Original subtitles

Romany: THREE MUMMIFIED CHILDREN...

THEY ARE THE BEST-PRESERVED MUMMIES IN THE WORLD.

...DISCOVERED ON A MOUNTAIN KNOWN FOR ITS 500 YEARS

OF UFO SIGHTINGS.

WHY CARRY OUT THESE HUMAN SACRIFICES HERE?

WHOA!

COULD THESE MUMMIES MAP OUT A MYSTERY

BEHIND A DEADLY PATH OF HUMAN SACRIFICE 1,000 MILES LONG?

IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE HERE ANYMORE.

WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.

I'M ARCHAEOLOGIST AND MUMMY EXPERT RAMY ROMANY.

ACROSS THE GLOBE, EARTH IS GIVING UP HER DEAD.

OH, MY GOD, PEDRO, LOOK AT THIS.

THANKS TO CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY,

NEW MUMMIES ARE UNEARTHED EVERY DAY.

IT'S LIKE AN UNDERWATER CRIME SCENE.

THESE MUMMIES HOLD EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS...

OH, MY GOD, WHAT IS THIS?

PRICELESS.

...IF YOU KNOW HOW TO UNWRAP IT.

THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

THIS IS...

--Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

MARCH 16, 1999.

AN INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITION DISCOVERED THREE FROZEN MUMMIES

ON TOP OF MOUNT LLULLAILLACO IN NORTHERN ARGENTINA.

THE 22,000-FOOT ELEVATION MAKES IT

THE WORLD'S HIGHEST ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE.

THE WELL-PRESERVED 500-YEAR-OLD MUMMIES

WERE FOUND TO BE INCAN HUMAN SACRIFICES OF CHILDREN.

BUT THEY WERE 1,200 MILES FROM HOME.

WHY DID THE INCAS TRAVEL ALL THE WAY FROM CUSCO, PERU,

CLIMB A 22,000-FOOT MOUNTAIN,

AND SACRIFICE CHILDREN ON A REMOTE SITE?

THIS IS WHY I'M HERE IN SALTA, ARGENTINA,

TO TRY AND UNLOCK THESE SECRETS

THOSE MUMMIES HAVE KEPT FOR OVER 500 YEARS.

♪♪

THE INCAS WERE THE ROMANS OF THE NEW WORLD.

THEY BUILT 26,000 MILES OF ROADS

AND RULED OVER 10 MILLION PEOPLE

FROM ONE END OF THE ANDES TO THE OTHER.

SALTA WAS ONCE AT THE VERY FRINGE OF THE INCAN EMPIRE.

♪♪

I AM ON MY WAY TO THE MUSEUM OF HIGH ALTITUDE ARCHAEOLOGY,

WHICH WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY TO SAVE THOSE THREE MUMMIES

THAT WERE FOUND ON TOP OF MOUNT LLULLAILLACO CLOSE BY.

RESEARCHERS AT THE MUSEUM HAVE CONDUCTED FORENSIC TESTS

ON THE MUMMIES AND THE NUMEROUS ARTIFACTS DISCOVERED WITH THEM.

BUT KEY ASPECTS OF THE RITUAL REMAIN A MYSTERY.

I'M MEETING WITH GABRIELA RECAGNO,

THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUSEUM.

SHE'S AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND ANTHROPOLOGIST

AND HAS BEEN THE DIRECTOR SINCE 2010.

THEY ARE THE BEST-PRESERVED MUMMIES IN THE WORLD,

THESE THREE KIDS OF LLULLAILLACO.

AND SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND THE GLASS?

YES, YOU'RE GOING TO MEET HER.

WE DON'T SAY, "WE HAVE A MUMMY IN EXHIBITION."

WE SAY, "WE HAVE A CHILD,

WE HAVE A LITTLE GIRL, AND YOU ARE GOING TO MEET HER."

I'M READY.OKAY, COME WITH ME.

THANK YOU, MARIO.

WE'RE PUTTING ON STERILE SUITS

TO MINIMIZE TRANSMISSION OF HARMFUL BACTERIA,

VIRUSES, AND OTHER MICROORGANISMS.

IN A SENSE, WE'RE PROTECTING THE MUMMIES FROM OURSELVES,

AND OURSELVES FROM THE MUMMIES.

FEEL LIKE I'M GOING INTO SPACE.

READY?

ONLY ONE OF THESE MUMMIES IS ON DISPLAY AT A TIME,

TO MINIMIZE EXPOSURE TO U.V. RAYS.

THE TEMPERATURE MUST REMAIN AT A CONSTANT

NEGATIVE-4 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

AND WE'LL HAVE TO BE OUT OF THE LAB IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES,

BEFORE OUR COLLECTIVE BODY HEAT RAISES THE ROOM'S TEMPERATURE.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THE RELEASE

OF DANGEROUS PATHOGENS

THAT HAVE REMAINED DORMANT FOR OVER 500 YEARS --

PATHOGENS THAT COULD INCLUDE ANYTHING FROM PNEUMONIA,

TUBERCULOSIS, OR EVEN A FORM OF FLESH-EATING DISEASE.

JUST LOOKING AT THIS UP CLOSE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

YOU CAN SEE THE COLOR OF HER EYE.

HER LEFT EYE IS PARTIALLY OPEN.

YOU CAN SEE THE REMAINS OF THE COCA RIGHT IN HER TEETH.

IT IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

THESE MUMMIES I'M EXAMINING

ARE A PART OF THE INCAN CAPACOCHA RITUAL.

THERE ARE STILL MANY QUESTIONS

ABOUT WHAT WAS KNOWN AS A ROYAL OBLIGATION.

FROM ALL AROUND THE INCAN EMPIRE,

TRIBUTES IN THE FORM OF GOLD, SILVER, AND TEXTILES

WOULD FLOW INTO THE CAPITAL, CUSCO.

BUT THE HIGH PRIEST ALSO DEMANDED CHILDREN

TO BE OFFERED UP IN HUMAN-SACRIFICE RITUALS.

THEY WERE THE PUREST OFFERINGS TO THE GODS

THE INCAS COULD MAKE.

THERE ARE MANY SACRIFICIAL SITES IN PERU NEAR CUSCO,

BUT THESE MUMMIES ARE AN ANOMALY.

THEY WERE FOUND AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE EMPIRE.

THE TREK TO THIS REGION TOOK SIX MONTHS.

THEY WALKED DAY AFTER DAY TO GO TO THESE PLACES.

HOW DID THEY CHOOSE WHERE TO GO?

WHAT WAS GUIDING THEM?

RELIGIOUS BELIEF, SOMETHING OTHERWORLDLY?

AS THEY BEGAN TO CLIMB THE 22,000-FOOT MOUNTAIN,

THE PRIESTS GAVE THE SACRIFICES A STRONG ALCOHOLIC DRINK

MADE OF CORN, CALLED CHICHA, AND COCA LEAVES TO CHEW.

ONCE AT THE SUMMIT, THIS COMBINATION,

ALONG WITH THE EXTREME COLD AND LACK OF OXYGEN,

CAUSED THE CHILDREN TO LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS.

AND IN A LOW STONE MONUMENT CREATED FOR THAT RITUAL,

THEY WERE LEFT TO FREEZE TO DEATH.

IT'S JUST A REALLY UNEASY FEELING,

STARING RIGHT AT A LIFELIKE CHILD.

♪♪

I HAVE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MY CAREER

RESEARCHING MUMMIES OF EGYPT.

I'VE SEEN DOZENS OF THEM UP CLOSE.

EGYPTIAN MUMMIES HAVE HAD THEIR ORGANS REMOVED

AND THEIR BODIES DRIED OUT IN ELABORATE RITUALS.

BUT THESE INCAN MUMMIES, THEY'RE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THEY ALMOST LOOK LIKE THEY'RE SLEEPING

BECAUSE THEY DIED INTACT AND WERE IMMEDIATELY FROZEN.

YOU CAN SEE HIS FINGERNAILS.

HIS FINGERNAILS ARE STILL THERE, INTACT.

YEAH?BEAUTIFUL.

LET'S DO IT.

WHAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE IS NOT MUMMIES.

THEY'RE DEAD CHILDREN.

MY MIND IS FILLED WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RITUAL

AND WHY WOULD THEY SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

♪♪

IN THE 1530s, THE SPANISH ARRIVED WITH HORSES,

WEAPONS, AND ARMOR, POSING A HUGE THREAT TO THE INCAS.

THE INCAN HIGH PRIESTS TURNED TO THEIR GOD VIRACOCHA

TO HELP PROTECT THEIR EMPIRE.

BUT COULD THIS BE WHY THEY BELIEVED VIRACOCHA

DEMANDED THESE SACRIFICES?

I'M HEADING TO MEET ASHLEY COWIE,

A HISTORIAN WHO SPECIALIZES IN INCAN MYTHOLOGY.

HE PRIDES HIMSELF ON THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

WHEN IT COMES TO ANCIENT GODS.

IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT VIRACOCHA,

HE'S THE MAN TO HAVE ANSWERS.

♪♪

WHO WAS VIRACOCHA, EXACTLY?

VIRACOCHA IS THE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERCARRIAGE,

IF YOU LIKE, OF THE ENTIRE INCA CIVILIZATION.

VIRACOCHA CREATED THE FIRST MAN AND WOMAN.

HE WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE DEITY THAT LIVED IN THE SKY,

THAT CREATED THE SUN,

SO HE WAS DEEMED AS MORE SACRED

AND MORE COSMICALLY POWERFUL THAN EVEN THE SUN.

EVERYTHING THAT THE INCAS DID

WAS DEVOTED TO VIRACOCHA IN THE SKY.

I WONDER WHAT COULD HAVE INSPIRED SUCH A BELIEF.

VIRACOCHA IS NOT HUMAN.

LOTS OF THE GODS WERE WORSHIPED IN HUMAN FORM.

VIRACOCHA WASN'T.

HE COMES FROM THE SKY.

HE'S AN ENERGY OR AN ENTITY MORE POWERFUL

AND HAS CONTROL OVER EVENTS ON EARTH.

ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME

THAT VIRACOCHA WAS AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL?

VIRACOCHA WAS 100% EXTRATERRESTRIAL.

HE WAS NOT OF THIS PLANET.

THE BELIEF THAT VIRACOCHA CONTROLLED THE DESTINY OF HUMANS

ON THIS PLANET WAS SO GREAT

THAT THEY SACRIFICED 7- AND 15-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN.

BUT STILL -- WHY THIS MOUNTAIN PEAK?

THERE ARE HIGHER MOUNTAIN PEAKS CLOSER TO THEM.

WHY WOULD THEY WALK ALL THIS DISTANCE?

IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING

TO DO WITH THE SAME THING THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

I MEAN, THIS IS A UFO HOT SPOT.

THERE'S MORE SIGHTINGS HERE THAN ANY OTHER PART OF SOUTH AMERICA.

AND IT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE SAME REGION

AS THE MUMMIES ARE FOUND.

HOW COMMON KNOWLEDGE IS IT THAT THIS AREA

IS ACTUALLY A HOT SPOT OF UFO SIGHTINGS?

YOU KNOW, EVEN WITHIN THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY,

THAT'S ACCEPTED.

MY CONTACTS DOWN HERE ALL JUST ACCEPT THIS AS IPSO FACTO.

SO, DO LOCALS HERE BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A HOT SPOT?

80% OF SOUTH AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT ALIENS EXIST,

SO YOU'VE GOT 80% OF LOCALS HERE

WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT THIS PLACE IS SURROUNDED.

SO, THE INCAS WERE WORSHIPING

SOMETHING IN THE SKY AROUND HERE?

AND LOCALS TODAY, THEY ALL

STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A HOT SPOT?

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHAT IF WHAT THE LOCALS ARE SEEING TODAY

IS EXACTLY WHAT THE INCAS SAW BACK THEN?

IT'S ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLY THE CASE.

I WOULD LOVE TO PERSONALLY MEET A LOCAL

WHO ACTUALLY ENCOUNTERED A SIGHTING.

I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT. MY FRIEND -- PROFESSOR LUIS.

WE HEAD OUT INTO THE REMOTE OUTSKIRTS OF CACHI,

IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ANDES.

ACCORDING TO ASHLEY, WE ARE NOW ENTERING A 40-SQUARE-MILE AREA

THAT IS FAMOUS FOR ITS HIGH NUMBER OF UFO SIGHTINGS

AND OTHER AERIAL ANOMALIES.

WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S THIS SPOT?

WHY IS IT SO DIFFERENT?

IT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE WORLD,

SECOND ONLY TO THE EVEREST RANGE, RAMY.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS A REAL CLARITY OF AIR.

THERE'S NO POLLUTION IN THE AIR,

SO YOU CAN SEE THINGS IN THE SKY BETTER HERE

IN THIS REGION THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT --

A 40-MILE-SQUARE REGION.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF MILES.

AND THAT'S WHY THESE SACRED MOUNTAINS ARE IN THIS REGION.

I THINK IT'S 'CAUSE IT ENHANCES ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS.

IS IT PURE COINCIDENCE

THAT SO MANY OF THESE RECENT UFO SIGHTINGS

TOOK PLACE IN THE SAME AREA WHERE THE INCAS

CARRIED OUT HUMAN SACRIFICES?

COULD THESE TWO PHENOMENA BE LINKED IN SOME WAY?

WE'RE ABOUT TO MEET A UFO EYEWITNESS

WHO BELIEVES THAT'S THE CASE --

A LOCAL PROFESSOR NAMED LUIS GONZALEZ.

CóMO ESTáS. CóMO ESTáS.

MUCHO GUSTO, PROFESSOR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SEEING US.

TELL ME WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED, WHAT YOU SAW.

BUENO.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

PROFESSOR LUIS TOLD US THAT HE OFTEN TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS

OF THE UNIQUE TOPOGRAPHY OF THIS AREA.

IN OCTOBER OF 2008,

MYSTERIOUS ANOMALIES BEGAN APPEARING IN SOME OF HIS PHOTOS.

WHAT IS THIS?

THANK YOU.

I'M IN RURAL ARGENTINA, INVESTIGATING THE INCAS'

HUMAN SACRIFICES TO THEIR SKY GOD, VIRACOCHA.

THEY CONDUCTED THESE RITUALS 500 YEARS AGO

AT A 22,000-FOOT SUMMIT OF A NEARBY MOUNTAIN.

PROFESSOR LUIS GONZALEZ CLAIMS TO HAVE SEEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED

ANOMALIES AT SIMILAR ALTITUDES IN THIS AREA.

WHAT IS THIS?

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

Cowie: HE'S NOT QUITE SURE HOW IT'S CONTROLLED

OR MUCH MORE ABOUT IT, BUT HE CAN'T DENY

THAT WHAT'S IN THAT PHOTOGRAPH, HE BELIEVES IS A FLYING MACHINE.

THOSE PICTURES ARE DEFINITELY VERY INTRIGUING.

THE PROFESSOR SAYS THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN TALK LOCALLY

OF OBJECTS IN THE SKY,

BUT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IN 2008,

IT STOPPED BEING A THING OF SPECULATION

AND IT'S BECOME A THING OF REALITY LOCALLY.

PEOPLE ACCEPT NOW THAT THERE'S PHENOMENA IN THE SKY.

CAN YOU TAKE US TO THAT SAME EXACT SPOT

THAT YOU TOOK THESE PICTURES AT?

Sí, POR SUPUESTO.

GREAT. LET'S GO. THANK YOU.

WHEN 80% OF AN ENTIRE REGION BELIEVES IN UFOs,

IT'S WORTH INVESTIGATING FURTHER.

PROFESSOR LUIS IS TAKING US TO PLACE IN CACHI

WHERE THERE'S A CONSISTENT SPIKE IN UFO SIGHTINGS

REPORTED AT EXACTLY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

WHOA!

WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

A UFO AIRPORT?

Sí, OVNI PUERTO.

WHO DID THIS?

SO, A NORWEGIAN MAN CLAIMED

THAT HE WAS COMMUNICATED TO BY THE ALIENS,

AND THEY TOLD HIM TO MOVE HIMSELF HERE TO CACHI

TO BUILD THIS UFO LANDING PORT.

THAT MAN BELIEVED HE WAS CONTACTED BY ALIENS --

SO MUCH SO THAT HE LEFT HIS FAMILY,

CAME HERE, AND BUILT THIS.

♪♪

THIS IS A UFO's POINT OF VIEW.

[ DRONE BUZZING ]

OH, LOOK AT THAT!

IF I WAS A UFO, THIS IS WHERE I'M LANDING.

ALL THE LOCALS HERE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE SPOT.

THIS IS THE SPOT WHERE THEY SEE ANOMALIES IN THE SKY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE

IF WE CAN EYEWITNESS SOME OF THOSE ANOMALIES OURSELVES.

♪♪

ONE THING I ALWAYS THINK OF IS THAT,

500 YEARS AGO, 700 YEARS AGO,

WHEN THE INCAS WERE HERE,

THEY WERE LITERALLY SITTING HERE,

LOOKING AT EXACTLY THE SAME STARS I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

RAMY, THERE.WHERE?

FLASHING AND MOVING ACROSS THE SKY.

THE HIGH ALTITUDE AND CLEAR SKIES MAKE THIS LOCATION IDEAL

FOR OBSERVING COSMIC ACTIVITY LIKE THIS METEOR SHOWER.

A THOUSAND YEARS AGO, THE INCAS WITNESSED

THE SAME CELESTIAL EVENTS ON THIS MOUNTAINTOP.

BUT WITHOUT A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION, THEY LIKELY

INTERPRETED THE METEORS AS EVIDENCE OF THEIR GODS.

ACROSS AGES, THE SKY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT BIGGEST MYSTERY.

♪♪

SO, THE INCAS BELIEVED THEY WERE SEEING THEIR GOD VIRACOCHA

COMING DOWN FROM THE SKY.

I WANT MORE RECORDS FOR VIRACOCHA --

THE WRITTEN RECORDS.

I WANT SOMETHING THAT I CAN HOLD IN MY HANDS.

I WANT EVIDENCE.

THE INCAS DIDN'T HAVE WRITTEN RECORDS,

SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS REALLY, REALLY HARD TO FIND.

THE CLOSEST YOU'RE GONNA GET WAS THE GOLDEN SUN DISK.

THIS IS A LARGE PLATE DISK OF GOLD

THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE INCAS BY VIRACOCHA.

ACCORDING TO AN INCAN LEGEND,

THE DISK LITERALLY CAME DOWN FROM THE SKY

AT THE INCAN CITY OF MACHU PICCHU.

SPANISH RECORDS SUGGEST IT WAS SUSPENDED FROM GOLDEN ROPES

AT THE CENTER OF THE TEMPLE OF CUSCO.

THE INCAS BELIEVED IT WAS A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THEIR GOD.

WHEN THE CONQUISTADORS ARRIVED IN 1532,

THEY BEGAN THEIR EFFORTS TO COLONIZE SOUTH AMERICA.

THEY PLUNDERED GOLD AND TREASURE AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

THE INCAS WOULD HAVE KNOWN THEIR MOST PRIZED RELIC,

THE SUN DISK, WAS AT RISK.

WHERE IS THAT GOLDEN SUN DISK NOW?

HMM. THE QUESTION

THAT'S BEEN ON THE LIPS OF EVERY TREASURE HUNTER FOR 500 YEARS.

THE GOLDEN SUN DISK VANISHED SIX MONTHS

BEFORE THE SPANISH ARRIVED IN CUSCO.

THE SUN DISK, IN MY THINKING,

WOULD HAVE BEEN MOVED SOMEWHERE AROUND CUSCO SO IT POSSIBLY

COULD BE RETURNED TO THE CORICANCHA TEMPLE OF THE SUN

AT THE CENTER OF THE INCA EMPIRE.

HAS ANYONE LOOKED FOR THE SUN DISK HERE IN SALTA?

NO, NOBODY'S LOOKED HERE. THERE'S NO REASON TO.

THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS EVER HERE.

IT'S AROUND CUSCO -- THE HEART OF THE EMPIRE, IN CUSCO,

SO EVERYBODY BELIEVES IT'S GONNA BE AS CLOSE TO CUSCO

AS IT PHYSICALLY CAN BE AND BE SAFE.

SO, FOR 500 YEARS, THE SPANISH AND THEN THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS

HAVE BEEN LOOKING RIGHT UNDER CUSCO,

HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING,

AND THEY'RE STILL CONVINCED THAT IT'S DOWN THERE?

WELL, THEY'RE CONVINCED BECAUSE

THE GOLDEN SUN DISK WAS THE CENTER OF THE CENTERS.

YOU DON'T MOVE A CENTER POINT.

BUT ISN'T VIRACOCHA THE REASON THEY SACRIFICED THEIR CHILDREN

SPECIFICALLY AT A MOUNTAIN PEAK HERE, CLOSE TO SALTA?

YEAH, BUT, RAMY, YOU'RE TALKING --

THAT'S A 1,000-KILOMETER LEAP OF FAITH.

BUT THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE THEY BELIEVED VIRACOCHA WAS.

MM-HMM.

AND IF THEY ARE TRYING TO HIDE THE GOLDEN SUN DISK

FROM THE SPANISH AND KEEP IT

AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO VIRACOCHA,

WHY WOULDN'T THEY MOVE IT ALL THE WAY HERE,

TO THE VERY FRINGE OF THEIR EMPIRE,

NEXT TO THE PEAK THAT THEY BELIEVED

VIRACOCHA WAS ON TOP OF?

IF THE SUN DISK WAS ACTUALLY

HIDDEN HERE IN SALTA, WHERE WOULD THAT BE?

IT'S GOING TO BE WHERE 90% OF THE GOLD OFFERINGS

TO THE GODS ARE FOUND, AND THAT IS IN PAYOGASTA.

PAYOGASTA?

PAYOGASTA IS ONE OF THE LARGEST FORTRESSES

OF THE INCA EMPIRE.LET'S DO IT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CAVES IN THIS REGION

WHERE THE SUN DISK COULD HAVE BEEN HIDDEN,

BUT WE'VE IDENTIFIED ONE THAT SEEMS THE MOST PROMISING.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE CAVE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START?

IN CUSCO, AT THE CENTER OF THE INCAS' CAPITAL,

THEY WORSHIPED ON THE TOPS OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS,

BUT THEY ALSO MADE OFFERINGS TO THEIR GODS

AT THE DEEPEST POINTS OF THE LOWEST AND DEEPEST CAVES.

THIS HERE IS ONE OF THE DEEPEST CAVES

IN THE ENTIRE REGION WHERE ALL THESE PHENOMENA ARE OCCURRING.

THE CAVE'S WATER SOURCE CONNECTS

WITH THE SACRED MOUNTAIN, LLULLAILLACO,

WHERE THE MUMMIES FROM THE HIGH ALTITUDE MUSEUM WERE FOUND.

ARE THESE FOR US?[ Chuckling ] YEAH.

NO, SERIOUSLY? THEY ARE.

WE'RE GONNA NEED IT TO TAKE THE REST OF THE WAY, RAMY.

[ ENGINE STARTS ]

[ ENGINE REVVING ]

IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CAVES TO REACH,

SO THE LIKELIHOOD OF IT BEING EXPLORED IS LOW,

WHICH MEANS A BETTER CHANCE FOR US TO FIND THE SUN DISK.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HIKE FROM HERE.

IF THIS SACRIFICE WAS AT THE EDGE OF THE EMPIRE,

THEN THIS WOULD BE THE SAFEST, MOST REMOTE PLACE

TO HIDE A PRICELESS RELIC FROM THE SPANIARDS.

OH, MY GOD, LOOK AT THIS.

ASH, IT'S GETTING WINDY!

THERE'S A WEATHER FRONT COMING IN, RAMY.

WE'VE GOT TO GET DOWN TO THE RAVINE, INTO THE CAVE,

AND OUT OF THERE AS QUICK AS WE CAN.

I AGREE. LET'S GO.

THIS CAVE IS PROMISING BECAUSE THE RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH IT

ORIGINATES ON THE MOUNTAIN WHERE THE MUMMIES WERE SACRIFICED.

BUT THAT SAME WATER SOURCE COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR US TODAY.

THE FIRST RAINSTORM OF THE SEASON IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY.

FLASH FLOODS CAN QUICKLY SUBMERGE THE CANYON,

SO TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.

THIS IS IT, RAMY.

TOTALLY INACCESSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE YEAR.

SO THAT CAVE WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH FULL OF WATER?

NINE MONTHS A YEAR, YOU CAN'T GET DOWN HERE, NOT EVEN HERE.

THAT DOES MAKE IT A PERFECT HIDING SPOT.

ABSOLUTELY.OKAY, WELL, LET'S DO THIS.

CAN YOU FEEL THE CURRENT?

YEAH, IT'S PULLING MY LEGS AWAY ALREADY.

ASHLEY AND I ARE HOPING THAT SOMEWHERE IN THIS CAVE SYSTEM

COULD BE THE LONG-LOST INCAN SUN DISK.

LOOK AT THIS.

WITH A CURRENT THIS STRONG, ANYTHING HIDDEN HERE

WOULD NEED TO HAVE BEEN PLACED IN ONE OF THE PROTECTED ALCOVES.

ANYWHERE ELSE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SWEPT AWAY

BY THE POWERFUL WATERS

THAT RUSH THROUGH THIS CAVE MOST OF THE YEAR.

THERE'S NOTHING HERE.

BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF PLACE WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT.

♪♪

ASH, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK THERE.

I AGREE.

♪♪

LOOK AT THIS.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT?

THIS IS AT LEAST 10 FEET DEEP.

[ GRUNTS ]

♪♪

IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE PERFECT PLACE.

THEN GET IN THERE.

I'M EXPLORING A REMOTE ARGENTINEAN RIVER CAVE,

TRYING TO LOCATE THE GOLDEN SUN DISK,

AN ANCIENT INCAN RELIC THAT WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE RECEIVED

DIRECT INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SUN GOD, VIRACOCHA.

FINDING THE DISK WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND WHY THE INCAS

CAME TO THIS PARTICULAR REGION TO SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

BUT SEASONAL RAINS THREATEN TO SUBMERGE THIS CAVE,

ENDANGERING OUR LIVES AND MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE

TO SEARCH UNTIL THE NEXT DRY SEASON.

♪♪

I THINK YOU COULD SEE THE END OF THIS.

I NEED MORE TIME.

YEAH, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE MORE TIME.

I'M GONNA GO BACK UP.

THE WATER HAS RISEN ABOUT 3 FEET SINCE WE'VE BEGUN EXPLORING

THIS CAVE, AND IT'S GETTING HIGHER.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE SOON.

IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE HERE ANYMORE.

YEAH, THE CURRENT'S GETTING STRONG.

THE WATER IS GETTING HIGH.

WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.

WATCH YOURSELF! WATCH YOURSELF!

♪♪

WITH THE CHANGE OF THE SEASONS,

THE CAVE WILL NOW BE FLOODED FOR MONTHS TO COME.

ASHLEY INTENDS TO EXPLORE THE REMAINING CAVES

WHEN THE WATER HAS SUBSIDED AGAIN,

IN THE HOPES OF FINDING THE DISK.

♪♪

AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE TRACKED DOWN A HISTORIAN

WHO MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US LEARN MORE

ABOUT WHAT THE SUN DISK DID FOR THE INCAS.

WHAT MADE YOU START WORKING ON THIS?

I AM FASCINATED WITH THE INCA CULTURE,

AND I READ A LOT OF DOCUMENTS

AND THE HISTORY ABOUT THE GOLDEN SUN DISK.

PEDRO HERNANDEZ IS A HISTORIAN BASED IN SALTA

WHO'S CREATED A REPLICA OF THE SUN DISK,

BASED ON DOCUMENTS FROM THE SPANISH CONQUISTADORS

THAT DATE BACK TO 1531.

DESCRIPTIONS VARY, SO THE ORIGINAL MAY HAVE BEEN

SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THIS ONE.

THIS IS MARVELOUS.

FINALLY, I'M COMING FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE INCAN GOD VIRACOCHA.

WOW.IT'S QUITE AWE-INSPIRING

TO SEE IT IN FRONT OF US, ISN'T IT?

PEDRO, WHAT IS YOUR THEORY ON THE SUN DISK'S ORIGIN?

YOU THINK VIRACOCHA IS AN ALIEN?

MAYBE.

ALL THE LOCALS STILL BELIEVE

THAT VIRACOCHA IS LITERALLY AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL.

THE WORD "EXTRATERRESTRIAL"

DOES HAVE A VERY NEGATIVE CONNOTATION.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM, THOUGH.

"EXTRATERRESTRIAL" LITERALLY MEANS

"ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T COME FROM THIS EARTH."

IT DOESN'T MEAN A GREEN ALIEN WALKING AROUND.

SO, FOR THE INCAS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY USED IT FOR?

WHAT ARE THE CEQUE LINES?

THEY'RE JUST SYMBOLIC LINES THAT COME OUT?

NO, NO.

FROM THIS DISK, 41 LONG-DISTANCE ALIGNMENTS

EXTENDED THROUGHOUT THE INCA EMPIRE.

ESSENTIALLY, SPIRITUAL ENERGY LINES

THAT EXTENDED ACROSS THE EMPIRE, LINKING UP THEIR SACRED SHRINES,

SPIRITUAL HOT SPOTS.

WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THIS IS AN ACTUAL MAP.

DO YOU HAVE A MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA?

YES.

OKAY, SO, THESE ARE 41 CEQUES FROM CUSCO.

OKAY, GREAT.MAP OF THE ASTRONOMERS.

SO, CUSCO IS HERE. THIS IS OUR CENTER.

MM-HMM.

WE HAVE ONE LINE RIGHT THERE, ONE LINE RIGHT THERE.

MM-HMM. WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS?

EVERY ONE OF THESE LINES

POINTS TO A PLACE OF SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE?

YES, IT DOES.IF THE SUN DISK

WAS THE MAP IN THE CENTER OF THE EMPIRE,

EVERY TIME THE EMPIRE EXPANDS,

THOSE LINES SHOULD EXTEND LONGER.

THE SPIRITUAL ENERGY AND THE POWER

OF VIRACOCHA EXTENDS, TOO.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS BELIEVE THEY EXTEND

ABOUT 80 MILES FROM CUSCO.

THAT'S ABOUT AS FAR AS THEY GO.

YES, BUT DON'T WE KNOW THAT THE PRIESTS

ACTUALLY WALKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH?

WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE NOT JUST LINES.

THERE'S ACTUAL ROUTES.

IT'S A FACT THAT THE PRIESTS WALKED

FROM CUSCO TO THESE MOUNTAINTOPS.

AND IT'S LITERALLY THE EXTENSION OF THE CEQUE LINES.

DO YOU KNOW MY ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS?

I'VE NOT HEARD IT BEFORE. IT'S NEW.

THIS ISN'T ON THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PLANNER, RIGHT?

THESE GO 80 MILES, RAMY,

SEE, WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF DOING IS GOING

10 TIMES FURTHER THAN PEOPLE BELIEVE.

IF YOUR ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THIS IS NEW,

THAT IS A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

[ CHUCKLES ] THAT'S A VERY POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

THERE'S NO EVIDENCE AT THE MOMENT, RAMY,

THAT THESE EXTENDED SO FAR.

IF THIS IS TRUE,

THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THOSE MOUNTAIN PEAKS

HAD THOSE MUMMIES, WHY THE INCA FAMILIES FROM CUSCO

WOULD WALK 700 MILES AND 20,000 FEET UP

TO HIT THAT EXACT MARK AND SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY DEFINITELY WALKED THE CHILDREN

TO THE TOP OF THOSE MOUNTAINS TO MAKE SACRIFICES TO VIRACOCHA

IN CUSCO, SO IT'S OUT THERE,

BUT IT'S A BIT OFF-THE-WALL.

OFF-THE-WALL IS MY MIDDLE NAME.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN PEAK'S IN THIS REGION?

YES.

WHICH WE FOUND MUMMIES AT?

YES.AND THEN WHERE ELSE?

AND THAT'S WHERE WE FOUND OTHER MUMMIES.

YES.

RIGHT ABOUT HERE?YES.

WATCH THIS -- THE THIRD CEQUE LINE.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING

DISCOVERED ON THIS MOUNTAIN PEAK?

IT UNIFIES THIS ENTIRE QUARTER OF THE EMPIRE

WITH CUSCO THROUGH VIRACOCHA.

AND IF THIS THEORY IS TRUE,

ON THE TOP OF THIS MOUNTAIN PEAK,

THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERIES.

Romany: I'M IN CACHI, ARGENTINA,

INVESTIGATING WHY, 500 YEARS AGO,

THREE CHILD MUMMIES WERE SACRIFICED ON A MOUNTAINTOP

1,200 MILES AWAY FROM THEIR HOME.

MY THEORY IS THAT THE INCA FOLLOWED A GRID

OF CEQUE LINES THAT EXTENDED ALL THE WAY FROM THEIR CAPITAL

THROUGHOUT THEIR EMPIRE, BUT TO PROVE THIS,

I NEED TO DISCOVER A NEW SACRIFICIAL SITE

ALONG THESE LINES.

DRAWING A LINE ON A MAP CAN LOOK VERY PRECISE AND VERY CLEAN,

AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S POINTING EXACTLY AT ONE SPOT

THAT YOU WOULD THINK I'D COME HERE AND FIND RIGHT AWAY,

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THIS IS A MOUNTAIN RANGE

WITH MORE THAN A HUNDRED MOUNTAIN PEAKS ON IT.

THAT'S WHY I ARRANGED FOR A LOCAL MOUNTAIN GUIDE.

HE KNOWS THE TOPOGRAPHY VERY WELL

AND CAN HELP ME NARROW DOWN MY SEARCH.

WELL, IT'S A HUGE AREA OVER THERE,

SO IT'S GONNA BE ALMOST, UH, IMPOSSIBLE

TO GET EXACTLY THAT POINT.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS

THAT WE ALREADY FOUND MUMMIES ON

WOULD PROBABLY NARROW DOWN WHERE WE LOOK HERE.

FOUR YEARS AGO, I WORKED WITH A TEAM

WHICH UNCOVERED MORE THAN A DOZEN UNKNOWN PYRAMIDS

AND OVER 1,000 LOST TOMBS.

WE AVOIDED YEARS OF LEGWORK SIMPLY BY SEARCHING

SATELLITE IMAGES FOR MANMADE SHAPES

OF DIFFERENT COLORS THAT STOOD OUT

FROM THE SURROUNDING TOPOGRAPHY,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M PLANNING TO DO HERE TODAY.

THOSE MOUNTAIN PEAKS THAT WE FOUND MUMMIES ON WERE,

LIKE, 22,000 FEET HIGH.YES.

SO, LET'S START THINKING

WHICH MOUNTAIN PEAKS IN THIS AREA ARE

LIKE 17,000 FEET OR HIGHER.

SO, WE HAVE MANY ONES -- MORE THAN A HUNDRED, ACTUALLY.

WE NEED TO NARROW IT DOWN EVEN MORE.

GIVEN THAT THE ANDES MOUNTAINS COVER

MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION SQUARE MILES OF LAND,

I NEED HELP FINDING MOUNTAINS THAT MIGHT HAVE

RITUAL SITES AT THEIR SUMMITS.

SUPERIMPOSING CEQUE LINES OVER A MAP OF THE REGION,

WE CAN MASSIVELY NARROW DOWN OUR SEARCH.

I WOULD START UP HERE WITH THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS, RIGHT?

TWO EYES ARE BETTER THAN ONE,

AND I HAVE TWO, SO I DON'T NEED YOU.

[ CHUCKLES ]

WAIT, LOOK AT THIS. DO YOU SEE THE SHADOW?

YEAH.

THAT'S RECTANGULAR.

IT IS. RIGHT HERE.

ON ONE MOUNTAIN PEAK THAT FITS OUR SEARCH CRITERIA,

THERE'S A DISCOLORED SHAPE THAT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE MANMADE,

BUT THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS

ACTUALLY THE SITE OF AN INCAN RITUAL

IS TO CLIMB UP THERE AND INVESTIGATE FOR OURSELVES.

AND THAT'S, LIKE... STRAIGHT THIS WAY, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

LITERALLY RIGHT BEHIND THAT MOUNTAIN.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

CLOSE BY ON A MOUNTAIN PEAK, A CAPACOCHAN RITUAL HAPPENED,

AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FIND.

IT'S ABOUT SIX HOURS GOING UP TO REACH THE SUMMIT,

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO START EARLY.

SO, COCA TEA, FIVE LITERS OF WATER,

A BUNCH OF COCA IN MY CHEEK...

YES. ...A HEAVY JACKET,

AND THEN HOPE NOT TO DIE.RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD.

WE'LL START OUR JOURNEY EARLY TOMORROW.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

I NEED A BREAK.THEN WE'LL BREAK.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN HIKING FOR A FEW HOURS,

BUT THE ALTITUDE IS TAKING ITS TOLL,

AND THE SMART THING TO DO IS TAKE A BRIEF BREAK.

HOW DO YOU DO THIS? [ CHUCKLES ]

♪♪

MMM.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UP TO THE SPOT

WHERE THE FROZEN MUMMIES WERE FOUND?

I'VE BEEN THERE ONCE.

A DRUM?

[ IMITATES DRUMBEAT ]

AND WHAT WAS IT?

YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST ONE TO GO UP THERE

AND HEAR CEREMONIAL DRUMS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

YEAH. YEAH.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE RELIGION OF THE INCAS?

I BELIEVE. YES, I DO.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN VIRACOCHA?

I BELIEVE IN VIRACOCHA, YES.

REALLY? REALLY.

MOUNTAINEERS CLIMBING OVER 17,000 FEET

REPORT HALLUCINATIONS THAT ARE SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR.

THEY DESCRIBE BEING JOINED BY ANOTHER PERSON

WHO GUIDES THEM TO THE SUMMIT.

RESEARCHERS CALL IT "THIRD-MAN SYNDROME"

AND SUSPECT THAT OXYGEN DEPRIVATION

IS MOST LIKELY THE EXPLANATION.

NOW, COULD THAT HELP EXPLAIN WHY THE INCAS INSISTED

THAT VIRACOCHA BROUGHT THEM EXACTLY TO THIS RITUAL SITE?

LET'S GO.

HEARING ALE'S STORY HAS LIT A FIRE IN ME.

I HAVE RESTED ENOUGH AND AM READY TO FIND OUT

IF WHAT WE'VE SPOTTED IS JUST SOME DISCOLORED ROCKS

OR A MANMADE STRUCTURE WHERE THE INCAS MAY HAVE

CONDUCTED A RITUAL SACRIFICE MORE THAN 500 YEARS AGO.

♪♪

[ Panting ] HOW --

HOW HIGH ARE WE, ALE?

UH, IT'S ABOUT 3,800 METERS.

MAYBE MORE OR LESS.

IT'S, WHAT, MAYBE 12,500 FEET?

YEAH, THAT'S WHY YOU CAN FEEL IT.

YEAH, I CAN FEEL IT. YEAH.

♪♪

ARE YOU OKAY? YOU FEEL GOOD?

I HAVE SOMETHING WHICH IS, UM...

I'LL TAKE ANYTHING.

YES.I TRUST YOU.

♪♪

COCA LEAVES, EH?COCA LEAVES.

YOU PUT IT THERE IN ONE OF YOUR SIDES.

KEEP IT THERE.

AND THAT WILL REALLY HELP YOU TO KEEP YOU AWAKE,

TO GIVE YOU ENERGY.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

WE'LL DO IT.

I CAN DO IT. LET'S GO.

Romany: THIS TREK TODAY TAKES ME BACK 500 YEARS

TO WHEN THE INCAS MADE THE TRIP TO MOUNT LLULLAILLACO

JUST TO MAKE THEIR SACRIFICES.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY COULD CLIMB HERE

WHILE DRINKING CORN ALCOHOL,

BUT NOW I SEE WHY THEY CHEWED ON COCA LEAVES.

IT IS HELPING REDUCE THE ALTITUDE SICKNESS SYMPTOMS

SO I CAN KEEP ON CLIMBING TOWARDS

WHAT I'M HOPING IS SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.

♪♪

ALE, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

UH, WE HAVE TO CLIMB UP.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE IS JUST GO STRAIGHT AHEAD THIS WAY.

THE ONLY WAY UP RIGHT NOW IS TO CLIMB.

Romany: MOUNTAIN CLIMBING IS A GREAT SPORT...

THAT I SUCK AT.

BUT ALEJANDRO IS HERE.

HE'S JUST FREE CLIMBED THIS ROCK FACE

TO PROVE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.

THAT'S WHY I'M PUTTING ON A HARNESS, ROPES,

AND ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.

I CAN'T FIND FOOTING.

I CAN'T FIND FEET. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

THEY'RE ALL SO BRITTLE, AND THE ALTITUDE IS NOT HELPING.

THERE'S NOTHING I CAN HOLD TO.

ALE, LOOSE. I CAN'T FIND THE WAY UP.

♪♪

WHOA!

[BLEEP]

RAMY?

♪♪

Romany: BEFORE I TUCK INTO THE MOUNTAINS,

THERE'S ONE LAST THING I NEED TO DO.

[ SPEAKING SPANISH ]

ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT THE INCANS

THAT LIVED AROUND HERE IS THEIR DIET.

MMM. MUCHA GRACIAS.

THIS IS A HAUGHTY, SAVORY STEW WITH LOTS OF CARBS.

IT'S LIKE EATING MASHED POTATOES WITH GRAVY, PLUS CORN AND BEANS.

ABOUT TO BREAK MY DIET RIGHT NOW.

AS IF I HAD ONE.

CARBOHYDRATES PREVENT MUSCLE FROM BEING USED AS ENERGY

AND REQUIRE LESS OXYGEN FOR METABOLISM,

WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT UP THERE,

WHERE THERE'S MUCH LESS OXYGEN.

I'M ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT GETS ALTITUDE SICKNESS AT SEA LEVEL,

SO, HOPEFULLY, THIS WORKS FOR ME.

♪♪

Romany: I CAN'T FIND FEET. THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

THEY'RE ALL SO BRITTLE, AND THE ALTITUDE IS NOT HELPING.

WE ARE 13,000 FEET IN THE ARGENTINEAN ANDES,

FOLLOWING THE ANCIENT INCAN CEQUE LINES

TO THE TOP OF THIS SUMMIT.

I'M LOOKING TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE ANCIENT INCAS

ALSO USED THESE CEQUE LINES AS A GUIDE TO DETERMINE

WHERE THESE RITUAL SACRIFICES WOULD TAKE PLACE.

THE ONLY WAY TO PROVE THAT IS TO FIND A SACRED BURIAL SITE HERE.

THERE'S NOTHING I CAN HOLD TO.

ALE, LOOSE.

I CAN'T FIND THE WAY UP.

WHOA!

[BLEEP]

RAMY?

♪♪

NOPE. THAT'S NOT BETTER.

♪♪

[ GRUNTING ]

♪♪

[ HEAVY BREATHING ]

THERE WAS A MOMENT I THOUGHT, "I'M GONNA DIE."

ROCKS STARTED FALLING DOWN.

THIS MOUNTAIN IS BRITTLE.

Martinez: IT IS.

IT'S NOT SAFE FOR CLIMBING.

IT'S NOT SAFE. THE ROCKS ARE SOFT.

MM-HMM.

LET'S GO.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST GRUELING CLIMB IN MY CAREER.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN HIGH ALTITUDE BEFORE,

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LOW OXYGEN MEANS.

EVERYTHING MY BODY IS TELLING ME IS TO GO BACK DOWN,

BUT MY BRAIN IS TELLING ME TO KEEP GOING.

LOOK AT THIS.

♪♪

DO YOU SEE THIS? THIS IS DEFINITELY...MANMADE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT FELL APART.

♪♪

IT'S HANDMADE, AND IT'S THE SAME ROCK STRUCTURE

THAT THE INCAS USED.

THIS IS DEFINITELY INCAN.

THE VOLCANIC ROCKS AND HOW IT ALL BUILDS LIKE A PUZZLE --

ALL OF THE INCA WALLS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THAT,

LIKE A PUZZLE COMING TOGETHER IN PIECES.

THIS IS IT.

COMPARING THE REMAINS OF THIS STRUCTURE WITH THE BURIAL TOMBS

ON LLULLAILLACO, THE SIMILARITIES ARE STRIKING.

THE STONES ARE ALL HAND-PLACED.

THERE'S NO MOTOR USED, AND THE SHAPE IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE'RE STANDING IN THE SAME SPOT

WHERE ANCIENT INCAS CONDUCTED SACRED HUMAN SACRIFICES

HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS?

UH, I'VE BEEN HIKING AROUND THESE MOUNTAINS FOR YEARS,

AND I NEVER SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THEY ARE REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD'VE WALKED 1,200 MILES,

CLIMBED 22,000 FEET TO A MOUNTAIN PEAK

THAT BRINGS THEM AS CLOSE AS THEY CAN TO THEIR GODS.

AND THAT EXPLAINS THE EXTENSION OF THE CEQUE LINES.

THE EXTENSION OF THE POWER OF THE INCAS.

FINDING THIS RITUAL SITE, FOR ME, IS EVIDENCE

THAT THE INCAS REALLY WERE FOLLOWING THE CEQUE LINES

TO THIS REGION TO SACRIFICE THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY WERE DRINKING CORN ALCOHOL, CHEWING COCA LEAVES.

THEY MIGHT EVEN HAVE EXPERIENCED ALTITUDE-INDUCED HALLUCINATIONS

THAT CONVINCED THEM THEY WERE LITERALLY IN THE PRESENCE

OF ANOTHER BEING.

ALL THESE FACTORS LIKELY ENHANCED THEIR BELIEF

THAT THEY WERE CARRYING OUT VIRACOCHA'S WISHES.

LET'S GO.

♪♪

I TRACED ONE CEQUE LINE TO THE MUMMIES DISCOVERED

ON MOUNT LLULLAILLACO.

I'VE NOW FOLLOWED ANOTHER CEQUE LINE AND FOUND THIS RITUAL SITE.

IF THIS PATTERN CONTINUES, THERE CAN BE AS MANY

AS 39 MORE SITES ALONG THESE CEQUE LINES

THROUGHOUT THE INCAN EMPIRE.

THIS COULD MEAN MORE THAN 100 MUMMIES OUT THERE

WAITING TO BE FOUND, WAITING TO REVEAL THEIR SECRETS,

WAITING TO TEACH US EVEN MORE

ABOUT THE INCAS' MYSTICAL RITUALS.