Ciudad Perdida, Colombia (03:46)

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Albert Lin visits the city located in the Sierra Nevada; looters discovered the site once populated by thousands. Archaeologists have been excavating the site for 40 years.

Ciudad Antigua (06:47)

Lin and Santiago Giraldo travel across rough terrain to reach the Tairona city. Lin wants to LiDAR scan the valley. Spanish conquistadors encounter the gold adorned Tairona in 1501, sparking the myth of El Dorado. Lin and Giraldo find gold flecks in a stream.

Bogota, Colombia (03:47)

Lin examines Tairona gold work at the Banco de la República Gold Museum. Dr. Juanita Sáenz-Samper uses a microscope to reveal the intricate details of a piece; Tairona metalsmiths created an alloy of copper, silver, and gold for gilding.

Ciudad Perdida: LiDAR Scans (03:37)

Lin and Santiago discover a network of pathways; the jungle has been growing over the area for 400 years. Tairona engineering and architecture functions as a water management system. The men examine a 3D model of the ancient city.

Sierra Nevada Valley (03:51)

Lin and Giraldo determine where and how to use a LiDAR scanner; the team scans and processes billions of data points. A map stone at the entrance of Ciudad Perdida may provide clues to what the scans will reveal.

Santa Marta Coast (02:57)

Stone steps lead out of Ciudad Perdida toward the sea; the Tairona had small villages along the shore. Anthropologist Eduardo Mazuera discusses trade and the impact of the Spaniards' arrival; disease decimated the coastal population.

Sierra Nevada De Santa Marta (05:36)

The Kogi claim to be Tairona descendants and live the same lifestyle as their ancestors. The desire for gold has devastated their culture. Lin superimposes scans of Kogi huts on Ciudad Perdida. LiDAR scans of the valley reveal new areas of potential Tairona settlement.

Valley Exploration (02:44)

The Colombian military accompanies Lin and his team as they travel along an old Tairona path. The group prepares to bushwhack 700 feet up the mountain to reach a ridge.

Lost City Search (05:36)

Lin and his team bushwhack through the jungle and discover Tairona pottery pieces. They follow the trail uphill and locate five terraces well below their target site.

New Tairona City? (00:0-2440)

Lin and his team struggle to climb uphill through the jungle. They reach a flat area and search for evidence of occupation. They locate cut rock and pottery, confirming that the Tairona once occupied the area. (Credits)