ANCIENT SKIES

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 3, Number 2
Date: May-June, 1976
Publisher: Official Logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society
Country: USA

Deus Est Machina?

This article, by George T. Sassoon and Rodney Dale, explores the hypothesis that the biblical manna, described in Exodus 16:35, was not a divine provision but the product of a sophisticated machine. The authors dismiss traditional explanations, such as secretions from insects on tamarisk trees or the lichen Lecanora esculenta, due to their lack of protein and seasonal availability, which do not align with the biblical description of manna as 'bread' and a staple food for a nation.

Kabbalistic Interpretation

The authors turn to the Kabbalah, particularly the Sepher-ha-Zohar, for an alternative explanation. They interpret the descriptions of the 'Ancient of Days' within these texts not as a deity but as a mechanical device. The term 'QBLH' is translated as 'that which is received,' and the authors posit that the detailed physical descriptions found in texts like the Aramaic Cremona Codex (1558) and its derivatives (Kabbalah Denudata, Kabbalah Unveiled) are of a machine in anthropomorphic terms.

This reasoning is supported by the observation that non-technological people often use anthropomorphic language to describe complex machinery, citing the Apache Indians' descriptions of car parts.

The Manna-Making Machine

Based on verses 51-73 of the book 'HADRA ZVTA QDISHA' (Lesser Holy Assembly), the authors reconstruct a 'manna-making machine.' The description involves a 'skull' with a 'white head' from which 'dew' distills into a 'small-faced one.' This dew is then processed, possibly involving irradiation of algae cultures (like Chlorella) to produce a substance that can be converted into a 'honey-and-wafers' flavor, consistent with Exodus 16:31.

The machine is described with components such as an upper and lower skull, an upper brain where dew distills, and a lower part containing 'heavenly oil.' The 'microprosopus' (small-faced one) has a hard skull with fire and air, and its oil changes color from white to red. Manna collects in 'hosts' (testicles) and is drawn through a 'penis.' The 'bride' or woman is described as having hairs of many colors that terminate in gold.

The machine was designed to provide an 'omer' of manna per day per family for 600 families, equivalent to about 1.5 cubic meters of manna daily. The text suggests the machine could be stopped, cleaned, and put back on-stream, with a system for daily supply and slow filling to ensure Sabbath availability.

The Machine's Fate

After the Israelites left the desert, the machine was no longer needed and stopped working, as noted in Joshua 5:12. It was later kept at Shiloh, captured by the Philistines who returned it due to afflictions (including a plague of 'emerods' and 'diarrhoea'), and then reinstated as a ritual object at Jerusalem by King David. Solomon built the first Temple to house it, but it was destroyed when the Temple was sacked around 600 BCE.

Modern Parallels and Speculation

The article draws a parallel to modern technology, suggesting that machines of this type would be essential for spacecraft, providing both oxygen and food. It mentions Soviet scientists constructing such a machine for a space laboratory, though the cultures were not consumed. The authors acknowledge the temptation to speculate about extraterrestrial visitors providing the machine but prefer to await further research.

Evidence of Ancient Astronauts (by Walter Joerg Langbein)

Walter Joerg Langbein presents three categories of evidence for ancient astronaut visits: mythological, archaeological, and advanced knowledge.

Mythological Evidence

Myths from China, Greece, Sudan, Polynesia, and Finland describe gods arriving in 'flying eggs' or 'air ships.' Examples include the Chinese 'boneless HSU,' the Greek goddess Thetis emerging from a 'flying egg,' and the Polynesian god Oro descending in a 'heavenly ship.' The Sudanese myth of 'Nommo' landing on flat areas and a flying egg bursting upon landing are also cited.

Archaeological Evidence

Artifacts and discoveries worldwide suggest advanced technology beyond ancient capabilities. These include gold-plated pieces from a Chimu grave in Peru, an aluminum belt from ChouChou, China, and rock drawings depicting astronauts, such as those in Val Camonica, Italy, and caves in Varzelandia, Brazil. A drawing in Brazil is said to be an exact sketch of the planetary system. The Assyrians are credited with knowing about planetary ellipses and parallax for distance measurement. Ancient batteries were found near Bagdad, and mathematical knowledge of Pythagoras was known 1500 years before his birth. A ten-thousand-year-old drawing in Barental, Germany, determined pi to be 3.141.

Advanced Knowledge

Biblical texts, particularly the original Hebrew, are also considered mythological. Langbein translates a passage suggesting Eve's son Seth was conceived from 'alien sperm cells.' The author concludes that an outside influence, likely alien, educated ancient ancestors, and that human intellect atrophied when this influence was removed.

Publication Offers and Events

Mundo Desconocido Award: A new publication in Barcelona, Spain, is offering an International Author's Contest for unpublished manuscripts in fields like ancient astronauts and ufology. The prize is 500,000 Spanish pesetas (approx. US$7,500), and the winning manuscript will be published by ATE Editors. Manuscripts must be 200-500 pages and submitted in duplicate by October 30, 1976.

Fourth World Conference: The Fourth International Congress of the Ancient Astronaut Society is scheduled to be held at the Hotel National, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 22-26, 1977.

European Membership: Members in Europe can pay dues directly to a specified Swiss bank account. Those wishing to speak at the World Conference should submit a two-page summary of their papers.

Mayan Adventure: An exciting Mayan adventure to Yucatan and Palenque is planned for November 19-28, 1976, with details to be announced.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the exploration of ancient technologies, the reinterpretation of religious and mythological texts through a scientific and technological lens, and the presentation of evidence for ancient extraterrestrial contact. The magazine's stance is one of critical inquiry, seeking to uncover hidden meanings in ancient records and artifacts, and presenting these findings to its readership for consideration. The articles suggest a belief that ancient civilizations possessed knowledge and technology far beyond what is commonly accepted, possibly due to external influence from advanced beings or civilizations.