Me, in front of the Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza
For Christmas, one of my brothers gave me the book, "The Lost Secrets of Maya Technology". I recently finished it & received a very informative look at the technical abilities of this ancient culture.
Amazon.com:
Here is some of the information from the book, on archaeo-engineer James O'Kon's website:
The Old Explorer:
I've been interested in the Maya and their culture for a long time, especially their astronomical & engineering knowledge.
My trip to Mexico in 2006, where I was able to visit the ruins of Chichen Itza in the Yucatan, was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
Although I never bought into the whole "Apocalypse 2012" phenomenon, it did bring the advanced Mayan systems of timekeeping, astronomy, and mathematics into the public consciousness.
This book had alot of information that helped me appreciate the many challenges that ancient people in the Yucatan had to overcome just to survive & keep their social order intact. Some of the engineering feats O'Kon describes involve the vital methods of urban water management, construction, and transportation. He also gives details about his discovery of the construction of large suspension bridge leading into the city of Yaxchilan. This particular area was surrounded by an oxbow river, which flooded during rainy seasons & required a method of bypassing the natural barrier of a raging river.
There were many interesting solutions & techniques for addressing the unique problems faced by the Maya that are described in the book. It gave me a greater appreciation of the ingenuity, not only of the Maya, but all ancient people who had to devise novel ways to achieve the goals they envisioned.
The best part?...
No reference to "Ancient Aliens" anywhere!
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