The Mayan civilization dominated Central America for nearly 2000 years, but by the 9th century A.D., the great Mayan cities were abandoned, and the Mayan people vanished. What could have happened to this advanced culture? Might the Maya have left clues as to how they surpassed other cultures in science, mathematics, time keeping, and most importantly, astronomy? In recent years, hieroglyphs have been decoded to reveal that the Maya were able to accurately predict shifts in the Earth's axis every 26,000 years. Inscriptions on the sarcophagus of their most prominent ruler, King Pakal, tell of a journey to the Milky Way. And a sophisticated calendar foretells of the end of the world in 2012. Most striking is their belief that knowledge was passed to them by otherworldly beings who descended from the sky. Could the ancient Maya have actually conspired with extraterrestrial visitors to plan the future--and even the very end of the world?
Chichen Itza
Mexico · Maya
El Castillo pyramid engineered to create serpent shadow effect during equinox
Chichen Itza - Kukulkan Temple
Mexico · Maya
Ancient Aliens suggests the Temple of Kukulkan's astronomical alignments and the serpent shadow phenomena represent alien knowledge transferred to the Maya, with the feathered serpent deity possibly representing an extraterrestrial visitor.
Coba
Mexico · Maya
Ancient Astronaut theorists point to Maya astronomical knowledge and the sophistication of their calendar systems as evidence of alien instruction. The show claims the Maya's ability to predict celestial events like Earth axis shifts every 26,000 years suggests otherworldly guidance.
El Mirador
Guatemala · Maya
Ancient Aliens proposes that El Mirador's massive scale and hidden location suggest it served purposes beyond conventional understanding, possibly as an alien observation or power generation site.
Mayan Calendar Stone
Mexico · Maya
Ancient Aliens suggests the Mayan calendar's precise astronomical calculations and end-date prophecies indicate contact with alien intelligences who provided advanced mathematical and astronomical knowledge to the Maya.
Palenque
Mexico · Maya
King Pacal's sarcophagus lid depicts him piloting an alien spacecraft
Temple of the Sun at Palenque
Mexico · Maya
Ancient Aliens claims that King Pakal's sarcophagus contains inscriptions describing a journey to the Milky Way, suggesting extraterrestrial contact with the Maya. The show interprets these carvings as evidence of alien visitors sharing astronomical knowledge.
Tikal
Guatemala · Maya
Temple IV is the tallest pre-Columbian structure in the Americas — built with alien engineering assistance
Tulum
Mexico · Maya
A window in the Temple of the Descending God acts as a lighthouse and navigation beacon — alien guidance system for maritime travel