1 00:00:03,795 --> 00:00:06,255 A massive earthquake triggers a devastating tsunami 2 00:00:06,256 --> 00:00:08,550 on the island of Jamaica, 3 00:00:09,051 --> 00:00:12,845 submerging large sections of a thriving port city. 4 00:00:12,846 --> 00:00:14,305 But the church rector's response 5 00:00:14,306 --> 00:00:17,892 to this tragedy was a little strange. 6 00:00:17,893 --> 00:00:19,644 And that he hoped the disaster would lead 7 00:00:19,645 --> 00:00:22,813 to some kind of moral reform for the town. 8 00:00:22,814 --> 00:00:25,107 After having experienced something so horrible, 9 00:00:25,108 --> 00:00:27,818 why would you react like this? 10 00:00:27,819 --> 00:00:30,238 A volcanic eruption in El Salvador 11 00:00:30,239 --> 00:00:32,073 buries an ancient Mayan village, 12 00:00:32,074 --> 00:00:36,911 preserving its structures and artifacts for over 1,400 years. 13 00:00:36,912 --> 00:00:38,788 The eruption and devastation of this village 14 00:00:38,789 --> 00:00:41,582 happened during the time of the ancient Maya, 15 00:00:41,583 --> 00:00:44,085 a people indigenous to Central America. 16 00:00:44,086 --> 00:00:47,463 The village sits at about 1,500 feet above sea level 17 00:00:47,464 --> 00:00:49,840 and covers an area of 12 square miles, 18 00:00:49,841 --> 00:00:53,219 which makes it a little over half the size of Manhattan. 19 00:00:53,220 --> 00:00:57,390 So we know it's pretty big, but what kind of village was it? 20 00:00:57,391 --> 00:01:00,142 A wildfire raging across Yorkshire, England, 21 00:01:00,143 --> 00:01:04,939 reveals large craters and stone structures. 22 00:01:04,940 --> 00:01:09,485 All over the world incredible discoveries are being revealed 23 00:01:09,486 --> 00:01:12,071 by devastating events. 24 00:01:12,072 --> 00:01:14,365 Floods, earthquakes, 25 00:01:14,366 --> 00:01:17,118 droughts, hurricanes, 26 00:01:17,119 --> 00:01:18,953 volcanic eruptions. 27 00:01:18,954 --> 00:01:23,708 Trails of destruction expose extraordinary history. 28 00:01:23,709 --> 00:01:27,962 This is Discovered by Disaster. 29 00:01:36,847 --> 00:01:42,727 On June 7, 1692, disaster struck Port Royal, Jamaica. 30 00:01:42,728 --> 00:01:45,604 Although the town's residents were used to earthquakes, 31 00:01:45,605 --> 00:01:47,982 as the ground began to shake, 32 00:01:47,983 --> 00:01:50,109 a church rector quickly realized 33 00:01:50,110 --> 00:01:51,819 this one was different. 34 00:01:51,820 --> 00:01:54,155 With the ground shaking violently, 35 00:01:54,156 --> 00:01:57,325 he ran into the streets where he immediately observed 36 00:01:57,326 --> 00:02:00,578 the earth literally splitting open, 37 00:02:00,579 --> 00:02:04,373 swallowing both buildings and people. 38 00:02:04,374 --> 00:02:07,168 The rector later wrote that the sky turned red, 39 00:02:07,169 --> 00:02:09,046 landslides rocked the mountains, 40 00:02:09,171 --> 00:02:11,673 and geysers erupted from the ground. 41 00:02:14,259 --> 00:02:17,345 After three minutes, the earthquake stopped, 42 00:02:17,346 --> 00:02:22,266 and he described the town as shaken and shattered to pieces. 43 00:02:22,267 --> 00:02:25,519 And just when they thought the worst was behind them, 44 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,105 the tsunami hit. 45 00:02:28,106 --> 00:02:31,192 When the giant wave rolled in over Port Royal, 46 00:02:31,193 --> 00:02:34,654 it left over half the town underwater. 47 00:02:34,655 --> 00:02:37,740 Along with the catastrophic damage to the town, 48 00:02:37,741 --> 00:02:40,701 2,000 people were killed either by the earthquake 49 00:02:40,702 --> 00:02:44,455 or in the ensuing tsunami, while in the days following, 50 00:02:44,456 --> 00:02:49,835 another 3,000 would die as a result of injury or disease. 51 00:02:49,836 --> 00:02:50,961 But the church rector's response 52 00:02:50,962 --> 00:02:53,631 to this tragedy was a little strange. 53 00:02:53,632 --> 00:02:55,341 In his recollections of the disaster, 54 00:02:55,342 --> 00:02:58,761 he wrote that some of the people of the town were ungodly, 55 00:02:58,762 --> 00:03:00,554 and that he hoped the disaster would lead 56 00:03:00,555 --> 00:03:04,058 to some kind of moral reform for the town. 57 00:03:04,059 --> 00:03:06,310 After having experienced something so horrible, 58 00:03:06,311 --> 00:03:08,854 why would you react like this? 59 00:03:08,855 --> 00:03:10,856 It really does seem as if the city 60 00:03:10,857 --> 00:03:13,693 had some sort of curse over it, 61 00:03:13,694 --> 00:03:15,945 because in the following decades, 62 00:03:15,946 --> 00:03:19,657 hurricane after hurricane, and earthquake after earthquake 63 00:03:19,658 --> 00:03:22,660 battered the town to such an extent 64 00:03:22,661 --> 00:03:25,746 that its residents eventually had no choice 65 00:03:25,747 --> 00:03:28,291 but to abandon it for good. 66 00:03:31,044 --> 00:03:32,837 Almost 300 years later, 67 00:03:32,838 --> 00:03:35,881 amateur archaeologists decided to explore the area 68 00:03:35,882 --> 00:03:40,428 and see if they could find any evidence of the long-lost city. 69 00:03:40,429 --> 00:03:43,097 Searching underwater, they used a suction pump 70 00:03:43,098 --> 00:03:46,016 to remove sediment from the seafloor. 71 00:03:46,017 --> 00:03:48,561 After bringing up approximately four to six feet 72 00:03:48,562 --> 00:03:50,938 from beneath the surface of the ocean, 73 00:03:50,939 --> 00:03:53,441 they started finding things. 74 00:03:53,442 --> 00:03:56,152 Over the course of subsequent excavations, 75 00:03:56,153 --> 00:03:59,905 divers found these beautifully made white stone sculptures 76 00:03:59,906 --> 00:04:03,784 coated in a thick white glaze emerging from the seafloor. 77 00:04:03,785 --> 00:04:05,035 They're quite ornate, 78 00:04:05,036 --> 00:04:09,081 featuring a lion or a dog bearing its teeth. 79 00:04:09,082 --> 00:04:13,127 The craftsmanship here is extremely sophisticated. 80 00:04:13,128 --> 00:04:16,547 Meaning that these things would have been incredibly expensive 81 00:04:16,548 --> 00:04:17,798 at the time. 82 00:04:17,799 --> 00:04:20,551 And not just that, stylistically, 83 00:04:20,552 --> 00:04:23,971 you can tell that these are of Chinese origin, 84 00:04:23,972 --> 00:04:26,807 because the animal is similar to what we see 85 00:04:26,808 --> 00:04:30,186 on other Chinese ceramics and imagery. 86 00:04:30,187 --> 00:04:32,813 These particular statues were prized home decor 87 00:04:32,814 --> 00:04:35,149 for wealthy Europeans at the time. 88 00:04:35,150 --> 00:04:39,737 In total, there are 28 similarly valuable Chinese ceramics 89 00:04:39,738 --> 00:04:42,198 found on the seafloor. 90 00:04:42,199 --> 00:04:44,784 When you consider how much time has passed since the earthquake, 91 00:04:44,785 --> 00:04:46,327 you have to figure that a whole bunch of those things 92 00:04:46,328 --> 00:04:50,539 have been lost to time, so there must have been even more of them 93 00:04:50,540 --> 00:04:52,500 before the earthquake hit. 94 00:04:52,501 --> 00:04:53,584 Even though the trade 95 00:04:53,585 --> 00:04:54,835 for this kind of Chinese porcelain 96 00:04:54,836 --> 00:04:56,879 peaked in the 18th century, 97 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,340 they were very hard to come by in the 17th. 98 00:04:59,341 --> 00:05:02,218 So how did these incredibly expensive, luxury items end up 99 00:05:02,219 --> 00:05:06,347 in such a small, out-of-the-way place like Port Royal? 100 00:05:06,348 --> 00:05:07,848 At the time of the earthquake, 101 00:05:07,849 --> 00:05:10,184 Port Royal was a little English outpost 102 00:05:10,185 --> 00:05:13,938 surrounded by mostly Spanish colonies. 103 00:05:13,939 --> 00:05:16,524 Nearby to Port Royal was the former Spanish colony 104 00:05:16,525 --> 00:05:20,945 of Saint Domingue, which was on its way to becoming the richest 105 00:05:20,946 --> 00:05:24,448 and most important colony in the region. 106 00:05:24,449 --> 00:05:26,826 This was a while before the British really managed 107 00:05:26,827 --> 00:05:29,703 to control large parts of North America. 108 00:05:29,704 --> 00:05:32,122 They had made some inroads into the Caribbean, 109 00:05:32,123 --> 00:05:34,750 but these were remote colonial outposts 110 00:05:34,751 --> 00:05:38,170 that by no means boasted the ostentatious wealth 111 00:05:38,171 --> 00:05:40,923 that we can see existed in Port Royal. 112 00:05:40,924 --> 00:05:43,717 So what was going on? 113 00:05:43,718 --> 00:05:45,344 As the archaeologists are excavating 114 00:05:45,345 --> 00:05:48,055 a section of the seafloor that appears to have been 115 00:05:48,056 --> 00:05:50,182 the remains of an old wall, 116 00:05:50,183 --> 00:05:54,186 they find a small, circular, egg-shaped object. 117 00:05:54,187 --> 00:05:55,729 The egg shape is a result 118 00:05:55,730 --> 00:05:58,065 of years of accumulated coral. 119 00:05:58,066 --> 00:06:00,985 But once this was removed, you can see that it's made of metal 120 00:06:00,986 --> 00:06:02,987 and it hasn't really corroded at all. 121 00:06:02,988 --> 00:06:05,573 This indicates that it's made of a precious metal. 122 00:06:05,574 --> 00:06:07,157 There does appear to be something inside, 123 00:06:07,158 --> 00:06:11,245 but the opening and closing mechanism is not made of silver. 124 00:06:11,246 --> 00:06:13,247 In order to determine what's inside, 125 00:06:13,248 --> 00:06:17,251 the archaeologists send the object to be x-rayed. 126 00:06:17,252 --> 00:06:20,254 The images reveal a series of Roman numerals 127 00:06:20,255 --> 00:06:23,382 ranging from one to 12 in a circle. 128 00:06:23,383 --> 00:06:26,468 The three and the nine are at right angles to the 12, 129 00:06:26,469 --> 00:06:28,929 so there's only one thing that this could be, 130 00:06:28,930 --> 00:06:31,016 and that's a pocket watch. 131 00:06:33,476 --> 00:06:35,144 Not only would this have been a luxury item 132 00:06:35,145 --> 00:06:36,937 of the time, but thanks to the x-ray, 133 00:06:36,938 --> 00:06:40,274 we can actually see exactly when the clock stopped ticking 134 00:06:40,275 --> 00:06:42,444 at 11:43. 135 00:06:44,529 --> 00:06:46,322 This not only corresponds to when the rector said 136 00:06:46,323 --> 00:06:49,199 the disaster occurred, but it's also the first time 137 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:50,993 that we have archaeological proof 138 00:06:50,994 --> 00:06:54,955 of the actual time that a disaster struck. 139 00:06:54,956 --> 00:06:57,124 The excavation records reveal that in total, 140 00:06:57,125 --> 00:06:59,460 the town of Port Royal consisted of approximately 141 00:06:59,461 --> 00:07:05,007 2,000 buildings, half of which remain underwater. 142 00:07:05,008 --> 00:07:07,092 These buildings would have housed a population 143 00:07:07,093 --> 00:07:09,470 of up to 10,000 people. 144 00:07:09,471 --> 00:07:14,183 We're talking about an English colony in 1692 here. 145 00:07:14,184 --> 00:07:18,646 So 2,000 buildings is a seriously large amount, 146 00:07:18,647 --> 00:07:21,273 far more than anyone would expect. 147 00:07:21,274 --> 00:07:25,194 To put this into perspective, at this same time, 148 00:07:25,195 --> 00:07:31,992 the city of Boston had a population of 6,000 people. 149 00:07:31,993 --> 00:07:35,996 And this was a port city vital to British interests. 150 00:07:35,997 --> 00:07:40,000 So could Port Royal have been equally as important? 151 00:07:40,001 --> 00:07:42,211 As more and more features of the old town 152 00:07:42,212 --> 00:07:45,381 come to light, so do new objects. 153 00:07:45,382 --> 00:07:47,633 Outside what the archaeologists initially think 154 00:07:47,634 --> 00:07:51,011 is another dwelling, round glass containers are brought up 155 00:07:51,012 --> 00:07:53,347 from the bottom of the ocean. 156 00:07:53,348 --> 00:07:55,099 The shape of these artifacts is unmistakable. 157 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:57,685 Their onion-based shape and their long neck 158 00:07:57,686 --> 00:08:01,980 tells us immediately what they are: they're onion bottles. 159 00:08:01,981 --> 00:08:03,607 And there are a lot of them. 160 00:08:03,608 --> 00:08:06,402 They were first manufactured in the late 17th century, 161 00:08:06,403 --> 00:08:09,154 and they were meant for storing and drinking wine. 162 00:08:09,155 --> 00:08:10,989 Some of these wine bottles were even monogrammed, 163 00:08:10,990 --> 00:08:13,158 meaning someone had the money and the audacity 164 00:08:13,159 --> 00:08:16,078 to have their own bottles made for them. 165 00:08:16,079 --> 00:08:19,039 But it's not just old wine bottles found in this area. 166 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,000 There's also a ton of white clay pipes 167 00:08:22,001 --> 00:08:24,545 which would have been used for smoking tobacco. 168 00:08:24,546 --> 00:08:28,090 Considering the number of bottles and smoking pipes here, 169 00:08:28,091 --> 00:08:30,676 I think we're looking at a tavern. 170 00:08:30,677 --> 00:08:33,971 There's also a fair amount of pipes and bottles 171 00:08:33,972 --> 00:08:36,515 distributed across the entire town, 172 00:08:36,516 --> 00:08:39,935 so perhaps this is what the church rector was referring to 173 00:08:39,936 --> 00:08:43,731 when he said this was a godless place. 174 00:08:43,732 --> 00:08:47,901 Smoking and especially drinking tend to go hand in hand 175 00:08:47,902 --> 00:08:50,571 with quite a few other vices. 176 00:08:50,572 --> 00:08:52,740 With excavations nearly complete, 177 00:08:52,741 --> 00:08:56,493 the archaeologists bring up an old 15th century cannon 178 00:08:56,494 --> 00:08:58,620 from the seafloor. 179 00:08:58,621 --> 00:09:00,622 The cannon is smaller than the typical one 180 00:09:00,623 --> 00:09:01,707 you'd see at that time. 181 00:09:01,708 --> 00:09:04,334 It's made of wrought iron, and it has this piece 182 00:09:04,335 --> 00:09:06,086 that allows it to be mounted on a swivel, 183 00:09:06,087 --> 00:09:08,047 so you can quickly pivot this thing 184 00:09:08,048 --> 00:09:11,884 across a 180-degree range. 185 00:09:11,885 --> 00:09:15,304 This kind of gun was used on ships. 186 00:09:15,305 --> 00:09:18,098 And it was particularly useful for clearing the enemy's deck 187 00:09:18,099 --> 00:09:20,350 in order to prepare for boarding. 188 00:09:20,351 --> 00:09:21,602 And by clearing enemies' deck, 189 00:09:21,603 --> 00:09:23,937 that just means firing indiscriminately at anyone 190 00:09:23,938 --> 00:09:27,024 unfortunate enough to be there at the time. 191 00:09:27,025 --> 00:09:28,776 But Port Royal wasn't really a primary port 192 00:09:28,777 --> 00:09:30,069 for the British Navy; 193 00:09:30,070 --> 00:09:33,072 at least not yet, that didn't happen until later. 194 00:09:33,073 --> 00:09:37,451 So why was this place so extraordinarily rich 195 00:09:37,452 --> 00:09:40,287 and equipped with such special guns 196 00:09:40,288 --> 00:09:44,333 specifically designed for offensive actions? 197 00:09:44,334 --> 00:09:46,460 Let's consider these artifacts in light 198 00:09:46,461 --> 00:09:49,171 of what the church rector said about Port Royal. 199 00:09:49,172 --> 00:09:51,632 In his testimony describing the disaster, 200 00:09:51,633 --> 00:09:54,468 he said that he was at church reading prayers, 201 00:09:54,469 --> 00:09:56,804 which he had to do in order to, quote, 202 00:09:56,805 --> 00:09:58,138 "keep some show of religion 203 00:09:58,139 --> 00:10:02,643 among a most ungodly and debauched people." 204 00:10:02,644 --> 00:10:04,353 Historical records from the time 205 00:10:04,354 --> 00:10:07,314 show that the Catholic Church condemned Port Royal 206 00:10:07,315 --> 00:10:10,692 as the wickedest town in Christendom. 207 00:10:10,693 --> 00:10:14,113 So, at Port Royal, they were debauched, wicked, 208 00:10:14,114 --> 00:10:17,241 and they were filthy stinking rich. 209 00:10:17,242 --> 00:10:21,995 Much more so than your other English New World towns. 210 00:10:21,996 --> 00:10:24,832 In those places, wealth was defined 211 00:10:24,833 --> 00:10:26,834 by the amount of commodities they had, 212 00:10:26,835 --> 00:10:29,086 like sugar, for example, 213 00:10:29,087 --> 00:10:31,463 but at Port Royal you can measure the wealth 214 00:10:31,464 --> 00:10:34,341 in consumer goods. 215 00:10:34,342 --> 00:10:36,343 The wealth you see on exhibit here 216 00:10:36,344 --> 00:10:37,469 is more like what you'd expect to see 217 00:10:37,470 --> 00:10:39,221 in a European capital of the time, 218 00:10:39,222 --> 00:10:42,850 not a colonial Caribbean backwater. 219 00:10:42,851 --> 00:10:45,060 So what's going on here? 220 00:10:45,061 --> 00:10:46,979 According to the rector's account, 221 00:10:46,980 --> 00:10:48,730 when he was running for his life, 222 00:10:48,731 --> 00:10:52,402 he said that he headed towards Morgan's Fort. 223 00:10:54,195 --> 00:10:56,405 Roughly 20 years before the earthquake, 224 00:10:56,406 --> 00:10:59,408 the British and the Spanish had signed the Treaty of Madrid, 225 00:10:59,409 --> 00:11:02,244 which outlawed piracy and privateering, 226 00:11:02,245 --> 00:11:06,290 which is basically another word for legal piracy. 227 00:11:06,291 --> 00:11:08,125 But just because you outlaw something 228 00:11:08,126 --> 00:11:10,210 doesn't mean it actually stops. 229 00:11:10,211 --> 00:11:13,964 Especially when it's such a lucrative practice. 230 00:11:13,965 --> 00:11:15,883 Despite the treaty, the British Crown continued 231 00:11:15,884 --> 00:11:17,551 to tolerate, if not outright sanction, 232 00:11:17,552 --> 00:11:20,679 the plundering of Spanish and French ships by privateers. 233 00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:23,348 After all, it was to their own benefit. 234 00:11:23,349 --> 00:11:24,433 And Captain Henry Morgan 235 00:11:24,434 --> 00:11:27,311 was one of the most infamous of privateers. 236 00:11:27,312 --> 00:11:29,521 He was the scourge of the Spanish, 237 00:11:29,522 --> 00:11:32,608 raiding and looting across their domains in the Caribbean, 238 00:11:32,609 --> 00:11:35,903 becoming filthy rich in the process. 239 00:11:35,904 --> 00:11:38,238 But when we look at Port Royal, we can see very clearly 240 00:11:38,239 --> 00:11:40,866 that he wasn't the only one that got rich. 241 00:11:40,867 --> 00:11:44,328 Looks like everyone did. 242 00:11:44,329 --> 00:11:46,538 Privateering was incredibly lucrative. 243 00:11:46,539 --> 00:11:48,916 For example, the destination for the thousands of tons of silver 244 00:11:48,917 --> 00:11:52,252 stolen by the Spanish in Peru transited through Portobelo, 245 00:11:52,253 --> 00:11:54,421 in today's Panama. 246 00:11:54,422 --> 00:11:56,924 Captain Morgan's 1668 raid on Portobelo 247 00:11:56,925 --> 00:12:01,261 yielded almost 100,000 pounds. 248 00:12:01,262 --> 00:12:02,930 So you had Morgan and a 249 00:12:02,931 --> 00:12:04,014 whole bunch of other privateers 250 00:12:04,015 --> 00:12:05,474 terrorizing the region, 251 00:12:05,475 --> 00:12:09,770 looting and pillaging in the name of the Crown. 252 00:12:09,771 --> 00:12:12,231 Apparently half of the population of Port Royal 253 00:12:12,232 --> 00:12:14,524 made their living in this way, and the other half 254 00:12:14,525 --> 00:12:16,985 probably serviced them in one way or another. 255 00:12:16,986 --> 00:12:21,240 Which is why taverns and brothels were a dime a dozen. 256 00:12:21,241 --> 00:12:24,618 In the end, the rector, pray as he may, 257 00:12:24,619 --> 00:12:27,287 couldn't get the citizens of Port Royal to behave 258 00:12:27,288 --> 00:12:30,916 in what he thought was a good Christian way. 259 00:12:30,917 --> 00:12:34,711 But in what could be construed as divine intervention, 260 00:12:34,712 --> 00:12:37,506 the enormous earthquake that struck the city 261 00:12:37,507 --> 00:12:39,299 marked the beginning of the end 262 00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:43,429 for its role as the Caribbean capital of piracy. 263 00:12:52,855 --> 00:12:56,984 [Narrator In around 600 CE, one of El Salvador's volcanoes 264 00:12:56,985 --> 00:12:58,986 violently erupted. 265 00:12:58,987 --> 00:13:00,445 Lava spewed from its vent 266 00:13:00,446 --> 00:13:02,823 and ash rained down on the little villages 267 00:13:02,824 --> 00:13:04,992 of the surrounding area. 268 00:13:04,993 --> 00:13:08,036 As the lava poured down the face of the volcano, 269 00:13:08,037 --> 00:13:10,163 it came into contact with a river, 270 00:13:10,164 --> 00:13:13,166 which instantly vaporized the water. 271 00:13:13,167 --> 00:13:14,876 This created a dangerous cloud 272 00:13:14,877 --> 00:13:19,256 of superheated steam, fine volcanic ash and toxic gases 273 00:13:19,257 --> 00:13:20,674 that descended on a village 274 00:13:20,675 --> 00:13:24,678 just under half a mile south of the volcano. 275 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:26,680 The villagers abandoned everything in place 276 00:13:26,681 --> 00:13:29,349 and escaped their homes as quickly as they could, 277 00:13:29,350 --> 00:13:31,685 which was pretty smart, because over the next few hours 278 00:13:31,686 --> 00:13:35,355 the village was covered in up to 23 feet of ash. 279 00:13:35,356 --> 00:13:37,357 Their homes and most importantly, fields, 280 00:13:37,358 --> 00:13:40,694 were completely devastated by the volcanic eruption, 281 00:13:40,695 --> 00:13:43,155 so the people were never able to return, 282 00:13:43,156 --> 00:13:47,325 and the village was abandoned for good. 283 00:13:47,326 --> 00:13:49,745 In 1976, a site earmarked 284 00:13:49,746 --> 00:13:52,330 for a grain storage silo was being built 285 00:13:52,331 --> 00:13:55,042 just to the south of the volcano, 286 00:13:55,043 --> 00:13:59,046 when suddenly a bulldozer unearthed earthen architecture 287 00:13:59,047 --> 00:14:01,715 and several ceramic artifacts. 288 00:14:01,716 --> 00:14:04,301 So 1,400 years after this volcano blew, 289 00:14:04,302 --> 00:14:06,053 the village that was lost to history 290 00:14:06,054 --> 00:14:07,804 all of a sudden became visible. 291 00:14:07,805 --> 00:14:08,930 It's pretty incredible. 292 00:14:08,931 --> 00:14:11,058 The state of preservation of the earthen architecture 293 00:14:11,059 --> 00:14:12,851 is on a par with that of Pompeii. 294 00:14:12,852 --> 00:14:14,478 That means that it's basically as perfect 295 00:14:14,479 --> 00:14:16,396 as we could ever hope for. 296 00:14:16,397 --> 00:14:20,026 So the big question is, what can we learn from this? 297 00:14:21,569 --> 00:14:23,320 The eruption and devastation of this village 298 00:14:23,321 --> 00:14:26,198 happened during the time of the ancient Maya, 299 00:14:26,199 --> 00:14:28,200 a people indigenous to Central America, 300 00:14:28,201 --> 00:14:30,911 who continue to occupy large parts of Mexico, 301 00:14:30,912 --> 00:14:33,538 Guatemala and Belize. 302 00:14:33,539 --> 00:14:35,832 Before the Spanish conquest of the region, 303 00:14:35,833 --> 00:14:38,543 the Maya had developed one of the most sophisticated 304 00:14:38,544 --> 00:14:41,588 civilizations of antiquity. 305 00:14:41,589 --> 00:14:46,051 Their monuments, pyramids and cities can still be seen today 306 00:14:46,052 --> 00:14:49,262 and are the subject of intense study and curiosity 307 00:14:49,263 --> 00:14:51,598 by people the world over. 308 00:14:51,599 --> 00:14:54,309 But what we know about the ancient Maya civilization 309 00:14:54,310 --> 00:14:56,978 is largely a reflection of the experiences 310 00:14:56,979 --> 00:14:58,939 and perspectives of the elite. 311 00:14:58,940 --> 00:15:01,441 They were the ones who commissioned pyramids 312 00:15:01,442 --> 00:15:04,945 and had priests write down their stories. 313 00:15:04,946 --> 00:15:06,988 The layman's life has gone largely unstudied, 314 00:15:06,989 --> 00:15:09,407 simply because there hasn't been much archaeological evidence 315 00:15:09,408 --> 00:15:12,077 that could provide insight into their lives. 316 00:15:12,078 --> 00:15:15,497 But maybe this village can provide some answers. 317 00:15:15,498 --> 00:15:18,125 The village sits at about 1,500 feet 318 00:15:18,126 --> 00:15:19,251 above sea level. 319 00:15:19,252 --> 00:15:21,628 It's located in the Zapotitan Valley, 320 00:15:21,629 --> 00:15:23,713 one of the major valleys of El Salvador, 321 00:15:23,714 --> 00:15:26,049 and covers an area of 12 square miles, 322 00:15:26,050 --> 00:15:29,553 which makes it a little over half the size of Manhattan. 323 00:15:29,554 --> 00:15:34,432 So we know it's pretty big, but what kind of village was it? 324 00:15:34,433 --> 00:15:36,601 Archaeologists survey the area, 325 00:15:36,602 --> 00:15:38,645 looking to understand who lived there 326 00:15:38,646 --> 00:15:40,981 and what the lives of your average Maya citizen 327 00:15:40,982 --> 00:15:44,109 looked like 1,400 years ago. 328 00:15:44,110 --> 00:15:46,987 They discover a building and begin excavating it 329 00:15:46,988 --> 00:15:49,406 and the surrounding area. 330 00:15:49,407 --> 00:15:50,657 This type of construction 331 00:15:50,658 --> 00:15:52,868 is what's known as a bajareque. 332 00:15:52,869 --> 00:15:54,870 It's a traditional way of building homes, 333 00:15:54,871 --> 00:15:57,372 where sticks or reeds are interwoven 334 00:15:57,373 --> 00:15:59,374 and then covered with mud. 335 00:15:59,375 --> 00:16:00,625 This mud then dries, 336 00:16:00,626 --> 00:16:03,962 resulting in a durable and stable building. 337 00:16:03,963 --> 00:16:07,048 The house is built on a platform about waist height. 338 00:16:07,049 --> 00:16:09,176 The walls are about five and a half feet high, 339 00:16:09,177 --> 00:16:10,635 and were probably made higher 340 00:16:10,636 --> 00:16:14,181 with the use of perishable materials that supported a roof. 341 00:16:14,182 --> 00:16:17,601 But that evidence is all long gone. 342 00:16:17,602 --> 00:16:19,352 There are two rooms that together measure 343 00:16:19,353 --> 00:16:22,022 about 130 square feet. 344 00:16:22,023 --> 00:16:25,066 There are also broken pottery handles embedded in the walls 345 00:16:25,067 --> 00:16:28,028 which we can assume were used to hang things on. 346 00:16:28,029 --> 00:16:31,865 Quite a practical use of otherwise broken material. 347 00:16:31,866 --> 00:16:34,534 In a little niche built into one of the walls, 348 00:16:34,535 --> 00:16:37,787 archaeologists find three ceramic bowls, 349 00:16:37,788 --> 00:16:41,458 a shell from a mollusk and a painted object. 350 00:16:41,459 --> 00:16:44,711 The ceramics are sent to the lab for analysis. 351 00:16:44,712 --> 00:16:46,087 The bowls have food residue in them, 352 00:16:46,088 --> 00:16:48,048 and there are still even marks in the bottom of them 353 00:16:48,049 --> 00:16:50,133 where you can see that someone's fingers pressed 354 00:16:50,134 --> 00:16:51,676 when they were picking up food. 355 00:16:51,677 --> 00:16:53,929 This may seem inconsequential, but it's interesting 356 00:16:53,930 --> 00:16:57,599 simply because it shows how someone ate or served food. 357 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,559 It's evidence of a mundane, everyday movement 358 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:04,439 that was frozen in time, and it's something that we all do. 359 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:05,774 Just to the south of this house, 360 00:17:05,775 --> 00:17:08,526 there's another building that's just a little smaller. 361 00:17:08,527 --> 00:17:10,570 Inside are five large storage jars 362 00:17:10,571 --> 00:17:13,031 and a serious amount of firewood. 363 00:17:13,032 --> 00:17:15,742 The jars have carbonized seeds in the bottom of them, 364 00:17:15,743 --> 00:17:17,869 including the remains of some beans, 365 00:17:17,870 --> 00:17:20,789 so they were probably used to store food. 366 00:17:20,790 --> 00:17:23,917 There are also some very large ceramic ollas. 367 00:17:23,918 --> 00:17:26,294 These were traditionally used to store water. 368 00:17:26,295 --> 00:17:31,049 So they were storing a lot of both water and firewood. 369 00:17:31,050 --> 00:17:33,426 Nearby this storehouse is another building 370 00:17:33,427 --> 00:17:36,304 that's similar to the other two structures. 371 00:17:36,305 --> 00:17:37,722 It's oriented the same way 372 00:17:37,723 --> 00:17:39,724 and has the same solid clay walls, 373 00:17:39,725 --> 00:17:41,560 but the roof is entirely different. 374 00:17:41,561 --> 00:17:43,645 There's also a pretty small opening to get inside, 375 00:17:43,646 --> 00:17:45,730 so if you're big or relatively inflexible, 376 00:17:45,731 --> 00:17:47,857 there's no way you could pass through. 377 00:17:47,858 --> 00:17:49,735 So what could this thing have been for? 378 00:17:51,779 --> 00:17:52,904 The roof here is really interesting, too. 379 00:17:52,905 --> 00:17:55,657 It's actually a dome, which is fascinating, 380 00:17:55,658 --> 00:17:58,910 because Western historians and architects have long claimed 381 00:17:58,911 --> 00:18:02,956 that the dome was brought to the Americas by European colonizers. 382 00:18:02,957 --> 00:18:06,293 But here we can see this simply isn't true. 383 00:18:06,294 --> 00:18:08,753 The Maya were building domed ceilings 384 00:18:08,754 --> 00:18:12,716 hundreds of years before Europeans arrive. 385 00:18:12,717 --> 00:18:14,801 Inside this structure the ceiling is anywhere 386 00:18:14,802 --> 00:18:18,680 from three to six feet high, so if you manage to get in, 387 00:18:18,681 --> 00:18:21,600 it's either really cramped or somewhat comfortable 388 00:18:21,601 --> 00:18:23,810 depending on where you're standing. 389 00:18:23,811 --> 00:18:25,145 The walls are blackened by fire, 390 00:18:25,146 --> 00:18:27,814 and there's a lot of wood waiting to be used. 391 00:18:27,815 --> 00:18:29,649 Also, some of the rocks on the ground 392 00:18:29,650 --> 00:18:32,110 have been fractured by heat. 393 00:18:32,111 --> 00:18:34,779 Because there isn't that much volcanic ash on the ground here, 394 00:18:34,780 --> 00:18:37,115 it doesn't appear that the volcanic eruption 395 00:18:37,116 --> 00:18:41,328 broke up those rocks, so what else could have done it? 396 00:18:41,329 --> 00:18:42,495 Surrounding the building 397 00:18:42,496 --> 00:18:45,874 is a little stone platform. 398 00:18:45,875 --> 00:18:48,209 It's the perfect height to sit on, 399 00:18:48,210 --> 00:18:50,003 so this has to be a bench. 400 00:18:50,004 --> 00:18:54,633 But why put a bench around this strange structure? 401 00:18:54,634 --> 00:18:55,759 The evidence shows that the Maya 402 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:58,428 were tending a fire inside this building. 403 00:18:58,429 --> 00:19:00,513 The heat in here would have been really intense 404 00:19:00,514 --> 00:19:01,973 when the fire was going. 405 00:19:01,974 --> 00:19:03,850 Because the Maya were trying to keep the heat 406 00:19:03,851 --> 00:19:07,854 and humidity inside, this must have been a sauna. 407 00:19:07,855 --> 00:19:10,315 The bench outside would have been used for resting 408 00:19:10,316 --> 00:19:12,025 after the intensity of the heat, 409 00:19:12,026 --> 00:19:15,028 and the ollas found in the storage room were probably used 410 00:19:15,029 --> 00:19:18,198 to douse themselves in water to cool off. 411 00:19:18,199 --> 00:19:19,407 And all the firewood? 412 00:19:19,408 --> 00:19:20,992 Some of it was probably used for cooking, 413 00:19:20,993 --> 00:19:24,454 but the rest must've been for heating the sauna. 414 00:19:24,455 --> 00:19:25,872 The building is quite large, 415 00:19:25,873 --> 00:19:29,209 so it's likely that the sauna was for the entire community, 416 00:19:29,210 --> 00:19:33,213 and that the people living next to it were its stewards. 417 00:19:33,214 --> 00:19:35,965 Even today, the Maya people still use the sauna 418 00:19:35,966 --> 00:19:38,551 for both physical and spiritual purposes, 419 00:19:38,552 --> 00:19:40,011 so it makes sense that this tradition 420 00:19:40,012 --> 00:19:42,972 would also have existed over 1,000 years ago. 421 00:19:42,973 --> 00:19:44,891 To the south and east of the house, 422 00:19:44,892 --> 00:19:47,894 the storage room and the sauna are ancient fields 423 00:19:47,895 --> 00:19:50,814 that were preserved by volcanic ash. 424 00:19:50,815 --> 00:19:52,691 Lying under the layer of ash, 425 00:19:52,692 --> 00:19:56,611 archaeologists find five corn plants tied together. 426 00:19:56,612 --> 00:19:58,780 Corn is fundamental to the Maya. 427 00:19:58,781 --> 00:20:00,073 According to their creation myth, 428 00:20:00,074 --> 00:20:02,951 the gods fashioned the Maya people from corn flour, 429 00:20:02,952 --> 00:20:04,828 so it's more than just a staple crop, 430 00:20:04,829 --> 00:20:08,248 it forms the essence and the foundations of their culture. 431 00:20:08,249 --> 00:20:10,041 The fields are so well preserved 432 00:20:10,042 --> 00:20:13,086 that you can see how they went about growing their crops. 433 00:20:13,087 --> 00:20:18,508 The plants are still exactly where they were 1,400 years ago. 434 00:20:18,509 --> 00:20:21,428 Archaeologists continue to excavate the area 435 00:20:21,429 --> 00:20:25,765 and come upon a structure that measures 570 square feet, 436 00:20:25,766 --> 00:20:27,142 bigger and more complex 437 00:20:27,143 --> 00:20:30,770 than many of the buildings excavated so far. 438 00:20:30,771 --> 00:20:33,773 The building has two rooms and only one entrance. 439 00:20:33,774 --> 00:20:36,609 Inside one of the rooms are the remains of a fire, 440 00:20:36,610 --> 00:20:39,696 as well as bowls, jars and a grindstone. 441 00:20:39,697 --> 00:20:41,740 The jar was found on top of the hearth, 442 00:20:41,741 --> 00:20:44,534 as if something was cooking inside of it. 443 00:20:44,535 --> 00:20:47,328 So was this some form of communal kitchen? 444 00:20:47,329 --> 00:20:50,248 The adjacent room is painted a brilliant red, 445 00:20:50,249 --> 00:20:53,460 which for the Maya represents not just the color of blood 446 00:20:53,461 --> 00:20:55,962 but also symbolizes life. 447 00:20:55,963 --> 00:20:58,548 The room contains a headdress made of the antlers 448 00:20:58,549 --> 00:21:01,342 and skull of a white-tailed deer, 449 00:21:01,343 --> 00:21:03,344 which is a ceremonial object. 450 00:21:03,345 --> 00:21:05,680 So maybe this building had 451 00:21:05,681 --> 00:21:09,225 some sort of ritualistic function, too. 452 00:21:09,226 --> 00:21:10,935 Archaeologists also find 453 00:21:10,936 --> 00:21:12,937 obsidian blades on a shelf. 454 00:21:12,938 --> 00:21:14,856 They send them to the lab for analysis 455 00:21:14,857 --> 00:21:18,151 to see if they can learn what they were used for. 456 00:21:18,152 --> 00:21:21,070 One of the blades has traces of human blood on it. 457 00:21:21,071 --> 00:21:23,239 The Maya believe that blood is the most sacred 458 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,992 of the human fluids, and that it's the best way to access 459 00:21:25,993 --> 00:21:29,496 and communicate with the supernatural or spiritual world. 460 00:21:29,497 --> 00:21:30,580 The way they would do this 461 00:21:30,581 --> 00:21:32,290 is by cutting into their own flesh, 462 00:21:32,291 --> 00:21:34,793 letting the blood drip onto flammable material, 463 00:21:34,794 --> 00:21:36,336 and then burning it. 464 00:21:36,337 --> 00:21:38,713 This blood smoke is what would call the gods, 465 00:21:38,714 --> 00:21:41,341 allowing the Maya to communicate with them. 466 00:21:41,342 --> 00:21:43,843 So this obsidian blade was probably used 467 00:21:43,844 --> 00:21:47,597 to cut into earlobes, lips, nostrils, and tongues 468 00:21:47,598 --> 00:21:51,351 to offer up blood to the gods, as a way to ask their favor. 469 00:21:51,352 --> 00:21:52,852 And the building where it was found was likely 470 00:21:52,853 --> 00:21:55,605 the center of this community's spiritual life. 471 00:21:55,606 --> 00:21:57,065 They probably hosted ceremonies here, 472 00:21:57,066 --> 00:21:59,442 as evidenced by the hearth and headdress. 473 00:21:59,443 --> 00:22:01,736 It appears that everything was abandoned in order to escape 474 00:22:01,737 --> 00:22:04,405 the danger posed by the volcanic eruption. 475 00:22:04,406 --> 00:22:07,283 And so what we see here is just a normal day in the village, 476 00:22:07,284 --> 00:22:09,119 frozen in time. 477 00:22:11,580 --> 00:22:14,290 What's incredible is how the Maya tradition and culture 478 00:22:14,291 --> 00:22:18,378 remains strong even today, despite the intervening years 479 00:22:18,379 --> 00:22:21,005 and the devastating impact of colonization 480 00:22:21,006 --> 00:22:22,882 on the region and its people. 481 00:22:22,883 --> 00:22:26,094 Here we have a view into some of the habits and practices 482 00:22:26,095 --> 00:22:28,763 of your average ancient Maya individual, 483 00:22:28,764 --> 00:22:32,225 which makes it truly unique. 484 00:22:32,226 --> 00:22:35,061 Since its discovery, archaeologists have found 485 00:22:35,062 --> 00:22:37,188 a total of 18 structures 486 00:22:37,189 --> 00:22:40,233 in the village now known as Joya de Cerén. 487 00:22:40,234 --> 00:22:42,402 As they continue to be excavated, 488 00:22:42,403 --> 00:22:45,905 more invaluable insight and knowledge about the life 489 00:22:45,906 --> 00:22:50,286 and times of the ancient Maya may come to light. 490 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:07,260 Roughly 3,500 years ago, 491 00:23:07,261 --> 00:23:09,387 a catastrophic volcanic eruption 492 00:23:09,388 --> 00:23:14,393 rocked the Greek island of Thera, now known as Santorini. 493 00:23:17,813 --> 00:23:20,231 The Santorini volcano has erupted at least 12 times 494 00:23:20,232 --> 00:23:25,112 over the past 250,000 years, with the last one being in 1950. 495 00:23:27,698 --> 00:23:29,741 But this eruption was the big one. 496 00:23:29,742 --> 00:23:30,867 And it's thought to have been 497 00:23:30,868 --> 00:23:33,036 one of the most explosive volcanic events 498 00:23:33,037 --> 00:23:37,040 ever witnessed by any humans. 499 00:23:37,041 --> 00:23:38,875 Debris from that eruption has been found 500 00:23:38,876 --> 00:23:42,086 as far away as Israel and Egypt. 501 00:23:42,087 --> 00:23:43,463 And to make matters worse, 502 00:23:43,464 --> 00:23:45,715 it's believed that a massive earthquake shook the region 503 00:23:45,716 --> 00:23:46,883 at the same time, 504 00:23:46,884 --> 00:23:50,970 possibly precipitating the volcanic eruption. 505 00:23:50,971 --> 00:23:52,972 The ancient city of Knossos on the island of Crete, 506 00:23:52,973 --> 00:23:56,142 roughly 70 miles south of Santorini, was devastated, 507 00:23:56,143 --> 00:23:59,312 as were other settlements on the island's northern shores. 508 00:23:59,313 --> 00:24:00,855 Crete was home to the Minoans 509 00:24:00,856 --> 00:24:02,148 at the time of the disaster, 510 00:24:02,149 --> 00:24:04,651 an important civilization in world history 511 00:24:04,652 --> 00:24:06,527 that peaked during the Bronze Age. 512 00:24:06,528 --> 00:24:09,864 The island has countless ancient archaeological sites 513 00:24:09,865 --> 00:24:11,991 and has been the subject of intense study 514 00:24:11,992 --> 00:24:13,618 for over 100 years. 515 00:24:13,619 --> 00:24:16,621 In 1989, two archaeologists conducting 516 00:24:16,622 --> 00:24:20,124 an excavation on Mochlos, a small island situated 517 00:24:20,125 --> 00:24:23,586 just east of the Gulf of Mirabello in eastern Crete, 518 00:24:23,587 --> 00:24:26,589 uncover something astounding. 519 00:24:26,590 --> 00:24:29,008 They find sandstone blocks that appear to be 520 00:24:29,009 --> 00:24:32,971 the foundations of an ancient structure, possibly Minoan. 521 00:24:32,972 --> 00:24:36,224 But what kind of building is it? 522 00:24:36,225 --> 00:24:37,725 It could be a religious site, 523 00:24:37,726 --> 00:24:39,060 some kind of temple. 524 00:24:39,061 --> 00:24:41,354 Several have been discovered nearby. 525 00:24:41,355 --> 00:24:43,731 Just over 40 miles west of Mochlos 526 00:24:43,732 --> 00:24:45,525 at the northern end of Mount Juktas 527 00:24:45,526 --> 00:24:48,778 are the ruins of the temple of Anemospilia. 528 00:24:48,779 --> 00:24:50,363 It's believed that this temple was only in use 529 00:24:50,364 --> 00:24:52,782 for about 50 years or so before it was destroyed 530 00:24:52,783 --> 00:24:56,536 by an earthquake about 3,700 years ago. 531 00:24:56,537 --> 00:24:59,038 The site's unique, though, in terms of Minoan structures, 532 00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:01,290 because it's largely symmetrical 533 00:25:01,291 --> 00:25:04,210 with three large, rectangular rooms in a row 534 00:25:04,211 --> 00:25:07,046 and a corridor that spans across them. 535 00:25:07,047 --> 00:25:08,381 Other Minoan sites from this period 536 00:25:08,382 --> 00:25:11,551 were all sort of maze-like, sort of like labyrinths 537 00:25:11,552 --> 00:25:14,971 with intricate, interconnected hallways and rooms. 538 00:25:14,972 --> 00:25:18,016 Anemospilia is controversial among historians 539 00:25:18,017 --> 00:25:19,642 because some have claimed there's evidence 540 00:25:19,643 --> 00:25:23,563 of human sacrifice at the site. 541 00:25:23,564 --> 00:25:25,982 The skeleton of a young man was found lying 542 00:25:25,983 --> 00:25:29,068 on what appeared to be a low, altar-like platform 543 00:25:29,069 --> 00:25:32,196 with a knife resting on the remains. 544 00:25:32,197 --> 00:25:34,449 The position of the bones led some to conclude 545 00:25:34,450 --> 00:25:37,076 that he had been tied up and drained of blood, 546 00:25:37,077 --> 00:25:38,911 but others have argued that there isn't enough 547 00:25:38,912 --> 00:25:41,247 concrete proof to say conclusively 548 00:25:41,248 --> 00:25:44,292 that he was a victim of human sacrifice. 549 00:25:44,293 --> 00:25:45,877 If you look at the stone blocks 550 00:25:45,878 --> 00:25:47,962 that make up the ruins of the temple, 551 00:25:47,963 --> 00:25:50,173 they are similar in appearance 552 00:25:50,174 --> 00:25:52,300 to what was discovered at Mochlos. 553 00:25:52,301 --> 00:25:57,430 So it's possible that it, too, was a religious site. 554 00:25:57,431 --> 00:25:59,307 Maybe this is part of a bigger complex 555 00:25:59,308 --> 00:26:00,975 that hasn't been uncovered yet. 556 00:26:00,976 --> 00:26:03,436 Maybe it's a palace, because if there's one thing 557 00:26:03,437 --> 00:26:08,024 the Minoans love to make, it's palaces. 558 00:26:08,025 --> 00:26:09,442 Just south of Heraklion, 559 00:26:09,443 --> 00:26:11,569 the capital city of modern-day Crete, 560 00:26:11,570 --> 00:26:15,156 lies one of the ancient world's most impressive sites: 561 00:26:15,157 --> 00:26:17,742 the Palace of Knossos. 562 00:26:17,743 --> 00:26:20,453 The first palace was built around 1900 BCE, 563 00:26:20,454 --> 00:26:21,829 but it was destroyed by an earthquake 564 00:26:21,830 --> 00:26:23,539 around 200 years later. 565 00:26:23,540 --> 00:26:26,167 So it was then rebuilt on a much more impressive scale, 566 00:26:26,168 --> 00:26:30,213 covering over 215,000 square feet over three stories 567 00:26:30,214 --> 00:26:32,799 surrounding a central courtyard. 568 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,176 It was the religious, cultural and administrative center 569 00:26:35,177 --> 00:26:39,138 of Minoan society, rather than a true royal residence. 570 00:26:39,139 --> 00:26:41,432 There's too many impressive features to list, 571 00:26:41,433 --> 00:26:44,644 but some of the elements were well ahead of their time. 572 00:26:44,645 --> 00:26:46,521 A theater that held 400 people; 573 00:26:46,522 --> 00:26:49,315 complex drainage and water supply systems; 574 00:26:49,316 --> 00:26:51,359 light wells, porches, and verandas 575 00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:55,238 that kept rooms cold in the summer and warm in the winter. 576 00:26:55,239 --> 00:26:57,615 While Knossos is the largest and most important, 577 00:26:57,616 --> 00:27:00,993 there are four other Minoan palace ruins on Crete: 578 00:27:00,994 --> 00:27:03,871 Phaistos, Malia, 579 00:27:03,872 --> 00:27:07,667 Zakros, and Kydonia. 580 00:27:07,668 --> 00:27:10,169 So given the Minoans' propensity for building 581 00:27:10,170 --> 00:27:13,506 these impressive complexes, it's certainly possible 582 00:27:13,507 --> 00:27:15,925 that the structure discovered on Mochlos 583 00:27:15,926 --> 00:27:18,344 could be another example. 584 00:27:18,345 --> 00:27:20,221 But Mochlos is a pretty small island. 585 00:27:20,222 --> 00:27:23,182 It doesn't make a lot of sense to build a giant palace complex 586 00:27:23,183 --> 00:27:25,101 in such a small place. 587 00:27:25,102 --> 00:27:27,687 And geographically, it's isolated from the rest of Crete. 588 00:27:27,688 --> 00:27:29,063 I mean, it's an island. 589 00:27:29,064 --> 00:27:30,690 Plus, when you get to the mainland right there, 590 00:27:30,691 --> 00:27:33,693 it's all mountains, I mean, it's really cut off. 591 00:27:33,694 --> 00:27:36,153 If you look at where the other palaces are situated, 592 00:27:36,154 --> 00:27:39,866 they're all way more accessible than Mochlos island. 593 00:27:39,867 --> 00:27:42,535 As the archaeologists continue to excavate, 594 00:27:42,536 --> 00:27:44,203 several features of the structure 595 00:27:44,204 --> 00:27:46,497 catch their attention. 596 00:27:46,498 --> 00:27:49,250 Only the front, the top, and the bottom sides 597 00:27:49,251 --> 00:27:51,043 are smoothed off of the sandstone blocks. 598 00:27:51,044 --> 00:27:53,880 That's a masonry style called ashlar. 599 00:27:53,881 --> 00:27:56,132 And there's a slab of green limestone 600 00:27:56,133 --> 00:27:57,717 that looks to be the entryway, 601 00:27:57,718 --> 00:28:02,180 and evidence of a switchback U-shaped staircase. 602 00:28:04,182 --> 00:28:05,182 All of these elements are typical 603 00:28:05,183 --> 00:28:06,475 of Minoan architecture, 604 00:28:06,476 --> 00:28:08,895 so we're definitely looking at a Minoan-era building. 605 00:28:08,896 --> 00:28:12,732 Probably a simple house, maybe part of a larger settlement. 606 00:28:12,733 --> 00:28:14,484 But when was it built? 607 00:28:16,945 --> 00:28:18,404 Looking for answers, the archaeologists dig deeper 608 00:28:18,405 --> 00:28:21,073 and make a surprising discovery. 609 00:28:21,074 --> 00:28:23,284 They find a layer that contains crystals 610 00:28:23,285 --> 00:28:27,288 and tiny glass fragments, which that can only mean one thing: 611 00:28:27,289 --> 00:28:31,667 volcanic ash, probably from the Santorini eruption. 612 00:28:31,668 --> 00:28:34,587 This is a big discovery because it's the first time 613 00:28:34,588 --> 00:28:39,592 that ash from the cataclysmic event has been found on Crete. 614 00:28:39,593 --> 00:28:42,261 Under the ash layer is a pavement of stone slabs 615 00:28:42,262 --> 00:28:45,598 and pottery in the Marine Style of the late Minoan period 616 00:28:45,599 --> 00:28:49,852 decorated with nautilus and octopus designs. 617 00:28:49,853 --> 00:28:52,605 This isn't really a surprise because it's always been known 618 00:28:52,606 --> 00:28:54,774 that the Minoan civilization existed 619 00:28:54,775 --> 00:28:56,525 at the time of the eruption. 620 00:28:56,526 --> 00:28:58,444 But what is surprising is that 621 00:28:58,445 --> 00:29:00,071 the originally discovered structure 622 00:29:00,072 --> 00:29:02,698 is on top of the ash layer. 623 00:29:02,699 --> 00:29:04,241 For the last 80 years or so, 624 00:29:04,242 --> 00:29:06,202 conventional belief among historians held that 625 00:29:06,203 --> 00:29:08,496 the Minoan civilization essentially disappeared 626 00:29:08,497 --> 00:29:10,247 around 1450 BCE 627 00:29:10,248 --> 00:29:13,626 because of the Santorini eruption and earthquake. 628 00:29:13,627 --> 00:29:15,211 But the fact that this structure was built 629 00:29:15,212 --> 00:29:18,297 on top of the ash layer tells us otherwise. 630 00:29:18,298 --> 00:29:20,466 Radiocarbon dating of seeds and wood 631 00:29:20,467 --> 00:29:23,052 found in volcanic ash on Santorini 632 00:29:23,053 --> 00:29:24,637 confirms what the archaeologists 633 00:29:24,638 --> 00:29:27,306 have begun to suspect. 634 00:29:27,307 --> 00:29:29,642 The eruption occurred around 1600 BCE. 635 00:29:29,643 --> 00:29:32,853 That's 150 years earlier than previously believed. 636 00:29:32,854 --> 00:29:36,107 So not only did it not wipe out the Minoans, 637 00:29:36,108 --> 00:29:39,068 it means they continued to thrive on Crete 638 00:29:39,069 --> 00:29:42,238 for 150 years after the disaster. 639 00:29:42,239 --> 00:29:43,489 But if it wasn't the eruption 640 00:29:43,490 --> 00:29:46,534 that spelled the end of the Minoan civilization, 641 00:29:46,535 --> 00:29:48,327 what caused them to all but vanish 642 00:29:48,328 --> 00:29:49,829 from the historical timeline 643 00:29:49,830 --> 00:29:53,708 after over 500 years of prominence in the Mediterranean? 644 00:29:53,709 --> 00:29:55,459 It's hard to say exactly, 645 00:29:55,460 --> 00:29:58,671 but it was probably a combination of factors. 646 00:29:58,672 --> 00:30:01,424 While the eruption didn't cause a complete collapse, 647 00:30:01,425 --> 00:30:04,010 it certainly would've had a significant impact 648 00:30:04,011 --> 00:30:06,429 on the Minoans in terms of climate. 649 00:30:06,430 --> 00:30:09,348 A volcanic winter likely occurred, affecting agriculture, 650 00:30:09,349 --> 00:30:12,268 livestock, and even the water supply, 651 00:30:12,269 --> 00:30:15,938 generally making life much more difficult. 652 00:30:15,939 --> 00:30:18,691 These stresses may have caused a fragmentation 653 00:30:18,692 --> 00:30:21,110 of Cretan society over a few generations, 654 00:30:21,111 --> 00:30:23,362 smaller and smaller communities breaking away 655 00:30:23,363 --> 00:30:26,490 from those palace centers and becaming more independent. 656 00:30:26,491 --> 00:30:29,243 And that would have meant more competition for resources 657 00:30:29,244 --> 00:30:31,037 among those communities. 658 00:30:31,038 --> 00:30:34,165 There's even evidence to suggest that a huge wave of fires 659 00:30:34,166 --> 00:30:35,499 swept over the island, 660 00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:40,004 which may mean that this once glorious, unified society 661 00:30:40,005 --> 00:30:43,257 just descended into anarchy. 662 00:30:43,258 --> 00:30:45,217 While internal strife may have triggered 663 00:30:45,218 --> 00:30:47,720 the fall of the Minoan civilization, 664 00:30:47,721 --> 00:30:52,058 external forces most likely finished the job. 665 00:30:52,059 --> 00:30:54,060 Between 1600 and 1200 BCE, 666 00:30:54,061 --> 00:30:58,272 the city of Mycenae on mainland Greece flourished. 667 00:30:58,273 --> 00:31:00,524 At one point it was ruled by Agamemnon, 668 00:31:00,525 --> 00:31:03,444 who according to legend led the Greeks in the Trojan War, 669 00:31:03,445 --> 00:31:05,237 and this spawned the heroic exploits 670 00:31:05,238 --> 00:31:08,240 of Achilles and Odysseus. 671 00:31:08,241 --> 00:31:10,367 With the Minoans on Crete infighting, 672 00:31:10,368 --> 00:31:12,036 there might have been a power vacuum, 673 00:31:12,037 --> 00:31:15,623 one that the Mycenaeans were more than happy to fill. 674 00:31:15,624 --> 00:31:18,375 So the most likely scenario was that the Minoans 675 00:31:18,376 --> 00:31:21,462 were finally finished off by a Mycenaean invasion, 676 00:31:21,463 --> 00:31:26,050 and absorbed into their culture. 677 00:31:26,051 --> 00:31:27,384 But here's the thing. 678 00:31:27,385 --> 00:31:30,471 The Mycenaeans were pretty fanatical about their mythology, 679 00:31:30,472 --> 00:31:33,307 as evidenced by the tales of the Trojan War, 680 00:31:33,308 --> 00:31:36,060 but nowhere in Greek mythology is there any mention 681 00:31:36,061 --> 00:31:38,437 of conquering the Minoans. 682 00:31:38,438 --> 00:31:41,023 And some scholars believe that even though the Minoans 683 00:31:41,024 --> 00:31:43,734 were in decline, they still would've been stronger 684 00:31:43,735 --> 00:31:47,446 than the Mycenaeans at the time the civilization disappeared. 685 00:31:47,447 --> 00:31:49,281 So who knows what really happened? 686 00:31:49,282 --> 00:31:53,619 It's a bit of a mystery that's certainly still up for debate. 687 00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:55,788 Whatever fate befell the Minoans, 688 00:31:55,789 --> 00:31:59,125 the calamitous eruption of the Santorini volcano 689 00:31:59,126 --> 00:32:01,043 and the corresponding earthquake 690 00:32:01,044 --> 00:32:03,796 probably hastened their demise. 691 00:32:03,797 --> 00:32:05,631 The seat of power in the Mediterranean 692 00:32:05,632 --> 00:32:08,509 passed from Crete to the mainland, 693 00:32:08,510 --> 00:32:10,970 and the Mycenaeans eventually gave way 694 00:32:10,971 --> 00:32:16,100 to the golden age of ancient Greece. 695 00:32:23,984 --> 00:32:26,193 In the late summer of 2003, 696 00:32:26,194 --> 00:32:29,572 the moors of Yorkshire, England, burned. 697 00:32:29,573 --> 00:32:31,824 The dry heather went up like a torch. 698 00:32:31,825 --> 00:32:37,538 The heat was intense, and fires raged across an extensive area, 699 00:32:37,539 --> 00:32:39,331 burning up ancient peat bogs 700 00:32:39,332 --> 00:32:42,293 undisturbed since time immemorial. 701 00:32:42,294 --> 00:32:43,711 In the end, the fires burned up 702 00:32:43,712 --> 00:32:46,630 more than 2.5 square miles of moor. 703 00:32:46,631 --> 00:32:49,008 This destroyed the sensitive ecosystem 704 00:32:49,009 --> 00:32:53,554 vital to several species of ground nesting birds. 705 00:32:53,555 --> 00:32:55,639 Because of the extensive fields of heather 706 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,392 that form the habitat of the red grouse, 707 00:32:58,393 --> 00:33:00,728 curlew, and golden plover, 708 00:33:00,729 --> 00:33:02,313 the area has been designated 709 00:33:02,314 --> 00:33:04,982 as a site of special scientific interest. 710 00:33:04,983 --> 00:33:08,861 When the fires finally stopped, much of their habitat was gone. 711 00:33:08,862 --> 00:33:10,196 This part of the Yorkshire moors 712 00:33:10,197 --> 00:33:13,866 is also of interest to scientists because it's so old. 713 00:33:13,867 --> 00:33:16,869 Some of the coastline here dates to the Jurassic period, 714 00:33:16,870 --> 00:33:20,748 which ended 145 million years ago. 715 00:33:20,749 --> 00:33:23,584 The fires had burned away much of the vegetation, 716 00:33:23,585 --> 00:33:25,461 exposing features in the landscape 717 00:33:25,462 --> 00:33:28,047 that had long gone unnoticed. 718 00:33:28,048 --> 00:33:32,968 Running across the moors is a long, dilapidated railway line. 719 00:33:32,969 --> 00:33:35,721 The railway was abandoned a while ago, 720 00:33:35,722 --> 00:33:39,808 as the area was given protection status in 1952. 721 00:33:39,809 --> 00:33:42,019 If they built tracks out here, it could be 722 00:33:42,020 --> 00:33:45,189 that they were for bringing something out of the moors, 723 00:33:45,190 --> 00:33:46,982 and not bringing people in. 724 00:33:46,983 --> 00:33:49,568 Yorkshire is famous for its coal mines. 725 00:33:49,569 --> 00:33:52,238 Could they have been mining something here? 726 00:33:52,239 --> 00:33:53,614 Under the surface, 727 00:33:53,615 --> 00:33:56,867 the ground is composed of three layers of gray shale. 728 00:33:56,868 --> 00:33:58,702 The middle layer is less chalky 729 00:33:58,703 --> 00:34:02,998 and inflected with shades of pale gray and yellow. 730 00:34:02,999 --> 00:34:06,710 This middle layer actually consists of alum, 731 00:34:06,711 --> 00:34:11,215 a chemical compound with a wide variety of industrial uses. 732 00:34:11,216 --> 00:34:15,177 This is interesting because alum was an essential ingredient 733 00:34:15,178 --> 00:34:18,639 in the Industrial Revolution and the establishment 734 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:23,102 of British economic power in the 19th century. 735 00:34:23,103 --> 00:34:24,853 Prior to the Industrial Revolution, 736 00:34:24,854 --> 00:34:26,438 the economy of England was based 737 00:34:26,439 --> 00:34:28,941 around the production of wool and linen. 738 00:34:28,942 --> 00:34:32,444 Naturally, people wanted to add color to these textiles. 739 00:34:32,445 --> 00:34:34,947 The way to do this was to use alum. 740 00:34:34,948 --> 00:34:36,782 The only dyes available at the time 741 00:34:36,783 --> 00:34:38,909 were made from plants and minerals, 742 00:34:38,910 --> 00:34:42,997 but these dyes would bleed out when the material was washed. 743 00:34:42,998 --> 00:34:44,123 The way to fix the dye, 744 00:34:44,124 --> 00:34:46,292 so that it wouldn't bleed out in the wash, 745 00:34:46,293 --> 00:34:49,169 was to soak the textiles in alum. 746 00:34:49,170 --> 00:34:51,630 Until King Henry VIII assumed the throne of England 747 00:34:51,631 --> 00:34:52,965 in the early 16th century, 748 00:34:52,966 --> 00:34:55,467 all of the alum had to be sourced from Italy. 749 00:34:55,468 --> 00:34:57,678 But when he decided to break from the pope 750 00:34:57,679 --> 00:34:59,513 and create the Church of England, 751 00:34:59,514 --> 00:35:01,807 all that alum became unavailable. 752 00:35:01,808 --> 00:35:04,226 So they had to find their own source of it, 753 00:35:04,227 --> 00:35:06,688 and they found it in Yorkshire. 754 00:35:10,025 --> 00:35:12,026 So they mined alum here, 755 00:35:12,027 --> 00:35:15,946 transporting it to factories all across England. 756 00:35:15,947 --> 00:35:19,325 The industry collapsed when in the late 19th century, 757 00:35:19,326 --> 00:35:21,952 synthetic dyes were created. 758 00:35:21,953 --> 00:35:24,788 But until then, this area was vital 759 00:35:24,789 --> 00:35:29,543 to one of the largest industries in an industrializing England. 760 00:35:29,544 --> 00:35:34,006 And these tracks are reminders of that. 761 00:35:34,007 --> 00:35:36,675 As more people explore the burned moors, 762 00:35:36,676 --> 00:35:38,927 large craters pockmarking the land 763 00:35:38,928 --> 00:35:41,847 become visible to the naked eye. 764 00:35:41,848 --> 00:35:44,141 But it's not just that; there are also these holes 765 00:35:44,142 --> 00:35:45,225 dug into the ground 766 00:35:45,226 --> 00:35:47,603 that look like they're made for protection. 767 00:35:47,604 --> 00:35:50,522 And there are also these long slit trenches, 768 00:35:50,523 --> 00:35:54,610 but what really clenches it is a set of abandoned tank tracks 769 00:35:54,611 --> 00:35:55,944 that are rusted out on the ground 770 00:35:55,945 --> 00:35:58,864 as well as spent cartridge cases. 771 00:35:58,865 --> 00:35:59,948 There seems to have been 772 00:35:59,949 --> 00:36:02,034 some heavy military activity here. 773 00:36:02,035 --> 00:36:04,620 The holes dug into the ground are foxholes, 774 00:36:04,621 --> 00:36:07,331 and the trenches are firing positions. 775 00:36:07,332 --> 00:36:09,875 So what was going on here? 776 00:36:09,876 --> 00:36:12,795 There's a Royal Air Force base pretty close by, 777 00:36:12,796 --> 00:36:15,047 and it's a radar and listening station. 778 00:36:15,048 --> 00:36:17,800 But the spy plane and radar stations of the RAF 779 00:36:17,801 --> 00:36:19,968 don't conduct exercises like this, 780 00:36:19,969 --> 00:36:23,055 which are more the signs of army and infantry. 781 00:36:23,056 --> 00:36:26,016 Considering the fact that this area became protected 782 00:36:26,017 --> 00:36:30,062 in the early '50s, this was probably a training area 783 00:36:30,063 --> 00:36:34,233 for the British Army during the Second World War. 784 00:36:34,234 --> 00:36:35,901 With so many finds popping up 785 00:36:35,902 --> 00:36:38,696 across the burned moors, more interest around 786 00:36:38,697 --> 00:36:42,700 what they may be hiding leads to more discoveries. 787 00:36:42,701 --> 00:36:46,036 Not far from where a road cuts across the moorland, 788 00:36:46,037 --> 00:36:48,038 a round, flattened piece of stone 789 00:36:48,039 --> 00:36:52,918 with strange shapes and lines is uncovered by archaeologists. 790 00:36:52,919 --> 00:36:55,254 This stone has zigzags and lines all across it, 791 00:36:55,255 --> 00:36:57,339 and at first it just kind of looks like a random pattern. 792 00:36:57,340 --> 00:36:59,967 But when you pay more attention, you can see that it really looks 793 00:36:59,968 --> 00:37:04,138 like every line has been drawn with a specific intent. 794 00:37:04,139 --> 00:37:06,098 So what is this thing? 795 00:37:06,099 --> 00:37:08,434 There's also a smaller stone right next to it 796 00:37:08,435 --> 00:37:10,352 with many little round circles on it. 797 00:37:10,353 --> 00:37:13,939 It almost looks as if a cup has been pressed into the stone, 798 00:37:13,940 --> 00:37:17,276 creating all these little circular features in the stone. 799 00:37:17,277 --> 00:37:20,112 These zigzags and circles are definitely not 800 00:37:20,113 --> 00:37:23,115 the result of any natural process. 801 00:37:23,116 --> 00:37:24,783 Both of these patterned stones 802 00:37:24,784 --> 00:37:27,619 are lying next to a ring of boulders. 803 00:37:27,620 --> 00:37:28,787 It's a little more obvious 804 00:37:28,788 --> 00:37:31,457 what this ring of boulders is: it's a cairn, 805 00:37:31,458 --> 00:37:35,169 which is usually what people use to mark a specific spot. 806 00:37:35,170 --> 00:37:37,296 So not only is this ancient rock art, 807 00:37:37,297 --> 00:37:39,298 but someone has built the cairn here as well 808 00:37:39,299 --> 00:37:43,510 in order to communicate to passersby that the art's here. 809 00:37:43,511 --> 00:37:45,804 Our human ancestors have been creating rock art 810 00:37:45,805 --> 00:37:47,723 going back at least 40,000 years, 811 00:37:47,724 --> 00:37:49,933 probably well before that. 812 00:37:49,934 --> 00:37:53,479 It's hard to know what this rock art is meant to communicate. 813 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,814 Is this a map of the area? 814 00:37:55,815 --> 00:37:59,902 Is it a grave cover with symbolic shapes and lines on it? 815 00:37:59,903 --> 00:38:02,362 Whatever it is, for the people of the time, 816 00:38:02,363 --> 00:38:04,239 it was made with care. 817 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:06,909 It had to be important. 818 00:38:06,910 --> 00:38:08,660 Although humans have been creating rock art 819 00:38:08,661 --> 00:38:10,954 in different parts of the world for millennia, 820 00:38:10,955 --> 00:38:12,498 when we talk about rock art in England, 821 00:38:12,499 --> 00:38:16,084 we're mostly looking at the Paleolithic and Mesolithic ages, 822 00:38:16,085 --> 00:38:20,130 which means that they're 4,300 years old, at the youngest. 823 00:38:20,131 --> 00:38:24,259 So it's highly likely that people hunted out here. 824 00:38:24,260 --> 00:38:26,178 It's not ideal for living 825 00:38:26,179 --> 00:38:29,056 considering how exposed you are to the elements, 826 00:38:29,057 --> 00:38:31,141 but for a Stone Age hunter, 827 00:38:31,142 --> 00:38:34,770 this would have been prime hunting grounds. 828 00:38:34,771 --> 00:38:37,272 As the archaeologists continue exploring, 829 00:38:37,273 --> 00:38:40,192 the complete lack of vegetation reveals yet more 830 00:38:40,193 --> 00:38:44,530 interesting rock formations all across the moors. 831 00:38:44,531 --> 00:38:45,989 There are three large stones 832 00:38:45,990 --> 00:38:48,242 with numerous cup-like marks. 833 00:38:48,243 --> 00:38:51,370 A few of the cup markers have concentric rings, 834 00:38:51,371 --> 00:38:54,957 whereas some are connected by a carved channel. 835 00:38:54,958 --> 00:38:58,627 These marks are very distinctive but are still quite similar 836 00:38:58,628 --> 00:39:01,880 to the ones seen on the big, flattened stone 837 00:39:01,881 --> 00:39:04,424 with the zigzag lines all across it. 838 00:39:04,425 --> 00:39:06,218 What's going on here? 839 00:39:06,219 --> 00:39:08,762 Stones like this had several purposes. 840 00:39:08,763 --> 00:39:11,890 Generally speaking, they appear at specific places 841 00:39:11,891 --> 00:39:16,979 in the landscape where there is or was something significant. 842 00:39:16,980 --> 00:39:19,231 So for example, to ancient hunters, 843 00:39:19,232 --> 00:39:21,483 a hill would have been an important feature 844 00:39:21,484 --> 00:39:24,403 in the landscape, because it would been from here 845 00:39:24,404 --> 00:39:26,905 they could observe animals. 846 00:39:26,906 --> 00:39:29,825 Or it could be a sacred site, like a burial, 847 00:39:29,826 --> 00:39:32,077 or even where a natural spring was. 848 00:39:32,078 --> 00:39:34,413 So this place was probably sacred to them, 849 00:39:34,414 --> 00:39:36,707 whether because it was a good place to hunt 850 00:39:36,708 --> 00:39:39,710 or maybe conduct ceremonies. 851 00:39:39,711 --> 00:39:42,045 The importance of the site is reflected 852 00:39:42,046 --> 00:39:45,924 in these people's desire to leave something behind, 853 00:39:45,925 --> 00:39:49,678 in a sense documenting its existence. 854 00:39:49,679 --> 00:39:52,097 In many ways this is not that different 855 00:39:52,098 --> 00:39:54,391 from how humans are today. 856 00:39:54,392 --> 00:39:58,437 We like to photograph everything we think might be important. 857 00:39:58,438 --> 00:40:03,859 It's funny how we haven't really changed in thousands of years. 858 00:40:03,860 --> 00:40:05,027 Just think of this. 859 00:40:05,028 --> 00:40:07,195 British soldiers training for World War II, 860 00:40:07,196 --> 00:40:09,698 lying in these foxholes, unaware that they're surrounded 861 00:40:09,699 --> 00:40:14,328 by stone artifacts that predate them by thousands of years. 862 00:40:14,329 --> 00:40:15,746 And then you go half a century later, 863 00:40:15,747 --> 00:40:17,247 and we're fighting fires here. 864 00:40:17,248 --> 00:40:20,459 It really drives home how this landscape has seen 865 00:40:20,460 --> 00:40:22,961 so much different human activity 866 00:40:22,962 --> 00:40:25,339 over the thousands of years that we've been there. 867 00:40:25,340 --> 00:40:28,967 If these bogs could talk, they would have so many stories. 868 00:40:28,968 --> 00:40:32,804 But bogs can't talk, so we have to go digging. 869 00:40:32,805 --> 00:40:35,307 After exploring the entire area, 870 00:40:35,308 --> 00:40:39,144 archaeologists discover a vast number of standing stones, 871 00:40:39,145 --> 00:40:44,316 cairns and burial mounds that date to the last 3,000 years, 872 00:40:44,317 --> 00:40:47,319 indicating how the moors have been in continuous use 873 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:51,490 from the Stone Age to the Second World War. 874 00:40:51,491 --> 00:40:54,493 As important as the moors were in the past, 875 00:40:54,494 --> 00:40:58,581 they remain so to the ecology of the region today.