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00:08Across the globe, ancient architectural marvels stand as testaments to human ingenuity.
00:15However, within the stunning craftsmanship of some of these structures, sinister whispers linger.
00:21People see something that is so majestic, so perfect, so beautiful,
00:27that they don't believe it could have been created by human hands.
00:31In the Andean heights of Peru, a colossal stone complex defies explanation.
00:37Its seemingly impenetrable walls, stunning 16th century conquerors.
00:43Why did the Spanish believe the Inca called on dark forces to build their fortress?
00:50Deep in the arid landscape of Rajasthan, India,
00:53the mesmerizing geometry of an ancient stepwell plunges 13 stories into the earth.
01:00Its intricate design seems almost otherworldly.
01:04King Chanda is trying to save his kingdom, so he turns to the dark arts.
01:08Did a malevolent force perform this architectural feat?
01:13Rising above the streets of Paris, the gothic spires of a famed cathedral have long echoed tales of demonic pacts.
01:21This is a bastion of the Christian faith.
01:25Demons will want to play with it.
01:27What secrets lie hidden in its elaborate designs?
01:31Exploring these architectural wonders uncovers the fine line between genius and the supernatural.
01:37It seemed like magic, and it's not that much of a leap to go, the devil was involved.
01:42Could it be true?
01:43Or do the real answers lie in forgotten human knowledge?
01:48The Greatest Church
01:49The Greatest Church
01:54The Greatest Church
02:06The Greatest Church
02:09The Greatest Church
02:10High in the Andean Mountains, perched above the Peruvian city of Cusco,
02:15lies Sacsayhuaman, a massive stone complex that has baffled experts for centuries.
02:22The true purpose of this colossal structure remains one of the greatest mysteries of Inca archaeology.
02:29Its layout hints at a level of sophistication that we're only beginning to understand.
02:35With zigzagging walls that stretch for hundreds of meters, Sacsayhuaman's cryptic design speaks to a grand purpose.
02:43Commonly, it was believed that this was a fortress, and that makes sense when you consider its defensive walls and
02:53strategic location.
02:55But Sacsayhuaman's mysteries run deeper than its imposing walls.
03:00Below its foundation is a rumored labyrinth of tunnels, potentially guarding ancient secrets and a haunted passage to the underworld.
03:09Was this primarily a military fortress, or a religious center, or something else entirely?
03:17When Spanish conquistadors arrive in Cusco in the 16th century, they are bewildered by the sight of Sacsayhuaman.
03:25It's hard to imagine what was going through the minds of the Spanish conquistadors, the first time they set eyes
03:31on Sacsayhuaman.
03:32Well, the first sight of the fortress must have been awe-inspiring. It must have been intimidating.
03:38They had no frame of reference for what they were seeing. In some ways, the engineering met or even exceeded
03:44what was possible back in Europe.
03:46They can't believe that it was constructed by the Incas, because they saw them as backward and uncivilized.
03:55So, in their mind, they couldn't possibly build something as magnificent and sophisticated as this fortress.
04:03They swiftly attribute its construction to demonic forces.
04:17Nearly a century before the conquistadors' arrival in Cusco, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the 9th Sapa Inca, begins the transformation of
04:26the Kingdom of Cusco into the mighty Inca Empire, the largest pre-Columbian empire in the Americas.
04:36Pachacuti is a brilliant strategist. During his reign from 1438 to 1471 CE, he expands Inca territory across Western South
04:47America through conquest and diplomacy, and oversees massive construction projects, including Machu Picchu and Sacsayhuaman, marking the beginning of the
04:58Inca Empire's Golden Age.
05:01Cusco serves as the capital of the Inca Empire until the Spanish conquistadors arrive in the 16th century, an event
05:09that would be the catalyst for a bloody battle.
05:12It's November 1533. Francisco Pizarro and his conquistadors have arrived in Cusco.
05:18This moment marks the culmination of a decade of Spanish aggression in the Americas.
05:25In 1521, Hernán Cortés had conquered the Aztec Empire for Spain.
05:31Now Francisco Pizarro seemed poised to do the same to the Incas.
05:34The Spanish are initially welcomed in Cusco. Earlier that year, Pizarro's forces had captured and executed the Incan Empire at
05:44a whelper, and installed the young Manco Inca as a puppet ruler.
05:49But things started to go bad shortly thereafter, and tensions began to rise.
05:53The Spanish began to strip the city of all of its gold and silver.
05:57They looted the sacred buildings of the city.
06:00And all of this reached the breaking point.
06:03In 1536, Manco Inca led a rebellion against the Spanish conquistadors, culminating in the siege of Cusco.
06:12Sacsayhuaman's role in the siege is a crucial one.
06:15Its position overlooking Cusco makes it an ideal spot as the headquarters for the 200,000 warriors Manco has assembled.
06:24For the Spanish, getting control of Sacsayhuaman is suddenly now a strategic objective.
06:31In May of 1536, a force of 50 cavalry and 120 Spanish infantry stormed the complex.
06:39A bloody battle ensues, but the Spanish eventually succeed in capturing Sacsayhuaman.
06:47This victory serves as a pivotal moment in their efforts to break the siege of Cusco.
06:52In the chaos that followed, many Inca warriors threw themselves from the walls, death being preferable to being captured by
07:00the Spanish.
07:01So it's interesting to ask what these events can tell us about the intended use of Sacsayhuaman.
07:07Was it actually intended to be a fortress, or was it just being used as one out of necessity?
07:13New evidence suggests the structure may have served a much more practical purpose.
07:20In 2008, archaeologists make a groundbreaking discovery, suggesting a more complex role in Inca society.
07:28One that may transcend its use as a simple fortress.
07:31They uncover the ruins of an ancient temple near the site of Sacsayhuaman.
07:37The temple's interior reveals a connection to the dead.
07:41A series of intriguing structures that point to sophisticated funerary practices.
07:47Within this temple, they find 11 enclosures of varying sizes.
07:51The configuration and contents of these chambers strongly suggests it's used for mummy burials.
07:58These mummification rituals were very important, very significant in Inca culture.
08:03Clearly, they had an understanding that it was important to preserve the body for passage to the afterlife.
08:12While the archaeological evidence suggests that the site's origins may stretch back even further than the Inca's,
08:18it is believed that the Inca significantly expanded and developed the structure.
08:22The presence of this temple and its secret funerary enclosures may hint at its role in connecting the human realm
08:30to that which lies beyond.
08:32Could other undiscovered structures in this area help further expand our knowledge of this site?
08:38Or does the truth lie somewhere within the mysterious patterns of the walls?
08:43The design of Sacsayhuaman seems to be heavily influenced by Incan religious beliefs and their tether to other realms.
08:52Inca religion was intimately tied to cosmology, with their belief system centering on celestial deities.
09:03During his reign in the 15th century, Pashakuti elevates the sun god Inti to supreme status, reshaping the state religion.
09:12When people can't explain what's happening around them or they see the forces of nature,
09:16they often turn them into spiritual beings or entities.
09:20And so within this mysticism, we find that there's sun gods repeated over and over and over again.
09:26The sun was the giver of life.
09:29It also marked the seasons.
09:32In the Incan culture, that was Inti.
09:38It's been theorized that Sacsayhuaman was dedicated to the worship of this sun god.
09:44And many elements of its design hint at its mystical connections.
09:49The walls form this very distinct zigzagging pattern.
09:52This angular shape creates a series of sharp turns and recesses.
09:57Some suggest the design resembles the head of a puma, a sacred animal in Inca mythology, with the city of
10:04Cusco forming the body.
10:06They had a complex understanding of the cosmos.
10:10They recognized three realms.
10:12And each of them were tied with significant creatures.
10:16The underworld was associated with the serpent, the earthly realm with the puma, and the heavens with the condor.
10:23These three realms and the cryptic language of the stars above often govern the ancient Inca rituals and sacred sites.
10:32Many ancient civilizations actually put spiritual values and powers into the animals that were around them.
10:39They've anthropomorphized the animals themselves to place a spiritual lead within that realm.
10:47Sacsayhuaman's position as the puma's head emphasizes its importance in connecting the earthly and spiritual realms.
10:55But perhaps even more intriguing is the theory that its layout incorporates sophisticated astronomical alignments,
11:02potentially encoding ancient knowledge.
11:06Researchers have identified astronomical values in both the pattern of its zigzag walls
11:11and in the angles of the wall stones themselves, which could indicate the alignment of the moon, earth, and sun
11:18at a given time,
11:19and help predict lunar and solar eclipses.
11:22Similar patterns found at ancient sites worldwide raise intriguing questions about a shared knowledge spanning continents and millennia.
11:32This discovery could revolutionize our understanding of ancient civilizations' capabilities.
11:37But would the Inca really have had the engineering foresight to build such a grand complex in the shape of
11:44a puma's head?
11:45Or to build complex astronomical values into its very walls?
11:49We often wonder how the ancients accomplished what they did, but they knew a lot more than we give them
11:56credit for.
11:57The Inca people were amazing at developing technology.
12:02They built incredible structures, they domesticated llamas and alpacas and guinea pigs,
12:08they had terraced agriculture, they had water control.
12:13This society was very, very innovative from a technological point of view.
12:17While a conclusive answer to its original purpose may continue to evade us,
12:22the stones of Sacsayhuaman themselves hold their own secrets,
12:26hinting at a mastery of construction that continues to challenge mortal comprehension.
12:31These walls are built with massive stones, some of them weighing up to 200 tons.
12:37Believing that only demonic forces could have built Sacsayhuaman's amazing walls,
12:43the Spanish attempt to take down the entire structure,
12:46but reportedly find that the biggest stones are simply too heavy to move.
12:50If the heaviest stones were too large to take down, how on earth were they erected in the first place?
12:58Could this have been the work of otherworldly forces?
13:04We don't know how they built these walls, but it's reasonable to say that they had a good understanding of
13:09physics,
13:09and they perhaps harnessed the power of levers to move these giant boulders.
13:15It's believed they used wooden rollers and levers to facilitate the movement of heavy stones over relatively flat terrain,
13:22and may have constructed ramps and inclined planes for transporting up steep slopes.
13:28Where there's a will, there's a way, and they figured it out.
13:31It's possible that over 20,000 workers were involved in building this colossal fortress,
13:37likely including labourers who carried out the Herculean task of transporting the stones from nearby quarries,
13:43as well as the workers who assembled the walls.
13:46But how did the Inca achieve the seemingly impossible precision in the stonework we see today?
13:55The Inca were master stonemasons,
13:58renowned for their remarkable ability to construct monumental structures that have stood the test of time.
14:06The strength of their empire is often credited to this talent.
14:11They used multiple techniques in order to shape not only these massive stones,
14:16but also to create very polished, finely decorated stones.
14:21So clearly this is signs of a very sophisticated artisanal culture,
14:27but also a culture in which art and engineering went hand in hand.
14:31Many stones still bear the marks of the tools used to shape them,
14:35suggesting the use of bronze chisels and stone hammers to achieve the desired shape and smoothness.
14:41The cutting and setting of the blocks was so exact that mortar was unnecessary.
14:47Mortar is an important piece to the durability of a brick wall.
14:52If you were to build a wall without mortar, you would likely have some gaps.
14:57That's a bit problematic because you're going to get water flowing down in between the rocks.
15:02If you get freezing periods, it's going to cause ice to form.
15:06And when ice forms, it creates pressure and causes rocks to be pushed apart
15:10and basically destroys your construction through natural weathering processes.
15:15Mortar would close those gaps and allow for a more airtight structure.
15:19However, they didn't use mortar.
15:22Instead, they just shaped everything so precisely that mortar wasn't needed.
15:29Dry stone masonry is a really incredible way to construct buildings.
15:34And we're constructing basically a stone that fits like a puzzle piece into a larger part of a building.
15:41We're matching every stone to the stones around it.
15:45Some believe they used methods similar to those used in the building of log cabins, called scribing and coping.
15:53Scribing is the act of shaping those stones to match the profile of something else.
15:59And coping is a precise cut, sort of a carving out of something.
16:04This is beneficial from so many points of view.
16:07It creates a very stable structure, but it also resists weathering.
16:11If we're not getting water flowing down between our rocks because they're so tight together,
16:16we have a much better chance of it enduring long periods of time
16:20and not failing due to normal weathering processes.
16:23And they are just perfectly fit with no mortar.
16:27There is no gap between there.
16:29You can't even put a piece of paper in between there.
16:31That is incredible.
16:33They either coped or carved or cut out or sanded or rounded all of these rocks.
16:38Each one of these is a labor of love.
16:40But the Inca engineers weren't just concerned with aesthetics.
16:44They built with an eye towards longevity.
16:48The Inca empire is built high in the Andes.
16:50And the Andes are a geologically active area.
16:53This area has massive earthquakes.
16:56It's not uncommon to have magnitude 7 plus earthquakes in this area.
17:01And to build structures that have been able to endure thousands of years in this environment is amazing.
17:07Where we use dry masonry, because the stones fit together and lock together,
17:13they don't want to tumble apart in an earthquake.
17:15And so that interlock of all of these stones together can resist quite a bit of horizontal pressure on that
17:22wall,
17:23be it from wind, from an impact from something, or from soil consistently pressing on it.
17:29They also were thoughtful about the configuration of these walls.
17:32They're in a zigzag pattern.
17:33Each shift through that zigzag adds lateral stability into these walls as well.
17:39It acts as a unit to resist all of those forces that it might experience.
17:43To recognize that the need for robustness around lateral forces in these ancient times is pretty awesome.
17:49But the mysteries of its construction don't end at its unshakable walls.
17:55Legend speaks of vast underground networks connecting the fortress to other important Inca sites.
18:02Some even claim these tunnels stretch all the way to Cusco's Coricancha,
18:07the most sacred temple of the Inca Empire.
18:10These tunnels could have served multiple purposes,
18:14from storage and shelter to escape routes and ritualistic spaces.
18:20Legends persist of vast chambers filled with gold and precious artifacts
18:25hidden away from Spanish conquistadors,
18:28though no such treasures have been officially discovered.
18:31And for those who dare to attempt to find it, grave danger awaits.
18:39In the 1920s, following the rumored disappearance of several tunnel explorers,
18:45all entryways were shuttered to the public,
18:48though many are still tempted to venture below today.
18:52According to some local tales,
18:55these cursed passages promise to kill anyone who steps foot inside.
19:00Could this be otherworldly forces at work,
19:03guarding a potential channel to the underworld?
19:07Tunnels and passages come up again and again when we talk about ancient structures.
19:13And a lot of this comes to the idea that, you know,
19:15a tunnel is a passageway, and it has a mystical significance to it,
19:19because you don't know what's on the other end.
19:21And you can imagine that if you travel down this tunnel,
19:23you will leave one realm and enter another.
19:26Could the Spanish have seen these tunnels
19:28as the source of the demonic forces they believed built Sacsayhuaman?
19:33It's interesting to reflect as a modern person
19:36that descriptions of demons creating the structure seems foreign,
19:42it seems unreasonable to us.
19:45But in fact, that would have been perfectly natural.
19:47It would have been a rational interpretation for someone like Pizarro.
19:51There's a tendency on the part of many conquerors
19:56to see the people that they were conquering as inferior and incapable
20:01and being bound by the powers of darkness.
20:08When we're faced with something, we don't know how it happened,
20:11how it was built, or it just looks beyond normal abilities of man,
20:15we put it into the supernatural.
20:17We put it onto the side of the divine.
20:19If it's something that matches with our religion,
20:22with the primitives, the heathens,
20:24they're the ones that are supporting the negative side
20:26of the spirituality, devils, demons, the underworld.
20:30Early modern people understood that the devil was real,
20:34the devil was present,
20:35that the devil's function was to create chaos, havoc, destruction.
20:41And so for someone like Pizarro,
20:43encountering the Incas would have reminded him
20:47of the ever-present reality of the demonic.
20:51So when we consider how the Spanish minimized and underestimated the Inca,
20:56it's worth asking ourselves if we don't do the same things sometimes
21:00when we look at the accomplishments of other ancient civilizations.
21:06Halfway across the world lies another architectural enigma.
21:11Like Saxe-Hwaman, its geometry and impossible scale
21:16whisper of origins beyond mortal comprehension.
21:22India, a land of ancient wonders and rich cultural heritage,
21:27boasts a remarkable array of architectural marvels
21:31that have stood the test of time.
21:33While iconic sites like the Taj Mahal often steal the spotlight,
21:37some of India's most tantalizing structures
21:40continue to perplex historians today.
21:45Hidden in the arid landscape of Rajasthan,
21:48a descent into the depths awaits.
21:51The Chand Bauri Stepwell.
21:53This is one of the largest and deepest stepwells in India,
21:58reaching 13 stories into the earth.
22:00Chand Bauri is one of many stepwells in India
22:03intended as a reservoir during the region's dry spells.
22:07But the intricate carvings and sculptures that adorn its walls
22:11hint at a purpose beyond mere water storage.
22:14It is not only beautiful,
22:16but it must have required extraordinary precision
22:20in its design and execution.
22:25There's 3,500 steps in this.
22:28You immediately recognize the geometry in this,
22:31the thoughtful planning of these steps.
22:33These perfectly carved steps
22:36form a mesmerizing geometric pattern.
22:40Why did they choose this specific geometric design?
22:44Does it encode ancient knowledge or religious beliefs?
22:48The Stepwell's precise construction and vast scale
22:52raise intriguing questions about the capabilities
22:54of its 9th century builders.
22:57How did these ancient architects achieve such precision
23:01without modern surveying tools?
23:03It almost seems to defy the limits of ancient engineering.
23:09The hands that carved this subterranean stone
23:12did so in worship of water.
23:16So much of ancient cultures focuses around water.
23:20For civilizations to thrive,
23:22they need continuous access to it.
23:25You have to have water.
23:26Nowadays, we have great access to water.
23:29It's considered a basic necessity
23:31and it's always provided to us.
23:33But back then, in places like India,
23:36you had to collect the water
23:38so there was enough for the community.
23:39In particular in India,
23:41there are years where you have monsoons
23:43and you have immense amounts of water.
23:46And then you'll have periods
23:47where there isn't a monsoon
23:49and the water table will literally change by meters.
23:53If we're not changing our technology
23:56to address the changing water table,
23:58our civilization's going to collapse.
24:00So the most successful ancient civilizations
24:03had ways to ensure continuous access to water.
24:06And that's kind of where step wells come in.
24:11The step wells were a fascinating
24:14and ingenious structure
24:15designed to serve as water reservoirs.
24:19The rainwater falls from the sky
24:21and collects in the huge opening.
24:23The rain then trickles down the steps
24:25and collects in the bottom well.
24:26The water then seeps through porous rock,
24:29which replenishes the underground water table.
24:33Thirst and hunger are some of the strongest drives
24:37that motivate people.
24:39These are really basic drives
24:42and they're in some structures of the brain
24:44that are the oldest ones conserved across evolution.
24:47It's going to be a major driver
24:49of how that society is formed
24:51and how decisions are made.
24:53And in this arid land,
24:55it should be very easy
24:56to get a large community together
24:58to build a step well
24:59because it's something everybody can see
25:01that they, their families
25:03and their descendants are going to need.
25:05While ancient step wells
25:07were vital water sources
25:08in the arid regions of India,
25:10their role transcended mere necessity.
25:14People gathered here
25:16not only to draw water,
25:18but to socialise,
25:20exchange news
25:22and even for religious purposes.
25:26The intricately carved walls,
25:28niches and pavilions
25:30served as a backdrop
25:31for storytelling
25:32and artistic performances,
25:34transforming the step world
25:36into vibrant hubs
25:37of daily life
25:38and cultural activity.
25:41But the complexity
25:42of Chand Bowery's construction,
25:44its sheer scale
25:46and intricate design,
25:47has led to persistent questions
25:49about how it was built.
25:50And in the absence
25:52of clear answers,
25:53local legends
25:54and folklore
25:55have flourished.
25:56When we think of a structure
25:58that is essential
25:59to the survival of people,
26:01that is also
26:01an extraordinary work of art
26:04in and of itself,
26:05it was so beautiful
26:07that stories developed around it
26:10being a supernatural creation.
26:13Legend has it
26:14that King Chanda
26:15is trying to save
26:16his kingdom from drought.
26:18This king is driven
26:20to desperation.
26:21He turns to the dark arts.
26:26In his darkest hour,
26:28the king calls upon
26:29the help of a djinn,
26:30a supernatural entity
26:32with malevolent powers.
26:34The djinn agrees
26:35to build a step well,
26:37but this offer of salvation
26:38will come at a terrible price,
26:40the surrender
26:41of the kingdom itself.
26:45Faced with an impossible choice,
26:47the king accepts the terms,
26:49prioritizing his people's survival
26:51over his own rule.
26:53According to the tale,
26:54this supernatural being
26:56constructs the entire step well
26:58in a single night.
26:59Then King Chanda
27:01experienced
27:02a fortunate twist of fate.
27:04In recognizing the king's
27:06selfless act,
27:07a saint intervenes
27:08and basically traps the djinn
27:10in the bowels
27:11of the step well
27:11and the kingdom is restored.
27:14Imprisoned in the depths
27:15of this structure
27:16for eternity,
27:17the legend of the djinn
27:19lingers for centuries more.
27:21Chan Bowery's intricate design
27:23seems to defy
27:24the limitations of its time,
27:26leaving many to consider
27:27the haunting possibility
27:29that such an entity
27:30may indeed be responsible.
27:34However,
27:35modern archaeology
27:36has revealed hints
27:37about its true design.
27:40While detailed records
27:41of Chan Bowery's construction
27:43have been lost to history,
27:45careful examination
27:46of the structure
27:47and others like it
27:48can offer some insights.
27:50We often think about structures
27:51that are coming up
27:53from the ground,
27:54that we're creating space
27:54above ground.
27:55This is actually creating
27:56a space below grade
27:58and that's really interesting.
27:59It's like inverting my whole world.
28:01It's really cool.
28:02Excavation likely began
28:04with digging the central well
28:05to reach water level.
28:06This would have required
28:08precise surveying
28:09to ensure the correct depth
28:11and width.
28:12As the foundation was secured,
28:14the greatest task
28:16still loomed overhead,
28:18carving 3,500 narrow steps
28:21up 13 floors to ground level.
28:24This is a big structure
28:25where people are taking
28:27not only a lot of time
28:28to carve those steps out,
28:30but a lot of time
28:31to make sure
28:32that they're exactly
28:33the size they need to be.
28:35The perfect symmetry
28:37of Chan Bowery
28:38implies a mastery
28:39of mathematics
28:40and potentially
28:42a grasp of geometry
28:43that surpasses
28:44the known knowledge
28:45of this era.
28:47When you're trying
28:48to build essentially
28:49an inverted pyramid
28:50in the ground,
28:51you need to know
28:52exactly what your pyramid
28:54is going to look like
28:55before you start building it.
28:56If you start changing angles,
29:00you don't end up
29:01with a pyramid.
29:02You end up with something
29:02that's very skewed
29:04and would look aesthetically
29:07extremely unpleasing.
29:08The uniform size
29:10and precise angles
29:11of the steps
29:11suggest the use
29:13of standardized measurements
29:14and possibly templates.
29:16It takes a lot of precision
29:18in each step
29:19that you go down
29:20to make sure
29:21you're going to end up
29:23where you need to be.
29:23So you're literally
29:25measuring within
29:26a few millimeters
29:28in each layer.
29:29Everything is meticulous.
29:31The angles,
29:32the carving,
29:32the steps,
29:33the pathways through.
29:34There's just so much thought
29:36put into
29:36the circulation
29:38of this system
29:40and how one
29:41would move through it.
29:42Could this seemingly
29:43impossible perfection
29:44be a clue
29:45that the mysterious
29:46tale of the djinn
29:47is true?
29:50Beyond practical function,
29:52the design elements
29:54of Chan Bowery
29:55also play with
29:55its visitors' minds,
29:57stirring a sense of awe
29:59and perhaps
30:00a subtle unease.
30:01The stepwell
30:02is really interesting
30:03in its design
30:04because of how
30:05it makes you feel
30:06when you look at it.
30:07And that's because
30:08in nature,
30:10yes,
30:10we have rough symmetry,
30:11right?
30:11We've got two arms,
30:12two legs,
30:13two eyes,
30:13but yet things
30:15aren't perfect
30:17in the natural world.
30:19Here we see something
30:20that is balanced out
30:22and symmetric,
30:23but it's all sharp corners,
30:26it's steps,
30:27it's lines.
30:28The only place
30:28we normally see lines
30:29are off on the horizon.
30:31We don't see them
30:32as straight lines
30:33in most any other places.
30:34And because of it,
30:36it gives this sense of awe.
30:38It's not something
30:39that is natural
30:40and therefore
30:41we add extra meaning
30:43to the space,
30:44to the place itself.
30:47Incorporated into
30:48the engineering design
30:49of Chand Bowery
30:50is an apparent secret
30:51of ancient wisdom,
30:53one that suggests
30:54a strategy
30:55for mitigating
30:56the desert's intense heat.
30:58As you descend
30:59the steps
31:00of Chand Bowery,
31:01you would feel
31:02the temperature dropping,
31:04defying the scorching
31:05heat above.
31:08The cooling properties
31:09of the stepwell
31:10reveal themselves
31:11when examining
31:12the layers of its design.
31:14At first glance,
31:15the thick stone walls
31:17appear only to serve
31:18as structural support,
31:19but they are actually
31:21the first clue
31:22to the stepwell's
31:22cooling mechanism.
31:24The builders chose
31:25materials with
31:26high thermal mass,
31:28creating a natural
31:29heat sink
31:30that absorbs
31:31daytime heat
31:31and releases it
31:33slowly at night.
31:35Further down,
31:36a noticeable chill
31:38permeates the air.
31:39The stepwell
31:40maintains a temperature
31:41of five to six degrees,
31:43cooler at its base
31:44than at its surface.
31:46Was this an intentional
31:48design feature?
31:49And if so,
31:51how did they calculate it?
31:53The ancient engineers
31:54seem to have tapped
31:55into Earth's
31:56natural cooling properties,
31:58using the subterranean
31:59design to access
32:00cooler underground layers.
32:03The collected water
32:04itself isn't just
32:06for drinking.
32:07It plays a crucial role
32:08in a natural
32:09air conditioning system.
32:12As the water evaporates,
32:14it cools the surrounding air,
32:16much like our own
32:17body's perspiration.
32:18This natural cooling system
32:20is amplified by the well's
32:22unique vertical structure,
32:23which creates a chimney effect,
32:26encouraging air circulation.
32:28By having that cooler
32:29water source slow down
32:31and having wind
32:32that would blow it on top,
32:33it creates an interesting
32:34thermal dynamic
32:35where it will stay
32:36cooler down there.
32:38Warm air rises,
32:40drawing cooler air
32:41from the water surface
32:42upwards,
32:43resulting in a constant
32:45flow of breeze,
32:46a certain shiver
32:47from the depths.
32:50Ancient engineers
32:51were able to create
32:52a sophisticated
32:53climate control system,
32:55transforming a water source
32:57into a cool oasis
32:58in one of the world's
33:00hottest regions.
33:01In an arid, dry land,
33:04cold water is not something
33:06most people get to experience.
33:08Even the rains
33:09and the monsoons are warm.
33:11So it adds another level
33:13of awe or mysticism
33:16to the whole endeavor
33:18and the whole structure
33:19that they're experiencing
33:20something special here
33:22that they cannot get
33:23anywhere else.
33:24While its design
33:25creates an oasis
33:26in the desert heat,
33:28its purpose extends
33:29beyond mere physical comfort,
33:31as evidenced by
33:33a nearby temple
33:33that hints at the site's
33:35deeper spiritual significance.
33:38Just 100 meters west
33:40of Chand Bauri
33:41stands a temple
33:42dedicated to Harshat Mata,
33:45the goddess of joy
33:46and happiness.
33:48Built between the 7th
33:49and 8th centuries,
33:50it's believed that this temple
33:52formed a complex
33:53with Chand Bauri.
33:54Pilgrims would typically
33:56purify themselves
33:57in the stepwell's waters
33:58before entering
34:00the sacred temple ground.
34:02Water is sacred
34:04across many traditions,
34:06and in Hindu,
34:07it has a particularly
34:08special role,
34:09not only in ritual purification,
34:12but water was part
34:14of the cosmos.
34:14It was actually binding
34:16the earthly
34:17and the celestial realms together.
34:18So it was essential
34:21to their understanding
34:23not only of their
34:25lived experience,
34:26their present life,
34:27but the afterlife.
34:29This connection
34:30also reveals
34:31the stepwell's
34:32deep spiritual significance,
34:34further emphasized
34:35by its intricate
34:36architectural details.
34:38Many of the carvings
34:39adorning Chand Bauri
34:40depict Hindu deities
34:42and mythological scenes
34:43and narrate sacred stories.
34:46These carvings
34:47transform the stepwell
34:49into a three-dimensional
34:50religious text.
34:52Chand Bauri was likely
34:54used in conjunction
34:55with a nearby temple
34:56for centuries,
34:57embodying the Hindu concept
34:59of finding divinity
35:00in the most essential
35:02elements of life,
35:03a tradition that has endured
35:05for over a millennium.
35:09While the specifics
35:11of its construction
35:12remain elusive
35:13and the legends
35:14of the jinn endure,
35:16Chand Bauri's
35:17ancient ingenuity
35:18continues to stand
35:19the test of time.
35:21Today, India
35:22is turning back
35:24to its ancient wisdom
35:26in order to tackle
35:28the modern water crisis.
35:31I think it is a testimony
35:33to the ingenuity
35:34of the early designers
35:36of these stepwells
35:37that they're now
35:39finding purpose again today.
35:41In this period
35:42of climate change
35:43when we have increasing
35:44drought conditions locally,
35:47stepwells are now
35:48being put back to work
35:49because they are
35:51one of the most efficient
35:52means of ensuring
35:54the survival
35:54of the local population.
35:57This revival
35:58of ancient wisdom
36:00is testament to the fact
36:02that these ancient stepwells
36:04are not only relics
36:06of the past
36:07but potential answers
36:09for the future.
36:12As with Chand Bauri,
36:14the line between
36:15the mystical
36:15and the physical
36:16blurs at a grand cathedral
36:18in Paris.
36:20Legends whisper
36:21of gargoyles
36:22that protect the cathedral
36:23from unseen threats
36:25and tales and tales
36:26and tales of diabolical
36:27pacts that may have
36:28shaped its very doors.
36:31Standing majestically
36:33in the heart of Paris,
36:34Notre Dame Cathedral,
36:36completed in the mid-13th century,
36:39has captivated visitors
36:40for hundreds of years.
36:42It stands as one
36:43of the world's oldest
36:44and most renowned
36:45Gothic cathedrals.
36:48Notre Dame has witnessed
36:50pivotal moments
36:52in French history
36:53from the coronation
36:55of Napoleon Bonaparte
36:57to the beatification
36:59of Joan of Arc.
37:01The cathedral's
37:02impressive dimensions,
37:03with towers reaching
37:0569 metres into the sky,
37:07speak to the ambition
37:08of its builders.
37:09This was a cathedral
37:11built through the financial
37:13and artisanal contributions
37:16of the local population.
37:18It was intended
37:19to be the largest,
37:22the most sophisticated
37:23cathedral of its time.
37:25So it was to be a mark
37:27of the greatness of Paris
37:29as one of the largest
37:31and most economically
37:32successful cities
37:34in Europe at the time.
37:35But beneath its Gothic splendor
37:38lie deep mysteries
37:39of its construction.
37:40It's not only the scale
37:42that amazes,
37:43but the innovative techniques
37:44used to achieve
37:45such heights.
37:47And the structural mysteries
37:48are just the beginning.
37:50Legend has it that the gargoyles
37:52are the protectors
37:52of the church,
37:53but are they protecting
37:54the church against
37:55supernatural forces
37:56or against earthly threats?
38:01Beneath the soaring arches
38:03of Notre Dame
38:04lies a secret
38:05that stretches back
38:06to the very foundations
38:07of Paris.
38:09For generations,
38:11pilgrims and tourists
38:12have marveled
38:14at the Christian masterpiece
38:16that is the Notre Dame today.
38:19But few realize
38:20that the ground
38:21that touches their feet
38:23holds clues
38:25to a much older,
38:27grander,
38:28mysterious past.
38:30They find stone structures
38:32underneath Notre Dame
38:33that would predate it
38:34by centuries.
38:36In the 1700s,
38:38they discovered
38:38that the church
38:40was built
38:41on the ruins
38:42of an old
38:43Gallo-Roman temple
38:45to Jupiter,
38:46the king
38:47of the Roman pantheon.
38:49What does that tell us?
38:51Well, first of all,
38:51that you have a temple
38:52to the most powerful
38:53of the Roman gods
38:54suggests that this place,
38:56the place where it's located,
38:58has long been
38:59a site of cultic worship
39:00and in particular
39:01a very sacred site.
39:02This is evidence
39:04of the site's long history
39:06as a place of worship.
39:07How did a pagan temple
39:09become one of Christianity's
39:11most revered cathedrals?
39:13The transformation
39:15from pagan temple
39:16to Christian cathedral
39:17was a centuries-long process.
39:20As Christianity
39:21spreads throughout Europe,
39:24the site undergoes
39:26a radical metamorphosis.
39:30Sacred sites tended
39:31to remain sacred sites
39:32even when there was
39:33a change in religion.
39:34And so the Christians
39:36didn't seem to have a problem
39:38rededicating pagan holy sites
39:40and making them
39:41Christian holy sites.
39:44So we go from the pagan temple
39:46to an early Christian church
39:48and that gets replaced
39:49by another Christian church,
39:50but it stays in a line of descent
39:52that eventually brings us
39:54to Notre Dame.
39:55Emerging from the shadows
39:57of its pagan origins,
39:58Notre Dame cathedral
39:59has defied centuries
40:01of challenges
40:01and natural disasters.
40:04What architectural secrets
40:05lie within its hallowed walls,
40:07enabling the Gothic structure
40:09to withstand the ravages
40:11of time and nature?
40:13For centuries,
40:14Notre Dame cathedral
40:15has stood as a testament
40:17to Gothic architecture.
40:18But in 2019,
40:20a devastating fire
40:22engulfed the cathedral,
40:23destroying its roof
40:25and iconic spire.
40:26To see a structure like this
40:28be impacted by the fire,
40:31it's a little heartbreaking
40:33for a structural engineer.
40:34I remember we turned it on
40:36at our office
40:37and watched it.
40:39As the smoke clears,
40:42archaeologists and historians
40:43are given an unprecedented opportunity
40:45to study the inner workings
40:47of Notre Dame's structure.
40:50What hidden resilience
40:51did medieval builders
40:53embed within the very bones
40:55of Notre Dame cathedral?
40:58One of the keys
40:59to the cathedral's longevity
41:01could be the 30 flying buttresses
41:03that form its stone exoskeleton.
41:06When we start building
41:07big structures like Notre Dame
41:09with large open indoor spaces,
41:12we end up with immense roof structures
41:14that are very heavy.
41:15And the resolved forces
41:16from those roof structures
41:18invariably want to cause
41:19our walls to buckle outward.
41:21So we need to design systems
41:24that support our walls.
41:26And with Notre Dame,
41:28that technology
41:29is the flying buttress.
41:31The walls are quite tall.
41:33So they're a little wobbly.
41:34You can imagine
41:35building a wall out of Lego.
41:36At some point,
41:37it's not very stable.
41:38You can't put another brick
41:39on top of there.
41:40And so you need
41:41to brace it horizontally.
41:43And that's where
41:43the flying buttresses come in.
41:45They are lateral supports
41:47at high up points
41:48that then take
41:49those lateral forces out
41:50and all the way down
41:51into the ground.
41:53Also, when you have
41:54an arched roof,
41:55that arch wants to thrust out
41:57at its haunches.
41:58And so the arch itself
42:00is imposing
42:00a horizontal force.
42:02That force goes
42:03into the flying buttresses.
42:04So all these things
42:05are tied together.
42:06And they are integral
42:08to that building.
42:10If you do not have
42:11the flying buttresses,
42:12that building will collapse.
42:14It's amazing to see
42:16this ancient engineering
42:17and how they knew this
42:19and used arches,
42:20which are another
42:21really strong shape
42:22in these flying buttresses,
42:23to make them lighter
42:25and functional.
42:27As restoration work
42:28on the Berne Cathedral
42:29begins,
42:30a remarkable discovery
42:31is made
42:32within its stonework.
42:33Large iron staples
42:35are revealed,
42:36measuring up to
42:3750 centimeters long.
42:39These staples found
42:40throughout the cathedral
42:41bind stones together,
42:43providing reinforcement
42:45that allows it
42:46to achieve its impressive
42:4735-meter height
42:48while maintaining
42:50a light, slender appearance.
42:52But the true breakthrough
42:53comes when these
42:54iron reinforcements
42:56are dated.
42:58Radiocarbon dating
43:00reveals they originate
43:01from the 1160s,
43:03making Notre Dame
43:04the first known
43:05Gothic cathedral
43:06to use iron extensively
43:08throughout its structure,
43:09a feat not repeated
43:10for about four decades.
43:12But these iron reinforcements
43:15aren't the only metalwork
43:16hiding secrets
43:17in Notre Dame's walls.
43:20Adorning the massive
43:21western doors
43:22of the cathedral
43:22is intricate ironwork.
43:25And with it
43:26comes a legend
43:27of devilish intrigue.
43:28There's so many legends
43:30about the building
43:31of Notre Dame,
43:32but there's one
43:33from the 13th century
43:34about a young blacksmith
43:35named Biscournay.
43:37According to legend,
43:39he had been commissioned
43:40to complete the elaborate,
43:42ornate iron doors
43:43for the cathedral.
43:45But when the completed
43:46doors are unveiled,
43:48people are astounded.
43:49The level of craftsmanship
43:51was unprecedented.
43:53The intricate details
43:54and artistry
43:55are so advanced
43:56that it leaves people
43:57in disbelief.
43:58No one believes
44:00it could be the work
44:01of a 13th century blacksmith.
44:03This leads to wild speculation.
44:07Biscournay's work
44:08must have been the result
44:09of a deal made
44:10with the devil.
44:11Rumors begin to circulate
44:13that Biscournay
44:14had been found
44:15in his workshop
44:16unconscious
44:16and that the iron doors
44:18had miraculously
44:19been completed overnight.
44:22When it came time
44:23to open up the doors,
44:25they were stuck.
44:26According to legend,
44:27it was only after
44:28the application
44:29of holy water
44:30that they were able
44:31to be opened.
44:32Adding to the mystery,
44:34Biscournay reportedly dies
44:36shortly after
44:37completing the project.
44:43For people at the time,
44:45the battle between
44:46good and evil
44:48was a real, live one.
44:51So actually,
44:52it wasn't a huge
44:53leap of the imagination
44:54to believe
44:55that these beautiful
44:56iron doors
44:58were inspired
44:59by the devil.
45:00The story comes out
45:02that it's supernatural
45:03powers that did it.
45:05And yet,
45:06the minds
45:07of the people around
45:08turn to it
45:10not being
45:10divine intervention,
45:13but instead
45:13to it being
45:14the devil.
45:16It's not surprising
45:17in a way
45:18that a church
45:19of this grandeur
45:21would attract
45:23demonic tales.
45:24It is constructed
45:25as a bastion
45:27of the Christian faith,
45:29which means,
45:29of course,
45:30demons will want
45:32to play with it.
45:32They will want
45:33to haunt it.
45:34They won't want
45:35to torment
45:35those who go there.
45:37So in that sense,
45:38the fact that
45:38it's spiritually
45:39significant
45:40means that
45:41it will be
45:42an obvious target
45:44of the demonic.
45:46To this day,
45:47the legend
45:48of the devil doors
45:49persists.
45:50And interestingly,
45:52modern blacksmiths
45:54can't actually
45:55explain
45:56how those doors
45:57were constructed.
45:59Whether crafted
46:00by human hands
46:01or through
46:02more sinister means,
46:04the devil doors
46:04continue to hold
46:05their secrets
46:06tight at ground level.
46:08But,
46:09perched up above,
46:10Notre Dame's
46:11silent sentinels
46:12stand watch.
46:14What ancient mysteries
46:15do these grotesque
46:16figures conceal?
46:18The gargoyles
46:19of Notre Dame
46:20are iconic.
46:21They are monstrous
46:23with bulging eyes
46:24and sharp teeth.
46:25As a visitor,
46:27you arrive
46:27and you look up
46:28and you see
46:29these enormous
46:30winged features
46:31perched looking
46:32down at you,
46:33each with its own
46:34individual personality
46:35and movement.
46:37What's striking
46:39about these gargoyles
46:40is the wide variety
46:42of design
46:43in which they were made.
46:45And yet,
46:46what unifies them
46:47is their whimsical,
46:50fiendish,
46:51almost devilish nature.
46:53These aren't just
46:54decorations.
46:55These gargoyles
46:56have stood watch
46:57over the cathedral
46:58for centuries.
47:01There are a number
47:02of theories
47:03about what they might
47:04have been intended
47:05to do.
47:06Perhaps the most
47:06popular one
47:07is that they were
47:07protective,
47:08that they were
47:09looking over
47:10Notre Dame
47:11and its parishioners
47:13with an eye out
47:14to defeating
47:15any demons
47:16that might be circling.
47:18Others see them
47:19as representations
47:20of sin and vice
47:22lurking outside
47:24the sanctity
47:25of the church.
47:27If you look beautiful,
47:29people think
47:30you can do no wrong,
47:31that you are good,
47:33that you are special
47:33just by that looks
47:34and therefore
47:35the flip side
47:36is also there.
47:37If you look ugly,
47:38if you look grotesque,
47:40then you're a monster
47:40and you're evil.
47:41And that's why
47:42when we look at
47:42these gargoyles now,
47:44we see them
47:44as evil creatures.
47:46And there are so many
47:48folklore and stories
47:50associated with them.
47:51One story goes
47:53that the gargoyles
47:54come alive at night
47:55and patrol the streets
47:56of Paris,
47:57keeping us all safe
47:58from harm.
48:00Another tale suggests
48:01that these gargoyles
48:03aren't sculptures
48:04at all,
48:06but monsters
48:07turned to stone
48:08by the power
48:09of the church.
48:11The gargoyles
48:13adorning Notre Dame
48:14today
48:14are not medieval originals,
48:17but 19th century editions.
48:19Many of the original gargoyles
48:21fell victim
48:22to the French Revolution's
48:23destruction
48:24in the late 1700s.
48:26Over the decades
48:27following the revolution,
48:29the cathedral
48:30falls into disrepair,
48:32but it would receive
48:33a new lease on life
48:34thanks to French author
48:36Victor Hugo's
48:371831 novel
48:38Notre Dame de Paris,
48:40whose 1833
48:41English translation
48:42was known
48:43as the Hunchback
48:44of Notre Dame.
48:46Victor Hugo's novel
48:48really raised
48:49the cathedral
48:50in popular consciousness
48:52and led to a surge
48:53of interest
48:54in restoring the cathedral
48:56to its former glory.
48:59A renovation
49:00under the guidance
49:01of architect
49:02Eugène Violette Le Duc
49:04began in the 1840s
49:06and new gargoyles
49:07were crafted,
49:08cementing Notre Dame's
49:10status as a cultural icon
49:11and popularising
49:13the notion of gargoyles
49:14as the cathedral's guardians.
49:16But the true purpose
49:17of these figures
49:18is actually crucial
49:19to the cathedral's
49:21structural integrity.
49:22In reality,
49:23their function
49:24is much more practical.
49:26They serve as water spouts,
49:28channelling rainwater
49:29away from the building's walls
49:31to prevent erosion.
49:34Following the tragic fire
49:35that swept through
49:36Notre Dame Cathedral
49:37in April 2019,
49:39the gargoyles
49:40and grotesques
49:41have come to embody
49:42the enduring spirit
49:43of this beloved landmark.
49:46When we think
49:47about Notre Dame now
49:49and the fact
49:49that it's now rebuilt,
49:51it makes us realise
49:52that monuments
49:53are not static.
49:55They are constantly
49:56being remade
49:58and repurposed
49:59and reused
50:00by the cultures
50:01because they cherish them.
50:02because of their ties
50:04to their historic past,
50:05but also because
50:06they're living spaces,
50:08living histories
50:08that are still meaningful
50:09to them.
50:13The cathedral reopened
50:14in December of 2024
50:16after a nearly
50:17five-year restoration
50:19that was not
50:20without its challenges.
50:21Structures that have
50:22caught on fire,
50:23some of them
50:24aren't salvageable.
50:25This one, though,
50:26being stone,
50:26is far more salvageable
50:28than a wood structure
50:30would have been.
50:30But in terms of the tools
50:32and the know-how
50:33and the knowledge
50:34and the ability
50:34to rebuild something
50:35like this,
50:36and not everybody
50:37can do that,
50:37there's less and less people
50:39who could build
50:39these structures
50:40in a similar way
50:41with the expertise
50:42and with the knowledge.
50:44Well, some have attributed
50:45the marvels of Notre Dame
50:46to supernatural evil forces.
50:50The reality is
50:51that Notre Dame
50:52represents the pinnacle
50:53of human ingenuity,
50:55skill, craftsmanship,
50:56and the determination
50:57of a people
50:58in their time.
51:00The real magic
51:01of Notre Dame
51:02is the medieval craftsmen
51:04that made it.
51:07From the whispers
51:08of otherworldly forces
51:10at Sacsayhuaman
51:11to the tales of jinns
51:13at Chan Bowery
51:14and the ominous devil doors
51:16at Notre Dame,
51:17the stories of these
51:18architectural wonders
51:19blur the line
51:21between human achievement
51:22and the supernatural.
51:24While standing testament
51:25to remarkable engineering,
51:27they hint at forces
51:28beyond our understanding.
51:31What hidden truths
51:32might these ancient structures
51:34still hold,
51:35waiting to be uncovered
51:36by future generations?
51:38and the ruins.
51:40Music
51:40.
51:40.
51:40.
51:40.
51:40.
51:40.
51:40.
51:41.
51:41.
51:41.
51:41.
51:41.
51:43.
51:43.
51:45.
52:08Transcription by CastingWords
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