In 1492 Christopher Columbus first reached the shores of America.
In the so-called New World, which he discovered, however, the ancient civilizations of the Mayans,
Aztecs, Incas, and others were already flourishing.
Mesoamerica or Central America is a territory where the cultures of these ancient peoples developed.
In this video, we will take you on a journey back in time and look at some of the most important cultural sites
inherited from the civilizations of pre-Columbian America.
CONSCIOUSNESS
Chichen Itza
This ancient city is located on the Yucatan Peninsula, in Mexico.
It was an important, sacred center of worship for the Maya.
The name Chichen Itza translates to "Well of the Itza Tribe".
There are no flowing rivers on the territory of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The only bodies of water are a few natural wells called cenotes, which were, for obvious reasons, sacred to the Maya.
During archaeological investigations of these wells, numerous objects of gold, jade,
ceramics, wood, and also human skeletons were found, which speaks of their cultic character.
It was in this special place that the Mayans built their city.
According to experts, this significant religious complex was built in the 7th century,
it was taken over by the Toltec people and became their capital.
The architectural complex includes several pyramids and temples that impress archaeologists
and researchers with their design and architecture even today.
One of the most interesting inherited, ancient sights is the Pyramid of Kukulkan - this 24-meter pyramid testifies
to the impressive knowledge the Mayans had in astronomy.
A temple was built on its top. Stairs lead to it from the four sides of the pyramid.
Three of the stairs are made up of 91 steps and the fourth staircase has 92 steps.
Thus, their total number is 365. A number corresponding to the number of days in a year.
The ancient builders reached extraordinary lenghts in their craft.
They oriented the four sides of the pyramid to the four directions of the world with incredible accuracy.
Thanks to this accuracy, twice a year: during the spring and autumn equinoxes (March 21 and September 23),
something extraordinary happens.
On the north side of the steps, thanks to the angle at which the light falls,
the shadow of a huge snake begins to crawl to the base of the pyramid.
The idea of counting time is embedded deep in the Mayan culture
and quite naturally fits even into their temple architecture.
This temple is dedicated to the god Kukulcan, who, according to the mythology and religion of Mesoamerica,
is a feathered serpent god, creator, and bringer of rains and winds.
According to experts, it is a symbol of life both below and above the earth and as such is the link between Gods and humans.
Religious ceremonies honoring Kukulkan often also included human sacrifices to appease the Gods.
Other legends tell of a hero named Kukulkan who, together with his followers,
came to the territory of the Yucatan Peninsula and founded the city of Chichen Itza around the 10th century,
or else took the city by force, defeating its original settlers.
Northwest of Kukulkan's pyramid, archaeologists have identified the so-called Great Ball Court.
It is the largest and best-preserved court in the complex, measuring 168 by 70 meters (551 by 229 feet).
The next impressive building in the complex is the Karakol Astronomical Observatory.
It is a circular building built on a large square platform.
The meaning of the name Karakol is a snail, which is also hinted at by the inner vault of the observatory.
It is a spiral staircase that resembles a snail shell.
The building was probably used for astronomical observations.
According to the theories of specialists, the doors and windows of the observatory were oriented
in such a way that through them the Mayans observed the movement of the planet Venus.
To the east of Karakol, there is another building that archaeologists pay special attention to.
It is 6 meters high, 50 meters long, and 15 meters wide.
There are 7 doors on the long west facade and only 4 on the east side.
On the south side, there is one door that leads to a small chamber.
According to researchers, this was the home of the administrator of Chichen Itza.
Today, this incredible archaeological complex, a Mayan heritage,
is included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List,
and in 2007 has been declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Machu Picchu
High in the Andes mountains lies the 'Lost City of the Incas'.
Machu Picchu is an architectural complex located on the territory of present-day Peru.
According to archaeologists, the complex was built around 1400.
and reflects the need of the Incas to have a religious, political, and administrative center.
It is the most famous legacy of their civilization and combines architecture, engineering, and art in harmony with nature.
The city functioned until about the middle of the 16th century when the Spanish raids on these lands began.
Some researchers are of the opinion that the architectural style of Machu Picchu suggests that
it was the palace complex of the Pachacuti Inca ruler Yupanqui.
According to other theories, the complex had a religious character, pointing to its geographical location,
near mountains that the Incas considered sacred.
Scientists are surprised at how well-preserved the ruins are.
Archaeologists have identified several distinct sectors that form the city.
These include an agricultural area, a residential area, a royal area,
and a sacred area, all connected by numerous paths and steps.
In the southern part of the city is the Sacred Rock, also known as the Temple of the Sun, under which there is a natural cave.
One of the structures is called "The Main Temple".
Of particular interest to scientists is the discovered large rock called Intihuatana.
It is a sculpted granite rock that scientists believe had the function of a sundial or calendar.
The Temple of the Three Windows is of interest. It is a hall 35 feet long and 14 feet wide,
with three trapezoidal windows on one wall.
The Princess's Palace is a two-story structure that scholars believe housed a member of a noble family.
The palace complex consisted of rooms with niches in the walls and a courtyard.
The central buildings of the city are an excellent testimony to the architectural and engineering achievements of the Incas.
Scientists point out that the stones used in the masonry were cut in a such way,
that they fit together without mortar.
One of Machu Picchu's trails leads to the famous Inca rope bridge that crosses the Urubamba River.
In 1911 American history professor Hyrum Bingham leads an expedition and reaches the ruins of Machu Picchu.
Between 1912 and 1915 Bingham and his team conduct an archaeological dig.
Although local residents knew of the existence of these ancient ruins,
it was after Bingham's discovery that the complex became widely known.
In 1983 Machu Picchu became part of the UNESCO World and Cultural Heritage List.
Puma Punku
The Door of the Puma is an ancient structure high in the Andes, located in the territory of Bolivia.
It is a large temple complex, part of the archaeological site of Tiwanako,
and dates back to the 6th century.
Archaeologists believe it was built by the Tiwanaco Empire, one of the important civilizations before the Incas.
Puma Punku is a terraced mound covered with stone blocks.
This is one of those places that is believed to be proof of the presence of extraterrestrial races.
The massive stones cut and placed with incredible precision might be interpreted a silent withnesess to this.
In fact, looking at the entire Tiwanaco complex, the Puma Punku structure is nothing out of the ordinary.
However, it still stands out from other structures with the highly complex geometric shapes that form the blocks.
For example, H-shaped blocks are particularly interesting.
Scientists believe that they must have been pre-chiseled, which is not characteristic of the other structures from Tiwanaku.
According to some theories, these were not stones, but concrete that was poured into a certain shape.
This theory, however, is easily disproved, and it has been proved that there is no concrete at Puma Punku and at Tiwanaco.
The chemical analyzes carried out determined exactly where the rocks were mined.
The large blocks are of red sandstone believed to have been quarried about 10km from the site.
The smaller, decorative, and facing stones are of igneous andesite.
They come from a quarry on the shores of Lake Titicaca, about 90km away.
Puma Punku contains the largest single stone found in the entire Tiwanaka complex.
It is 7 meters and 80 centimeters long, 5 meters and 17 centimeters wide, and about 1 meter thick.
Its weight is estimated at about 131 tons. Most of the stone blocks are relatively smaller and easy to process.
Specialists in architectural history are of the opinion that the techniques used by the ancient architects
to build these structures were unknown to the Incas and the rest of the world at the time.
They have achieved perfectly smooth finishes and accurate internal and external right angles.
Each stone is so processed that it fits perfectly with the other without the need for the use of mortar.
On the decorative elements, you can see precise 90-degree internal angles, which, according to experts,
could not have been made with the stone hammers that were then used to work the stone.
Many sources claim that Tiwannaco reached its peak around AD 700 to 1000 when the city
and its surroundings housed up to 400,000 inhabitants.
But in the year 1000, suddenly this culture disappeared.
Some suggest that a severe drought occurred, causing people to abandon the compound.
These unknowns surrounding the construction of the stone structures
are the pretext for numerous conspiracy theories surrounding Puma Punku.
And yet the built infrastructure of the complex, including irrigation systems, hydraulic mechanisms,
and sewage, testify to the high engineering achievements of the ancient people.
All this is well known to researchers, but some of the main questions still do not have exact answers.
Who, When, How, and Why?
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