Sacsayhuaman in 1840 and More Evidence for an Ancient Water World | Ancient Architects

When we look at the ancient structures of Peru and Bolivia, we all take note of the ruinous state of what were once some prime examples of amazing ancient architecture.
Some incredible things do remain, like the walls of Sacsayhuaman, the amazing Piedra Cansada or Chinkana Grande, the polygonal walls on the streets of Cuzco as well as some of the masonry of the Coricancha. Since the site was cleared, Machu Picchu is also better preserved than many other Peruvian sites.
I stated in my last video that I believe a lot of the damage is modern, inflicted in the past 500 years, not some kind of natural catastrophe, but human-induced destruction to remove vestiges of the indigenous Andean cultures.
As well as destruction during and just after the Spanish conquest, we know that parts of Sacsayhuaman were destroyed by dynamite blasts in the early 20th century, when parts of the site was used as a stone quarry and also because authorities wanted the underground tunnels blocked, to stop treasure hunters and tourists. They were also potentially dangerous.
With this in mind, I went hunting for descriptions and sketches of Sacsayhuaman before the 20th century because as well trying to find out what certain parts of the site were like before the damage, we might also find more evidence for now-lost water-related structures as well.
Apart from the famous Spanish chronicles, which are not always deemed credible because of the politics of the day, finding such descriptions wasn’t an easy task. Thankfully I came across the work of Francis Comte de Castelnau, apologies if I butchered that name, who travelled across Peru and Bolivia in the 1840s. Links to his work are below.
In this video, I review the descriptions and pictures from the 1840s, provided by Castelnau, and also look at yet more scientific, geophysical evidence that shows that Sacsayhuaman was built originally to manage water for Cusco and surrounding agricultural land.
All images are taken from Google Images and the below sources for educational purposes only. Please subscribe to Ancient Architects, Like the video and please leave a comment below.
Sources:
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#AncientArchitects #Sacsayhuaman #Inca

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you for watching! If you want to support the channel, you can become a Member of the channel at kzbin.info/door/scI4NOggNSN-Si5QgErNCwjoin or I’m on Patreon at www.patreon.com/ancientarchitects

[@2xtraker]

Love your videos and perspective!

[@AncientArchitects]

Thanks

[@adamofgrayskull7735]

🤘😜🤘

[@AncientArchitects]

🤘

[@chirhoaten3220]

Good work!

[@grugnotice7746]

The simplest explanation for why there is no longer a spring there is the same one that applies to the vast majority of springs that have vanished over the last 100 years. Modern electric wells pump out the water long before it has the chance to emerge from a spring. There are more people and more agricultural activity in the Andes now than at any time in history. A LOT more.

[@AncientArchitects]

I didn’t know for certain what modern changes there have been, but I really wanted to highlight various possibilities and why springs can disappear. But you’re probably right! 👍

[@warrendourond7236]

Have you been to the Andes? Every time I go I marvel at all the abandoned terraced fields, and the empty ruins. It is very clear that previous to the arrival of the Spanish, the Peruvian population was massive. And now in modern times, my wife’s home town is slowly dying as the younger generation flee their pastoral heritage and move to the big cities. This is especially the case in the Cusco region. So I believe there is a good chance the current population is smaller and more compact than the ancient one.

[@grugnotice7746]

@@warrendourond7236 Brother Peru alone has a population of almost 33 MILLION. The entire Incan Empire, which was far larger than modern day Peru, was probably about a third that many. The ancient terraces are abandoned because they can no longer be irrigated and require too much manpower. Towns dry up for much the same reason. Modern farms are far cheaper and easier to run. They don't require 95% of the population to work the terraces, which, while beautiful, and amazing technical achievements, simply do not stack up to modern methods where machines give us brute force to level mountains and fill in rivers. One day Peru will abandon the policies holding it back and will grow rich beyond modern imagination, and the terraces will thrive again in the hands of craft farmers, much the same way that small farms are thriving now in the US, selling their goods at farmers markets for a premium price.

[@warrendourond7236]

@@grugnotice7746 while I agree with everything you just said, I am not sure about the populations in the high Andes and Cuzco region. Almost half the Peruvian population lives in Lima, and then there are Arequipa, Trujillo, and Puira, that make up most of that other half. It is the rural landscape that I believe is less populated than it was in the past. I’m not sure if the population density off sets the increased demand for water, but I could see it being similar. The other problem is that the glaciers are disappearing and the Andes as a whole are getting drier. But yes... One day we will get a functioning government in Peru, and it does indeed have the potential to become one of the richest countries in the world.

[@lostpony4885]

That dynamite.

[@baysideauto]

I swear Peru is so interesting. So much was going on there in the past.

[@AncientArchitects]

Love this place

[@sagablott7253]

Wery nice work indeed, and intersting theories. But we are miles from understanding how they could cut into the rocks the way they did it, that is the most important side of the story.. will we ever find out?

[@chucknorris3984]

@@sagablott7253 If you seen this construction project in the shitty of Pittsburgh where they are rebuilding a giant retaining wall (100 feet tall by 2500 wide approximately) you would want to second guess how these ancient structures were built. This wall looks like quarried rock that was placed there by a crane piece by piece but is all a concretious mix that was poured in forms and hand textured to look real.

[@dafttool]

Subscribe to “Brien Foerster” who gives Peru (& Egypt, etc tours) & is an expert on cataloging elongated skulls. He’s referenced in this video

[@jonathanbriceno5935]

Amazing series!!! Im from Peru, visited that site many times. Its very true what you are talking about. Congratulations keep on the good work. Come here anytime i can help you out.

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you so much

[@bogieviews]

Jonathan, I've been to Peru 6 times. I love the place, but now my friends there tell me they are still in lockdown and the coming election has 2 bad choices. Something also about violence from the Colony. I always stayed in Lima and often went to Haiti sidewalk cafe in Mira Flores. After 60 years, now out of business. The people are great.

[@ancientexplorer1865]

One Spanish chronicler who arrived in 1539 also mentioned that the Kalasasaya temple in Tiwanaku was water tight and used to contain water.

[@danspappa]

If dynamite used: There should be drill holes still visible. From a cracked stone. If fire used to demolish the stone: there should be fire evidence left on the stones. Cracked stone, weakened stone. Soot on the stones.

[@Chabink]

I always learn something from you. I love your common sense approach and your willingness to consider new ideas.

[@Greenninjadjh]

Loving the way you're turning a trickle of information in to a rock solid case for a gigantic water feature. It's refreshing.

[@jonaslowdahl8799]

At least one of the central buildings on top of the hill was a watertower. It was also used as some sort of sun temple. The buildings are called Muyuq Marka.

[@Ness2Alyza]

The glaciers used to be a lot larger in the region, which may have provided more water. The disappearing of the Ausangate glacier and increase in mining is causing a new disaster of less water and greater toxicity. The old Cusco river now goes under Avenida del Sol, and is greatly contaminated already. Edit: clarified mining is increasing and not disappearing, such as the glaciers

[@thebrhinocerous]

I highly appreciate that you share with us the historical writings of past explorers. It truly is amazing to see how things have changed just since relatively modern explorers have started finding and documenting these ancient wonders. And unfortunately, it's also a means to understand how destructive the processes have been in the past and how we have ruined (pun intended) some of the aspects of these sites.

[@thisisshaun1]

I wish the history channel did stuff like this. Great work.

[@annalisette5897]

Since I have the eyes of an artist I cannot help but wonder what the pillow cut lines in the stone works looked like when they were wet or if water cascaded down their sides. I wonder if a computer program could be developed that would give us some idea about light and shadows, running waters, etc?

[@olemann77]

Dude, you nailed it. Im fully onboard. You got what few theories has ... MOTIVE! The normal go-to-explaination for anything is "its religious". Plausability and usability always lacks. But you got it here. Water is survival. Water is security. Water is key.

[@deathstarHQ]

exactly my thoughts too, the problem these days, is theorists and researchers ditch logic and reason in favour of unprovable, illogical stabs in the dark, which are backed with no evidence, all focused on the question of HOW? they invent stories of ancient super high turbo technology, which is apparently LOST so can never be found. At least this Channel asks the question WHY? and digs deep with an open minded view backed with good old Logic, Reason, common sense (now quite rare) and intuition, and delivers a theory that actually makes sense, shows evidence, and like you say, water is the key, it's literally what life is completely and utterly dependent on.

[@olemann77]

@@deathstarHQ Yea .. if we have a reason to do something, there is literary no limit to what we can do. Things like surviva due to crops or water supply, we will work for endlessly. Even generations.

[@kostasgaitanis4752]

At 9:40 you say : he calls the rock "Peter of the stairs". I can only guess this is a bad Google translation of the french "pierre des escaliers" which would translate to "stone of the stairs". Pierre in french means stone but is also the french equivalent of the name Peter. In this case, it would definitely be referring to stone, not Peter.

[@AncientArchitects]

Haha! Thank you! I assumed they Christianised it to St Peter or something. Def a Google translate problem. Appreciate the correction. That’s why I love listening to the audience

[@yoho7470]

Don't hesitate to contact me next time you need a french translation ☆

[@Ness2Alyza]

Nice! This is why I like reading the comments too

[@Steve-mg8it]

Water was essential to civilization. I still think the sacsayhuaman megaliths are proto-Star Fort design as the consecutive angular walls look like Bastion Fort. We’re the walls defensive to protect the sacred/essential water?

[@STRAKAZulu]

Loving this series. And I have to agree with your assessment of why there is a lack of water at the site. Geology and Hydrology are very fluid topics (pun intended).

[@louiscervantez1639]

Excellent good job putting archive material into the present …

[@jfb112697]

first, loving the Sacsayhuaman series 👍

[@AncientArchitects]

I’m enjoying the research. Cheers!

[@ian_b]

seconded!

[@williamkeith8944]

As a central water project for irrigation and water supply for Cusco, it makes sense a defensive surround was made. You've done good research, Matt. Thank you!

[@nancyM1313]

Enjoying all your series...current & earlier uploads. Thanks Matt. 🇺🇸🙂❤

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you

[@captainsensiblejr.]

A big thanks to the Peruviam archivists who preserved old records for us to interperet today.

[@GL1321]

This video offers a fair explanation related to the use of water in Sacsayhuaman. I want to share some information as well. There is a video produced by the Cusco Ministry of Culture branch on Sept 2013 titled: Los Enigmas de Sacsayhuaman ( of course in Spanish ). Where you can see a more elaborated explanation of a complex hydraulic system that existed during the Inca Empire. The video also shows the discovery of more aqueducts in the area and most important how the area flooded during heavy rains back in 2010 since the hydraulic system was partially destroyed or collapsed. It’s worth mention that different width of stone pipes were found laying under the area between “ el rodadero “ and the megalithic walls ; where as the Muyuqmarca was a water tower. This is confirmed by archaeological research but also described by the Spaniard chroniclers in their time. Finally to mention that the water came from Sacsayhuaman to the center of Cusco imperial city ; where there was a waterhole in the main plaza where the modern water fountain is located now.

[@TheoriginalTHX007]

Your insight is second to none! Well done

[@wollybumbol214]

If you planted dynamite underground, near the natural springs, the resultant blast would likely collapse the shalft through which the water flowed to the surface (leaving the area in its current dry state). The Russians used this principle to collapse the shaft of a natural gas fire, except they used a nuke.

[@AncientArchitects]

Interesting. Cheers

[@Lamplighterone]

Very moving arguments indeed. I was starting to wonder where you went. Great one as always thank you!

[@Lemma01]

Reduction in the level of the water tables as a result of increased human occupation is both fast and invisible, so no reason to challenge your hypothesis which - given the importance of water - is entirely logical. Bravo.

[@ian_b]

Really enjoying this series, thank you for all your hard work!

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you

[@maru4361]

It’s a truly amazing location. Huge. And you can walk around all of it.

[@kevinkacalek2027]

Thank you so much for your deeper research! It is a great water park! As it seems to me...lol keep on pushing forward!

[@robertvonbehr6843]

The research is outstanding.

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you :)

[@John-ym9ht]

Suspecting water and then finding a historical record of water is satisfying. Abundant fresh water in elevated terrain would have been so ideal as to be the very reason the site was chosen for habitation.

[@matthewday1046]

I think two different cultures still, but after this video I am not as sure. Great work!

[@larryswindcatcher]

Thanks. Nice work and deductive reasoning.

[@elvyrarendon2150]

Awesome video! I very much liked the water slide info! I always thought those places were laid out like water parks for giants.

[@cedricc4105]

Interesting but I would disagree that the two clearly different styles of construction seen at Sacsayhuaman are from the same culture, you can find the same features in many different sites in Peru and Bolivia in Brien Foerster channel, it really looks so discontinuous visually and in terms of rock size to convince me it is from the same culture. Of course an invasion could provoke that but also an ancient catastrophy. This is a complex subject and many sites seemed to have been reworked over time, it reminds me Giza who also seems to have been an ancient water site maybe when the Sahara was still green... On this I do agree with you, water seemed to have an essential role in many megalithic sites.

[@JamesAnderson-dp1dt]

Europe started getting unusually heavy rains in about 1310 AD. Global glacial advances were occurring in the 14th-15th centuries. Spanish explorers found large expanses of rank grasses in Southern Texas (which is no longer the case today). All in all, there is proof that rainfall and surface water fluctuates widely over time regionally. I don't know the climate history of South America, but it's entirely possible that there was just that much more water in the region during the (brief) period of the Inca Empire.

[@Addictedtothewild]

To me it looks like the springs were moving over time and they knew this already. The tunneling was to locate and or relocate the flow of water to the original functioning site. Plus such flow of water it’s possible that some basic hydraulic water pumping was present. Dynamiting these locations is a tragedy to history.

[@AncientArchitects]

Very true and you make some great points. Thank you

[@JF-vr2xz]

I'm onboard with this hypothesis as it really does make sense...... apart from saying they built the polygonal walls....as this technology/building method is all over the world does that mean you're also hypothesising that all the cultures in this time period knew how to do this and that all of those structures were also built for the purposes of storing water/water related? There's other sites that have more primitive work on top aswell that didn't do that/stop the polygonal work because of an impending invasion by the spanish.. isn't there a possibility it was a project inherited from much earlier that they decided to try and continue? how come all over the world more primitive structures built after the polygonal work? etc. etc. countless questions along those lines! This isnt a criticism, genuinely interested to hear your thoughts! Hope it's all covered in the upcoming video you mentioned at the end of this one! Keep up the good work! 👍

[@neoclassic09]

why have several levels of the large walls if only the lower one was for water?

[@AncientArchitects]

Polygonal masonry may have been in part for water, in part to stop earthquake damage, in part to stop enemy damage and also because it looks amazing. I don’t have all the answers. In these videos I’m gradually building and refining a hypothesis. But I’ll think about your words as you raise a solid point

[@neoclassic09]

@@AncientArchitects keep up the good work. i am still interested in how they did such fine work. do you know the one cut out at ollantaytambo with the cross slashes at the base?

[@neoclassic09]

@@AncientArchitects images.app.goo.gl/rVqno5vQ388Qc9PT6

[@Ness2Alyza]

@@AncientArchitects and wouldn't the different levels be observable due to water (level) damage?

[@TrickyTrev01]

Very interesting and informative thank you for sharing these pictures which have been lost to time. Just like in Australia and around the world, where many places have been purposely destroyed by those who want to hide history. Such a shame as these places are truly beautiful. Thanks TrickyTrev 🇦🇺👍🌎

[@nancyferrell1749]

Love the work, good digging 👍😎

[@AncientArchitects]

Cheers 👍

[@timbrwolf1121]

Is it just me or does this absolutely SCREAM fountain of youth?

[@crispycritter9163]

The Tour de Force we all know and love . Thank you for your courage to remain open minded .

[@GrimDrive]

Something I found interesting is that in that picture of Pachacuti that you showed, it shows a pine cone shaped object at the top of his axe. I don’t know if that’s normally how he was portrayed in ancient times, but if so that is super interesting because I’ve noticed that same exact shape pops up all throughout historical sculptures depicting people of significance. There’s a massive statue at the Vatican and I think it also was on the popes staff. Greek and Roman work. There’s Sumerian (I think) stonework with it. I believe there’s also depictions in Assyrian stone work. Shiva, the most prominent Hindu god is often depicted with a pinecone. The Egyptian staff of Osiris is the only other one I can think of right now. It’s interesting how a lot of the times it’s at the end of a staff that someone of power is holding. It caught my eye and made me think a little.

[@gregsmith1719]

Great theme music! Always appreciate your ideas, Matt; but you really need to go there in person. Where are the water level lines? The stone underwater would have been saturated, or was it only seasonal?

[@R0jiv4]

The big rock was for testing different water controlling techniques. Like a school testing ground. The different steps and cuts in the rocks elsewhere were made to be able to check the levels of water and the amount of which the rain period produced. Maybe they had lots of water some time of the year and needed to be sparse with it to have good water all year round? Also maybe to have some sort of control of how much water they let away to the city also. Steps are increments and we all know that water always levels out.

[@cfair009]

oooooooh !I can"t wait for new video ! didin't know about these unfinished stones on the structure .....

[@AncientArchitects]

Nor did i. It is interesting. May only be a short video but worth presenting.

[@cfair009]

@@AncientArchitects take two weeks to make it ! but i'm guessing their isin't much info to research on this topic . Thank you for all your work, i do belive it's helping on getting the message out to the greater public and break the stigma .

[@cdv5514]

"Peter of the Stairs" ahahaha 😂 So in French "Pierre" is the _translation_ if we may of the name "Peter", but it is most importantly the translation for "Rock" . "Pierre des escaliers" -> "Rock of the stairs" . 😂 😂 😂

[@alexhoffmann9726]

Great video, seems that you’re right that this site was built for water management, but how do you conclude that all of the construction was made by one culture? Only a detailed examination by professionals on site can determine this. Besides, provided that the builders had the technology and ability to cut and shape hard rock into polygonal blocks, why didn’t they build the whole site in the same manner? Why do we observe masonry of unprecedented quality which even today is impossible to produce and primitive crude construction at the same time?

[@sorcerersofstone]

Although I do think springs are a key feature of the huacas as most of them sit on springs, it doesn't really make sense to have huge reservoirs of water surrounding the Chincanas, which were used in the past by the Inka, and probably civilization before them to move around underground. Of course, to have so much water flowing around these sites would make movement through the chincanas impossible, so I don't think a water reservoir at these sites makes sense.

[@JenniLJones-qx8ys]

🤘🥰🤘....... Thanks Mr. Matt. Much Appreciated!!!❤

[@AncientArchitects]

👍

[@DaveTheTurd]

Excellent work.

[@samueldenehytheoriginalhal6022]

Another good episode.

[@AncientArchitects]

Cheers!

[@greatskytrollantidrama4473]

Excellent as always

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you

[@sfjarhead4062]

These areas always remind me of the underwater megalithic areas off the coast of Japan.

[@cabbyabby8490]

@Canada Traveller lmao

[@davebremixes]

Great presentation but I'm struggling with your suggestion that the Inka built everything especially given how much the Inka built in unka Pacha style. It is possible that the site was a water source for many cultures and has been modified many times throughout its age. There are also many other elements which haven't been considered including machu pichu which has all three types of building styles and was never discovered until a Hiram Bingham was lead to it by a guide in 1911. I believe your theory holds water 😂 but this is the reason for its occupation and does not then attribute all stone work to a single culture. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@erikistrup3477]

Thank you for the comments on the smaller stones on the top of the large ones.

[@casmasmith2437]

Nice water works

[@scottfaudree7201]

Just awesome. Great info.

[@dutch_guy_in_Sweden]

Excessive rainfall in 2012 I believe made a few walls collapse. I don't think they are associated with A Lot of water, but water is definitely source. Great video

[@dougalexander7204]

This series of research and detainment is excellent.

[@RicoExNihilo]

amazing ancient architecture

[@terryenglish7132]

I like the water theory, it " holds water " . Let me be a devils advocate "debunker" for a second and point out that you are now defending that excellent well reasoned theory by engaging in unfounded speculation concerning the nonwater areas of the site, which weakens the theory in the minds of some... Writing for myself, I still think that your one culture not 3 theory needs to explain that the exact same huge Monolithic, Polyform large blocks on top , then crappy small random stones on top of that, occurs worldwide, not just Peru.

[@lorinlankins3004]

It's simpler to ignore and speculate the unordinary. You heard him explain it as possible repair work, or they just didn't want to finish it with good quality rocks just filler. Lol

[@billd.iniowa2263]

Sounds like it was a very beautiful and mystifying place at one time. Then the conquistadors came and destroyed it. Then later somebody turned the place into a rock quarry?!! Of all the places limestone would have been plentiful, they had to pick this spot to quarry? Unreal. Just... unreal.

[@captainsensiblejr.]

Great work, with logical assumptions based on recorded evidence from Castelnau..

[@KurticeYZreacts]

7:03 is that a face carved in the center at the top of the wall?

[@Slavador2393]

I think you're on to something here Matt!

[@AncientArchitects]

Thanks Dion

[@tomcrow1452]

With the megalithic stones that are obviously well over 12,500 years old you should look at the water table then not in the last 500

[@AncientArchitects]

Give me your obvious evidence they’re over 12,500 years old. Please.

[@etchalaco9971]

Peru has evidence of sites 15,000 years old and we were constructing mounds back then. Check out Huaca Prieta

[@historybuff7491]

I had no trouble believing this could be a water feature. I was having trouble imagining it. There is so much damage that it is hard to see how the water flowed through these features. Even with your arrows pointing things out, it still was hard.

[@adamofgrayskull7735]

Ohh yes 🤘😜🤘

[@AncientArchitects]

🤘

[@Elsuper68]

The incas always make sure that every corner of the village has crystal water for all the people because water was sacred for them . Amazing

[@lughaidhmoutia3589]

2:32 the rock is a big face

[@hiamaraldvaan7221]

The shape of the wall was to gain energy from waves of water.after i saw a movie about Victor Schauberger i felt sacsayhuaman had to be near water.

[@Somethin_Slix]

The site is at 12,000 ft. Hard to imagine waves of water up that high

[@EEVENEEVEN-vb5qy]

Really interesting theory.

[@AncientArchitects]

Cheers

[@ruthc8407]

The water table WAS higher hundreds of years ago, because high-speed, centrifugal, water-well, irrigation pumps had not come into wide use, as is the case today. Our own Ogallala Aquifer, underlying States from South Dakota to Texas is from 25 feet to 400 feet lower than it was only 120 years ago.

[@pantherplatform]

I like these long videos.

[@0v0ize]

Rly nice!

[@AncientArchitects]

Thank you

[@wuzgoanon9373]

Awesome.

[@aresaurelian]

2:32 That large boulder is a face.

[@seamuscharles9028]

BRILLIANT WORK 😁👍

[@_Brohan]

At 2:30, does this not look like a huge unfinished Olmec head?

[@sorcerersofstone]

I think your theory the the Spanish destroyed much of the monolithic work at Sacsayhuaman is not backed up by the actual evidence. If you walk around the complex, which is huge, you will find this rough style all over the park not just one the main grounds. Not only that, they are finding these ancient rocks buried under 10 feet of soil, which would indicate great age, not something created about 500 years ago.

[@tonyclifton2172]

👏🏼... Great work. Will you be joining Inca tours at some point?

[@lynnmitzy1643]

Thanx Matt ❤⛰❤ I just wanna hit the replay button on the past.

[@NICULAEVEGA]

it is there evidence of dinamite?

[@AncientArchitects]

Not been in person. Admittedly. But official reports say dynamite damage in 1927

[@matthewmonsour9802]

I love the old pictures

[@Waterharmony3]

I think its water related as well and thank you for your hard work and time dedicated to this ongoing investigation :)

[@aliceputt3133]

I’m horrified that sections were blown up with Dynamite in the 1920s. We’ve lost so much information intentionally.

[@sidneyleejohnson]

Surprised you didn't mention vanishing Andes glaciers at the end of the video. 2000 to present has seen a 30% reduction in some Andes glaciers. What about those that existed contemporaneously? How significant was the Andes glacier run off to this region (if at all)? Its all fine to have a melting glacier produce water at least until its completely gone and then well all bets are off for the region that depended upon it. Fast forward a couple hundred years from now and review southeast Asia - Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. Downstream beneficiaries of a glacial run off cycle. Could we be observing an area in Peru that relied heavily upon this cycle and those particular glaciers are long gone?

[@joearchuleta7538]

The Venice of Peru !!!

[@jramir2]

Where ever there are sharp cut interlocking stones, there is tons of water.

[@originsdecoded3508]

Specifically underground

[@stoneybolognarly9376]

HELLO EVERYBODY AND WELCOME TO ANCIENT ARCHITECTS!!!!

[@AncientArchitects]

I second that!

[@andym5195]

as allways a great vid .well researched and a very fresh point of view that make lots of sense, cheers matt!

[@maxhunter3574]

Where are the springs now? Why did they dry up, if they dried; or if they flow elsewhere, when and why did the flow change? Was there a shift in elevation? If so, when?

[@demonhighwayman9403]

It certainly looked like water had run through the place to my admittedly untrained eye.

[@AncientArchitects]

I don’t think it’s a huge stretch. 👍

[@SwirlingDragonMist]

It’s known that some grazing animals, particularly goat grazing which nibbles grasses down to their roots killing the plants, which reduces moisture retention of the hillside, leading to the drying up of springs. While it’s also been found the reintroduction of large grazing animals such as Buffalo who’s hooves stir and stimulate the soil, has lead to grassland growth and the return of dormant springs. These dynamics are particularly interesting in the context of thousands of years or nomadic grazing in what are now arid regions of the mid-east, it may be that the Fertile Crescent suffered ecological collapsed due to the proliferation of goats, and loss of natural predators which play a key role in the health of river ecosystems. Animals go to drink and the predators stay near the water for easy hunting. This keeps grazing animals like deer away from the rivers, where they love to eat the fresh sprouts. It’s been observed that without predators deer have annihilated the entire ecosystem of a river bank, leaving it totally bare. But the introduction of a single mountain lion to a river has led to the return of trees, grasses, marshes, frogs, birds, insects, etc etc etc. All because the deer don’t eat the trees and other plants when they are fresh sprouts. So it’s likely that many ancient sites built around springs could be rebooted if the grasslands returned to the area to charge the natural springs with the slow trickle of the water they naturally produce. We should also be mindful of what trophy hunting does to predator populations, and their role in stabilizing ecosystems. It’s challenging to tell someone that their ancestral shepherd lifestyle is detrimental. Such conversations should be done with the utmost care and respect. It may be a matter of awareness to avoid over grazing, but for some their goats must eat and they have no other choice but to graze land that is in recovery. Maybe we can collectively help goat herders transition smoothly to another occupation, or use technology to help manage grazing so that it is done in optimal rotation. Depleted land cannot support very many goats, but healthy grasslands can support many more and even provide spring water for other crops. So good management of grazing is a win for everyone. I think we should all consider what impact the last few thousands of years of grazing and desertification has had, and put our interpretations of the past into such a context. We have been living well below our agricultural potential.

[@MidLifeFelon]

In history all we’ve ever done is try to discredit and dismantle anything that we disagreed with.

[@randomrides]

I wish I'd watched this video before commenting on another. I'd just like to add that when looking at this area I and I think others all look at the ruins and forget that there is a city nearby but then it makes me wonder why there's not more detailed records kept.. I can't help think the zigzags were for another purpose...to slow water flow or something... Lastly on the construction side...is it possible woven sacks were filled with ground stones from the quarry into a clay mixture and stacked hence the front being neat but the backs just pushed up against the earth behind?

[@stage1greg]

very interesting Matt. So interesting to see those three sketches of what it looked like in the late 1800s. i have to agree with your theories as they are the most likely that i've ever seen. well done, great research as always.