El Dorado (Lost Worlds and Mysterious Civilizations) (Hardcover)
El Dorado, the South American Lost City of Gold, became a siren call for Spanish conquistadores eager to obtain fame and fortune by discovering the undiscoverable. Lives and fortunes were lost, reputations were made and lost, but El Dorado always seemed to be tantalizingly out of reach. With the original story growing out of a religious ritual practiced by Indians living in present-day Bogota, the tales and rumors of this gold-laden city were soon embellished by their tellers, and soon, men went in search of a city filled with untold fortunes. El Dorado explores the origins of the legend of the golden city, tells the thrilling stories of the explorers who risked their lives for gold, and includes information on the latest archaeological discoveries that seem to indicate the very real possibility that the legend being chased may have been real after all.