Wait. Pyramids? Those were in Egypt, not America. Right?
Not entirely true. Though the most famous pyramids are indeed in the sands of the African deserts, both the Maya and the Aztec Indians build structures very similar to the Egyptian landmarks. The Mayan Sun Temple is a pyramid that rivals the Great Pyramid in Giza in terms of engineering marvel. The stairs to the rooftop chamber are exactly the same in size; the blocks no smaller than those used in Egypt; the dimensions as precise as those used in the Egyptian construction.
We've already discussed the pyramids in some detail, so we're just going to skip over that section. Though the American pyramids are smaller and more deteriorated due to the tropical weather, they are basically the same as those in Egypt in build and mystery.
So now we come to the next topic of interest. Buried high in the mountains of Peru, the last surviving Inca legend lay undiscovered for decades after the Spanish conquistadors laid waste to the once-proud civilization. Then in the early 20th Century, Hiram Bingham discovered the ancient city known as Machu Picchu, a magnificent Inca site located high in the clouds over the Andes Mountains. It is a city like none other; the blocks forming the buildings are put together so tightly that paper cannot fit between them; though not cement or mortar was used, the structures still stand today; and above all, the entire city, all 5 square miles of it, was build using stones - some giant, weighing multiple tons - harvested from the Urabamba River some 8000 feet below. These stones must have been carried up the cliff face from the river. Impressive? Quite, considering that this was done without slave labor. The architecture of the city is incredible. It is surrounded by terraces that serve a dual purpose: They give acres of land for farming while at the same time prevent the entire city from sinking off the face of the mountain and falling 8000 feet to the Urabamba River below.
No one truly knows the purpose of Machu Picchu. It has been suggested that it was a royal retreat or religious retreat, given in part to the single palace-like structure that is in the city as well as its relative proximity to the Inca capital of Cuzco. Yet we will never know for certain; the Inca had no written language. When Cortez and his Spaniards annihilated the Inca civilization, any records of how and why Machu Picchu was built were lost forever. More importantly to this discussion, any records of contacts with other civilizations in trade or war were lost as well.
Now let us move to a quick discussion of the Aztecs and the Maya. The main focus of this revolves around the same general points as the Inca, in that there are many mysteries. First, like the Inca, their records were destroyed by the Spanish before they could be passed on and are now lost forever. Equally important, however, are the pyramids that still stand in the jungles of South America.
Both the Aztecs and the Maya, who had no contact with each other that we know of, built structures almost identical to each other- pyramids. More surprising is that these structures bear remarkable similarity to the Egyptian pyramids in Egypt. How similar? Proportions, religious function, building material, mystery, and affiliation with space.
That's right, space. It resounds in all of these mysteries. The Mayan Sun Temple has a sundial that is as accurate as the Atomic Clock in Boulder. The pyramids at Giza are perfectly aligned with the 3 stars of Orion's Belt. Machu Picchu contains the fabled Inca “hitching post of the Sun.” For some reason, all mysteries seem to point in the same direction. And all seem to be interconnected.
One more quick detail here before we move on. Christopher Columbus, as we know, was the first European to set foot here in the West (besides the Vikings' short trip) and is credited for the discovery of the New World. Yet he met people he referred to as “white Indians” over here in the West. Who were they? And one more question: Why did the Native American, distrustful and warlike people, welcome the travelers from the East with open arms?
Quickly now I'll discuss similar mysteries. Easter Island, off the coast of Peru, has dozens of giant heads several hundred feet from the shore. The heads are a single carved stone, and a giant one; moving such a stone into position for carving would be very difficult by hand. Also, all the heads face in the same direction. Why are they there? What are they watching for? No natives were found on the island, and no evidence of any culture has ever been found there. Could they be watching for their master's return?
