Structure 3 is so post-Classical

March 13, 2010 4:03 PM

"This strangely shaped structure at Calixtlahuaca represents the wind-god Ehécatl and his ability to pass where he will." Could this enigmatic example of Postclassic period Mesoamerician Architecture be any more fascinating with a dubious ancient Roman head? Archeologist M.E.Smith has some advice for T.V. producers. "And no, the world will NOT end in 2012."

Computer simulation, fan video, exquisite when viewed from satellite:
19°20'1.43"N
99°41'34.93"W

posted by ovvl (11 comments total)

Aw. He ruined it.
posted by Splunge at 4:18 PM on March 13, 2010

I say, instead of having realism in TV representation of archeology, we have hyper-unrealism in TV representation of everything. Every career, interest, or event should be depicted in as entertaining and factually misleading a manner as possible, to the degree that only an ignoramus could base any of their ideas on something they saw on a television set.

arguably this is already the case
posted by idiopath at 4:36 PM on March 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

From Michael Smith (Memo to T.V. Producers)

Now, here are some REAL mysteries ...

Why do people seem amazed that ancient peoples did the things they did? Inka stonework is admirable for its skill and aesthetics, but there is nothing mysterious about it. They put thousands of people to work cutting stone, they had expert masons, and they took whatever time was needed to do things right. The Mayas had an advanced calendar and writing system, and they were pretty smart people ...

I love this.

And it's a pretty good antidote to the videos, too.
posted by nangar at 4:43 PM on March 13, 2010

There was a Nova show a decade ro two back where some engineers tried to move and erect some standing stones to test some theories on how Stonehenge might have been built. They came up with a clever work-around (using stones to overbalance a small standing stone into its hole rather than hoisting it). A nay-sayer said "You can't know that's how they did it," and one of the engineers said something like "True, but we know how humans think. And they don't do things in the most labor-intensive way for hundreds of years. People come up with solutions."
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:49 PM on March 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Diffusionists Have Landed
posted by euphorb at 4:51 PM on March 13, 2010

I can pass wind at will also.
posted by MtDewd at 5:21 PM on March 13, 2010

NOVA/Discover/History channel tapes are discovered in 1000 years. After sober digestion by scientists of the period, it trickles out to the populace:

These ancient tele-vision pro-gram pro-du-cers inserted a bunch of cheap "wonder" and "mystery" into interesting but non-mysterious subjects. Why did they do it? Tonight, we'll explore the explanation that it was because THEY WERE ALIENS FROM OUTER SPAAAAACE!!!111

posted by DU at 6:37 PM on March 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Awakening of Teotiwakan; a strange tale of Regina Queen of Mexico
posted by hortense at 8:26 PM on March 13, 2010

There is also the subtle racism of "Of course brown people needed help from aliens" that this kinf thing carries with it.
posted by The Whelk at 9:39 PM on March 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

"...the wind-god Ehécatl and his ability to pass where he will."

This is either the best or the worst phrasing they could have come up with.
posted by griphus at 9:55 AM on March 14, 2010

There is also the subtle racism of "Of course brown people needed help from aliens" that this kinf thing carries with it.

Yeah, that always bugs me. It's a science fiction trope I could do without... part of why I don't like Stargate.
posted by brundlefly at 10:50 AM on March 14, 2010