CSN EP-34 (Lost City Found, 12,500 Year Old Sphinx Discovered)

Hello everyone, and welcome back to U. Crazy Strange Days presents Crazy Strange News EP thirty four. A huge ancient lost city found in the Amazon shooting over to BBC dot Com with Georgiana Renard, A huge ancient city has been found in the Amazon, hidden for thousands of years by lush vegetation. The discovery changes what we know about the history of people living in the Amazon. The houses and plazas of the Upeno area in eastern Ecuador are connected by an astounding network of roads and canals. The area lies in the shadow of a volcano that created rich local soils, but also may have lead to the destruction of the society. While we knew about cities in the highlands of South America like Machepeachu in Peru, it was believed that people only lived nomadically or in tiny settlements in the Amazon. This is older than any other site we know of in the Amazon. We have Eurocentric view of civilization, but the shows we have to change our idea about what is culture and civilization, says Professor Stephen Roaston, director of investigation at the National Center for Scientific Research in France. It changes the way we see Amazonian cultures. Most people picture small groups, probably naked, living in huts and clearing land. This shows ancient people lived in complicated urban societies, says co author and Tone Dorison. The city was built around twenty five hundred years ago and people lived there for up to one thousand years. According to the archaeologists, it is difficult to accurately estimate how many people live there at any one time, but scientists say it is certainly in the tens, if not the hundreds of thousands. The archaeologists combined ground excavations with the survey of a one hundred and sixteen square mile area using laser sensors flown on a plane that could identify remains of the city beneath the dense plants in trees. This lidar technology found six thousand rectangular platforms measuring about sixty six foot by thirty three foot and I guess about nine feet high. They were arranged in groups of three to six units around a plaza with a central platform. The scientists believed many were homes, but some were for ceremonial purposes. One complex at Kilimope included a four hundred and fifty nine foot by one hundred and thirty one foot platform. They were built by cutting into hills and creating a platform of earth on top. A network of straight rows, roads, excuse me, and paths connected many of the platforms, including one that extended sixteen miles wow. Doctor Dorrison said these roads were the most striking part of the research. The road network is very sophisticated. It extends over a vast distance. Everything is connected and there are right angles, which is very impressive, he says, explaining that it is much harder to build a straight road than one that fits in with the landscape. He believes some had a very powerful meaning, perhaps linked to a ceremony or belief. The scientists also identify causeways with ditches on either side, which they believe were canals that helped manage the abundant water in the region. There were signs of threats to the cities. Some ditches blocked entrances to the settlements and may be evidence of threats from nearby peoples. Researchers first found evidence of a city in the nineteen seventies, but this was the first time a comprehensive survey has been completed. After twenty five years of research, It reveals a large complex society that appears to be even bigger than the well known Mayan societies in Mexico and Central America. That's impressive. Imagine that you discovered another civilization like the Maya, but with completely different architecture, land use, and ceramics, says Jose Arieta, a professor of archaeology at the University of Exeter who was not involved in this research. Some of the findings are unique for South America, he explains, pointing to the octagonal in rectangular platforms arranged together, The societies were clearly well organized and interconnected, highlighting the long sunken roads between settlements. Not a huge amount is known about the people who lived there and what their societies were like. Pits and hearths were found in platforms well in the platforms, as well as jar stones to grind plants and burnt seeds. The Calamope and Apenno people living there probably mostly focused on agriculture. People ate maize and sweet potato, and probably drank chicha, a type of sweet beer sounds delicious. Professor Runstin says he was warned against this research at the start of his career because scientists believe no ancient groups had lived in the Amazon. They were just afraid of new discoveries and their research being like kind of showed aside. But I am very stubborn, so I did it anyway. Now I must admit I am quite happy to have made such a big discovery. The next step for the researchers is understanding what lies in an adjoining one hundred sixteen square mile area not yet surveyed. I guess they're busting those up in one hundred and sixteen square mile sections. I don't know, but it's very interesting that we've got more to discover, and it seems like it's quite large. All Right, everyone, here's another really interesting discovery. And I'll have links to both these articles in the show notes, so have no fear. You can check these out for yourself if you want to learn more. A twelve thousand, five hundred year old sphinx discovered in Pakistan. In contemporary Pakistan, the Blukishstan finx, also known as the Lion of Blukistan, is a rare and peculatar site. This uniquely shaped structure can be found in Lizabella, Pakistan, and shares certain features with the famous Egyptians Sphinx and Gaza Here Giza. Sorry While some argue that the Blukistan sphinks resemble resemblance to the ancient Sphinx, suggests the existence of lost cultures predating well known civilizations like the Egyptians, modern historians and writers continue to debate this possibility. Interestingly, this geological formation remained largely unknown until the Macron Coastal Highway opened in two thousand and four, providing access to the area for travelers. This highway connects Karachi with the port town of Gwadar on the Macron Coast and has brought attention to this fascinating landmark. Despite extensive archaeological research, the unusual rock formation, known as the Pakistan Sphinx is often dismissed by experts as a natural occurrence. From various angles, the geological formation appears to bear some resemblance to the iconic Egyptian Sphinx, a masterpiece believed to have been chiseled out of a single massive block of limestone over four thy five hundred years ago during the reign of Cafra. Cafra is also renowned for constructing the second largest pyramid on the Giza plateau. Numerous photos of the Blakistan Sphinx situated in the Hengol National Park do little to clarify its origins, causing more perplexity than the illumination. Some individuals may find it difficult to accept that natural forces could have fashioned such an intricate and distinctive geological feature. To some, the location where the oddly shaped formation stands appears as if it were created by human hands long ago. Again, I'll have links so you guys can see the photos. It's quite amazing. Upon first glance at the sphinx, one may observe a well defined jawline with prominent facial features such as eyes, mouth, and nose that are perfect spaced, seemingly carved in proportion to one another. However, this is not sufficient evidence to conclude that the sphinx was carved by human hands rather than formed by natural processes. The psychological phenomenon of para delia I always have a hard time with that. One maybe at play, causing us to perceive familiar shapes and patterns where none exists. Furthermore, identifying a rock formation in the middle of nowhere as a monument or the result of human intervention based solely on visual cues is not a reliable method. A thorough archaeological survey is necessary to determine whether the unusual geological shape was created by ancient civilizations or the forces of weathering and erosion. Over the years, the enematic formation known as the sphinx has elicited differing viewpoints as to its origin. While some have argued that it is a natural occurrence, others contend that it is a product of human craftsmanship. The debate continues to rage on One author in blogger is among those who assert that these sphinx is not a random geological formation, but is instead a component of a vast architectural complex. According to Misra the blogger, the sphinx is surrounded by the ruins of an ancient temple, in temples that were meticulously carved into the bedrock. Now if you look, no doubt, there is no doubt. Like columns, pillars, there is some sediment, there's steps, there's niches, symmetric patterns carved into the base where the sphinx stand sits on top of it. It's quite remarkable. I think there's no doubt that you know, at least that portion is man made. Well, maybe no doubt is kind of maybe not accurate, but it certainly seems as if, I mean, it would be even harder I think, for erosion and you know, the elements to make those formations than the sphinx on top. That's just my opinion. So Misra goes on to describe this thing in detail, pointing out its distinct features such as a well defined jawline and clearly discernible facial features including eyes, nose, and mouth. These features, he notes, appeared to be perfectly proportioned to one another, lending further credence to the idea that the sphinx was created intentionally rather than by natural forces. But if it really is a man made monument, who carved it and when was it carved? It's quite surprising that the geological formation in Pakistan, similar to the ancient Egyptian sphinx, also appears to have a headdress referred to as a nemes. However, it's important to consider that this observation could be a result of again your mind kind of seeing familiar patterns, where our mind correctly or connects familiar shapes and patterns to form an image. Apart from the headdress, mistres suggests that the symmetrical features surrounding this sphinx provide evidence of human intervention, contradicting the idea that natural weathering form this site. The argument presented is that the Sphinx debolished Stanphinx displays a clear symmetrical pattern of steps and pillars, providing further evidence to support the notion that it was created by human hands rather than by natural forces. Again, according to the author, the steps are evenly spaced and consistent in height, creating the impression of majestic rock hewn architectural complex. Despite several claims and conjecture that the Sphinx could be as old as twelve thousand years, its true age remains unknown. This is because the authenticity of the Sphinx itself cannot be confirmed. Without extensive archaeological fieldwork and excavation. It is impossible to determine whether the Sphinx was indeed sculpted by a forgotten civilization, as some speculate, or if it is simply another geological formation shaped by weathering and other natural processes. Super interesting, definitely check out the links you know from the photo. You can't really I can't tell if these are like like a traditional step within seven you know, inches eleven, you know, step in tread. They look like they may be maybe a little larger. But again, you know, this is a perspective of a photo. But the Nietzches and the the other patterns, I mean, geez, it looks to be man made for sure. I mean you see a lot of straight lines which you normally do not get in nature. You know, you start seeing patterns like when you look through trees, you know, the forest, and maybe somebody has a little hot lean to whatever you can kind of your eye, I'll pick that out because it's not natural. Very rarely are their right angles. And you know, forty fives nineties, all this in nature and now erosion. I'm no expert. I'm not a geologist. I'm not you know, but it looks it looks man made. The sphinx, I'm in between on that. But it'd be amazing to go to the site. You know, maybe they will. I don't know how Pakistan, you know, handles their like heritage sites, or if they even care, or if they'd let foreigners in to study it. You know, we've got to get some archaeologists and other scientists in here check it. Out, folks, it's super cool man, no doubt compelling. That's your I guess it's a kind of a science news day and archaeological anthropological type episode. I hope you enjoyed it. It's been a while since I've done one of these. Be sure to check out the new podcast, Chasing Bad, especially if you like true crime and conspiracy theories. But fair war, I think it's a nod for children. Remember everyone subscribe, five star rate and review helps a ton word of mouth. Tell your friends that's even better. I've been mixed strange. This has been your crazy strange news, and I am out of here. Any lady, lady, Lady dud