World's longest underwater cave discovered in Mexico - could shed light on Mayan civilization

Daily Mail ^ | 17 January 2018 | Jennifer Newton

[BitWielder1]

Does it mean that oceans rising or land sinking pre-dated SUV's?

[Bethaneidh]

Really. Puff piece. Raises questions. Answers none.

[fidelis]

"How does a cave help us understand their rich culture?"

From the article:

The Yucatan peninsula is studded with monumental relics of the Maya people, whose cities drew upon an extensive network of sinkholes linked to subterranean waters known as cenotes.

Some cenotes acquired particular religious significance to the Maya, whose descendants continue to inhabit the region.

[Telepathic Intruder]

"It is hoped that the discovery will further understanding of the development of the rich culture of the region, which was dominated by the Maya civilisation before the Spanish conquest."

And I had always assumed that the Mayans lived above the water.

[mairdie]

I never expect a piece to answer my questions. Only to introduce me to some new idea that I can follow as far as my interest sustains.

[TigersEye]

Sea levels began to rise 18k years ago at the end of the last glacial period. They have risen about 440 ft. since then.

It's not really news to real scientists.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Thanks for info. I figured the global warming people talk of rising sea levels as if they never happened before, and are all due to man made Activity.

[TigersEye]

They definitely do talk about it like it's never happened before. Here's what I've posted about the average rise over 18k years vs. the current rate of rise.

Sea levels began to rise 18k years ago at the end of the last glacial period. They have risen about 135 meters since then which is an average of 7.5 millimeters per year. That is an average of 750 mm per century (29.5 inches) which is far more than the average over the last century.

From 1880 to 2000 sea level rose about 20 cm or just under 8 inches. Far less than the nearly 30 inches per century average over the last 18,000 years.

The most recent data from NASA shows a decline in sea level.

Inconvenient: NASA shows global sea level…pausing, instead of rising

[Coffee... Black... No Sugar]

... I typically don’t make it about me, but the missus and I have dived this location. It was unsettling knowing that “up” was unavailable at times. I’d do it again. She would not.

Because the dive trip was quickly planned I didn’t do a huge bit of research. I am very pleased to learn this new information. Thank you for posting.

[mairdie]

You have guts others just dream of having. And props to your wife for doing it once!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks mairdie.

[Tallguy]

Correct. The system flooded later on.

[Tallguy]

Did you stick to the cavern, or did you push into the cave system? I had a chance to do a cenote dive a while ago, but chose to stick to ocean dives. I wasn’t traveling with any of my regular dive buddies and therefore wasn’t looking to do a challenging dive.

[bert]

——how?——

In his Book of Marvels, the Occident, Richard Halliburton noted a deep pit into which virgins and treasure were sacrificially deposited as Mayan ritual.

The pit is an opening into the labyrinthian system of underground streams. Study of the pit gives insight into the Mayan culture