The Lost City of the Monkey God / Douglas Preston

Archaeology contains many cautionary tales for us to ponder in the twenty-first century [...]. It teaches us lessons in environmental degradation, income inequality, war, violence, class division, exploitation, social upheaval, and religious fanaticism. But archaeology also teaches us how cultures have thrived and endured, overcoming the challenges of the environment and the darker side of human nature.

Legends of lost human settlements hidden in the thick jungles of Central and South America have haunted imaginations for centuries. Who among us hasn't heard of these fabulous cities with streets paved in gold? Douglas Preston first heard stories about Ciudad Blanca ("White City"), also called the Lost City of the Monkey God, in 1996; here, he recounts his involvement as a correspondent for National Geographic in two expeditions aimed at pinpointing its location in the near-impregnable Honduras region known as La Mosquitia in 2015 and 2016.

From the selection of Target 1, an area of interest identified through the (at the time) controversial use of LIDAR, to the "ground truthing" carried out to see with human eyes what is actually there, then to the partial excavation of a specific zone the following year, Preston takes us along with him, exposing a few of the theories as to what the site was, and when and why its inhabitants abandoned it.

However, this is far from being simply a journal of events. While Preston vividly describes the sights, smells and sensations of being engulfed in almost impenetrable vegetation, surrounded by hazardous flora and fauna, he doesn't neglect the region's terrible history in trying to understand how an advanced culture could settle, grow, then fall in this inhospitable environment. He also evokes the uncertain future that awaits Target 1 and other significant sites due to political instability and the very real threat from deforestation.

The wannabe archaeologist in me found this book engaging despite its long-winded passages about parasitic diseases and detailed accounts of political shenanigans. My favourite part was the brief history of previous expeditions to the Mosquitia since the 19th century, with its colourful gallery of arrogant and not altogether reputable adventurers. I also appreciated that Preston quite openly discussed the archaeological field's less than enthusiastic — even hostile — response to the project and its findings.

I borrowed this e-book from the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec.

Rating: ***½