Ancient Skies - Vol 03 No 6 - 1976-77

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 3, Number 6
Date: January-February, 1977
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of ANCIENT SKIES, the official logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society, delves into the concept of time dilation as potentially described in ancient texts, featuring a prominent article by Erich von Daniken. The magazine also provides an overview of the Ancient Astronaut Society itself, its history, objectives, and activities, including conferences and expeditions.

Time Dilation in Ancient Texts by Erich von Daniken

Erich von Daniken, author of "Chariots of the Gods?" and other influential books, explores the scientific theorem of time dilation – the phenomenon where time passes more slowly for individuals traveling at speeds close to the speed of light compared to those on a stationary planet. He presents a table from "Meyer's Handbook on Space" illustrating how time on Earth would pass significantly faster than time experienced on a spaceship traveling at 1G acceleration.

Von Daniken then posits that this scientific concept, though seemingly modern, may have been understood and referenced in ancient writings. He provides two primary examples:

1. The Japanese Nihongi: This ancient Japanese chronicle tells the story of "Island-Child," a young man who takes his boat out to sea and falls asleep. He awakens to find a beautiful maiden who takes him in her "shining pearl" (a spacecraft) to a "God-Planet." After spending three years there, he wishes to return home. Upon his return, he finds that his village has completely changed, and he is told that more than 300 years have passed on Earth.

2. The Old Testament Apocrypha (Fragments of The Remaining Words of Baruch): This account involves the prophet Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch. Jeremiah asks God to save his friend Abimelech, a young man from Abyssinia, from the impending conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. God instructs Jeremiah to have Abimelech fetch fresh figs, taking a specific route. Abimelech fetches the figs and then experiences a brief nap, believing it to be only two hours. Upon returning to Jerusalem, he finds that no one he knows is there, and he is told that 66 years have passed since Jeremiah and Baruch were taken to Babylon.

Von Daniken argues that these stories, despite their fairytale-like narration, contain accurate descriptions of time dilation. He suggests that ancient chroniclers, lacking the scientific understanding of the phenomenon, recorded these events as myths or fables.

He also briefly mentions Tibetan holy books describing a "great teacher" (Padmasambhava) disappearing into the universe, shrinking in size like a raven, thrush, fly, and then a louse's egg, which he interprets as a description of a spacecraft's departure. He also references the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, specifically "Arjuna's Journey to Indra's Heaven," as potentially describing advanced aerial vehicles.

Von Daniken concludes by stating his belief that these epics, myths, and folktales are based on real happenings and hard facts, rather than purely psychological or analytical viewpoints.

History of the Ancient Astronaut Society

Written by Gene M. Phillips, Founder and President of the Ancient Astronaut Society, this section details the organization's origins and mission. Founded on September 14, 1973, the Society is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation with its World Headquarters in Park Ridge, Illinois, USA.

• Objectives:
• To determine if extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in prehistoric times.
• To ascertain if an advanced civilization existed on Earth prior to recorded history.
• To explore the possibility of a combination of the two.

The concept for the Society arose from Gene M. Phillips's viewing of a television special based on Erich von Daniken's "Chariots of the Gods?" Phillips was struck by von Daniken's explanations for ancient physical mysteries and felt a need for an organized, objective study of the field.

Membership and Reach:
The Society is open to the public and currently boasts over 1,000 members in forty-seven US states and thirty-five nations.

Erich von Daniken's Involvement:
Von Daniken was immediately supportive of the Society, offering his time, reputation, and financial resources. He was the first lecturer for the Society and has presented many lectures since.

• Publications and Events:
• Ancient Skies: The Society's logbook or newsletter, recognized for its high-quality, original articles by leading writers and scientists.
• World Conferences: The Society sponsors annual conferences to bring members and the public together globally. The First World Conference was held in Chicago in April 1974, the Second in Zurich in May 1975 (organized by von Daniken), and the Third in Crikvenica, Yugoslavia in May 1976. Future conferences are planned for Rio de Janeiro (June 1977) and Chicago (1978).
• Expeditions: The Society organizes well-organized expeditions for its members to explore ancient sites. Past expeditions have included trips to Peru and Bolivia (visiting Tiahuanaco, Cuzco, Macchu Picchu, and the Nazca Plain), and Mexico (exploring sites like Tula, Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, and Palenque). Future expeditions are planned for Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid, Easter Island, and Australia/New Zealand.
• Scientific Expeditions: The Society also plans to sponsor trips by scientists to explore physical mysteries, such as examining rock drawings in the Tassilli Range in North Africa.
• Research and Teaching: The Society aims to sponsor scientifically supervised research and teaching in the ancient astronaut field at colleges and universities.

Phillips emphasizes the Society's commitment to operating on a scientific basis while valuing the contributions of interested laymen.

Letters to the Editor / Commentary

On the Palenque Vehicle:
Rodney Dale from Cambridge, England, writes to take issue with a statement in a previous issue of Ancient Skies (3:4) regarding the Palenque Vehicle. Dale argues that traditional science is hampered by dogma, not just the assumption that spacecraft require industrial societies. He believes the evidence strongly supports the theory of Extraterrestrial Intelligences (ETI) being responsible for such devices, suggesting they could have been standard equipment brought to Earth rather than built by a hypothetical ancient Earth society.

Dale also reiterates his and George Sassoon's view that the "manna-machine" described in Exodus 16 was likely a product of ETI, designed to regenerate oxygen and provide food for a long space journey, something a pastoral people like the Israelites could not have created.

On the Great Pyramid:
Wolfgang Siebenhaar from Berlin, Germany, critiques a "Scientific Report" transmitted by German television that attempted to explain the construction of the Great Pyramid of Egypt. Siebenhaar finds the proposed method of leveling the base using water diversion and stick markings inconceivable for such a large area (thirteen acres) and points out that the pyramid is built on solid rock, not sand. He also refutes the theory that the pyramid was a tomb for Cheops, stating that it lacks the decoration and furnishings typical of Egyptian tombs and that the granite "sarcophagus" in the "King's Chamber" is a rough stone box without a lid or any indication of use as a burial place. He notes that early reports confirm nothing of value was found inside.

On the Galvanic Batteries:
Walter Joerg Langbein from Erlangen, Germany, writes in response to an article by K.K. Doberer in Ancient Skies (3:5). Langbein was surprised to read that an archaeologist, Dr. Kroll, claimed the Baghdad Museum had no knowledge of "dry batteries." Langbein contacted the Baghdad Museum directly and received a reply from the Director-General of Antiquities. This reply included an official paper detailing the discovery in 1936 of a pottery jar near Baghdad, dating back to the Parthian period (227-126 BC). Inside the jar were materials forming an electric battery: a copper cylinder with an iron bar, a layer of bitumen, and a copper base covered in bitumen. The paper states that adding acid to this battery would make it analogous to a Galvani battery. The "Khiut Rabboua battery" is dated to the beginning of the Parthian period, suggesting that ancient Iraqis preceded others in this invention. The battery is now displayed at the Iraq Museum.

On Ancient Egyptian Helicopters?:
Joseph Breitenbach from Munich, Germany, describes an exhibition of "Nofrete-Echnaton" where a film showed the development of ancient Egypt. During the film, on eleven screens, a striking "bird"-like figure appeared. Breitenbach drew a sketch of this figure, describing it as having a bulbous front, an extended tail, three wheels, and an air-screw on its back. He questions if this could represent ancient Egyptians having helicopters.

New Books

• The issue lists several new books related to the ancient astronaut theme:
• *The Twelfth Planet* by Zecharia Sitchin
• *A Bridge to the Stars* by Dr. Luis E. Navia
• *The Day the Gods Died* by Walter Ernsting (Clark Darlton)
• *Proof of Ancient Astronauts, Part I and Part II, Nazca Sketchbooks* by Robert Earle

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Ancient Skies are the exploration of ancient mysteries through the lens of extraterrestrial intervention and advanced ancient technology. The magazine consistently promotes the work of Erich von Daniken and the Ancient Astronaut Society's mission to investigate these possibilities. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry into alternative explanations for historical and archaeological enigmas, challenging conventional scientific interpretations and encouraging readers to consider the ancient astronaut hypothesis as a viable framework for understanding human history and the origins of civilization. The society positions itself as a scientific and literary organization, aiming to provide a platform for research and discussion on these profound topics.