Finding a lost city, and also a flesh-eating illness, with Douglas Preston

[Judi Lynn]

Finding a lost city, and also a flesh-eating illness, with Douglas Preston

Abandoned cities, deadly snakes, and flesh-eating diseases
by Andrew Liptak@AndrewLiptak Feb 4, 2017, 10:00am EST



Dave Yoder / National Geographic Magazine


In January, author Douglas Preston released his latest book, The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story. In 2015, Preston had been part of an expedition to Honduras that located an unexplored city deep in the rain forests of the country, one that belonged to an as-of-yet unknown civilization.

The book deals with the history of efforts to explore the legendary “White City,” and more recent efforts from archeologists to track down its location. The site had first been located in 2012 when archeologists used Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) surveys to explore the dense jungle. The system works by using lasers to calculate distances: it’s been used in everything self-driving cars to astronauts mapping the Moon. In recent years, archeologists have begun using the technology to survey archeological sites from planes, often discovering structures that can’t be seen from the ground.

When Preston accompanied a team of archeologists to explore the city on foot, they found an undisturbed set of ruins overrun by the forest, likely untouched since it was abandoned. The cities belonged to a previously unknown civilization, and the reasons for its collapse aren’t known, although Preston speculates that the apocalyptic pandemics could have played a role.

The site was not without dangers: the city is located in a region controlled by drug cartels, while deadly snakes and forest creatures roam the jungle. The peril continued even after they departed: the team discovered that while on site, they had been infected by a flesh-eating parasite.

More:
http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/4/14502606/the-lost-city-of-the-monkey-god-interview-honduras-civilization

Anthropology:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12292968

[Nay]

1. I'm reading this book -- it's fascinating.