Once this city was discovered hiding here in the jungles, virtually untouched by any traces of modern day civilization, the archaeologists began verifying facts about this city. According to experts, this city dates back to around 800 A.D.

The exact location of this city is what is called Buritaca according to modern day administrative maps; and this spot, according to the local tribes that still inhabit the areas around, is called ‘Teyuna’.

Discovering Ciudad Perdida:

Ciudad Perdida was discovered in the year 1972, and this happened accidentally when a group of in-the-making treasure hunters chanced upon stone steps that seemed to be leading up the mountain. They followed the path and chanced upon one of history’s greatest secrets. Talk about getting lucky with finding a treasure!

These local treasure hunters first named this city as ‘Green Hell’; and authorities were not notified about the existence and the accidental discovery of this city. They found out later, when gold urns from this ancient city, began making appearances in the black markets.

The Designing of this Ancient City:

Here, the city of Ciudad Perdida is known to resemble its more famous neighbor, Machu Picchu. Both of these cities are built upon high terraces; these have been cut out directly from the mountains.

Believe it or not, a trip to Ciudad Perdida could take up to around 5 days to complete. This is because the one and only way to make your way to the city would involve climbing up somewhere around thousands steps that have been set in this dense jungle. Along the way, you’ll also combat some carved tunnels; and the only way to get through them is on all fours (well almost).

The tunnels and the loose stones that made up for the stairs were a matter of security.  These helped by informing the locals of anyone approaching their territory.

The usual town squares were given a miss in the case of the Ciudad Perdida and these get replaced with town circles. The roads that join the various parts of the town were created to look narrow and tiled.

The Locals – The Original Discoverers:

The local tribes of Arhuacos and Koguis, who live around the area, claim that they’d always known about the existence of this lost city; but they’d kept mum about it.  They believed that the city, which they called ‘Teyuna’, was said to be at the center of a chain created by a number of villages that were said to be inhabited by the forefathers of these tribes.

If they are right, then Ciudad Perdida may have been the financial and political capital of the region.  As per the design and the structure of the city, it can be gauged that 6000 to 8000 people may have lived there at some point in time.

Note:

The steep climbs and descends will make for quite an exciting trip; and will make it even more memorable for the adrenaline junkies. But this will not change the fact that it requires a high level of fitness if you plan on doing this trip. It will take around 5 days to complete this entire trip; and be prepared to encounter some rather interesting and difficult parts along the way (and we’re not just talking about the mosquitoes!).

Pyramids of Guimar (Tenerife)

Generally when someone says pyramid there are very few images that spring to mind. If you’re very lucky, you know of those in the Amazon Basin or in Indonesia. But if you want a slice of something seriously mysterious, take a trip to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. For starters, traveling to and staying in Tenerife is not nearly as expensive a deal as traveling to Egypt so that’s a good start. Then, when you tell your friends that brag about having gone to the pyramids, that you’ve seen the pyramids that they don’t even know about, enjoy the moment as you see them pick their jaw up off the floor. Built from volcanic rock, the pyramids of Guimar are inexplicable in that they are as large as any other major, mainstream pyramid you know of and yet, absolutely no one knows who built them or why or even when. Of course, when there is no real story behind it all, people start to make things up (idle mind is the devil’s workshop and all that). Some say the Aztecs built them, others whisper the name of the Freemasons. The fact is no one really knows the truth. It could well be that a time traveling genius went back in time and constructed it just to mess with everyone’s minds. That explanation is as plausible as anything else. The ancient Romans knew a thing or two, and their scriptures state that these islands were completely uninhabited, so you know something really strange happened when even they were stumped. What is known is that these pyramids have underground chambers beneath them, so perhaps they were hiding places. Only time traveling genius’ known the truth about these pyramids.

Pyramids of Meroe (Sudan)

Are you in Africa and looking for more pyramids to gaze at, but don’t know where to go? Well, you’re in luck because we do. As you head from Khartoum to Port Sudan, near Bagrawiya, you will pass the archaeological site if the civilization known as ancient Meroë. Here you will find a group of pyramids bunched up over a small hill. These pyramids are smaller than those you would find in Egypt and are what is left of a royal cemetery used by the Meroitic kingdom. Realize though that the Nile valley lay in the north of what we know today as Sudan and as the Egyptians became more power hungry and started to capture larger tracts of land closer to the Meroitic kingdom. This resulted in a cultural closeness and a very real proximity between the two kingdoms as can be seen from the influences they had on one another right until the time the Egyptian empire collapsed in the twelfth century B.C. Several centuries elapsed and it was to be the lot of the kings of Napata to rule the Nile Valley and consequently revive the burial traditions of the pyramids. The Pharaohs were long gone and soon the Napatan kingdom too was in decline, leaving Egypt eventually transferring kingship to the Meroitic empire in the 3rd century B.C. So while the Egyptian pyramids are monuments to royalty, the pyramids of Meroe are very large graves, containing over fifty pyramids for royalty alone. In fact, even the Romans copied the Nubians, as can be seen in the pyramid of Cestius in Rome. Imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery.

Tomb of the General (Eastern China)

Time was when Chinese pyramids were considered nothing more than the stuff of fiction, having never been witnessed by anyone nor having any tangible evidence proving its existence. But finally after several decades of hemming and hawing, it has finally been proven that there are indeed pyramids in China. For several years now, scholars have looked upon Chinese pyramids as constituting nothing more than large mounds but that is all a thing of the past now. The reason for so much conjecture about the existence of a pyramid can be pinned on two sets of stories doing the rounds. The first of these touched upon the existence of the mythical “Great White Pyramid”. Said to have been located in the Qining mountains, a photo of this is said to have existed in the American Military archives since 1945 after US Air Force pilot James Gaussman reported back to his superiors about a white jewel-topped pyramid that he saw while flying between India and China during the Second World War. However, with no one denying or accepting these claims, speculation continues to rage about its authenticity. It wasn’t until the turn of the millennium that China claimed something in the region of 400 pyramids existed in the Shanxi region. Not as large as the rumored “Great White Pyramid”, these pyramids were dismissed as nothing more than burial mounds. Fast-forward six years, and archaeologists discovered a set of ancient tombs dating back at least 3,000 years and covering 500,000 square meters. It was an unlikely water erosion that exposed part of a mountain and uncovered two of the tombs. Finally, proof was at hand. The Chinese too had their own pyramids, but the “Great White Pyramid” remained at large.

Brihadeeswarar Temple (India)

The Brihadeeshwarar temple was constructed under the auspices of the Chola ruler Raja Raja I, a king so awesome he had  the same name used twice. Legend has it that Lord Shiva appeared before King Raja Raja in a dream and told him to build the temple, for it would be remembered for the ages. An addendum to this story is that when Raja Raja I was in Sri Lanka he saw enormous statues of Lord Buddha adorning the landscape and seeing this was the final straw; that was what convinced him to build the temple. At least Lord Shiva had his facts right; the temple has been granted World Heritage Site by UNESCO, so he got that much right. The temple, constructed in granite has what is known in classical Indian architectural terms as a Vimana and Shikara with a Mandapam adorning the entrance. Raja Raja I’s directives and influence clearly shines through, with the temple wearing a look that can only be described as majestic. Little wonder then that this temple served as the blueprint for several other temples that came up after this during the time of the Chola empire and even after that. In fact, it is said that the king ascended the tower and climbed to the top where he was anointed with powers by the priests and he could then talk to the gods, in particular with Shiva and the entire temple complex. Located smack in the city of Tanjore, the temple is a perfect example of Indian pyramidic architectural styles as it was enhanced at several points in the 11th right up until the 16th century. But as they say, you can’t improve perfection and it remains till date the largest temple in India and a prime example of the architectural style.

Chichen Itza (Mesoamerica)

Chichen Itza is the most sacred city of the ancient Mayan civilization and what was once a bustling city spread over six square miles now lies almost in ruins. The ruins can be broken into two parts, the first being the classical Mayan period (and built between the 7th and 10th centuries A.D.) during which time the city was a major ceremonial hub. The other part ties in with the Maya-Toltec period (from the 10th to 13th century A.D.) and is the touristier of the two locations, with some outstanding sights and the sacred well. From the outset Chichen Itza was mainly agricultural and for a time arts and sciences really took off here, rocketing the city into prominence as a major nodal point for the civilization. With increased prominence came an increased amount of religiousness, and so Chichen Itza became a religious center as well as can be seen in the multiple structures such as the Temple of Three Lintels, House of Phalli, the nunnery and the church. But over time the foundations of this splendid city started to fall away and the Mayans abandoned their religious buildings and the agricultural land that came with it. Newer cities were constructed in the vicinity of Chichen Itza and the main city was only ever visited to perform rituals or bury the departed. It wasn’t until the 10th century that they returned. It is quite easily one of the most well known pyramid complexes in the word which includes Kukulcan’s Pyramid. Standing at 75 feet in height, this was built to suit astronomical needs and during the vernal and autumnal equinox, light bathes the main stairway forming 7 triangles that the body of a serpent. This eventually joins the serpent’s head carved in stone at the bottom of the stairway and several agricultural rituals could have been carried out here. When you think of all that Chichen Itza was, which included a holy city, royal quarters and a ball court for sports you can begin to understand its draw on the ancient Mayans just as it draws you in. And in the middle of this, they somehow managed to pack in a steam bath. To live the life of the Mayans vicariously is what draws everyone here, and to grab a slice of history for oneself is reward in itself when you visit Chichen Itza.

The town of Ollantaytambo and the region surrounding it was conquered by Inca King Pachacuti. The town was part of the king’s personal estate. Post the conquest the king rebuilt the town and also carried extensive construction projects of terracing and irrigation. The served as a staying place for the Inca nobility and the terraces surrounding the town were farmed yanaconas who were retained by the king. After the king’s death the town came under the supervision of his family clan. The town again came into light during the Spanish conquest of Peru as it served as capital for the Inca resistance leader Manco Inca.

In Ollantaytambo, the key colonization had a general layout that was orthogonal, with 4 lengthwise roads being crossed by 7 parallel roads. The Incas constructed a mammoth four blocks large spanning plaza at the core of this grid that opened to the east side and was encircled by halls and other settlement blocks on its 3 other sides. The Inca structures located to the northern side of the plaza were constructed of unfinished stones occurring innately in the fields. Those buildings located to the western and southern side were constructed with well-cut and fitted stones. All those blocks that were situated on the south half of the town were constructed to the analogous design – each included duo kancha – compounds that had walls with 4 single room buildings located about a core patio. Constructions found in the north half display greater design variations, but, regrettably majority of them are in such a dilapidated state that their initial plan is difficult to decipher.

Ollantaytambo is one of the oldest occupied dwellings in the continent of South America. The town is bordered by a steep hill called the Cerro Bandolista. Incas had constructed a ceremonial centre on the hill. Also a large part of the hill facing the town was made into terraces by the Incas. One can reach the ceremonial center through a series of stairways. Other key attractions are the Inca storehouses. Incas had built several storehouses in the hills surrounding the city of Ollantaytambo. As these store houses were located at a higher altitude, thus they helped the Incas to preserve food material for a longer time. Also most of them have excellent ventilation system and are built on the slope, thus from the top side they could be filled with grains and the same grain could be emptied using a window on the down side.

Devoted to the eminent Aztec deity Quetzalcoati, the Great Pyramid of Cholula was believed to have been constructed by one of the seven giants known as Xelhua in accordance to the Aztec’s faith. Its ongoing construction spanned generations over 2nd century BC to the early 16th century wherein it expanded to no less than four times.

The orientation of the Cholula Pyramid is to the North-North-West and is planned in accordance to the setting sun all through summer solstice. The presence of an innate spring could be the reason for the preferred site choice for construction. A chamber at the core of the pyramid may depict a man-made cave.

Subsequent to the collapse of Teotihuacan, Cholula became the highly significant centre of the Mexican uplands. The Great Pyramid at Cholula was discovered in 1910 during the making of a mental sanctuary. In the most primitive pyramid constructed close to the period of the Teotihuacan pyramid erection around c.100 B.C., one can find the presence of taludtablero patterns coloured in shades of red, yellow and black with insect- shaped creations that are typical of Teotihuacan technique.   These overbearing resemblances made most experts to believe that Cholula was a sister concern city to Teotihuacan.

Built atop the first pyramid, the second Great Pyramid at Cholula adopted a drastically different architectural style with its constructors making stairways on all four sides of it for easy access to the pyramid top.

In 1200, the Toltecs overtook the region and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl was used as a ritualistic area, with the Great Pyramid being left as an epic ruin. In 1359, the foes of Aztecs, the Huexotzingo kingdom lay siege over Cholula and as the Spanish overcame Cholula, the Great Pyramid was already in shambles since long, that it simply appeared as an innate hill.

The great pyramid of Tipanipa at Cholula when noticed from afar looks like a huge hill with a Colonial church, the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, perched at its peak and encircled by a city. A famed allegory goes that when the locals came to know that the conquistadors planned to attack the land, they sorted out a swift work force to bury the pyramid in soil in a bid to protect.

The inner areas of the pyramid up to five miles have been widely dug up that offers keen sightseers a rare chance to peer at the varying phases of build up. As one ascends the incompletely made pyramid close to the church, the geometrical outlines of the initial structure rising to four levels above the ground are visible. The mighty snow covered volcano, El Popocatépetl that disconnects this valley from the Mexico valley can be seen from here.

Amongst the numerous relics discovered by archaeologists is a fifty meters long vividly coloured mural that features human forms in life size given the name ‘The Drunkards’ as it showcases scene of intoxication with the liquid concerned mostly obtained from mushrooms or peyote.

Also unravelled was the most ancient kind of discovery was a four inch high Maya statuette sculpted in a form of a whistle about 1,500years ago in an untouched burial of Tomb 23 and may depict the buried noble. A glyph found on a pot from a companion burial Tomb 19 depicts the riverside city. A 1,500 year old skeletal remains of a tall Mayan along with precious artefacts were uncovered from Tomb 19.

Valuable items were mostly concealed in memorial caches amounting to thirteen in number discovered underneath the floor of a temple. A big carved ear flare covered with cinnabar and a two inch long intricately carved shell pendant was among the artefacts uncovered in cylindrical jars.

Though most of Rio Azul’s fortunes are part of private collections, one can still find numerous pieces on show in Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología in Guatemala. A road connecting Uaxactun and Rio Azul goes through Naachtun-Dos Lagunas Biotope travelable only during the arid season through four wheel drive.  One can hike or trek or hitch a horseback ride to this secluded outpost that takes nearly five days in one way. Visits can be organised at Campamento El Chiclero located in Uaxactun.

On arrival at the site, one would need to pass the Rio Ixcan to reach the guards camp location located on the other side. The exact archaeological site is a further six kilometres along well-maintained road that follows north twelve kilometres to the border area of Tres Banderas.

An must visit is Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa about 71kilometres east from Mazatenango where one can find located close to the town stand within the fields and sugarcane plantations impressive stone heads chiselled with fantastic faces and magnificent relief views that depict the mesmeric Pipil culture that boomed between A.D. 500 -700.

Rio Azul – Lost Maya City – Part I

Rio Azul – Lost Maya City – Part II

Rio Azul donned a crucial role in the Tikal’s expansion and was its significant ally against its bitter rival, Calakmul.

However, by A.D. 530, the unexpected happened with Calakmul attacking Rio Azul. In the Late Classic period, Tikal got back its past grandeur and Rio Azul’s populace grew yet again with new monuments being built. Though Tikal spans 112 sq.kms of which, a mere 16 sq.kms has been recorded and as many as 4000 structures been found till date.

The Tomb 1 that was bore the ravages of the looters has intricately woven mat designs at the entrance that was an indicator of royalty. There was believed to be the presence of an eight inch high fuschite mask inlaid with shell and painted with cinnabar, bearing a glyph on its back referring to Rio Azul was believed to be the underworld deity of the Palenque triad that had been robbed.

Unearthed Tombs 19 and 23 depicted remnants of high standing nobles from central Mexico flanked by symbols of high status like pottery with effigy lids, plates, jade beads having carvings of miniature face and skulls, specially woven cloth mattress, eccentrically shaped cherts. Tombs 19 and 23 were situated beneath platforms that bordered a central temple built over Tomb1.There were nine similarly lidded tripod vessels in Tomb 23 and six of them in Tomb 19 were each embellished with a wide mouthed head donning ear flares that depicted the influence of Teotihuacan that is located 600miles northwest of Tikal, near present day Mexico. A miniature rectangular jade that looked like a gritted fist was discovered in a carcass’s mouth in Tomb 23.

Rio Azul – Lost Maya City – Part I

The realm of Maya spread across 1,00,000 sq.miles and raised many vast centers in present day Mexico, Guatemala ,Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. The great Maya civilization to which Rio Azul belonged developed in the period between 250 B.C. to A.D. 250. Rio Azul, the administrative centre which at its peak in the eight century A.D. numbered close to 3,500 and another 1,500 in the north east suburb comprised mostly of noble military families along with their assistants, servers and retainers.

The classic Mayans maintained articulately controlled landscapes, cultivated fields and water filled canals. They would drain swamps for cultivating crops like beans, corn and probably cacao. The Dams –the largest in the Maya area preserved water for the arid season and several intentionally untouched wastelands that served as buffer zones between rival Maya states. Remnants of digging and cultivating tools dating from eight century have been unearthed.

Rio Azul had a concentration of 350 large buildings. Huge memorial temples standing at 155feet tall were connected by lined walkways to the plush residences of the elite. The 14 storied high pyramid temple that is seen from air amongst the treetops close to the Mexico-Guatemala-Belize border is the standing proof of the vast ruins of Rio Azul considered the highest in the Maya World.

Rio Azul appears to have been abandoned in 535 A.D. mostly due to the civil war period that erupted when older ruling families tried to come into power after Teotihuacans withdrew. The site interior is three square kilometres that has forty one squares, 752 constructions that include a ball court- a game indulged in during the Mayan era, 32 tombs and sixteen alters amongst others. The famed Mayan remnants were systematically and substantially robbed during 1979-1981.

Mesa Verde National Park

The  Mesa Verde National Park, a drive away from Colorado, is over a century old national park which bears premier, prominent mention in the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The observation points and peaks in this national park touch amazing, dizzy heights of about 8,500ft.

The key areas of prime interest revolve around the two ruins of Balcony House and the Cliff Palace. As one treks the mountain terrains to reach Balcony House, which is renowned for its cliff dwellings, exceptional covered havens where Red Indian communities existed and prospered. One is in complete awe at the sights of intricate stone hamlets in the covered niches of the valley walls. Due to inhospitable conditions, the people in these places moved out.

The Balcony House built at a height of 600ft. above valley floor, beneath a rock, and has around 40 rooms that were inhabited by the American Indians in and around 12th century. Most of the cliff places of abode were only dwelled in for about a century. The stones, bolsters and swathes found in the Balcony House and the cliff dwellings are absolutely authentic. The place of primal importance in the Balcony House was the ceremonial room made of wood and clay, the kivas, multi-purpose, underground round rooms used for auspicious occasions and get-togethers, prayer area, rest rooms, healing areas for the sick and even added up to a cooking area.

They received their water through water leaching springs caused by rains and water percolation through the malleable stonework. The egress of the Balcony House is quite magnificent as one comes out of it. One is just left dazed with the intricate meshwork of tunnels one has to cross to come out of here.

The Cliff Palace, the best preserved archaeological site in US, accessed through ladders, has a larger number of rooms and kivas, but no direct seepage water facility. On descent, one comes across the Spruce Tree House cliff house built between the 12th and 13th century, have roof tops with one of them open to travellers. A drive away is the Far View Ruins, where the Red Indians lived before they commenced building cliff dwellings. The Badger House Community Ruins and the Pueblo Indian Ruins have battered the vagaries of nature but still register their impact on one’s mind.

Another landmark is the Sun temple holds significance in Pueblo Indian culture as a site for auspicious occasions and is truly an architectural marvel with its unique, symmetrical D-shape.

• Are they work for an ancient religion?
• Did the aliens from outer space make them?
• Was there a civilization on earth before the humans walked the planet?

Well that is what these gigantic sketches drawn in the Nazca desert of western Peru and are known as Nazca Lines. The sketches number in hundreds and depict hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, fish, sharks or orcas, llamas, and lizards. During 200 BC and 700 AD an ancient pre-Inca civilization existed in the region and it is considered that the Nazca Lines were made by them. It is believed that this was a way they thought of communicating with the havens as the gods in the sky would be able to see them. The largest of these figures is over 270 meters longs. The total area encompassing the lines is over 500 square kilometers.

The plateau has dry, windless, stable climate which has helped in preserving the lines over the centuries. The lines are nothing but shallow designs in the ground and have been created by removing the reddish pebbles which cover the surrounding landscape due to which the whitish earth underneath has been revealed. It is believed that these lines were created over the generations.

Archiologist have uncovered Cahuach, the lost city of the line builders and it is believed that it existed some 2000 years ago. The city was a place of pilgrimage and a ceremonial centre. Archeologists have also uncovered a number of mummies deriving a theory that it could have been a burial location for the Nazca people where they achieved immortality.

At times Nazca lines are also considered as one of the greatest archaeological puzzles in the world. The best way to reach Nazca is by taking a over night bus from Lima to Nazca. Lima is the capital of Peru and is well connected by other international destinations by regular flights. The airport at Nazca provides options to visitors to either go for a flight over the Lines or take a hot air balloon and normal flights last between 40 minutes to an hour.

Temple of the Inscriptions

The construction of the temple began around 675 AD and houses the second longest glyphic text known from the Mayan world. The temple has many inscriptions and gives a detailed record of 180 yrs of cities history. The pyramid structure is 60 meters wide 42.5 meters deep and 27.2 meters high. The temple is also a tomb and the archeologists have recovered a large sarcophagus and other monuments from the Pakal’s tomb.

Temple of the Cross group

These are three temples on the tope of a step pyramid. The three temples are the Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Sun, and Temple of the Foliated Cross. The images in the temple depict reliefs actually depict the tree of creation at the center of the world in Maya mythology.

The city has a splendid network of aqueducts including the one constructed with great stone blocks with a three-meter-high vault to make the Otulum River flow underneath the floor of main plaza. Another significant structure is the Temple of The Lion at a distance of some 200 meters south of the main group of temples. The temple has extensive bas-relief carving depicting a king seated on the throne in the form of a jaguar. Structure XII has a bas-relief carving depicting the God of Death. There is also a site museum which has an excellent collection of artifacts recovered during the conservation and excavation program. Palenque can be reached by car or bus from San Cristobal and the journey take around 5 hours.