Lost City of the Monkey God // Ancient America Documentary

History Time

19 Apr 202074:17

EducationalLearning

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TLDRThe script explores the rich history of an ancient, forgotten civilization that once thrived in the remote rainforests of eastern Honduras. It traces the legend of the 'Lost White City' and early Spanish accounts of the area's potential riches. Using lidar technology, researchers recently uncovered archaeological evidence of large settlements with ceremonial architecture, suggesting the region was home to an extensive pre-Columbian culture. Disease likely led to its mysterious demise shortly before European contact. Ongoing study of the rare surviving artifacts offers hope of finally illuminating this obscure culture.

Takeaways

😲 There is evidence of an ancient, advanced civilization that thrived in the remote rainforests of Honduras' Mosquito region.
🗺️ The Mosquito civilization likely had trade networks and cultural influences from various Mesoamerican cultures to the west and south.
🌳 They built cities with plazas, pyramids, and other monuments, but used wood and earth rather than stone for construction.
🦠 European diseases likely hastened the decline of the Mosquito civilization before any contact with conquistadors.
🐒 Legends tell of a great white stone city with colossal monkey statues, but these stories seem to be embellished myths.
🚁 Using LIDAR technology, researchers recently confirmed two major ancient cities hidden in thick jungle.
🪓 Deforestation and looting remain serious threats to undiscovered sites in the Mosquito forest.
🦜 Artifacts found include stone vulture and jaguar effigies, suggesting the importance of these animals.
🔬 New sites allow insights into the Mosquito culture's agriculture, architecture, religion and more.
😃 There is still so much to uncover about this forgotten civilization right in our backyard!

Q & A

What evidence is there of ancient agriculture in the Mosquito region?
-Possible evidence of cacao trees and bananas, which originated elsewhere, suggests the area may have once been used for agriculture. There is also evidence of possible irrigation canals and a reservoir at Site T1.
What languages were likely spoken in the Mosquito region?
-The indigenous people likely spoke a dialect of the Chimchan language family, related to groups further south like the Muisca. There may have also been some Maya influence from trade and contact.
Why did the people not build with stone?
-They had access to plentiful and valuable hardwoods like rosewood, mahogany and cedar to build with instead of stone.
What happened to the great wooden buildings and architecture?
-Almost all organic material has rotted away over time due to the hot, wet, acidic conditions of the rainforest.
What was found at the Site T1 pyramid base?
-A cache of over 500 carved stone objects, likely an offering to the gods, containing sculptures, ceremonial stone vessels, grinding stones, and more.
What does the vulture carving likely represent?
-As vultures guard the afterlife in Mesoamerican belief, it may depict a shaman guide to the afterlife for the dying city.
How did the people likely meet their end?
-Deadly Eurasian diseases like smallpox probably spread via native trade networks ahead of the Spanish, devastating populations.
What is the site T1 now called?
-It has been renamed La Ciudad del Jaguar (City of the Jaguar) rather than the previous placeholder name.
How much more remains undiscovered?
-There are likely thousands more unknown and unexplored sites still hidden deep in the Mosquito rainforest interior.
Why is there urgency to studying the region?
-Rampant deforestation and looting continues to destroy undiscovered sites before they can be studied and documented.

Outlines

00:00

🗺️ The Americas - Forgotten Civilizations and Lost Cities

Overview of ancient civilizations across North and South America like the Olmecs, Maya, Aztecs, Incas, Mississippi Mound Builders, and mysterious cultures in remote areas like the Amazon and Mosquitia region of Honduras. References legends of lost cities still waiting to be found.

05:04

⛰️ Honduras' Mosquitia Region - Treacherous but Legendary

Introduction to Honduras' remote Mosquitia region - 32,000 square miles of treacherous rainforest terrain inhabited by deadly wildlife and disease. Describes early Spanish accounts in the area and legends told of a great lost city encased in white stone walls.

10:06

🗡️ A Violent History in Honduras

Overview of Honduras' history of conflict, coups, instability, and violence since independence from Spain in the 1800s. The Mosquitia region in particular becoming a corridor for drug smugglers, with little government control despite its world heritage site status.

15:07

🏛️ Seeking the Legendary White City

Describes early 20th century expeditions by explorers and archaeologists seeking the legendary lost White City in the Mosquitia rainforests. Stories grow over time, merging native legends with embellished tales bringing notoriety but no conclusive evidence.

20:09

🎥 A 1940 Expedition Claims Discovery

In 1940, explorers Theodore Morde and Lawrence Brown emerge from Mosquitia jungle claiming discovery of lost city with stone walls, home to 30,000 people 2,000 years ago. Morde describes ruins, statues, and legends of monkey god worship, bringing sensation but doubts on his story.

25:10

👀 Understanding Native Legends and Myths

Analysis of native Patcha people's stories and legends about the Mosquitia region and lost city. Descriptions of mysterious white house refuge, cursed and abandoned city, and half-man half-monkey creatures. Legends grow over time.

30:12

🌴 Surveying an Untouched Lost World

20th century expeditions, from Eduard Conzemius to William Duncan Strong systematically survey Mosquitia region, finding scattered artifacts and settlements suggesting advanced ancient culture. But unable to pinpoint legendary lost city with white walls.

35:13

🚁 Revelation Through Lidar Technology

In 21st century, explorer Steve Elkins uses advanced laser mapping technology (lidar) to finally reveal extent of lost civilization in Honduras' Mosquitia. Identifies not one but many cities and thousands of structures hidden under rainforest canopy for centuries.

40:15

👥 Who Were the Mysterious Mosquitia People?

Analysis of earliest archeological remains in eastern Honduras suggests ancestral ties to Mesoamerican cultures, but also southern groups like Muisca. People may have originated from or traded with these neighbors. As Kopan rose, so too did Mosquitia between 800-1250 AD.

45:17

🏟️ Nature of Mosquitia's Lost Cities

Description of Mosquitia civilization's architecture - earthen mounds and pyramids, plazas and ball courts. Lack of stonework but advanced woodworking, textiles, plasterwork now lost. Remains found at sites like T1 and T3 allow analysis of people's agriculture, diet, rituals.

50:18

💀 A Sacrificial Offering

At newly discovered site Target 1, explorers find buried cache of 500 precious carved items at base of pyramid, deliberately smashed in ritual offering. Dates to 1000-1500 AD decline of civilization. Provides clues to culture and tragic end.

55:19

🦠 The End - European Disease as Final Blow

Though some Mosquitia settlements declined before Spanish arrival, analysis suggests repeated waves of European diseases like smallpox permeating region via trade networks proved final blow. Civilization vanishing by 1700s, though legends live on.

00:20

👋 Farewell

Thanks viewers for watching video on Honduras' lost civilization. Urges viewers to study this forgotten culture and support speaker's history channel.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica refers to the cultural region spanning modern-day Mexico and Central America before the 16th century Spanish conquest. It contained advanced civilizations like the Maya, Aztecs, and Olmecs. The video explores the little-known cultures of this region in Honduras and their mysterious ruins.

💡mosquito

The Mosquito Coast refers to the large rainforest region on the Caribbean coast of eastern Honduras. It is remote, dense jungle inhabited by indigenous groups. The video investigates archaeological evidence of a lost civilization that once thrived here.

💡Lidar

Lidar is a remote sensing technology using lasers to map landscapes and terrain, even through thick forest canopy. It has revolutionized archaeology in recent years by uncovering previously hidden ruins.

💡Cacao

Cacao trees were cultivated by pre-Columbian civilizations like the Maya and were socially and religiously important. Finding evidence of cacao at an archaeological site suggests cultural connections and networks across Mesoamerica.

💡Ball courts

Ball courts were a common Mesoamerican architectural feature used for ritual games. Their presence shows cultural influence from major civilizations like the Maya.

💡Earthworks

The people of the Mosquito Coast built using wood and earth rather than stone. The large mounds, platforms and embankments found at sites are examples of monumental earthen architecture.

💡Epidemics

European diseases like smallpox decimated indigenous populations with no immunity. This likely ended urban settlement in the Mosquito long before Spanish conquerors arrived.

💡Sacrifices

The ritual cache of 500+ smashed artifacts found at Site T1 resembles material offerings made throughout Mesoamerica, perhaps as part of ceremonial activity.

💡Shamans

Certain stone carvings depict animals like jaguars and vultures which were power symbols in shamanic belief systems across ancient Americas.

💡Chimchan

Languages of the Chimchan family are spoken to the south stretching into Colombia. Similarities suggest cultural links between those areas and Mosquito indigenous groups.

Highlights

An entire civilization once thrived in the remote Mosquito rainforests of eastern Honduras

The legend of the White City or 'Ciudad Blanca' has circulated for centuries, with evidence of ancient ruins brought out of the forest

In 2015 and 2016, expeditions located two lost cities in Mosquito using LIDAR technology - 'Target 1' and 'Target 3'

The sites contained ceremonial architecture, pyramids, plazas and possible evidence of agriculture - but minimal stonework

A cache of 500 carved artifacts was found at Target 1 - wealth items deliberately smashed and buried in a ritual offering

The items included stone vessels, matates (grinding stones), and an intriguing jaguar/monkey shaman figure

The Mosquito culture was influenced by Maya and cultures to the south but remained distinct, fading after Spanish contact brought disease

Over 200 sites have been found but most Mosquito ruins remain unexplored and at risk of destruction from logging and looting

The first known site was explored in the 1930s by scholar William Duncan Strong, who recorded settlements and artifacts

The Indigenous Pech people tell legends of the 'white house' lost city, inhabited by shamans fleeing Spanish conquest

1950s expeditions by adventurers Theodore Morde and Mitchell-Hedges brought sensation but no proof of lost cities

Filmmaker Steve Elkins led 21st century lidar mappings and journeys to lost cities, now named Target 1 and 3

Elkins located an ancient carved figure planting seeds - evidence of agriculture in the dense rainforest

The remote setting, acidic soil and looters have destroyed most physical evidence of this culture over time

With new technology and access, the story of the forgotten Mosquito civilization may finally emerge

Transcripts

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