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Massive
stone circles that date back
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thousands of years...
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Rows of perfectly
positioned pillars
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00:00:09,176 --> 00:00:12,006
that stretch on for miles.
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00:00:12,095 --> 00:00:15,675
And huge statues with secrets
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buried deep underground.
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00:00:20,145 --> 00:00:22,725
All over the world,
there are giant monoliths
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00:00:22,856 --> 00:00:27,106
that our ancient ancestors
carved out of solid rock,
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00:00:27,236 --> 00:00:30,736
but what was the purpose of
these huge stone monuments?
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00:00:30,864 --> 00:00:34,204
Did they serve some
kind of ritual function?
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Were they intended
to honor the gods?
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00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,710
Or is it possible
that, as some believe,
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certain monoliths were
actually designed to
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conduct energy?
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Well, that is what
we�ll try and find out.
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Here, sitting
atop a grassy clearing
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in the English countryside,
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about 80 miles west
of the city of Plymouth,
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is a set of three
monoliths that stand out
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from the natural landscape.
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In the language
of ancient Britain,
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the site was named M�n-an-Tol,
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which translates to
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"the stone of the hole."
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There�s nothing
else on Earth quite like the M�n-an-Tol.
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It consists of a
big, round stone
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with a big, round
hole in the middle of it.
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It�s a couple of feet across.
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You can crawl through
it quite comfortably.
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Uh, there�s a straight
stone on either side.
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It�s highly visible
in the landscape
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and bafflingly mysterious.
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00:01:56,575 --> 00:01:58,745
Archaeologists
believe that M�n-an-Tol
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00:01:58,827 --> 00:02:02,407
was constructed
around the year 2000 BC.
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00:02:02,497 --> 00:02:06,037
It is also thought that there
were once additional monoliths
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00:02:06,168 --> 00:02:08,548
that encircled the center stone,
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00:02:08,670 --> 00:02:11,340
which have been lost to time.
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00:02:11,423 --> 00:02:13,513
There�s something
very melodramatic
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00:02:13,592 --> 00:02:15,052
about the M�n-an-Tol.
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00:02:15,177 --> 00:02:17,347
There has to be a reason
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00:02:17,471 --> 00:02:20,061
why ancient people
had put up a big stone
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00:02:20,182 --> 00:02:22,062
with a big hole in it.
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00:02:22,184 --> 00:02:24,274
And the real thing to do
with a stone with a hole
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00:02:24,353 --> 00:02:28,903
is crawl through it, so there
must be a good reason for that.
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Local folklore says that
crawling through the center
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00:02:32,152 --> 00:02:34,452
of the M�n-an-Tol
is really good for you.
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00:02:34,529 --> 00:02:36,779
Diseased children
can get better,
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00:02:36,865 --> 00:02:38,905
especially if
they�ve got rickets.
49
00:02:39,034 --> 00:02:41,794
And if you put a
couple of brass pins
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00:02:41,870 --> 00:02:43,960
on the top of the holed stone,
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00:02:44,039 --> 00:02:46,959
the way in which they fall off
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00:02:47,042 --> 00:02:49,002
can predict your future.
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00:02:49,086 --> 00:02:52,756
When it
comes to M�n-an-Tol in Cornwall,
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00:02:52,881 --> 00:02:55,681
we have to question
what is going on here?
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00:02:55,759 --> 00:02:57,839
Is this really a magical place?
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00:02:57,928 --> 00:03:00,218
Is it just ancient traditions?
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00:03:00,305 --> 00:03:03,975
Or is there some reality to the
power of these ancient stones?
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00:03:05,602 --> 00:03:09,312
M�n-an-Tol is
just one of approximately 1,300
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00:03:09,398 --> 00:03:12,108
ancient monoliths
that are scattered
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00:03:12,234 --> 00:03:14,494
throughout the British Isles.
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00:03:14,569 --> 00:03:19,449
It may sound outlandish
to think that M�n-an-Tol
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and other standing stone sites
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00:03:21,535 --> 00:03:24,205
can have a mystical
affect on people, but
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00:03:24,287 --> 00:03:26,497
who can say for
sure that they don�t?
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00:03:26,581 --> 00:03:31,091
Because even after
centuries of study, these
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00:03:31,169 --> 00:03:36,169
remarkable structures
remain shrouded in mystery.
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00:03:37,384 --> 00:03:41,354
Stonehenge gets
all the fame and the recognition,
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00:03:41,430 --> 00:03:44,850
but there are thousands
and thousands
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00:03:44,933 --> 00:03:48,483
of other prehistoric monuments
that are worth attention
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00:03:48,603 --> 00:03:50,443
up and down the British Isles.
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00:03:51,565 --> 00:03:55,365
For example, Avebury
is absolutely stunning
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00:03:55,444 --> 00:03:57,904
because it�s a very big place.
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00:03:57,988 --> 00:04:02,278
What you�re looking at
there is an enormous bank
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00:04:02,409 --> 00:04:04,989
with a ditch inside it,
75
00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,750
and inside this enormous
circular enclosure
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00:04:08,832 --> 00:04:13,922
was originally 100
stones in a circle,
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00:04:14,004 --> 00:04:17,224
and inside this
enormous circle of stones
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00:04:17,299 --> 00:04:22,799
are the remnants of two
other enormous stone circles.
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I mean, the place is
so big that about half
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00:04:26,349 --> 00:04:29,689
of a village was
built inside it.
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00:04:29,811 --> 00:04:32,901
It was an entire community.
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00:04:34,107 --> 00:04:36,727
The
largest standing stone in Britain
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00:04:36,818 --> 00:04:40,278
is known as the
Rudston Monolith.
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00:04:40,363 --> 00:04:44,413
It�s around 25 to
26 feet in height,
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00:04:44,493 --> 00:04:49,413
but there is just as much
of it under the ground,
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00:04:49,498 --> 00:04:51,958
creating this huge,
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00:04:52,042 --> 00:04:54,172
great monolith
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almost 60 feet in length.
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00:04:58,089 --> 00:05:00,469
The significant
thing about this is that
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00:05:00,550 --> 00:05:03,550
the type of stone
that it�s made from
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00:05:03,678 --> 00:05:08,558
can only be sourced
about 30 miles to the north.
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00:05:08,683 --> 00:05:12,693
That meant that it was
dragged in some way
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00:05:12,771 --> 00:05:16,941
to its position in the
village of Rudston,
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00:05:17,025 --> 00:05:20,105
and we have to ask ourselves,
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00:05:20,195 --> 00:05:22,995
is there a greater
purpose behind all of this?
96
00:05:23,073 --> 00:05:25,913
And if so, what is
that greater purpose?
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00:05:26,034 --> 00:05:31,004
In the U.K., right now,
we have thousands of known monuments,
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00:05:31,081 --> 00:05:35,541
but there were probably
thousands more, originally.
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00:05:35,669 --> 00:05:37,839
We do know that
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00:05:37,921 --> 00:05:41,721
the people who built
the megaliths in the U.K.
101
00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,300
were early farmers,
they were from
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00:05:44,386 --> 00:05:48,386
4000 to about 2000 BCE.
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00:05:48,473 --> 00:05:50,983
But we really don�t
know what language
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00:05:51,059 --> 00:05:52,849
they spoke, we don�t really know
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00:05:52,936 --> 00:05:56,896
how they socially organized
themselves or their politics.
106
00:05:57,023 --> 00:05:59,403
So, it�s still very
much a question
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00:05:59,484 --> 00:06:01,574
exactly why they built them.
108
00:06:03,113 --> 00:06:06,203
Why would prehistoric
people go to the trouble of erecting
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00:06:06,283 --> 00:06:09,333
heavy standing stones
that weighed, in some cases,
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00:06:09,411 --> 00:06:12,081
as much as 40 tons?
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00:06:12,163 --> 00:06:16,923
Well, one theory suggests
that these monoliths
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00:06:17,002 --> 00:06:21,422
served as a connection to
a higher plane of existence.
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00:06:22,757 --> 00:06:26,087
In many cases,
these standing stones
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00:06:26,177 --> 00:06:30,597
seem to be orientated
towards celestial events,
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00:06:30,724 --> 00:06:35,444
such as the rising
and setting of the sun
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00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,940
at the equinoxes
and the solstices.
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00:06:39,024 --> 00:06:43,034
And so, these
monoliths are very clearly
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00:06:43,111 --> 00:06:45,741
a reflection of this belief
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00:06:45,822 --> 00:06:48,122
of contact with higher forces
120
00:06:48,199 --> 00:06:51,369
that would�ve taken place
through the ceremonies
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00:06:51,453 --> 00:06:56,043
and the rituals that would go
on once, maybe twice a year.
122
00:06:56,124 --> 00:07:01,254
Were these monolithic
sites built for ceremonial purposes?
123
00:07:01,338 --> 00:07:03,258
It�s an intriguing theory,
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00:07:03,340 --> 00:07:06,760
and some researchers
suggest that England�s
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00:07:06,843 --> 00:07:10,723
standing stones were also
connected to each other.
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00:07:11,973 --> 00:07:15,483
Because, as it turns out,
many of these monoliths
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00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,860
appear to be
geographically aligned
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00:07:18,980 --> 00:07:24,280
on what are commonly
referred to as ley lines.
129
00:07:25,779 --> 00:07:29,949
Ley lines, or leys,
were first visualized
130
00:07:30,033 --> 00:07:33,703
by a thinker and
visionary called
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00:07:33,828 --> 00:07:36,288
Alfred Watkins in the 1920s.
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00:07:36,373 --> 00:07:39,753
He wrote a book called
The Old Straight Track,
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00:07:39,834 --> 00:07:45,054
which said that a whole
range of prehistoric monuments
134
00:07:45,173 --> 00:07:48,763
are connected by
extremely long lines,
135
00:07:48,843 --> 00:07:51,223
even corridors,
that stretch across
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00:07:51,346 --> 00:07:52,966
the length and
breadth of Britain.
137
00:07:54,683 --> 00:07:56,733
Alfred Watkins theorized
138
00:07:56,851 --> 00:07:59,061
that the straight
lines which connect
139
00:07:59,187 --> 00:08:03,227
Britain�s monoliths
were ancient trade routes.
140
00:08:03,358 --> 00:08:06,318
But some researchers disagree
141
00:08:06,403 --> 00:08:08,913
and claim that
the massive stones
142
00:08:09,030 --> 00:08:10,910
were placed along ley lines
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00:08:11,032 --> 00:08:14,832
to serve a more
energetic purpose.
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00:08:17,288 --> 00:08:20,708
It would seem that
the whole long lines of monuments
145
00:08:20,834 --> 00:08:26,424
are connected with the
geomagnetic fields of the Earth,
146
00:08:26,548 --> 00:08:31,008
and that the peoples of Britain
147
00:08:31,094 --> 00:08:35,184
created these stone
circles and standing stones
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00:08:35,265 --> 00:08:40,025
to enhance this natural
energy of the landscape.
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00:08:41,563 --> 00:08:44,233
Is it possible
that ancient people,
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00:08:44,315 --> 00:08:46,145
who did not even
have written language,
151
00:08:46,234 --> 00:08:49,994
figured out how to use monoliths
152
00:08:50,071 --> 00:08:52,161
to harness the
energy of the Earth?
153
00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,160
And if so, for what purpose?
154
00:08:56,745 --> 00:08:59,545
If prehistoric
people believed that
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00:08:59,622 --> 00:09:03,382
there were currents
of Earth energy,
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00:09:03,460 --> 00:09:05,710
then prehistoric
monuments may have been
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00:09:05,795 --> 00:09:07,755
put where they
were in the landscape
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00:09:07,839 --> 00:09:12,179
because they would
have amplified prayers,
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00:09:12,260 --> 00:09:16,970
invocations, chants, drumming,
singing, and that would�ve
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00:09:17,098 --> 00:09:19,018
considerably
enhanced ceremonies.
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00:09:19,100 --> 00:09:22,190
It�s going to create a
very impressive effect
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00:09:22,270 --> 00:09:25,020
for religious purposes.
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00:09:28,943 --> 00:09:32,363
Although numerous
intriguing theories have been put forward,
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00:09:32,447 --> 00:09:35,407
ultimately, no one has been able
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00:09:35,492 --> 00:09:37,082
to explain the purpose,
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00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,710
placement, and
construction of Britain�s
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00:09:40,789 --> 00:09:43,459
remarkable monoliths.
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00:09:43,541 --> 00:09:45,711
There�s a lot of things
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00:09:45,794 --> 00:09:49,214
we don�t know about
these megalithic structures.
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00:09:49,297 --> 00:09:51,837
We really don�t
know how they did it,
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00:09:51,966 --> 00:09:54,296
why they did it. These
are important questions,
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00:09:54,427 --> 00:09:58,177
and we have certain
hints, but most of it
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00:09:58,306 --> 00:10:00,216
is still pretty much a mystery.
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00:10:00,308 --> 00:10:04,728
What we can say is that
there was a unified effort
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00:10:04,813 --> 00:10:08,403
around building these monoliths,
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and that they are certainly
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00:10:10,568 --> 00:10:13,148
cornerstone and symbolic of
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00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:16,529
ancient Britain�s culture.
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00:10:18,868 --> 00:10:21,328
The massive stone
circles found throughout
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00:10:21,412 --> 00:10:24,332
the United Kingdom
are astonishing.
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00:10:24,415 --> 00:10:27,785
But how were ancient
people, with limited technology,
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00:10:27,877 --> 00:10:32,667
able to carve and
transport such huge blocks?
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00:10:32,799 --> 00:10:35,839
Perhaps the answer can
be found by examining
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a number of large statues
located on an island
185
00:10:40,014 --> 00:10:41,934
in the Mediterranean Sea.
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00:10:42,016 --> 00:10:45,846
Statues that may be depicting
187
00:10:45,979 --> 00:10:48,399
real-life giants.
188
00:10:50,191 --> 00:10:52,031
There was this giant stone head
189
00:10:52,152 --> 00:10:55,202
gazing back at him
with these obsidian eyes.
190
00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,370
The classical Greeks and Romans
191
00:10:57,448 --> 00:11:00,078
discussed how there was
an ancient giant bloodline
192
00:11:00,201 --> 00:11:02,241
on the island of Sardinia.
193
00:11:10,962 --> 00:11:14,222
On this island,
located off the coast of Italy,
194
00:11:14,299 --> 00:11:17,839
a farmer in a region
known as Mont�e Prama
195
00:11:17,927 --> 00:11:19,677
is tilling his fields,
196
00:11:19,762 --> 00:11:23,432
when he strikes what
appears to be a large rock.
197
00:11:23,558 --> 00:11:27,058
But upon closer inspection,
he realizes that his plow
198
00:11:27,145 --> 00:11:30,615
has revealed something
far more amazing.
199
00:11:31,691 --> 00:11:36,111
It�s the head of a
massive, ancient statue.
200
00:11:37,405 --> 00:11:39,775
The farmer started
digging around it,
201
00:11:39,908 --> 00:11:42,238
brushing away the
mud, pulled it out,
202
00:11:42,327 --> 00:11:45,497
and there was this giant
stone head gazing back at him
203
00:11:45,580 --> 00:11:48,250
with these obsidian eyes.
204
00:11:48,374 --> 00:11:51,674
And so, this became quite
a sensation at the time.
205
00:11:52,921 --> 00:11:55,261
It was one of the most
important archaeological
206
00:11:55,381 --> 00:11:57,221
discoveries of the decade.
207
00:11:57,300 --> 00:11:59,470
Subsequently, archaeologists
208
00:11:59,594 --> 00:12:03,184
entered the area, and
through the late �70s,
209
00:12:03,264 --> 00:12:06,604
they dug, and they found
over 5,000 fragments
210
00:12:06,726 --> 00:12:09,016
of these giant statues.
211
00:12:10,313 --> 00:12:13,613
We have archers,
we have warriors,
212
00:12:13,691 --> 00:12:15,441
we have boxers.
213
00:12:15,568 --> 00:12:19,528
They are, generally
speaking, about eight feet tall,
214
00:12:19,614 --> 00:12:22,374
and approach a ton in weight,
215
00:12:22,450 --> 00:12:26,200
and they are unique
in the regard that,
216
00:12:26,287 --> 00:12:27,787
for their time, there was
217
00:12:27,914 --> 00:12:32,254
no other statuary that
was in human form
218
00:12:32,335 --> 00:12:34,135
and size
219
00:12:34,212 --> 00:12:37,672
and that level of detail
and sophistication.
220
00:12:39,133 --> 00:12:41,513
The monolithic
statues came to be known as
221
00:12:41,636 --> 00:12:43,676
the Giants of Mont�e Prama.
222
00:12:43,805 --> 00:12:47,855
According to archaeologists,
they were carved by
223
00:12:47,976 --> 00:12:51,226
the Nuragic people, a
mysterious civilization
224
00:12:51,312 --> 00:12:55,322
that lived on Sardinia
nearly 4,000 years ago.
225
00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,780
The Nuragic people were
the Indigenous population
226
00:13:00,863 --> 00:13:02,743
of Sardinia,
227
00:13:02,824 --> 00:13:06,914
beginning around 1750 BCE or so,
228
00:13:06,995 --> 00:13:10,125
and they were not
the kind of society
229
00:13:10,206 --> 00:13:11,746
that would have writing.
230
00:13:12,917 --> 00:13:16,707
So, we don�t know a lot
beyond their everyday lifestyle,
231
00:13:16,838 --> 00:13:20,088
which would be in many ways
similar to what was going on
232
00:13:20,174 --> 00:13:22,934
throughout the Mediterranean
at the same time.
233
00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:26,759
Incredibly,
some researchers claim
234
00:13:26,848 --> 00:13:28,388
that the reason why
the Nuragic people
235
00:13:28,516 --> 00:13:31,886
carved statues that
were eight feet tall
236
00:13:32,020 --> 00:13:35,270
is because these monoliths
237
00:13:35,356 --> 00:13:38,936
were created in the
image of an actual race
238
00:13:39,027 --> 00:13:41,527
of giants.
239
00:13:41,612 --> 00:13:43,952
One of the strange
things about these statues
240
00:13:44,032 --> 00:13:45,662
is that they appear
241
00:13:45,742 --> 00:13:48,492
to be buried underneath
these kind of slabs of stone
242
00:13:48,578 --> 00:13:51,038
in this elongated grave,
243
00:13:51,164 --> 00:13:53,754
as though they were
almost like ancestors
244
00:13:53,875 --> 00:13:55,715
being buried in the ground.
245
00:13:55,835 --> 00:13:57,795
Why they did this,
we don�t know.
246
00:13:57,879 --> 00:13:59,959
But there are many
legends of giants
247
00:14:00,048 --> 00:14:02,468
all over Sardinia and the
stories go on and on and on.
248
00:14:02,550 --> 00:14:05,340
So, these could
be the same giants
249
00:14:05,428 --> 00:14:09,098
who were memorialized
in these particular statues.
250
00:14:10,433 --> 00:14:12,353
Could the
monoliths of Mont�e Prama
251
00:14:12,435 --> 00:14:14,985
really be evidence that
a civilization of giants
252
00:14:15,063 --> 00:14:19,283
once inhabited the island of
Sardinia, as some believe?
253
00:14:20,777 --> 00:14:23,147
Many researchers
think that it�s possible
254
00:14:23,237 --> 00:14:26,987
and claim that there are
additional clues in folklore
255
00:14:27,075 --> 00:14:30,875
throughout the Mediterranean.
256
00:14:30,953 --> 00:14:34,003
Diodorus, an
ancient Greek historian,
257
00:14:34,082 --> 00:14:36,212
discussed how there
was an ancient bloodline
258
00:14:36,292 --> 00:14:40,342
of the Athenian civilization
known as the 50 sons of Hercules
259
00:14:40,421 --> 00:14:43,091
that mated with a
mortal race of women
260
00:14:43,174 --> 00:14:44,764
to create a giant bloodline
261
00:14:44,842 --> 00:14:47,142
that built these
monolithic statues
262
00:14:47,261 --> 00:14:48,801
on the island of Sardinia.
263
00:14:48,930 --> 00:14:51,100
This story really put the idea
264
00:14:51,182 --> 00:14:53,312
into different
philosophers� heads
265
00:14:53,434 --> 00:14:56,774
that this was actually
a very advanced culture
266
00:14:56,854 --> 00:15:01,614
that kind of led up to the
time of the Nuragic people
267
00:15:01,692 --> 00:15:05,742
and culminated in the era
of the Mont�e Prama giants.
268
00:15:07,031 --> 00:15:10,411
The massive
monoliths of Mont�e Prama
269
00:15:10,493 --> 00:15:15,213
and stories from folklore aren�t
the only pieces of evidence
270
00:15:15,289 --> 00:15:19,749
to suggest that giants
once lived on Sardinia.
271
00:15:19,836 --> 00:15:23,836
Because there are
also mysterious tombs
272
00:15:23,965 --> 00:15:26,975
located throughout the
island that may have been
273
00:15:27,093 --> 00:15:30,643
where their oversized
bodies were buried.
274
00:15:32,890 --> 00:15:35,520
What we see at Mont�e Prama,
275
00:15:35,643 --> 00:15:37,603
are totally separate structures
276
00:15:37,687 --> 00:15:39,477
for where they
buried their deceased,
277
00:15:39,564 --> 00:15:42,614
and these are called the
giants� tombs, Tomba dei giganti.
278
00:15:44,026 --> 00:15:48,446
They are typically made
of one very large stone
279
00:15:48,531 --> 00:15:52,791
that have a semi-hemispherical
280
00:15:52,869 --> 00:15:55,539
entry area, or front,
281
00:15:55,663 --> 00:15:57,253
that curves inward
282
00:15:57,331 --> 00:16:01,751
with the center part having a
small hole down at the bottom,
283
00:16:01,836 --> 00:16:05,376
which is where the skeleton
would have been interred.
284
00:16:05,506 --> 00:16:08,176
As you see these
giants� tombs, what you realize
285
00:16:08,301 --> 00:16:11,051
is that it�s entirely
made of large blocks
286
00:16:11,179 --> 00:16:14,179
with a small
opening in the base.
287
00:16:14,307 --> 00:16:17,097
In tradition, these
were the burial places
288
00:16:17,185 --> 00:16:18,645
designed for giants.
289
00:16:18,728 --> 00:16:21,608
They would actually
build the tomb around it.
290
00:16:22,857 --> 00:16:24,567
This is one of the clues that
291
00:16:24,692 --> 00:16:26,572
kind of links with the legends
292
00:16:26,694 --> 00:16:29,034
that giants did
exist in Sardinia.
293
00:16:29,113 --> 00:16:31,123
But there is further
evidence that
294
00:16:31,199 --> 00:16:33,279
actual skeletons have been found
295
00:16:33,367 --> 00:16:35,737
in some of these giants� graves.
296
00:16:36,954 --> 00:16:39,544
We have accounts from 1901,
297
00:16:39,665 --> 00:16:43,205
where there�s a report
of four nine-foot skeletons
298
00:16:43,294 --> 00:16:46,884
being unearthed in the
vicinity in northern Sardinia.
299
00:16:47,006 --> 00:16:50,466
And even relatively
recently, there are reports of
300
00:16:50,551 --> 00:16:53,141
three skeletons being
dug up in an area called
301
00:16:53,221 --> 00:16:55,561
Torralba, in southwest Sardinia.
302
00:16:55,681 --> 00:16:58,931
However, the problem is,
is that most of the evidence
303
00:16:59,060 --> 00:17:00,810
has now disappeared.
304
00:17:00,895 --> 00:17:03,115
They�ve just gone
missing, basically.
305
00:17:03,231 --> 00:17:05,231
And so, you have to question,
306
00:17:05,358 --> 00:17:07,478
why is this? Is
there a cover-up?
307
00:17:08,903 --> 00:17:11,863
Is it possible
that the bones of giants
308
00:17:11,948 --> 00:17:14,528
have actually been
hidden from the public?
309
00:17:14,617 --> 00:17:16,947
It�s an intriguing theory,
310
00:17:17,078 --> 00:17:19,288
and it deepens the
mystery surrounding
311
00:17:19,413 --> 00:17:21,873
the strange, towering statues
312
00:17:21,958 --> 00:17:24,328
uncovered at Mont�e Prama.
313
00:17:25,586 --> 00:17:27,836
The Giants of Mont�e Prama
314
00:17:27,922 --> 00:17:31,552
are very unique and enigmatic,
315
00:17:31,634 --> 00:17:35,724
and Sardinia�s myths
and stories about
316
00:17:35,805 --> 00:17:38,935
who these people were
typically talk about giants,
317
00:17:39,016 --> 00:17:41,476
but there�s a lot of
things we don�t know
318
00:17:41,602 --> 00:17:42,942
about who these people were.
319
00:17:43,020 --> 00:17:46,320
And so, these giant statues
320
00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,440
are the mystery
within that mystery.
321
00:17:50,778 --> 00:17:54,488
Were the statues of
Mont�e Prama built to honor
322
00:17:54,615 --> 00:17:57,235
a society of actual giants?
323
00:17:57,326 --> 00:17:59,236
The fact that
some of the statues
324
00:17:59,328 --> 00:18:02,368
are more than eight feet tall
definitely makes you wonder
325
00:18:02,456 --> 00:18:03,916
whether it could be possible.
326
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,040
And there�s another
group of monoliths,
327
00:18:06,127 --> 00:18:09,047
located some 800 miles
away in Western France,
328
00:18:09,130 --> 00:18:12,880
that is also associated
with a lost civilization,
329
00:18:12,967 --> 00:18:18,217
a civilization whose mastery
of mathematics and engineering
330
00:18:18,306 --> 00:18:21,346
was centuries ahead of its time.
331
00:18:23,185 --> 00:18:28,065
Carnac is a unique phenomenon
from any other Neolithic sites.
332
00:18:28,149 --> 00:18:31,859
Right around 4000 BCE, engineers
333
00:18:31,986 --> 00:18:35,196
were creating these
in a very exacting way.
334
00:18:42,121 --> 00:18:43,831
This peaceful countryside,
335
00:18:43,914 --> 00:18:45,964
located in the
northwest part of France,
336
00:18:46,042 --> 00:18:50,172
is known for its rustic
farms and wide fields.
337
00:18:50,254 --> 00:18:53,514
But jutting out
from the green hills
338
00:18:53,591 --> 00:18:55,841
is something rather striking.
339
00:18:55,968 --> 00:18:57,678
It�s a formation
340
00:18:57,803 --> 00:19:00,313
of more than 3,000
stone monoliths
341
00:19:00,389 --> 00:19:02,429
that stretches
across the landscape
342
00:19:02,516 --> 00:19:05,476
for an astonishing two miles.
343
00:19:05,561 --> 00:19:08,441
These monoliths are
collectively known as
344
00:19:08,522 --> 00:19:11,442
the Carnac stones.
345
00:19:11,525 --> 00:19:14,605
Carnac is like enormous
stationary giants,
346
00:19:14,695 --> 00:19:17,355
or needles plugged
into the Earth,
347
00:19:17,448 --> 00:19:19,368
stretching as far
as the eye can see.
348
00:19:19,450 --> 00:19:22,200
It�s a unique phenomenon
349
00:19:22,286 --> 00:19:25,616
from any of the ancient sites,
because none of the others
350
00:19:25,706 --> 00:19:28,746
have these marching
processions of stones
351
00:19:28,876 --> 00:19:32,206
in pretty straight lines
running on for miles.
352
00:19:32,338 --> 00:19:36,298
There�s no other place
in Europe or the U.K.
353
00:19:36,384 --> 00:19:38,844
that we see this
kind of arrangement.
354
00:19:38,928 --> 00:19:41,388
Within Carnac is Europe�s
355
00:19:41,472 --> 00:19:44,062
largest single megalith.
356
00:19:44,141 --> 00:19:47,731
It was called the
Menhir of Er Grah.
357
00:19:47,812 --> 00:19:52,692
Now, it�s fallen over,
broken, and it�s in four pieces.
358
00:19:52,775 --> 00:19:58,535
But it was originally 60
tall and over 300 tons.
359
00:19:58,614 --> 00:20:03,244
At Carnac, there are thousands
and thousands of stones,
360
00:20:03,369 --> 00:20:06,709
but the real draw
are these alignments,
361
00:20:06,789 --> 00:20:09,169
with neat rows of
megalithic stones
362
00:20:09,250 --> 00:20:11,000
going in a single direction.
363
00:20:12,169 --> 00:20:15,299
Carnac
has three main alignments,
364
00:20:15,423 --> 00:20:18,553
one of which is
particularly interesting.
365
00:20:18,634 --> 00:20:22,974
It consists of 1,050 stones
366
00:20:23,097 --> 00:20:25,887
across ten different rows.
367
00:20:25,975 --> 00:20:28,945
And these are
aligned east to west,
368
00:20:29,061 --> 00:20:32,771
and they decrease in
size towards the east.
369
00:20:32,857 --> 00:20:35,227
So, there was definitely
some sort of plan
370
00:20:35,317 --> 00:20:37,147
going on with the alignments.
371
00:20:37,278 --> 00:20:40,908
But what that plan
is remains a mystery.
372
00:20:40,990 --> 00:20:43,950
According to archaeologists,
373
00:20:44,076 --> 00:20:45,786
the Carnac stones
were positioned
374
00:20:45,911 --> 00:20:48,331
in approximately 4000 BC,
375
00:20:48,456 --> 00:20:52,246
making them older than
the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
376
00:20:52,334 --> 00:20:54,804
But who constructed
this extraordinary array
377
00:20:54,879 --> 00:20:56,759
of monoliths and aligned them
378
00:20:56,839 --> 00:20:59,469
with such incredible precision
379
00:20:59,592 --> 00:21:02,262
remains a mystery.
380
00:21:02,344 --> 00:21:06,434
There�s a huge amount
of folklore about Carnac.
381
00:21:07,725 --> 00:21:11,065
The monoliths are
often seen as sinners
382
00:21:11,145 --> 00:21:14,905
who are turned to stone
by the Almighty for breaching
383
00:21:14,982 --> 00:21:17,942
a whole range of,
uh, religious rules.
384
00:21:19,153 --> 00:21:22,913
Some see them as
an army of the dead
385
00:21:22,990 --> 00:21:28,580
that rose up and began marching
and then got turned into stone
386
00:21:28,662 --> 00:21:31,332
as death reclaimed them.
387
00:21:33,083 --> 00:21:37,463
There�s also
a theory that involves Merlin,
388
00:21:37,546 --> 00:21:39,256
the wise man,
389
00:21:39,340 --> 00:21:43,680
and that there was an
invading Roman army,
390
00:21:43,803 --> 00:21:45,973
and to protect
the local peoples,
391
00:21:46,055 --> 00:21:49,275
Merlin cast a spell
upon the Roman soldiers,
392
00:21:49,350 --> 00:21:52,980
and turned them all into stone.
393
00:21:53,062 --> 00:21:56,522
And that�s why you have
nice, neat alignments.
394
00:21:57,733 --> 00:22:00,403
The fantastic legends
surrounding the Carnac stones
395
00:22:00,528 --> 00:22:03,318
may suggest that they
had a mystical origin.
396
00:22:03,405 --> 00:22:06,575
But many historians
believe the ancient monoliths
397
00:22:06,700 --> 00:22:10,700
are so perfectly aligned
not because of magic,
398
00:22:10,788 --> 00:22:13,668
but rather mathematics.
399
00:22:13,749 --> 00:22:18,249
The alignments in Carnac
are spectacular and elaborate.
400
00:22:18,379 --> 00:22:22,049
The scope of
them is astonishing,
401
00:22:22,174 --> 00:22:26,724
but also, the alignments
are geometrically perfect,
402
00:22:26,804 --> 00:22:29,644
in that there are
Pythagorean theorems
403
00:22:29,723 --> 00:22:32,063
built within the
stone alignments.
404
00:22:32,142 --> 00:22:36,562
For decades, some
historians and archaeologists
405
00:22:36,689 --> 00:22:39,899
have argued that
there appears to be
406
00:22:39,984 --> 00:22:44,614
precise triangles within
the monolithic structure.
407
00:22:44,738 --> 00:22:46,868
Historians find this
extraordinary because
408
00:22:46,949 --> 00:22:49,199
the Greek philosopher Pythagorus
409
00:22:49,285 --> 00:22:52,255
developed this geometric concept
410
00:22:52,329 --> 00:22:54,709
in the 6th century BC,
411
00:22:54,790 --> 00:22:57,500
more than 3,000 years after
412
00:22:57,585 --> 00:22:59,885
the Carnac stones were erected.
413
00:23:01,338 --> 00:23:03,108
When you take a
look at the location of the stones,
414
00:23:03,132 --> 00:23:04,422
you can say, "Well, yeah,
415
00:23:04,508 --> 00:23:06,428
there�s a Pythagorean
triangle there."
416
00:23:06,552 --> 00:23:10,262
And, just remember, these
monoliths date back 6,000 years.
417
00:23:10,389 --> 00:23:12,349
So, the ancients were
much more advanced
418
00:23:12,433 --> 00:23:14,563
than we give them credit for.
419
00:23:14,643 --> 00:23:17,023
If the builders
of the Carnac stones
420
00:23:17,104 --> 00:23:19,904
used the Pythagorean
theorem thousands of years
421
00:23:19,982 --> 00:23:21,902
before it was first defined,
422
00:23:21,984 --> 00:23:26,704
then how did they obtain such
advanced mathematical knowledge?
423
00:23:26,780 --> 00:23:29,370
It�s a profound mystery.
424
00:23:29,450 --> 00:23:31,580
One that Alexander Thom,
425
00:23:31,660 --> 00:23:34,450
a professor of engineering
at Oxford University,
426
00:23:34,538 --> 00:23:37,958
tried to answer in the 1950s.
427
00:23:38,042 --> 00:23:40,712
Alexander Thom really was
428
00:23:40,794 --> 00:23:42,634
on the quest to
429
00:23:42,713 --> 00:23:44,883
show us just how sophisticated
430
00:23:44,965 --> 00:23:48,215
these megalithic
engineers and builders were.
431
00:23:48,302 --> 00:23:51,602
And he determined
that... by measuring
432
00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:54,640
about 600 different stones...
433
00:23:54,725 --> 00:23:57,775
That there was basically
a megalithic yard,
434
00:23:57,853 --> 00:24:00,153
and by yard, he meant yardstick.
435
00:24:00,272 --> 00:24:04,152
It was basically 2.7
feet, is what he thought
436
00:24:04,234 --> 00:24:09,574
was the unit of measure
used to create these stones.
437
00:24:09,657 --> 00:24:12,157
According to Alexander Thom,
438
00:24:12,284 --> 00:24:16,254
the megalithic yard was
precise to the millimeter,
439
00:24:16,330 --> 00:24:18,670
and that this was used to make
440
00:24:18,791 --> 00:24:20,751
the mathematical judgements
441
00:24:20,834 --> 00:24:24,634
inherent within these
stone configurations.
442
00:24:24,713 --> 00:24:28,513
And he considered it to be
a very serious scholarly idea.
443
00:24:28,634 --> 00:24:32,604
Alexander Thom
believed that people across
444
00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,640
time and distance, such as
between Stonehenge and Carnac,
445
00:24:36,725 --> 00:24:39,515
were using this megalithic yard.
446
00:24:39,603 --> 00:24:41,693
And we can see
this in the evidence
447
00:24:41,772 --> 00:24:43,272
that they leave behind,
448
00:24:43,357 --> 00:24:48,027
with the alignments
and enormous monoliths.
449
00:24:49,530 --> 00:24:53,370
There�s certainly a
connection between the standing stones
450
00:24:53,450 --> 00:24:57,540
in Britain and the
alignments in Carnac.
451
00:24:57,621 --> 00:25:01,501
However, that is just
scratching the surface.
452
00:25:01,583 --> 00:25:04,843
I don�t think we even
have the first idea
453
00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,720
of how extraordinary
the intelligence was
454
00:25:08,799 --> 00:25:11,509
that created these
alignments in Carnac.
455
00:25:11,593 --> 00:25:16,353
And Carnac needs and
deserves so much more study
456
00:25:16,432 --> 00:25:19,062
to understand how exceptional
457
00:25:19,143 --> 00:25:22,733
these ancient
monoliths actually are.
458
00:25:22,813 --> 00:25:25,733
Is it possible that there
is a connection between
459
00:25:25,816 --> 00:25:28,236
the Carnac stones
and other monoliths
460
00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:30,900
scattered throughout Europe?
461
00:25:30,988 --> 00:25:32,238
Some researchers believe
462
00:25:32,364 --> 00:25:34,164
that it�s a distinct
possibility,
463
00:25:34,241 --> 00:25:36,201
and they also claim
464
00:25:36,285 --> 00:25:38,255
that these monoliths
465
00:25:38,328 --> 00:25:41,328
were part of an ancient
network of sites that stretched
466
00:25:41,415 --> 00:25:44,085
not just across Europe
467
00:25:44,209 --> 00:25:46,419
but all over the world.
468
00:25:48,005 --> 00:25:50,595
Why did the ancient islanders
469
00:25:50,674 --> 00:25:53,434
invest so much in
these giant statues,
470
00:25:53,510 --> 00:25:54,890
and why are they here?
471
00:25:54,970 --> 00:25:56,600
Some of these moai were built
472
00:25:56,722 --> 00:25:59,222
by a much more ancient
civilization than the Rapa Nui.
473
00:26:05,147 --> 00:26:07,317
2,300 miles
off the coast of Chile,
474
00:26:07,441 --> 00:26:10,741
an island rises from the
waters of the Pacific Ocean.
475
00:26:10,819 --> 00:26:14,109
Called "Rapa Nui" by the locals,
476
00:26:14,198 --> 00:26:16,948
the island is perhaps better
known by the name given to it
477
00:26:17,076 --> 00:26:19,486
by Dutch explorer
Jacob Roggeveen,
478
00:26:19,620 --> 00:26:24,540
when he landed here on
Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722
479
00:26:24,625 --> 00:26:28,425
and dubbed it "Easter Island."
480
00:26:30,297 --> 00:26:34,467
Today, some 5,000 people
make their home here,
481
00:26:34,551 --> 00:26:36,141
most of whom are the descendants
482
00:26:36,220 --> 00:26:38,970
of Easter Island�s
original inhabitants,
483
00:26:39,098 --> 00:26:42,928
who were also
named the Rapa Nui.
484
00:26:43,018 --> 00:26:45,268
But its most famous residents
485
00:26:45,354 --> 00:26:49,864
are the hundreds of massive,
ancient monolithic statues,
486
00:26:49,983 --> 00:26:52,323
known as moai,
487
00:26:52,444 --> 00:26:55,784
that are scattered
across its grassy cliffs.
488
00:26:57,407 --> 00:27:01,287
Easter Island is famous
for its moai statues.
489
00:27:01,370 --> 00:27:05,040
They are these human depictions.
490
00:27:05,165 --> 00:27:09,455
Their faces are very long,
and their chins are long,
491
00:27:09,545 --> 00:27:14,055
and there are over 900
of them on the island.
492
00:27:14,174 --> 00:27:17,554
About 95% of them
493
00:27:17,678 --> 00:27:22,848
were quarried at a crater
called Rano Raraku,
494
00:27:22,933 --> 00:27:27,443
and there are a
number of failed or just
495
00:27:27,521 --> 00:27:33,071
given up on moai still
carved into the crater�s face.
496
00:27:33,193 --> 00:27:35,783
The moai vary
quite a bit in size,
497
00:27:35,863 --> 00:27:38,113
but the average moai
498
00:27:38,198 --> 00:27:42,828
is about 12 to 13 tons
and about 13 feet tall.
499
00:27:42,911 --> 00:27:46,211
So, people are really
fascinated by this
500
00:27:46,290 --> 00:27:49,330
and continue to beg
for an explanation
501
00:27:49,418 --> 00:27:53,048
of why did the ancient islanders
502
00:27:53,130 --> 00:27:56,840
in this remote
location invest so much
503
00:27:56,925 --> 00:27:59,965
in these giant statues,
and why are they here?
504
00:28:01,138 --> 00:28:03,138
Archaeologists
estimate that the moai
505
00:28:03,223 --> 00:28:06,643
were created between
1400 and 1600 AD.
506
00:28:06,727 --> 00:28:10,477
For centuries, experts
have been confounded
507
00:28:10,564 --> 00:28:12,694
as to what these
massive headstones
508
00:28:12,774 --> 00:28:15,074
were intended to represent.
509
00:28:15,152 --> 00:28:18,072
But then, in 2010,
archaeologists uncovered
510
00:28:18,155 --> 00:28:22,415
an important clue, when a
series of excavations revealed
511
00:28:22,492 --> 00:28:28,252
that there was more to the
moai than meets the eye.
512
00:28:28,332 --> 00:28:32,592
They
discovered the moai have torsos,
513
00:28:32,669 --> 00:28:37,339
and they have very
long, thin arms and hands.
514
00:28:37,424 --> 00:28:40,554
They�re huge statues,
515
00:28:40,636 --> 00:28:43,346
and they�re buried
up to their necks,
516
00:28:43,430 --> 00:28:47,020
literally, in
sediment and debris.
517
00:28:47,100 --> 00:28:50,100
The moai have
details on the body.
518
00:28:50,229 --> 00:28:52,149
Some have
petroglyphs on the body.
519
00:28:52,272 --> 00:28:54,772
And people are really
fascinated by this
520
00:28:54,858 --> 00:28:58,068
because the common
misperception of the moai
521
00:28:58,153 --> 00:29:00,413
comes from the really
522
00:29:00,489 --> 00:29:02,909
iconic photos of
523
00:29:02,991 --> 00:29:04,781
the heads alone.
524
00:29:04,910 --> 00:29:07,580
And so, people see that,
and they just call them heads,
525
00:29:07,663 --> 00:29:10,753
but it�s correct to really
refer to the moai as statues.
526
00:29:10,832 --> 00:29:15,922
The discovery of the
full-sized moai statues only deepens
527
00:29:16,004 --> 00:29:18,634
the mystery surrounding them.
528
00:29:18,715 --> 00:29:21,215
The revelation that
some of these monoliths
529
00:29:21,301 --> 00:29:24,551
are more than twice as
big as previously believed
530
00:29:24,638 --> 00:29:27,058
naturally begs the question,
531
00:29:27,140 --> 00:29:32,230
how did the Rapa Nui move
these massive stones into place?
532
00:29:33,146 --> 00:29:35,606
The transport of
these giant statues
533
00:29:35,691 --> 00:29:38,321
has been a continuing mystery.
534
00:29:38,402 --> 00:29:41,452
For example, the largest
moai ever transported
535
00:29:41,530 --> 00:29:43,160
goes by the name of Paro.
536
00:29:43,282 --> 00:29:47,622
Paro is about 33 feet tall,
537
00:29:47,703 --> 00:29:52,623
and he�s estimated to
weigh about 75 to 80 tons.
538
00:29:52,708 --> 00:29:55,338
Paro was transported
from the quarry
539
00:29:55,419 --> 00:29:57,549
to the platform where
he was displayed,
540
00:29:57,671 --> 00:29:59,671
and it�s over three miles.
541
00:29:59,756 --> 00:30:01,626
So, it�s an amazing
accomplishment.
542
00:30:01,717 --> 00:30:04,797
The mystery of how they moved
543
00:30:04,886 --> 00:30:07,006
these giant statues
544
00:30:07,097 --> 00:30:09,967
has been a-a perennial question.
545
00:30:10,058 --> 00:30:12,438
When the first
Europeans showed up
546
00:30:12,519 --> 00:30:15,359
and asked the local
people how they did it,
547
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:20,150
they said, "Well, the statues
walked there themselves.
548
00:30:20,235 --> 00:30:21,855
"They walked from the quarry
549
00:30:21,945 --> 00:30:26,155
to these platforms they
stand on, called ahu."
550
00:30:26,241 --> 00:30:29,371
And so, if we listen
to the Rapa Nui,
551
00:30:29,453 --> 00:30:33,293
there was a magical quality
to creating these moai.
552
00:30:33,373 --> 00:30:37,133
Is it possible
that the moai somehow
553
00:30:37,210 --> 00:30:39,210
walked into place?
554
00:30:39,296 --> 00:30:41,506
Of course, it sounds impossible,
555
00:30:41,590 --> 00:30:46,180
but according to tests conducted
by archaeologists in 2012,
556
00:30:46,261 --> 00:30:49,641
there may be some
truth to this legend.
557
00:30:50,807 --> 00:30:53,097
What we showed in experiments,
558
00:30:53,226 --> 00:30:58,056
with a replica of
an actual moai,
559
00:30:58,148 --> 00:31:01,688
is that the statues have
a lower center of gravity
560
00:31:01,777 --> 00:31:05,027
that makes them lean forward,
561
00:31:05,113 --> 00:31:08,033
and if you attach
ropes to the head,
562
00:31:08,116 --> 00:31:10,236
and rock the statue...
563
00:31:11,703 --> 00:31:14,213
the pendulum effect takes over,
564
00:31:14,289 --> 00:31:16,829
allowing it to fall forward,
565
00:31:16,917 --> 00:31:18,457
and the statue actually walks.
566
00:31:18,585 --> 00:31:23,205
It turns out
that it looks like, in the end,
567
00:31:23,298 --> 00:31:26,758
the Rapa Nui may well be
right. Maybe they did walk there.
568
00:31:28,095 --> 00:31:32,315
Were the moai statues
moved by an ingenious use of ropes?
569
00:31:32,432 --> 00:31:35,232
It�s just one of the
many intriguing theories
570
00:31:35,310 --> 00:31:38,060
about these giant stone statues.
571
00:31:38,146 --> 00:31:41,396
But, ultimately, how
they were transported
572
00:31:41,483 --> 00:31:43,823
and became buried
up to their necks
573
00:31:43,944 --> 00:31:46,324
remains unknown.
574
00:31:46,446 --> 00:31:51,116
The moai of Easter Island really
have come to represent mystery.
575
00:31:51,201 --> 00:31:54,621
Huge stone sculptures
576
00:31:54,704 --> 00:31:57,964
on a grassy, windswept island...
577
00:31:58,041 --> 00:32:01,421
people wonder who
made these and why.
578
00:32:01,503 --> 00:32:04,763
And so, the mystery continues.
579
00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,630
Even after centuries of study,
580
00:32:07,717 --> 00:32:11,387
the origins and true purpose
of the amazing moai statues
581
00:32:11,471 --> 00:32:15,481
of Easter Island remain
shrouded in mystery.
582
00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:20,230
But there have been monoliths
created in modern times
583
00:32:20,313 --> 00:32:22,153
that are no less mysterious,
584
00:32:22,232 --> 00:32:25,532
including a
nine-foot-tall metal pillar
585
00:32:25,652 --> 00:32:28,992
that was discovered in a
remote desert canyon in Utah.
586
00:32:29,072 --> 00:32:32,492
A pillar that seems
to have appeared
587
00:32:32,617 --> 00:32:34,487
out of thin air.
588
00:32:36,288 --> 00:32:39,078
Monoliths
appeared around the world,
589
00:32:39,166 --> 00:32:42,086
and so it attracted
the public imagination.
590
00:32:42,169 --> 00:32:46,759
The sighting
of this odd metal monolith was
591
00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:48,300
a shot heard �round the world.
592
00:32:58,268 --> 00:33:01,478
In the remote
sandstone canyons of the Utah desert,
593
00:33:01,563 --> 00:33:06,783
a team of biologists tracking
sheep make a shocking discovery.
594
00:33:06,860 --> 00:33:11,610
They come upon a
gleaming, 12-foot-tall
595
00:33:11,698 --> 00:33:14,528
metal monolith.
596
00:33:15,702 --> 00:33:18,162
It�s just a completely
unearthly image.
597
00:33:18,246 --> 00:33:20,706
It�s this big, triangular prism,
598
00:33:20,790 --> 00:33:23,000
about 12 feet tall,
599
00:33:23,084 --> 00:33:25,214
firmly embedded
in the desert ground
600
00:33:25,337 --> 00:33:30,127
in this incredibly remote
place where there are no roads.
601
00:33:32,969 --> 00:33:34,889
It�s very difficult to get
602
00:33:34,971 --> 00:33:36,115
anything out there, let alone
603
00:33:36,139 --> 00:33:39,639
a 12-feet-tall slab of metal.
604
00:33:40,894 --> 00:33:43,024
But what�s very
weird about it is,
605
00:33:43,104 --> 00:33:44,814
using Google Earth
satellite imagery,
606
00:33:44,898 --> 00:33:47,318
they eventually figure
out that it has been there
607
00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:51,030
for four to five years
without being discovered.
608
00:33:52,197 --> 00:33:55,527
The sighting
of this odd metal monolith,
609
00:33:55,617 --> 00:33:58,237
looking like some kind of
610
00:33:58,328 --> 00:34:00,408
otherworldly portal,
611
00:34:00,539 --> 00:34:03,829
was a shot heard
�round the world.
612
00:34:03,917 --> 00:34:06,207
In some regards, it
was not a monolith
613
00:34:06,294 --> 00:34:08,844
because "lith" means "stone,"
614
00:34:08,922 --> 00:34:11,632
and this is a metal thing.
615
00:34:11,758 --> 00:34:14,088
But, still, it attracted
everyone�s eyes.
616
00:34:14,177 --> 00:34:17,757
I think part of it was the-the
mystery. How did it get there?
617
00:34:19,015 --> 00:34:22,015
Numerous
theories were put forth as to who
618
00:34:22,102 --> 00:34:25,732
might�ve created the
so-called "Utah monolith."
619
00:34:25,814 --> 00:34:29,404
And then, during
the following months,
620
00:34:29,484 --> 00:34:31,364
the mystery took another twist,
621
00:34:31,444 --> 00:34:35,284
as similar monoliths
started popping up
622
00:34:35,365 --> 00:34:37,915
all over the world.
623
00:34:37,993 --> 00:34:40,043
Other people became inspired
624
00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,710
by this monolith
in the Utah desert,
625
00:34:42,789 --> 00:34:46,379
and started
copycatting from that.
626
00:34:46,459 --> 00:34:47,839
And so,
627
00:34:47,961 --> 00:34:51,961
another monolith
appears in India.
628
00:34:52,048 --> 00:34:55,128
Shortly after that,
one shows up in Italy.
629
00:34:55,218 --> 00:34:57,928
You get one showing
up in Pittsburgh,
630
00:34:58,013 --> 00:34:59,933
right outside of a candy shop.
631
00:35:00,015 --> 00:35:02,775
There�s one that shows
up in San Francisco
632
00:35:02,851 --> 00:35:05,481
that is made out of gingerbread.
633
00:35:05,604 --> 00:35:09,774
In the end, between November
of 2020 and May of 2021,
634
00:35:09,858 --> 00:35:14,488
over 200 monoliths around
the world just appear.
635
00:35:21,202 --> 00:35:23,912
While some
wrote off the worldwide
636
00:35:23,997 --> 00:35:27,127
monolith phenomenon
as a cultural fad,
637
00:35:27,208 --> 00:35:30,248
historians were
quick to disagree
638
00:35:30,337 --> 00:35:34,337
and claimed that something
more profound was occurring
639
00:35:34,466 --> 00:35:37,836
that dates back to
the dawn of history.
640
00:35:40,013 --> 00:35:44,183
Because, curiously,
about 6,000 years ago,
641
00:35:44,267 --> 00:35:47,557
upright stones known as menhirs
642
00:35:47,687 --> 00:35:51,357
that bear a striking
resemblance to the Utah monolith,
643
00:35:51,483 --> 00:35:54,033
were inexplicably erected
644
00:35:54,110 --> 00:35:56,740
all over Europe.
645
00:35:56,863 --> 00:36:00,663
When we look at this
menhir phenomenon,
646
00:36:00,742 --> 00:36:03,542
there�s a time right
around 4000 BCE
647
00:36:03,620 --> 00:36:05,160
where these sites pop up
648
00:36:05,246 --> 00:36:08,116
all over the place,
at least in Europe.
649
00:36:09,250 --> 00:36:13,880
The most well-known are
the ones that are in the U.K.
650
00:36:13,963 --> 00:36:17,383
and in France and
Portugal and Spain,
651
00:36:17,467 --> 00:36:22,307
but it�s actually a much larger
and more expansive tradition.
652
00:36:22,389 --> 00:36:24,389
They started creating
these everywhere.
653
00:36:24,516 --> 00:36:28,896
In Germany, we
have the Wotan stone.
654
00:36:29,020 --> 00:36:31,310
In Sweden, one of
their most famous
655
00:36:31,398 --> 00:36:35,148
standing stones is the
Menhir of Grandson.
656
00:36:35,235 --> 00:36:40,165
Overall, in Europe,
there are over 35,000
657
00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:42,740
standing menhirs still today,
658
00:36:42,826 --> 00:36:45,486
in almost every country.
659
00:36:47,455 --> 00:36:50,915
The number of ancient
menhirs located throughout Europe
660
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,670
is staggering, and many
historians have wondered
661
00:36:54,754 --> 00:36:56,884
why were so many monoliths
662
00:36:56,965 --> 00:37:01,185
created during the
same time period?
663
00:37:01,261 --> 00:37:05,851
Travel and trade had been
standard for thousands of years.
664
00:37:05,932 --> 00:37:09,272
People are observant,
and they like to remember
665
00:37:09,352 --> 00:37:12,942
and replicate and
interpret and represent.
666
00:37:13,064 --> 00:37:16,284
So, if somebody�s
traveled to, say,
667
00:37:16,401 --> 00:37:19,071
Rudston in East Yorkshire,
668
00:37:19,154 --> 00:37:21,784
and then they go
back to Germany,
669
00:37:21,865 --> 00:37:25,125
and they say, "Oh, I saw
these amazing stones.
670
00:37:25,201 --> 00:37:27,451
Let�s have a go at making them."
671
00:37:27,537 --> 00:37:31,577
It�s not impossible that people
may have just observed this
672
00:37:31,666 --> 00:37:33,286
and then imitated it.
673
00:37:34,878 --> 00:37:36,958
Is it possible
that the phenomenon
674
00:37:37,046 --> 00:37:38,966
surrounding the Utah monolith
675
00:37:39,048 --> 00:37:43,088
was actually history
repeating itself?
676
00:37:43,178 --> 00:37:47,308
And that humans have
actually been imitating each other
677
00:37:47,390 --> 00:37:51,600
by building monoliths
for thousands of years?
678
00:37:52,937 --> 00:37:54,977
It�s interesting that
679
00:37:55,106 --> 00:37:57,606
people don�t want to
take credit in modern times
680
00:37:57,692 --> 00:37:59,032
for creating these monuments,
681
00:37:59,152 --> 00:38:01,952
and that may give
us some insight
682
00:38:02,030 --> 00:38:04,450
into the mentality of the people
683
00:38:04,532 --> 00:38:07,202
that built ancient monoliths.
684
00:38:07,327 --> 00:38:09,907
They didn�t carve
their names in there,
685
00:38:09,996 --> 00:38:12,576
and it perhaps was
not about them, either.
686
00:38:12,665 --> 00:38:14,955
It was about the
human compunction
687
00:38:15,043 --> 00:38:18,343
to make a piece of immortality.
688
00:38:20,507 --> 00:38:24,007
Are human beings
hardwired to create
689
00:38:24,093 --> 00:38:26,603
and then replicate monoliths?
690
00:38:26,679 --> 00:38:30,099
Well, if that�s true, then
it�s intriguing to think
691
00:38:30,183 --> 00:38:33,643
that we share this instinct
with our ancient ancestors.
692
00:38:33,728 --> 00:38:37,358
And based on the
number of monoliths
693
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:39,110
being constructed today,
694
00:38:39,192 --> 00:38:41,692
it seems that
humanity�s compulsion
695
00:38:41,778 --> 00:38:44,158
to build these
mysterious structures
696
00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:46,869
shows no signs of stopping.
697
00:39:01,047 --> 00:39:03,757
Each year,
around 150,000 people celebrate
698
00:39:03,883 --> 00:39:06,933
the oldest arts
festival in all of Europe,
699
00:39:07,053 --> 00:39:10,513
which is known as
the National Eisteddfod.
700
00:39:13,810 --> 00:39:15,480
Since 1176 AD,
701
00:39:15,562 --> 00:39:17,612
the Eisteddfod has been
an annual celebration
702
00:39:17,730 --> 00:39:21,030
of Welsh culture
that includes music,
703
00:39:21,109 --> 00:39:24,319
poetry, dancing,
704
00:39:24,404 --> 00:39:26,704
and more.
705
00:39:26,781 --> 00:39:30,201
The most curious part of
the festival is that, every year,
706
00:39:30,285 --> 00:39:33,795
a set of 12 monoliths,
707
00:39:33,913 --> 00:39:36,173
known as Gorsedd Stones,
708
00:39:36,249 --> 00:39:39,459
are carved and then
carefully placed in a circle.
709
00:39:40,461 --> 00:39:42,381
Although most of the
Gorsedd Stone circles
710
00:39:42,463 --> 00:39:45,513
have been built in
the last 200 years,
711
00:39:45,592 --> 00:39:47,642
they closely resemble
712
00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:50,810
the thousands of
ancient monoliths
713
00:39:50,930 --> 00:39:53,930
that can be found
throughout the British Isles.
714
00:39:56,269 --> 00:39:58,599
At each of these Eisteddfods,
715
00:39:58,688 --> 00:40:02,148
a Gorsedd Stone
circle, uh, was created,
716
00:40:02,275 --> 00:40:03,945
so that there are now
717
00:40:04,068 --> 00:40:06,948
quite a number of
them throughout Wales.
718
00:40:08,114 --> 00:40:11,204
And each one was resurrecting
719
00:40:11,284 --> 00:40:13,164
the beliefs and practices
720
00:40:13,286 --> 00:40:15,996
of a very ancient tradition
721
00:40:16,122 --> 00:40:19,132
to celebrate Welsh history
722
00:40:19,250 --> 00:40:21,540
and culture and tradition.
723
00:40:22,629 --> 00:40:24,839
Unlike the
Utah monolith phenomenon,
724
00:40:24,964 --> 00:40:26,474
which was a
modern interpretation
725
00:40:26,591 --> 00:40:28,181
of standing structures,
726
00:40:28,301 --> 00:40:32,561
the Gorsedd Stones
are a literal recreation
727
00:40:32,639 --> 00:40:35,179
of the monoliths of the past.
728
00:40:35,308 --> 00:40:38,978
But what inspires the
residents of modern-day Wales
729
00:40:39,062 --> 00:40:41,862
to erect pillars of stone?
730
00:40:43,149 --> 00:40:46,279
Well, some
historians believe that
731
00:40:46,361 --> 00:40:49,571
people remain fascinated
by ancient monoliths
732
00:40:49,656 --> 00:40:52,446
because these
giant standing stones
733
00:40:52,533 --> 00:40:54,543
that were laid
thousands of years ago
734
00:40:54,661 --> 00:40:58,291
are still part of
our world today.
735
00:41:00,249 --> 00:41:01,829
Everywhere in Europe,
736
00:41:01,918 --> 00:41:06,048
there is some sort of
megalithic architecture that
737
00:41:06,172 --> 00:41:09,432
modern communities are
identifying themselves with.
738
00:41:09,509 --> 00:41:12,929
Sometimes, monoliths
739
00:41:13,012 --> 00:41:15,932
are actually just right
along a country road.
740
00:41:17,183 --> 00:41:19,983
People pass it every day,
like it�s an everyday object,
741
00:41:20,061 --> 00:41:22,771
but it�s thousands of years old.
742
00:41:23,856 --> 00:41:26,106
And it�s become part
of that community.
743
00:41:26,192 --> 00:41:29,652
In some regards, perhaps
that was the intention
744
00:41:29,737 --> 00:41:32,357
of the people who built it
thousands of years ago.
745
00:41:33,825 --> 00:41:36,625
Standing stones are striking,
746
00:41:36,703 --> 00:41:40,503
awe-inspiring, inexplicable,
747
00:41:40,581 --> 00:41:43,501
and this is a very
compelling combination.
748
00:41:43,584 --> 00:41:47,464
It doesn�t matter whether
they were built this year
749
00:41:47,547 --> 00:41:49,837
or 6,000 years ago,
750
00:41:49,924 --> 00:41:53,144
they�re fascinating, but why?
751
00:41:53,219 --> 00:41:57,969
Well, why are we fascinated
by anything out of the ordinary?
752
00:41:58,057 --> 00:42:01,307
Because it�s
magnificent. It�s humbling.
753
00:42:01,394 --> 00:42:03,314
It fills us with wonder.
754
00:42:03,396 --> 00:42:06,226
The great thing about monoliths
755
00:42:06,357 --> 00:42:09,357
is that they are enduring.
756
00:42:09,444 --> 00:42:10,864
And once it�s there,
757
00:42:10,945 --> 00:42:14,815
it�s highly visible
in the landscape,
758
00:42:14,907 --> 00:42:17,077
and it goes on forever,
759
00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:19,160
but they are enigmatic.
760
00:42:19,245 --> 00:42:21,705
Because, at the last analysis,
761
00:42:21,789 --> 00:42:25,129
the big, eternal
question remains:
762
00:42:25,251 --> 00:42:26,711
why were they built?
763
00:42:26,794 --> 00:42:29,264
And that is a mystery
764
00:42:29,380 --> 00:42:32,470
which we may never solve.
765
00:42:32,592 --> 00:42:37,302
Was Stonehenge created to
harness the energy of the Earth?
766
00:42:37,430 --> 00:42:39,850
Were the statues of Mont�e Prama
767
00:42:39,932 --> 00:42:42,642
actually based
on real-life giants?
768
00:42:42,769 --> 00:42:46,059
Was there a global network
of interconnected,
769
00:42:46,147 --> 00:42:48,107
ancient stone monuments?
770
00:42:48,232 --> 00:42:51,072
Perhaps.
771
00:42:51,152 --> 00:42:54,032
But while mysterious monoliths
772
00:42:54,113 --> 00:42:58,533
around the world were built
to stand the test of time,
773
00:42:58,618 --> 00:43:01,698
their purpose and their power
774
00:43:01,788 --> 00:43:06,038
remain unexplained.
775
00:43:06,088 --> 00:43:10,638
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