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WILLIAM SHATNER: A vast empire
that mysteriously collapsed.
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An ancient metropolis
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reclaimed by the jungle.
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And an abandoned city that sits
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in the middle of the desert.
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All over the world,
we're surrounded by the ruins
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and artifacts of ancient empires
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that were once thriving,
powerful cultures.
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What's left behind
offers intriguing clues
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about how our ancestors lived.
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And it makes you wonder
how an entire civilization
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can simply disappear.
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As we dig deeper,
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what secrets will be uncovered
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about mankind's past?
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Well...
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that is
what we'll try and find out.
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♪ ♪
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SHATNER:
Explorers John Lloyd Stephens
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and Frederick Catherwood mount
an expedition to investigate
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reports of mysterious ruins
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located in this remote,
largely uncharted region.
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After scouting and mapping
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miles of dark,
impenetrable jungle, they find
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some unusual features
in the dense brush.
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Oddly shaped stones,
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peculiar carvings,
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and strange artifacts
that could only be...
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man-made.
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It isn't long
before they realize
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they've made
an incredible discovery:
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the remains of the mysterious
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ancient Maya civilization,
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deep in the rainforest.
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CARL WENDT:
And what was so remarkable
to Stephens and Catherwood
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is eventually they found temples
and platforms and pyramids.
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There was monumental
architecture and conical mounds
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and other building platforms
in the rainforest.
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And to look at these cities
in the jungle,
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kind of coming out
of the jungle, was...
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was just absolutely remarkable.
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And it got people's attention.
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SHATNER: On their return
to the United States,
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Stephens and Catherwood
publish an illustrated book
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of their findings,
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detailing 44 individual ruins.
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Readers are astounded
by the book's
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meticulous illustrations,
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which portray
a sophisticated ancient society.
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And news of the astonishing find
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quickly spreads
around the world.
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WENDT:
The Maya become more mysterious
as we collect more information.
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They have a sophisticated
writing system.
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They obviously have a
sophisticated religious system.
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And calendar system.
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And so the calendar, which
would've been a very useful tool
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for the Maya elite and priests
to be able to understand,
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say, for example, when there was
gonna be a solar eclipse.
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They were ancient astronomers
and architects.
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They have social structure
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that we're just beginning
to understand,
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and their cities are remarkable.
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SHATNER:
At its peak,
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the Maya civilization stretched
from Guatemala and Belize
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to western Honduras
and El Salvador.
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Their total population was
estimated to be in the millions,
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and concentrated in large
city centers like Copán,
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Tikal and Calakmul.
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And then, suddenly,
during the ninth century AD,
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this advanced society just...
collapsed.
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Vast cities, ornate palaces,
towering pyramids,
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all of it, completely abandoned,
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left to be reclaimed
by the jungle.
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But why?
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ED BARNHART:
The mystery of why
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Maya civilization collapsed
is one
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that archeology has been
debating forever.
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830 is right about when all
of the cities in the Maya area,
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and all over Mesoamerica,
are falling apart.
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They drop their tools,
and they walk away.
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They're abandoning those cities,
and it's a mystery.
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Where did the people go?
Why did they leave?
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If you have such
a sophisticated civilization,
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how do these things collapse?
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What went wrong?
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SHATNER:
For decades,
archaeologists have speculated
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as to what might have caused
the sudden demise of the Maya.
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Dozens of theories--
blaming everything
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from drought to disease
to devastating earthquakes--
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have been proposed.
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Yet, the simple truth is,
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no one knows
what really happened.
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But a recent study, using
state-of-the-art technology,
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might have provided
a significant clue.
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An airplane operated
by the University of Houston's
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National Center
for Airborne Laser Mapping
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flies 2,000 feet
above the thick jungle canopy.
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As the plane reaches
its target area,
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an advanced scanning technology
called "lidar" is used
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to fire laser pulses through
the trees at the ground below.
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When the resulting data
is later compiled
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into a three-dimensional
rendering of the area,
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the scientists are stunned
by what they see.
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Once lidar got involved,
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we saw the roads leading out
into other city centers.
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We saw thousands
upon thousands of houses.
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Collectively, all the areas
that they covered
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were over 60,000 new buildings
that we didn't see before.
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Previously, they thought
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that the Maya reached probably
a maximum level
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of population
of around five million,
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but the estimates now take us
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up to at least 15 to 20 million.
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SHATNER:
Ever since the rediscovery
of Maya ruins
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by Europeans
in the 19th century,
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nearly every piece
of data uncovered
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about the Maya
raised more and more questions.
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But now, after scientists
began using lidar,
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they finally started
to find answers,
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such as the possible cause
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of the Maya
civilization's collapse:
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war.
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WENDT:
Once we started going out
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and recording
and mapping these sites,
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we see
defense warfare structures.
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This is a remarkable thing,
that we never knew
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that these defensive works
were out there,
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leading archeologists
to scratch their heads
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and basically say, "Oh, my gosh,
the Maya were warlike,
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and warfare was very important."
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DAVID WHITEHEAD:
We know
there was warfare going on.
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They were building all kinds
of defensive structures.
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Could that have something to do
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with the vanishing
of the Mayans?
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BARNHART:
More and more,
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as the classic period went on,
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monuments became full
of war imagery,
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and people taking captives
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and people being beheaded.
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So we know war was a factor.
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If it was just war,
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the victors would've
claimed the land,
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and the losers
would have beat it.
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But that's not the fact.
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Everybody left. Why?
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SHATNER:
According to the Popol Vuh--
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the written history
of the Maya--
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they believed that time
was cyclical in nature.
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Each cycle lasted
for a fixed number of years,
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at which time, a great cataclysm
would wipe the slate clean
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so a new world could be born
from the old one's ashes.
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So was this the real reason?
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Did the Maya abandon
their great cities
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and disband their culture simply
because an ancient prophecy
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told them when exactly to do it?
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BARNHART:
The timing is very interesting.
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In 830, a great cycle is ending,
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and there was certainly
evidence for them
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to believe
that things were going bad.
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There were climate problems,
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there were resource problems,
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there were people fighting.
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Were they timing
the leaving of their cities
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to the calendar
that they created?
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That's a... a big possibility.
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SHATNER:
Right or wrong,
the Maya believed
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that the end of
their civilization was at hand.
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And while that may seem
like a far-fetched notion,
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there actually exists
one group of people
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that hold similar beliefs:
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the descendants of the Maya.
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When you talk
to modern Maya people
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in the Guatemalan Highlands,
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people called daykeepers,
ajq'ij,
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they are priests who still
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follow the calendar,
and they teach people
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that things begin,
and they come to an end.
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And that to be in harmony
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with the world
you need to know these cycles
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and change
before the world changes you.
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It's very possible
that, back then,
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when all the signs
that the world was going...
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a serious wrong direction,
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that the Maya civilization
as a whole said,
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"These are the signs.
The time is now.
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Let's collectively
change ourselves."
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SHATNER:
Was the collapse
of the Maya civilization
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simply the result
of a self-fulfilling prophecy?
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It seems that the truth
about their fate
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may be a matter of belief.
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Which may also be the case
regarding
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an ancient society in Cambodia
that mysteriously abandoned
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one of the largest
temple complexes ever built.
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SHATNER:
Deep in the northwestern jungles
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of this small nation,
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tucked between Vietnam
and Thailand,
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sits the abandoned ruins
of Angkor Wat,
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a massive, ancient complex
of temples.
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Experts believe
that Angkor Wat is the largest
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00:10:39,083 --> 00:10:42,292
religious structure ever built.
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STEAVU:
It's just a massive,
impressive sight.
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swallowed up by the jungle.
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Trees are wrapping
around some of the stones
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and sculptures that-that remain,
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00:10:54,458 --> 00:10:57,417
yet you can still make out
some of the exquisite sculptures
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between leaves and branches.
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00:11:00,042 --> 00:11:03,875
And you can see something
really majestic underneath.
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00:11:04,875 --> 00:11:08,000
BARNHART:
Angkor Wat is huge.
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00:11:08,208 --> 00:11:10,083
When you walk up
to its front entrance,
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it's a bridge going
across the moat, and then,
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00:11:13,083 --> 00:11:16,208
a causeway going
to the temples themselves.
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And they're so far off
in the distance,
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you walk across that bridge
for ten minutes,
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and you're still not
at the temple.
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SHATNER:
All told,
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00:11:27,750 --> 00:11:30,792
Angkor Wat encompasses
more than 401 acres
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00:11:30,958 --> 00:11:34,292
of buildings,
temples and gardens,
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and a 700-foot-tall spire sits
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00:11:38,125 --> 00:11:40,792
at the center of the complex.
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00:11:41,875 --> 00:11:44,750
Angkor Wat was built
in the 12th century AD
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00:11:44,917 --> 00:11:46,750
by the Khmer people,
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00:11:46,917 --> 00:11:50,792
and it was the spiritual center
of their empire.
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DOUGHERTY:
It's difficult to explain
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00:11:55,625 --> 00:11:57,458
just how important
this place was.
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00:11:57,625 --> 00:11:59,500
In fact, "Angkor Wat" means
"capital city"
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00:11:59,708 --> 00:12:01,500
or "capital temple,"
or "city temple,"
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00:12:01,708 --> 00:12:03,083
depending how you translate it.
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00:12:03,208 --> 00:12:07,542
So, this was not only
a religious center,
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00:12:07,750 --> 00:12:09,542
it was also a political center,
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00:12:09,708 --> 00:12:11,375
it was a military center.
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There was absolutely
no separation
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00:12:14,417 --> 00:12:16,083
between religion and daily life.
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The temple served
all of these purposes.
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00:12:18,583 --> 00:12:21,917
And it was home to tens
of thousands of ordinary people
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00:12:22,042 --> 00:12:24,083
who were farmers, merchants
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00:12:24,292 --> 00:12:27,458
living in this tremendously
important religious center.
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00:12:29,292 --> 00:12:32,250
STEAVU:
It was a massive, vibrant city.
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00:12:32,375 --> 00:12:35,750
The urban landscape extended
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00:12:35,917 --> 00:12:39,333
far beyond Angkor Wat itself,
in every direction,
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00:12:39,417 --> 00:12:41,583
for, uh, miles,
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00:12:41,708 --> 00:12:45,167
so there were anywhere
between about 750,000
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00:12:45,250 --> 00:12:49,500
to a million people living
around the city of Angkor.
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00:12:50,708 --> 00:12:53,500
SHATNER:
In the year 1431 AD,
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00:12:53,708 --> 00:12:57,792
the Khmer people
abandoned Angkor Wat.
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00:12:58,833 --> 00:13:01,833
For decades,
archaeologists have speculated
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00:13:02,042 --> 00:13:05,417
as to what caused
the demise of the city.
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00:13:06,833 --> 00:13:09,167
Numerous theories,
blaming everything
248
00:13:09,333 --> 00:13:12,333
from climate change to invading
armies, have been proposed.
249
00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:15,500
And yet,
no one knows for certain
250
00:13:15,667 --> 00:13:18,083
why nearly a million people
251
00:13:18,250 --> 00:13:22,042
chose to abandon
these magnificent temples.
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00:13:23,792 --> 00:13:25,458
DOUGHERTY:
The abandonment of Angkor Wat
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00:13:25,583 --> 00:13:28,458
illustrates to us that something
catastrophic had occurred
254
00:13:28,625 --> 00:13:30,458
within Khmer society.
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00:13:30,625 --> 00:13:33,000
This incredible place
256
00:13:33,125 --> 00:13:36,667
was still capable of supporting
large numbers of people,
257
00:13:36,875 --> 00:13:38,917
it was still
an important temple,
258
00:13:39,042 --> 00:13:40,667
but it was
almost completely abandoned.
259
00:13:40,792 --> 00:13:42,458
It was just left.
260
00:13:42,625 --> 00:13:45,875
And what that suggests is that
261
00:13:46,042 --> 00:13:50,333
something changed
in the Khmer people.
262
00:13:51,375 --> 00:13:53,250
SHATNER:
Some experts have proposed
263
00:13:53,417 --> 00:13:56,292
that because Angkor Wat was such
an important religious site,
264
00:13:56,458 --> 00:14:00,208
it may have been abandoned
for spiritual reasons.
265
00:14:01,792 --> 00:14:03,667
DOUGHERTY:
Angkor Wat
266
00:14:03,875 --> 00:14:08,667
was the link between
mortal people and the gods.
267
00:14:08,875 --> 00:14:13,167
And it was built
by Suryavarman II,
268
00:14:13,333 --> 00:14:18,125
who fought a series of military
campaigns to unify his people,
269
00:14:18,292 --> 00:14:20,500
brought stability, prosperity.
270
00:14:20,667 --> 00:14:23,375
And Suryavarman II intended
271
00:14:23,583 --> 00:14:27,292
Angkor Wat to be his mausoleum.
272
00:14:28,333 --> 00:14:33,333
STEAVU:
The tomb of Suryavarman II
was intended
273
00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:37,167
to be located
underneath the central tower.
274
00:14:37,375 --> 00:14:40,958
And there's a hole at the top
of the central tower
275
00:14:41,083 --> 00:14:43,000
that lets in a beam of light.
276
00:14:43,208 --> 00:14:46,833
And that beam of light
would have shone directly
277
00:14:47,042 --> 00:14:49,708
onto the tomb,
demonstrating in a way
278
00:14:49,917 --> 00:14:54,042
that Suryavarman was
directly linked to the divine.
279
00:14:55,125 --> 00:14:57,125
DOUGHERTY:
Suryavarman II
280
00:14:57,250 --> 00:15:00,917
clearly intended
to be buried at Angkor Wat.
281
00:15:01,042 --> 00:15:03,375
He would be interred
in the central temple.
282
00:15:03,542 --> 00:15:08,375
But he died on a military
campaign in what is now Vietnam,
283
00:15:08,542 --> 00:15:11,417
and nobody knows
what happened to the body.
284
00:15:13,042 --> 00:15:16,208
SHATNER:
Curiously,
after King Suryavarman died,
285
00:15:16,375 --> 00:15:20,375
and his body was not placed
in its intended tomb,
286
00:15:20,542 --> 00:15:24,125
the living conditions in Angkor
Wat took a turn for the worse.
287
00:15:24,250 --> 00:15:26,583
There were repeated droughts
in the region,
288
00:15:26,750 --> 00:15:28,500
which led to famine,
289
00:15:28,667 --> 00:15:30,958
because there was not
enough water for crops.
290
00:15:31,125 --> 00:15:34,125
But on the other hand,
there were also huge monsoons
291
00:15:34,292 --> 00:15:38,833
that, at times,
would cause major flooding.
292
00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,958
Some scholars believe
293
00:15:41,083 --> 00:15:43,625
that these calamities
may have been seen
294
00:15:43,750 --> 00:15:46,000
by the Khmer people as a sign
295
00:15:46,167 --> 00:15:48,500
that their connection
to the gods had been lost,
296
00:15:48,708 --> 00:15:54,500
and that it was time
for them to abandon Angkor Wat.
297
00:15:54,708 --> 00:15:56,208
DOUGHERTY:
The Khmer people
298
00:15:56,375 --> 00:15:59,708
would have remembered
the time of Suryavarman II,
299
00:15:59,875 --> 00:16:02,875
of this golden age
that had existed.
300
00:16:03,083 --> 00:16:05,542
But later,
things weren't as good.
301
00:16:05,708 --> 00:16:07,333
Could it be that the link
302
00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:09,667
between mortals and their god
had been broken?
303
00:16:09,875 --> 00:16:12,000
(birds singing)
304
00:16:12,167 --> 00:16:14,125
STEAVU:
If what made Angkor City great
305
00:16:14,208 --> 00:16:17,333
was the blessings that were
sent down from the gods,
306
00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:20,833
then when things started going
more badly for the city,
307
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,542
people would naturally interpret
308
00:16:22,708 --> 00:16:25,458
that the gods again are
taking away their blessings.
309
00:16:26,542 --> 00:16:29,875
And then that, in turn,
would serve as a cue
310
00:16:30,042 --> 00:16:32,625
for the Khmer people
to also leave behind the city.
311
00:16:34,792 --> 00:16:36,667
BARHART:
All civilizations on the planet,
312
00:16:36,750 --> 00:16:38,542
no matter how big they are,
313
00:16:38,667 --> 00:16:42,250
they eventually fall,
and Angkor was no different.
314
00:16:42,375 --> 00:16:46,167
And the factors were not just
as simple as one thing.
315
00:16:46,333 --> 00:16:48,458
There were a number
of things happening.
316
00:16:48,583 --> 00:16:52,167
In many regards,
the abandonment of Angkor
317
00:16:52,292 --> 00:16:54,125
was just an acknowledgement
318
00:16:54,250 --> 00:16:59,333
that however large and grand
their life was there,
319
00:16:59,542 --> 00:17:03,042
that the gods didn't favor it,
and it was time to end it.
320
00:17:05,125 --> 00:17:06,875
SHATNER:
Did the Khmer people
abandon Angkor Wat
321
00:17:07,042 --> 00:17:09,000
because they believed
322
00:17:09,208 --> 00:17:11,583
that they had fallen
out of favor with the gods?
323
00:17:11,750 --> 00:17:14,042
It's an intriguing theory,
324
00:17:14,208 --> 00:17:18,125
but not all ancient cities
are mysteriously deserted.
325
00:17:18,292 --> 00:17:22,375
Some are frozen in time,
326
00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:25,542
like a town located
near Mount Vesuvius
327
00:17:25,708 --> 00:17:29,292
that was engulfed in
a deadly cloud of volcanic ash.
328
00:17:39,458 --> 00:17:41,208
SHATNER:
At approximately 1:00 p.m.
329
00:17:41,375 --> 00:17:43,333
on a peaceful, late summer day,
330
00:17:43,500 --> 00:17:47,042
this ancient Roman city in
the shadow of Mount Vesuvius
331
00:17:47,208 --> 00:17:51,542
is shaken by
a massive volcanic eruption.
332
00:17:53,208 --> 00:17:56,125
Within minutes,
superheated gas and lava
333
00:17:56,333 --> 00:17:58,917
engulf the city
and its surroundings.
334
00:17:59,083 --> 00:18:00,417
(people screaming)
335
00:18:00,542 --> 00:18:02,083
In an instant,
thousands of people
336
00:18:02,208 --> 00:18:04,208
are buried alive as a city
337
00:18:04,375 --> 00:18:06,083
that was once their home...
338
00:18:06,250 --> 00:18:09,375
suddenly becomes their tomb.
339
00:18:12,917 --> 00:18:15,500
Nearly 2,000 years
after the eruption,
340
00:18:15,625 --> 00:18:20,250
Pompeii is a city
that remains frozen in time.
341
00:18:20,417 --> 00:18:22,125
LAPATIN:
This eruption was
342
00:18:22,250 --> 00:18:24,792
what we call
a pyroclastic eruption,
343
00:18:24,958 --> 00:18:27,708
where clouds of ash and debris
344
00:18:27,875 --> 00:18:31,708
hundreds of degrees hot
came flowing down the mountain,
345
00:18:31,875 --> 00:18:34,500
flash-frying everything
in its path.
346
00:18:34,708 --> 00:18:39,333
And, miraculously,
the heat of this cloud
347
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:42,500
was enough
to carbonize and preserve,
348
00:18:42,667 --> 00:18:46,708
rather than destroy,
all kinds of information.
349
00:18:47,917 --> 00:18:50,417
We have
well-preserved architecture,
350
00:18:50,542 --> 00:18:54,000
wood and organic materials,
foodstuffs,
351
00:18:54,208 --> 00:18:56,792
human remains,
352
00:18:56,917 --> 00:19:01,833
animal remains that have
been preserved for 2,000 years
353
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,333
beneath this volcanic debris.
354
00:19:06,375 --> 00:19:08,833
SHATNER:
Today,
the excavated ruins of Pompeii
355
00:19:09,042 --> 00:19:11,333
offer archaeologists
and tourists
356
00:19:11,542 --> 00:19:15,417
a breathtaking look
at the doomed ancient city.
357
00:19:16,458 --> 00:19:19,708
Perhaps the most intriguing
discovery found beneath the ash
358
00:19:19,875 --> 00:19:21,750
from Mount Vesuvius's eruption
359
00:19:21,917 --> 00:19:26,250
was an ancient Roman structure
located not far from Pompeii,
360
00:19:26,417 --> 00:19:29,667
known as the Villa dei Papiri.
361
00:19:29,875 --> 00:19:31,833
LAPATIN:
The Villa dei Papiri
362
00:19:31,958 --> 00:19:34,167
was a Roman luxury villa
363
00:19:34,292 --> 00:19:37,042
that was full of sculpture
364
00:19:37,208 --> 00:19:40,167
and marble and bronze.
365
00:19:40,333 --> 00:19:42,958
The villa was discovered
by chance
366
00:19:43,125 --> 00:19:46,125
in 1750 by well-diggers,
367
00:19:46,250 --> 00:19:50,292
who, tunneling about 75 feet
through volcanic debris,
368
00:19:50,417 --> 00:19:54,625
first hit a colored marble floor
with an amazing pattern
369
00:19:54,792 --> 00:19:58,667
made up of bright red
and yellow marbles.
370
00:19:59,667 --> 00:20:02,625
We think this was once
the vacation home
371
00:20:02,792 --> 00:20:05,542
of a Roman senator
of the highest rank
372
00:20:05,708 --> 00:20:09,750
of an old noble family,
named Lucius Calpurnius Piso.
373
00:20:10,792 --> 00:20:14,500
SHATNER:
The volcanic ash
that buried Villa dei Papiri
374
00:20:14,583 --> 00:20:17,042
did not only preserve
the physical structure.
375
00:20:17,208 --> 00:20:19,583
It also entombed a library
376
00:20:19,708 --> 00:20:24,042
that contained more
than 1,800 papyrus scrolls.
377
00:20:24,208 --> 00:20:26,667
These scrolls are
an extraordinary record
378
00:20:26,875 --> 00:20:29,000
of the thoughts and writings
of people who lived
379
00:20:29,125 --> 00:20:31,583
nearly 2,000 years ago.
380
00:20:35,083 --> 00:20:36,208
SEALES:
Those texts were discovered
381
00:20:36,375 --> 00:20:39,375
when the city was excavated,
382
00:20:39,542 --> 00:20:41,958
and some of the artifacts
were first found.
383
00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,625
The people who discovered them
didn't know what they were.
384
00:20:45,792 --> 00:20:49,667
They thought that maybe they
were pieces of branches or logs,
385
00:20:49,833 --> 00:20:52,042
because they were rolled up
and carbonized.
386
00:20:52,208 --> 00:20:56,042
Until someone finally realized
these are texts on papyrus.
387
00:20:56,208 --> 00:21:00,958
LAPATIN:
The Villa dei Papiri library
is significant because
388
00:21:01,125 --> 00:21:02,958
it's the only surviving library
389
00:21:03,125 --> 00:21:05,167
from antiquity
with its contents.
390
00:21:05,292 --> 00:21:07,542
There were scrolls found
391
00:21:07,750 --> 00:21:11,083
that date to the third,
second and first century BC,
392
00:21:11,250 --> 00:21:12,708
and the first century AD.
393
00:21:12,875 --> 00:21:16,375
About 300 of them or so
have been un-scrolled,
394
00:21:16,583 --> 00:21:20,208
and they contain
mostly philosophic texts,
395
00:21:20,417 --> 00:21:24,042
some poetry,
some literary criticism,
396
00:21:24,208 --> 00:21:25,792
a little bit of history.
397
00:21:25,958 --> 00:21:29,458
But many of the scrolls
are so tightly bound together
398
00:21:29,625 --> 00:21:31,875
and carbonized
that there's been a moratorium
399
00:21:32,042 --> 00:21:33,667
on attempts to open them.
400
00:21:36,250 --> 00:21:38,542
SHATNER:
Fear of damaging the scrolls
has left many of them
401
00:21:38,708 --> 00:21:41,042
virtually untouched
for over 100 years.
402
00:21:42,042 --> 00:21:46,292
But new technology has presented
a potential opportunity
403
00:21:46,458 --> 00:21:50,250
to read
these mysterious ancient texts.
404
00:21:51,208 --> 00:21:54,500
Scientists in
the Computer Science Department
405
00:21:54,667 --> 00:21:58,167
at the University of Kentucky
have developed a new method,
406
00:21:58,292 --> 00:22:01,583
known as "virtual unwrapping,"
407
00:22:01,708 --> 00:22:04,833
which uses a sophisticated
X-ray machine
408
00:22:04,958 --> 00:22:08,958
to scan the scrolls
without damaging them.
409
00:22:09,125 --> 00:22:11,500
SEALES:
The virtual unwrapping
that we innovated
410
00:22:11,708 --> 00:22:15,958
basically allows
a 360-degree set of views
411
00:22:16,167 --> 00:22:18,000
to be collected from an object
412
00:22:18,208 --> 00:22:21,458
that rotates
in front of an X-ray beam.
413
00:22:21,583 --> 00:22:25,458
This is a real scroll
that's 2,000 years old,
414
00:22:25,625 --> 00:22:29,000
and in cross section,
we can see there's damage,
415
00:22:29,125 --> 00:22:30,958
there are parts
that are missing,
416
00:22:31,083 --> 00:22:32,500
sections that are broken.
417
00:22:32,708 --> 00:22:34,958
Now we're using our software
for the second step,
418
00:22:35,083 --> 00:22:38,083
which is to trace these wraps
all the way through
419
00:22:38,250 --> 00:22:40,500
so that we can build a 3D model
that lets us
420
00:22:40,708 --> 00:22:43,500
flatten that out and then
read the text that's on it.
421
00:22:43,708 --> 00:22:47,167
And once we're done,
we've achieved this image
422
00:22:47,333 --> 00:22:48,958
that's on the left,
which is the final,
423
00:22:49,083 --> 00:22:51,417
completely unwrapped version.
424
00:22:51,583 --> 00:22:53,625
This is a quote from Democritus,
425
00:22:53,708 --> 00:22:56,750
who was an early
Greek philosopher,
426
00:22:56,917 --> 00:23:00,708
and is very well known for
having postulated, with others
427
00:23:00,875 --> 00:23:03,625
that materials
are made of atoms.
428
00:23:05,375 --> 00:23:08,292
I think it's remarkable
that 2,000 years ago,
429
00:23:08,417 --> 00:23:10,750
Greek philosophers were
postulating
430
00:23:10,875 --> 00:23:13,042
what we now know is true
from science.
431
00:23:14,208 --> 00:23:15,792
SHATNER:
Thus far, the team has been able
432
00:23:15,917 --> 00:23:18,333
to digitally scan
two complete scrolls,
433
00:23:18,542 --> 00:23:21,417
and a number of fragments.
434
00:23:21,542 --> 00:23:25,250
They hope that, in the future,
technology will advance
435
00:23:25,417 --> 00:23:28,583
and allow them
to reveal even more.
436
00:23:28,708 --> 00:23:31,667
But what secrets
might be contained
437
00:23:31,875 --> 00:23:33,833
in those 2,000-year-old scrolls?
438
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,625
One exciting possibility
that has been suggested is
439
00:23:37,708 --> 00:23:41,792
that original letters written
by Jesus's apostle Paul
440
00:23:41,958 --> 00:23:45,542
could have been kept within
the library of Villa dei Papiri.
441
00:23:46,625 --> 00:23:49,000
RIC RADER:
The Villa of the Papiri
was entombed
442
00:23:49,208 --> 00:23:52,083
about 40 to 50 years
after the death of Jesus.
443
00:23:52,250 --> 00:23:55,750
At this time, the original
apostles are now out
444
00:23:55,917 --> 00:23:58,208
doing their mission work
in various parts
445
00:23:58,375 --> 00:24:00,792
of the Mediterranean.
446
00:24:00,958 --> 00:24:03,917
So, it's entirely likely
that the Villa of the Papiri
447
00:24:04,042 --> 00:24:09,042
could have a collection
of copies of Paul's letters.
448
00:24:10,083 --> 00:24:13,292
SEALES:
If the letters
from the Apostle Paul circulated
449
00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:15,208
and found its way
into the collection,
450
00:24:15,375 --> 00:24:18,750
such a discovery would represent
the earliest Christian material
451
00:24:18,917 --> 00:24:20,750
that we have,
almost dating back
452
00:24:20,917 --> 00:24:24,583
to the time of Christ
and the disciples.
453
00:24:24,750 --> 00:24:27,500
Being able
to use these techniques
454
00:24:27,708 --> 00:24:31,333
to understand history
in a way that's almost forensic
455
00:24:31,542 --> 00:24:33,875
is gonna bring
surprising things forward,
456
00:24:34,042 --> 00:24:36,292
and we're gonna be revealing
more secrets
457
00:24:36,458 --> 00:24:38,542
than we'd ever imagined before.
458
00:24:41,125 --> 00:24:43,458
Are there even greater secrets
contained
459
00:24:43,667 --> 00:24:45,958
within the papyrus scrolls
of Pompeii?
460
00:24:46,125 --> 00:24:49,875
Hopefully, archaeologists
will soon find out.
461
00:24:50,875 --> 00:24:54,625
But some mysteries of ancient
civilizations are not buried
462
00:24:54,750 --> 00:24:56,583
beneath volcanic ash
but rather
463
00:24:56,708 --> 00:24:58,750
hiding in plain sight.
464
00:24:58,875 --> 00:25:02,500
For instance,
there's a vast pyramid mound,
465
00:25:02,625 --> 00:25:05,417
constructed more than
a thousand years ago,
466
00:25:05,583 --> 00:25:09,958
that is located in the heartland
of the United States.
467
00:25:16,417 --> 00:25:18,833
SHATNER: In the heart
of the downtown district
468
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,667
stands the Wainwright Building.
469
00:25:21,875 --> 00:25:24,792
Built in 1891,
this office building is one
470
00:25:24,917 --> 00:25:28,000
of the world's
first modern skyscrapers.
471
00:25:28,167 --> 00:25:32,500
But as it turns out, there is
a similarly-sized structure
472
00:25:32,667 --> 00:25:35,833
in this region
that is much, much older.
473
00:25:35,917 --> 00:25:39,375
Just ten miles east of the city
stands the ruins
474
00:25:39,542 --> 00:25:43,125
of an ancient,
man-made pyramid mound
475
00:25:43,250 --> 00:25:46,625
that was built centuries ago,
476
00:25:46,750 --> 00:25:49,792
and is as tall
as a ten-story building.
477
00:25:50,708 --> 00:25:52,625
BILL ISEMINGER:
This is
478
00:25:52,792 --> 00:25:54,708
the largest
prehistoric earthwork
479
00:25:54,917 --> 00:25:56,833
in the western hemisphere,
480
00:25:57,042 --> 00:25:59,042
the largest totally
earthen mound built
481
00:25:59,208 --> 00:26:01,000
by ancient people
in North or South America.
482
00:26:01,208 --> 00:26:05,458
Its base actually is bigger
than the great pyramid in Egypt,
483
00:26:05,625 --> 00:26:07,875
and it stands 100 feet high.
484
00:26:08,042 --> 00:26:12,792
And it was built with about
22 million cubic feet of dirt
485
00:26:12,875 --> 00:26:14,833
that had to be carried
in baskets
486
00:26:14,958 --> 00:26:17,500
on people's backs and deposited.
487
00:26:17,708 --> 00:26:19,583
SHATNER:
The fact that the ruins
488
00:26:19,750 --> 00:26:22,125
of a man-made pyramid sit
in the middle
489
00:26:22,333 --> 00:26:25,792
of the United States might
come as a surprise, for some.
490
00:26:25,958 --> 00:26:31,333
And yet, this monumental
earthen mound is merely one
491
00:26:31,542 --> 00:26:33,750
of more than a hundred
similar structures
492
00:26:33,917 --> 00:26:35,917
that have been discovered
in this area.
493
00:26:36,083 --> 00:26:40,083
They are all part of a sprawling
ancient city named...
494
00:26:40,208 --> 00:26:41,542
Cahokia.
495
00:26:41,708 --> 00:26:43,250
COLLINS:
Cahokia
496
00:26:43,417 --> 00:26:45,875
is arguably the most important
497
00:26:46,042 --> 00:26:50,333
of the ancient cities
of North America.
498
00:26:51,667 --> 00:26:57,333
Constructed approximately
between 700 and 1350 AD,
499
00:26:57,542 --> 00:27:00,833
it was an incredible metropolis.
500
00:27:01,833 --> 00:27:04,167
We have this idea
of the first peoples
501
00:27:04,375 --> 00:27:06,500
as being hunter-gatherers,
502
00:27:06,625 --> 00:27:09,042
and riding around
on horses all the time,
503
00:27:09,208 --> 00:27:12,625
and that's simply
the wrong impression.
504
00:27:12,750 --> 00:27:15,667
They were
an incredibly technologically
505
00:27:15,833 --> 00:27:17,875
sophisticated society.
506
00:27:19,417 --> 00:27:22,125
ISEMINGER:
We don't know
what this place was called
507
00:27:22,250 --> 00:27:24,833
or what-- the language
that people spoke here.
508
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,042
The name Cahokia comes
from a later group
509
00:27:27,208 --> 00:27:29,542
of American Indians
that moved into this area
510
00:27:29,750 --> 00:27:32,958
in the 1600s from further north
around the Great Lakes.
511
00:27:33,083 --> 00:27:35,583
They were here, but they did not
build the mounds.
512
00:27:35,750 --> 00:27:38,333
They just later used it
as part of their settlement.
513
00:27:39,500 --> 00:27:42,250
We often use the term "city"
when we talk about Cahokia
514
00:27:42,417 --> 00:27:43,917
because of its magnitude.
515
00:27:44,083 --> 00:27:45,833
It covered
nearly six square miles
516
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:47,708
or about 4,000 acres.
517
00:27:48,708 --> 00:27:51,750
During its peak,
between 1050 and 1150 AD,
518
00:27:51,917 --> 00:27:53,833
there were probably,
you know, 40,000-50,000 people
519
00:27:54,042 --> 00:27:55,708
living within this region.
520
00:27:55,875 --> 00:27:59,333
It would be larger
than London was at that time.
521
00:27:59,458 --> 00:28:02,667
And yet, 200 years later,
522
00:28:02,875 --> 00:28:04,917
by 1350 AD,
523
00:28:05,083 --> 00:28:07,958
the whole place
had been abandoned.
524
00:28:08,958 --> 00:28:11,500
And indeed, there is a mystery
525
00:28:11,625 --> 00:28:14,708
of exactly
what took place there.
526
00:28:15,875 --> 00:28:18,333
SHATNER:
But if Cahokia was such
a thriving metropolis,
527
00:28:18,542 --> 00:28:20,042
then it begs the question:
528
00:28:20,208 --> 00:28:23,125
how did this civilization
come to an end?
529
00:28:24,125 --> 00:28:26,667
It's a mystery
that has driven archaeologists
530
00:28:26,875 --> 00:28:31,333
to scour Cahokia's ruins
in search of an answer.
531
00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:35,833
There are a number of hypotheses
about the decline of Cahokia.
532
00:28:36,042 --> 00:28:38,917
And one involves evidence
of a defensive wall
533
00:28:39,125 --> 00:28:41,208
that was built
around the center of Cahokia.
534
00:28:41,375 --> 00:28:44,833
So that indicates that they had
conflicts and warfare.
535
00:28:45,042 --> 00:28:48,125
And there's been
suggestions that maybe,
536
00:28:48,292 --> 00:28:49,917
with the crowded conditions
here, perhaps there was
537
00:28:50,083 --> 00:28:52,500
increases in, in disease.
538
00:28:53,542 --> 00:28:56,167
SHATNER:
Did the threat of warfare
or poor living conditions
539
00:28:56,333 --> 00:29:00,417
cause the inhabitants of Cahokia
to abandon this thriving city?
540
00:29:00,625 --> 00:29:01,833
It's hard to say.
541
00:29:01,958 --> 00:29:03,917
But in recent years,
542
00:29:04,083 --> 00:29:06,125
another theory has emerged.
543
00:29:06,333 --> 00:29:08,208
One that suggests
there may have been
544
00:29:08,417 --> 00:29:12,417
a more sinister reason
behind Cahokia's demise.
545
00:29:12,583 --> 00:29:15,375
So one of the ideas
that's been put forward is
546
00:29:15,542 --> 00:29:17,667
that something quite dark
took place there,
547
00:29:17,833 --> 00:29:20,292
and this is why
there's little evidence
548
00:29:20,458 --> 00:29:23,500
in the oral tradition
or the folklore of this area.
549
00:29:23,667 --> 00:29:26,375
And this could be ultimately
why the site was abandoned.
550
00:29:28,042 --> 00:29:30,500
ISEMINGER:
Back in the late '60s
and early '70s,
551
00:29:30,667 --> 00:29:32,167
there was an excavation
552
00:29:32,333 --> 00:29:34,875
at a small mound here
on the site called Mound 72.
553
00:29:35,042 --> 00:29:37,250
As we dug further
into the mound,
554
00:29:37,375 --> 00:29:39,500
there was a burial pit
about five feet deep.
555
00:29:40,833 --> 00:29:43,250
And at the bottom of that,
they found 53
556
00:29:43,375 --> 00:29:46,958
mostly young women,
all buried at the same time,
557
00:29:47,125 --> 00:29:50,042
laid out in two rows
and piled in there two deep.
558
00:29:51,083 --> 00:29:52,667
Next to them were four men
559
00:29:52,833 --> 00:29:54,500
with their heads
and their hands cut off,
560
00:29:54,625 --> 00:29:56,042
apparently in some ritual.
561
00:29:57,542 --> 00:29:58,667
COLLINS:
The burials that
562
00:29:58,750 --> 00:30:00,875
came out of Mound 72
563
00:30:01,042 --> 00:30:05,083
quite clearly showed evidence
of mass sacrifice.
564
00:30:05,208 --> 00:30:07,750
And we have to ask ourselves
565
00:30:07,917 --> 00:30:10,667
whether this would have had
any kind of impact
566
00:30:10,833 --> 00:30:14,208
upon the society
as a whole at Cahokia.
567
00:30:15,250 --> 00:30:17,958
SHATNER:
Did the vast majority
of Cahokia's inhabitants
568
00:30:18,125 --> 00:30:20,125
abandon their city
569
00:30:20,250 --> 00:30:22,458
because its leaders were
engaging in the practice
570
00:30:22,667 --> 00:30:24,583
of human sacrifice?
571
00:30:24,750 --> 00:30:27,792
And if so,
then where did they go?
572
00:30:27,958 --> 00:30:29,833
Is this tragedy
enough to explain
573
00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,792
why there is no written record
574
00:30:31,917 --> 00:30:34,042
that this civilization
ever existed?
575
00:30:34,208 --> 00:30:38,708
For now, experts remain
collectively baffled
576
00:30:38,875 --> 00:30:41,625
and worry that we may
never know for sure.
577
00:30:42,875 --> 00:30:44,833
We really must question,
you know,
578
00:30:44,958 --> 00:30:46,375
what really happened because
579
00:30:46,542 --> 00:30:48,625
it could have been something
much more mysterious
580
00:30:48,750 --> 00:30:50,375
that we just don't know about.
581
00:30:51,875 --> 00:30:53,833
SHATNER:
While we may never know
the true fate
582
00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:55,875
of the inhabitants of Cahokia,
583
00:30:56,042 --> 00:30:59,417
it's quite remarkable that
parts of this vast complex
584
00:30:59,542 --> 00:31:00,750
can still be seen today.
585
00:31:00,917 --> 00:31:04,000
But not all ancient ruins
586
00:31:04,083 --> 00:31:06,458
are hiding in plain sight.
587
00:31:06,625 --> 00:31:10,875
There's a city,
located in the Arabian desert,
588
00:31:11,042 --> 00:31:12,875
that was not merely
abandoned
589
00:31:13,042 --> 00:31:17,083
but rather
deliberately concealed.
590
00:31:24,583 --> 00:31:27,292
SHATNER:
Swiss explorer and geographer
591
00:31:27,458 --> 00:31:31,417
Johann Ludwig Burckhardt sets
off on an incredible journey
592
00:31:31,542 --> 00:31:35,417
across the desert to uncover
the secrets of the Middle East.
593
00:31:36,708 --> 00:31:40,208
Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was
594
00:31:40,375 --> 00:31:43,875
quite an extraordinary
character.
595
00:31:44,042 --> 00:31:49,083
Um, he traveled throughout
Syria, Jordan, Palestine,
596
00:31:49,250 --> 00:31:51,083
and eventually into Egypt.
597
00:31:52,042 --> 00:31:54,917
He also practiced
the Islamic faith.
598
00:31:55,042 --> 00:31:57,375
And the reason for this was that
599
00:31:57,583 --> 00:31:58,833
he didn't want to be seen
600
00:31:58,917 --> 00:32:01,458
as a Western treasure hunter.
601
00:32:02,542 --> 00:32:05,083
SHATNER:
During his travels,
Burckhardt heard rumors
602
00:32:05,292 --> 00:32:08,500
of a mysterious ancient city
known as Petra
603
00:32:08,625 --> 00:32:11,500
that was hidden somewhere
in the deserts of Jordan.
604
00:32:12,500 --> 00:32:14,583
For centuries,
the exact location of Petra
605
00:32:14,708 --> 00:32:16,583
was kept secret from foreigners.
606
00:32:16,750 --> 00:32:19,708
But Johann Burckhardt
was determined to see Petra
607
00:32:19,875 --> 00:32:21,000
with his own eyes,
608
00:32:21,167 --> 00:32:24,458
and so he hatched a wild plan.
609
00:32:25,417 --> 00:32:28,042
PARADISE:
The area had always
shown conflict,
610
00:32:28,208 --> 00:32:30,167
it had always shown
a certain amount of hostility
611
00:32:30,333 --> 00:32:32,083
to European visitors.
612
00:32:32,250 --> 00:32:36,125
And so Burckhardt spent months
in the region,
613
00:32:36,292 --> 00:32:38,917
learning the local dialect
of Arabic,
614
00:32:39,042 --> 00:32:42,833
and then perfected
a bedouin outfit
615
00:32:42,958 --> 00:32:47,625
to look like a local,
or something close.
616
00:32:47,792 --> 00:32:51,417
The disguise was needed
to get him in the door.
617
00:32:53,792 --> 00:32:55,542
SHATNER:
After spending months
following clues
618
00:32:55,708 --> 00:32:57,375
in search of the city,
619
00:32:57,542 --> 00:33:01,167
Burckhardt traveled through
a dark, narrow desert canyon,
620
00:33:01,292 --> 00:33:03,000
and to his astonishment,
621
00:33:03,125 --> 00:33:06,000
stumbled upon
the stunning ruins of Petra,
622
00:33:06,167 --> 00:33:08,708
which were even more impressive
than he had imagined.
623
00:33:10,875 --> 00:33:13,667
Burckhardt was the first
European to lay eyes on Petra
624
00:33:13,833 --> 00:33:17,750
in more than 500 years, and
his vivid account of the city
625
00:33:17,917 --> 00:33:20,375
made headlines
around the world.
626
00:33:20,542 --> 00:33:24,708
Suddenly, the world reads
about Petra.
627
00:33:25,875 --> 00:33:27,792
The entrance into Petra
628
00:33:27,958 --> 00:33:30,167
is this magnificent
carved structure
629
00:33:30,375 --> 00:33:32,667
about 140 feet high.
630
00:33:32,875 --> 00:33:36,292
And it was carved, it was
hewn directly out of the rock.
631
00:33:36,458 --> 00:33:39,375
And that's the beginning.
632
00:33:39,500 --> 00:33:44,750
Petra was a large, large city
of 30,000 to 50,000 people
633
00:33:44,958 --> 00:33:46,625
that was thriving between
634
00:33:46,792 --> 00:33:49,667
about 500 BC and about 500 AD.
635
00:33:49,833 --> 00:33:52,792
It had a city center,
it had a main street,
636
00:33:52,958 --> 00:33:55,167
it had everything you would
think of, even to this day,
637
00:33:55,333 --> 00:33:57,333
that a large city would have.
638
00:33:57,542 --> 00:34:01,458
The builders of Petra
were the Nabataeans.
639
00:34:01,625 --> 00:34:05,208
They were a culture
in their own right
640
00:34:05,417 --> 00:34:08,750
who adopted
the art and architecture
641
00:34:08,875 --> 00:34:12,125
of the Greek Hellenic world,
642
00:34:12,292 --> 00:34:14,750
the Greco-Roman world,
643
00:34:14,917 --> 00:34:18,167
but also had influences
from Assyria
644
00:34:18,375 --> 00:34:20,708
in what is today Iraq.
645
00:34:20,917 --> 00:34:24,125
And they blended all
of this together to create
646
00:34:24,292 --> 00:34:28,167
the incredible
carved architecture
647
00:34:28,292 --> 00:34:31,542
that you see at Petra.
648
00:34:31,750 --> 00:34:34,458
SHATNER:
The more than 800 carved
structures at Petra
649
00:34:34,625 --> 00:34:39,333
are so iconic that in 2007,
the site was named one of
650
00:34:39,542 --> 00:34:42,125
the New Seven Wonders
of the World.
651
00:34:43,167 --> 00:34:46,625
Ever since Petra was revealed
in 1812,
652
00:34:46,792 --> 00:34:48,333
historians have wondered
653
00:34:48,500 --> 00:34:50,917
what could have caused
the collapse
654
00:34:51,042 --> 00:34:53,042
of such a prosperous city?
655
00:34:53,208 --> 00:34:55,750
For decades,
it was thought that shifting
656
00:34:55,917 --> 00:34:57,792
trade routes were responsible,
657
00:34:57,958 --> 00:35:02,500
but research conducted by
archaeologist Thomas Paradise
658
00:35:02,625 --> 00:35:06,917
has revealed new information
regarding the downfall of Petra.
659
00:35:07,083 --> 00:35:10,500
We're really fortunate
that we keep
660
00:35:10,667 --> 00:35:13,375
putting pieces
of the puzzle together.
661
00:35:13,542 --> 00:35:17,333
Using archaeological excavation,
662
00:35:17,500 --> 00:35:21,500
using GIS and laser technology,
663
00:35:21,708 --> 00:35:24,292
we're starting
to put these pieces together
664
00:35:24,500 --> 00:35:25,833
to understand Petra.
665
00:35:27,625 --> 00:35:30,583
New research is indicating
that a large flood hit
666
00:35:30,708 --> 00:35:33,042
in the fifth century
that wiped out the downtown
667
00:35:33,208 --> 00:35:35,125
for at least a year or so.
668
00:35:35,333 --> 00:35:38,458
The city rebuilds
after that flood,
669
00:35:38,625 --> 00:35:42,833
but it marks the beginning of
the decline from its golden age.
670
00:35:43,875 --> 00:35:46,375
SHATNER:
The re-discovery of Petra
has revealed
671
00:35:46,542 --> 00:35:48,667
that the city was important,
not just historically,
672
00:35:48,875 --> 00:35:50,750
but also spiritually.
673
00:35:50,958 --> 00:35:52,333
Because, as it turns out,
674
00:35:52,542 --> 00:35:56,792
this ancient city has
a connection to the Bible.
675
00:35:56,958 --> 00:35:58,417
PARADISE:
Up above Petra--
676
00:35:58,583 --> 00:36:00,542
and it's visible
from most parts of Petra--
677
00:36:00,708 --> 00:36:03,333
is a mountain called
Jebel Haroun.
678
00:36:03,542 --> 00:36:06,708
Jebel Haroun means
the Mountain of Aaron.
679
00:36:06,875 --> 00:36:09,250
And we do know legend says
680
00:36:09,458 --> 00:36:12,125
that's where Moses's brother
Aaron is buried,
681
00:36:12,250 --> 00:36:15,250
below a large tomb
on the top of the mountain.
682
00:36:16,375 --> 00:36:20,250
The keeper of the holy site
at Jebel Haroun...
683
00:36:20,375 --> 00:36:23,000
over the years,
I-I came to know his family.
684
00:36:23,167 --> 00:36:27,375
So, he invited us up there
to go into the building itself,
685
00:36:27,542 --> 00:36:30,250
and then to climb
into the tomb.
686
00:36:30,375 --> 00:36:33,167
That gets you excited
because you realize you're part
687
00:36:33,375 --> 00:36:37,792
of a tradition from
3,000 years of pilgrimage.
688
00:36:39,333 --> 00:36:42,417
Petra's been called
the Lost City of Stone because
689
00:36:42,625 --> 00:36:45,458
here we see a city
of 30,000 to 50,000 people
690
00:36:45,667 --> 00:36:50,208
that slowly fades from
the history books over time.
691
00:36:50,375 --> 00:36:53,542
And what we're going
to find out about Petra
692
00:36:53,708 --> 00:36:56,667
in the future
is probably more incredible
693
00:36:56,833 --> 00:36:59,958
than what we already have
uncovered.
694
00:37:03,542 --> 00:37:06,833
SHATNER:
The re-discovery of Petra
is an extraordinary find
695
00:37:07,042 --> 00:37:09,667
of both spiritual and
archaeological significance,
696
00:37:09,833 --> 00:37:12,417
and one that rewrites
the history books.
697
00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:15,333
But sometimes,
the most remarkable secrets
698
00:37:15,417 --> 00:37:17,917
about ancient civilizations
can be found
699
00:37:18,083 --> 00:37:20,958
by studying not only the ruins
700
00:37:21,083 --> 00:37:24,917
but rather the DNA of the people
who built them.
701
00:37:33,042 --> 00:37:36,000
SHATNER;
Here, on the vast green
pasture of Salisbury Plain,
702
00:37:36,167 --> 00:37:39,667
stands perhaps the most storied
wonder of the ancient world:
703
00:37:39,833 --> 00:37:42,292
Stonehenge.
704
00:37:42,458 --> 00:37:45,875
First constructed
around 3100 BC,
705
00:37:46,042 --> 00:37:50,542
these imposing sarsen and
bluestone monoliths were rebuilt
706
00:37:50,708 --> 00:37:52,417
and repositioned
a number of times
707
00:37:52,542 --> 00:37:54,500
over the next 1500 years,
708
00:37:54,667 --> 00:37:58,333
eventually settling into
the current configuration.
709
00:37:59,458 --> 00:38:04,125
But today, almost 5,000 years
after its creation,
710
00:38:04,292 --> 00:38:06,958
Stonehenge's original purpose
711
00:38:07,125 --> 00:38:10,958
remains shrouded in mystery.
712
00:38:11,125 --> 00:38:12,667
TIMOTHY DARVILL:
Stonehenge is
a complicated monument.
713
00:38:12,875 --> 00:38:14,208
It's a very long-lived monument.
714
00:38:14,375 --> 00:38:15,625
We're always changing
715
00:38:15,750 --> 00:38:17,417
our interpretations
of Stonehenge.
716
00:38:17,583 --> 00:38:18,917
And this is
in large measure because
717
00:38:19,042 --> 00:38:21,375
these societies don't
seem to have had writing.
718
00:38:21,542 --> 00:38:23,000
They haven't
written anything down
719
00:38:23,167 --> 00:38:25,333
that's come down to us,
at least.
720
00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:27,208
So, we're having to piece
together our understanding
721
00:38:27,375 --> 00:38:29,000
of the monument
from what we have
722
00:38:29,208 --> 00:38:31,667
in the archaeological record
in the monument itself.
723
00:38:33,708 --> 00:38:35,625
SHATNER:
For centuries,
researchers assumed that
724
00:38:35,792 --> 00:38:38,125
the ancient people
who constructed Stonehenge
725
00:38:38,292 --> 00:38:40,792
were native
to the British Isles.
726
00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,667
That could be changing.
727
00:38:46,042 --> 00:38:49,333
Because thanks to
modern genetic technology,
728
00:38:49,542 --> 00:38:51,792
researchers have been able to
conduct DNA testing
729
00:38:51,917 --> 00:38:54,625
on Stone Age skeletons
that were recovered
730
00:38:54,792 --> 00:38:57,667
in the area around Stonehenge.
731
00:38:57,833 --> 00:39:01,500
And the results suggested
that Stonehenge's builders
732
00:39:01,667 --> 00:39:04,667
weren't native
to ancient Britain at all.
733
00:39:05,917 --> 00:39:10,417
They may have arrived from much,
much farther away.
734
00:39:10,542 --> 00:39:12,667
COLLINS:
It was generally thought
735
00:39:12,833 --> 00:39:17,167
that Stonehenge must have been
built by the local people.
736
00:39:17,375 --> 00:39:20,958
But new DNA evidence suggests
737
00:39:21,083 --> 00:39:24,875
that the builders
of Stonehenge had come
738
00:39:25,042 --> 00:39:27,125
from distant Anatolia,
739
00:39:27,208 --> 00:39:29,000
modern-day Turkey.
740
00:39:30,083 --> 00:39:33,083
NEWMAN:
DNA analysis that shows
this migration
741
00:39:33,250 --> 00:39:37,125
from Turkey to Ancient Britain
is very, very interesting.
742
00:39:37,292 --> 00:39:39,500
Because what we're finding here
743
00:39:39,708 --> 00:39:42,542
is this direct connection
over a very long period,
744
00:39:42,708 --> 00:39:46,417
starting with sites
such as Göbekli Tepe,
745
00:39:46,583 --> 00:39:48,750
which was in Southeast Turkey.
746
00:39:48,917 --> 00:39:52,125
Then we have similar stone
structures, like stone circles
747
00:39:52,292 --> 00:39:56,500
or stone avenues in Portugal,
along the Iberian Coast.
748
00:39:56,583 --> 00:39:59,000
Then we have the sites
in Brittany, France,
749
00:39:59,125 --> 00:40:02,167
which again date
to this very early phase.
750
00:40:02,292 --> 00:40:05,125
And then we start seeing
the megalithic constructions
751
00:40:05,292 --> 00:40:06,333
of ancient Britain.
752
00:40:06,542 --> 00:40:09,500
So, this DNA analysis shows that
753
00:40:09,625 --> 00:40:12,833
they were bringing
this megalithic knowledge.
754
00:40:13,042 --> 00:40:15,375
And this has now been
proved through DNA research
755
00:40:15,542 --> 00:40:17,208
from Turkey, through Europe,
756
00:40:17,375 --> 00:40:19,000
into ancient Britain.
757
00:40:22,167 --> 00:40:25,458
SHATNER:
Is it possible that Stonehenge
was constructed
758
00:40:25,625 --> 00:40:27,708
by the same ancient people
from Turkey
759
00:40:27,875 --> 00:40:30,917
that built other massive stone
monuments all over Europe,
760
00:40:31,125 --> 00:40:34,667
as newly discovered
DNA evidence suggests?
761
00:40:35,708 --> 00:40:38,333
It's one of many
intriguing theories
762
00:40:38,458 --> 00:40:41,500
about ancient engineering
that has been brought to light
763
00:40:41,625 --> 00:40:43,750
by modern technology.
764
00:40:45,875 --> 00:40:48,250
New technologies are
certainly gonna open up
765
00:40:48,375 --> 00:40:49,833
a whole series of new questions.
766
00:40:50,042 --> 00:40:51,333
And it's going to answer
a few things
767
00:40:51,500 --> 00:40:53,750
that we didn't know
too much about.
768
00:40:53,917 --> 00:40:56,750
So, there's still a lot of work
to be done in figuring out
769
00:40:56,917 --> 00:40:59,458
some of the secrets
of ancient times.
770
00:40:59,667 --> 00:41:03,125
I don't know how they moved
such large stones
771
00:41:03,292 --> 00:41:06,833
those great distances,
or why they did it.
772
00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:09,667
Why, particularly,
was that the location
773
00:41:09,750 --> 00:41:12,458
for the stones to be extracted,
774
00:41:12,625 --> 00:41:15,500
and this the location
to actually build them?
775
00:41:15,667 --> 00:41:18,000
It doesn't make sense
to me as an engineer.
776
00:41:18,208 --> 00:41:20,167
I would always want
to move those stones
777
00:41:20,292 --> 00:41:22,000
the shortest possible distance
778
00:41:22,167 --> 00:41:24,000
to the site
that I'm gonna build from.
779
00:41:24,208 --> 00:41:27,000
We've wondered since
the day we discovered it
780
00:41:27,167 --> 00:41:30,208
how they did it,
and we still don't know.
781
00:41:31,208 --> 00:41:35,750
Whether it's sprawling cities
that were suddenly abandoned,
782
00:41:35,875 --> 00:41:38,833
curious artifacts that may hold
clues about the past,
783
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:43,500
or even the physical
remains of our ancestors,
784
00:41:43,708 --> 00:41:45,917
human history has left
behind fascinating mysteries
785
00:41:46,083 --> 00:41:48,708
that we're still trying
to understand.
786
00:41:48,875 --> 00:41:51,625
Perhaps one day
modern technology will shed
787
00:41:51,750 --> 00:41:54,667
new light on
ancient civilizations,
788
00:41:54,792 --> 00:41:58,625
but until then,
their secrets will remain...
789
00:41:59,542 --> 00:42:01,125
...unexplained.
790
00:42:02,083 --> 00:42:03,833
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