Atlantis of the Andes

**Atlantis of the Andes** is the 4th episode in Season 6 of Expedition Unknown.

## Plot Synopsis

Josh Gates dives into a mystery below the surface of Lake Titicaca in South America; during the investigation, Josh discovers multiple structures of the ancient Tiwanaku people, including ruins hidden in the depths, dubbed the Atlantis of the Andes.

## Historical Context

"High in the mountains of Bolivia and Peru is one of the most intriguing places on the planet - Lake Titicaca ... according to legend, it might also have been home to one of the most advanced ancient civilisations in the Americas. I'm not talking about the Inca, but a far older and more mysterious culture known as the Tiwanaku. Predating the Inca by more than 1,000 years, they built massive stone temples that, to this day, have barely been excavated. The Inca believed the Tiwanaku were the first people to walk the Earth and that their capital city was once so massive and so complex, it must have been built by gods or giants. They erected bizarre structures with cryptic symbols that have given rise to conspiracy theories of alien contact. And to this day, stories persists than an even more magnificent city is hidden deep underwater."

- Josh Gates

## Summary

Josh goes to La Paz, Bolivia and to the National Archaeological Museum where he meets Alexei Vranich, an archaeologist, who tells him about the Tiwanaku people and the site. Josh goes to the site of Tiwanaku and watches the rising of the winter solstice sun, Nearby, he meets with Jose Ignacio Gallegos at the Gate of the Sun ruin. Jose shows him around the gigantic site and explains that all of the big stones were moved to the site from either 10 to 15 miles away.

Josh and Jose go to meet Bob Leonard, a GPR expert. They get a large hit where a recent UNESCO-conducted scan indicated something and they dig and find a stone wall and a clay structure that may be a canal or reservoir. Jose explains they probably floated the large stones down canals on reed boats, Josh then visits Puno, Peru and meets Brien Foerster, and author, and Gustavo Morales, a local guide and researcher.

The trio takes a large reed boat to the Uros Islands, which are completely made of reeds. They meet Christina Suaña Coila, the island chief, who tells them about a Tiwanakuan city under the lake. Josh goes to Wińaymarca where he meets Marcial Medina Huanca, a marine archaeologist. Marcial has found stones from a temple that he believes were once underwater. They go out onto Lake Titicaca and meet Krist Geriene and Rob Veal, SONAR experts. They get a big SONAR hit and they dive down into the lake. There they find stones, a wall, and multiple Tiwanaku-era structures.

## Final Words

"The Tiwanaku worshipped an enigmatic god who came from the lake, which seems fitting since these waters appear to have both created and destroyed their accomplishments. Discoveries suggest their capital was a place of mind-altering rituals brought to life by canals used to float masterful monuments into place. And now, it seems another of their cities may have been drowned beneath the waves but thanks to the determined archaeologists and explorers investigating the Tiwanaku's history, the true extent of their achievements is finally being revealed."

~ Josh Gates

## Notes & Trivia

* Bob Leonard was also featured in Pyramids of Legends.
* Brien Foerster was also featured in Secrets of the Nazca.

## Quotes

* "I actually took four years of Andean Pan Flute in college."
* "In short, this place may have been the ancient equivalent of Burning Man."
* "It's either an ugly guy or an alien."
* "You could build with this stuff, and you could make a killer Bloody Mary."

## References

1. ↑ https://api.discovery.com/v1/images/5cc09196d1b3ee408a3c38c8?aspectRatio=16x9&width=1200&key=3020a40c2356a645b4b4