why is this diver burrowing into the bottom of this mini lake she’s literally
bottom of this mini lake she’s literally
bottom of this mini lake she’s literally disappearing into the sand and gravel of
disappearing into the sand and gravel of
disappearing into the sand and gravel of the waters floor only debris and the
the waters floor only debris and the
the waters floor only debris and the occasional bubbles from her breathing
occasional bubbles from her breathing
occasional bubbles from her breathing tank are visible she’s part of a project
tank are visible she’s part of a project
tank are visible she’s part of a project largely funded by National Geographic to
largely funded by National Geographic to
largely funded by National Geographic to dive into the sacred pools of the
dive into the sacred pools of the
dive into the sacred pools of the ancient Maya our exploration team
ancient Maya our exploration team
ancient Maya our exploration team discovered this upwelling it’s an
discovered this upwelling it’s an
discovered this upwelling it’s an underwater spring upwelling and it
underwater spring upwelling and it
underwater spring upwelling and it provides us magical experience because
provides us magical experience because
provides us magical experience because it’s located in the bottom of a very
it’s located in the bottom of a very
it’s located in the bottom of a very large crater when you come down down
large crater when you come down down
large crater when you come down down down down down into this large crater
down down down into this large crater
down down down into this large crater and the bottom is this boiling mass of
and the bottom is this boiling mass of
and the bottom is this boiling mass of sediment that’s actually being royal
sediment that’s actually being royal
sediment that’s actually being royal rolled and boiled it’s almost like a
rolled and boiled it’s almost like a
rolled and boiled it’s almost like a natural lava lamp went in over the lip
natural lava lamp went in over the lip
natural lava lamp went in over the lip of the crater to send it down into the
of the crater to send it down into the
of the crater to send it down into the bottom and I didn’t want to have any
bottom and I didn’t want to have any
bottom and I didn’t want to have any interference with the water that was
interference with the water that was
interference with the water that was already in the pool and so it required a
already in the pool and so it required a
already in the pool and so it required a little bit of digging and frankly it was
little bit of digging and frankly it was
little bit of digging and frankly it was extremely low visibility down there but
extremely low visibility down there but
extremely low visibility down there but below the actual base of the sediment
below the actual base of the sediment
below the actual base of the sediment there’s about 1 and 1/2 meters more
there’s about 1 and 1/2 meters more
there’s about 1 and 1/2 meters more space the water coming out of the bottom
space the water coming out of the bottom
space the water coming out of the bottom of this spring coming into the pool is
of this spring coming into the pool is
of this spring coming into the pool is chemically actually quite distinct from
chemically actually quite distinct from
chemically actually quite distinct from the water in the pool but this is just
the water in the pool but this is just
the water in the pool but this is just the beginning the dives also revealed
the beginning the dives also revealed
the beginning the dives also revealed Clues to pass life here and a first for
Clues to pass life here and a first for
Clues to pass life here and a first for the country of Belize scientists
the country of Belize scientists
the country of Belize scientists discovered several fossil beds around 60
discovered several fossil beds around 60
discovered several fossil beds around 60 to 90 feet below the surface including
to 90 feet below the surface including
to 90 feet below the surface including femur bones the size of a bowling ball
femur bones the size of a bowling ball
femur bones the size of a bowling ball they also found tusks and pelvic bones
they also found tusks and pelvic bones
they also found tusks and pelvic bones these are the first recorded fossils
these are the first recorded fossils
these are the first recorded fossils ever found in Belize and we left those
ever found in Belize and we left those
ever found in Belize and we left those in place we only removed a few small
in place we only removed a few small
in place we only removed a few small fossils so we can actually determine are
fossils so we can actually determine are
fossils so we can actually determine are they fossilized or bone and they’re
they fossilized or bone and they’re
they fossilized or bone and they’re definitely fossilized so we know they
definitely fossilized so we know they
definitely fossilized so we know they have to be of a certain age but
have to be of a certain age but
have to be of a certain age but were they here were they for these mega
were they here were they for these mega
were they here were they for these mega fauna present during occupation by
fauna present during occupation by
fauna present during occupation by humans or about 20,000 years ago 50,000
humans or about 20,000 years ago 50,000
humans or about 20,000 years ago 50,000 years ago or they much older the dives
years ago or they much older the dives
years ago or they much older the dives were made in several pools in central
were made in several pools in central
were made in several pools in central believes earlier this year in an area
believes earlier this year in an area
believes earlier this year in an area known as carob Lanka the researchers
known as carob Lanka the researchers
known as carob Lanka the researchers found evidence that the eight pools of
found evidence that the eight pools of
found evidence that the eight pools of the 25 they studied are likely connected
the 25 they studied are likely connected
the 25 they studied are likely connected through underground passages principal
through underground passages principal
through underground passages principal investigator Lisa Lucero says the major
investigator Lisa Lucero says the major
investigator Lisa Lucero says the major goal is to look for archeological
goal is to look for archeological
goal is to look for archeological remains underwater because the Maya
remains underwater because the Maya
remains underwater because the Maya considered openings in the earth caves
considered openings in the earth caves
considered openings in the earth caves water bodies as portals to the
water bodies as portals to the
water bodies as portals to the underworld or Sebulba and because the
underworld or Sebulba and because the
underworld or Sebulba and because the thousands of caves that have been found
thousands of caves that have been found
thousands of caves that have been found have offerings ancient Maya offerings we
have offerings ancient Maya offerings we
have offerings ancient Maya offerings we just knew that there’d be offerings at
just knew that there’d be offerings at
just knew that there’d be offerings at the bottom of the pool so we came with
the bottom of the pool so we came with
the bottom of the pool so we came with with the goal of trying to dive to look
with the goal of trying to dive to look
with the goal of trying to dive to look for these offerings though they didn’t
for these offerings though they didn’t
for these offerings though they didn’t find offerings on the first dives they
find offerings on the first dives they
find offerings on the first dives they did find ceramic shards in a pool near
did find ceramic shards in a pool near
did find ceramic shards in a pool near remains of Maya buildings constructed
remains of Maya buildings constructed
remains of Maya buildings constructed around 1100 to 1300 years ago Lucero
around 1100 to 1300 years ago Lucero
around 1100 to 1300 years ago Lucero says there is no indication this area
says there is no indication this area
says there is no indication this area had many residences but rather was
had many residences but rather was
had many residences but rather was likely a pilgrimage site with Maya
likely a pilgrimage site with Maya
likely a pilgrimage site with Maya traveling here from hundreds of miles
traveling here from hundreds of miles
traveling here from hundreds of miles away because at least one of the pools
away because at least one of the pools
away because at least one of the pools was found to be around 200 feet deep and
was found to be around 200 feet deep and
was found to be around 200 feet deep and littered with trees and silt more
littered with trees and silt more
littered with trees and silt more sophisticated diving equipment is needed
sophisticated diving equipment is needed
sophisticated diving equipment is needed for future dives and Lucero believes
for future dives and Lucero believes
for future dives and Lucero believes there are more significant Maya
there are more significant Maya
there are more significant Maya offerings at these depths
offerings at these depths
offerings at these depths the research is being conducted under
the research is being conducted under
the research is being conducted under the auspices of the Belize Institute of
the auspices of the Belize Institute of
the auspices of the Belize Institute of Archaeology and the scientists plan to
Archaeology and the scientists plan to
Archaeology and the scientists plan to return for more exploration
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