Lost Treasures of the Ancient World: 1/5 The Americas.

This film investigates the ruins of the Meso-American region, focusing on the Mayan and Aztec cultures. The Aztecs settled in the Valley of Mexico in the 15th century. They incorporated into their own world the many advancements of the cultures they subjugated. Thus, when Cortéz arrived in 1519, he found a highly civilized society, with fabulous art and architecture. In the film, archeologists study the ruins at Tenochtitlán, which was destroyed by the Spaniards. The Mayans were a very cultured people, with special skills in mathematics and astronomy, which they used to construct their pyramids. The ruins at Palenque and Tikal are featured in the film. 3-D computer graphics enable the viewer to see the magnificent structures as they originally appeared.