 --> 00:23:36,482
this steam gun delivered.
408
00:23:36,517 --> 00:23:38,310
The ports differ quite widely,
409
00:23:38,344 --> 00:23:40,241
but at the lowest end
of the estimates,
410
00:23:40,275 --> 00:23:42,758
it was said to fire
250 rounds a minute.
411
00:23:42,793 --> 00:23:46,310
And up at the top end,
people claimed
1,000 rounds a minute.
412
00:23:46,344 --> 00:23:47,965
So, if you think about
the comparison with a musket,
413
00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,034
which was firing
just four times a minute,
414
00:23:50,068 --> 00:23:53,413
this is anywhere
from 60 to 250 times faster.
415
00:23:53,448 --> 00:23:55,379
[rapid gunfire]
416
00:23:55,413 --> 00:23:57,517
[narrator] The steam gun
is not only fast,
417
00:23:57,551 --> 00:23:59,137
it's deadly accurate.
418
00:24:00,793 --> 00:24:03,172
[Andrea] One of the things
about using steam
419
00:24:03,206 --> 00:24:05,241
is that it's incredibly clean.
420
00:24:05,275 --> 00:24:08,448
All you've got is H2O.
421
00:24:08,482 --> 00:24:10,931
And you'll not be left
with any of the residues
422
00:24:10,965 --> 00:24:13,413
that you might get
with gun powder.
423
00:24:13,448 --> 00:24:17,379
So you can design
your steam gun
to much higher tolerances
424
00:24:18,172 --> 00:24:20,034
and you'll get better accuracy
425
00:24:20,068 --> 00:24:23,172
than you can with just
a conventional musket.
426
00:24:23,206 --> 00:24:25,068
[narrator] And unlike
a gunpowder firearm,
427
00:24:25,103 --> 00:24:27,724
there is no risk
of the barrel deforming.
428
00:24:27,758 --> 00:24:30,103
[Andrea] When you
generate the stream,
429
00:24:30,137 --> 00:24:33,413
it's gonna be
only 100 or 200 degrees
430
00:24:33,448 --> 00:24:35,965
above the boiling temperature
of water.
431
00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:40,551
And that's going to be as hot
as your gun will ever get.
432
00:24:40,586 --> 00:24:43,586
And so you could fire
over and over again
433
00:24:43,620 --> 00:24:44,931
and you're never
gonna overheat.
434
00:24:46,620 --> 00:24:50,827
[narrator] But can
Perkins' steam gun
pack enough punch?
435
00:24:50,862 --> 00:24:54,655
Perkins cranked up
the boiler to full pressure,
900 PSI.
436
00:24:54,689 --> 00:24:57,275
And he demonstrated it
over a range of 100 feet.
437
00:24:57,310 --> 00:25:00,655
He could smash a hole
in 11 one-inch planks.
438
00:25:01,379 --> 00:25:03,586
[rapid gunfire]
439
00:25:06,310 --> 00:25:08,448
[narrator] Perkins'
strange contraption proves
440
00:25:08,482 --> 00:25:13,000
that steam can power a weapon
of extraordinary speed
and accuracy.
441
00:25:14,310 --> 00:25:17,137
It should be
an unmitigated success,
442
00:25:17,172 --> 00:25:19,655
but things don't quite
go to plan.
443
00:25:21,620 --> 00:25:26,965
Even after years of tests
and refinement
by Perkins' son Angier,
444
00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:29,620
the British forces
just aren't interested in it.
445
00:25:29,655 --> 00:25:32,206
They refused
to purchase his device,
446
00:25:32,241 --> 00:25:35,655
and it ends up being just
kind of a demonstration piece.
447
00:25:35,689 --> 00:25:39,586
[narrator] So what goes wrong
for this bizarre gun?
448
00:25:41,517 --> 00:25:45,413
The first obstacle
is a military bogged down
by tradition.
449
00:25:45,448 --> 00:25:46,793
[Dr. Sarah] The British Army
at that time
450
00:25:46,827 --> 00:25:49,172
were not considered
to be early adopters.
451
00:25:49,206 --> 00:25:52,482
So improving
on traditional techniques,
452
00:25:52,517 --> 00:25:53,689
yes, that was accepted,
453
00:25:53,724 --> 00:25:57,862
but the idea of moving
from gunpowder to steam,
454
00:25:57,896 --> 00:25:59,137
that was just too radical.
455
00:26:01,448 --> 00:26:03,793
[narrator] The second problem
is a whopper.
456
00:26:03,827 --> 00:26:04,827
[Dr. Andrew] In order
to fire this thing,
457
00:26:04,862 --> 00:26:07,034
you needed
a five-ton steam boiler
458
00:26:07,068 --> 00:26:09,206
to be lugged around with it
at all times.
459
00:26:09,241 --> 00:26:12,827
This is an incredibly
risky device to be dragging
around the battlefield.
460
00:26:12,862 --> 00:26:15,551
-You got this enormous
pressurized steam boiler.
-[kettle whistling]
461
00:26:15,586 --> 00:26:16,482
It's basically a bomb.
462
00:26:19,896 --> 00:26:21,344
[narrator] The final problem
463
00:26:21,379 --> 00:26:24,620
is by the time Angier
perfects his father's
steam gun,
464
00:26:24,655 --> 00:26:27,517
gunpowder technology
has moved on.
465
00:26:27,551 --> 00:26:28,896
They got rid
of paper cartridges
466
00:26:28,931 --> 00:26:30,448
and managed to come up
with brass cartridges
467
00:26:30,482 --> 00:26:32,379
to store the gunpowder
on the back of the bullet.
468
00:26:32,413 --> 00:26:34,413
And bullets were also
becoming pointed,
469
00:26:34,448 --> 00:26:36,000
which means they were
much more aerodynamic.
470
00:26:36,034 --> 00:26:38,413
That meant much,
much higher speeds,
471
00:26:38,448 --> 00:26:39,689
much longer range,
472
00:26:39,724 --> 00:26:42,241
and critically,
much greater accuracy.
473
00:26:42,275 --> 00:26:44,724
And that means the problems
that the steam guns
were hoping to address
474
00:26:44,758 --> 00:26:48,275
were being solved, and better,
with gunpowder-based
technology.
475
00:26:50,310 --> 00:26:53,344
[narrator] Perkins' creation
doesn't stand a chance.
476
00:26:53,379 --> 00:26:56,206
So, is that the end
of the steam-powered gun?
477
00:26:57,310 --> 00:26:58,413
Not quite.
478
00:27:06,793 --> 00:27:08,275
[narrator] Despite its speed
and power,
479
00:27:08,310 --> 00:27:11,137
this weird 19th century
steam-powered weapon
480
00:27:11,172 --> 00:27:13,344
just can't compete
with gunpowder.
481
00:27:15,275 --> 00:27:17,206
But more than
100 years later,
482
00:27:17,241 --> 00:27:21,827
the British Army finally
find a home for Perkins'
revolutionary ideas.
483
00:27:22,482 --> 00:27:24,241
[Dr. Sascha] In the 1940s,
484
00:27:24,275 --> 00:27:27,655
anti-aircraft guns
were sometimes redeployed
485
00:27:27,689 --> 00:27:30,137
from merchant ships
onto British warships,
486
00:27:30,172 --> 00:27:34,206
leaving the former
quite unprotected
from aircraft attack.
487
00:27:34,241 --> 00:27:37,034
With gunpowder
in somewhat limited supply,
488
00:27:37,068 --> 00:27:39,931
the Department
of Miscellaneous
Weapon Development
489
00:27:39,965 --> 00:27:43,310
turned to a resource
that was readily available
on ships...
490
00:27:45,241 --> 00:27:46,206
steam.
491
00:27:47,206 --> 00:27:50,034
[narrator]
Enter the Holman Projector.
492
00:27:50,068 --> 00:27:52,551
[Dr. Sarah]
The Holman Projector
worked by connecting pipes
493
00:27:52,586 --> 00:27:55,137
to the ship's steam boiler.
494
00:27:55,172 --> 00:27:58,103
Then a grenade was dropped
down the barrel,
495
00:27:58,137 --> 00:28:01,896
and the pressure
from the steam
would shoot the grenade out.
496
00:28:01,931 --> 00:28:04,862
And this
effectively functioned
as an anti-aircraft weapon.
497
00:28:05,517 --> 00:28:07,275
It was an unrifled gun,
498
00:28:07,310 --> 00:28:09,758
and that meant that you could
throw anything down there.
499
00:28:09,793 --> 00:28:11,172
So if you didn't
have a grenade,
500
00:28:11,206 --> 00:28:13,482
you had the option
of a cabbage, a can,
501
00:28:13,517 --> 00:28:16,413
or apparently,
the biggest favorite
was a potato.
502
00:28:16,448 --> 00:28:19,724
[narrator] Making it
the world's first
anti-aircraft spud gun.
503
00:28:21,275 --> 00:28:23,206
And just as Perkins predicted,
504
00:28:23,241 --> 00:28:24,758
it is lethal.
505
00:28:24,793 --> 00:28:26,689
[Dr. Sascha] There are reports
506
00:28:26,724 --> 00:28:31,103
that one sailor
on a merchant ship
called theHighlander,
507
00:28:31,137 --> 00:28:35,000
successfully downed
a German aircraft
using a Holman Projector.
508
00:28:35,862 --> 00:28:37,034
It's not clear
from the reports
509
00:28:37,068 --> 00:28:38,655
whether or not he fired
a potato at it.
510
00:28:41,275 --> 00:28:43,758
[narrator] Finally,
the steam gun has its day,
511
00:28:43,793 --> 00:28:48,310
albeit almost 120 years
after Jacob Perkins
has the idea.
512
00:28:53,241 --> 00:28:56,103
In Mexico's National Museum
of Anthropology
513
00:28:56,137 --> 00:28:58,758
is a strange monolith
from a lost world
514
00:28:59,448 --> 00:29:01,827
with a violent past.
515
00:29:01,862 --> 00:29:07,379
The civilization
that created this object
was almost wiped from history.
516
00:29:07,413 --> 00:29:11,206
[narrator] Now,
we're bringing every detail
of this astonishing artefact
517
00:29:11,241 --> 00:29:12,310
out into the light.
518
00:29:14,931 --> 00:29:17,724
This is the Teocalli Stone.
519
00:29:18,551 --> 00:29:20,137
Cut from volcanic rock,
520
00:29:20,172 --> 00:29:25,551
it stands roughly
four feet tall, three feet
wide, and three feet deep.
521
00:29:25,586 --> 00:29:29,655
It effectively looks like
a model version of a temple.
522
00:29:29,689 --> 00:29:33,758
[narrator] But carved
into every surface
are disturbing images,
523
00:29:33,793 --> 00:29:36,689
eerie figures
with skull-like faces,
524
00:29:36,724 --> 00:29:40,517
weird animals, plants,
and monsters.
525
00:29:41,689 --> 00:29:46,103
They all hint at a gruesome
and violent past.
526
00:29:46,137 --> 00:29:51,689
Waging sacred war
in order to have
the human sacrifices
527
00:29:52,275 --> 00:29:54,068
to, to offer the sun.
528
00:29:54,103 --> 00:29:57,310
[narrator] Is this
a sacrificial altar?
529
00:29:57,344 --> 00:30:01,517
[Dr. Marina]
They would open the chest,
extract the heart,
530
00:30:01,551 --> 00:30:03,793
and make a fire
within the chest.
531
00:30:05,206 --> 00:30:08,310
[narrator] Or are we simply
misreading its purpose?
532
00:30:08,344 --> 00:30:11,551
Just so many different clues
that can be read
in different ways,
533
00:30:11,586 --> 00:30:13,965
and you have to
really read closely
and piece them together
534
00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:15,689
to figure out
what it's all about.
535
00:30:18,931 --> 00:30:23,655
[narrator] What becomes
of the legendary leader
it is created for?
536
00:30:23,689 --> 00:30:28,068
And could it really
have anything to do
with human sacrifice?
537
00:30:32,379 --> 00:30:35,586
1926, Mexico City.
538
00:30:35,620 --> 00:30:37,655
A mysterious object
is unearthed
539
00:30:37,689 --> 00:30:40,482
from the foundations
of the National Palace.
540
00:30:40,517 --> 00:30:42,344
They knew about
this object before,
541
00:30:42,379 --> 00:30:46,034
but it was only in 1926
that they dug it up
542
00:30:46,068 --> 00:30:49,724
and it was able to be examined
fully for the first time.
543
00:30:49,758 --> 00:30:52,172
[narrator] The strange shapes
on the back of this monolith
544
00:30:52,206 --> 00:30:56,137
point archaeologists toward
its legendary creators.
545
00:30:56,172 --> 00:31:00,275
[Jeannette] You see
these carvings with an eagle
546
00:31:00,310 --> 00:31:04,379
with its wings widespread
on top of a cactus.
547
00:31:04,413 --> 00:31:08,862
And that's an image
that most people in Mexico
would recognize today
548
00:31:08,896 --> 00:31:10,793
as it's on the Mexican flag.
549
00:31:13,689 --> 00:31:16,413
[narrator]
It is a 13th century legend.
550
00:31:16,448 --> 00:31:19,448
A group of migrants
are traveling
through the Valley of Mexico.
551
00:31:20,517 --> 00:31:23,172
They are about to transform
Central America.
552
00:31:23,206 --> 00:31:24,517
[eagle squawking]
553
00:31:24,551 --> 00:31:30,000
There was a prophecy
that said that the capital
would be created
554
00:31:30,034 --> 00:31:36,310
when an eagle
was seen standing on a cactus
in the middle of a lake.
555
00:31:36,344 --> 00:31:39,241
And this would end up
being Lake Texcoco
556
00:31:39,275 --> 00:31:41,655
in what is now Mexico City.
557
00:31:41,689 --> 00:31:45,068
[narrator] Archaeologists know
exactly whose legend this is.
558
00:31:45,103 --> 00:31:46,379
[Jeannette] Without any doubt,
559
00:31:46,413 --> 00:31:51,965
this monolith was created
by the Mexicas
of Tenochtitlan.
560
00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,413
[narrator] The Mexica
have a more familiar name
for many,
561
00:31:55,034 --> 00:31:56,172
the Aztecs.
562
00:31:57,862 --> 00:32:01,965
Mexico City is built
on the side of their
vast capital, Tenochtitlan.
563
00:32:05,344 --> 00:32:09,586
The modern National Palace
in Mexico was actually built
564
00:32:09,620 --> 00:32:14,931
on top of where the palace
of the ancient rulers
would have been located.
565
00:32:14,965 --> 00:32:20,620
Therefore, this monolith
found in the foundations
of the National Palace
566
00:32:20,655 --> 00:32:26,965
probably belonged
to an important figure
that lived in that palace.
567
00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,862
[narrator] Who is this figure?
568
00:32:29,896 --> 00:32:32,724
Can the eerie images
at the top identify him?
569
00:32:35,034 --> 00:32:37,724
[Dr. Marina] On the left,
is the god Huitzilopochtli
570
00:32:37,758 --> 00:32:40,965
which is a god
that is associated
with kingship.
571
00:32:42,241 --> 00:32:45,482
And on the right
is the god Tezcatlipoca
572
00:32:45,517 --> 00:32:47,103
who was the god of night,
573
00:32:47,137 --> 00:32:52,000
but also a god
that was associated
with warriors and with kings.
574
00:32:52,034 --> 00:32:56,413
[narrator] But these strange
carvings reveal more
than Aztec gods.
575
00:32:56,448 --> 00:32:59,241
They could also narrate
historical events
576
00:32:59,275 --> 00:33:02,482
and represent
real historical figures.
577
00:33:02,517 --> 00:33:06,482
So the figure on the right
might also be a real ruler.
578
00:33:09,931 --> 00:33:13,862
[narrator] This image
holds clues to the identity
of that ruler.
579
00:33:13,896 --> 00:33:15,931
[Caroline]
It shows a diadem,
a little crown,
580
00:33:15,965 --> 00:33:17,103
and a nose plug,
581
00:33:17,137 --> 00:33:19,965
And those are symbols
of rule in Aztec culture.
582
00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,206
[narrator] Experts believe
this all points to one person,
583
00:33:23,241 --> 00:33:27,620
the most legendary
and ruthless
of all Aztec leaders.
584
00:33:27,655 --> 00:33:30,517
In other pictographic sources,
585
00:33:30,551 --> 00:33:33,827
those symbols are often
associated with Moctezuma II.
586
00:33:35,896 --> 00:33:39,448
[narrator] And they don't
come bigger than Moctezuma II.
587
00:33:40,862 --> 00:33:44,862
He ruled from 1502 to 1520,
588
00:33:44,896 --> 00:33:48,896
taking the Aztec Empire
to the height of its power,
589
00:33:48,931 --> 00:33:54,172
ruling over 5,000,000 people
across 80,000 square miles.
590
00:33:56,172 --> 00:33:59,137
Moctezuma II is this
almost mythical figure.
591
00:33:59,172 --> 00:34:01,068
He had this enormous zoo,
592
00:34:01,103 --> 00:34:02,758
and there is evidence
for this.
593
00:34:02,793 --> 00:34:05,862
He has great luxury
that he lives in.
594
00:34:05,896 --> 00:34:09,724
Supposedly, he has hundreds
of wives and children.
595
00:34:09,758 --> 00:34:14,275
He's a figure that not only
has enormous power,
596
00:34:14,310 --> 00:34:17,241
but goes to great lengths
to promote himself
597
00:34:17,275 --> 00:34:19,965
as a figure of power
and authority.
598
00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,793
[narrator] An object of
extraordinary craftsmanship,
599
00:34:22,827 --> 00:34:29,310
made for the greatest leader
of one of the most remarkable
civilizations of the Americas.
600
00:34:29,344 --> 00:34:32,586
What is the purpose
of this strange thing?
601
00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,586
[narrator]
This strange monolith
602
00:34:42,620 --> 00:34:46,344
is created for the fabled
Aztec leader Moctezuma II.
603
00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:48,275
But what is it?
604
00:34:49,034 --> 00:34:50,000
[Jeannette] The shape of it.
605
00:34:51,034 --> 00:34:52,448
The lines representing steps.
606
00:34:53,724 --> 00:34:56,344
It's unmistakable
when you compare it
607
00:34:56,379 --> 00:34:59,482
to known temples
of the period.
608
00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,448
It effectively looks like
a model version of a temple.
609
00:35:06,206 --> 00:35:10,689
[narrator] Scale models
of temples are not unusual
in Mexica society.
610
00:35:10,724 --> 00:35:13,413
But there is something strange
about this one.
611
00:35:13,448 --> 00:35:18,103
[Dr. Marina] Across the
empire, we have been able
to find smaller models.
612
00:35:18,137 --> 00:35:21,517
[narrator] These scale models
are usually just
a few inches tall.
613
00:35:21,551 --> 00:35:24,413
None of them
are as large as this one.
614
00:35:24,448 --> 00:35:28,482
[narrator]
The four-foot tall Teocalli
is a giant in comparison.
615
00:35:30,586 --> 00:35:34,689
Some experts think
there's a very good reason
for its oversized proportions.
616
00:35:36,517 --> 00:35:39,793
[Dr. Marina] On top
of some of these models
are gods sitting on them
617
00:35:39,827 --> 00:35:42,137
as if they were sitting
on thrones.
618
00:35:42,172 --> 00:35:45,931
So the Teocalli is not just
a representation of a temple,
619
00:35:45,965 --> 00:35:48,344
but the throne for a god.
620
00:35:54,034 --> 00:35:56,896
[narrator] The Teocalli
is now known by another name,
621
00:35:56,931 --> 00:35:59,275
the Throne of Moctezuma II.
622
00:36:01,275 --> 00:36:04,034
But there is a problem
with this idea.
623
00:36:04,068 --> 00:36:07,551
In this period,
thrones were most usually
made of reeds.
624
00:36:07,586 --> 00:36:09,206
It's not a chair society.
625
00:36:09,241 --> 00:36:12,655
You sat on a fabulous
reed mat.
626
00:36:12,689 --> 00:36:16,758
I think it's unlikely
that Moctezuma
actually sat on it.
627
00:36:16,793 --> 00:36:19,551
[narrator] Some scholars
believe it could be
a symbolic throne,
628
00:36:19,586 --> 00:36:20,827
a token of power,
629
00:36:20,862 --> 00:36:22,000
rather than a real one.
630
00:36:23,206 --> 00:36:25,689
But close examination
of the other bizarre symbols
631
00:36:25,724 --> 00:36:29,965
reveals a much more
disturbing explanation
for this strange thing.
632
00:36:33,655 --> 00:36:39,379
Experts believe this circle
at the top of the monolith
is a solar disc.
633
00:36:39,413 --> 00:36:44,000
A calendar that charts
the 52-year Mexica cycle
of life and death.
634
00:36:45,620 --> 00:36:47,689
[Jeannette] According to
Mexica traditions,
635
00:36:47,724 --> 00:36:51,724
the sun had already
been swallowed up
four times prior,
636
00:36:51,758 --> 00:36:53,241
and during Moctezuma's reign,
637
00:36:53,275 --> 00:36:55,655
this was the fifth sun.
638
00:36:55,689 --> 00:37:00,344
And in order to ensure
that the sun always
comes back up after night,
639
00:37:00,379 --> 00:37:03,689
you have to appease it
with blood sacrifice.
640
00:37:03,724 --> 00:37:06,034
And that's what the symbolism
there is about,
641
00:37:06,068 --> 00:37:08,275
waging sacred war
642
00:37:08,310 --> 00:37:12,965
in order to have
the human sacrifices
to offer the sun.
643
00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:17,793
[narrator] This idea
has given the monolith
a second name.
644
00:37:17,827 --> 00:37:21,344
[Jeannette] When renowned
Mexican archaeologist
Alfonso Caso
645
00:37:21,379 --> 00:37:22,793
first sees the monolith,
646
00:37:22,827 --> 00:37:26,000
he names it the
Teocalli de la
Guerra Sagrada,
647
00:37:26,034 --> 00:37:29,310
which in English means
Temple of the Sacred War.
648
00:37:29,344 --> 00:37:32,206
[narrator] And other
mysterious symbols
carved on the monolith
649
00:37:32,241 --> 00:37:35,724
can narrow down exactly
when this strange relic
is made
650
00:37:35,758 --> 00:37:38,551
and exactly what it is for.
651
00:37:38,586 --> 00:37:41,551
On the front of the monolith
are two date glyphs.
652
00:37:42,103 --> 00:37:43,068
One rabbit.
653
00:37:45,344 --> 00:37:46,310
And two reed.
654
00:37:48,344 --> 00:37:53,827
And those symbolized
1506 and 1507
in our modern-day calendar.
655
00:37:53,862 --> 00:37:56,241
[narrator] These dates
point to the most
critical event
656
00:37:56,275 --> 00:37:58,827
in the whole 52-year
Mexica calendar...
657
00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:02,103
the New Fire Ceremony.
658
00:38:03,103 --> 00:38:05,034
It has just one goal...
659
00:38:06,137 --> 00:38:08,275
preventing the end
of the world...
660
00:38:11,275 --> 00:38:13,758
through human sacrifice.
661
00:38:13,793 --> 00:38:17,517
The priest would
congregate on a temple
662
00:38:17,551 --> 00:38:19,758
and sacrifice a victim.
663
00:38:20,551 --> 00:38:22,310
They would open the chest,
664
00:38:23,137 --> 00:38:25,103
extract the heart,
665
00:38:25,137 --> 00:38:28,620
and make a fire
within the chest
of this victim
666
00:38:28,655 --> 00:38:32,793
that would symbolize
the creation of the new fire
of the new era.
667
00:38:33,655 --> 00:38:35,620
If the fire worked,
668
00:38:35,655 --> 00:38:38,448
that indicated that everything
was going to go well.
669
00:38:38,482 --> 00:38:40,000
If it didn't work,
670
00:38:40,034 --> 00:38:42,137
then it was
the end of the world.
671
00:38:46,655 --> 00:38:49,137
[narrator] To the people
who made this strange object,
672
00:38:49,172 --> 00:38:52,551
human sacrifice
is actually about
preserving life.
673
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:59,310
It wasn't seen as a punishment
or as a vengeful action.
674
00:38:59,344 --> 00:39:03,000
In fact, the gods demanded
this blood sacrifice,
675
00:39:03,034 --> 00:39:08,448
and the ruler
had a responsibility
to provide human sacrifice
676
00:39:08,482 --> 00:39:12,000
in order to ensure
the survival of your people.
677
00:39:15,034 --> 00:39:19,137
[narrator] But rather than
simply commemorating
Moctezuma's New Fire Ceremony,
678
00:39:19,172 --> 00:39:21,448
could this bizarre
stone monolith
679
00:39:21,482 --> 00:39:25,137
have played a vital
and bloody part in it?
680
00:39:25,172 --> 00:39:27,275
We think of altars
as being big tables.
681
00:39:27,310 --> 00:39:30,896
But Aztec sacrificial altar
is actually quite pointed,
682
00:39:30,931 --> 00:39:33,655
similar to the top
of the Teocalli,
683
00:39:33,689 --> 00:39:36,655
because the way that sacrifice
is most often conducted
684
00:39:36,689 --> 00:39:39,689
is that four priests
hold the arms and legs
of the person
685
00:39:39,724 --> 00:39:42,379
and pull them back
to stretch the chest up
686
00:39:42,413 --> 00:39:45,931
so that they can easily
remove the heart
from the chest cavity.
687
00:39:45,965 --> 00:39:48,724
There isn't any residue
of blood as far as I know.
688
00:39:48,758 --> 00:39:50,724
But it's not impossible
it was a sacrificial altar.
689
00:39:52,551 --> 00:39:54,551
[narrator] Is this
extraordinary object
690
00:39:54,586 --> 00:39:58,655
the last thing victims see
before their hearts
are torn out?
691
00:39:58,689 --> 00:40:02,758
Or is it simply a throne
for a legendary leader?
692
00:40:02,793 --> 00:40:06,896
For now, its true purpose
remains a mystery.
693
00:40:08,137 --> 00:40:09,655
One thing we do know
694
00:40:09,689 --> 00:40:13,724
is that whatever the outcome
of Moctezuma's
New Fire Ceremony,
695
00:40:13,758 --> 00:40:17,275
it does turn out to be
the end of the world.
696
00:40:17,310 --> 00:40:19,793
[thunder rumbling]
697
00:40:22,655 --> 00:40:27,413
In 1519, barely a decade
after Moctezuma's
New Fire Ceremony,
698
00:40:27,448 --> 00:40:29,655
the Spanish
conquistadors arrive.
699
00:40:30,758 --> 00:40:34,344
[Caroline] Hernan Cortes
besieges Tenochtitlan.
700
00:40:34,379 --> 00:40:37,172
And what happens then
is the most
incredible destruction
701
00:40:37,206 --> 00:40:40,793
because the Mexica
refused to surrender.
702
00:40:40,827 --> 00:40:43,586
So Cortes ends up
having to advance
through the city
703
00:40:43,620 --> 00:40:45,344
destroying buildings
as he goes.
704
00:40:46,758 --> 00:40:48,448
It's an absolute massacre.
705
00:40:50,137 --> 00:40:52,965
[narrator] Moctezuma II's life
ends in tragedy.
706
00:40:54,655 --> 00:40:57,000
And so does the Mexica Empire.
707
00:41:00,689 --> 00:41:03,482
[Caroline] Ten years after
the Spanish invasion,
708
00:41:03,517 --> 00:41:07,344
something like 90%
of the Aztec Mexica people
709
00:41:07,379 --> 00:41:09,413
are dead either
through violence or disease.
710
00:41:12,206 --> 00:41:15,862
It's the most astonishing
decimation of populations.
711
00:41:19,034 --> 00:41:21,896
[narrator]
And the Christian invaders
rewrite Mexica history
712
00:41:21,931 --> 00:41:25,620
to create a highly exaggerated
bloodthirsty legend.
713
00:41:27,241 --> 00:41:29,620
[Caroline] Because the Spanish
are so obsessed
with human sacrifice
714
00:41:29,655 --> 00:41:31,275
as a justification
for the conquest,
715
00:41:31,310 --> 00:41:34,068
and because it seems so alien
to us now,
716
00:41:34,103 --> 00:41:39,000
we often see the Aztecs
through this narrow lens
of sacrificial violence.
717
00:41:39,034 --> 00:41:41,655
We seem them
as this bloodthirsty culture.
718
00:41:41,689 --> 00:41:43,965
But the reality
is that they believe
719
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,551
if they don't sacrifice humans
to the gods,
720
00:41:46,586 --> 00:41:48,103
the world will come to an end.
721
00:41:49,344 --> 00:41:51,241
[narrator] The truth behind
Mexica ritual
722
00:41:51,275 --> 00:41:56,206
is buried in the
conquistadors' obsession
with sacrifice...
723
00:41:56,241 --> 00:42:02,413
just like this
mysterious monolith
tribute to a godlike king...
724
00:42:02,448 --> 00:42:06,448
which ends up lost
beneath the foundations
of Mexico City.
63653
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