Luke Caverns

So they're using this gray andesite, which is sometimes the andesite is harder than the granite in Egypt. And they're morphing these stones together at impossible angles. I'm sure you've seen the 12-sided stone, and maybe you've seen the scoop marks on the side of the stone where it looks like the outside of the stone was softened at one point, and you could scrape a piece off.

And so it's Dr. Barnhart's idea that somehow... Well, and it's not without evidence. So in the Chilean desert, the Inca are building upon – the Inca Empire were building upon roads that went all across South America. And these roads weren't initially – the foundations weren't laid by the Inca.

And so it's Dr. Barnhart's idea that somehow... Well, and it's not without evidence. So in the Chilean desert, the Inca are building upon – the Inca Empire were building upon roads that went all across South America. And these roads weren't initially – the foundations weren't laid by the Inca.

And so it's Dr. Barnhart's idea that somehow... Well, and it's not without evidence. So in the Chilean desert, the Inca are building upon – the Inca Empire were building upon roads that went all across South America. And these roads weren't initially – the foundations weren't laid by the Inca.

They may have been improved by the Inca, but they go back to the Wari Empire, which predates the Inca, and it almost certainly goes back further than this. The southernmost point of these highways, it goes off into the Chilean desert, into the Atacama Desert, and they just kind of disappear into the desert. And for a long time, it's been a mystery of roads.

They may have been improved by the Inca, but they go back to the Wari Empire, which predates the Inca, and it almost certainly goes back further than this. The southernmost point of these highways, it goes off into the Chilean desert, into the Atacama Desert, and they just kind of disappear into the desert. And for a long time, it's been a mystery of roads.

They may have been improved by the Inca, but they go back to the Wari Empire, which predates the Inca, and it almost certainly goes back further than this. The southernmost point of these highways, it goes off into the Chilean desert, into the Atacama Desert, and they just kind of disappear into the desert. And for a long time, it's been a mystery of roads.

What the heck are these Peruvians doing down in the Chilean desert? What is it down there? What's a resource that they need? But there are these acid deposits that are down in that desert, and somehow they invented this clay pottery that whatever they used to make it, the acid wouldn't melt through the pottery, so you could carry it.

What the heck are these Peruvians doing down in the Chilean desert? What is it down there? What's a resource that they need? But there are these acid deposits that are down in that desert, and somehow they invented this clay pottery that whatever they used to make it, the acid wouldn't melt through the pottery, so you could carry it.

What the heck are these Peruvians doing down in the Chilean desert? What is it down there? What's a resource that they need? But there are these acid deposits that are down in that desert, and somehow they invented this clay pottery that whatever they used to make it, the acid wouldn't melt through the pottery, so you could carry it.

There's evidence of this at Tiwanaku as well, which I'm sure you've heard of Tiwanaku. There's evidence of this acid at Tiwanaku, and people would talk about how the acid could melt the stones. And sometimes they talk about how bird poop or bird – I don't even know, like throw up or whatever could melt the stone. And so there's all these, you know, ideas or these myths about the stones melting.

There's evidence of this at Tiwanaku as well, which I'm sure you've heard of Tiwanaku. There's evidence of this acid at Tiwanaku, and people would talk about how the acid could melt the stones. And sometimes they talk about how bird poop or bird – I don't even know, like throw up or whatever could melt the stone. And so there's all these, you know, ideas or these myths about the stones melting.

There's evidence of this at Tiwanaku as well, which I'm sure you've heard of Tiwanaku. There's evidence of this acid at Tiwanaku, and people would talk about how the acid could melt the stones. And sometimes they talk about how bird poop or bird – I don't even know, like throw up or whatever could melt the stone. And so there's all these, you know, ideas or these myths about the stones melting.

Anyways, Dr. Barnhart's idea was that those roads go down there because they're mining and collecting the acids and they're bringing them back and they're softening the outside of the stone. And rather than carving the stones to fit together, they're setting the stones on top of each other and it's creating its own morph, if that makes sense. The stones are morphing together.

Anyways, Dr. Barnhart's idea was that those roads go down there because they're mining and collecting the acids and they're bringing them back and they're softening the outside of the stone. And rather than carving the stones to fit together, they're setting the stones on top of each other and it's creating its own morph, if that makes sense. The stones are morphing together.

Anyways, Dr. Barnhart's idea was that those roads go down there because they're mining and collecting the acids and they're bringing them back and they're softening the outside of the stone. And rather than carving the stones to fit together, they're setting the stones on top of each other and it's creating its own morph, if that makes sense. The stones are morphing together.

And so he – there's two reasons, but you see them a lot as to why he thinks this. There was an earthquake in 1650 that destroyed the Spanish city that was sitting on top of the Inca city of Cusco. So you have this ancient city that's there, and the stones are so massive the Spanish couldn't tear them all down, so they just gave up and they built new buildings over it. In 1650, this –

And so he – there's two reasons, but you see them a lot as to why he thinks this. There was an earthquake in 1650 that destroyed the Spanish city that was sitting on top of the Inca city of Cusco. So you have this ancient city that's there, and the stones are so massive the Spanish couldn't tear them all down, so they just gave up and they built new buildings over it. In 1650, this –

And so he – there's two reasons, but you see them a lot as to why he thinks this. There was an earthquake in 1650 that destroyed the Spanish city that was sitting on top of the Inca city of Cusco. So you have this ancient city that's there, and the stones are so massive the Spanish couldn't tear them all down, so they just gave up and they built new buildings over it. In 1650, this –

Horrific earthquake knocked down the Spanish city and ancient buildings were still there, hadn't moved at all. In 1950, another earthquake happened, knocked down the Spanish city and the ancient city is still standing. So now these are preserved as cultural heritage monuments and they don't build over them.