FINDING LOST CIVILIZATIONS This

owl. After digging for about fifteen minutes I unearthed apottery fragment and a small, dirt-covered circular object. Iretrieved a water bottle from my backpack and poured waterover the item. Amazed I saw that the object was a humantooth. I sat down, leaned against the sacrificial boulder, andclosed my eyes. In my hand I held a sacrifice, an offering toa god. I asked myself how many sacrifices had been madeat this spot. How much blood had run down this boulderand stained the very ground I sat on? I sensed fear aroundme and felt the vibration of pure terror swelling from theground. I slowly rose from the ground and let the tooth fallfrom my hand. I kept walking and did not look back until Ireached the main trail. How many? I asked. How many havebeen killed in the name of a god?As I walked away from the Sanctuary following a pathconsidered by many as sacred, I unexpectedly came upona Huichol Indian Shaman dressed in native clothes. I don’tknow why, but as we came abreast of each other I raisedmy palms to him and with one hand I pointed to the skyand with the other I pointed to the earth. He looked at meand with a nod of affirmation he gently placed his hand onmy left shoulder as he continued on his path. Apprehension96