Ancient Civilizations - Fall of Aztec & Maya Empires

"Wonderful DVD..aerial and underwater photography, computer animation, maps, charts, paintings, photos and the subtle but excellent use of music cues to enrich the text. Excellent, excellent tape."-Review from Video Librarian.

"Excellent, excellent tape. Highly recommended."-Editor's Choice.

The brilliant and powerful cultures of Mesoamerica (Olmecs, Zapotecs, Toltecs, Aztecs and Maya) believed that one day the God-man Quetzalcoatl would return from the east to claim his rightful throne. This idea was supported by a complex calendar and close observations of the heavens. The coincidental arrival of the Spaniard Hernando Cortez at the prescribed time fulfilled the fatal doctrine of the great Empire cities. Even before the Spaniards arrived in the 1520s, strife between the rival city-states had already weakened their lands. Many of the great Maya cities were deserted and left empty. This video story not only traces the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs and Maya, but also follows the journeys, in 1839, of New York explorer John L. Stephens to these strange and wonderful cities. Using computer graphic reconstruction, animated maps, classic art, reenactment and beautiful on-location cinematography, the viewer sees Teotihuacn, Cholula, Monte Albn, Chichn Itz, Tenochtitln, Tikal, Copn, Uxmal, and Palenque as they might have looked 1,000 years ago before defeat and decay brought about their tragic end.

Bonus Program: The Maya -Temples, Tombs, and Time - Their rise to power and the influence of their city-states throughout Mesoamerica are brought to life with extensive on-location footage, aerial photography, National Geographic re-creations and computer animation. Observe the modern day Mayan struggle to keep their ancient culture alive in the 21st Century. The program brings to life a culture long shrouded in historical inaccuracies and misconceptions.