Ancient Skies - Vol 06 No 3 - 1979-80

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 6, Number 3
Date: July-August, 1979
Publisher: Ancient Astronaut Society
Country: USA

This issue of ANCIENT SKIES delves into several intriguing topics related to ancient mysteries and potential extraterrestrial influences.

A Technical Interpretation of the Palenque Relief

By Laszlo Toth, an engineer, this article presents a re-evaluation of the famous relief discovered in a pyramid at the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque by archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier in 1952. Toth dismisses the traditional interpretations – that it depicts a sacrificial figure, a pontiff, a ruler, or Pacal falling into a monster's jaws – and instead proposes it represents an astronaut in a spaceship. Toth argues that physical laws are universal and technology repeats itself. He suggests that the official interpretation of the relief representing Pacal, ruler of Palenque, dying from a "hot wind" during a spaceship launch is a technical accident where Pacal was killed by exhaust gases. The Mayans, unable to fully grasp astronautics, symbolized this event. Toth provides technical drawings (Figs. II-VII) illustrating his reconstruction of the missile, highlighting spherical arched double-walled containers likely producing a vacuum and containing fluid (possibly hydrogen) for propulsion. He details a mechanism for shifting the center of mass to control acceleration and escape routes for the astronaut in case of technical faults. The article concludes by asking the reader to decide between the traditional interpretations and Toth's technical reconstruction.

*Laszlo Toth is an engineer who spoke at the Third World Conference of the Ancient Astronaut Society in Crikvenica, Yugoslavia, in 1976. He resides in Nagykanizsa, Hungary.

Stonehenge Planetarium

Mike Saunders, from Chaldon, Surrey, England, has authored a pamphlet proposing that Stonehenge was constructed by ancient astronomers to demonstrate their knowledge of the solar system. Figures 1 and 2 from his pamphlet are included, illustrating his comparisons of Stonehenge with a theoretical planetarium. Saunders suggests that Stonehenge possesses a definite astronomical significance and is located on the Salisbury Plain in southwestern England. His pamphlet, "Stonehenge Planetarium," is published by Downs Books in Caterham, Surrey.

The Shivalinga

Written by Bhalchandra Patwardhan, this article explores the Shivalinga, an object of worship dedicated to Lord Shiva. Patwardhan posits that the Shivalinga's form—an elliptical platform ("Shalunk!") with a vertically embedded ellipsoid ("Ban"), engraved with a helix ("Tripundi") and a coiled serpent—can be understood through modern scientific concepts. He draws parallels between the Shivalinga's structure and the empirically accepted structure of a cell. The "Shalunk!" represents the elliptical cell, the "Ban" the nucleus, and the "Tripundi" and coiled serpent symbolize the double helix of DNA. Patwardhan references the Law of Conservation of Energy and Einstein's E=MC² equation, suggesting Shiva's energetic property gives birth to matter (Hiranyagarbha), analogous to energy creating the basic ingredient of life, the DNA molecule. He explains that the four heads mentioned in ancient texts could refer to the four nucleotides, and the three eyes to the components of the helix. He also notes that chromosomes are self-creative and filamentary, mirroring Shiva's description. Patwardhan concludes that the Shivalinga may have originally served as a teaching aid for DNA structure, with its true meaning lost over generations.

*Bhalchandra Patwardhan resides in Pune, India.

Congratulations to Ulrich Dopatka

This section congratulates Ulrich Dopatka, a professional librarian and author, for compiling the first encyclopedia in the ancient astronaut field. Titled "Lexicon Der Pra-Astronautik," the work contains 448 pages, over 3,000 definitions, numerous black and white photos, illustrations, and 16 full-color photos. It includes biographical sketches of key figures and presents theories from over 300 publications on the ancient astronaut theme. The book is available in German from Econ Verlag in Dusseldorf, Germany, and the authors express hope for a similar work in English.

*Ulrich Dopatka lives in Rheinfelden, Switzerland.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the reinterpretation of ancient artifacts and sites through the lens of ancient astronaut theory. The magazine consistently questions conventional explanations, proposing that advanced extraterrestrial knowledge or technology influenced ancient civilizations. The editorial stance appears to favor speculative interpretations that challenge mainstream archaeology and history, encouraging readers to consider alternative possibilities and make their own decisions based on the presented evidence and theories.