What Happened To The Maya Metropolis of Palenque? - Ancient America Documentary

I had such an incredible time visiting the ancient ruins of Palenque. One of my favourite places on the planet. I simply had to share it with you. Where are your favourite archaeological sites? Let me know in the comments!
Another video I made about visiting a Maya site (Ek Balam) -
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--- Watch my entire history of the Maya (4 and a half hours long)
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[@PeteKellyHistory]

In 2022 I was lucky enough to visit the ancient ruins of Palenque. One of my favourite places on the planet! Had to make a video about it.... Where are your favourite archaeological sites? Let me know in the comments!

[@bethwilliams4903]

I would love to see you film anything on the Breton sites, it has NOT all been done before and certainly not the way you would cover the material! Also, when I was in grad school the ruins (altho not so ruined!) of Akrotiri on Thera (Santorini, part of the Cycladic Bronze age, which disappeared around 1600bc) - my area was/is French and English history 1300-1500 specifically but I was sorely tempted to switch to Bronze age for Akrotiri! The Minoan script, Linear A, to my knowledge still has not been deciphered and what most intrigues me about the massive structures and artworks at Akrotiri is that the community was asymmetrical, completely, from their buildings to designs on ceramics - for someone raised on Roman and Greek art, or even the Egyptian models, a culture that is wholly asymmetrical blows my mind. I think you would be fascinated by Thera!

[@ricardoserra6392]

Karnak temple, Pompeii, Eleusis, Machu Pichu ... impossible to choose just one.

[@barbietrink4984]

I was in Mexico from December 2009 until March of 2010 for 4 months. We traveled on our 1800 golding motorcycle 🏍. We went to 50% of the Maya Cities, including this 1. We didn't need a guide or police for any of them. Absolutely amazing history. What year were you here? What month. In our 4 months, we never saw rain. Have good friends in Chiapas. I am from Canada.

[@GameCrafters11]

I was fortunate enough to visit Palenque for the first time in my life last July. I visited Pakal's remains in Mexico City many times in the past, but never the city where he came. That day I started thinking again about becoming an archaeologist after I get my history degree

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Just a magically beautiful place

[@bethmarriott9292]

Pete's videos always help calm me down from the edge of an anxiety attack, so thank you Pete

[@katdavenport6698]

Omgawd!! Same!

[@bethmarriott9292]

@@katdavenport6698 he's just so calm and engaging and everything is so interesting and the music is so chill and it's so visually good and distracting it's like oh yeah i remember what breathing is now

[@katdavenport6698]

@@bethmarriott9292 yes ma'am! Al so, he has become an every night staple in my bedtime routine...It's always like "OK Pete, let's rewatch Orkney for the 400th time" lolz Literally never get tired of his videos!!

[@theodoresmith5272]

Pete is a treat.

[@theg0z0n]

Check out his meat!

[@PeteKellyHistory]

This comment is a treat

[@bethwilliams4903]

Pete, once again I get the most disembodied feeling watching one of your extraordinary films, you produce material about places and people so remote from where we are today and yet as ethereal as they are you put them in our grasp, it’s magical, maybe it’s your calm, soft voice, or your dream like manner dealing with howler Monkeys, drenched belongings in your room or the crunching sounds underfoot as you move thru the rainforest but I feel as though we are right there too. Amazing work. Just wonderful, as usual!

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thanks for watching. So many more on the way :)

[@sizanogreen9900]

Sorry to hear about your encounter with Wolfgang. As a german myself I feel like those kind of people are sprouting like mushrooms right now...

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Ah it's alright you find these people everywhere. Strange when they are pretending to have archaeological expertise though. Much love to Germany

[@SimonWillig]

Never heard of the place before, so I'm grateful Pete went there and explored it for us. Hopefully this site will never be spoiled by gift shops and icecream boots.....

[@SamWelbourneGuitar]

Great video! I love the first hand view. Thanks for sharing 🙏 and for being both realistic and poetic ✌️😎

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@kathleengarvey4634]

Honestly Pete, I love all your videos, but I have saved viewing this one until I can watch uninterrupted. Still waiting, but I wanted to let you know to keep posting. I find the ones you are most interested in are the ones I most enjoy. Keep doing what you do the way you do it. Keep it this real and we'll never leave.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thanks for watching my friend. I will never stop making these videos as long as I can. Couldn't dream of doing anything else. They sometimes take a long long time to make though so thanks for sticking around.

[@everfour5388]

I love your content, there is so litle about mesoamerica in general, thanks for enlighting the people by sharing your experience

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Its an incredible place and I have many many more videos on the way on it

[@heartsgoing]

Mayans had many religious beliefs and took part in many rituals for their faith. Great video! You always make awesome videos!

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Indeed they did. Just like all human societies. we're all very similar. all the best from the English midlands

[@dcspangler8025]

Thank you Pete. Never forget..."Many ancient astronaut theorists contend."

[@danimal27]

Something about how Pete reads his script is calming yet maintains attention. Well done pete love the videos

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thanks for watching. appreciate it

[@theodoresmith5272]

I loved palenque. Ruins, no matter how spectacular, are often spectacular because of the setting not the ruins. Let's face it, many ruins it's often little more than rocks or mud brick on top of another one. The Maya, unlike most, decorate and built there buildings a with a lot of art and style. To me, even with the Maya buildings, after 2-4 hours, they loss the bang wow factor. Well you get both and a bonus at palenque. The ruins and town are 360 in the cloud forest, not rain forest with pretty steep terrain that is pretty. The ruins are very much part of the natural settling with several building built into hills and a stream going threw it. . The 3rd is the wildlife in that area is awesome. Butterflies, hummingbirds amd howler monkey's galore. You can see many species in the ruins, which is in a nature park with lots of things to do besides the ruins. I dont number the ruins I've been to all over the world but i do know palenque was one of the top ruins and overall enjoyable places in the ruins and in the area. Also much fewer vendors than itza or teohananca.

[@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha8185]

As far as eccentrics go Pete is my cup of tea

[@user-xs8wl3ou7v]

This was amazing. Showed so much more than other channels. Great job.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thanks for watching

[@nigelmorroll3343]

It's amazing and mind blowing to think that not matter how many city's or large centres have been found so fare. Yet no doubt more will be uncovered in year's to come.

[@Istehomo]

Thank you Pete Kelly, this is just what I needed.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thanks for watching

[@01Lenda]

Well, this was just a fabulous adventure! Thanks for sharing!

[@Borj1]

I LOVE YOU PETE KELLY!!!!!!!!

[@mercurydime8152]

This is fabulous! Wonder if the KZbin algorithm just didn’t suggest it much? Definitely deserves to be shared!

[@Travelswithgirlbear]

Love your videos, you put so much extra work into the history of a place.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thanks for watching. appreciate it

[@witthauk]

Excellent storytelling, as per usual Pete. Thanks!

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Thank you. I appreciate it

[@thomascampbell4237]

Excellent!! Well produced and love Pete’s style. Inspirational for my interest in Ancient Mesoamerican History!

[@Littlewing1974]

Thank you for sharing this video. I thoroughly enjoyed your commentary along with the scenery. I was fortunate enough to visit the Mayan temple of the sun god in Belize back in 2010 with my family. I find it all to be breathtaking and fascinating.

[@DrinkTheKoolAid62]

Thank you for the excellent video and stories. Having lived in Guatemala and visited Chiapas in the early '90s, seeing it again 30 years later through someone else's eyes is amazing. Much has changed but the place still seems timeless.

[@juansanchez5001]

For sure, in my top 6 of Maya city-states. Lucky to have been there before the coronavirus.

[@jons3808]

Fascinating! Thank you for this interesting video.

[@documentariesbycategory1483]

Wow Pete, you are living the dream!!! Thank you for sharing as it truly is a treat! PS - my fav is the Angkor complex of temples in Cambodia followed by some of the temples and shrines in Kyoto, Japan. Sadly, and despite my deep affinity for meso and south American history, I’ve only been able to visit more of the big mainstream sites in Mexico. Life goals though right!?!

[@Channelsearch1-dh3sv]

Another great video!

[@tracymcgeachie7525]

Finally got time to enjoy it from beginning to end. 👍🏻

[@angelicanavarro5311]

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Beautiful video

[@thislittlelightofmine8776]

That was very well done, and somewhere I've never heard of before! Thank you

[@PenguinofD00mxxx]

Great video, I've watched it twice, thank you for sharing your trip.

[@M.M.83-U]

A very pleasant video, thanks.

[@daves.3895]

Beautiful place! Thank you for the video.

[@margo3367]

Captivating and mysterious. ✌️

[@rosem0918]

I really enjoy this video !

[@heathervelasquez9108]

Great video!

[@charlesnewman6468]

I was there it was awesome. So awesome that I put some of its details in my novel.

[@claytonfrag]

Fantastic, really enjoyed this video. im never going to get there myself, so its great to see it, i love the mayan history..

[@Otis-Tank]

Sound is impeccable!

[@sjaakmcd1804]

Cheers Pete, awesome as ever

[@mitorajAstar]

Peter-Your history channel is the Best 💥💫 Thank you..

[@theolewell7535]

thank you for this exploration

[@joshbinder2884]

Love ur vids

[@icescrew1]

Awesome. Thank you @

[@BenSHammonds]

good show Pete

[@Overitanne]

Thanks!

[@anasevi9456]

such a beautiful site. thank you for your lovely video! I think preclassic is slept on but not much someone can to via rocking up to amend that.

[@davidhuth5659]

What an incredible place! Too bad it has to be tainted by fake historians. Thanks for sharing your adventure!

[@seanpoore2428]

"Bullshit" 😂 always a great day when pete posts

[@italianlifestyle7911]

Bellissimo posto🌄

[@BoogieBoogsForever]

I haven't made it there yet. Thanks for the footage. I don't know whethet that app would work as my family is from various countries.

[@TeresaGarcia-zk8gw]

I love this documentary

[@ryanmorgan5677]

Just discovered this and History Time yesterday. Thank you for the great videos. History of the Mayans was incredible. Glad you call out the pseudo-scientists and the guide. Oh and by the way, the second shot you used when you talked about his grand canyon theory was actually the lower falls of the Yellowstone river - not sure if that was a bit of snark or not lol.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Hey. Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah to be honest I just put any footage at that bit . It can be anything you want it to be or something .. haha

[@ioshthornton1971]

You're doing everything right, man. Holy faw...

[@alexdunphy3716]

I wasnt notified

[@gladysseaman4346]

Neither was I.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thanks Pete👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 🍁🍂🎃🍂🍁

[@claymonsterpottery]

I’m so distracted by you’re wearing shorts in such a creature infested area. This is a really fun video about your travels. Will you be doing a video that focuses more on the archaeology and what you learned while there?

[@macfilms9904]

The Yucatan must have been an unbelievable place in the Classical Maya period.

[@vondonks]

been there 3 times, twice it was sunny all day! third time we paid a local guide to take us through the surrounding jungle. I was filming and slipped on a hill and grabbed the WRONG tree for support.. you know, those ones with the espinas? I like the venus flytrap grass too. when I was there only 2% was uncovered. I've never seen LiDAR done of the site.

[@vondonks]

also.. first time I ever heard howler monkeys. wow!

[@Jet_Rod_94]

I really thought that guy was gonna walk in front of that car!

[@ChefVegan]

Cheers

[@freerideziege6047]

Thanks for traveling places I can't go and showing it in such beautifull way. Also thank you for not falling for charlatans like Van Däniken and people who fell for his bllsht.

[@enamulhaquefahim4924]

Come to Asia one day, make a documentary on 13th century South Eastern Asia and Mongol rule.

[@burrellbikes4969]

A question I have to know - was the population shift a relatively fast evacuation? Or did it decline slowly over time until just a few squatters remained, hearing stories about the “good old days”?

[@TubususCZ]

Although I'm not an expert, I think in general archeology points to the latter option. I don't know about any evidence of fast abandonment of Mayan cities. The reasons for the decline aren't clear, but there are certain theories - maybe a climate change meant that it was impossible to support such large populations in such small areas, maybe there were some conflicts that drove people away, but it probably was a combination of many factors. One of the more interesting theories that I've heard is that water supply in some cities that were getting drinking water from cenotes in city centers (so, not Palenque) got poisoned over time by mercury. You know that red paint they used for their temples made from cinnabar? That contains mercury. Combine that with the rains constantly washing it down into nearby sinkholes and in a few centuries, large parts of population are slowly poisoning themself just by drinking the water from them.

[@BigSnipp]

Subbed.

[@joshuagimpel2632]

Did you start this channel to fund your travels around the world? 😅 Keep up the good work

[@PeteKellyHistory]

One of the reasons for sure

[@MrSdasf]

Viva EZL

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

I assume this adventure occurred several weeks, if not months, ago.....but bats are known reservoirs for a lot of viruses that do not play well with the human immune system, going into that little hole was Not A Good Idea. Lovely video though.

[@PRH123]

Bats and their microorganisms are OK when left alone by the us govt...

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

@@PRH123 You need to study biology. There are plenty of dangerous viruses in bats, no need for your much-loved government meddling.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Hi there. Bats are just regular animals. If you keep them in cages alongside all manner of other animals for consumption then weird things can happen. If you just leave them alone in a forest then they are just bats. It's good to be in nature.

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

@@PeteKellyHistory Still, they harbor a lot of viruses, and enclosed areas with bat feces and bat urine are simply not a good idea. A wide open area I wouldn't worry about even if there were a lot of bats, but an enclosed area has too many risks. (You do freaking Excellent videos.)

[@BoogieBoogsForever]

1. This is the most convoluted revenge video I've seen. 😂😂 I guess just telling the guy to fuck off wasn't an option? 2. Of course I'm kidding, and your mission of countering misinformation is noble and needed. 3. I would caution you to also be precise. You said that the media spin Chiapas as dangerous. A quick Google search (and living in Yúcatan for years) shows more that it's foreign governments which are warning against travel there. Let's avoid leading people to more distrust of the mainstream media which is, in general, a good way to get general coverage of current events. We don't want to push people further into paranoid isolation and distrust of major institutions like media and government. I say this as a plea of a North American facing the regression of my countrymen.

[@davidjones2921]

Boost

[@vonderloo3184]

😂 🧠 melt. 🥤 ❤

[@denaisaacthiswasgreat.thum7598]

Mustn't have your brains melt out of your ears!

[@denaisaacthiswasgreat.thum7598]

❤❤❤

[@kats9755]

Few things make me more furious than the bullshit "ancient aliens" stuff. Jesus Christ. 🙄

[@01Lenda]

🤔 Well, we don't really know though, do we?

[@kats9755]

@01Lenda Yeah we do. Ancient humans being inventive and creative and making amazing things is infinitely more likely an explanation than "aliens came down and showed people how cuz humans are too stupid to figure things out." That ancient aliens shit is insulting to the ingenuity of the human mind.

[@user-McGiver]

feeding gods with human hearts... yeah!... what a ''civilization''... as much as I like your narration, I'll pass this one, thank you...

[@crystalbluebutterfly]

Just last year??? You’re clearly no authority on this subject, no matter how British your narrator voice is!!!

[@iamperplexed4695]

The moment you used the term psuedo-archeologist, i clicked off this video. I think Danniken was wrong but anyone that doesnt recognize that ALL archeology is "psuedo-archeology" isn't an actual historian.

[@LokiOdinson-fz8ps]

But yet stayed long enough to write a rude obnoxious reply. Ok hero.

[@iamperplexed4695]

@LokiOdinson-fz8ps not rude or obnoxious.

[@R_V_]

I am not yet at the end of the video, but as far as I've heard, he wasn't called a pseudo-archeologist, but a pseudo-intellectual.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

If someone is scamming me for their own financial gain then yes I will talk about it. It’s all good and well living on the internet with whacky theories but there is a whole world out there that suffers immensely when people lie and twist things to make money.

[@Arkantos117]

Is there really a need to go on about pseudo this and pseudo that? I really am sick of those terms and how they're used.

[@PeteKellyHistory]

Of course there is a need to call someone a pseudo expert. When hundreds of pounds exchange hands to someone who lies about having expertise there needs to be a name for it

[@Arkantos117]

@@PeteKellyHistory No there really isn't. It's akin to a Christian always saying, "X, who is a heretic, states this." It's nothing more than an ad hominem. It's enough to just say that their claims are unsubstantiated, outdated, wrong or discredited or to just not mention them at all. Obviously you were prompted by events on the trip to mention them this time but again, I completely disagree with describing people as pseudo anything, especially if they don't outright state themselves that they are an archeologist or w/e the science happens to be. The term is just not very specific and I think that it's unfair to be grouping swindlers who outright lie with others who just really missed the target with their beliefs. You have amateurs who are wrong and fraudsters trying to make money and yet they both can be grouped under the pseudo tag and receive the same vitriol. If an amateur astronomer makes an incorrect claim based on their observations we don't start calling them a 'pseudoastronomer', they were just wrong. The term for someone who lies about having expertise is a fraud in every other profession.

[@michellechambers6653]

Well done my friend. Thank You

[@chronics3311]

Excellent ! thank you for another amazing video, very lucky to able able to visit these places. need a human slave to carry some equipment ? hit me up ! :P thank you for bringing these places into my living room and your in depth story telling

[@jameshoffa7085]

neat