ANCIENT SKIES

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 17, Number 6
Date: January-February, 1991
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY
Country: USA
Price: $3.00

This issue of ANCIENT SKIES, subtitled "Come Search With Us!", focuses on the "Cosmic Tradition of the Ancient Mystery Schools." The magazine explores the idea that ancient civilizations possessed a secret science, preserved and passed down through esoteric schools.

Cosmic Tradition of the Ancient Mystery Schools by Andrew Tomas

The lead article by Andrew Tomas posits that the Mystery Schools of antiquity were repositories of a secret science, making the impossible possible through symbolism and allegories. These schools, praised by thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Plutarch, were united by common knowledge despite geographical separation. They were structured as academies with graded progress based on individual attainment.

Plutarch is cited for his affirmation that Isis established the early Mysteries of Egypt, revealing cosmic truths and the universe through symbolism. Isis and her consort Osiris are linked to the star Sirius and the Egyptian calendrical system. Isis is described as a cosmic civilizer who offered her benefits and discoveries throughout the universe. The Egyptian scriptures state that Isis and Osiris were accompanied by Thoth, who taught arts and sciences for 3,226 years and hid "books of wisdom." The Phoenician chronicler Sanchoniathon mentioned Thoth possessing a "skyship" for interstellar travel.

Herodotus, the Greek historian, is mentioned as having recorded the priests' claims that Isis and Osiris appeared in Egypt 15,000 years before Amasis, based on written records. The article then discusses the Emerald Tables of Hermes (Thoth), which influenced medieval alchemists. An Egyptian copy was found in a tomb at Thebes and is now in the Leiden Papyrus. The Tables contain the principle "What is above is like what is below," and suggest isolating atomic energy.

Democritus, the founder of atomic theory, is suggested to have studied under Egyptian priests and learned from the Phoenician Moschus, who had an advanced concept of the atom. The article highlights Democritus' postulates about atoms, space, lunar markings, multiple planets, and the Milky Way as a swarm of stars, noting the prescience of these ideas from 2,500 years ago.

Thoth's memory evolved into the Greek god Hermes (Mercury), depicted with winged attributes, symbolizing his role as a "messenger of the gods" in the stars. The Grecian Mysteries, established by Orpheus (son of Apollo), are said to have originated from Egypt and contained knowledge far ahead of its time. Orpheus is credited with considering the probability of life in other worlds.

Plutarch, an initiate of the Mysteries of Dionysus and a priest of Apollo, is noted for his account of the Vision of Aridaeus, describing a swift space voyage with observations of stars of immense size and distance. The article questions if this was scientific information revealed from the Mysteries.

Pythagoras, who founded his school in Cretona, Italy, under a five-pointed star from Egypt, is mentioned for his Pythagorean Academy with three grades. He correctly conceived the Earth as a globe and believed each star was a world floating in cosmic space.

The Essenes of Israel, a mystical fraternity known to Philo Judaeus and Josephus Flavius, are compared to the Pythagoreans. The Dead Sea Scrolls from Qumran offer insights into Essene beliefs, including three degrees of instruction and ascetic discipline. Books of Enoch, found among the scrolls, contain treatises on heavenly luminaries and zodiacal signs. Book II describes Enoch's ascent into heaven in a "celestial chariot" and his encounter with "rulers of the stars."

The Mithraic Mysteries, originating in Persia and spreading through the Roman Empire, had seven degrees related to planetary spheres and featured zodiacal constellations. The Eleusinian Mysteries of Greece, descended from Orphic and Egyptian schools, were founded in 1423 B.C. and initially accepted only men of culture and education.

The tenets of the Mysteries were continued by Neoplatonic philosophers like Ammonias Saccas, Plotinus, Porphyry, and Iamblichus. Ammonias Saccas founded Neoplatonism in Alexandria, and his disciple Plotinus recorded his teachings. Plotinus' work at the Platonic Academy in Athens lasted until its closure in A.D. 529. Plotinus, who lived and taught in Rome, was called "a voice of the Mysteries in Rome."

Plotinus' writings revealed advanced scientific views, such as the idea that celestial spaces are filled with "illustrious souls," suggesting knowledge of other inhabited worlds. The article notes that this could only come from access to the secret science of the Ancient Mysteries.

Porphyry studied under Plotinus in Rome, and Iamblichus wrote about the Pythagorean Life and Egyptian Mysteries. While the Mysteries were disseminated among the upper class, Christianity grew among the less educated majority. In A.D. 364, Emperor Valentinian ordered the closure of the Mysteries. The tradition continued for another 165 years until Emperor Justinian closed the ancient Academy of Athens in A.D. 529.

The guidelines of the Platonic Academy, recorded by Cicero, emphasized comparing different opinions and allowing listeners to judge freely. Proclus (A.D. 410-485), head of the Platonic Academy, had affiliations with the Mystery Schools of Egypt and Babylon. His writings contained astronomical facts unknown in modern history before Galileo, such as planets rotating on their axes, having invisible satellites, stars being ablaze, and the Milky Way being a conglomeration of distant stars.

The article concludes that the knowledge of Proclus, Plotinus' views on inhabited worlds, Enoch's space journeys, and Aridaeus' stellar voyage corroborate the idea that the Mysteries were custodians of a cosmic tradition, which eventually disappeared in the Dark Ages.

The Easter Island - Peru Connection by William Travis

This article by William Travis explores a direct physical connection between ancient Peru and Easter Island, suggesting it goes beyond "accidental civilization" theories like Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki. Evidence includes the discovery of a submerged "Nazca Ridge" running from the region of Pisco Bay, Peru, to Easter Island. Mdme. Helena Blavatsky is cited for referring to a major city that once existed west of Easter Island.

The article compares the enigmatic glyphs of Peru and Easter Island. Figure 1 shows an Easter Island glyph from a "rongo-rongo" tablet, which is compared to a 450-foot marking on the Nazca Plain in Peru (Figure 2). The similarity is noted, particularly in the "eyes."

Another link is drawn between Easter Island glyphs and the "Trident" or "Candelabra" at the Bay of Pisco, Peru. Figures 3 and 4 show Easter Island script glyphs and the Pisco Bay Trident, respectively, highlighting their esoteric similarity.

Travis, born in England, has a background as an RAF bomber pilot, airline pilot, and marine consultant, with extensive experience in UFO and extraterrestrial research. He lives in the South Pacific.

Letters to the Editor

Rustum D. Patel from Karachi, Pakistan, comments on Harry Lebelson's article "The Search for Ancient Aquanauts" and Len Farra's "Genesis Seven," finding them engrossing and noting the importance of numbers in world religions.

Conferences and Events

• Announcements are made for the following events:
• BERLIN WORLD CONFERENCE: August 23-24, 1991, in Berlin, Germany. Registration is directly with the Ancient Astronaut Society in Switzerland. Accommodation is not included at the Hotel Berlin.
• MEMBER EXPEDITION TO GERMANY: August 11-August 25, 1991, including visits to Frankfurt, Heidelberg, the Rhine and Moselle valleys, Trier, Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne, and Berlin.
• 20TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD CONFERENCE: August 2, 3, and 4, 1993, at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada USA.

Book Reviews and Available Items

• MYSTERIES OF THE CRYSTAL SKULLS REVEALED by Bowen Nocerino and Shapiro is available, featuring photographs and descriptions of eight crystal skulls and delving into parapsychology, metaphysics, and archaeology.
• THE GREAT PYRAMID SPEAKS TO YOU by Joseph R. Gill is available, offering a study in "mathematical archaeology" with computations and diagrams of the Great Pyramid.
• A lightweight, gold-colored plastic replica of a gold artifact is available for a US$10 contribution from the Ancient Astronaut Society.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the preservation and transmission of ancient knowledge, particularly concerning astronomy and cosmic traditions, through various mystery schools and esoteric traditions. The magazine consistently explores the possibility of ancient contact with extraterrestrial or advanced beings, linking disparate ancient cultures and artifacts to a common, advanced past. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these ancient mysteries, presenting evidence and theories that challenge conventional historical narratives and suggest a more complex and technologically advanced ancient world.