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Mayan Plumbing Found In Ancient City
DarkKnightRadick writes "An archaeologist and a hydrologist have published evidence that the ancient Mayans had pressurized plumbing as early as sometime between the year 100 (when the city of Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, was first founded) and 800 (when it was abandoned). While the Egyptians had plumbing way earlier (around 2500 BC), this is the first instance of plumbing in the New World prior to European exploration and conquest."
All joking aside, Native Americans both in North and South America had rather terrible sanitation systems, even by the standards of their day. It was not unusual for them to defecate around the fire pits where they cooked and ate. At least the tendency in Europe, the Middle East and eastern Asia was to defecate away from living areas. However, even today we see some cultures who shit in the water that they drink. India is one such culture, and it's prevalent in Africa, too.
Someone please alert Stallman to this basic fact.
why did their civilization suddenly die out?
Are you actually serious with that question???
First of all: There are still 6.1 million Mayans around. Mostly in Yucatán, Guatemala (40% of the population!), Belize (10%), and Honduras.
Second: Hmm... there was this pretty big thing around 1492, wasn’t there? I think they “discovered” something. What was it again? India? Antarctica? I know it started with A... And then someone wanted lots of gold or something, and paid with, I guess mostly with diseases... Hmm... somehow I can’t remember it... <:-[[ Do you?
Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.
Actually, I don't blame the "church" per se, I blame the idea of Elitism. That only Specialists are allowed to direct the masses, who are nothing more than ignorant peasants.
We have the very same thing going on now, but it isn't "religion" or even "Christianity" doing it, it is the elite liberal establishment, who ignore the obvious when it doesn't suit their agenda.
I'm not saying the church was not to blame here, because it obviously was. However the problem wasn't part of "Christianity" but rather was Elitism.
If you read the Bible, even the New Testament, you'd realize that even Jesus took exception from the Elitism of his day, and chose smelly fishermen, and tax collectors to be his Apostles, rather than the Elite Pharisee's and Scribes.
Even in the Old Testament has examples after examples of "common" people (shepherds, slaves) becoming great leaders, often in the face of the elite establishment.
But then again, that probably doesn't fit with your narrative about those of us living in "fly over country", you know, we stupid simpltons who aren't as finely nuanced as your favorite Elites living in Ivory Towers and running the Governement. Which is why so many of them despise the Tea Party movement as being a bunch of stupid commoners.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.