America Unearthed: Cryptic Symbols Hide Templar Secrets (S3, E12) | Full Episode | History

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[ominous music] ♪ ♪ [bell tolling and men chanting] ♪ ♪ [men screaming] - [screaming] - THE HISTORY THAT WE WERE ALL TAUGHT GROWING UP IS WRONG. MY NAME IS SCOTT WOLTER, AND I'M A FORENSIC GEOLOGIST. THERE'S A HIDDEN HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT. THERE ARE PYRAMIDS HERE-- CHAMBERS, TOMBS, INSCRIPTIONS. THEY'RE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY. WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE THESE ARTIFACTS AND SITES, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE TRUTH. SOMETIMES HISTORY ISN'T WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD. [percussive music] [foreboding music] [wolf howling] FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1307, WAS A BAD DAY FOR THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. ♪ ♪ UP UNTIL THEN, THE ORDER OF KNIGHTS MADE UP ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL GROUPS IN EUROPE. BEGINNING IN 1129, THEY FOUGHT ON BEHALF OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DURING THE CRUSADES, PROTECTING PILGRIMS IN THE HOLY LAND FOR OVER A CENTURY. [men chanting] [man yells] BUT ON THAT FATEFUL FRIDAY IN 1307, THE KNIGHTS WERE ARRESTED, TORTURED, AND ULTIMATELY EXECUTED. - [screaming] - BUT WHY? WAS IT PUNISHMENT FOR AN ACT OF BETRAYAL? OR DID THEY HAVE VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT NEEDED TO BE KEPT SECRET? NOT ALL THE KNIGHTS WERE KILLED THAT DAY. SOME ESCAPED AND, I BELIEVE, MADE IT TO AMERICA WHERE THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM ONE OF THE MOST EXPLOSIVE SECRETS IN HUMAN HISTORY. [eerie music] ♪ ♪ [bird chirping] [engine revving] [dramatic music] ♪ ♪ I THINK A CLUE THAT COULD UNRAVEL THIS MYSTERY MIGHT BE HERE IN RURAL PENNSYLVANIA IN A LOCATION THAT I'VE PROMISED TO KEEP SECRET. [bird chirping] A TIPSTER CONTACTED ME AND SAID HE RECENTLY DISCOVERED A STONE WITH AN ENGRAVING OF A TEMPLAR SYMBOL CALLED THE HOOKED X. THE STONE ALSO HAS A DATE ON IT-- 1206. IF IT'S A GENUINE CARVING BY THE TEMPLARS FROM THAT TIME PERIOD, IT WOULD BE A HUGE PIECE OF NEW EVIDENCE IN THIS MYSTERY THAT'S CONSUMED ME FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. [eerie music] ♪ ♪ [ethereal choral music] ♪ ♪ - HI. ARE YOU SCOTT? - YES, I AM. - GLAD TO MEET YOU. MY NAME'S BILL. - NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU, BILL. - NICE TO MEET YOU. - YOU MUST BE BUTCH? - REAL GOOD TO MEET YOU. - NICE TO MEET YOU TOO. WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, GUYS, YOU'VE DISCOVERED SOMETHING THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN. THIS IS REALLY AN AMAZING FIND. HOW DID YOU GUYS FIND THIS? - I WAS WALKING DOWN THE-- A TRAIL ACROSS THE CRICK THERE WITH MY DAD BACK IN THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY. - OF THIS YEAR? - OF THIS YEAR, YES. I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME PLACES OVER HERE THAT I HADN'T YET DISCOVERED OR--YOU KNOW, AND EXPLORED. - AND YOU FOUND THIS? - YES, I DID. - DO YOU REALIZE HOW INCREDIBLE THAT IS? - WELL, NO, I DIDN'T AT THE TIME. - I KNEW THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF CARVINGS AND THINGS THAT YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, AND I KNOW THEY'RE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY... - THE HOOKED X. - YOU KNOW, AND ESPECIALLY THE HOOKED X, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MORE CONTACT HERE BY EUROPEAN PEOPLE THAN ANYBODY'D EVER BELIEVE AND-- - WAIT A MINUTE. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU BELIEVE IN PRE-COLUMBIAN CONTACT... - YES. - PRIOR TO COLUMBUS? - YES, 100%. - GOOD FOR YOU. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I SEE HERE SYMBOLICALLY. THE FACT THAT THE INSCRIPTION IS CARVED WITHIN THE BODY OF A SERPENT IS CONSISTENT WITH THOUSANDS OF VIKING AGE RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS IN SCANDINAVIA, BUT KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ALSO USED RUNES. LOOKING AT THE STONE HERE, I SEE A LOT OF RUNIC SYMBOLS. MOVING CLOCKWISE FROM THE HEAD OF THE SERPENT ON THE LOWER LEFT, THE RUNES I SEE MOST CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE SYMBOLS FOR T, S, N, M, F, R, "A," AND D. AS FOR THE TRANSLATION OF A MESSAGE, I CAN'T MAKE SENSE OF IT. CONTINUING ON AROUND TO THE RIGHT, THERE ARE WHAT LOOK LIKE ROMAN NUMERALS-- M, C, C, V, AND "I," WHICH TRANSLATED TO A DATE WOULD BE 1206. BUT THAT HOOKED X IS REALLY THE KEY PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT TELLS ME WHO CARVED THAT, AND IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY OVER HERE WHO WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. IF THIS IS LEGITIMATE, TELLS YOU THAT THEY WERE HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA. PROVING THE TEMPLARS CAME TO AMERICA HAS BECOME MY LIFE'S WORK, AND THE HOOKED X IS THE SYMBOL AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL. I'VE ONLY FOUND IT IN TEMPLAR SITES IN EUROPE, ON DOCUMENTS TYING THE TEMPLARS TO THE FREEMASONS, WHO I BELIEVE ARE THEIR MODERN-DAY COUNTERPARTS, AND ON RUNE STONES IN AMERICA THAT I'M CONVINCED THEY PLACED AS LAND CLAIMS, LIKE THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE FOUND IN MINNESOTA, STONES IN MAINE AND RHODE ISLAND, AND, IF IT'S LEGIT, THIS NEW STONE IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE REASON I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS SINGLE SYMBOL IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE TEMPLARS USED IT TO HIDE A SHOCKING SECRET IN PLAIN SIGHT-- THAT A BLOODLINE OF JESUS EXISTS AND NOT ONLY THAT BUT THAT A SELECT GROUP OF KNIGHTS BROUGHT BOTH THE SECRET OF THE BLOODLINE AND THE BLOODLINE ITSELF TO AMERICA. I THINK THIS HOOKED X SYMBOL REPRESENTS THE MARRIAGE AND UNION OF MARY MAGDALENE AND JESUS. THE PEAK REPRESENTS JESUS, THE V REPRESENTS MARY MAGDALENE, AND THE HOOK REPRESENTS THE CONTINUATION, THE PERPETUATION, OF THEIR BLOODLINE. - MM, SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE<i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> STUFF, DOESN'T IT? -<i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> TOOK THE WORLD BY STORM. I MEAN, IN ANY OF THESE MYTHS AND LEGENDS, THERE'S ALWAYS A KERNEL OF TRUTH, AND IN THAT PARTICULAR STORY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH. I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY THEY WERE PUT DOWN IN 1307 BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE KING OF FRANCE, 'CAUSE THE EXISTENCE OF A BLOODLINE WOULD UNDERMINE THE VERY FOUNDATION OF THE ROMAN CHURCH. AND I'M GOING TO CLEAN OFF SOME OF THESE RUNES HERE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME MUD PACKED INTO THEM, DIRT AND SILT. [suspenseful music] ♪ ♪ I'M GONNA TAKE A CLOSER LOOK HERE. - WHAT ARE YOU FINDING IN THERE? I SEE YOU CLEANED THAT UP PRETTY GOOD. IT STILL LOOK PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. - WELL, DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME TO ME. I'M GONNA TRY ONE MORE. IT ALMOST IS LIKE THERE'S GLUE IN HERE. THIS MUD IS PACKED IN HERE PRETTY TIGHT. IN FACT, IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE SOMEBODY MIXED A WATER-SOLUBLE GLUE WITH MUD AND PACKED IT IN HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT NATURAL. - HMM. - AND IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE ALL THESE GROOVES HAVE BEEN FILLED IN WITH THIS MUD, THIS ORGANIC MUD, PROBABLY FROM RIGHT HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WOULD BE ON THOSE SURFACES AND ONLY ON THE CARVED LINES. - SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT'S NOT REAL THEN. - YEP. - WOW. - IT'S A HOAX. - HMM. I'LL BE DARNED. - SO I GOT A QUESTION. DO YOU GUYS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? - THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD TO ME. THIS IS A HOAX. - HMM. - SO SOMEBODY'S PLAYING A JOKE ON ME. - I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT IT. - DO YOU GUYS KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? - NO. - NO. - WELL, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. THERE ARE SOME OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS. THIS S RUNE RIGHT HERE, THAT'S A MESSED UP S. THAT'S NOT A RUNIC S. I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE LIKE THAT. THAT M IS NOT VERY GOOD. IT'S ASYMMETRIC. THIS F HERE-- MM, NOT SO MUCH. THIS R IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME. SOME OF THE RUNES I THOUGHT WERE PROBLEMATIC BEFORE NOW JUST LOOK FAKE, MADE BY SOMEONE WHO REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO READ OR WRITE RUNES. THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE S RUNE SHOULD BE THE SAME LENGTH, AND THEY'RE NOT. THE M IS ALSO DISPROPORTIONATE. ITS STEM SHOULD BE LONGER. AND THE R DOESN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE A REGULAR R RUNE. - I MEAN, I HAD NO IDEA. I JUST LOOKED AT IT. - I WENT BY WHAT BUTCH SAID. I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW-- I THOUGHT IT WAS A... - I THOUGHT IT HAD SOME AGE TO IT FROM JUST LOOKING AT IT. - YEAH, LOOKS LIKE IT TO ME. - YOU KNOW, I MEAN-- - THERE IS NO WEATHERING PATINA HERE. IF YOU LOOK, YOU CAN SEE SOMEBODY HAS FILLED IN THESE CARVED LINES WITH DIRT, AND THEY DIDN'T JUST PUT DIRT IN THERE. I THINK THEY MIXED IN A LITTLE GLUE, TOO, TO MAKE IT STICK. THIS THING IS PROBABLY NOT EVEN MORE THAN A COUPLE YEARS OLD. IT CAN'T BE ANY MORE THAN 3 1/2 YEARS OLD. I GUESS FOUR YEARS NOW WAS WHEN MY<i> HOOKED X</i> BOOK FIRST CAME OUT. THIS ISN'T EASY TO CARVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY CARVED TO INTENTIONALLY DECEIVE. THE FACT THAT SOMEONE WOULD GO TO SUCH LENGTHS TO CREATE A HOAX IS DISAPPOINTING BUT NOT SURPRISING. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF WHAT I THINK IS THE TRUTH. PEOPLE WILL DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS FOR THEIR FAITH, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THIS IS PROBABLY SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T LIKE THE IDEA THAT I THINK JESUS WAS HUMAN, THAT HE WAS MARRIED, AND THAT HE HAD CHILDREN AND THAT HIS DESCENDANTS ARE ALIVE TODAY. YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER<i> THE DA VINCI CODE.</i> A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT UPSET. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT<i> THE DA VINCI CODE.</i> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL LIFE HERE. WHOEVER DID THIS FIGURED, SOONER OR LATER, I WAS GONNA GET CONTACTED AND THAT I WOULD COME OUT HERE, JUST LIKE I DID, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY TRYING TO FOOL ME, TO TRY TO MAKE ME LOOK STUPID, AND, THEREFORE, UM, CAST DOUBT ON THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M GLAD I CAME OUT HERE, AND IN MANY WAYS, WHAT THIS HAS DONE IS CONFIRM THAT THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE USE FOR EXAMINING THESE ARTIFACTS DOES WORK. THE FAKES USUALLY REVEAL THEMSELVES QUICKLY. IT'S THE REAL STUFF THAT HANGS AROUND-- JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO GO AWAY. SO, GUYS, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN OUT HERE, ANYONE ELSE THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW? - I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE. - NOBODY I KNOW OF. - THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT MAY SAY, "HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU PERPETRATED A HOAX." - I KNOW I DIDN'T DO IT, YOU KNOW, OR HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. - YOU SAID SOMETHING INTERESTING EARLIER TODAY THAT STUCK WITH ME, UM... THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AROUND FOR INSCRIPTIONS. - YEAH. - YEAH, I MEAN, IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE DOING? AND WHY WERE YOU LOOKING FOR INSCRIPTIONS? - YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ONE THING I LOOK FOR. - DID YOU EVER STOP TO THINK THAT SOMEBODY WOULD ACCUSE YOU OF DOING THIS? - NO. [chuckles] - THEY STILL MIGHT. - MM. - COULD HAPPEN. - OH, IT COULD HAPPEN. I UNDERSTAND THAT. - IS THERE A PART OF YOU GUYS THAT STILL BELIEVES THAT THIS MIGHT BE REAL, OR DO YOU ACCEPT WHAT I'VE SHOWN YOU? - I ACCEPT IT, YEAH. - I ACCEPT 100% WHAT YOU SHOWED ME. - YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THIS IS A HOAX, IT MOTIVATES ME EVEN MORE TO WANT TO GET TO THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MYSTERY OF THE TEMPLARS COMING OVER HERE TO NORTH AMERICA. I THINK THEY INFLUENCED THE FOUNDING AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT WE KNOW TODAY. THE ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS THAT SOONER OR LATER, THE TRUTH BUBBLES TO THE SURFACE. AND IN THIS CASE, THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS, ABOUT THE TEMPLARS, AND ABOUT JESUS AND MARY IS ABOUT TO BUBBLE OVER. [line trilling] - HELLO, THIS IS STEVE. - HEY, STEVE. HOW YOU DOING, MAN? - I'M GOOD, SCOTT. WHAT'S UP WITH YOU? - WELL, I'M ACTUALLY UP IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS, AND I JUST LOOKED AT A NEW RUNE STONE THAT HAS A HOOKED X. IT LOOKED GREAT. - OH, WOW. - UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A HOAX. - AW, THAT'S TOO BAD. - ANYWAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M ALSO LOOKING INTO ANOTHER SYMBOL THAT I THINK CONNECTS TO THIS AND MIGHT HELP SHED SOME MORE LIGHT ON THE TEMPLARS COMING TO AMERICA AND POSSIBLY BRINGING THE BLOODLINE. - WHAT'S THE NEW SYMBOL? - WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I CAN'T TELL YOU JUST YET. I HAVE SOME MORE WORK TO DO. - DOES ANY OF THAT WORK INVOLVE RESEARCH IN FRANCE? THAT'S WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. - YOU'RE IN FRANCE? - YEAH. - WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? - I'M RESEARCHING ST. CLAIR FAMILY TIES TO THE TEMPLARS. - WAIT A MINUTE. I DIDN'T THINK YOU BELIEVED IN ANY OF THAT STUFF. I MEAN, THE WHOLE NOTION OF HENRY SINCLAIR AND THE TEMPLARS-- I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOWN ON THAT. ARE YOU CHANGING YOUR MIND? - MAYBE. WE'LL SEE. - WELL, I'M MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER TO FIND EVIDENCE THE TEMPLARS WERE HERE AND GET PEOPLE TO ACCEPT THE REAL REASON I THINK THEY CAME OVER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK I'M GONNA DO? I MIGHT JOIN YOU IN FRANCE. [bells tolling] MY FRIEND STEVE ST. CLAIR, WHO I'M MEETING IN FRANCE, IS A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE FEW FAMILIES HERE IN THE U.S. WITH A CREDIBLE TEMPLAR CONNECTION. FAMILIES WITH TEMPLAR TIES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK THE BLOODLINE OF JESUS WAS ACTUALLY PERPETUATED AND PHYSICALLY CARRIED ON THROUGH THE CENTURIES BY POWERFUL TEMPLAR FAMILIES. THE QUESTION IS, COULD STEVE'S FAMILY BE ONE OF THEM? WE'RE MEETING IN THE CITY OF TROYES WHERE THE TEMPLARS GOT THEIR START. THIS IS WHERE POPE HONORIUS II OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ORDER IN 1129. STEVE. - HEY, SCOTT. - HOW YOU DOING? - HOW YOU BEEN, MAN? - GOOD TO SEE YOU. - GOOD TO SEE YOU. - WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS? - BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT? - IT'S AMAZING. - THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. - I'M SO GLAD TO BE HERE. I MEAN, THIS IS THE OFFICIAL BIRTHPLACE OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ORDER. - YEAH. - THE COUNCIL OF TROYES WAS A RELIGIOUS COUNCIL HELD HERE IN 1129. AN INFLUENTIAL MONK BY THE NAME OF BERNARD DE CLAIRVAUX PLEADED WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR THE OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ORDER. [monks chanting] BERNARD DE CLAIRVAUX IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. AT THE COUNCIL OF TROYES, HE CONVINCED THE CHURCH IT NEEDED KNIGHTS TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS PILGRIMS IN THE HOLY LAND OF JERUSALEM AND TO SECRETLY PROTECT ITS VALUABLE POSSESSIONS-- TREASURES AND DOCUMENTS HIDDEN IN THEIR SACRED TEMPLE, THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON. - THEY NEEDED A KNIGHTS TEMPLAR BECAUSE THE HOLY LAND WAS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL. IT'S A LITTLE DANGEROUS NOW. IT'S NOTHING LIKE IT WAS BACK THEN-- MURDERS, THIEVES, BEHEADINGS, YOU NAME IT. THEY REALLY NEEDED SORT OF A MEDIEVAL POLICE FORCE DOWN THERE TO PROTECT THE HOLY LAND, KEEP IT SAFE, AND TO PROTECT PILGRIMS WHO WERE TRYING TO GET THERE FROM HERE. - THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ALREADY EXISTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT FOUGHT THE FIRST CRUSADE BACK AROUND 1100, BUT HERE IS WHERE THEY GOT THEIR OFFICIAL RECOGNITION BY THE CHURCH. IT HAPPENED HERE, NOT INSIDE THIS CATHEDRAL, BUT IN A SMALLER CHURCH THAT BURNED DOWN LATER. SO WE KNOW THAT BERNARD DE CLAIRVAUX LOBBIED THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH TO OFFICIALLY FOUND THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ORDER, BUT IT WAS HUGUES DE PAYENS WHO WROTE THE LATIN RULE FOR THE TEMPLARS, RIGHT? - THAT'S RIGHT. - HUGUES DE PAYENS WAS THE FIRST GRAND MASTER, OR LEADER, OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR ORDER. NEXT TO BERNARD DE CLAIRVAUX, WHO LOBBIED THE CHURCH FOR THE KNIGHTS' RECOGNITION, HE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE IN THE ORDER'S EARLY HISTORY. TODAY HE'S MOST REMEMBERED FOR CREATING A LIST OF RULES TEMPLAR KNIGHTS HAD TO ABIDE BY CALLED THE LATIN RULE. - HUGUES WENT TO THE HOLY LAND IN 1104. WHEN HE CAME BACK, HE CAME TO RAISE MORE KNIGHTS. HE MET WITH KING HENRY I OF ENGLAND, WHO GAVE HIM PERMISSION TO RAISE KNIGHTS IN FRANCE, ENGLAND, AND SCOTLAND AND GET THEM BACK TO THE HOLY LAND. - SO HE HAD TO GET MONEY TO GET THESE GUYS ALL PUT TOGETHER. - RIGHT, THE VERY NEXT YEAR, HE CAME HERE TO THE COUNCIL OF TROYES, AND THEN THEY RECOGNIZED THE TEMPLARS. I'M FINDING INFORMATION THAT OUR FAMILY, THE SINCLAIR FAMILY, DONATED MONEY AND LAND TO SOME IMPORTANT ABBEYS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. - IF THAT'S TRUE, THEN MEMBERS OF STEVE'S FAMILY COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN TEMPLARS THEMSELVES. THIS WOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE TO ME. CENTURIES AGO, THE SINCLAIR FAMILY HELPED BUILD ROSSLYN CHAPEL, A SCOTTISH CHURCH FEATURED IN<i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> THAT HAS A HOOKED X INSIDE. STEVE'S TEMPLAR CONNECTIONS DON'T STOP THERE. LAST YEAR, HE HELPED ME LOOK FOR THE HOLY GRAIL, SOMETHING HIS DISTANT RELATIVE PRINCE HENRY SINCLAIR WAS SAID TO HAVE BROUGHT TO NORTH AMERICA IN THE 15TH CENTURY FOR SAFEKEEPING. A TEAM OF TREASURE HUNTERS THOUGHT THEY HAD TRACKED THE GRAIL TO A WELL ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IN NOVA SCOTIA, AND EVEN THOUGH ALL SIGNS POINTED TO SOMETHING BEING DOWN THERE, DRILLING AND DIVING TURNED UP NOTHING THAT BROUGHT US CLOSER TO THE TREASURE. MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THE GRAIL IS THE CHALICE, OR CUP, JESUS DRANK FROM AT THE LAST SUPPER. BUT WHAT IF THE GRAIL ISN'T WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK IT IS? WHAT IF IT'S NOT A CHALICE, BUT THE BLOODLINE OF JESUS HIMSELF? MY RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THE TRUE MISSION OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR WAS NOT JUST TO PROTECT JERUSALEM, BUT THEY WERE ALSO GUARDING A VERY IMPORTANT SECRET: THE PHYSICAL BLOODLINE OF JESUS AND MARY. IN FACT, I THINK WHILE THEY WERE IN JERUSALEM, THEY FOUND SCROLLS THAT ACTUALLY SPEAK DIRECTLY TO JESUS AND MARY MAGDALENE BEING MARRIED AND HAVING A CHILD AND THAT THAT UNION REPRESENTED THE HOLY GRAIL. AND FOR HIM TO BE MARRIED WITH A CHILD, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CURTAINS FOR THE CHURCH. - I'M IN FRANCE, TRACKING THE HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR BEFORE THEY CAME TO AMERICA, A MISSION I BELIEVE THEY UNDERTOOK TO PROTECT A SECRET THAT COULD RUIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. I THINK THE TEMPLARS WERE PRIVY TO INFORMATION THAT JESUS AND MARY MAGDALENE HAD A CHILD. IT'S A SECRET THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THROUGH THE USE OF SYMBOLS LIKE THE HOOKED X, FOUND AT TEMPLAR SITES IN EUROPE AND ON RUNE STONES IN AMERICA-- LEGITIMATE RUNE STONES, NOT FAKE ONES LIKE THE ONE I EXAMINED IN PENNSYLVANIA. I THINK THE CHURCH THOUGHT THE TEMPLARS WERE ABOUT TO REVEAL THIS SECRET, AND THE THREAT OF THE BLOODLINE BEING EXPOSED IS WHAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THEIR ARREST ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, THEIR MURDER, AND, FOR THE LUCKY ONES, THEIR ESCAPE TO AMERICA. THE HOOKED X ISN'T THE ONLY CLUE THAT SUPPORTS THIS THEORY. RECENTLY I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING A SECOND SYMBOL, ONE THAT COULD SHED MORE LIGHT ON THIS MYSTERY, A SYMBOL THAT ILLUSTRATES JUST HOW MUCH THE TEMPLARS REVERED MARY MAGDALENE, WHOM I BELIEVE THEY WORSHIP IN MUCH THE SAME WAY AS JESUS. BUT I NEED TO FIND THIS SYMBOL HERE IN FRANCE FIRST BEFORE I CAN SHARE IT WITH STEVE. - WELL, YOU KNOW, SCOTT, WHEN PEOPLE BRING UP THE SUBJECT OF BLOODLINE, THE QUESTION IS ALWAYS THE SAME: WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE? AND I THINK I'VE GOT SOME. I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING A CHURCH THAT IS IN PARIS CALLED SAINT-MARTIN-DES-CHAMPS. LET'S CHECK THIS PLACE OUT. IT HAPPENS TO SIT ATOP SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING: A MEROVINGIAN NECROPOLIS, A BURIAL CHAMBER RIGHT UNDER THAT CHURCH. - MEROVINGIANS, AHA. WELL, THESE WERE THE RULING DYNASTIC FAMILIES OF FRANCE. LIKE SOME FAMILIES OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR, THE MEROVINGIANS ARE THOUGHT TO CARRY THE BLOODLINE OF JESUS. IF BOTH GROUPS ARE CONNECTED TO THIS CHURCH, THEY'RE SURELY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER, SO THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A GREAT SPOT TO FIND THE EVIDENCE I NEED TO HELP PROVE MY THEORY. - WELL, LISTEN, SCOTT. I'M ABOUT TO HEAD OFF TO A PLACE THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU. IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE TEMPLARS RIGHT AFTER THEY BECAME AN ORDER-- APPROVED BY THE CHURCH HERE AT TROYES-- AND IT LASTED UNTIL THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ORDER. IT'S CALLED THE COMMANDERIE D'ARVILLE. DO YOU WANT TO GO CHECK IT OUT? - I WOULD LOVE TO. AND I'M GONNA ASK A FRIEND TO JOIN US. I THINK HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD A LITTLE SOMETHING TO THIS DISCUSSION. - LET'S GO. - OKAY. [dramatic orchestral music] ♪ ♪ AFTER TALKING WITH STEVE ABOUT HIS FAMILY TIES TO THE TEMPLARS, I'M MORE CONVINCED THAN EVER THAT HIS STORY IS INTIMATELY TIED TO MY OWN QUEST TO UNCOVER THE TRUE MISSION OF THE ORDER. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BLOODLINE. MAYBE THERE WILL BE MORE TO LEARN IN VENDOME. THIS IS WHERE THE TEMPLARS CONDUCTED TRAINING EXERCISES BEFORE THEY WERE BANNED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, A DAY SOME STILL BELIEVE COULD BE CURSED. THIS IS A SUBJECT MY GOOD FRIEND ALAN BUTLER KNOWS PLENTY ABOUT. - ONE THING I KNOW ABOUT THIS PLACE, ALAN, IS THAT IT WAS FOUNDED-- THE COMMANDERIE D'ARVILLE WAS FOUNDED AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE COUNCIL OF TROYES. IS THAT RIGHT? - YEAH, YEAH. IT'S A VERY, VERY EARLY EXAMPLE. THE NAME ITSELF IS INTERESTING: COMMANDERIE. WHAT WOULD YOU DESCRIBE A COMMANDERIE AS, SCOTT? - BASICALLY I WOULD DESCRIBE IT AS A MEDIEVAL POLICE ACADEMY FOR THE KNIGHTS, WHERE THEY WERE HOUSED AND TRAINED. - YEAH, AND--AND IT WAS, BUT IT WAS VERY MUCH MORE AS WELL. THIS WAS A HUGE FARM IN ITS DAY: 2,500 ACRES GROWING ALL THE STUFF NECESSARY TO FEED ALL THE TEMPLARS AND THE HORSES. AND, IN FACT, IT CONTINUED RIGHT ON UNTIL THE END OF THE TEMPLARS ON FRIDAY THE 13TH OF OCTOBER, 1307. - MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE INFLUENCE THE TEMPLARS AND THE CISTERCIAN MONKS AFFILIATED WITH THEM HAD ON THE MEDIEVAL ECONOMY. THEIR EMBRACE OF AGRICULTURE AND SPECIFICALLY SHEEP FARMING AT PLACES LIKE THIS COMMANDERIE PROVIDED THE BACKBONE OF THE ENTIRE WOOL INDUSTRY IN MEDIEVAL TIMES. SOME PLACES, LIKE RIEVAULX ABBEY IN ENGLAND, HAD UPWARDS OF 14,000 SHEEP WHOSE SKINS WERE WIDELY SOUGHT FOR PARCHMENT. HERE, WOOL WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO MAKE CLOTHES TO OUTFIT THE KNIGHTS, SHEEP'S MILK USED FOR BUTTER AND CHEESE TO FEED THE KNIGHTS, AND SHEEPSKINS USED FOR BLANKETS TO KEEP THEM WARM. OVERALL, THE SUPPORT FOR AND TRAINING OF THE KNIGHTS WAS A MASSIVE OPERATION UNDERTAKEN BY PEOPLE WHO NEVER RAISED A WEAPON. ALL THE TEMPLARS WERE NOT KNIGHTS THAT CARRIED SWORDS AND FOUGHT THE CRUSADES LIKE EVERYBODY THINKS. IT WAS AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 20 PEOPLE THAT WERE NEEDED TO SUPPORT EACH TEMPLAR THAT WE THINK ABOUT THAT FOUGHT AT THE CRUSADES. SO AT THE HEIGHT OF THEIR ORDER, WE'RE TALKING AROUND 20,000 PEOPLE WHO WERE TEMPLARS. - SO, ALAN, YOU MENTIONED FRIDAY THE 13TH, 1307. IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THAT BEING THE ORIGINS OF FRIDAY THE 13TH BEING AN UNLUCKY DAY? - IN POPULAR IMAGINATION, THAT MAY BE SO, BUT IT ALREADY WAS UNLUCKY. THE NUMBER 13 WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PRE-CHRISTIAN, PAGAN NUMBER. - THE NUMBER 13 HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BEING BAD LUCK. IN NORSE MYTHOLOGY, THUNDER GOD THOR'S ARCHENEMY, LOKI, WAS THE UNINVITED 13TH GUEST AT A PARTY FOR 12. THERE HE CAUSED THE DEATH OF BALDER, THE GOD OF JOY, WHO WAS SHOT WITH A POISONOUS ARROW. AT THE LAST SUPPER, THERE WERE 13 PEOPLE: JESUS AND HIS 12 APOSTLES. JUDAS WAS THE 13TH GUEST, THE PERSON WHO ARRIVED LAST AND WOULD GO ON TO BETRAY JESUS. BUT PERHAPS THE MOST DEPLORABLE PAGAN BELIEF IN THE EYES OF THE CHURCH WAS THAT 13 REPRESENTED THE GODDESS, OR FEMALE DIVINITY, AN IDEA THE TEMPLARS WOULD GO ON TO EMBRACE WITH THEIR WORSHIP OF MARY MAGDALENE, WHOSE NAME STARTS WITH THE 13TH LETTER OF THE ALPHABET. - SO CONSEQUENTLY, THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH DIDN'T LIKE IT, AND FRIDAY WAS THE DAY CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED. SO TAKE THE TWO THINGS TOGETHER, YOU'VE GOT A SUPREMELY UNLUCKY DAY. - ESPECIALLY FOR THE TEMPLARS. - OH, ABSOLUTELY. - YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, GUYS, PRIOR TO THE PUTDOWN, AT THIS COMMANDERIE, THERE WERE A LOT OF TEMPLAR KNIGHTS HERE. - AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THERE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE IMPORTANT HERE AS WELL. - WHO WAS THAT? - LEONARDO DA VINCI. AND<i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> ASIDE, I CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW HE AND THE TEMPLARS REALLY CONNECT. - YOU'RE SAYING THAT LEONARDO DA VINCI CAME HERE TO THIS COMMANDERIE? I MEAN, I'VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT. - SO WE'RE LED TO BELIEVE. - WOW. WELL, OKAY, SO LEONARDO DA VINCI, HE WAS A SCULPTOR. HE WAS A PAINTER, A MATHEMATICIAN, AND DURING HIS TIME, ALL THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE WANTED HIS INFLUENCE OR HIS WORKS. AND, OF COURSE,<i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> NOVEL MADE FAMOUS DA VINCI'S<i> THE LAST SUPPER.</i> AND MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THE IDEA OF THE HOLY BLOODLINE BEING ENCODED WITHIN THAT ARTWORK ISN'T FICTION AT ALL, THAT IT MAY ACTUALLY BE TRUE. <i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> BY DAN BROWN IS ONE OF THE BEST-SELLING BOOKS OF MODERN TIMES. LEGIONS OF READERS FOUND THEMSELVES FASCINATED BY BROWN'S INCLUSION OF THE NOTION THAT DA VINCI'S REAL PAINTING<i> THE LAST SUPPER</i> SHOWS MARY MAGDALENE AT JESUS' SIDE, NOT JOHN THE BAPTIST AS TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT. AS THE STORY GOES, JESUS AND THE ALLEGED MARY TOGETHER FORM AN M, WHICH SIGNIFIES THE REAL HOLY GRAIL--THE HOLY BLOODLINE-- NOT A CUP OR CHALICE, WHICH IS NOTABLY ABSENT FROM THE PAINTING. WHETHER THE THEORY IS MORE FACT THAN FICTION DEPENDS ON WHOM YOU ASK. - ALAN, YOU'RE THE TEMPLAR HISTORIAN. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CONNECTION IS BETWEEN DA VINCI AND THE TEMPLARS? AND WHY WOULD HE HAVE BEEN HERE? - IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH LEONARDO, BUT THAT'S NOT TOO SURPRISING. LEONARDO LIVED AT THE END OF THE 15TH AND THE START OF THE 16TH CENTURY, AFTER, OF COURSE, THE TEMPLARS HAD BEEN MADE COMPLETELY ILLEGAL. THEY'D BEEN DRIVEN UNDERGROUND, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY STILL EXISTED, TO BE KNOWN TO ASSOCIATE WITH THEM WOULD MEAN CERTAIN DEATH AT THE HANDS OF THE INQUISITION. BUT WE KNOW FROM LEONARDO'S SCULPTURES AND PAINTINGS AND THE SYMBOLISM THAT HE PUT INTO HIS WORK THAT THERE ARE STRONG TEMPLAR INFLUENCES INVOLVED-- HIS ACCENT ON THE SACRED FEMININE. AND HE HAS THAT IN COMMON WITH THE TEMPLARS, WHO WE KNOW REVERED THE VIRGIN MARY AND ALSO MARY MAGDALENE. - WELL, ALAN, MY RESEARCH ACTUALLY SUPPORTS EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID. I BELIEVE THE TEMPLARS' WORSHIP OF MARY MAGDALENE WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR SPIRITUALITY, THAT SHE WAS THEIR GODDESS. I THINK THE TEMPLARS FELT SHE WAS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS JESUS, SOMETHING THAT SPELLED DISASTER FOR THEM SINCE CATHOLICISM IS A VERY PATRIARCHAL RELIGION. THE IMPORTANCE THEY PLACED ON THE BALANCE OF MALE AND FEMALE-- THE BALANCE OF OPPOSITES-- IS WHAT I THINK SEALED THE TEMPLARS' FATE ON FRIDAY THE 13TH, 1307. BUT GROUPS LIKE THE FREEMASONS HAVE MANAGED TO KEEP THE TEMPLARS' IDEALS ALIVE AND THEIR SECRETS SAFE. THEY'RE TWO GROUPS LINKED TOGETHER BOTH BY THEIR BELIEFS AND BY THEIR USE OF THE SACRED HOOKED X SYMBOL. AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT SYMBOLISM WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE TEMPLARS, AND IT CONTINUED ON WITH THE PEOPLE AFTER THE PUTDOWN. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, GUYS? DAN BROWN'S BOOK<i> THE DA VINCI CODE</i> MAY BE MORE FACT THAN FICTION. WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR HERE AT A PLACE WHERE THEY LIVED, TRAINED, AND WORSHIPPED IS AWE-INSPIRING FOR ME. WHAT STARTED FOR ME AS A MYSTERY OF A SINGLE SYMBOL, THE HOOKED X, HAS TURNED INTO SO MUCH MORE, INCLUDING A SEARCH FOR NEW CLUES THAT WE'RE FINDING RIGHT HERE IN THEIR HUMBLE CHURCH. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SYMBOLS IS THE CLOTHES THE TEMPLARS WORE. - AND THAT WAS DICTATED BY THE LATIN RULE. - THAT'S RIGHT, AND EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE MANY OTHER KNIGHTS THAT WEREN'T TEMPLARS THAT WORE DIFFERENT COLOR UNIFORMS LIKE BLACK AND BROWN, ONLY THE TEMPLARS COULD WEAR WHITE. AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS, THE RED CROSS THAT EVERYBODY IDENTIFIES WITH THE TEMPLARS THEY DIDN'T START WEARING UNTIL 1143. - AND THESE ARE REALLY INTERESTING COLORS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THE WHITE REPRESENTS CHASTITY, AND THE RED CROSS IS THE FEMININE QUALITY WITHIN RELIGION. - SO THE CLOTHING WAS A VERY IMPORTANT SYMBOL, BUT I'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE THAT'S JUST GONNA BLOW YOU GUYS AWAY. - YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HOOKED X? - I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE HOOKED X. COME WITH ME. - FOR YEARS, MY RESEARCH INTO THE TEMPLARS AND THEIR CONNECTION TO AMERICA HAS CENTERED ON A SINGLE SYMBOL, THE HOOKED X, WHICH I THINK REPRESENTS THEIR SECRET KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS' BLOODLINE, A SYMBOL I BELIEVE THEY PASSED ON TO FREEMASONS TODAY. BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY SYMBOL THEY PASSED ON THAT REPRESENTS THAT IDEA. ANOTHER LETTER OF THE ALPHABET HAS PIQUED MY INTEREST... A SYMBOL ALSO REPRESENTING THE BLOODLINE AND OFTEN HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT FOR THOSE WITH THE EYES TO SEE. HEY, GUYS. COME HERE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. JESUS. YOU SEE THE ROSE? SUB ROSA. UNDER THE ROSE, WHICH MEANS "IN SECRET." JESUS IS HIDING A SECRET. LOOK AT HIS HANDS. COME HERE. LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING. I WAS GOING TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING ON MY IPAD, BUT WHEN WE WALKED AROUND, I SAW IT ALL THROUGH THE CHURCH-- ALMOST EVERY SINGLE STATUE, IN SOME OF THE PAINTINGS. WHAT DID YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOKED OVER HERE? - WELL, SOME--HE'S GOT A TEMPLAR CROSS BEHIND HIS HEAD AND ON HIS ROBE. - AND I NOTICED THE BLEEDING HANDS BECAUSE OF THE STIGMATA. - RIGHT, BUT TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT HIS HANDS. HE'S MAKING A VERY IMPORTANT HAND GESTURE RIGHT HERE. THIS IS THE M SIGN, WHICH SYMBOLIZES MARY MAGDALENE AND THE STORY OF JESUS AND MARY MAGDALENE AND THEIR CHILD. THIS IS A SIGN THAT WAS INSTITUTED AND BEGAN TO BE USED IN PAINTING, IN ART, STARTING AFTER THE PUTDOWN OF 1307 OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR. THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE WHOLE BLOODLINE STORY, THE MARRIAGE OF JESUS AND MARY MAGDALENE, WENT UNDERGROUND, SUB ROSA. AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY KEPT THE SECRET ALIVE WAS THROUGH SYMBOLISM. ONE OF THESE WAS THE M SIGN. AND IT'S NOT A NATURAL HAND GESTURE. TRY IT ONCE. YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT, DON'T YOU? - YOU DO. - RIGHT. - SO WHOEVER PUT THIS INTO THE SCULPTURES AND THE PAINTINGS DID IT FOR A REASON. NOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY, "OH, THAT'S JUST AN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION." WELL, IT IS AN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION, BUT IT HAD TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? - ABSOLUTELY. - THIS IS WHERE I THINK IT CAME FROM. THIS IS THE WAY THEY PRESERVED THE STORY ABOUT THE BLOODLINE OF JESUS AND MARY AND THEIR CHILD. - SO THIS IS A CODE, IN ESSENCE. - ESSENTIALLY, YEAH. IT'S A CODED SYMBOL. IT'S A SECRET THAT JESUS HAS IN THAT STATUE. NOW LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING ELSE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. THESE PICTURES ARE FROM A CHURCH IN FRANCE CALLED SAINT-REMI. WHAT DO YOU SEE THERE? - THE M SIGN...FIVE OF THEM. - YOU SEE THE M SIGN FIVE TIMES HERE. M SIGN, M SIGN, M SIGN, M SIGN, M SIGN. AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU ONE MORE THING. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS FULL LIFE-SIZE SCULPTURE. WHAT DO YOU SEE THERE? - WELL, IT'S OBVIOUSLY JUST AFTER CHRIST HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND I PRESUME THAT THESE PEOPLE ROUNDABOUT ARE THE HOLY FAMILY. - SHE'S IN THE MIDDLE, AND SHE HAS A HALO. - YES. - THAT'S MARY MAGDALENE. - IT HAS TO BE MARY MAGDALENE, DOESN'T IT? - WHO ELSE COULD SHE BE? I MEAN, LOGICALLY... - THIS SCULPTURE WAS MADE, AND IT ENDED UP IN A TEMPLAR COMMANDERIE JUST LIKE THIS. AND IT PRESERVES THE STORY, THE SAME STORY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. - HOLD ON A MINUTE, THOUGH. THIS LADY LOOKS DISTINCTLY PREGNANT. - SHE'S VERY PREGNANT. - IN THAT CASE, ONE IS FORCED TO ASK THE QUESTION HERE IN A TEMPLAR CHURCH. IF THIS IS A PREGNANT MARY MAGDALENE, I WANT TO KNOW... WHO IS THAT? - WELL, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S THE VIRGIN MARY AND BABY JESUS. I THINK THAT'S MARY MAGDALENE AND JESUS' CHILD.
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Channel: HISTORY
Views: 233,152
Rating: 4.7116404 out of 5
Keywords: history, history channel, history shows, history channel shows, america unearthed, history america unearthed, america unearthed show, america unearthed full episodes, america unearthed clips, full episodes, season 3 episode 12, season 3, episode 12, America Unearthed, America Unearthed full episode, America unearthed season 3, America unearthed episode 12, america unearthed history, cryptic symbols, templar secrets, temple, Scott Wolter, Forensic Geologist, season finale
Id: pj1smSN0ZIg
Channel Id: undefined
Length: 42min 5sec (2525 seconds)
Published: Sun Mar 28 2021
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