SCPL Online NonFiction Book Club discussion

Hello!

There are several myths and mysteries surrounding the lost city: who were the people that lived there? How did their society function? Did they worship a Monkey God? What happened to the people who lived there? Would outsiders seeking to solve the mystery of the lost city be cursed?

The expedition team sought to discover the answers to many of these questions.

How successful do you think the expedition was in answering any or all of these questions?

Were you satisfied with their conclusions?

Do you like answers to seemingly unanswerable questions or do you prefer the mystery of not knowing? In this case, would you have preferred to maintain the mystery surrounding the Lost City of the Monkey God or are you pleased that the expedition was able to bring some truth to light?

~Nicole~

I feel like the expedition did a good job of starting the conversation but they definitely haven’t “solved” anything. All of the questions in your first paragraph, at least in my opinion, have not been answered, except for maybe speculation on what happened to them. (spoiler alert #disease)

Was I satisfied? Yes, I thought Preston did a good job of wrapping things up although I think another couple of million dollars worth of funding for further exploration will be useful LOL That will help with answering many more questions!

In my own research I despise unanswered questions. That’s why I don’t do archeology! LOL I’m pleased they brought some attention and light to it. I think it’s pretty cool and great for the country of Honduras.

Yes, I think there are many questions still to answer regarding this lost city.

The statistics that Preston includes on the impact of diseases from the Old World to the New World are horrific. The pre-conquest population of Honduras was 600,000 and by 1550 the population had plummeted to 32,000, which is a 95% collapse (p. 229). Some natives were killed in wars or transported through slavery but the vast majority died of disease.

There were several theories on the significance of the items in the cache. I think that Chris Fisher's hypothesis seems most likely. He noticed that the artifacts in the cache were smashed and buried at the same time “so that objects could journey with the deceased to the afterworld” (p. 217). The cache was a grave offering for an entire city and “cenotaph of a civilization” (p. 232).

There are many questions left to answer. Literally and figuratively, they have just started to scratch the surface.

I think your last point about how the discovery was great for Honduras is an important one. Knowing where you come from is important on an individual level and on a national level. Hopefully Hondurans can add to their national identity and pride by having this connection to their shared past.

~Nicole~

My favourite quote from the book was "People need history in order to know themselves, to build a sense of identity and pride, continuity, community, and hope for the future." I believe that is true for ALL cultures but it shows specifically why this site was/is so special for Honduras. I'm glad Preston was able to highlight that so well.

Thanks for sharing that quote Heidi!

I think that idea alone highlights the significance of the site and what the expedition was able to discover.

I agree that the idea is important on an individual level (knowing where you came from and having some connection to the past) and on a broader scale (knowing the history of your country - the good, the bad, and the ugly).

Thanks again for all of your comments. I've really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the book :)

~Nicole~