The Spaniards who discovered the New World were surprised by the abundance of empty cities. The Aztecs they interviewed - one of the last Indian tribes who inhabited Mesoamerica - admitted that their ancestors re-settled the empty cities abandoned many centuries ago
According to Mexican archaeologists, no more than 10% of the ancient settlements have been excavated. Why are most of them abandoned by the indigenous people? Either, as in the case of the largest ancient city of Mexico, Teotihuacan, people were driven out by nuclear radiation, or the Mongoloids who came through Chukotka and Alaska destroyed the Negroid Olmec race of the first settlers of America.
Barking devils
Tayasal is one of the few Indian cities, the reason for the desolation of which is known. The pyramids overgrown with grass and shrubs have turned into mounds today, towering over Lake Peten Itza, near the village of San Miguel.
For one quetzal (Guatemala's currency), the boatman took me from the island town of Flores to the dock of San Miguel and finally warned me: be careful with the dogs, they are feisty here. Indeed, as soon as I climbed the coastal mound, a pack of red-eyed dogs flew over me. They didn't tear me to pieces only thanks to the local guy Ignacio. He told me the story of the barking devils of San Miguel, and it also clarified the end of the legendary Tayasal.
Once Hernan Cortez, the conqueror of America, was heading to neighboring Honduras to punish a Spanish lieutenant who declared himself governor. Driving near Lake Peten Itza, he left his horse that had injured his leg to the local leader, asking him to heal him. On the way back I will take it, the chief conquistador promised, on the night of the full moon.
Horror
The Indians did not know horses and were afraid of them, considering them to be animals associated with evil spirits. They were convinced that from the terrible whinnying of these creatures Spanish cannons were shooting. The leader tied the monster in the temple and daily brought him the meat of sacrificial animals, like a god. But for some reason the horse did not touch the meat, frightening the Taiyasal people with its vegetarian whims. The horse soon died, which thrilled the Indians: Cortez's revenge could be terrible. The leader ordered to make a stuffed horse, which remained in the temple as an idol. The Itza people prayed to the horse god, asking him to take Cortez away from them. Before each full moon, they sacrificed pets and listened for the whinnying of Spanish horses in the distance? On one of these nights, the Itza with the whole tribe left their place, went north to the selva, and never returned to the lake. The city is empty.
Only their descendants returned after three hundred years. Dominican monks baptized them, and a stuffed horse was drowned in the lake. Since then, in all the houses of local residents, dogs have been kept, trained to hear horses neighing from afar. They started keeping horses in San Miguel, but small ones. And so that the stallions do not cause superstitious fear with their nightmarish neighing, their tongues are specially cut off.
Having gone to the selva, Ignacio's ancestors took with them everything they could, except for jade - there were too many of these precious stones, they were escorted into the afterlife of the dead. Therefore, on the hills of abandoned Tayyasal, in addition to archaeologists, "black diggers" appear every now and then. For some reason, the police do not prevent them from digging in the ground - apparently, they are also afraid of the horse neighing of aliens.
Behind the mounds opens up a vast, perfectly flat area - an H-shaped ball court, a prototype of basketball.