Ancient Islands: Ghost City of the Pacific (Full Episode) | Lost Cities with Albert Lin

Summary

In this gripping narrative, Albert Lynn embarks on a technologically advanced exploration to uncover the mysteries of Namad, an ancient city built on coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean. With the help of local historian Gus and cutting-edge tools like LiDAR, Albert delves into the remnants of a civilization that once thrived 800 years ago. The journey reveals a complex network of man-made islands, ceremonial centers, and a vast seawall, suggesting a highly skilled and sea-faring society. The script also touches on the cultural and trade connections across the Pacific, hinting at a shared heritage and the remarkable human spirit that transcends geographical barriers.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Albert Lynn uses 21st-century technology to explore and uncover ancient civilizations and hidden worlds.
• 🗿 The Pacific Ocean is home to two archaeological wonders: Easter Island and the enigmatic NAMAD complex.
• 🏺 NAMAD is a legendary complex of man-made islands and stone structures built into the coral reef, with a history dating back 800 years.
• 📜 The local historian, Gus, explains that the ancient city of NAMAD was built by the ruling South Dynasty and is believed to be protected by spirits.
• 🍹 Albert participates in a Saka ceremony, a traditional ritual involving a narcotic drink, to gain permission to explore NAMAD.
• 🚁 Albert and his team use drones and LiDAR technology to map the extensive structures of NAMAD, revealing its true scale.
• 🏰 The main ceremonial center of NAMAD is a temple constructed from basalt rock, showcasing the advanced construction skills of the ancient civilization.
• 📐 The LiDAR scans reveal over 90 man-made structures, indicating a highly organized and expansive city.
• 🌋 The volcanic mine on the far side of the island is identified as the source of the massive basalt rocks used in NAMAD's construction.
• 🛶 Albert explores the underwater city myth, finding hexagonal basalt columns that could be evidence of a submerged part of NAMAD.
• 🌐 The exploration of NAMAD and its connection to other Pacific islands suggests a vast network of ancient seafaring civilizations.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Pacific Ocean in the context of the script?

The Pacific Ocean is significant as it is the location of two archaeological wonders: Easter Island and the enigmatic civilization that built the complex of Namad.

Who is Albert Lynn and what is his unique approach to exploring the past?

Albert Lynn is the protagonist of the script who uses 21st-century technology, such as lasers and drones, to explore ancient worlds and uncover hidden histories.

What is the purpose of the Saka ceremony mentioned in the script?

The Saka ceremony is a ritual performed to ask for protection and permission from the spirits before entering the site of Namad, following local customs and beliefs.

What is the main ceremonial center of Namad made of?

The main ceremonial center of Namad is constructed from pillars of basalt rock, which was built around 800 years ago.

How did the ancient builders of Namad transport the massive basalt rocks?

The exact method is not clear, but one theory suggests they might have used the sea, breaking the rocks off a quarry and floating them to the construction site.

What is the significance of the underwater city myth and how does it relate to the structures found underwater?

The underwater city myth suggests that there is a submerged city or structure, which is supported by the discovery of vertical basalt columns that may be man-made, indicating the possibility of an ancient civilization's presence.

What is the connection between the rock art found on Pumey and the carvings in New Caledonia?

The rock art found on Pumey and the carvings in New Caledonia share striking similarities, suggesting a possible cultural connection or exchange between the two distant locations, despite the vast distance between them.

How did the ancient people of Namad and other Pacific islands navigate the ocean without modern tools like GPS?

The ancient people were highly skilled seafarers who relied on traditional navigation techniques, understanding the sea, and possibly celestial bodies to travel across vast distances.

What does the discovery of the ceremonial site on Ant Atle suggest about the influence of Namad's builders?

The discovery of the ceremonial site on Ant Atle suggests that the builders of Namad had a far-reaching influence, possibly extending their cultural and architectural practices to other islands in the Pacific.

What is the significance of the lost city of Namad in terms of human history and possibility?

The lost city of Namad is a testament to human ingenuity and the ability to create complex structures in challenging environments. It also represents a network of people who connected across the Pacific, sharing ideas and culture, and leaving a lasting impact on the human story.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Exploring the Pacific's Hidden Wonders

Albert Lynn embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of the Pacific Ocean, specifically the archaeological wonders of Easter Island and the enigmatic civilization of Namad. He uses 21st-century technology to explore ancient worlds, with the help of the military and local historian Gus Ker. The script describes the challenges and the cultural significance of the locations, as well as the rituals and permissions required to explore these sacred sites.

05:01

🏺 Unveiling the Ancient City of Namad

The exploration of Namad, a legendary complex of man-made islands and stone structures, is detailed. Albert and Gus discuss the history and the mysterious power of the Sador Kings who ruled the island 800 years ago. The use of new technology to reveal the city's scale and the importance of respecting local customs and spirits are highlighted. The narrative also touches on the challenges of mapping the city due to its overgrown state and the significance of the ceremonial center.

10:03

🗿 The Enigma of the Sador Kings

The script delves into the mystery of how the massive stones of Namad were transported and lifted. Legends of magic are contrasted with the scientific approach of Albert, who aims to uncover the true methods used by the ancient builders. The discovery of a sakao pounding stone, used in religious ceremonies, provides insight into the cultural practices of the Sador Kings. The tombs of the Sador leaders are explored, revealing the complex's purpose as a burial site.

15:05

🌳 Mapping the Lost City with Technology

The use of drone technology to map the ancient city of Namad is described. The process involves scanning the area to create a detailed blueprint, which helps in understanding the city's layout and the purpose of its structures. The script highlights the challenges of accessing the site due to the dense mangroves and the importance of respecting local traditions and spirits. The initial scans reveal a network of geometric shapes, suggesting a highly organized city structure.

20:15

🏰 The Grand Scale of Namad's Construction

The script discusses the immense scale of construction at Namad, with estimates of the volume of material used and the effort required to build the city. The ceremonial tomb site alone is estimated to weigh over 14,000 tons. The source of the rocks used in construction is explored, with a focus on a volcanic deposit on the far side of the island. The narrative also touches on the transportation of the rocks, suggesting a method involving water and the use of mangroves.

25:17

🌊 Underwater Mysteries and Legends

The search for an underwater city of the dead or gods is described, with the team using sonar technology to detect man-made structures on the sea floor. The discovery of vertical pillars and basalt columns underwater raises questions about their origin and purpose. The script also explores the possibility of a land route for transporting the rocks and the legends surrounding the city's construction.

30:18

🏝️ Uncovering the Influence of Namad

The script discusses the potential influence of Namad across the Pacific, with the discovery of similar basalt rocks and ceremonial stones on Ant Atle, a nearby island. The use of LiDAR technology to scan the area and reveal a blueprint of a potential ritual site is described. The narrative suggests that the builders of Namad may have been part of a larger trans-Pacific movement, with connections to other islands and cultures.

35:19

🗺️ The Connected Pacific and Human Possibility

The script concludes with a reflection on the interconnectedness of Pacific cultures and the skills of the ancient seafarers. The similarities between rock art found in Pohnpei and New Caledonia suggest a shared cultural heritage. The narrative emphasizes the human spirit and the incredible achievements of the ancient civilizations that left their mark on the Pacific Ocean through their monumental stone structures.

Keywords

💡Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's oceanic divisions, covering more than 60 million square miles. In the video, it serves as the backdrop for the exploration of archaeological wonders such as Easter Island and the lost city of Nan Madol.

💡Nan Madol

Nan Madol, also known as the 'Venice of the Pacific,' is a ruined city on the island of Pohnpei in the Pacific Ocean. It is a complex of man-made coral reef islets and stone structures, built by the Saudeleur dynasty around 1200. The city's construction and purpose remain enigmatic, and it is considered an archaeological wonder.

💡Sakau Ceremony

The Sakau Ceremony is a traditional ritual in Pohnpei, involving the consumption of a narcotic drink made from the root of the sakau plant. It is used for religious and ceremonial purposes, such as seeking permission from the spirits or the king before entering sacred sites.

💡Lidar Technology

Lidar, or Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote sensing technology that uses lasers to measure distances and create detailed, high-resolution maps of the Earth's surface. In the video, Lidar is used to digitally strip away vegetation and reveal the hidden structures of Nan Madol.

💡Basalt Rock

Basalt rock is a common volcanic rock formed from the rapid cooling of lava at the Earth's surface. In the context of the video, basalt rocks were used as building materials for the structures of Nan Madol, and their transportation is a mystery that the explorers are trying to solve.

💡Sador Kings

The Sador Kings were the rulers of Pohnpei during the Saudeleur dynasty, known for their oppressive rule and the construction of Nan Madol. They are believed to have held a mysterious power over the island's population.

💡Cultural Exchange

Cultural exchange refers to the process by which ideas, knowledge, and cultural practices are shared between different societies. In the video, the exploration of Nan Madol and other Pacific islands reveals evidence of such exchanges, suggesting a connected network of Pacific cultures.

💡Seafaring Skills

Seafaring skills refer to the abilities and knowledge required for traveling and navigating the ocean. The people of Nan Madol are depicted as highly skilled seafarers, capable of moving massive rocks across the ocean and connecting distant islands.

💡Oral Tradition

Oral tradition is the practice of passing down knowledge, stories, and cultural practices from generation to generation through spoken language. In the video, the lack of a written system in Nan Madol means that its history and the secrets of its construction are preserved through oral tradition.

💡Architectural Wonder

An architectural wonder refers to a structure or city that is remarkable for its design, construction, or cultural significance. Nan Madol is described as an architectural wonder due to its complex design and the mystery surrounding its construction.

Highlights

Albert Lynn uses 21st-century technology to explore ancient civilizations.

Two archaeological wonders appeared in the Pacific Ocean around 800 years ago: Easter Island and the enigmatic civilization of Namad.

Namad is a complex of man-made islands and stone structures built into the coral reef.

Albert Lynn's journey to uncover the secrets of Namad involves a unique blend of technology and local customs.

The local historian, Gus, explains that Namad was built by the ruling South Dynasty 600 to 800 years ago.

To gain permission to explore Namad, Albert participates in a traditional Saka ceremony to appease the spirits.

The main ceremonial center of Namad is a temple constructed from pillars of basalt rock.

Albert Lynn uses drone technology to scan and map the vast area of Namad, revealing its true scale.

The tomb at the center of Namad housed the bones of the Sador, the legendary rulers of the island.

The ancient city of Namad is protected by a colossal seawall, with over 90 man-made islands.

The construction of Namad involved moving massive basalt rocks from a quarry 10 miles away.

Local legends and the Saka ceremony suggest a connection between the people of Namad and the spirits.

The underwater city myth may be linked to the vertical basalt columns found beneath the waves near Namad.

The discovery of basalt rocks and Saka stones on Ant Atle Island suggests a cultural link between Namad and other Pacific islands.

Ancient rock art found on Pumey Island indicates a significant cultural site predating the Satur arrival.

The similarities between the rock art on Pumey Island and that found 2,000 miles away in New Caledonia suggest a trans-Pacific cultural exchange.

The Sador rulers' seafaring skills and cultural influence spanned across the Pacific Ocean, connecting distant islands.

The lost city of Namad is a testament to human possibility, a monument of human spirit in the vast Pacific Ocean.

Transcripts

[Music]

I'm in the center of this massive body

of water the Pacific

Ocean something incredible happened here

about 800 years ago in a seemingly

unbelievable coincidence two

archaeological wonders just appeared in

the

Pacific one Easter Island where seafires

erected giant Stone

heads and the other the even more

enigmatic civilization that built a

place called

namad a legendary complex of man-made

islands and stone structures built right

into the coral

reef that's where I'm

headed my name is Albert

Lynn and I look at the world in a unique

way I use 21st century technology to

look back into the past

check that out I can actually fly

through the secret ancient

world with lasers and scann

deserts strip away dense jungle canopy

and scour the oceans to uncover the

Hidden Worlds

beneath we're waiting into uncharted

waters now I had the military helping me

find lost cities new discoveries in the

most awe inspiring places on on Earth

that's where pixels become reality that

fill in the gaps in our

story who we are where we came from and

the Brilliance that we're capable of

here we are in the 13th

century this is carved out of the earth

huh this is the new Golden Age of

Exploration we know their

secrets

Pompei Island

Micronesia one of the most isolated

places on

Earth almost 1,000 M from the nearest

land mass it's taken four flights and

over 28 8 hours of travel just to get

here time to go my contact is local

historian Gus

ker welcome toi thanks brother how was

the trip amazing yeah yeah

amazing what is NAD nanad was once the

residents of the ruling South Dynasty

about 6 to 800 years ago

this an ancient city you'd be amazed

they know how that they had to build the

city in the

water I've heard it's an ancient wonder

rivaling Easter Island or matchup

Picchu but very little of it is still

visible so I'm bringing technology that

will strip away the mang Groves and

reveal its

scale

it's an Explorer's

dream we're superstitious people we

believe uh that it's invested by Spirits

so we will have to first of all go

through the king or the N Marquee as

they refer to and ask for his protection

and permission to enter the site this is

the custom that we do here there's been

rumors of people dying when they don't

follow protocol dying yes this really

happened it did

so what do I have to do to get

permission we will have to do what we

call a Saka

ceremonium the Saka root is pounded on a

special stone to create a powerful

narcotic drink used for religious

rituals I know that other Pacific

Islanders use toow in a similar

way I have to drink

that the purpose of our presentation

before our King is to ensure that the

spirits of our ancestors welcome you

when you visit nanad

Albert I me my heart's pounding right

now my whole mouth is

num like when you go to the dentist I

can barely feel my tongue right

now all who wish to enter NAD must pay

their

respects the spirits we're hoping to

appease are those of the saor the

legendary rulers who arrived here 800

years ago and held a mysterious power

over the Island's population those who

built

nadle we come here with a feeling of

honor to be here in your land thank

you ceremony complete the full power

this a cow drink kicks in yeah I got you

I got

you I see like double it's intense it's

intense but the most important thing is

the king of this land said that he

protects

us which means we're a

go so

tomorrow it's

on and I'm a

[Music]

do

this is it Albert Welcome to the

Jungle we are on secret grounds right

now you're just beginning to see part of

the structures I've never seen anything

like

this welcome to

nanad only a tiny fragment of the

legendary saor City can still be

seen mangroves choke whatever else

remains Now new technology can help

unblock the secrets of this

place how and why it was built and just

how big it really

is what is

that it's incredible ain't it I was born

here but every time I come up here I'm

always amazed

always this is the main ceremonial

Center of

[Music]

nanad it's a temple to the Island's

ancient rulers constructed from pillars

of balt

Rock 800 years ago this place would have

been bustling with hundreds of priests

attendants and the feared sador

Kings

must been some superpowered humans to

build this huh well this area was meant

only for the

lead it was the only time in our history

that we were ruled by one person almost

like a dictator so he was able to

command all the people on the island to

come and assist in the building of NAD

look is that more rocks over there is

that more yes that's an other wall

buildt all the way to the edge of the

reef yeah you can see the reef breaking

right there exactly it's massive

to get to grips with this city in the

sea we need to work out the full extent

of it and that can only be done from

above I think we have to scan this you

know with the Drone and maybe we can

start to really map out all these

different

features okay so this is where we're at

right now there are 90 plus structures

all manmade from here all the way down

south yeah ex all the way to there yes

so a huge area it is

huge you can't see anything it's all

Mangrove are the mangroves here 800

years ago no I doubt it it's been

abandoned for a long time so mang just

it would have been easier to map it then

than it is now well that's why we have

Li right then delete the

mangroves take it

off my drone begin the first of more

than 40 planned

flights we're scanning this whole area

almost half a square mile twice the size

of the Vatican

City we want to strip back the jungle

canopy and reveal the rest of this

city I'm going back to explore the

gigantic building that Gus showed me to

find out more about the people who built

this

place why is there so little known about

people that built this incredible

Monument the reason there are so little

known is because there's not a a written

system to express ideas it's through

oral tradition which are the stories

exactly those are stories handed down

generation to generation and no person

can tell the entire story because

there's the belief that if they tell the

whole story that they will die they're

no longer

useful how was this place built I can't

imagine how human effort could actually

carry these Stones all the way up to the

top of this building it's really not

clear to us how it was done the physics

part of it one Legend talks about magic

being used to lift the rocks and bring

them over here so they would fly magic

flew these rocks here that's

right this whole Expedition is something

else

I'm a scientist a technologist I deal in

facts finding out how they actually

built this it's going to be a

challenge but deeper into the ritual

complex we spot something

familiar here we have a sakao pounding

Stone remember from the sakao ceremony

with the N Marquee you can tell because

of the circular wear pattern so you're

telling me that people used to sit

around this Stone

and pounds a cow right at the entrance

to this complex this is like a Gateway

sort of ceremony it's a like a r of

Passage and how you get to know people

and this is the same thing that's been

going on for centuries yeah at least

centuries if not a thousand

years at the very center the true

purpose of this stone monument is

revealed wow

this tomb housed the bones of the selor

the leader at the time for the whole

island where were they found do you know

um some of them were inside of the walls

between the

rocks it wasn't a single body found here

but the partial remains of many people

perhaps spanning

Generations what do you know about the

sador the stories tell us that the

selors had a b bit of a bad reputation

and they didn't exactly treat everyone

so well and this is literally the heart

of the whole complex that's

right it sits within a huge tomb

District at this end of Nadol a Valley

of the Kings on

water you know it's very different

than a Stone heads of Easter Island but

just like there this place right here is

built honor the spirits of the

Dead spirits that the locals believe

still reside

here the tombs we can see are only a

fragment of

Nadol our lar scans should reveal a

whole lot

more

hidden somewhere under half a square

mile of tropical jungle lies the ancient

city of

nador we're laser scanning the area with

light on to create a blueprint of the

city to uncover its structures and help

us understand why the sador Kings built

it hacking Through the Jungle taking

this massive drone and launching from

every point they could in a methodical

grid pattern it's going to take some

time for the processing to finish so

that we can remove the trees but we've

got the first scans in let's pull them

in oh wow

you that's pretty awesome right amazing

even before we remove the trees you get

a sense of this network of geometric

shapes that Define the human structures

right you can already see faintly here

here here and then here's a main it that

you took me to earlier so you can

already start to piece together this

whole city or what was once there it's a

glimpse into an ancient city of tombs

and

temples see what is this look how

straight those lines are you see that

look at that they're perfectly

uniform such a regular shape that that

can't be

natural that's

incredible I want to check them

out the mang is really tense so I mean

there's no way for us to walk in there

you know it's

impossible unless you go by a

boat we're headed back to Nadol now this

time by

SE this is how they would have

approached here hundreds of years

ago I followed my GPS to the spot that

we identified on the liar

scans look at

those can we get in right

[Music]

[Music]

there wow these are

unreal these are huge

rocks it's bigger than anything else

I've seen

here I just can't wrap my head around

how they would have got them here and

then lifted them one upon another it's

just

insane you know each one of these

Boulders must weigh the amount of a

couple of buses at

least this is something Beyond

imagination so

[Music]

weird

the line of rocks takes me deeper into

the

mangroves it's

enormous and it goes on

forever the man-made structure captured

by the Light Art is a seaw

wall

built on Coral Reef it stretches for a

mile and a

quarter it's almost like a giant

Fortress more than a

city we can now Define the boundaries of

the city on three

[Music]

sides entering through a break in the

wall there are hints of more ancient

Basalt buildings lining the main

Channel It's like a Master Mason

designed the whole thing but they didn't

use mortar they just placed everything

in a perfect

balance still intact 800 years or so

after a

construction it's getting very narrow

here we're looking for our passageway

but the mangr have just grown

[Music]

everywhere

is it okay to enter this area it's too

risky for you to get off why is that

risky in the afternoon time there are

spirits around these islands guarding

these places you don't want to get

sick you know in respect for local

Traditions I think we're going to keep

going this is where old school

exploration ends and tomorrow

my technology takes

over by stripping these trees away with

our lar we'll see what this wall is

[Music]

protecting we've discovered hints of

what amadol looks like but the full

extent of this mysterious city has been

shrouded for centuries in Island Legend

and mangrove forest

technology can change that the lar scans

are complete the Hope here is that

you're going to see namad as it was

originally before all these trees took

over we're getting a view of the entire

site because you can't see it unless you

do something like this this is the lar

before the trees have been

removed you ready for this

yes look at that you see oh wow look at

that it's crazy right that's another

structure for sure you think there

structures that you've never seen before

yes definitely just from this picture

about 10 because you know it's really

inaccessible so with this we're able to

go where you can't go

yes this is

incredible do you know are there stories

of this place of course each structure

has a function this one is the

residental area for the out so this this

is where they lived you can realize that

the entire area is protected by the seaw

wall what were they defending themselves

against not only I guess natural

elements but probably

people up to 2,000 people lior but these

were the

rulers you can imagine how impressive

this would have been just the scale it's

amazing this was happening some 800

years ago exactly exactly on this island

in the middle of the Pacific

Ocean we can now digitally rebuild what

Nadol may have looked like in all of its

Glory a colossal seaw wall protects over

90 man-made Islands organized into a

burial district and a residential

Zone with temple and monuments

signifying the power of the oppressive

selur rulers who lived

[Music]

here so we have a 3D digital model of

the height of all of these different

features from that we can get a precise

measurement based off this actual data

of how much volume of material this

place took to

build we begin with the single largest

ruin in the city the ceremonial tomb

site I

visited we've just looked at the main

exterior wall as an initial calculation

what I've done here is just take a

simple section and from this we're

looking at over 14,000 tons of

bass that's just the outside was not

even the whole structure and the tombs

and stuff

inside 14,000 tons it's crazy I know

right based on the lar data the amount

of rock used used to build the entire

city is nearly

700,000

tons its ancient construction on an

unimaginable

scale but where did those thousands of

Rocks come

from for centuries it's been explained

by

[Music]

Magic on the The Far Side of the island

is a BT deposit that may hold the answer

is that it that's it that's the

baby it's a Cory like no

other it just poked straight out of the

trees this is a COR in the

sky I think we could fly the Drone right

out of here and do a big pass arounded

ready I want to get a close look at this

extraordinary volcanic

mine incredibly it looks as if it's been

mined from the

top there must be a way that these

ancient Islanders climbed up and got the

stones

down I don't think we can make it all

the way to the

top but there's a spot right in the

middle of the mountain that we made be

able to

access

this way maybe this

way you okay yeah I'm good it's a 400t

scramble that starts Steep and quickly

becomes almost vertical be careful har

some rocks here

[Music]

slippery this is where they got the

rocks from yep pretty intense

Cory this is the real deal

bro we're almost there all right 50 ft

from the summit we reach what appears to

be the main quy

site these are

unreal they look exactly like the ones

in amodel the same hexagonal shape Yep

this is like the stone Log Cabin

hardware store for the

island they didn't have d Dynamite or

anything like that back then how would

they actually break these off one of the

theories is that you burn wood and you

bore water in it will crack or it

expands so they were like uh almost like

material scientists back then yes

Engineers how much does one of these

weigh the typical ones they use an NAD

between 5 to 10 tons but there are bers

that can weigh up to 50 tons how far is

NAD from here uh 10 miles across the

land straight 10 Mi that way

yes

just doesn't make any sense let's go a

little further I'm going to try to see

if I can get up there and and get a view

okay good luck you're not coming I'm not

coming I'll be right back be careful

[Music]

now people came all the way over here to

the north side of the island somehow

climbed this mountain broke off these

massive Stone pillars and then

transported them across the

island

just like on Easter Island over 6,000 M

away people here moved mountains of

volcanic rock to build extraordinary

monuments that they believed could

connect them to the

[Music]

spirits this is perfect you can see

everything the whole are

area maybe I can start to see exactly

what route they might have taken with

these rocks no I'm going to look on the

satellite images here okay so

I'm I think right here on top of this

mountain they had to get the Rocks all

the way over to here to namad I couldn't

imagine carrying a 5 or 10 ton Boulder

over that mountain behind

me doesn't seem possible at all

okay My View From The Summit suggests an

alternative

route a trail of mangroves leads

straight into the

ocean and we know where there's

mangroves there's

water the way that would be most logical

is they might have broken these Boulders

Off thrown them down to the bottom of

this Quarry and then somehow use the

mangroves and the chanels to get them

out if they could float them out to sea

maybe they would move them across the

inside of that re Reef where the waves

aren't so bad and then it's a decision

do you go north all the way around the

island that way or do you go

south I guess depends on the winds the

tides and the

distance and actually you know honestly

like super sophisticated in terms of

whatever engineering they had to come up

with to make that

[Music]

possible at the moment it's a

theory but there are intriguing legends

that tell of a stone City of the Dead

beneath the

waves it's in route from here to

Nadol and it could provide evidence of

how the city was really

[Music]

[Music]

built we're headed to a site that has

been described as a underwater city of

the dead or of the Gods still inhabited

today with Spirits you know most locals

they won't even come here to fish

because is

taboo you know we're waiting into

uncharted waters in some

ways we're searching an area just east

of namol where the shallow Reef drops

away into the deep water you can start

to see the outer walls in front of us

off the starboard a little bit

1:00

our ladder can't penetrate

water so we're using downscan Sonar

which can detect what's on the sea floor

to a depth of up to 300

ft here as we're motoring along making a

grid pattern around the entrance of

Nadol the sonar is setting a ping

straight down it'll hit something and

it'll return back like a

reflection basically these little blocks

it's just a school of fish right here

I'm just looking for anything that might

look man-made something

that's maybe geometric in

nature after about 30 minutes of

scanning look at that look at that

that's beautiful a big spike we're right

on top of it now you got C Flor C Flor C

floor and then all a sudden boom this

spike in elevation right here right

underneath us

whether it's manmade or not that's why

we're diving on

it let's mark this point right here

straight on okay we'll drop in close to

the entrance to Nadal and then swim out

looking for the

structure dive fo is that thing M eyes

should be right that's the next one

that's the upgrade yeah three years ago

I was sitting in a hospital bed

wondering if I'd ever walk again now I'm

about to Dawn a scuba diving kit and Dro

into an ocean we're going to look for a

lost

city it's just Barren down here there's

not a lot of

fish oh it's

murky so if they see Basel rock down

there I mean that's evidence that this

place was man-made or manb built Basel

rocks are volcanic rocks they're not

coral reefs it's out of place if we find

it de somebody brought a

de we start our search grid close to the

outer wall of

Nadol that's D all right

there you can see the seaw wall

further from the wall I spot something

familiar look the same hexagonal Stones

right

here

incredible these Basalt columns don't

look like they're part of the

construction they're random like they

might have ended up here

accidentally we move away from The Reef

shelf to the deeper water our key search

area

check this

out this must be what we saw in the

sodar oh man it's got to be about 20 ft

tall they're kind of one after the other

here just pumping up out of the sea4 In

This Very vertical

Direction I really can't be sure this is

natural

or something manmade

either way it's spooky

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looking you know it's pretty incredible

down there I did see piles of assault

Rock closer to nador and along the side

of the wall are these huge pillars that

just rise out of the out of the depths

like Shadows of giants through this

murky

water

but it's to me

inconclusive you know it could be

natural forming Reef or Coral heads or

it could be Bal incrusted with floral

it's hard to say

the whatever it is it's

weird very very strange down there very

strange that's a huge column there

that's got to be at least 30 ft tall

have you seen other Coral pillars like

this before this is the only place that

I've seen pillars like that I've never

seen Coral grow in a vertical column

like that unless there's something for

it to grow

onto the strange vertical pillars remain

a mystery but are the likely source of

the underwater city

myth the hexagonal columns lying on the

sea Flor May support the theory

that the building blocks of Nadol were

brought here by

sea if the architects of Nadol could

sail giant rocks around the island just

how far could their Kingdom have

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reached we think that the giant assault

blocks of namol were transported by sea

I'm hunting for evidence that the

Islanders may have sailed further a

field 20 M from here is a string of tiny

islands called Ant

atle I found only one report of this

whole place it was written from before

the time I was born and it describes

something that I've got to check out

that's just beyond the

reef

this report claims that somewhere on

these islands are traces of an ancient

civilization the head of the family who

now protects ant antle is Willie Holly

he has a traditional title of

Rosa welcome to ant thank you your

family has been on this island for a

long time over 100 years that's what our

clan is to

these are awesome I need a

tattoo this area of the island has been

abandoned for decades but as a boy Rosa

remembers seeing unusual Stones here I

don't know how you can find anything

with all this undergrowth you're

starting to see the balt rocks here yeah

that is not common for an up like this

these are the same basalt rocks that I

saw at neodo there's no quy of Basalt

sitting out here somewhere in this atle

is there there is not this isn't the

only intriguing Remnant here of an

ancient

civilization all right we're at it you

found it

yeah if you look they're Flat Rocks

overgrown with trees and stuff but if

you thrush it off and you'll take a look

at it it's sakow

Stone oh I saw one just like this right

at the entrance of namad and the first

thing I did was sit with the N Marquee

to a CA ceremony where Stones were

pounding just like this to make the

ca you can see this is so deep this must

have been hundreds of Cal ceremonies oh

yeah thousands

maybe where did these stones come

from I would say pumy so somehow the

technology that they had in

understanding of the sea allowed them to

bring huge Boulders across waves and

reefs and miles of ocean just to to get

here is it possible that these were the

same people that built

namad has to be I can't see any any

other reason why this would actually be

here unless there was a link between

here and

there here here's another one right here

bigger

one I think there probably would have

been some type of a settlement here wow

how big do you think this

is that's the

mystery

clearing this site by hand could take

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weeks our liar scanner will digitally

strip away some of the

vegetation just like our scan at amadol

if there's anything lurking beneath the

undergrowth this will find

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it the guys have processed all the data

that I got from the scan out on Ant atle

and here it is so I zoom in here and

this is the track that I

walked but I can actually kind of move

down through the layers and clear away

the trees a little bit then you can

actually see this really incredible

blueprint of this sight that darker area

right there these are Cal Stones those

are the pounding Stones 1 2 3 4 5 6 in a

circle all around this one area you can

imagine how big of a ceremonial place

this must have been because I've only

seen one or two Cal Stones next to each

other this is six right

here 20 M away from amadol Ant ATL was

home to a huge ritual site perhaps built

by the very same people it's evidence

that Nadol had influence that stretched

across the

waves what's really incredible about

this is that it's on a tiny spe of sand

beyond the Barrier Reef which means that

what happened here happened elsewhere as

well there are

25,000 other Islands across the Pacific

trade and culture traveled from Island

to Island but just how far did this

ocean Network

reach nad's architects were highly

skilled

seafarers capable of moving rocks miles

across the

ocean but could they have been part of a

much bigger trans-pacific

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movement Anthropologist Ashley Meredith

has uncovered some evidence that might

help answer this

question ready yeah

oh my

goodness it's quite a large field

eh it's amazing the outcrop that we're

exploring is actually a gallery filled

with ancient rock

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art it's creepy looks almost like a

ghost look at that there's a sword down

there how long ago were these carved

this could be uh 1 to 2,000 years ago

okay 2,000 years ago that's the time

when story of Christ was happening

that's the time when the first emperor

of China was building the Terracotta

Army and here in the middle of the

Pacific Ocean somebody actually carved

this into this Stone and contemplated

their

reality this rock art shows that pom hey

was an important cultural site even

before the Satur

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arrived ready this is my favorite

waa wow how did you find this through

oral history there are stories here that

talk about foreigners making these

foreigners mhm where these people came

from we can't be sure you see these to

anywhere else similar new calonia wait

wait how far away is New calonia New

calonia is about 2,000 miles from here

2,000 mies yep that's like uh that's

almost the distance between New York and

La

yes if I take images from a bunch of

different angles then I can use

photogrametry where you can add up the

overlapping images and it creates a 3D

model of the

entire that's really cool

using the Digital model I can make the

faint eroded carving far more

visible check this

out is that awesome my gosh I'm actually

moving the virtual light across the

features and make them pop out a little

more see yeah that was a good one right

there slowly slow there right there yes

that's really cool you can see more of

the detail let me just screen grab this

all right right so now I can pull the

same thing up over here okay this is the

image from UK

calonia that's right okay so this is

from

here they have a lot in common let see

maybe I can actually do something even

crazier I can change the

opacity I can move it on top of the

other

image H look at that whoa they're like

they're really

similar that's awesome right yeah it's

almost a perfect print one of the other

I'm staring at these two images and to

me it's just too similar to be a

coincidence how could something a nearly

identical pop up 2,000 mil away but in a

time when sailing across those distances

must have been incredibly

difficult there's no GPS it's just old

school

navigation

whether or not these two symbols were

created by the same Pacific people it's

clear evidence that the ocean didn't

isolate these cities and these cultures

it connected

them the sadders ruled for 400 years

until they were

overthrown and within those centuries

their seaf fairing skills took them

across the Pacific who knows maybe even

as far as that other great civilization

on Easter is Island over 6,000 M

away both left their Mark set in

stone this Lost City built on water is

more Grand and complex than I ever

imagined a seat of power for the ruling

Elite part of a great network of people

who traveled north south east and west

across the vast Pacific

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Ocean this place it came from a meeting

of peoples who sailed across the seas

with skill and bravery Beyond

Comprehension and with them They Carried

ideas creating an ocean continent in a

way leaving traces of the human spirit

in these massive mysterious Stone

monuments the the lost city of nador

it's more than an archaeological Wonder

it's a monument to human

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possibility