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Massive
structures that are visible from space.
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A vast kingdom
built in the clouds.
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00:00:08,927 --> 00:00:11,897
And sprawling stone cities
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00:00:12,013 --> 00:00:15,313
precisely aligned
with the stars.
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00:00:16,768 --> 00:00:21,138
Scattered across the
globe lie mysterious ruins
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00:00:21,273 --> 00:00:24,443
that are buried in
sand-swept deserts,
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00:00:24,609 --> 00:00:27,319
perched atop towering mountains
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and shrouded under the
cover of dense jungles.
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These ancient structures stand
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as ghostly landmarks
from the past,
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00:00:36,246 --> 00:00:38,876
their true history
seemingly erased
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00:00:38,999 --> 00:00:40,999
by the relentless march of time.
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00:00:42,252 --> 00:00:46,502
Can modern archaeology
unravel the enigma
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00:00:46,631 --> 00:00:50,381
of how and why these
wonders were built?
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00:00:51,344 --> 00:00:54,264
Well, that is what
we’ll try and find out.
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Titan II rockets
lift the Gemini IV
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spacecraft into orbit.
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Astronauts James McDivitt
and Edward White circle
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the Earth 62 times in four days,
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00:01:24,252 --> 00:01:27,462
famously achieving
the first-ever
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spacewalk by an American.
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As part of their mission,
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the astronauts take
hundreds of photos
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that offer an unprecedented
view of our planet.
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But one particular
picture attracts attention
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because it shows a
structure that looks like
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a massive eye
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sitting in the middle
of the Sahara desert.
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The astronauts spotted something
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00:01:57,869 --> 00:02:02,869
that looked like an enormous,
30-mile-wide circular shape,
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which had a center
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00:02:04,626 --> 00:02:08,756
surrounded by concentric
rings of stone and sand.
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And it looked just
like a giant eye
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from all the way up in space.
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Hence, it came to be known
as the Eye of the Sahara.
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More than 50
years after the Eye of the Sahara
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00:02:21,643 --> 00:02:25,143
was revealed to the world, it
remains a fascinating enigma,
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and a striking sight to behold.
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Locals call it the
"Qalb ar-Risat"
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or the "Richat Structure,"
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and this unique formation
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has raised more
questions than answers.
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The Richat
Structure is located off the coast
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of northwest Africa in the
middle of the Sahara Desert.
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This formation is considered
to be a geological feature
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that is volcanic in nature.
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However, there is still
scientific mystery to it.
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For example, what’s
so wild about this site
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00:02:57,220 --> 00:02:59,970
is its spectacular fashion
of concentric circles
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00:03:00,098 --> 00:03:01,898
which are total anomalies.
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00:03:02,016 --> 00:03:05,316
The Richat Structure
is truly one of a kind
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00:03:05,437 --> 00:03:08,147
in that we don’t see anything
like it anywhere else on Earth.
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00:03:09,232 --> 00:03:12,322
While the Eye of the
Sahara continues to puzzle experts,
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00:03:12,485 --> 00:03:15,075
in recent years, a
remarkable new theory
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00:03:15,196 --> 00:03:18,206
about this mysterious
structure has been presented.
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00:03:18,366 --> 00:03:22,786
It’s believed that this location
could have once been the site
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00:03:22,912 --> 00:03:27,252
of a fabled island kingdom
that has never been found:
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the legendary
Lost City of Atlantis.
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The story of Atlantis
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00:03:33,548 --> 00:03:38,018
comes down to us from
the Greek philosopher Plato.
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00:03:39,304 --> 00:03:43,264
Plato describes
Atlantis as a huge island,
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and he says that on this island
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00:03:47,020 --> 00:03:50,400
was this incredibly
advanced civilization.
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Atlantis had been founded
by the gods themself.
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By Atlas, and
before that, Poseidon.
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00:03:57,614 --> 00:04:02,324
And it was ruled over by the
descendants of these gods.
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00:04:03,369 --> 00:04:06,119
Atlantis
is a compelling mystery to us
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00:04:06,289 --> 00:04:08,709
because it’s been a part
of our western society
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00:04:08,833 --> 00:04:12,673
for a long, long time and
yet we’ve never found it.
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00:04:12,796 --> 00:04:14,676
Now, recently, it’s
been suggested that
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00:04:14,798 --> 00:04:17,518
the Richat Structure, also
known as the Eye of the Sahara,
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00:04:17,634 --> 00:04:19,014
might be a contender for this.
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00:04:19,135 --> 00:04:20,725
Not many people normally
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00:04:20,887 --> 00:04:22,647
locate Atlantis in the Sahara.
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00:04:22,806 --> 00:04:25,316
Um, but that’s not as
far-fetched as it might sound.
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00:04:26,309 --> 00:04:27,522
When you think
of the Saraha now,
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you think of just vast sand,
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00:04:29,270 --> 00:04:31,850
but it used to be a very
lush, green environment.
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With recent scientific studies,
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00:04:34,192 --> 00:04:36,232
we now know that
the Sahara Desert was
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00:04:36,361 --> 00:04:39,781
a tropical paradise up
until 5,000 years ago.
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00:04:39,864 --> 00:04:42,074
It had some of
the largest network
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of rivers ever known to exist.
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00:04:44,452 --> 00:04:47,042
It had the largest freshwater
lake ever known to exist,
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which is Mega Lake Chad.
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00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,000
There is evidence of sea life.
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00:04:51,167 --> 00:04:54,887
Mollusks have been found in
and around the Richat Structure.
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00:04:55,046 --> 00:04:57,466
There are massive salt deposits,
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00:04:57,590 --> 00:05:00,050
which is evidence that
the ocean had once settled
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00:05:00,176 --> 00:05:01,806
and later evaporated there.
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00:05:01,970 --> 00:05:04,930
So the Sahara Desert,
as we see it today,
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00:05:05,056 --> 00:05:06,686
and the area around
the Richat Structure
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00:05:06,850 --> 00:05:09,390
is simply not what it
was in prehistoric times.
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00:05:10,562 --> 00:05:13,142
Even if the Eye of the
Sahara was surrounded by water
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00:05:13,273 --> 00:05:16,863
in the ancient past, there
are numerous locations
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00:05:16,985 --> 00:05:19,985
that have been proposed
as the site of Atlantis.
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00:05:20,113 --> 00:05:23,823
So what makes this place
such a compelling candidate?
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00:05:23,950 --> 00:05:26,820
Many believe a clue can be found
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00:05:26,953 --> 00:05:30,583
in Plato’s writings
about Atlantis.
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00:05:30,665 --> 00:05:33,795
According to Plato, Atlantis was
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00:05:33,918 --> 00:05:36,208
technologically advanced,
it was well fortified.
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And it was a series
of concentric rings,
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00:05:39,382 --> 00:05:43,222
sort of a super
island, a super state.
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00:05:43,344 --> 00:05:46,594
Atlantis was said to be
made up of concentric circles,
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00:05:46,723 --> 00:05:48,973
which matches what you see
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00:05:49,100 --> 00:05:51,810
at the Eye of the
Sahara precisely.
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00:05:51,936 --> 00:05:55,656
This truly unique resemblance
of concentric circles
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00:05:55,773 --> 00:05:58,823
is a massive similarity
that can’t be ignored.
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00:05:58,943 --> 00:06:01,823
In addition to concentric rings,
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00:06:01,905 --> 00:06:05,245
researchers have found many
more striking similarities between
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00:06:05,408 --> 00:06:10,028
the Eye of the Sahara and
Plato’s description of Atlantis.
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00:06:11,372 --> 00:06:14,462
Atlantis was said to
have an opening to the sea at the south.
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00:06:14,584 --> 00:06:16,924
Which is also what you
see at the Richat Structure.
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00:06:18,129 --> 00:06:20,379
Anyone that looks at
it from satellite imagery
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00:06:20,465 --> 00:06:21,755
can see clear evidence
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00:06:21,883 --> 00:06:24,593
that there is an
opening at the south.
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And not only that,
evidence of a drainage,
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00:06:28,014 --> 00:06:30,054
that water had
flowed right through it.
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00:06:30,183 --> 00:06:31,973
But the similarities
don’t end there.
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00:06:32,101 --> 00:06:34,021
Atlantis was said to
be made up of red,
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00:06:34,145 --> 00:06:35,485
black and white color stone,
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00:06:35,647 --> 00:06:38,027
which is another
precise similarity
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00:06:38,107 --> 00:06:40,317
you see at the Richat Structure.
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00:06:41,319 --> 00:06:43,779
Atlantis was said to have
mountains to the north.
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00:06:43,905 --> 00:06:46,205
And it just so happens
that there is a massive
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00:06:46,366 --> 00:06:48,416
mountain chain to the
north of the Richat Structure
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00:06:48,534 --> 00:06:51,084
called the Atlas Mountains.
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00:06:51,245 --> 00:06:53,335
Which just so happens to
share the same exact name
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00:06:53,456 --> 00:06:55,626
of the very first
king of Atlantis.
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00:06:55,750 --> 00:06:56,750
Atlas.
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00:06:56,834 --> 00:06:59,384
The sheer number
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00:06:59,504 --> 00:07:02,754
of similarities between
Plato’s description
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00:07:02,882 --> 00:07:05,382
and the Eye is compelling.
134
00:07:05,468 --> 00:07:07,968
But some believe that
even more evidence lies
135
00:07:08,096 --> 00:07:10,606
not just in Greek texts
136
00:07:10,723 --> 00:07:15,103
but also in a curious
map from Ancient Rome.
137
00:07:15,186 --> 00:07:19,196
This map was created by the
Romans’ very first geographer,
138
00:07:19,315 --> 00:07:21,025
whose name was Pomponius Mela.
139
00:07:21,150 --> 00:07:24,820
And what’s so interesting is
that on Pomponius Mela’s map,
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00:07:24,904 --> 00:07:27,244
in northwest Africa,
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00:07:27,407 --> 00:07:31,167
it annotates Atlantis
precisely in the same location
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00:07:31,327 --> 00:07:33,457
that you would find
the Richat Structure.
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00:07:33,579 --> 00:07:35,329
And so the more
that we research,
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00:07:35,456 --> 00:07:37,056
the more information
that comes to light,
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00:07:37,166 --> 00:07:39,756
it suggests that the Eye
of the Sahara is indeed
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00:07:39,877 --> 00:07:41,717
the long-lost
location for Atlantis.
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00:07:42,714 --> 00:07:44,554
But if the Eye
of the Sahara was really
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the site of Atlantis,
then it begs the question
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00:07:48,302 --> 00:07:51,512
what happened to
the ruins of the city?
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00:07:51,639 --> 00:07:53,599
Because no remnants
of ancient buildings
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00:07:53,766 --> 00:07:56,066
have ever been
found at this location.
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00:07:56,144 --> 00:07:59,644
Some believe the answer
may lie in Plato’s account
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of the fall of Atlantis.
154
00:08:02,859 --> 00:08:08,109
Plato describes this
amazing, sophisticated city.
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00:08:08,239 --> 00:08:12,109
And yet the more they
acquired, they were not satisfied.
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00:08:12,243 --> 00:08:14,283
They kept reaching,
kept reaching,
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00:08:14,412 --> 00:08:15,872
until, according to Plato,
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00:08:15,997 --> 00:08:18,797
they incurred the
wrath of the gods.
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The god Zeus decided
that he would destroy Atlantis
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in one night and a day
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through earthquakes and floods.
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And Atlantis then
sank beneath the waves
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somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.
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00:08:39,645 --> 00:08:42,525
What’s interesting is
that the Eye of the Sahara
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is approximately 250 miles
inland off the Atlantic Coast.
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And what’s so fascinating
is that when you look at it
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00:08:48,529 --> 00:08:50,399
from space, you can
see clear evidence
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00:08:50,531 --> 00:08:52,911
of catastrophic water erosion,
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00:08:53,034 --> 00:08:55,624
these massive striations
that anyone can see.
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00:08:55,745 --> 00:08:58,955
This shows that a force of
water that goes far beyond
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anything we ever
thought was possible
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00:09:00,917 --> 00:09:03,257
bulldozed right over
the Eye of the Sahara,
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00:09:03,377 --> 00:09:05,177
going from east to west
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00:09:05,296 --> 00:09:07,136
to the Atlantic Ocean,
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which matches that
Atlantis was said
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00:09:09,092 --> 00:09:12,052
to have been destroyed in
a cataclysmic water event.
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So, if the ruins of
Atlantis were to be found,
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it’s going to be off
the Atlantic coast.
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00:09:18,351 --> 00:09:21,851
If Atlantis was a real thing, if
we perhaps discover it someday...
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00:09:21,979 --> 00:09:24,809
Which we may, of course...
We could learn a lot from that.
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00:09:24,941 --> 00:09:28,521
It would change our,
knowledge about the past.
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The story of Atlantis,
this Sahara civilization,
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00:09:32,323 --> 00:09:36,783
could be almost an origin
story for human civilization.
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00:09:36,911 --> 00:09:38,621
Certainly in that
part of the world.
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00:09:39,664 --> 00:09:43,044
The striking aerial
view of the Eye of the Sahara
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continues to evoke Plato’s
description of the fabled city,
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and inspires
further investigation.
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00:09:50,341 --> 00:09:53,511
But in Southern Peru,
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00:09:53,636 --> 00:09:55,516
there’s another
mysterious structure
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00:09:55,638 --> 00:09:59,218
that can only be properly
appreciated from the sky,
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00:09:59,350 --> 00:10:01,680
because it was built
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00:10:01,811 --> 00:10:05,731
nearly 8,000 feet
above sea level.
193
00:10:13,489 --> 00:10:16,659
Perched
precariously on a mountaintop
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00:10:16,784 --> 00:10:19,334
nearly 8,000 feet
above sea level
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00:10:19,453 --> 00:10:22,043
lies an ancient
city that looks like
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00:10:22,206 --> 00:10:23,836
it’s floating in the clouds.
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00:10:23,958 --> 00:10:26,968
Built around 1450 AD,
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00:10:27,044 --> 00:10:29,174
this curious engineering marvel
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00:10:29,297 --> 00:10:31,557
stands as the
crowning achievement
200
00:10:31,716 --> 00:10:33,386
of the Inca Empire,
201
00:10:33,467 --> 00:10:37,187
and is known as Machu Picchu.
202
00:10:38,723 --> 00:10:41,223
Machu Picchu is a
technological marvel.
203
00:10:41,350 --> 00:10:43,970
For one thing, it’s a
fairly good-sized city,
204
00:10:44,061 --> 00:10:47,231
and it was built at an
incredibly high elevation.
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00:10:48,316 --> 00:10:49,906
And it’s sculpted
into the mountains.
206
00:10:50,067 --> 00:10:52,237
It takes a bit of time
to even get up there.
207
00:10:52,361 --> 00:10:54,741
The moment
you walk in, you think to yourself,
208
00:10:54,906 --> 00:10:57,826
"How did anyone build this
209
00:10:57,909 --> 00:11:00,829
on top of sheer cliffs?"
210
00:11:00,912 --> 00:11:03,582
It’s a perilous journey.
211
00:11:03,706 --> 00:11:06,416
The mountainside is
straight up and down.
212
00:11:06,584 --> 00:11:10,004
And so, after climbing
up to this huge height,
213
00:11:10,171 --> 00:11:12,591
you see that the
buildings themselves
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00:11:12,757 --> 00:11:15,427
seem to blend
into the landscape.
215
00:11:15,593 --> 00:11:19,593
As an archaeologist
who has worked on sites
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00:11:19,722 --> 00:11:21,932
around the world
and seen incredible
217
00:11:22,099 --> 00:11:23,599
engineering achievements,
218
00:11:23,768 --> 00:11:26,438
Machu Picchu kind
of blows it all away.
219
00:11:27,521 --> 00:11:30,731
We’re talking massive,
multi-ton stones
220
00:11:30,858 --> 00:11:33,268
shaped and moved into place
221
00:11:33,444 --> 00:11:35,784
and they fit together perfectly.
222
00:11:35,905 --> 00:11:40,115
And this mountain site
somehow was transformed
223
00:11:40,243 --> 00:11:43,243
into an enduring city
224
00:11:43,412 --> 00:11:47,122
and survives 500 years later in
225
00:11:47,291 --> 00:11:49,461
absolutely perfect condition.
226
00:11:49,627 --> 00:11:53,467
Perhaps the
greatest mystery of Machu Picchu
227
00:11:53,589 --> 00:11:56,879
is why did the
ancient Incas choose
228
00:11:57,051 --> 00:11:59,051
to build a sprawling city
229
00:11:59,136 --> 00:12:03,306
in such an inaccessible
mountain location?
230
00:12:03,432 --> 00:12:07,312
The Incas had an
incredibly sophisticated culture.
231
00:12:07,436 --> 00:12:10,486
We know that in the Inca
Empire, when a building was built,
232
00:12:10,606 --> 00:12:13,776
it had to be made strong
in the spiritual world
233
00:12:13,901 --> 00:12:16,151
as well as in the
physical world.
234
00:12:17,405 --> 00:12:21,495
As you walk through, you
can see how the Inca artists
235
00:12:21,617 --> 00:12:24,247
echoed the shapes
of all the mountains
236
00:12:24,412 --> 00:12:26,662
in the construction
of Machu Picchu,
237
00:12:26,789 --> 00:12:29,119
in honor of the
mountain gods around it.
238
00:12:29,292 --> 00:12:31,332
On the other hand,
just saying that
239
00:12:31,502 --> 00:12:33,502
only tells us a little bit.
240
00:12:33,629 --> 00:12:35,629
There is still a huge
amount of mystery
241
00:12:35,756 --> 00:12:37,466
about what Machu Picchu was for.
242
00:12:38,467 --> 00:12:41,477
Some believe that Machu
Picchu’s true purpose may be connected
243
00:12:41,595 --> 00:12:44,265
to the great ruler who
ordered its construction,
244
00:12:44,348 --> 00:12:46,848
Emperor Pachacuti.
245
00:12:46,976 --> 00:12:51,316
Machu Picchu was built
by the Emperor Pachacuti,
246
00:12:51,439 --> 00:12:54,019
who’s known as
really the founder
247
00:12:54,108 --> 00:12:57,328
of the imperial phase
of the Inca state.
248
00:12:57,445 --> 00:13:00,495
One thing to remember
is that in the Inca Empire,
249
00:13:00,614 --> 00:13:02,664
the emperors con...
Were considered divine.
250
00:13:02,783 --> 00:13:04,453
They were considered like gods.
251
00:13:05,536 --> 00:13:09,206
And when an emperor died,
his body was mummified.
252
00:13:09,373 --> 00:13:12,463
And it was treated
as if he was still alive,
253
00:13:12,543 --> 00:13:15,543
so that their worship
could continue.
254
00:13:16,630 --> 00:13:19,210
And so after Pachacuti’s death,
255
00:13:19,383 --> 00:13:22,803
his family would still go
and use Machu Picchu.
256
00:13:22,970 --> 00:13:25,300
And we believe that
when they did so,
257
00:13:25,389 --> 00:13:29,009
they brought the mummified
body of the emperor with them.
258
00:13:30,227 --> 00:13:33,527
Did Emperor
Pachacuti build Machu Picchu
259
00:13:33,689 --> 00:13:35,729
to be a sacred site
in the mountains,
260
00:13:35,900 --> 00:13:38,820
where his mummy
could rest for all eternity?
261
00:13:38,903 --> 00:13:41,493
It seems like a
reasonable theory,
262
00:13:41,572 --> 00:13:43,902
but there’s just one problem.
263
00:13:44,075 --> 00:13:48,205
Pachacuti’s remains
have never been found.
264
00:13:49,413 --> 00:13:51,833
However, in recent years,
265
00:13:51,916 --> 00:13:54,756
some have suggested
that the emperor’s mummy
266
00:13:54,877 --> 00:13:58,097
may be hidden in
a secret chamber
267
00:13:58,214 --> 00:14:00,254
at Machu Picchu.
268
00:14:02,093 --> 00:14:05,093
In 2010, a French
engineer by the name
269
00:14:05,221 --> 00:14:07,011
of David Crespy
270
00:14:07,098 --> 00:14:10,018
was doing some measuring work
271
00:14:10,101 --> 00:14:13,061
within the city of Machu Picchu.
272
00:14:14,063 --> 00:14:17,063
And he noticed
what was quite clearly
273
00:14:17,108 --> 00:14:19,578
a doorway, blocked up by stones.
274
00:14:19,693 --> 00:14:22,283
And it clearly was
blocking the entrance
275
00:14:22,446 --> 00:14:24,746
into some kind of chamber.
276
00:14:25,699 --> 00:14:28,779
He reported it immediately
to the authorities
277
00:14:28,953 --> 00:14:32,373
and people have suggested
that this might well be
278
00:14:32,456 --> 00:14:34,626
the entrance into
some kind of tomb.
279
00:14:34,792 --> 00:14:38,792
We could be looking
at a royal burial.
280
00:14:38,963 --> 00:14:42,763
So is it the tomb of Pachacuti?
281
00:14:44,218 --> 00:14:46,938
Now, they did more
tests and more scans,
282
00:14:47,054 --> 00:14:49,764
and they found what
appeared to be gold-lined steps
283
00:14:49,932 --> 00:14:52,472
going down into this area.
284
00:14:53,477 --> 00:14:55,777
They wanted to push
forward and excavate this,
285
00:14:55,896 --> 00:14:58,106
because this would have
been, without a doubt,
286
00:14:58,232 --> 00:15:01,152
the most important discovery
ever found at Machu Picchu.
287
00:15:01,277 --> 00:15:03,237
But then, apparently,
288
00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:05,201
the Peruvian government
have kind of put a block on it
289
00:15:05,281 --> 00:15:07,451
and stopped the
progression of this.
290
00:15:07,575 --> 00:15:10,165
Because they were
concerned if it was dug into,
291
00:15:10,286 --> 00:15:11,496
it may collapse.
292
00:15:11,662 --> 00:15:14,502
Are Pachacuti’s
mummified remains,
293
00:15:14,665 --> 00:15:17,465
and with them, the
secrets of Machu Picchu,
294
00:15:17,585 --> 00:15:19,175
concealed in this chamber?
295
00:15:19,295 --> 00:15:22,675
For now, the answers
may lie behind a stone wall.
296
00:15:24,842 --> 00:15:26,512
But perhaps there’s another way
297
00:15:26,677 --> 00:15:29,437
to solve the mysteries
of Machu Picchu.
298
00:15:29,513 --> 00:15:33,683
Although the Inca did not
leave behind any written records,
299
00:15:33,851 --> 00:15:36,021
they did encode information
300
00:15:36,187 --> 00:15:41,027
in strange threads that
are known as quipus.
301
00:15:41,108 --> 00:15:45,148
Quipus are twisted
cords that redefine what writing is,
302
00:15:45,279 --> 00:15:48,779
because some of them
are incredibly complex
303
00:15:48,866 --> 00:15:51,996
with hundreds of
pendants, dozens of colors,
304
00:15:52,119 --> 00:15:54,829
and they have knots
that represented words,
305
00:15:54,955 --> 00:15:58,545
and they were read
syllable by syllable.
306
00:15:58,667 --> 00:16:00,717
If you’re in an
empire, like the Incas,
307
00:16:00,836 --> 00:16:04,386
where people spoke many,
many, many different languages,
308
00:16:04,507 --> 00:16:08,137
if you have a writing system
or a communication system
309
00:16:08,219 --> 00:16:13,889
that is not tied to speech,
but uses symbols, uses ideas,
310
00:16:14,058 --> 00:16:16,688
then people who speak
different languages
311
00:16:16,852 --> 00:16:19,352
can come together and
understand those records.
312
00:16:20,397 --> 00:16:22,357
Now, what’s really mysterious
313
00:16:22,483 --> 00:16:25,153
is that there were
narrative quipus.
314
00:16:25,236 --> 00:16:29,246
And, supposedly, these
narrative quipus had biographies.
315
00:16:29,365 --> 00:16:32,165
They had poems.
They had histories.
316
00:16:32,243 --> 00:16:33,823
They served as letters.
317
00:16:33,911 --> 00:16:35,741
The Incas would have used quipus
318
00:16:35,871 --> 00:16:37,701
during the construction
of Machu Picchu.
319
00:16:37,831 --> 00:16:39,911
If we could decipher them,
320
00:16:40,042 --> 00:16:43,422
quipus could give us insights
into that whole process.
321
00:16:43,546 --> 00:16:46,926
That could really unlock the
mysteries of the Incas for us.
322
00:16:48,884 --> 00:16:53,934
Could untangling messages
encoded in intricate rope knots
323
00:16:54,098 --> 00:16:57,398
reveal the true purpose
of Machu Picchu?
324
00:16:57,518 --> 00:16:59,108
For now, the quest for answers
325
00:16:59,228 --> 00:17:01,898
about this mountain
kingdom continues.
326
00:17:03,023 --> 00:17:05,363
But there’s a Native
American structure
327
00:17:05,442 --> 00:17:07,612
that stands in New Mexico
328
00:17:07,736 --> 00:17:11,246
which experts believe
may be even more baffling.
329
00:17:11,365 --> 00:17:13,455
Because its secrets
330
00:17:13,576 --> 00:17:17,416
were written in the stars.
331
00:17:20,958 --> 00:17:24,588
In the stifling
deserts of northwest New Mexico
332
00:17:24,712 --> 00:17:30,012
lies a ten-mile-long rugged
expanse called Chaco Canyon.
333
00:17:30,134 --> 00:17:33,134
The landscape
consists of high mesas,
334
00:17:33,262 --> 00:17:36,642
sandstone cliffs
and arid flatlands,
335
00:17:36,765 --> 00:17:39,975
giving the impression
that humans would never
336
00:17:40,102 --> 00:17:42,522
inhabit this remote area.
337
00:17:42,688 --> 00:17:47,028
Which is why it’s so
surprising that within this desert
338
00:17:47,151 --> 00:17:51,941
lie the ruins of what was once
an ancient Native American city
339
00:17:52,072 --> 00:17:56,412
that was centered in the
heart of Chaco Canyon.
340
00:17:58,954 --> 00:18:02,504
Chaco Canyon is
considered a marvel
341
00:18:02,625 --> 00:18:03,665
of engineering
342
00:18:03,792 --> 00:18:05,172
because it’s a desert landscape.
343
00:18:05,294 --> 00:18:09,214
It’s a pretty,
secluded location.
344
00:18:09,340 --> 00:18:12,630
Materials had to come
from a long way off.
345
00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,590
We really don’t know why
they decided to build there.
346
00:18:16,597 --> 00:18:20,267
The time period for the
occupation of Chaco Canyon
347
00:18:20,351 --> 00:18:22,931
starts around 500 AD.
348
00:18:23,062 --> 00:18:25,392
And it goes all the way up to...
349
00:18:25,522 --> 00:18:28,152
we’re told, 1070 AD,
350
00:18:28,275 --> 00:18:32,575
and Chaco Canyon is
one of the largest structures
351
00:18:32,696 --> 00:18:36,166
of the ancient people
that were put on the planet.
352
00:18:36,283 --> 00:18:38,663
The builders of Chaco Canyon
353
00:18:38,786 --> 00:18:41,086
were the Ancestral Puebloans,
354
00:18:41,205 --> 00:18:44,085
a prehistoric Native
American group
355
00:18:44,249 --> 00:18:48,129
centered around the
southwestern United States.
356
00:18:48,253 --> 00:18:50,673
Unlike many of their
Native American neighbors,
357
00:18:50,798 --> 00:18:53,848
who maintained a
traditional, nomadic lifestyle,
358
00:18:54,009 --> 00:18:57,509
the Pueblo people built
359
00:18:57,638 --> 00:19:01,978
an astonishing,
quasi-urban settlement
360
00:19:02,101 --> 00:19:04,391
centered around Chaco Canyon
361
00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,310
in a set of 75 or more sites
362
00:19:07,439 --> 00:19:11,019
housing up to 5,000 people.
363
00:19:11,110 --> 00:19:13,650
So why choose
364
00:19:13,779 --> 00:19:15,899
this location so specifically?
365
00:19:16,907 --> 00:19:19,827
It’s hard to imagine
why the Ancient Puebloans
366
00:19:19,910 --> 00:19:23,950
decided to build a grand
city in the middle of the desert.
367
00:19:24,957 --> 00:19:27,507
But some believe that
a clue lies in the fact
368
00:19:27,626 --> 00:19:30,136
that the structures
in Chaco Canyon
369
00:19:30,254 --> 00:19:34,094
were painstakingly
and perfectly oriented
370
00:19:34,216 --> 00:19:36,806
with the cosmos.
371
00:19:36,969 --> 00:19:39,969
The celestial alignments
at Chaco Canyon
372
00:19:40,097 --> 00:19:41,857
are absolutely amazing.
373
00:19:41,974 --> 00:19:45,024
These guys built structures
374
00:19:45,144 --> 00:19:48,024
aligned with the stars.
375
00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:51,650
With the Sun and the Moon.
376
00:19:51,775 --> 00:19:54,575
And we don’t
understand a lot of it.
377
00:19:54,695 --> 00:19:57,905
But that tells me that there was
378
00:19:57,990 --> 00:20:01,660
a very religious significance
to these structures.
379
00:20:02,745 --> 00:20:05,125
Was Chaco
Canyon built in a harsh desert
380
00:20:05,289 --> 00:20:08,829
for spiritual, instead
of pragmatic, reasons?
381
00:20:08,959 --> 00:20:11,419
It’s a fascinating theory,
382
00:20:11,545 --> 00:20:14,635
but perhaps the bigger
mystery of this ancient city
383
00:20:14,757 --> 00:20:18,347
is not why it was
built but rather...
384
00:20:18,427 --> 00:20:20,517
why it was abandoned.
385
00:20:20,637 --> 00:20:22,937
Because in the 12th century AD,
386
00:20:23,056 --> 00:20:27,726
the people of Chaco
Canyon just disappeared.
387
00:20:29,563 --> 00:20:32,273
This whole area
of the Ancestral Pueblo groups
388
00:20:32,399 --> 00:20:34,939
had grown into these
great big structures,
389
00:20:35,027 --> 00:20:38,747
and yet, suddenly,
they are all abandoned.
390
00:20:38,864 --> 00:20:40,704
And this happened
very, very quickly.
391
00:20:40,824 --> 00:20:42,244
A big question is why?
392
00:20:42,409 --> 00:20:44,989
We don’t know,
but whatever it was,
393
00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:47,740
it was dramatic,
it was drastic...
394
00:20:47,873 --> 00:20:49,873
In some cases, almost overnight.
395
00:20:50,876 --> 00:20:53,506
People sort of leaving
meals and getting out.
396
00:20:53,587 --> 00:20:56,887
And so we know that the
great city-state was abandoned,
397
00:20:57,049 --> 00:20:59,629
but what we do not have
is sort of a written record
398
00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,010
of what these people
were thinking or believing.
399
00:21:03,013 --> 00:21:06,263
What happened to
the inhabitants of Chaco Canyon?
400
00:21:06,350 --> 00:21:10,020
Well, we know they left behind
some incredible monuments,
401
00:21:10,145 --> 00:21:13,525
but what we also know
is that this same area
402
00:21:13,690 --> 00:21:16,980
is absolutely steeped in
paranormal phenomena.
403
00:21:18,028 --> 00:21:20,778
Mysterious lights
have been seen there.
404
00:21:20,906 --> 00:21:25,246
Other types of electromagnetic
energy have been reported.
405
00:21:25,410 --> 00:21:28,660
And is it possible, therefore,
406
00:21:28,747 --> 00:21:31,087
that these energies
are something
407
00:21:31,250 --> 00:21:34,620
that the Chaco Canyon
people actually experienced?
408
00:21:34,753 --> 00:21:37,463
Was the
abandonment of Chaco Canyon
409
00:21:37,548 --> 00:21:40,558
somehow connected to
paranormal phenomena?
410
00:21:40,676 --> 00:21:42,596
It may sound farfetched to some.
411
00:21:42,719 --> 00:21:44,549
But according to former
412
00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,300
U.S. Special Operations
Officer David Morehouse,
413
00:21:47,432 --> 00:21:51,392
the government actually
studied bizarre anomalies
414
00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,100
in Chaco Canyon
during the 1980s.
415
00:21:55,190 --> 00:21:58,730
I was the only Special
Operations Combat Arms Officer
416
00:21:58,861 --> 00:22:02,611
ever assigned to a CIA, DIA,
417
00:22:02,739 --> 00:22:04,529
Director of Science
and Technology
418
00:22:04,658 --> 00:22:06,288
Special Access Program.
419
00:22:07,327 --> 00:22:09,877
It was code-named Sun Streak.
420
00:22:09,997 --> 00:22:14,507
The United States government
orchestrated the program in 1987
421
00:22:14,626 --> 00:22:17,756
to investigate the source
of anomalous phenomena
422
00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,300
which was ascending
and descending
423
00:22:20,424 --> 00:22:22,384
over the Chaco Canyon area.
424
00:22:22,467 --> 00:22:26,727
So we decided to keep
a vigil over the night sky.
425
00:22:26,889 --> 00:22:31,099
And one night, at exactly
0100 in the morning,
426
00:22:31,226 --> 00:22:34,276
directly above Pueblo Alto,
427
00:22:34,396 --> 00:22:37,526
something was
happening in the night sky.
428
00:22:38,483 --> 00:22:43,153
It was like looking at the
translucent surface of water.
429
00:22:44,656 --> 00:22:48,246
But hanging in the
sky in an oval shape.
430
00:22:48,410 --> 00:22:52,370
It seemed to bend the
light of the stars behind it.
431
00:22:52,497 --> 00:22:55,297
And then, after a short time,
432
00:22:55,417 --> 00:22:58,967
approximately
18 to 20 minutes...
433
00:22:59,129 --> 00:23:01,459
it was just gone.
434
00:23:01,548 --> 00:23:03,708
Chattering amongst ourselves,
435
00:23:03,842 --> 00:23:05,762
about what we just witnessed,
436
00:23:05,928 --> 00:23:09,188
we described this as
opening and closing.
437
00:23:09,306 --> 00:23:11,306
And perhaps that is a jump
438
00:23:11,433 --> 00:23:13,853
well outside any
scientific reasoning.
439
00:23:13,977 --> 00:23:16,857
But it is simply how it
felt and looked to us.
440
00:23:16,980 --> 00:23:21,230
That doesn’t happen without
something unexplained
441
00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:22,980
facilitating the event.
442
00:23:23,111 --> 00:23:26,571
We called it a portal or a
vortex, that very night.
443
00:23:26,698 --> 00:23:30,278
Could there really
be a portal in Chaco Canyon,
444
00:23:30,452 --> 00:23:32,082
as David Morehouse claims?
445
00:23:33,205 --> 00:23:35,545
And if so, might
that explain why
446
00:23:35,666 --> 00:23:39,336
the inhabitants of this desert
city mysteriously vanished?
447
00:23:39,461 --> 00:23:42,671
Perhaps further clues
can be found by examining
448
00:23:42,798 --> 00:23:47,098
a curious rock carving
in Chaco Canyon.
449
00:23:48,095 --> 00:23:52,355
In Chaco Canyon,
there’s a place called Fajada Butte.
450
00:23:52,474 --> 00:23:55,724
The butte rises
almost like a monolith
451
00:23:55,852 --> 00:23:58,022
out of the desert landscape.
452
00:23:58,146 --> 00:24:00,236
And near the top of this butte
453
00:24:00,357 --> 00:24:03,027
is a petroglyph
454
00:24:03,110 --> 00:24:05,530
that’s carved into the rock.
455
00:24:05,654 --> 00:24:08,654
And this petroglyph’s
actually quite large.
456
00:24:08,782 --> 00:24:11,702
It’s a circular spiral.
457
00:24:11,827 --> 00:24:15,917
The spiral itself, actually,
is a sign of migration
458
00:24:16,039 --> 00:24:18,409
into a different dimension.
459
00:24:18,542 --> 00:24:20,672
So, we’re thinking
that that could be
460
00:24:20,794 --> 00:24:24,464
re-interpreted as,
a portal, also.
461
00:24:25,549 --> 00:24:28,129
It’s very possible
that the builders
462
00:24:28,260 --> 00:24:30,130
of Chaco Canyon
may have traveled
463
00:24:30,262 --> 00:24:33,012
through a portal to a
different dimension.
464
00:24:33,140 --> 00:24:35,760
Because they
disappeared mysteriously.
465
00:24:35,892 --> 00:24:39,482
There was
something unique about this place,
466
00:24:39,604 --> 00:24:43,444
and there had to be some sort
of an interaction with something.
467
00:24:43,608 --> 00:24:46,568
Enough to draw an entire
civilization of people there.
468
00:24:46,695 --> 00:24:51,785
Enough to cause these
people to draw spirals into rocks.
469
00:24:51,867 --> 00:24:56,417
Based on my observations,
my interpretation is that
470
00:24:56,538 --> 00:24:58,578
a portal exists in Chaco Canyon.
471
00:25:01,334 --> 00:25:05,924
Is there an inter-dimensional
portal at Chaco Canyon?
472
00:25:06,089 --> 00:25:09,169
To understand both the
site’s mysterious origins
473
00:25:09,301 --> 00:25:12,881
and strange
modern-day phenomena,
474
00:25:13,013 --> 00:25:16,563
we still need to dig
deeper for the truth.
475
00:25:17,559 --> 00:25:19,059
And the same could be said
476
00:25:19,186 --> 00:25:21,146
about a structure in
the jungles of Indonesia
477
00:25:21,229 --> 00:25:23,479
that looks like an
ordinary mountain peak,
478
00:25:23,648 --> 00:25:26,358
but is actually...
479
00:25:26,485 --> 00:25:29,195
the ruins of a giant pyramid.
480
00:25:34,743 --> 00:25:37,783
In the countryside
of this lush, tropical island
481
00:25:37,954 --> 00:25:40,584
located in the Indian Ocean,
482
00:25:40,707 --> 00:25:43,047
lies a mountain
that, from a distance,
483
00:25:43,126 --> 00:25:45,796
looks no different from
any other peak in the region.
484
00:25:45,962 --> 00:25:49,922
But close examination
of the mountaintop reveals
485
00:25:50,092 --> 00:25:53,472
a series of ancient
stone terraces
486
00:25:53,637 --> 00:25:58,147
that are littered with
thousands of megalithic blocks.
487
00:25:58,308 --> 00:26:00,638
This intriguing site
488
00:26:00,811 --> 00:26:03,981
is known as Gunung Padang.
489
00:26:06,149 --> 00:26:08,979
Gunung Padang has
all these remarkable
490
00:26:09,069 --> 00:26:11,609
kind of hexagonal basalt columns
491
00:26:11,738 --> 00:26:13,818
as part of the
entire construction.
492
00:26:13,949 --> 00:26:16,109
Hundreds of thousands
of them, in fact.
493
00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,159
Each of the stones,
they weigh up to about
494
00:26:19,287 --> 00:26:21,167
a third of a ton each.
495
00:26:21,331 --> 00:26:24,001
They make up the foundation,
and they’re also placed
496
00:26:24,167 --> 00:26:27,177
in certain
configurations at the top.
497
00:26:27,337 --> 00:26:31,007
There’s something very
powerful about this place.
498
00:26:31,174 --> 00:26:33,174
It was only really rediscovered
499
00:26:33,301 --> 00:26:36,511
by farmers over
the last few decades.
500
00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:38,760
It’s almost untouched.
501
00:26:38,932 --> 00:26:42,312
It’s like it hasn’t been known
about for thousands of years.
502
00:26:42,435 --> 00:26:45,355
It makes you wonder who
could have done this and when.
503
00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,770
The thousands of stone blocks
504
00:26:47,858 --> 00:26:52,038
strewn atop Gunung
Padang are a perplexing sight.
505
00:26:52,154 --> 00:26:55,034
It’s hard to imagine
what structure
506
00:26:55,198 --> 00:26:58,278
they could have been part of,
or what purpose they served.
507
00:26:58,451 --> 00:27:01,281
And the origin of
these curious ruins
508
00:27:01,454 --> 00:27:04,044
has long been
shrouded in mystery.
509
00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,330
But in 2013, archaeologists
excavating the mountain
510
00:27:09,462 --> 00:27:13,052
discovered that the truth
about this mysterious site
511
00:27:13,216 --> 00:27:17,346
is hidden beneath
layers of dirt and rubble.
512
00:27:18,972 --> 00:27:23,722
A team of experts
did drilling, they did radar surveys,
513
00:27:23,894 --> 00:27:27,064
and they did
radiocarbon testing.
514
00:27:27,189 --> 00:27:30,979
And what this revealed
is that beneath the site
515
00:27:31,067 --> 00:27:34,157
that is visible today,
which includes a number of
516
00:27:34,237 --> 00:27:37,037
incredible stone
settings and rock mounds,
517
00:27:37,157 --> 00:27:39,577
is something even
more incredible.
518
00:27:39,743 --> 00:27:42,703
We now know that this site
519
00:27:42,829 --> 00:27:46,249
does actually conceal beneath it
520
00:27:46,416 --> 00:27:48,586
a massive pyramid complex.
521
00:27:50,086 --> 00:27:53,386
Gunung Padang
is really like a step pyramid
522
00:27:53,506 --> 00:27:56,096
buried in stone and earth.
523
00:27:56,218 --> 00:27:59,768
The evidence suggests
this is extremely ancient
524
00:27:59,930 --> 00:28:02,600
and it’s a very,
very important place.
525
00:28:02,724 --> 00:28:05,854
The revelation that
Gunung Padang is actually
526
00:28:05,936 --> 00:28:10,236
the ruins of a massive pyramid
made headlines around the world.
527
00:28:11,233 --> 00:28:13,863
And in recent years,
further investigation
528
00:28:13,944 --> 00:28:17,784
of the site has been led
by geologist Danny Hilman.
529
00:28:17,906 --> 00:28:20,076
Danny and his team believe
530
00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,910
they have uncovered
evidence of a hidden chamber.
531
00:29:13,253 --> 00:29:15,343
The discovery
of numerous chambers
532
00:29:15,505 --> 00:29:16,675
buried underground
533
00:29:16,798 --> 00:29:19,958
has added to the mystery
of Gunung Padang.
534
00:29:20,135 --> 00:29:22,515
But the most significant
discovery so far
535
00:29:22,637 --> 00:29:25,517
is that this structure might be
536
00:29:25,682 --> 00:29:29,142
the oldest pyramid ever built.
537
00:29:47,287 --> 00:29:51,007
Ancient Egypt’s
Pyramid of Djoser has long been
538
00:29:51,124 --> 00:29:53,714
considered the
world’s oldest pyramid.
539
00:29:53,877 --> 00:29:56,887
But based on Danny
Hilman’s research,
540
00:29:57,047 --> 00:29:59,507
Gunung Padang’s buried pyramid
541
00:29:59,549 --> 00:30:05,129
could be 10,000 or
even 20,000 years older.
542
00:30:05,221 --> 00:30:10,061
If Gunung Padang is a
20,000-year-old pyramid,
543
00:30:10,226 --> 00:30:15,066
it would place an hitherto
undiscovered culture
544
00:30:15,190 --> 00:30:17,020
at the heart of Indonesia.
545
00:30:17,067 --> 00:30:20,077
And it would completely
disrupt our understanding
546
00:30:20,153 --> 00:30:23,073
of the evolution of human
technology around the world.
547
00:30:49,265 --> 00:30:53,185
If Gunung Padang was
really built 20,000 years ago,
548
00:30:53,269 --> 00:30:57,899
then our ancestors were far more
advanced than we commonly think.
549
00:30:58,024 --> 00:31:02,284
And further evidence of
surprising ancient technology
550
00:31:02,404 --> 00:31:05,284
can be found at a
mysterious temple complex
551
00:31:05,407 --> 00:31:08,367
in Bolivia called Puma Punku.
552
00:31:08,535 --> 00:31:11,785
The site contains stone blocks
553
00:31:11,955 --> 00:31:13,795
that were carved so precisely
554
00:31:13,873 --> 00:31:17,793
some believe they were
cut not by man but rather...
555
00:31:17,961 --> 00:31:25,961
by machine.
556
00:31:28,304 --> 00:31:32,144
Spanish explorer
Pedro Cieza de Leon leads
557
00:31:32,308 --> 00:31:35,978
a group of conquistadors
through the Andes mountains
558
00:31:36,146 --> 00:31:41,066
when he stumbles upon the
ruins of a vast, abandoned city.
559
00:31:41,151 --> 00:31:44,151
The astonishing site
contains numerous temples
560
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:46,070
made out of massive stones.
561
00:31:46,156 --> 00:31:50,326
Though its builders disappeared
long before the Spanish arrived,
562
00:31:50,493 --> 00:31:55,163
locals call the city Tiahuanaco.
563
00:31:55,331 --> 00:31:59,501
Tiahuanaco is an
elaborate example of skill in stonework.
564
00:31:59,627 --> 00:32:02,757
Spanish conquistadors,
in their chronicles,
565
00:32:02,839 --> 00:32:05,339
described it specifically.
566
00:32:06,342 --> 00:32:09,132
It was wondrous, as they said.
567
00:32:09,262 --> 00:32:11,842
And it consisted of
gateways and windows
568
00:32:12,015 --> 00:32:15,435
carved from single
blocks of stone.
569
00:32:17,312 --> 00:32:20,652
They just could not
imagine how it was created.
570
00:32:22,609 --> 00:32:24,689
Ever since
Spanish explorers discovered
571
00:32:24,819 --> 00:32:27,149
the awe-inspiring
ruins of Tiahuanaco,
572
00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:31,660
archaeologists have been
eager to unravel its mysteries.
573
00:32:33,036 --> 00:32:36,206
In the 20th century,
modern excavations revealed
574
00:32:36,372 --> 00:32:40,212
the enormous scope of
this ancient metropolis.
575
00:32:41,211 --> 00:32:43,711
Tiahuanaco was the city capital
576
00:32:43,838 --> 00:32:46,048
of a powerful,
pre-Hispanic empire
577
00:32:46,216 --> 00:32:51,726
that dominated the south Andes
between around 500 to 900 AD.
578
00:32:52,847 --> 00:32:56,477
The Tiahuanacans were a
really advanced civilization.
579
00:32:56,559 --> 00:32:59,679
Looking at the stonework today,
580
00:32:59,854 --> 00:33:04,404
it would have been an incredibly
time-intensive, laborious task
581
00:33:04,567 --> 00:33:06,527
without power tools.
582
00:33:06,694 --> 00:33:10,074
And yet, they managed it.
583
00:33:11,574 --> 00:33:13,994
The most
mysterious ruin at Tiahuanaco
584
00:33:14,077 --> 00:33:19,337
is a terrace platform
called Puma Punku.
585
00:33:20,333 --> 00:33:23,253
Scattered across the site
are enormous stone blocks,
586
00:33:23,378 --> 00:33:27,218
each carved with
such laser-like precision
587
00:33:27,340 --> 00:33:28,760
that we still don’t know
588
00:33:28,925 --> 00:33:31,425
how they were so
perfectly fashioned.
589
00:33:31,511 --> 00:33:35,261
There are places all
around the world that have megaliths,
590
00:33:35,390 --> 00:33:39,100
giant stones, but Puma
Punku in particular
591
00:33:39,269 --> 00:33:43,769
has stones that are
not just multi-ton stones.
592
00:33:44,774 --> 00:33:47,944
But they are carved
in such a way where
593
00:33:48,069 --> 00:33:52,279
you couldn’t even slip a piece
of paper between the stones.
594
00:33:52,448 --> 00:33:55,108
And it’s a mystery how exactly
595
00:33:55,243 --> 00:33:57,953
they were able to
put these stones
596
00:33:58,079 --> 00:34:01,409
together like they
were little Lego blocks.
597
00:34:03,459 --> 00:34:06,749
The craftsmanship
is really far superior
598
00:34:06,879 --> 00:34:09,209
to anything that we
have seen before.
599
00:34:10,466 --> 00:34:12,056
How did they stack them up?
600
00:34:12,135 --> 00:34:14,225
How did they work with them?
601
00:34:14,304 --> 00:34:16,974
They had something
that we no longer have.
602
00:34:17,098 --> 00:34:19,218
How did ancient people
603
00:34:19,309 --> 00:34:21,809
manage to craft enormous stones
604
00:34:21,978 --> 00:34:23,488
with such precise angles
605
00:34:23,605 --> 00:34:26,235
and intricate patterns?
606
00:34:28,651 --> 00:34:32,441
The answer may
lie in a curious story
607
00:34:32,614 --> 00:34:35,824
from Tiahuanaco mythology.
608
00:34:35,950 --> 00:34:38,990
In the traditional
creation stories of Puma Punku,
609
00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:42,500
it’s said that the great
god Viracocha created
610
00:34:42,624 --> 00:34:45,924
a race of giants
from the mud or earth,
611
00:34:46,002 --> 00:34:48,582
and then controlled them
and gave them consciousness.
612
00:34:48,671 --> 00:34:52,001
And they created and
built the sites in the area.
613
00:34:52,175 --> 00:34:55,765
If you go to the
museum at Puma Punku
614
00:34:55,845 --> 00:34:57,515
and museums in the area,
615
00:34:57,639 --> 00:35:01,849
you see these gigantic,
elongated skulls on display.
616
00:35:01,976 --> 00:35:05,186
And it makes you wonder if
these were classed as giants
617
00:35:05,355 --> 00:35:07,445
by the native inhabitants.
618
00:35:08,858 --> 00:35:10,978
And when you go to Puma Punku,
619
00:35:11,110 --> 00:35:13,990
the traditions of giants
really resonate when you see
620
00:35:14,030 --> 00:35:16,990
the size of some of these
stones in the construction.
621
00:35:18,201 --> 00:35:21,281
The largest
stone block at Puma Punku
622
00:35:21,454 --> 00:35:23,494
weighs 144 tons.
623
00:35:24,624 --> 00:35:27,044
Whether the myth
is fact or fiction,
624
00:35:27,168 --> 00:35:29,708
to move such an object
625
00:35:29,837 --> 00:35:33,307
would certainly be a giant task.
626
00:35:34,342 --> 00:35:36,342
And according to legend, giants
627
00:35:36,469 --> 00:35:38,379
also had a part to play
628
00:35:38,513 --> 00:35:41,393
in the destruction
of Puma Punku.
629
00:35:42,684 --> 00:35:45,064
According to
the traditions, the giants
630
00:35:45,186 --> 00:35:47,696
became out of
control, cannibalistic,
631
00:35:47,855 --> 00:35:49,905
terrorizing the
local inhabitants.
632
00:35:51,067 --> 00:35:53,987
And so the creator god Viracocha
633
00:35:54,070 --> 00:35:57,240
had to completely
destroy them by a flood.
634
00:35:57,407 --> 00:36:00,917
And when you go to the
site today, you can see that
635
00:36:01,077 --> 00:36:04,587
it almost looks like a
tidal wave or tsunami
636
00:36:04,747 --> 00:36:08,217
has been wiped over the land,
and knocked these giant stones
637
00:36:08,376 --> 00:36:10,256
around like Lego blocks.
638
00:36:11,254 --> 00:36:14,424
And scattered them
at vast distances.
639
00:36:14,590 --> 00:36:16,170
And so it looks like
something happened
640
00:36:16,259 --> 00:36:18,089
which just took
out the whole site
641
00:36:18,219 --> 00:36:20,259
and all the
inhabitants of the area.
642
00:36:21,764 --> 00:36:23,684
For centuries,
the truth about Puma Punku
643
00:36:23,766 --> 00:36:26,186
has been shrouded
in myth and folklore,
644
00:36:26,269 --> 00:36:29,269
leaving many to
wonder if its full history
645
00:36:29,439 --> 00:36:32,019
will ever be unraveled.
646
00:36:32,108 --> 00:36:34,778
But then, in 2018,
647
00:36:34,944 --> 00:36:39,074
French geopolymer
scientist Joseph Davidovits
648
00:36:39,198 --> 00:36:41,108
published a
fascinating new study
649
00:36:41,284 --> 00:36:44,784
in which he theorized that
the stones at Puma Punku
650
00:36:44,912 --> 00:36:47,872
were not carved
and moved into place
651
00:36:47,957 --> 00:36:51,757
but rather molded together.
652
00:36:51,878 --> 00:36:55,218
He did what archeologists
had never done.
653
00:36:55,298 --> 00:36:57,638
He looked at the
stones of Puma Punku
654
00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,590
under a microscope.
655
00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:03,430
And what he saw
was that they weren’t
656
00:37:03,473 --> 00:37:05,433
just regular basalt.
657
00:37:05,558 --> 00:37:10,318
They were actually
polymers of varying things
658
00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:12,810
that were glued together.
659
00:37:12,982 --> 00:37:16,112
And that shouldn’t have
happened in regular,
660
00:37:16,235 --> 00:37:18,825
naturally-occurring stones.
661
00:37:18,988 --> 00:37:23,068
So he theorized that
they were created
662
00:37:23,159 --> 00:37:25,739
in a kind of ancient cement.
663
00:37:25,828 --> 00:37:29,618
Turned into big molds.
664
00:37:29,749 --> 00:37:32,459
And that they were
put together in forms.
665
00:37:32,585 --> 00:37:34,755
They weren’t carved.
666
00:37:34,837 --> 00:37:37,757
They were created
to fit together.
667
00:37:39,008 --> 00:37:40,508
Have modern archaeologists
668
00:37:40,676 --> 00:37:42,766
finally solved the
mystery of Puma Punku?
669
00:37:42,845 --> 00:37:45,515
It appears that
only time will tell.
670
00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:49,310
But technology is
providing new insights
671
00:37:49,435 --> 00:37:53,025
into many other ancient
structures around the world.
672
00:37:53,189 --> 00:37:56,939
Like a curious series of ruins
673
00:37:57,026 --> 00:37:58,696
that were recently found
674
00:37:58,861 --> 00:38:02,191
in the middle of
the Arabian desert.
675
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,710
In this arid region,
676
00:38:13,835 --> 00:38:16,005
located in the Arabian Desert.
677
00:38:16,128 --> 00:38:19,708
Summer temperatures average
more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit
678
00:38:19,882 --> 00:38:21,382
during the daytime.
679
00:38:21,509 --> 00:38:23,719
The landscape is
a desolate expanse
680
00:38:23,845 --> 00:38:25,845
of jagged rock formations
681
00:38:26,013 --> 00:38:28,803
and smoldering volcano fields.
682
00:38:28,975 --> 00:38:32,565
But incredibly, in 2017,
683
00:38:32,687 --> 00:38:37,567
archaeologists analyzing
satellite images of this desert
684
00:38:37,733 --> 00:38:42,193
discovered the ruins
of more than 400
685
00:38:42,321 --> 00:38:45,241
ancient, man-made structures.
686
00:38:45,366 --> 00:38:49,376
A recent aerial survey
using Google Earth,
687
00:38:49,537 --> 00:38:53,337
a relatively new
technology, has identified
688
00:38:53,416 --> 00:38:55,586
huge formations
689
00:38:55,710 --> 00:38:59,340
of piles of stones
that are in odd shapes.
690
00:39:00,423 --> 00:39:02,673
They look like keyholes
691
00:39:02,758 --> 00:39:05,088
or kites.
692
00:39:05,261 --> 00:39:09,681
And there are hundreds of
these, and they’re rather large.
693
00:39:09,765 --> 00:39:13,105
Some of them are as much as
694
00:39:13,227 --> 00:39:15,437
a kilometer in size.
695
00:39:16,439 --> 00:39:18,439
It’s been suggested
that they could be
696
00:39:18,566 --> 00:39:21,076
as old as 9,000 years.
697
00:39:22,069 --> 00:39:24,939
But to date, we don’t
know what their purpose is.
698
00:39:26,532 --> 00:39:29,122
This area is
literally dangerous.
699
00:39:29,243 --> 00:39:30,913
It’s inhospitable.
700
00:39:31,037 --> 00:39:34,917
And why these
features were built there
701
00:39:35,041 --> 00:39:37,121
remains somewhat of a mystery.
702
00:39:38,586 --> 00:39:42,216
What’s also interesting
is these various configurations.
703
00:39:42,298 --> 00:39:44,598
Some people say
they look like gates.
704
00:39:44,717 --> 00:39:46,227
But we find other designs.
705
00:39:46,302 --> 00:39:48,132
We find abstract motifs.
706
00:39:48,262 --> 00:39:49,302
We find symbols
707
00:39:49,430 --> 00:39:51,970
that can’t be explained.
708
00:39:52,141 --> 00:39:55,641
So, who would have constructed
these in such a remote region?
709
00:39:55,811 --> 00:39:58,141
They may have
been made specifically
710
00:39:58,272 --> 00:40:00,232
for a purpose we
just don’t know.
711
00:40:00,316 --> 00:40:03,986
Archaeologists
continue to try and unravel the mystery
712
00:40:04,111 --> 00:40:08,611
of these strange formations
in the Arabian desert.
713
00:40:09,909 --> 00:40:13,619
But what’s undeniable
is that modern technology
714
00:40:13,746 --> 00:40:17,416
is both revealing
ancient structures
715
00:40:17,500 --> 00:40:22,000
and providing new clues
that could finally shed light
716
00:40:22,171 --> 00:40:25,341
on the secrets they
have held for centuries.
717
00:40:25,508 --> 00:40:29,348
It’s really exciting
that satellite imagery
718
00:40:29,512 --> 00:40:31,472
is available to
the general public
719
00:40:31,597 --> 00:40:33,107
and not just to scholars.
720
00:40:34,433 --> 00:40:37,683
This whole new
generation of archeologists
721
00:40:37,853 --> 00:40:41,523
can sit at home and
do the same kind
722
00:40:41,649 --> 00:40:45,479
of reconnaissance that
experts can do over a site.
723
00:40:45,653 --> 00:40:46,823
It’s a game changer.
724
00:40:48,114 --> 00:40:51,364
Another big technology is lidar.
725
00:40:52,952 --> 00:40:56,542
Lidar’s... a way you can map
the ground and the terrain,
726
00:40:56,664 --> 00:40:59,004
and it can peer through,
the vegetation.
727
00:40:59,125 --> 00:41:02,545
So in places where there’s a
heavy overgrowth of vegetation,
728
00:41:02,712 --> 00:41:06,302
it has uncovered vastly more
archaeological monuments
729
00:41:06,382 --> 00:41:07,462
than we knew was there.
730
00:41:07,550 --> 00:41:10,550
So we’re absolutely on the verge
731
00:41:10,720 --> 00:41:14,510
of a huge opening up of
archeological discoveries.
732
00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:17,310
This is really going to
help us to understand
733
00:41:17,393 --> 00:41:20,683
the vast complexity
of human civilization
734
00:41:20,855 --> 00:41:23,485
and our story here on Earth.
735
00:41:25,067 --> 00:41:29,907
Was the Eye of the Sahara
the location of Atlantis?
736
00:41:30,031 --> 00:41:34,911
Is Gunung Padang the
oldest pyramid ever built?
737
00:41:34,994 --> 00:41:37,704
And how were the massive blocks
738
00:41:37,830 --> 00:41:41,370
at Puma Punku so
perfectly fashioned?
739
00:41:41,500 --> 00:41:44,500
Perhaps further examination
of these ruins with new,
740
00:41:44,587 --> 00:41:48,257
cutting-edge technology will
one day reveal the answers.
741
00:41:48,382 --> 00:41:51,922
But until then,
the mystery of both
742
00:41:52,094 --> 00:41:53,844
wondrous ancient structures
743
00:41:54,013 --> 00:41:58,013
and the civilizations who
built them, will remain...
744
00:41:59,602 --> 00:42:01,432
unexplained.
745
00:42:01,562 --> 00:42:04,102
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746
00:42:04,152 --> 00:42:08,702
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