Luke Caverns

And it's just a tiny glimpse, you know, just maybe a couple years into their, you know, a glimpse into their world. So much more than just, you know, that sacrifice. And they were sitting on giants of the rest of the Mesoamerican world. So you can just imagine... all the history that has been lost because of the destruction. And at this time, 1492, Christopher Columbus lands in the Bahamas.

Slowly after that, Europeans are exposing themselves by trading and just exploring on the coast of the Yucatan. And that disease is beginning to spread all through the Americas.

Slowly after that, Europeans are exposing themselves by trading and just exploring on the coast of the Yucatan. And that disease is beginning to spread all through the Americas.

Slowly after that, Europeans are exposing themselves by trading and just exploring on the coast of the Yucatan. And that disease is beginning to spread all through the Americas.

A year later, that market we just talked about is – covered in dead bodies with pustules all over them. That's when the Spanish actually bust in to finally conquer the city, like a year and a half after they start. The causeway they take is close to the market, and they say that trying to get to that market The streets are just piled with dead bodies, not from war, but from disease.

A year later, that market we just talked about is – covered in dead bodies with pustules all over them. That's when the Spanish actually bust in to finally conquer the city, like a year and a half after they start. The causeway they take is close to the market, and they say that trying to get to that market The streets are just piled with dead bodies, not from war, but from disease.

A year later, that market we just talked about is – covered in dead bodies with pustules all over them. That's when the Spanish actually bust in to finally conquer the city, like a year and a half after they start. The causeway they take is close to the market, and they say that trying to get to that market The streets are just piled with dead bodies, not from war, but from disease.

13 different deadly diseases. 13 different ones. Yeah, the big ones at that point were mumps, measles, and smallpox.

13 different deadly diseases. 13 different ones. Yeah, the big ones at that point were mumps, measles, and smallpox.

13 different deadly diseases. 13 different ones. Yeah, the big ones at that point were mumps, measles, and smallpox.

The... Malaria and yellow fever don't really come in until so many people die that the Europeans start importing black slaves. And then from Africa, yellow fever and malaria come in. Wow.

The... Malaria and yellow fever don't really come in until so many people die that the Europeans start importing black slaves. And then from Africa, yellow fever and malaria come in. Wow.

The... Malaria and yellow fever don't really come in until so many people die that the Europeans start importing black slaves. And then from Africa, yellow fever and malaria come in. Wow.

Yeah. And a lot of these diseases actually, you know, they begin along these river systems, these tightly populated river systems. And several of them came from the Nile, like we were talking about earlier, 1800 BC. Now they're in the Americas. You know, these things have just constantly mutated, you know, since the beginning of civilization.

Yeah. And a lot of these diseases actually, you know, they begin along these river systems, these tightly populated river systems. And several of them came from the Nile, like we were talking about earlier, 1800 BC. Now they're in the Americas. You know, these things have just constantly mutated, you know, since the beginning of civilization.

Yeah. And a lot of these diseases actually, you know, they begin along these river systems, these tightly populated river systems. And several of them came from the Nile, like we were talking about earlier, 1800 BC. Now they're in the Americas. You know, these things have just constantly mutated, you know, since the beginning of civilization.

And they've crawled their way all the way over to the New World.

And they've crawled their way all the way over to the New World.

And they've crawled their way all the way over to the New World.

Which I think is also a point, you know, in the debate of how early did Europe meet the Americas? I feel like if there was substantial contact at any point, that we would see disease spread from that point, and we would find some sort of pattern. Some of those diseases you can't detect in bones, but some you can. Like smallpox, you can tell from bones.