Next. A Spanish captain, hacking his way through the jungles of the Yucatan in 1787,
stumbled upon the ruins of Palenque,another pristine example of Mayan culture. Some 200
years later, an engraved stone slab, weighing nearly 9 tons, was found in the main pyramid.
According to archaeologists, the intricate design depicts either a Mayan prince or perhaps
the God of maize, the Mayan’s main staple. But as is so often in archeology, opinions
differ widely. Erich von Däniken will present his own views on the extraordinary site.
TicÀl, Guatemala was once home to some 70,000 people, making it the largest Mayan settlement
in Central America. Approximately 3,000 buildings have been uncovered to date,
including five pyramids. Among them is Temple #5, measuring 65 meters in height. During
the glory of the Mayan culture, it was the tallest building in the Americas. On a small
plaque made of jade, a partially deciphered inscription suggests this pyramid to be the
place where »the ruler of the heavenly family once landed«. According to Mayan faith,
the Gods return to earth every 52nd year.
Another mystery still awaiting conclusive disclosure is Stonehenge in Southern England.
Some 5,000 years ago, Stone Age man erected a circle of monoliths here, each weighing
at least 5 tons. The stones come from quarries in the mountains of Wales, 400 kilometers
away. How were they transported at a time when the wheel had not yet been invented?
Stonehenge, originally a pagan place of worship, is actually a model of our solar system.
One formation of monoliths even depicts the asteroid belt – a constellation only discovered
in the 19th century.
