ANCIENT SKIES

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 6, Number 5
Date: November-December, 1979
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY
Country: USA
Theme: Exploration of ancient mysteries, mythology, and potential extraterrestrial influence on human history.

Of Monsters and "Man-Animals"

This article by Erich von Daniken explores ancient accounts of hybrid beings, referred to as "man-animals." It begins with a translation of a text by the Babylonian priest Berossos, describing a creature named Oannes that emerged from the sea around 2100 BC. Oannes had the body of a fish but a human head and feet, and it taught humans writing, sciences, laws, and skills for daily life. The text also mentions other fantastical creatures depicted in ancient art, such as two-winged people, beings with two heads, and creatures with human heads on animal bodies.

Von Daniken suggests that these descriptions might not be mere myths or fancy, as archaeologists often claim, but could represent actual encounters or observations. He points to ancient art and literature that depict hermaphrodites and hybrid beings. Herodotus is cited for discussing "female man-animals" in Egyptian stories, and the Vedas mention mothers "walking on their hands." The Gilgamesh Epic and the myth of the Centaurs are also referenced.

Plato's "Symposium" is quoted regarding an original third sex with immense strength and audacity. Tacitus is mentioned for reporting on an orgy involving "man-animals." Sumerian and Assyrian art, including cylinder seals and temple walls, are said to feature pictures of hermaphrodites, referred to as "captured man-animals" delivered as tribute.

The article then questions the biological impossibility of cross-breeding man and animals due to differing chromosome numbers. However, it introduces recent genetic developments that could allow for the creation of "animal-men" through artificial mutation. A striking example cited is the birth of a hybrid ape from a female Siamang and a male Gibbon, which have different chromosome numbers, suggesting that new species can arise much faster than Darwinian evolution proposes.

More on the Shivalinga

Niranjan S. Ghate contributes a letter discussing the Shivalinga form, traditionally interpreted as a phallus in union with Shakti. Ghate adds that Lord Shiva, the destroyer in the Hindu trinity, is known for creating immense energy and has been depicted as giving humans deadly weapons. He draws parallels between the effects of these ancient weapons and modern atomic weapons. A legend states that gods and Danavas used a mountain as a churner and a serpent as a rope to extract wealth from the oceans, during which the serpent produced deadly poison that Lord Shiva swallowed. Ghate posits that Lord Shiva understood atomic energy, including how to split, fuse, and control atomic reactions, and could also control the deadly poison produced by reactors. He suggests that the Shivalinga's form, when viewed from above, resembles an aerial photograph of an atomic reactor, implying a connection to atomic technology.

To the Editor

Laszlo Toth corrects an error in the translation of his article "A Technical Interpretation of the Palenque Relief" in a previous issue, clarifying a sentence about producing the scarcest vacuum.

Book Review: The Rediscovery of Lost America

This section reviews the book "The Rediscovery of Lost America" by Arlington H. Mallery and Mary Roberts Harrison. The book, initially published in 1951 and reissued with additions by Harrison after Mallery's death, presents evidence of pre-Columbian iron smelting furnaces in America, particularly in Ohio and Virginia, built by Celtic and Norse peoples. It also details the discovery of over 100,000 copper artifacts, including socketed axes and pentagonal chisels, and discusses inscribed stones with Phoenician alphabet characters found in the Susquehanna River area.

The review highlights the book's argument that ancient peoples crossed the Atlantic to America, challenging the theory of a land bridge from Asia. A key chapter focuses on Mallery's discovery of the Piri Re'is Map, which he suggested depicted the northern coast of Antarctica before it was covered by ice. The review confirms that experts have verified the map's accuracy, showing western Africa, eastern South America, and the northern coast of Antarctica with a land bridge. Professor Charles H. Hapgood's letter is cited, confirming Mallery's findings and also mentioning the Oronce Fine Map of 1531, which shows an ice-free Antarctica and allows for the location of over fifty geographical points with high accuracy. The book is presented as a significant turning point in understanding the past.

New Books

• Brief mentions of recently published books are included:
• "Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings" by Prof. Charles H. Hapgood.
• "The Search for Lost America" by Salvatore M. Trento.
• "Lost City of Stone" by Bill S. Ballinger, about the ruins of Nan Madol on Ponape.

Dr. Vladimir Avinsky's Findings

Dr. Vladimir Avinsky, a Soviet paleontologist and member of the Ancient Astronaut Society, presented findings suggesting extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in prehistoric times. Evidence includes winged objects on 2,000-year-old bone carvings from Siberia and ancient drawings from the Ural Mountains interpreted as formulas for chemical compounds.

Gran Tour Maya and Jungle River Journey

An announcement for a member expedition from February 16 to March 4, 1980, to Mayan regions in Guatemala and Mexico. The tour includes jungle camping, river journeys on the Pasion and Usumacinta Rivers, and visits to Mayan ruins like Yaxha, Tikal, and Palenque. The price is US$1487 per person, with limited participation.

Metal Spheres Manufactured 2.8 Billion Years Ago?

This article by Brenda J. Sullivan describes a round metal ball, 4cm in diameter with three equidistant grooves, found in a pyrophyllite mine near Ottosdal, South Africa. The sphere is slightly flattened at the poles and is on display at the Klerksdorp Museum. Hundreds of similar balls have been found imbedded in pyrophyllite, which is mined by sawing. The mine manager reported finding balls as small as 12mm. The balls are described as either hollow or filled with "shattered crystal." Mr. Roelf Marx, Director of the Klerksdorp Museum, stated that the ball revolves on its own axis in an anti-clockwise direction, about once or twice a year. Geologists estimate pyrophyllite formation between 2.6 and 2.8 billion years ago, raising the question of how these non-natural metal balls got into such ancient rock.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Ancient Skies are the reinterpretation of ancient myths and artifacts through the lens of ancient astronaut theory, the exploration of advanced ancient technologies, and the questioning of established scientific paradigms. The magazine consistently presents evidence and theories that suggest extraterrestrial contact or influence in human history, challenging conventional archaeological and anthropological explanations. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these unconventional ideas, encouraging readers to consider alternative explanations for ancient mysteries.