America Unearthed (2012–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Medieval Desert Mystery - full transcript

- THE HISTORY THAT
WE WERE ALL TAUGHT GROWING UP

IS WRONG.

MY NAME IS SCOTT WOLTER,

AND I'M A FORENSIC GEOLOGIST.

THERE'S A HIDDEN HISTORY
IN THIS COUNTRY

THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT.

THERE ARE PYRAMIDS HERE...

CHAMBERS, TOMBS, INSCRIPTIONS.

THEY'RE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY.

WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE
THESE ARTIFACTS AND SITES,

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET
TO THE TRUTH.



SOMETIMES HISTORY

ISN'T WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD.

AMERICA UNEARTHED - SEASON 1
EP - 2 - Medieval Desert Mystery

- "DEAR SCOTT, MY NAME IS PAUL
AND I LIVE NEAR TUCSON, ARIZONA.

"WHILE HIKING
IN THE MUSTANG MOUNTAINS,

"MY FRIENDS AND I
CAME ACROSS A CAVE.

"THERE'S NATIVE AMERICAN
ROCK ART INSIDE,

"BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M WRITING.

"THERE'S A STONE
WITH A MYSTERIOUS INSCRIPTION

"OUTSIDE THE CAVE.

"I THINK IT'S A MESSAGE
WRITTEN IN RUNES.

"I KNOW YOU'VE DONE
A LOT OF WORK WITH RUNE STONES,

"AND I'D LIKE YOUR HELP
FIGURING OUT

HOW OLD THE STONE IS
AND WHAT IT SAYS."



- HEY, PAUL?
YEAH, THIS IS SCOTT WOLTER.

SAY, I GOT YOUR LETTER AND
I'M LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES.

I WANT TO SEE THIS STONE.

- HEY, SCOTT.

- THAT WAS A HELLUVA RIDE.

HOW DID YOU GUYS FIND
THIS PLACE?

- OH.

THE STORY STARTS WITH ME,
I GUESS.

I WAS OVER IN THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE VALLEY IN ELGIN,

AND THERE WAS AN OLD GUY
THAT WAS A RETIRED RANCHER

AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, OVER
THERE IS THE MUSTANG MOUNTAINS."

AND HE SAID, "WHEN I WAS A KID,
THEY SAID

"THERE WAS A LOST
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OVER THERE

THAT'S LONG SINCE
BEEN GONE MISSING."

AND THEN, WHAT, THREE,
TWO YEARS AGO...

- TWO YEARS AGO.

WELL, ACTUALLY,
WHAT WE WERE DOING IS,

WE WERE LOOKING
FOR PLACES TO CLIMB,

SO WE HAD OUR CLIMBING GEAR ON.

AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED
THAT ONE DAY,

WE COME AROUND
OVER TO THIS WALL HERE,

WE... I SAID TO PAUL, "WELL, PAUL,
LET'S TAKE OUR GEAR OFF

AND WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S
ANY PLACES TO CLIMB."

AS I WAS WALKING IN,

I SAID, "MAN, PAUL,
LOOK AT THIS!"

AND PAUL WAS AMAZED.

AND HE SAID, "MAN,
THIS PLACE IS GREAT."

- ACTUALLY, I THINK
HE'S BEING POLITE.

HE DISAPPEARED IN THIS CAVE,

AND ALL I HEARD WAS, "OH,."

THAT WAS WHAT YOU SAID.
- YES, I DID.

YEAH, THEN PAUL COMES IN THERE,
AND HE'S LOOKING,

AND HE SAYS,
"WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS?"

I SAYS, "LOOKS LIKE
AN ARCHAEOLOGY SITE TO ME."

I SAYS, "LOOK AT ALL THESE
MARKINGS ON THE WALL HERE."

- THERE WERE PETROGLYPHS
AND PICTOGRAPHS,

YOU KNOW, THE FINGER PAINTINGS
AND THE CARVINGS IN THE WALL.

BUT WHEN WE LOOKED
OUTSIDE THE CAVE,

THERE WAS THIS...
ABOUT A COFFEE TABLE-SIZED ROCK,

AND IT HAD... IT LOOKED LIKE RUNES
CARVED IN IT.

MAYBE FIVE OR SIX LINES.
- REALLY? OKAY.

- AND IT JUST DIDN'T LOOK LIKE
IT MATCHED WHAT WAS IN THE CAVE.

- THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SENDING ME
THAT LETTER, I REALLY DO.

- NOW, I JUST WANT
TO LET YOU KNOW

WHAT YOU'RE IN FOR TOMORROW.

OKAY, RIGHT OFF HERE
TO MY RIGHT HERE,

YOU SEE WE'RE GONNA GO DOWN
INTO THIS WASH.

- SO WE'RE GOING RIGHT UP
THIS WAY HERE, RIGHT?

- YEAH, THAT GREEN RIBBON...
- OKAY.

- IT'S PRETTY MUCH
A ROCK-STREWN SCREE,

SO YOU TAKE ONE STEP UP
AND TWO BACK.

- IT'S GONNA BE HOT TOMORROW,
ISN'T IT?

- YEAH, I SAW THEY WERE SAYING

IT'S GONNA BE
99 DEGREES TOMORROW.

- 99.
- OKAY?

SO I'D ADVISE EARLY

SO WE CAN START UP THERE,
GET AWAY FROM THE HEAT,

AND IT'D BE MUCH MORE PLEASANT
TO WALK.

- OKAY.
- SEE YOU TOMORROW, SCOTT.

- ALL RIGHT.

- OOH.
- YOU ALL SET, BUD?

- I THINK I'M READY.
I THINK I'M READY.

WHO'S YOUR FRIEND?

- STEVE IS THE STATE
ARCHAEOLOGIST OF ARIZONA.

- SCOTT WOLTER.
NICE TO MEET YOU, STEVE.

THANKS FOR COMING OUT.
- YOU BET.

- SO HAVE YOU BEEN HERE BEFORE?

- I WAS HERE... LUCKILY,
THESE GUYS CALLED ME,

TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD LOCATED
THIS CAVE.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO COME DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK

AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

WE FOUND OUT
THAT IT WAS RECORDED

WITH AN ARIZONA STATE MUSEUM
SITE NUMBER IN 1984.

- WELL, I'M KIND OF ANXIOUS
TO SEE IT.

- LET'S GET GOING.
- ALL RIGHT, I'M IN.

- LET'S GO.
- ALL RIGHT.

LET'S HEAD FOR THE CAVE.

- WOW.

- THERE IT IS.
- THE CAVE, SCOTT.

- RIGHT HERE?
- RIGHT THERE.

- OH, YEAH.

OH, LOOK AT THAT.

- YUP.
- WOW.

THOSE ARE RUNES ALL RIGHT.

WOW.

THAT IS A CHRISTIAN-STYLE CROSS
FOR SURE.

AND THESE SURE LOOK LIKE RUNES.

THAT'S AN "R."

NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.
THAT LOOKS LIKE AN "S."

SO I'M NOT SURE.

THOSE DON'T LOOK LIKE
SCANDINAVIAN RUNES.

IT MIGHT BE ANGLO-SAXON,
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

I HAVE AN IDEA.

I KNOW A GUY

WHO KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT RUNES.

HE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT RUNES.

I'LL SEND A PICTURE TO MIKE.

WEATHERING IS KEY, OBVIOUSLY,
AND THAT'S WHAT...

WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET
A SENSE OF.

YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK
KIND OF FRESH TO ME.

I MEAN, THIS SPALLING HERE,

I DON'T SEE ANY WEATHERING
OF THAT.

IF THIS WAS EXPOSED
FOR A LONG TIME

AND THE CALCITE WAS DEPOSITED
ON THIS OPEN SURFACE,

YOU KNOW, THAT PROCESS
SHOULD CONTINUE

AND YOU WOULD
PROBABLY SEE IT THERE.

- WHAT I DO KNOW IS,
THIS AREA WAS RECORDED

AS AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
IN 1984.

- OKAY.

- AND EVEN THOUGH THEY RECORDED

A LOT OF THE PETROGLYPHS
AND PICTOGRAPHS

THAT IS IN THIS CAVE HERE,

THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING

ABOUT THIS BOULDER OUT
IN FRONT OF THE CAVE

THAT HAD THESE RUNE WRITINGS
ON IT.

SO MY GUESS IS,
IT MAY NOT HAVE EXISTED

PRIOR TO 1984.

SO THE TRUE MYSTERY REALLY IS,

YOU KNOW, WHO PUT IT HERE
AND WHY,

AND WHAT DOES IT REALLY SAY?

- IS IT POSSIBLE THEY JUST
DIDN'T RECORD IT?

- NO, 'CAUSE USUALLY WHEN
THEY RECORD AN ARCH SITE,

WHETHER THERE'S PREHISTORIC
ARTIFACTS OR HISTORIC ARTIFACTS

OR EVEN IF THEY FIND
ANY PALEONTOLOGICAL STUFF,

THEY WILL RECORD
EVERYTHING THERE,

BECAUSE IT'S ALL PART
OF THE SITE.

- THIS IS MY HANDY
PORTABLE MICROSCOPE.

HERE'S YOUR LENS.

SEE HOW LIGHT THAT IS?

THAT'S WHERE THE CHISEL HIT
THE ROCK.

AND THAT'S WHERE IT SPALLED OFF.

WELL, THAT'S COOL, BUT LET'S SEE
WHAT ELSE IS HERE.

YOU GUYS... DO YOU SEE THIS?

- WHAT, THAT BREAK?
- STEVE, DO YOU SEE THIS HERE?

RIGHT HERE?

IT'S OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE TOO.
LOOK AT THIS.

SEE THESE ROCK FRAGMENTS HERE?

AND THE WATER WAS RUNNING
DOWN HERE,

AND IT WAS DISSOLVING OUT
THE LIMESTONE,

AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT CEMENTED
THESE ROCK FRAGMENTS HERE.

AND IT CONNECTS OVER THERE.

THERE WAS MATERIAL HERE.

- IT DOES LOOK LIKE
THIS HAS BEEN DUG OUT,

AND THAT BOULDER DIDN'T MOVE.

MAYBE THAT'S WHY IN '84
THEY DIDN'T SEE IT

IF THIS WAS STILL COVERED UP
AND THEN SOMEBODY...

- SOMEBODY DUG THIS OUT.
- DUG IT OUT SINCE THEN.

- IT WAS UNCOVERED.

THAT COULD EXPLAIN WHY
THERE'S NO WEATHERING.

EXCUSE ME, ONE SECOND.
MY PHONE VIBRATED HERE.

I THINK IT...
MAYBE IT'S MIKE HERE.

LET ME CHECK.

HE THINKS IT MIGHT BE
A MEMORIAL STONE.

- HUH.

- HE'S GOT TO DO SOME MORE WORK
ON THE TRANSLATION,

BUT A GRAVESTONE.

A GRAVESTONE?

"EVERYTHING ABOUT IT
INCLUDING ITS PLACEMENT

"OUTSIDE THE MOUTH OF THE CAVE

"REMINDS ME OF THE STONES
THROUGHOUT EUROPE

USED TO MEMORIALIZE THE DEAD."

- THAT'S INTERESTING.
- WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING.

ISN'T IT? - IT IS, YEAH.

- THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE
SOMETHING IN THAT INSCRIPTION

THAT IDENTIFIES A FAMILY,
A CLAN, A PERSON, SOMETHING.

AND NOW, IF THIS IS
A GRAVE MARKER,

WE COULD HAVE A BODY RIGHT HERE.

- HE SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE
A MEMORIAL STONE.

A GRAVESTONE. A GRAVESTONE.

WELL, THAT MAKES SOME SENSE.
- YEAH.

- AND IT'S GOT
THAT CHRISTIAN CROSS.

- IT DOES HAVE THE CROSS
ON THERE.

THAT'S PERFECT FOR A GRAVESTONE.

- THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FOR...
WOULD BE ON A MEMORIAL STONE.

HE'S PROBABLY RIGHT.
- MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

- HE SAYS HE'LL GET BACK WITH US
MORE ON THE INSCRIPTION,

BUT THE MATERIAL THAT'S WELDED
ON THE SIDE OF THE CAVE

TELLS US CLEARLY THAT A LOT
OF MATERIAL'S BEEN MOVED

OR DUG OUT.

MAYBE WE HAD A BODY HERE.
- WE MAY HAVE.

IF THEY... IF SOMEBODY HAD
BEEN BURIED UP HERE

AND THEN SOMEBODY WROTE
THE INSCRIPTION.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE,
A LOT OF IT'S BEEN REMOVED.

- BUT WE STILL HAVE
SOME MATERIAL HERE.

- LIKE THIS... IF YOU GOT...
THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY

HAS ACTUALLY DUG IT OUT,
YOU'RE RIGHT,

AND PILED EVERYTHING
ON THAT SIDE,

AND THAT'S A TYPICAL EXAMPLE
OF VANDALISM.

PEOPLE COME OUT AND THEY FIND
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES,

AND FIRST THING THEY WANT TO DO
IS START DIGGING.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY START
AT THE FRONT

OF A STRUCTURE LIKE THIS,

THEY THINK THEY MIGHT
FIND SOMETHING,

AND A LOT OF TIMES,
THEY DON'T FIND ANYTHING.

THE ONLY THING THAT WE KNOW OF
THAT IS HERE

ARE SOME VERY INTERESTING
PICTOGRAPHS AND PETROGLYPHS.

- THESE SPIRALS HERE,
THESE ARE REALLY INTERESTING.

YOU KNOW WHAT
THIS STRIKES ME AS?

'CAUSE I'VE SEEN
THESE SPIRALS BEFORE.

IT REMINDS ME OF A STAR MAP.

WE SAW THEM DOWN IN GEORGIA,

AND I'VE SEEN THEM
IN OTHER PLACES.

- YEAH? GOOD.

ARCHAEOASTRONOMY...
THAT'S A BIG FIELD THESE DAYS.

- I KNOW THAT SPIRALS
OFTEN MIMIC SOMETHING

THAT THE ANCIENTS FELT
VERY STRONGLY ABOUT,

AND THAT'S SACRED GEOMETRY.

- SURE.

- AND, YOU KNOW, WE SEE IT
ALL OVER THE PLACE.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT.

IT'S HOW A PLANT GROWS.
IT'S HOW A SHELL GROWS.

AND IT'S REALLY
A MATHEMATICAL EQUATION.

AND IT'S HOW OUR FACES GREW.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE CULTURES
ALL AROUND THE WORLD

THAT DID SIMILAR THINGS,

AND SO IT BEGS THE QUESTION,
AT LEAST TO ME,

WAS THIS ALL DONE INDEPENDENTLY?

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY,
THEY'RE ALL LOOKING AT STARS.

BUT WAS THERE ALSO MAYBE
SOME EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION?

I DON'T KNOW.

- WELL, DEPENDS ON
HOW FAR BACK YOU GO.

IF YOU'RE GOING BACK, YOU KNOW,

8,000, 10,000, 12,000 YEARS
AS PEOPLE MIGRATED THROUGH,

THEY BROUGHT THAT KNOWLEDGE
WITH THEM,

SO EITHER THEY MIGRATED DOWN
FROM THE NORTH

OR THEY, YOU KNOW,
CAME ACROSS THE OCEANS

AND MIGRATED FROM THE SOUTH.

I MEAN, THERE'S BOTH
THOSE THEORIES OUT THERE.

- SURE, SURE.

AND IF THERE'S CONTACT,
WHENEVER IT HAPPENED,

THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING
THEY WOULD HAVE IN COMMON.

WHAT... LOOK AT THAT HOLE
BACK THERE.

THAT CAVE KEEPS GOING. - YEAH.

- LET ME TAKE A LOOK THERE.

WELL...

I'M NOT GONNA FIT IN THERE.

I CAN'T GET IN HERE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE?

- OKAY, JIMMY CAN TRY IT.
- ALL RIGHT, JIM.

- JIM, YOU UP FOR IT?
- ALL RIGHT.

- JIM'S UP FOR IT.
- JUST BE CAREFUL IN THERE.

- YEAH, BE CAREFUL.

DO YOU HAVE A FLASHLIGHT
OR SOMETHING?

- YEAH, I GOT A FLASHLIGHT.

- IF YOU HEAR ANYTHING RATTLING,

MAKE SURE YOU STOP
AND COME BACK OUT.

- THAT'S NICE AND COOL IN THERE.
OOH. HE'S IN THERE WAITING.

- WE MIGHT HAVE OUR BODY
AFTER ALL, RIGHT?

- MAKE GHOSTLY SOUNDS.

- HERE, I'LL HOLD IT.

HEARS ANY RATTLING NOISES,
STOP AND LOOK AND...

- MOVE BACK.

- JIM? IT WAS NICE KNOWING YOU.

OH, YEAH.

- GOD. I GOT BEES IN HERE.

- IS IT A HIVE?
- I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN HERE.

BUT I'D SAY THERE'S BEES
IN HERE.

WOW. THERE'S A HOLE RIGHT OUT.

GOD DAMN.

THERE'S BEES IN THERE, BUD.

- YOU ALL RIGHT THERE?
- OH, YEAH, I'M ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU, MAN.
TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM.

- SO, JIM, WOULD A BODY FIT
IN THERE?

- YES, IT WOULD.
- IT WOULD, OKAY.

HOW... HOW HIGH WAS IT?

- I WOULD SAY ABOUT EIGHT FEET.
- OKAY.

- AND IT GOES UP ON A SLANT
LIKE THIS.

- OKAY.

- AND THEN GOES UP
AND THEN IT KIND OF STOPS

JUST LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE
WITH HOLES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

- YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY BONES
OR ANYTHING IN THERE?

- NO, NO BONES.
- OKAY.

I MEAN,
THERE'S A COUPLE THOUGHTS.

ONE IS, COULD THERE BE SOME
OTHER ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS

THAT MIGHT TELL US SOMETHING,

AND WOULD IT BE WORTHWHILE
GOING THOUGH THAT MATERIAL

THAT WE'RE ASSUMING...
I'M ASSUMING, MAYBE YOU ARE

THAT THEY MOVED
THAT MATERIAL OUT THERE...

WOULD IT BE WORTH GOING
THROUGH THAT?

IS THERE ANY CHANCE WE COULD DO
A DIG HERE?

- UM, THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE
YOU CAN DO A DIG,

BUT IT'S A VERY LENGTHY
PERMITTING PROCESS.

- REALLY?
- SO YOU HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.

AN ANTIQUITIES ACT PERMIT.

YOU HAVE TO GET... WHICH YOU...

AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A QUALIFIED ARCHAEOLOGIST

ACTUALLY BE ON THE PERMIT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HIRE
THE CREW, AND, YOU KNOW...

IT'S... THERE'S ALWAYS
THAT POSSIBILITY, BUT,

YOU KNOW, IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME
TO GET ALL THE PERMITS IN ORDER.

- LET'S SAY WE DID A DIG HERE,

AND WE FOUND SOMETHING
THAT INDICATED

A EUROPEAN PRESENCE
PRE-COLUMBIA.

I THINK YOU WOULD AGREE THAT
WOULD BE AN HISTORIC DISCOVERY.

- I THINK IT WOULD
VERY HISTORIC,

BECAUSE ESPECIALLY
WITH THE INSCRIPTION HERE,

TO FIND SOME HUMAN REMAINS

THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
WOULD BE VERY SIGNIFICANT.

- WE HAVE MULTIPLE LINES
OF EVIDENCE.

WE'VE GOT EVIDENCE OF DIGGING.

CLEARLY THERE WAS MATERIAL HERE.

THE LACK OF WEATHERING
THAT BOTHERED ME AT FIRST

COULD BE EXPLAINED BY THE FACT
THAT IT WAS SIMPLY BURIED.

- IT COULD HAVE BEEN.

- WE'VE GOT A DRY CLIMATE HERE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH HERE

THAT IF WE WERE TO FIND
SOMETHING FROM A DIG,

IT WOULD BE
POTENTIALLY A BIG DEAL.

- MM-HMM.

SOMEBODY CARVED THAT
INTO THIS ROCK

BECAUSE THEY REALLY CARED FOR
THE PERSON ENOUGH

TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THEY DIDN'T JUST BURY HIM OUT
IN THE DESERT SOMEPLACE

AND WALK AWAY.

- ANOTHER THOUGHT
IN THE TESTING BUSINESS,

WHICH IS WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING,

WE DO GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR
ON CONCRETE ALL THE TIME,

AND WOULD THAT WORK HERE
AND COULD WE DO THAT?

- GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR ISN'T
REALLY GROUND DISTURBANCE.

IT'S JUST MOVING A PIECE
OF MACHINERY,

ELECTRONIC MACHINERY,
ACROSS THE SURFACE

TO SEE IF YOU CAN PICK UP
ANY KIND OF ANOMALIES,

SO I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM
WITH THAT.

- I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE IT'S WORTH

GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT A LOT
OF THINGS HERE

THAT ARE ADDING UP TO SOMETHING
THAT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE.

MIKE, YOU'VE GOT A NAME?

SO YOU'RE TELLING ME
WE MIGHT REALLY HAVE

A DEAD ENGLISHMAN
FROM THE 12TH CENTURY

BURIED UP
IN THE MUSTANG MOUNTAINS?

- WE THOUGHT THE LAST TIME
WE WERE HERE

THERE MIGHT BE A BODY.

GUYS, I HAVE SOMETHING
TO TELL YOU.

I'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS
ALL MORNING.

I GOT A TRANSLATION FROM MIKE.

AND I WANTED TO WAIT
UNTIL I GOT UP HERE

SO I COULD SEE IT AND READ IT

AND SO WE COULD
DO THIS TOGETHER.

I'M GONNA READ THIS TO YOU,

BUT THE OTHER THING
THAT HE DID SAY IS,

WE KNOW FOR SURE
THAT IT'S 12TH-CENTURY ENGLISH.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT FOR SURE.
BUT HERE WE GO.

THE BODY."

IN PARENTHESES HE HAS,
"IN CONTRAST WITH THE SOUL,

FITS/LAYS ROUGH HURECH HERE."

"HE ENJOYED"... IN PARENTHESES...
"ENTERTAINMENT, JOY,

MERRIMENT," MAYBE MEANS
A GOOD LIFE.

"THE SECRET STOLEN" AT THE END
OF THIS LINE.

"ROUGH HURECH'S BODY...
FAME AND GLORY.

"DUST BEYOND EDEN.

EDEN'S TEMPLE."

THERE'S A NAME HERE.

- SOUNDS LIKE A MEMORIAL.
- THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A MEMORIAL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE
THE CHRISTIAN CROSS HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
IT COULD BE.

- WELL, YOU GOT 12TH CENTURY.

WHY WOULD SOMEBODY
CARVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS

THAT'S GOT 12TH CENTURY LETTERS
AND EVERYTHING

WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY HISTORY
OF ANYBODY ELSE

OTHER THAN NATIVE AMERICANS
BEING HERE

UP UNTIL, YOU KNOW,
1500, 1600, 1700?

- SO YOUR INITIAL REACTION IS,
THIS IS NOT 800 YEARS OLD?

- I... PROBABLY NOT. PROBABLY NOT.

- OKAY. WELL, THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S FAIR.

I HOPE WE CAN PROVE
YOU'RE WRONG.

- ME TOO!

- YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY HAVE
TWO WORKING HYPOTHESES HERE.

YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY MESSING
AROUND RELATIVELY RECENTLY,

OR WE'VE GOT SOMETHING HERE
THAT ABSOLUTELY CHANGES HISTORY

IN A PROFOUND WAY.

- IF THERE WERE EUROPEANS
OUT HERE IN THE 12TH CENTURY,

IT DOES CHANGE
HISTORY PROFOUNDLY.

- WELL, I LIKE THIS.
I'M GETTING INTRIGUED.

- IT'S AN INTERESTING STORY.
I LIKE THE STORY.

I MEAN, I'M ALWAYS OPEN-MINDED
ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS,

AND ESPECIALLY SOMETHING
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NEW LIKE THIS

THAT WOULD REALLY CHANGE,
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE HISTORY.

- BRAD, WE BROUGHT YOU HERE
FOR A REASON.

WHAT CAN WE DO HERE TODAY?

- WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY TRY
TO SCAN OUT

IN FRONT OF THE MEMORIAL HERE.

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO
A COUPLE SCANS

BACK INTO THE CAVE

LOOKING FOR ANY KIND
OF DISTURBANCES IN THE SOIL.

- IF THERE'S ANYTHING LEFT,

BRAD, YOU'RE THE MAN.

BRAD, YOU'RE FIRED UP.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S RUNNING.

CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO ME
HOW THIS WORKS?

- BASICALLY WHAT
WE'RE GONNA DO IS,

WE'RE GONNA SCAN OVER AN AREA.

BASICALLY THE RADAR
IS GONNA SHOOT DOWN

AT 45-DEGREE ANGLES, OKAY?

AS WE MOVE ALONG, BASICALLY
IT'S GONNA KEEP SHOOTING

THOSE 45-DEGREE ANGLES DOWN.

AS WE PASS OVER ANYTHING
THAT MAY BE IN THE GROUND,

IT'S GOING TO SHOW UP
ON THIS SCREEN HERE.

- MMKAY.
- OKAY?

- CAN YOU TELL
BY LOOKING AT THIS

WHETHER IT'S METAL,
WHETHER IT'S ROCK,

WHETHER IT'S PLASTIC?

- IF IT'S METAL,
IT'S GONNA SHOW UP BRIGHT WHITE

ON THE SCREEN.

IF IT'S PLASTIC
OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL,

IT'S GONNA SHOW UP AS A VERY
FAINT LINE ON THE SCREEN.

- ALL RIGHT. DO YOUR THING.

OKAY.

EXPLAIN TO ME... IT LOOKS LIKE
WE HAVE A LINEAR FEATURE HERE.

IS THAT THE SURFACE?

- THAT'S THE DEPTH THAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY GETTING WITH THE RADAR.

- OKAY, WHAT IS THIS LITTLE DIP
IN THE MIDDLE HERE?

- I THINK THAT'S JUST ROCK
THAT'LL BE IN THE GROUND.

- SO IF I CAN CUT TO THE CHASE,

ARE YOU TELLING ME... YOU DIDN'T
REALLY SEE ANYTHING, DID YOU?

- NOT ON THE FIRST PASS.
WE HAVE TO DO MULTIPLE PASSES.

ANYTIME YOU SCAN ANYTHING
WITH GPR,

YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO DO
MULTIPLE PASSES.

- ALL RIGHT.
- SO WE'RE GONNA BACK IT UP.

WE'RE GONNA DO IT AGAIN.

SO RIGHT IN THIS AREA
IF WE GO FROM HERE ON BACK,

IS WHERE WE'RE SEEING THAT
DENSITY CHANGE IN THE GROUND.

- OKAY. RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT, THAT LIGHT AREA?

- YEAH, SO BASICALLY
FROM HERE BACK

IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA FIND
THAT AREA

WHERE WE HAD THE DENSITY CHANGE.

- OKAY, SO WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING IS,

THAT COULD BE SOMETHING.

- IT COULD BE, 'CAUSE THERE'S
DEFINITELY A DENSITY CHANGE

THAT WE'VE PICKED UP
ON EVERY PASS THAT WE'VE HAD.

WELL, I LIKE THAT.

AND YOU... WE'VE MADE, WHAT,
THREE PASSES,

AND WE GOT
THAT SAME ANOMALY HERE,

SO DO WE NEED TO DO MORE PASSES

OR DO WE WANT TO TRY OUT
ON THE BERM THERE?

- LET'S TRY SCANNING OUT HERE
AND SEE WHAT WE GET OUT THERE.

- OKAY.

THAT'S AN ANOMALY TOO.

SAME THING.

THE SAME SPOT?

- YEAH, IT'S PRETTY CLOSE
TO THE SAME SPOT.

- RIGHT ABOUT THERE.
- MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

- SO THERE'S SOMETHING...
SOMETHING HERE.

- YEAH.

- WELL, IT'S CONSISTENT.

IT KEPT HITTING
IN THE SAME SPOT.

IT GOES AT LEAST TO HERE, RIGHT?
- CORRECT.

- OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

HEY, STEVE, DO YOU HAVE A SEC?

- WHAT DID YOU FIND?

WELL, BRAD, YOU THOUGHT... I MEAN,
I SAW THE DENSITY CHANGE,

AND IT'S AT THE SAME SPOT, SO
IT'S GOING ACROSS HERE, RIGHT?

- YEAH, THERE WAS DEFINITELY
AN ANOMALY IN THE SURFACE.

- OKAY, SO IT'S GOING
IN A LINEAR FASHION.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL BEEN
TO A CEMETERY, RIGHT?

AND THE HEADSTONE IS
AT THE HEAD END TYPICALLY.

- RIGHT.
- OKAY.

THEY LAY THE BODY PERPENDICULAR
TO THE STONE, RIGHT, THIS WAY.

HOW FAR DOWN?

- IT WAS ABOUT...

THREE TO FOUR FEET.
- THREE TO FOUR FEET.

- THREE TO FOUR FEET?

AND IT GOES OUT TO
ABOUT TWO FOOT?

- ABOUT WHERE YOUR SHOE IS.
- ABOUT WHERE YOUR FOOT IS.

- SO ABOUT 2 1/2, 3 FEET, YEAH.
- OKAY.

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GONNA DIG
WITH A SHOVEL,

BUT, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT
A LEGITIMATE... LEGITIMATE CHANCE

OF SOMETHING REALLY MAJOR.

- I THINK WE CAN
CERTAINLY MOVE FORWARD

IN LOOKING
FOR FUTURE INVESTIGATIONS

AND SEEING WHAT ELSE IS HERE,

BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY
INTERESTING SITE OUT HERE.

WE ALSO HAVE SOMETHING
THAT COULD BE NOT...

I DON'T WANT TO SAY MODERN,
BUT IT COULD BE SOME

ALMOST PREHISTORIC
ANGLO-AMERICAN

THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN OUT HERE.

- POSSIBLY PRE-COLUMBIAN.
- PRE-COLUMBIAN.

- RIGHT, RIGHT.

JUST A SEC HERE.

ONE SECOND. I GOT ANOTHER...

GUYS...

I GOT AN EMAIL FROM MIKE.

GUESS WHAT.

HURECH'S SURNAME,
HE FOUND IT IN ENGLAND.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

INCREDIBLE.

WOW.

I GUESS I'M GOING TO THE U.K.

MIKE SAYS I NEED TO GO

TO THE GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS
IN NEW MEXICO.

I WONDER WHAT'S THERE?

- THERE'S EVIDENCE
OF A MEDIEVAL ENGLISHMAN

BURIED IN ARIZONA WAY BEFORE
COLUMBUS WAS EVER HERE.

I'M FINDING ANSWERS.

- PRETTY IMPRESSIVE,
AREN'T THEY?

- OH. AMAZING.

SCOTT WOLTER. - SCOTT?

STEVE RILEY,
SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE MONUMENT.

HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY?
- NICE TO MEET YOU.

- GOOD TO MEET YOU.
- DOING GREAT.

- WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT

IS THREE OF THE FIVE
CLIFF DWELLINGS.

THEY DATE BACK TO
ABOUT 1284, 1285,

WHEN THEY FIRST
STARTED CONSTRUCTION.

AND THEY WERE ABANDONED BY
ABOUT 1320 TO 1330.

- OKAY.

- SO ONE... ONE GENERATION
OR A LITTLE MORE OCCUPIED.

- WELL, THIS MAY SEEM
A LITTLE STRANGE,

BUT I JUST CAME FROM A SITE
IN ARIZONA

IN THE MUSTANG MOUNTAINS.

IT WAS UP AT THE TOP
OF A LARGE BLUFF.

THERE WAS A CAVE THERE,

AND THERE'S SOME TALK ABOUT
A BODY POSSIBLY BEING THERE

OF SOMEBODY WHO COULD'VE COME
FROM EUROPE,

FROM THE BRITISH ISLES,
BACK ABOUT THIS SAME TIME,

BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

AND A FRIEND OF MINE SUGGESTED
I COME HERE,

AND I'M WONDERING,
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS?

- WELL, WE HAVE NOT FOUND
ANY RELICS HERE TO THAT PERIOD

OF EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT.

EVERYTHING THAT CAME OUT OF HERE
HAS BEEN DATED BACK

TO NATIVE AMERICA.

- OKAY.

HEY, ALAN.

- SCOTT! HOW ARE YOU DOING, MAN?

- I'M DOING GREAT. HOW ARE YOU?

- BEEN A LONG TIME
SINCE I SAW YOU.

- YEAH!
- HOW'S JENNA?

- SHE'S DOING GREAT.
HOW ABOUT KATE?

- OH, SHE'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.

I BET SHE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU.

- YOU'RE LOOKIN'
AWFUL SKINNY, PAL.

- OH, YES, YES.
I'VE WASTED AWAY, YOU KNOW.

YOU LOOK GREAT.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED

ABOUT OUR FRIEND
MR. ROUGH HURECH?

- I'VE BEEN DOING
SOME INVESTIGATION

IN THE COUNTY RECORDS OFFICE,

AND I'VE FOUND SOME INFORMATION
OUT ABOUT A PETER HURECH.

THERE'S MORE INFORMATION
TO COME,

AND THE LADY OFFICE SAID
SHE'D GET BACK TO ME

BY 4:00 THIS AFTERNOON.

- YOU KNOW, ALAN,
IT'S INCREDIBLE.

WE'VE GOT THIS NAME, HURECH,
ON A BOULDER

IN A CAVE IN ARIZONA IN THE U.S.

AND IT BRINGS US BACK HERE
TO THE U.K.

IT'S AMAZING.

- IT'S AMAZING,
BUT NOT AS AMAZING

AS WHAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU NOW.

JUST COME WITH ME.

- LET ME GRAB MY BACKPACK.
WE'LL HEAD OUT.

- STILL USING THE BACKPACK?

- I GOT MY WHOLE LIFE IN HERE.
YOU KNOW THAT.

- ON THE INSCRIPTION, IT SAYS,

"ROUGH HURECH,"
BUT YOU SAID PETER HURECH.

- YEAH, YEAH,
I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, ACTUALLY.

AND IT OCCURRED TO ME, YOU KNOW,
IN THOSE DAYS,

IT WAS QUITE COMMON FOR PEOPLE
NOT TO BE KNOWN

BY THEIR REAL CHRISTIAN NAME
BUT OFTEN BY A NICKNAME.

SO I THINK THE WORD "ROUGH" IS
PROBABLY AN ADJECTIVE.

I MEAN, THINK WHERE THEY WERE
OUT IN THOSE MOUNTAINS.

THIS GUY WAS PROBABLY
A BIT OF A BRUISER.

MAYBE THIS WAS THE GUY
THAT PERSONALLY WRESTLED

THE BUFFALOS TO THE GROUND.

AND AT THAT TIME,
ESPECIALLY IN BRITAIN,

NICKNAMES WERE
VERY, VERY COMMON.

IN FACT, THEY WERE MUCH MORE
COMMON THAN PROPER NAMES

AND OFTEN EVEN USED
ON DOCUMENTS, SO...

- REALLY?

- YES, IT WAS QUITE
A COMMON THING.

- AH!

SANDSTONE.

- YES, I WONDER IF IT JUST
STARTS TO LOOK

SOMEHOW SLIGHTLY FAMILIAR.

- SO THERE YOU ARE, SCOTT.
WHAT ABOUT THAT?

- WOW.

NOW I SEE WHY YOU AND MIKE
WANTED ME TO SEE THIS.

THIS IS REMINISCENT
OF WHAT WE SAW

AT THE GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS
IN NEW MEXICO.

INCREDIBLE. - YEAH.

- I MEAN, LOOK AT HOW
IT'S CARVED OUT BEAUTIFUL,

THESE ROOMS.

YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE HAVE
ROUGH HURECH OR PETER HURECH

IF THAT'S WHO IT IS CARVED
ON A STONE IN NEW MEXICO,

DATES TO ABOUT THE 1200s.

THIS GOES BACK AT LEAST THAT FAR
OR DO WE KNOW FOR SURE?

- AT LEAST... WE THINK
AT LEAST 1500,

BUT IT'S QUITE LIKELY THAT THERE
WERE PEOPLE HERE BEFORE THAT.

- WELL, OKAY, SO NOW
WHAT I'M THINKING IS,

THIS ARCHITECTURE
THAT LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE

WHAT WE SAW IN NEW MEXICO.

DID HURECH BRING IT OVER THERE
AND EDUCATE THE NATIVES

OR DID SOMEBODY COME BACK...
HE'S STILL THERE...

AND, YOU KNOW, BRING IT HERE?

- I GUESS WE'LL NEVER KNOW,

BUT THE ONE THING WE CAN BE
SURE ABOUT IS

THE CONTEMPORARY NATURE,
YOU KNOW, OF THE TIMING.

IT'S HARDLY LIKELY
TO BE A COINCIDENCE.

- NO, NO, THERE'S
TOO MANY COINCIDENCES

FOR THIS TO BE A COINCIDENCE.

- AND THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
INTERESTING ABOUT THESE,

OF COURSE, AS WELL.

THIS IS REPUTED TO BE THE PLACE

THAT J.R.R. TOLKIEN USED WHEN
HE DEVISED HIS HOBBIT HOUSES.

- OKAY, SO THESE ARE
THE HOBBIT HOUSES.

- ABSOLUTELY.
- WHY NOT?

- I'VE GOT ONE MORE SURPRISE
FOR YOU.

I KNOW FROM
THE COUNTY RECORDS OFFICE

EXACTLY WHERE
PETER HURECH LIVED.

- AROUND HERE?

- AND IT'S STILL HERE,
AND IT'S ONLY FIVE MINUTES AWAY.

- THERE'S A RUNE STONE
OUTSIDE A CAVE

IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ARIZONA DESERT.

IT SEEMS TO BE AN EPITAPH
FOR AN ENGLISHMAN FROM 1200 A.D.

COULD HE HAVE MADE
A VOYAGE TO AMERICA

HUNDREDS OF YEARS
BEFORE COLUMBUS?

I'VE TRACED HIS ROOTS HERE
TO STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND.

IT'S A PUB? - YEAH.

THE LADY AT THE COUNTY OFFICE
TOLD ME

IT WAS A MANOR HOUSE RIGHT BACK
TO THE 1200s.

AND THAT'S PETER HURECH LIVED.

- SO THIS IS HURECH'S HOUSE,
I GUESS?

- ABSOLUTELY, AND IT'S A PUB,
AND THAT'S WHY

HE WAS ROUGH PETER HURECH.

PERFECT.

ALAN, THOSE... THOSE CAVE
DWELLINGS WERE AMAZING.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK
PROBABLY HAPPENED THERE?

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THESE
BEAUTIFUL SANDSTONE BLUFFS

THAT WERE THERE AT ONE TIME.

AND WHEN PEOPLE FIRST CAME,

THEY PROBABLY WERE HOLLOWED OUT
A LITTLE BIT,

AND THEY JUST TOOK ADVANTAGE
AND DUG THEM OUT EVEN MORE.

THE ARCHITECTURE IS VERY SIMILAR
TO WHAT I SAW

AT THE GILA DWELLINGS.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT'S
TROUBLING ME HERE IS, YOU KNOW,

THEY TALK ABOUT AT LEAST 1500s
FOR THIS SITE.

THEY HAVE TO BE OLDER THAN THAT.

- OH, I DON'T THINK, SCOTT,

THAT THERE'S ANY DOUBT
ABOUT IT WHATSOEVER.

AND I WOULD BE STUNNED
IF THOSE ROCK DWELLINGS

WERE NOT MUCH OLDER.

- OH, I'M CERTAIN THAT THEY ARE.

OKAY. - I GOT A TEXT COMING IN.

I WONDER IF IT'S... OH, YES.

IT'S FROM THE STAFFORDSHIRE
RECORDS OFFICE.

"HI, ALAN.

"I'M AFRAID I COULDN'T FIND
ANY RECORDS

FOR THE HURECH FAMILY
AFTER AROUND 1200."

- AFTER 1200?
- MM.

- WELL, ACTUALLY, NOT FINDING
THAT NAME IN THE RECORDS

SUPPORTS WHAT WE SAW IN ARIZONA.

WELL, HE WOULD BE THE ONE
TO CARRY ON THE NAME

BUT IF HE NEVER CAME BACK,
WHICH APPEARS TO BE THE CASE

BASED ON THE MEMORIAL,
THAT'S WHY THE NAME DIED OUT.

- THE NAME DISAPPEARS.

- THAT'S CONSISTENT
WITH OUR STORY.

THAT MAKES SENSE
THAT THIS ACTUALLY DID HAPPEN.

- YES, BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE DIED
WHERE HE DIED,

AND OF COURSE HE COULD NEVER
APPEARED IN THE RECORDS AGAIN.

- YOU KNOW, THIS BRINGS
THE QUESTION

THAT'S BEEN BURNING
IN MY BRAIN IS,

WHY WE WOULD HE COME ALL
THIS WAY TO THE DESERT REGION

OF THE SOUTHWEST OF WHAT IS NOW
THE UNITED STATES?

TO ME WHAT MAKES SENSE:

WE KNOW DOWN IN THAT AREA
WE HAVE LEAD MINES.

WE HAVE SILVER MINES.
WE HAVE COPPER MINES.

PERHAPS IT WAS MINERAL.
MAYBE IT WAS WEALTH.

- AND MAYBE IT WAS ADVENTURE.

I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED,

EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING
THIS SITUATION,

THAT EVERY MAN AND HIS DOG
FROM ENGLAND

KNEW THAT AMERICA WAS THERE.

THE FISHERMEN, FOR EXAMPLE,
FROM BRISTOL,

WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE...

THEY USED TO FISH
ON THE GRAND BANKS

OFF NEWFOUNDLAND.

THEY MUST HAVE KNOWN
THAT AMERICA WAS THERE,

AND LOTS
OF OTHER PEOPLE BESIDES.

BUT, OF COURSE,
YOU DON'T KILL A GOOSE

THAT'S LAYING THE GOLDEN EGG.

IF YOU KNOW THAT
THERE ARE BIG OPPORTUNITIES

OVER THE POND...

- AND RESOURCES.

- AND RESOURCES, YOU'RE NOT
GONNA RUN AROUND THE COUNTRY

TELLING ANYBODY ELSE
THAT THEY'RE THERE.

- WE CERTAINLY HAVE
THE MOTIVATION,

PLENTY OF MOTIVATION.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN DONE IN SECRET.

AND THIS BOULDER WITH HIS NAME
IS REALLY THE ONLY EVIDENCE

THAT WE HAVE
THAT HE MADE THIS TRIP.

OKAY, WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

WE'VE GOT A SURNAME, HURECH,

BOTH CARVED ON A BOULDER
IN ARIZONA AND HERE.

AND WE'VE GOT
A RUNIC INSCRIPTION

CARVED IN ANGLO-SAXON RUNES
IN A CAVE DOWN THERE,

AND CERTAINLY THIS IS WHERE
THEY WERE USED AT THIS TIME.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME WE HAVE
A VERY COMPELLING CASE

THAT'S COMING TOGETHER HERE.

THIS MAN CAME OVER TO AMERICA
PRIOR TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

AND THIS WOULD JUST BE
ANOTHER EXAMPLE

OF THE MANY EXAMPLES
THAT I'M AWARE OF

OF CULTURES COMING
TO NORTH AMERICA

PRIOR TO 1492.

- AND I HAVE TO SAY
AS A HISTORIAN

HAVING LOOKED AT THIS CLOSELY,

FOR MY MONEY,

ON A BALANCE OF PROBABILITIES,

I THINK WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE MAN WHO CAME FROM HERE

WHO PROBABLY SAT
IN THIS VERY MANOR HOUSE

WE'RE SITTING IN NOW

AND WHO ENDED UP
ALL THOSE MILES AWAY.

AND FOR THAT REASON ALONE,

I THINK WE OUGHT
TO PROPOSE A TOAST TO PETER.

- TO PETER.

MY INVESTIGATION
INTO A MYSTERIOUS RUNE STONE

IN THE MUSTANG MOUNTAINS
HAS TURNED UP EVIDENCE

THAT A 12TH-CENTURY ENGLISHMAN
COULD BE BURIED

IN THE ARIZONA DESERT.

AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG
COULD REVEAL EVEN MORE.

IF THERE'S A MAN BURIED THERE,

I WONDER WHAT HIS JOURNEY
TO AMERICA MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE,

WHAT HE CAME HERE FOR
SO LONG AGO.

I THINK HE WAS JUST ONE OF
MANY PEOPLE WHO CAME TO AMERICA

LONG BEFORE 1492.

COLUMBUS WASN'T THE FIRST
EUROPEAN TO DISCOVER AMERICA.

HE WAS JUST THE FIRST
TO GET CREDIT FOR IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING
TO CHANGE.

Subtitles Diego Moraes
www.oakisland.tk