Latin America - Top 10 Most Mysterious Discoveries! Archeology of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and more!

South America is indeed a magical continent. Over the years, more attention was brought to Africa and the Middle East as they were considered more exotic locations with natural wonders and mysterious sights. But South America has a lot of hidden gems to offer. Here are the top 10 mysteries that you'll find south of the equator. Number 10. The Palenque Ruins, Mexico. The Mayan civilization flourished for centuries, and then it abruptly came to an end. There are many theories about why it collapsed, but there is still no definite answer as to what caused the downfall of the Mayans. Ancient ruins of cities and temples from the Mayan period could provide valuable insight into this research, because many sites of the Mayans have been preserved in their entirety to this very day. One such place is the city-state called the Palenque. This city-state is also known as La Cama, which could be translated as Big Water. Palenque was at the height of its power in the 8th century A.D., but it existed for more than a thousand years. The ruins of this Mayan city have been dated from 226 B.C. all the way to 799 A.D., which is an astonishing time span. Palenque is such an important historical site because it has plenty of sculptures and inscriptions of the Mayan civilization, as well as many palaces, squares, and temples helping us to have better insight into these ancient people. Number 9. Easter Island, Chile. Many of you might be surprised at the mention of Easter Island, but it is indeed part of the South American continent. Easter Island formally belongs to the territory of Chile, although it lies approximately 2200 miles away from it. Easter Island became inhabited when the Polynesian people came to live on it around 1000 A.D. They created a rich, powerful culture which thrived in the centuries to come. These people eventually came to be known as Rapa Nui. They were very successful in terms of building a civilization, but many factors, including deforestation of their island and overpopulation of that same small space, led to their weakening. When the Europeans arrived in 1772, Easter Island had a population of only 2,000 inhabitants, compared to more than 10,000 people a couple of decades before that. In the 19th century, they were close to extinction, but have managed to survive and increase in numbers. Easter Island and the Rapa Nui are most famous for the Moai, big human figures carved in rock in the 13th and 14th centuries A.D. To this day, we're not exactly sure why these statues were made, or why they had to be so big. Check out our video on the Top 10 Lost Civilizations to learn more about the people of Easter Island. Number 8. The Brazilian Stonehenge. In the Amapá state in Brazil, there is a natural park called the Parque Arqueológico do Solstício. In it, there are huge circles made of stones, which people call the Stonehenge from the Amazon, or the Brazilian Stonehenge. There are 127 stones in total, with each of them measuring around 13 feet tall, all located near the bank of the river called the Rego Grande, and positioned in a big 100-foot diameter circle. This site hasn't been scientifically dated, so we cannot say exactly when this structure came into being, however, based on the carbon dating of some pottery found on location, we can make a safe estimate and say that the stones are between 500 and 2,000 years old. Obviously, this site is much younger than the famous Stonehenge in England, but scientists believe that it may have had a similar purpose, such as a burial place, or an astronomical center, or even a ceremonial location. Also, it is not clear whether the stones were brought from afar, or used directly from the location. Number 7. The City of Tiahuanaco. Tiahuanaco is located in present-day Bolivia, and is another archaeological site from the pre-Columbian period. According to archaeological research, this was a powerful city in its heyday, and it most likely was at the height of its power in the beginning of the first millennium AD. We're still not sure exactly how big this city was, because only a small portion of it has even been excavated by archaeologists. Also, it is not known exactly how powerful Tiahuanaco was, but it is safe to say that it had a major political influence, reaching all the way to present-day Peru and Argentina. Another interesting thing about this ancient city is that Tiahuanaco is, in a way, its modern name, because that's how it became to be known. The original name of this place has been lost, perhaps due to the fact that the inhabitants of the ancient Tiahuanaco didn't have a developed writing system. Since there is still a lot to be excavated, and a lot of research, the following decades might provide a better insight into the life of ancient Tiahuanaco, and we might learn more about their culture. Number 6. The Upside Down Stairs of Sacsayhuaman. The ancient complex of Sacsayhuaman, in present-day Peru, holds a great many structures of wondrous beauty, and the city is renowned for its marvelous stone creations. The people inhabiting this location didn't have any modern tools or machinery, yet they were still able to construct structures with great precision. On this location, there is one stone structure that's particularly interesting, a huge stone structure resembling a flight of stairs, but they're turned upside down. If you think about it, it's very hard to explain such a structure. First of all, why was it built? But more importantly, how was it built given the time period? This mystery gets even more complicated when we consider the fact that the structures are not made of concrete, for example, but instead of granite, and granite is the hardest type of rock, very hard to work with. But even if we answered this question, there's still the problem of the upside down stairs. Some speculate that since there are structures that don't seem to be upside down around it, there must have been a disaster, such as an earthquake that moved things around. But it's only speculation, maybe they were just trying to beat Escher to their own version of relativity. Number 5. Stone Spheres, Costa Rica. Located on the Caño Islands in the Dicuy Delta, there are 300 spherical objects made of rock. They are known among the locals as los bolos, or the balls. It is believed that these spheres were made by the Dicuy people for some sort of ceremonial role, although this is debatable. These spheres are different in size, ranging from just a couple of centimeters to more than 2 meters and 15 tons. Most of these spheres were made out of a rock type called gabbro, although there are some in limestone and sandstone. Again, it is not clear how they were made, but it is presumed that they were hammered by using other big rocks. After the rough work was done, the boulders were turned into fine, smooth spheres through sand polishing. There are also many myths and legends around these stone balls, for example, that they came from the ancient civilization of Atlantis, or that nature itself carved them just as they are. The stone spheres of Costa Rica continue to amaze tourists with their simplicity and beauty. Number 4. Nazca Lines, Peru. There is a series of ground motifs in present-day Peru, in the Nazca Desert, from which they got their name. The lines form different kinds of images and figures, with the largest figures being 370 meters long. Some of those shapes resemble those of the Parascas culture, another ancient people, but archaeologists believe that they also come from the Nazca culture. The Nazca lines were first detected by the Spanish conquistadors, and ever since that time, they have been the center of attention for a great number of scientists. The Nazca lines have a pretty simple design, and it wasn't very hard to figure out how they were made. The lines were created directly in the ground by uncovering the white ground under the rocks and pebbles. This was the easy part, so to say, as archaeologists have had a much harder time in figuring out why these lines were made. Many scientists agree that the Nazca lines had to have had some sort of religious purpose. One theory is that the Nazca people made the lines for their gods, so that they can see them from far away in the sky. Another possibility is that the Nazca people wanted to scheme out the flow of water to help them in water rituals, which were intended to summon water for irrigation, or maybe they were to signal UFOs. Number 3. Acombaro Figurines. This is the name for 33,000 small figurines made of ceramic, which were found in the town of Acombaro. The figurines were found in 1944, and right away, they started attracting a lot of attention. Because they resembled dinosaurs, there were many people that instantly believed that the statues were a solid proof for the theory of the coexistence between humans and dinosaurs. However, this has been rejected as scientifically insufficient. The figurines were dated, and at first, they were thought to be at least 4,000 years old. But these findings were later dismissed because one scientist suggested that the figurines were heated too low to offer valid dating results. It turned out that it would be impossible to accurately date these figurines, and there's still a lot of speculation about their true origin, with some even believing that the whole thing is a hoax. One American archaeologist proposed that Acombaro figurines didn't have dirt in their crevices, and that there were no signs of aging on their surface, meaning that they were likely planted for cash-grabbing reasons and nothing more. Number 2. Band of Holes, Peru. Band of Holes is the name for 5,000 man-sized holes located in the Pisco Valley. They are some of the greatest mysteries of South America, because no one, including the locals, knows who made the holes, or for what purpose. The holes are around 20 inches deep, but the greatest problem, however, is determining the reason behind their making. There are various theories about this. The first idea was that they were simply burial grounds, but this was pretty far-fetched. Another idea was that the holes could have been storage pits for the Incas, although it wasn't clear what could have been kept in the holes. However, archaeologists who came here in 2015 made a detailed drone-scan map of the area. Their research supported the hypothesis that the band of holes was actually some sort of outdoor measuring device for the crops that were given to Inca state as a tax or tribute. Number 1. Machu Picchu, Peru. This is probably one of the most famous sites in South America. Machu Picchu, translated as Old Peak, is an Incan citadel on a mountain ridge 8,000 feet high. Machu Picchu is one of the most important sites connected to the ancient Inca civilization. What's interesting about Machu Picchu is that the Spanish conquistadors never managed to find it, mainly due to its specific location, which is why it is practically intact. And what's even more amazing is that it lies only 50 miles away from Cusco, which was the capital of the Incas. It wasn't discovered until the 19th century, but it gained worldwide notoriety in 1911. Initially believed to be the lost city of the Incas, it turned out that Machu Picchu was something else entirely. It is probably an estate for one of the Inca emperors, but the irony is that the place never came into full use. Only 100 years after it was built, Machu Picchu was deserted because of the upcoming Spanish invasion and the destruction of the Inca Empire. It is also possible that most of the inhabitants of the area died of smallpox brought on by the Spanish who came very close to this region. All in all, it's not clear what exactly could have been the purpose of building Machu Picchu, and moreover, what this place could have become in the centuries to come. Tell us about your visits around the world, even where you want to go. Is there something you want to learn about? Tell us in the comments below! Don't forget to subscribe and...adios amigos!