Secrets of the Snake Altar (Full Episode) | Lost Treasures of the Maya | National Geographic

In 2018, National Geographic revealed groundbreaking discoveries about the ancient Maya civilization, largely due to a new technology called LiDAR. This technology, which can penetrate dense jungle canopies like an X-ray, has brought to light over 60,000 previously hidden man-made structures, revolutionizing Maya archaeology. The findings suggest a much more complex and extensive civilization than previously understood, particularly regarding their practices of warfare. The speaker, Albert Lin, an engineer and National Geographic explorer, is on a mission to uncover the secrets of the Maya. He highlights how this new technology is rewriting history, especially concerning Maya warfare. Archaeologists, armed with the new LiDAR maps, are undertaking large-scale journeys of discovery. One significant focus of current research is the Maya at war. Guatemalan archaeologist Edwin Roman-Ramirez, working with National Geographic explorer Tom Garrison, is exploring the deep jungle outside the ancient city of El Zotz in northern Guatemala. The Maya civilization emerged 3,000 years ago, creating vast and complex cities, and lasting over 2,000 years. While known for their impressive achievements, there was also a brutal side involving blood and human sacrifice. However, details about their warfare methods have been scarce, largely limited to inscriptions and carvings. The LiDAR data has been instrumental in this research. It shows evidence of massive man-made structures previously hidden by the jungle. Tom Garrison points out a "serious causeway almost running up the side of the cliff face" and other features, including one almost eight meters tall. These newly identified buildings could provide unique insights into Maya warfare. Edwin Roman-Ramirez’s exploration led him to a spectacular discovery on a remote mountain ridge: an ancient pyramid and a group of structures, all revealed by LiDAR. These findings are part of a massive survey called the Pacunam LiDAR initiative, which charted over 800 square miles of jungle. Juan-Carlos Fernandez Diaz, an engineer behind the survey, explains that their team uses planes to fire billions of laser pulses through the jungle canopy. By filtering out pulses reflected from trees, they create 3D maps of the hidden ground, revealing countless structures. Back in San Diego, Albert Lin showcases the LiDAR data on a giant screen, demonstrating how stripping away the trees reveals the 60,000 hidden features. National Geographic explorers Tom Garrison and Marcello Canuto emphasize the profound impact of LiDAR. Marcello describes it as "humbling," revealing things previously unknown, while Tom notes that it's "not just about one new city, it's dozens," a scale of discovery that "blows everyone's mind." Near El Zotz, Edwin Roman-Ramirez's discoveries include the ruins of what he believes was a vast fortified citadel, protected by the mountain ridge and surrounded by massive ramparts. This is a groundbreaking find because large-scale permanent defenses are rarely found in the Maya world. Prior to LiDAR, experts believed Maya conflict was highly ritualized, focusing on the capture and sacrifice of kings. However, the new evidence from Edwin's mountain fortress suggests warfare on a colossal scale. The fortress includes "big ditch and rampart systems," one eight meters high, indicating a heavily protected area. Tom Garrison also points out "lone stone structures" that could be a system of watchtowers, signifying a "landscape of conflict" and a "military installation." Further excavations in the valley floor near El Zotz have yielded an incredibly rare and perfectly preserved flint spearhead, over 1,000 years old. This, combined with the fortified ramparts and watchtowers, leaves archaeologists convinced of "all-out war" at the heart of the Maya world, a scale never imagined before the LiDAR survey. Albert Lin then travels to a remote area on the border of Mexico and Guatemala, joining Puerto Rican archaeologist Omar Alcover. This region, 2,000 years ago, was home to two rival Maya kingdoms: Piedras Negras and Macabilero. Using augmented reality, Albert visualizes data gathered by Omar, revealing a vast wall stretching over 100 yards across a hillside at Macabilero. This wall, along with over seven similar structures on the mountaintop, demonstrates the significant effort the Maya made to defend themselves, indicating a "very real" threat of violent encounters. This fortress, like Edwin's citadel, is changing the understanding of Maya warfare. Sixty-four miles east, within the LiDAR survey area, archaeologist Marcello Canuto is exploring another new discovery near the ancient Maya site of La Corona, where he has worked for over a decade. The LiDAR map reveals features he had never seen, including a causeway connecting La Corona to a previously uninvestigated group of structures. This causeway, along with other newly discovered settlements, points directly to Calakmul, the capital of the powerful Snake Kings, suggesting that La Corona was crucial for the Snake Kings' regional dominance. At La Corona, excavations have uncovered a lavishly carved stone monument – a sacred ritual altar. Its inscriptions contain clues to the powerful Snake Kings dynasty, who conquered many cities, including La Corona. The altar depicts King Chak Took Ich'aak, a known ally of the Snake Kings, and is dated to May 12th, 544 AD. This discovery confirms Chak Took Ich'aak's connection to La Corona, a fact previously unknown. The monument was carefully lifted and transported to Guatemala's National Museum of Archaeology, a challenging operation due to its immense weight. Back on the Guatemala-Mexico border, Omar Alcover and Albert Lin explore Piedras Negras using drone LiDAR, a more flexible and affordable alternative to conventional aircraft. This technology provides the first data map of Piedras Negras, revealing giant pyramids and a lavish royal court. Omar believes Piedras Negras and Macabilero were at war, with Macabilero being abandoned as Piedras Negras rose in power and population. This conflict, possibly lasting over 600 years until around 350 AD, resulted in Piedras Negras flourishing as a mighty Maya kingdom, known as Yo'k'ib, the "home of the turtle lords." The grand scale of Piedras Negras’s royal court underscores the power of these "turtle lords" to mobilize resources and people. In conclusion, LiDAR technology has transformed Maya archaeology, moving beyond previous understandings of warfare based on drawings of ritual conflict and king captures. The new evidence reveals fortified citadels with ramparts, watchtowers, and rare weapons, as well as ritual altars connecting cities to powerful warring dynasties. These discoveries indicate a "much more sophisticated idea of conflict and war" and a landscape "riddled with conflict for centuries." With tens of thousands of new LiDAR discoveries still awaiting exploration, this technology marks a "revolution" in the field, fundamentally changing our knowledge of the mysterious jungle kingdoms of the Maya.