Hidden History

More Secret Pyramid Chambers?

Greg — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:29:27 +0000

French architect Jean Pierre Houdin and his co-researcher Bob Brier are seeking permission from Egyptian authorities to use an infrared camera in order to find confirming evidence for his theory that the Great Pyramid was built using an internal ramp. He has already had some confirmation via a 1986 investigation that used microgravimetry, which seemed to show a spiraling structure within the pyramid, as well as a new interpretation of a strange 'chamber' two thirds of the way up one of the edges of the Great Pyramid:

At about the 300-foot (90-meter) mark on the northeastern edge lies an open notch. On a recent expedition with a National Geographic film crew, Brier — aided by a videographer with mountain-climbing experience — scaled perilous crumbling rocks to reach the notch. Ducking inside the notch, Brier entered a small L-shaped room.

He wasn't the first to visit the space, but until now Egyptologists had taken little notice of it. Houdin, the architect, said the feature figures perfectly with his theory. For the interior tunnel to work, it would have required open areas at the Great Pyramid's four corners, Houdin says. Otherwise the blocks wouldn't have been able to clear the 90-degree turns.

Like railroad roundhouses, these open corners would have given workers room to pivot the blocks—perhaps using wooden cranes—so the stones could be pushed into the next tunnel. The notch and room are remnants of one such opening, Houdin claims. They are located at one of the spots where Houdin's 3-D computer models suggest they should be.

Inside the corner space, which was apparently walled in as the pyramid was completed, there should be two tunnel entrances at right angles to one another—each leading to a section of the internal ramp, Houdin believes. Perhaps all that stands between him and the solution to the mystery are massive blocks that thousands of years ago sealed the tunnel, Houdin said.

Houdin and Brier are seeking "authorization, by the Egyptian authorities, to stay around for 18 hours, close to the pyramid, with a cooled infrared camera based on an SUV and to take images of three [pyramid] faces every hour during this period...A green light from Cairo and the Great Pyramid mystery is over." Sounds simple, but we know that our old friend Dr Zahi Hawass isn't so amenable...remember the name Gantenbrink, by any chance? Last year Dr Hawass was quoted as saying (in regards to the Houdin theory):

It makes sense, but not great sense. Everybody can have a theory, you have 300 people and 99 percent of them are non-specialists, I cannot let them all go onto the site... I cannot allow these people to check their theories unless they have a well-known institution backing them.

Or at least without letting Zahi take some credit for the discovery...

Previously on TDG:

Nova on the 'Hobbit'

Greg — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:02:41 +0000

The excellent PBS series Nova this week features the investigation and controversy over the Flores 'Hobbit' discovery, in "Alien From Earth". As usual, accompanying the television feature is extended material on their website, which is well worth a visit. You can even submit a question to my former lecturer, Dr Mike Morwood, co-discoverer of the controversial remains. For those without access to PBS, I'm not sure if the show will be available to watch online after it airs, as some other features are - but probably worth checking back to the website later this week to see.

'Jesus Bone Box' Hoax Case Collapses?

Greg — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:46:01 +0000

The case against two Israeli antiquities dealers accused of faking an ossuary which some believe to be that of the brother of Jesus looks set to collapse, after the Jerusalem judge presiding over the trial advised the prosecution to drop the charges against them (though it's worth pointing out - contrary to the news article linked - that the James Ossuary on its own offers no proof of Jesus' existence, given the common nature of the names):

"Have you really proved beyond a reasonable doubt that these artifacts are fakes as charged in the indictment? The experts disagreed among themselves. Where is the definitive proof needed to show that the accused faked the ossuary?" Judge Farkash asked prosecutor Damti. "You need to ask yourselves those questions very seriously, and if necessary consult with your superiors in the public prosecutor's office."

The case began in December 2004 when the Israeli State Prosecutor's Office indicted 'discoverer' Oled Golan for antiquities forgery, after the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) concluded that the inscription on the ossuary was a recent addition. Many have argued against the IAA's assertion, including the influential Biblical Archaeology Society, led by Hershel Shanks (they have, understandably, quickly reported on this news themselves). Geologist James Harrell has also previously given his own thoughts on why the IAA case was weak.

Previously on TDG:

Time and Mind 1:3

Greg — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:09:19 +0000

The third issue of the new journal Time and Mind has just been released for purchasing, and has a lot of content which TDG readers will no doubt be interested in. Articles include:

"Music and Altered States: Consciousness, Transcendence, Therapy and Addictions", by Benny Shanon.
"Midsummer Sunset at Neolithic Jericho", by Ran Barkai and Roy Liran.
"Encoding a Neolithic Landscape: The Linearity of Burial Monuments along Strumble Head, South-west Wales", by George Nash.
"The Observance of Light: A Ritualistic Perspective on 'Imperfectly' Aligned Passage Tombs", by Robert Hensey.

Remember that you can check out the quality of the magazine by downloading some of the fascinating articles from Issue 1, which are available free of charge.

Discover: The Bosnian Pyramid

Greg — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:37:24 +0000

Discover magazine has done an extensive piece on the 'Bosnian Pyramid' controversy which covers the influence of Semir 'Sam' Osmanagich in the publicity given to the story over the past couple of years, and also the role that nationalism has played in acceptance of the story:

At a time when Bosnia’s postwar morale is low, there is great appeal in Osmanagich’s message. According to his foundation’s Web site, 400,000 people visited the “pyramid valley” in 2007, although that figure is unverified. The pyramids provide the national myth that Bosnians have always lacked, plus an influx of money and an exciting new chapter in archaeology.

Except for one thing: Numerous top archaeologists and geologists point out that the pyramids are hills and nothing more.

Who is Sam Osmanagich, how has he become a national player in Bosnia’s heritage, and how have these pyramids—which so many experts believe are not pyramids at all—gained such a following?

The article is written from a distinct bias against the claims of Osmanagich, which the writer doesn't conceal. "Osmanagich’s popularity and influence have continued to grow, and as they do, the most significant criticism now comes from a ring of anonymous bloggers who keep a meticulous record of the pyramid phenomenon," the article states. "They regularly send e-mail updates of their investigation to a small group of international scientists and journalists, and this writer is one of them." Later in the article, when it is mentioned that another exciting archaeological find is near the pyramid hill, any possible link is not even contemplated...the writer only describes it as "ironic".

Having said that, the article does raise some good points about the role that politics is playing in the affair, and also points out that Osmanagich likes to drift on the breeze between putting across a scientific image, and a distinct New Age one. The various controversies that have surrounded the excavation, along with opinions from people I trust, lead me to be skeptical of the claims of Osmanagich (though open to good evidence) - although it seems I'm in a minority here. The Bosnian Pyramid team really need to openly publish the results of their investigation, with some solid evidence as to why they should be taken seriously.

Previously on TDG:

Also see Robert Schoch's detailed report in our PDF magazine Sub Rosa (download Issue 6).

The Stoned Age

Greg — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:13:36 +0000

As Kat reported earlier in the week, a news story which got a bit of hype said that scientists had discovered evidence suggesting Stone Age man used herbal mixtures to get high. The article lead off with the following statement: "It has long been suspected that humans have an ancient history of drug use, but there has been a lack of proof to support the theory."

Now this *is* news to me - because I recently published an updated version of Paul Devereux's absolutely brilliant book on the history of shamanic drug use, The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia (Amazon US and Amazon UK). In the book, Paul mentions a fair bit of evidence of "an ancient history of drug use", so this story seems a fair way off-base. Perhaps they meant to say "in the New World", but even that doesn't add up. From The Long Trip:

Archaeological evidence confirms the use of hallucinogens in the Americas from almost the Clovis time line. This is best indicated by the so-called Red Bean or Mescal Bean...about a dozen or so finds of the seeds have been uncovered in association with evidence of human occupation in caves and rock shelters in Trans-Pecos Texas and northern Mexico giving radiocarbon dates to 8440 B.C. ... and also with finds of peyote dating to 5000 B.C.

...The use of 'sacred' mushrooms is one of the strongest Native American hallucinogenic traditions. The antiquity of their ritual use is strongly hinted at by curious 'mushroom stones', about three hundred of which have been found to date, from highland Guatemal, southern and western Mexcio, Honduras and El Salvador...Most are between twelve and fifteen inches in height, and date from the first millenium B.c. until about the time when the Spanish arrived. The chronicle of the Spanish priest Bernardo Sahagun in the late sixteenth century tells of the sacred mushrooms of the Aztecs. They called them teonanacatl, 'flesh of the gods'.

...Peyote is one of the best known of Native American hallucinogens...The cactus has been recorded in stone as art in Mesoamerican tombs dating to 100 B.C. and is represented on a ceramic snuffing pipe from Monte Alban, Oaxaca, dating to 500 B.C.

...One of the hallucinogens to have had the longest use in the Americas is undoubtedly Trichocereus pachanoi, known in norther coastal Peru as San Pedro... This is indicated on an engraved stone panel in the wall of the circular sunken plaza of the Old Temple at Chavin de Huantar, which was built in the first millennium B.C. In this panel, a piece of the long, ribbed cactus is shown being grasped by a visionary human-animal being which has jaguar fangs - the jaguar is a motif strongly associated with South American shamanism. (see image to the left)

This is just a small sample from The Long Trip - Paul goes in to much more detail, and it truly is eye-opening to learn how most ancient cultures around the world venerated the psychedelic shamanic experience.

Learn more about this fascinating part of the 'hidden history' of human culture by picking up a copy of The Long Trip from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

The Secret of the Great Pyramid

Greg — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:02:44 +0000

Just noticed this book on Amazon, released last week: The Secret of the Great Pyramid, by Bob Brier and Jean-Pierre Houdin (Amazon US and UK). The 'secret' of the book's title is Houdin's theory about how the Great Pyramid was built:

Nine years ago, French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin became obsessed by the centuries-old mystery of how the Great Pyramid was built. For ten hours a day, he labored at his computer to create exquisitely detailed 3-D models of the interior of the Great Pyramid. After five years of effort, the images rotating on his computer screen provided evidence of an astonishing secret. Corkscrewing up the inside of the Great Pyramid is a mile-long ramp, unseen for 4,500 years. The pyramid was built from the inside. This revelation casts a fresh light on the minds that conceived one of the wonders of the ancient world.

...As we follow the progress of Hemienu, the innovative architect who planned, organized, and oversaw construction of the Great Pyramid, we also follow Houdin working to discover how and why the ancient architect designed the Pyramid as he did. Houdin works as a forensic architect, aiming to reconstruct the lessons Hemienu had learned from construction of three previous pyramids and to visualize his blueprint for the massive stone building. In the process, Houdin also discovers the answers to other questions that have bedeviled Egyptologists for centuries: such as what was the purpose of the mysterious Grand Gallery and when did the Pyramid crack? Along the way, Houdin receives the support of a pathbreaking French software company, which helps him validate his theory virtually—a first in archaeology!

The story of genius and obsession in the ancient and modern world, this archaeological mystery will appeal to anyone who has ever been captivated by this magnificent edifice.

I haven't followed Egyptology too closely lately, so can't comment too much on the theory. Itching to get back into it though, so I might just have to check this one out. Either that or pick up my book on learning hieroglyphs again...

7000 Years Before Stonehenge: Unveiling Göbekli Tepe

Greg — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:43:42 +0000

I've been sitting back over recent months wondering when the Turkish archaeological site of Göbekli Tepe might receive more mainstream press attention. Finally, Archaeology Magazine has done somewhat of a feature on this fascinating site, although it's still fairly light on information. It does, though, have some excellent images of the carvings on the megaliths. (For the Google Earth/World Atlas users out there, you can find the site at 37.223300N, 38.922400E, and there are also photos accessible through the Google Earth interface).

The reason I've been waiting for more hype is that Göbekli Tepe is a megalithic site (with actual 'stone circles') which predates both Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt by at least 7000 years - and has been known about since 1994! Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid both have construction dates around the 3rd millennium BCE (although Stonehenge had many stages of building). The construction of the megaliths (most around 2 to 3 metres high) at Göbekli Tepe has been dated to 10,000BCE. This raises some serious questions about currently accepted theories regarding early Neolithic peoples, from their religious and social practices through to their technical and artistic abilities. In contrast, Nabta Playa seemed to get far more media attention in the wake of its discovery.

One of the few decent sources of information that you'll find online is this 2007 Fortean Times article, written by Sean Thomas. The article points out two fascinating (and in some ways, mysterious) aspects of the site: Firstly, that it was *intentionally* buried around 8000BCE. According to chief archaeologist Klaus Schmidt:

The really strange thing is that in 8,000BC, during the shift to agriculture, Gobekli Tepe was buried. I mean deliberately – not in a mudslide. For some reason the hunters, or the ex-hunters, decided to entomb the entire site in soil. The earth we are removing from the stones was put here by man himself: all these hills are artificial.

Looking at the Google Earth imagery of the site, it seems likely that there are still many more significant discoveries awaiting excavation of the area. And it's a good lesson in what may also be awaiting discovery in other other places, such as under the sands of Egypt and in flooded ocean areas of the late Ice Age.

The second interesting point Thomas reveals in his article is that archaeologists found a 9 metre megalith in situ at the quarry, which apparently broke during excavation and so was not used. That may not quite rival the 'Stone of the South' at Baalbek, but that's still a massive undertaking, especially in the supposedly primitive time of 10,000BCE. Remember when Robert Schoch was shouted down by the 'orthodoxy' about his age of the Sphinx argument, because there were no precedents to construction on that scale before 3000BCE? In fact, Göbekli Tepe sounds like it would have been front and centre in Graham Hancock's Fingerprints of the Gods, if it had been discovered at the time of writing. The interesting question is - where are the other traces of megalithic culture from the 8000 to 3000BCE period?

One last twist in the tale of Göbekli Tepe is that there seems to be some quite serious discussion that it may have been the model for the tale of the Biblical 'Garden of Eden'. As Thomas writes:

Back in the taxi, I make my final journey to Gobekli. On the way, I put all the jigsaw pieces together. Taking into account the Biblical links, the history and topography of the region, the evidence of very early domestication hereabouts, and the data from the site itself, Gobekli Tepe is arguably a temple located within the “Garden of Eden”.

Or, let’s put it another way: the story of Eden is a folk-memory, and an allegory, and it tells us of our glorious hunter-gatherer past in this once-fertile corner of Anatolia, before our own activities cast us into a harsher world. Gobekli Tepe celebrates and remembers a wonderful time of plenty, when we had leisure enough to learn the arts, and to cultivate a complex religion, even if we didn’t know how to make pots. And then we fell into farming.

For those interested in seeing some video of Göbekli Tepe, I've included a two-part YouTube posting beneath (with German language narration however):

Hopefully we'll start hearing more and more about this fascinating archaeological dig in the mainstream media soon (though no doubt they'll all play on the 'Garden of Eden' aspect rather than concentrate on the mystery of the site's construction date).

Stonehenge Smackdown

Greg — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:53:00 +0000

Coming hard on the heels of the recent suggestion that Stonehenge was a place of healing, comes a new archaeological report which explicitly dismisses the idea, and instead says the famous megalithic site was a cremation cemetery. In fact, the archaeologists involved in the latest dig seem rather bothered by the whole 'Stonehenge as Neolithic Lourdes' theory:

The report said: "Contrary to claims made in the recent BBC Timewatch film, which promoted a theory of Stonehenge as a healing centre built after the practice of cremation burial had ceased, standing stones and burial may have been prominent aspects of Stonehenge's meaning and purpose for a millenium."

Mike Pitts, one of the authors of the study and editor of British Archaelogy, said that the study overturned previous theory over Stonehenge.

"This means there were earlier connections with Wales, where the standing stones came from, than previously thought and that Stonehenge was always about death and ancestors and burial and not healing," he said.

For their part, the healing center proponents palmed off the attack on their theory. Geoffrey Wainwright, one of the archaelogists involved, dismissed the new refutation, saying "We do not claim Stonehenge was a single use monument...we think it was a multifunctional monument and part of its purpose was for healing." Ding, ding, there's the bell for the end of round 1!

And let's not forget about this up and coming challenger too...

Christ the Magician

Greg — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:01:35 +0000

Renowned marine archaeologist Frank Goddio has unearthed (unwatered?) a controversial object which may link early Christianity to magickal pagan traditions. His team has found a bowl in the waters off Alexandria that is engraved with what they believe "could be the world's first known reference to Christ":

The full engraving on the bowl reads, "DIA CHRSTOU O GOISTAIS," which has been interpreted by the excavation team to mean either, "by Christ the magician" or, "the magician by Christ." "It could very well be a reference to Jesus Christ, in that he was once the primary exponent of white magic," Goddio, co-founder of the Oxford Center of Maritime Archaeology, said.

...Both Goddio and Egyptologist David Fabre, a member of the European Institute of Submarine Archaeology, think a "magus" could have practiced fortune telling rituals using the bowl. The Book of Matthew refers to "wisemen," or Magi, believed to have been prevalent in the ancient world.

According to Fabre, the bowl is also very similar to one depicted in two early Egyptian earthenware statuettes that are thought to show a soothsaying ritual.

"It has been known in Mesopotamia probably since the 3rd millennium B.C.," Fabre said. "The soothsayer interprets the forms taken by the oil poured into a cup of water in an interpretation guided by manuals." He added that the individual, or "medium," then goes into a hallucinatory trance when studying the oil in the cup.

The finding is rather speculative at this point though, with the article quoting other scholars with completely different interpretations.