to this day people do not get drinking water from that cenote it is generally
water from that cenote it is generally
water from that cenote it is generally considered taboo it’s kind of off-limits
considered taboo it’s kind of off-limits
considered taboo it’s kind of off-limits people don’t let their children play
people don’t let their children play
people don’t let their children play near there and there’s a lot of beliefs
near there and there’s a lot of beliefs
near there and there’s a lot of beliefs around this cenote having sort of evil
around this cenote having sort of evil
around this cenote having sort of evil forces or malevolent forces associated
forces or malevolent forces associated
forces or malevolent forces associated with it
with it
with it cenotes are sinkholes then they’re
cenotes are sinkholes then they’re
cenotes are sinkholes then they’re important because the main access to the
important because the main access to the
important because the main access to the water that you get in the northern you
water that you get in the northern you
water that you get in the northern you Katan is through these sinkholes they’re
Katan is through these sinkholes they’re
Katan is through these sinkholes they’re also believed to be accesses to the Maya
also believed to be accesses to the Maya
also believed to be accesses to the Maya underworld and the homes of God’s Maya
underworld and the homes of God’s Maya
underworld and the homes of God’s Maya pond is it’s a large city it’s
pond is it’s a large city it’s
pond is it’s a large city it’s incredibly dense for Maya history
incredibly dense for Maya history
incredibly dense for Maya history there’s nothing like it in the classic
there’s nothing like it in the classic
there’s nothing like it in the classic period it’s a walled city which is
period it’s a walled city which is
period it’s a walled city which is unusual also the wall includes a number
unusual also the wall includes a number
unusual also the wall includes a number of water bearing cenotes but what you
of water bearing cenotes but what you
of water bearing cenotes but what you see at my upon is that the wall diverts
see at my upon is that the wall diverts
see at my upon is that the wall diverts noticeably to the north around this
noticeably to the north around this
noticeably to the north around this cenote excluding it and then it diverts
cenote excluding it and then it diverts
cenote excluding it and then it diverts back out to include the next one up the
back out to include the next one up the
back out to include the next one up the line so it struck researchers from the
line so it struck researchers from the
line so it struck researchers from the 1930s on is being incredibly unusual
1930s on is being incredibly unusual
1930s on is being incredibly unusual that it seems intentionally excluded
that it seems intentionally excluded
that it seems intentionally excluded there’s no other cenote at the site like
there’s no other cenote at the site like
there’s no other cenote at the site like that well we have to rappel into the
that well we have to rappel into the
that well we have to rappel into the cenote we actually lower ourselves down
cenote we actually lower ourselves down
cenote we actually lower ourselves down wearing our wetsuits wearing a caving
wearing our wetsuits wearing a caving
wearing our wetsuits wearing a caving helmet and our flippers which it’s a
helmet and our flippers which it’s a
helmet and our flippers which it’s a pretty awkward look frankly to have and
pretty awkward look frankly to have and
pretty awkward look frankly to have and it’s a little bit difficult to climb
it’s a little bit difficult to climb
it’s a little bit difficult to climb down the drop from the entrance to the
down the drop from the entrance to the
down the drop from the entrance to the water is something like three storeys we
water is something like three storeys we
water is something like three storeys we lower our dive equipment down we put the
lower our dive equipment down we put the
lower our dive equipment down we put the dive equipment on once we get into the
dive equipment on once we get into the
dive equipment on once we get into the water the second chamber was was a real
water the second chamber was was a real
water the second chamber was was a real surprise to us we weren’t looking to
surprise to us we weren’t looking to
surprise to us we weren’t looking to find a connected cave system they’re not
find a connected cave system they’re not
find a connected cave system they’re not usually that form that far away from the
usually that form that far away from the
usually that form that far away from the coast and so what you have is a tunnel
coast and so what you have is a tunnel
coast and so what you have is a tunnel just barely big enough for a person with
just barely big enough for a person with
just barely big enough for a person with tanks to get through and then it opens
tanks to get through and then it opens
tanks to get through and then it opens up into this huge second cavern you know
up into this huge second cavern you know
up into this huge second cavern you know when you’re underwater you’re using
when you’re underwater you’re using
when you’re underwater you’re using various hand signals because you’re
various hand signals because you’re
various hand signals because you’re underwater and that was the day I had to
underwater and that was the day I had to
underwater and that was the day I had to come up with a signal like wow
come up with a signal like wow
come up with a signal like wow yes I just I wanted to scream out loud I
yes I just I wanted to scream out loud I
yes I just I wanted to scream out loud I was so excited well the main thing that
was so excited well the main thing that
was so excited well the main thing that seems to be there is a lot of human
seems to be there is a lot of human
seems to be there is a lot of human remains muscle remains are concentrated
remains muscle remains are concentrated
remains muscle remains are concentrated in that Southwest farthest end the flow
in that Southwest farthest end the flow
in that Southwest farthest end the flow it turns out we put some things to float
it turns out we put some things to float
it turns out we put some things to float in the water and they they drift in that
in the water and they they drift in that
in the water and they they drift in that direction so if you had a body and it
direction so if you had a body and it
direction so if you had a body and it was in there
was in there
was in there they’ve been deposited it would normally
they’ve been deposited it would normally
they’ve been deposited it would normally sort of drift to the far end and that’s
sort of drift to the far end and that’s
sort of drift to the far end and that’s where we found the greatest
where we found the greatest
where we found the greatest concentration that remains the section
concentration that remains the section
concentration that remains the section with the number of skulls right up
with the number of skulls right up
with the number of skulls right up against the wall long bones of various
against the wall long bones of various
against the wall long bones of various sorts arms legs vertebra it’s my theory
sorts arms legs vertebra it’s my theory
sorts arms legs vertebra it’s my theory at the moment that they were essentially
at the moment that they were essentially
at the moment that they were essentially regular burials that people had had died
regular burials that people had had died
regular burials that people had had died on the surface and that their bodies
on the surface and that their bodies
on the surface and that their bodies were being interred there in the cenote
were being interred there in the cenote
were being interred there in the cenote and this is really significant because
and this is really significant because
and this is really significant because they’re clearly religiously powerful
they’re clearly religiously powerful
they’re clearly religiously powerful space and I suspect that there may be
space and I suspect that there may be
space and I suspect that there may be some social difference there may be
some social difference there may be
some social difference there may be their higher status individuals it’s
their higher status individuals it’s
their higher status individuals it’s hard to say it seems to me that this is
hard to say it seems to me that this is
hard to say it seems to me that this is sort of a place of honor that this is
sort of a place of honor that this is
sort of a place of honor that this is you know one of the more holy places in
you know one of the more holy places in
you know one of the more holy places in the city is in these cenotes for the
the city is in these cenotes for the
the city is in these cenotes for the years when I was diving in the open
years when I was diving in the open
years when I was diving in the open water they used to tell us all the time
water they used to tell us all the time
water they used to tell us all the time like never go into an overhead
like never go into an overhead
like never go into an overhead environment anything that is you know
environment anything that is you know
environment anything that is you know rock above your head if you don’t have a
rock above your head if you don’t have a
rock above your head if you don’t have a clear line of sight to the surface
clear line of sight to the surface
clear line of sight to the surface you’re just going to die but having
you’re just going to die but having
you’re just going to die but having gotten the data that we did and seeing
gotten the data that we did and seeing
gotten the data that we did and seeing what I’ve now seen I think it was one of
what I’ve now seen I think it was one of
what I’ve now seen I think it was one of the most thrilling experiences of my
the most thrilling experiences of my
the most thrilling experiences of my life
”
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