Mysteries of the Tayos Caves

The Lost Civilizations Where the Andes Meet the Amazon

By: Alex Chionetti, Javier Sierra - foreword

Narrated by: Luke Bob Robinson

A detailed examination of the controversial expeditions to the Tayos Cave complex in Ecuador and the treasures glimpsed in its depths

• Reconstructs the expeditions from the 1960s and ’70s, including the Mormon Church’s search for lost tablets, Stanley Hall’s quest with Neil Armstrong, and sightings of a metal library, books of gold, copper plates, and a quartz sarcophagus
• Explores connections to Atlantis, Ancient Astronauts, and the Hollow Earth theory and the possibility of tunnel networks that extend from the Rocky Mountains to Patagonia

The Cuevas de los Tayos is a cavern complex in the Amazon rain forest of Ecuador. Named for the tayos, the oil birds that reside within them, these caves have countless enigmas connected with them, from the discovery of inexplicable architectural details, to claims of curses and treasures, to dangerous encounters with the indigenous people, the Shuar, for whom the caves are sacred.

Sharing his more than 30 years of research into the Tayos Caves as well as his own explorations, Alex Chionetti examines the legends and mysteries associated with this site and the explorers who have ventured within. He details the discovery of the Tayos Cave complex by Hungarian explorer Janos Juan Moricz in the 1960s, including Moricz’s claims of finding a metal library with books of gold. Exploring the oral tradition of the Shuar, he explains how this region was the possible origin of Incan culture and the legend of El Dorado. The author shares his own dangerous explorations within the Tayos Caves, and, drawing on unpublished interviews with speleologist Julio Goyén Aguado, he reconstructs the expeditions of the 1960s and ’70s, revealing the Mormon Church’s search for lost tablets, a British army incursion, and sightings of paintings, gold statues and skeletons, copper plates, and a quartz sarcophagus--treasures akin to the Crespi treasure. The author also shares details from Stanley Hall’s suspicious expedition in 1976, which included astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Investigating the lost civilizations behind the Tayos treasures, Chionetti explores the possible connections to Atlantis, aliens, Ancient Astronauts, and the Hollow Earth theory; the caves’ links with hermetic societies; and claims of tunnel networks that extend thousands of miles through both American continents, from the Rocky Mountains to Patagonia. Sharing a real-life adventure story wilder than an Indiana Jones plot, the author shows that Earth’s ancient past has many secrets waiting to be uncovered.

©2019 Alex Chionetti. All Rights Reserved. (P)2019 Inner Traditions Audio. All Rights Reserved.

Critic reviews

"Mysteries of the Tayos Caves by Alex Chionetti is an utterly fascinating book that delves into the amazing history, legends, stories and traditions of the vast Tayos Cave system in the Amazon and the spectacular treasures and earth-shattering secrets said to be hidden there. The book also chronicles the author’s own harrowing exploration of the cave system. From beginning to end, a gripping read!" (Douglas Preston, number one best-selling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God)

“Alex Chionetti is a real old-fashioned explorer who brings to life the incredible tales of the Tayos cave system in the Amazon through his adventures and expeditions but also as a protagonist and witness to a disappearing world rich with legends, traditions, and an amazing history. Mysteries of the Tayos Caves is a real archaeological detective adventure set in the most remote reaches of the Amazonian jungle.” (Richard C. Wiese, president of the Explorers Club and host of Born to Explore, PBS)

“As a person who has spent decades looking for a legend, I can appreciate Alex’s tenacity about the mystery of the Tayos. Alex leaves no stone unturned and explores every crevice of the Tayos story.” (Steve Elkins, American cinematographer and explorer)

Disappointment

I had a lot of difficulty getting past the narrator's mispronunciation of many common words. Having read Von Daniken in a different life as well as similar books, I found myself wondering how much of this book was "Ancient Aliens" type material. I really wanted to like this book but I am so tired of true fake news and false conspiracy theories and other types of misinformation that I just couldn't get through it.