Maya “Underworld” Observatory Revealed | National Geographic

in an isolated region on Mexico’s

in an isolated region on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula National Geographic

Yucatan Peninsula National Geographic

Yucatan Peninsula National Geographic Explorer Don Slater came across a

Explorer Don Slater came across a

Explorer Don Slater came across a remarkable finding inside a cave he was

remarkable finding inside a cave he was

remarkable finding inside a cave he was studying the Maya apparently used a

studying the Maya apparently used a

studying the Maya apparently used a platform inside the cave as an

platform inside the cave as an

platform inside the cave as an astronomical observatory if you watch

astronomical observatory if you watch

astronomical observatory if you watch this time lapse video from inside the

this time lapse video from inside the

this time lapse video from inside the cave you’ll see the nearby pyramid the

cave you’ll see the nearby pyramid the

cave you’ll see the nearby pyramid the largest of its kind in the area stands

largest of its kind in the area stands

largest of its kind in the area stands in alignment with the sunrise on a very

in alignment with the sunrise on a very

in alignment with the sunrise on a very special day that only occurs twice a

special day that only occurs twice a

special day that only occurs twice a year the Zenith passage the top of the

year the Zenith passage the top of the

year the Zenith passage the top of the pyramid is partially collapsed so the

pyramid is partially collapsed so the

pyramid is partially collapsed so the view is not exactly as the Maya sod it

view is not exactly as the Maya sod it

view is not exactly as the Maya sod it appears that when de Maya built the city

appears that when de Maya built the city

appears that when de Maya built the city around that particular area they aligned

around that particular area they aligned

around that particular area they aligned their largest pyramid with the cave

their largest pyramid with the cave

their largest pyramid with the cave month so that when you stand inside of a

month so that when you stand inside of a

month so that when you stand inside of a special platform inside of the cave mall

special platform inside of the cave mall

special platform inside of the cave mall and look out and have this this view of

and look out and have this this view of

and look out and have this this view of the city the view is dominated by the

the city the view is dominated by the

the city the view is dominated by the pyramid and it aligns with the sunrise

pyramid and it aligns with the sunrise

pyramid and it aligns with the sunrise on the day of the zenith passage which

on the day of the zenith passage which

on the day of the zenith passage which is a very important day on the solar

is a very important day on the solar

is a very important day on the solar calendar for the Maya people while

calendar for the Maya people while

calendar for the Maya people while standing inside the cave which follows a

standing inside the cave which follows a

standing inside the cave which follows a staircase descent from its entrance an

staircase descent from its entrance an

staircase descent from its entrance an observer can see with the Maya saw the

observer can see with the Maya saw the

observer can see with the Maya saw the zenith passage the time in the tropics

zenith passage the time in the tropics

zenith passage the time in the tropics twice a year at noon when the Sun passes

twice a year at noon when the Sun passes

twice a year at noon when the Sun passes directly overhead is believed to have

directly overhead is believed to have

directly overhead is believed to have been used in maintaining the Maya

been used in maintaining the Maya

been used in maintaining the Maya agricultural calendar due to the caves

agricultural calendar due to the caves

agricultural calendar due to the caves special location at the heart of the

special location at the heart of the

special location at the heart of the ancient settlement of akhil regular

ancient settlement of akhil regular

ancient settlement of akhil regular access let alone on the day of the

access let alone on the day of the

access let alone on the day of the zenith would not have been for just

zenith would not have been for just

zenith would not have been for just anybody I would say this would be

anybody I would say this would be

anybody I would say this would be something that would have been

something that would have been

something that would have been particularly for a small group of elite

particularly for a small group of elite

particularly for a small group of elite people the cave malta cave entrance is

people the cave malta cave entrance is

people the cave malta cave entrance is not very large and it’s also located in

not very large and it’s also located in

not very large and it’s also located in an area that would have been controlled

an area that would have been controlled

an area that would have been controlled specifically by the elite people the way

specifically by the elite people the way

specifically by the elite people the way that they perceived the caves on an

that they perceived the caves on an

that they perceived the caves on an ideological scale is so different than

ideological scale is so different than

ideological scale is so different than the way that we perceive them it’s

the way that we perceive them it’s

the way that we perceive them it’s almost like a church it’s a sacred space

almost like a church it’s a sacred space

almost like a church it’s a sacred space but I think there would have certainly

but I think there would have certainly

but I think there would have certainly been some fear involved because the

been some fear involved because the

been some fear involved because the deities that would have lived inside of

deities that would have lived inside of

deities that would have lived inside of these caves according to their beliefs

these caves according to their beliefs

these caves according to their beliefs wouldn’t all have been benevolent

wouldn’t all have been benevolent

wouldn’t all have been benevolent so you would be approaching these spaces

so you would be approaching these spaces

so you would be approaching these spaces where you could upset deities you could

where you could upset deities you could

where you could upset deities you could upset ancestors you’re you’re putting

upset ancestors you’re you’re putting

upset ancestors you’re you’re putting your life at risk by going into these

your life at risk by going into these

your life at risk by going into these places not just because of the the

places not just because of the the

places not just because of the the Heights and because of the tight spaces

Heights and because of the tight spaces

Heights and because of the tight spaces but because of the spirits that live

but because of the spirits that live

but because of the spirits that live inside of these caves the e keel cave

inside of these caves the e keel cave

inside of these caves the e keel cave with the zenith passage observatory is

with the zenith passage observatory is

with the zenith passage observatory is just one of a hundred caves Slater and

just one of a hundred caves Slater and

just one of a hundred caves Slater and his team have explored and studied in

his team have explored and studied in

his team have explored and studied in the Yucatan they have repelled and

the Yucatan they have repelled and

the Yucatan they have repelled and crawled through tiny spaces going where

crawled through tiny spaces going where

crawled through tiny spaces going where no outsider has ever ventured the

no outsider has ever ventured the

no outsider has ever ventured the primary purpose of Slater’s research

primary purpose of Slater’s research

primary purpose of Slater’s research partially funded by a National

partially funded by a National

partially funded by a National Geographic wait grant is to determine if

Geographic wait grant is to determine if

Geographic wait grant is to determine if control of the caves was a source of

control of the caves was a source of

control of the caves was a source of power within ancient Maya communities

power within ancient Maya communities

power within ancient Maya communities Slater says bringing lights into these

Slater says bringing lights into these

Slater says bringing lights into these caves allows his team to view these

caves allows his team to view these

caves allows his team to view these caves like no other humans had seen it

caves like no other humans had seen it

caves like no other humans had seen it before when people would go in in the

before when people would go in in the

before when people would go in in the past of course all they had was torches

past of course all they had was torches

past of course all they had was torches and using a torch to light up a cave

and using a torch to light up a cave

and using a torch to light up a cave certainly has its interesting aspects

certainly has its interesting aspects

certainly has its interesting aspects with the flickering light but it’s going

with the flickering light but it’s going

with the flickering light but it’s going to be a very dim light when we go in and

to be a very dim light when we go in and

to be a very dim light when we go in and we light up a cave it just completely

we light up a cave it just completely

we light up a cave it just completely and totally reveals all of the nooks and

and totally reveals all of the nooks and

and totally reveals all of the nooks and crannies and the features inside of the

crannies and the features inside of the

crannies and the features inside of the cave we get to see it in a way that

cave we get to see it in a way that

cave we get to see it in a way that nobody else had ever seen it in the past

nobody else had ever seen it in the past

nobody else had ever seen it in the past [Music]