ANCIENT SKIES

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 19, Number 2
Date: May-June, 1992
Publisher: Ancient Astronaut Society
Country: USA

This issue of Ancient Skies, the official logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society, explores various ancient mysteries and potential connections to extraterrestrial influences. The articles cover archaeological sites, biblical accounts, and astronomical phenomena through the lens of ancient astronaut theories.

Mystery of the Chavin Temple

Renato Longato Santibañez details the ruins of Chavin de Huantar in Peru, dating back to 1800 BC. This culture, predating the Incas, developed a sophisticated society without a visible military force. The site features an astronomical observatory, the Choquechinchay Altar, which used seven water mirrors to observe the Pleiades (the 'seven sisters' or 'seven sheep'). A significant sculpture, the 'Oraculo' or 'Big Spear,' is described as being 4 meters high, carved in silica, and extending through a circular opening in the ceiling. Its carvings depict a god with snake-like features, and the figure's raised hand shows only two lines: mind and heart. Legends suggest a Shaman poured sacred liquid onto the spear, which would spread through seven small holes, allowing other Shamans to 'predict the future' by observing its flow. The number 33, associated with knots on the spear's carving, is noted as significant in esoteric societies. The Principal Square and the 'Falconidas Gate,' with its white and black granite columns depicting falcons, are also described. The Andean Trinity—snake (Ukhu Pacha), puma (Kay Pacha), and falcon (Hanaq Pacha)—is represented in the site's engravings. A winged man carving near the Falcon Gate raises the question of whether it represents a 'space man' from Hanaq Pacha. The article also notes that the stair risers at the temple suggest inhabitants were taller than the average Andean people, with a 1971 discovery of a human femur indicating a person over two meters tall. The Chavin people are said to have disappeared, taking 'the secret of the gods' with them.

Ezekiel's Secrets

Tapio Laine comments on previous articles concerning the Ark of the Covenant and Dr. Valter Juvelius's expedition. Laine references an article by Rev. Voitto Viro from 1973, who claimed to have found a secret code in the Book of Ezekiel. Viro stated the code was extremely simple, involving taking the first letter of every word in Ezekiel, starting from Chapter 1. Laine notes that despite his inquiry in 1992, Rev. Viro had not yet made a translation and poses the question to readers if they can decipher the text. The article also mentions Josef F. Blumrich, a NASA scientist, who found that the Book of Ezekiel includes a description of a spaceship.

Still More on the Ark of the Covenant

This section presents two perspectives on the Ark of the Covenant and related ancient mysteries.

Part I: The Ark of the Covenant and the Queen of Sheba

This part discusses the ruins of Marib in Yemen, associated with the Queen of Sheba and her empire. The Marib Dam, an 18-meter high and 600-meter long structure, is highlighted as an engineering marvel that was repeatedly broken, leading to the area's desertion. The Kebra Nagast, an Ethiopian epic, is cited, which states that Queen Sheba's son, Menelik, stole the Ark of the Covenant from the Temple and escaped on a 'wind wagon.' The Ark is believed to be entombed in a wall in the cathedral of Aksum, Ethiopia. The author also references Dr. Kamal Salibi's book, 'The Bible Came from Asir,' which suggests ancient Palestine's names and flora/fauna match those in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia, and that Solomon's Temple masonry might have used granite from Asir.

Part II: The Ark of the Covenant and Hezekiah's Tunnel

Fr. Richard Murphy recounts his experience in Jerusalem in 1938 and discusses the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant, supposedly hidden by Jeremiah before Jerusalem fell in 586 BC. He mentions Hezekiah's Tunnel, an 'S'-shaped water tunnel. Murphy describes Dr. Valter Juvelius's 1904 expedition with Welsh miners to explore the tunnel for the Ark. They found nothing significant, only a 'vulgar WC.' Juvelius later attempted to dig under the Dome of the Rock but was reportedly sabotaged by an American who hired Arabs to create a riot, forcing Juvelius to flee.

The Helical Rising Mystery

Dr. Stuart W. Greenwood examines the ancient Maya and Mexican concern with the movements of Venus, specifically its heliacal rising. This event, when Venus becomes visible in the dawn light after being between Earth and the Sun, was considered perilous by these cultures, who believed Venus's rays could cause disease and death. Greenwood proposes an ancient astronautical explanation, suggesting that the fear might have been linked to space flights from Venus to Earth. A diagram illustrates a hypothetical minimum-energy flight path taking 146 days, with a heliacal rising occurring about 84 days before arrival. The article suggests that compressed flight plans would reduce this interval, making the heliacal rising a harbinger of an impending visit from Venus, possibly accompanied by the dread of contracting disease from visitors.

The Ark of Mount Nizir

Maurice Chatelain discusses the search for Noah's Ark, contrasting the biblical expectation of finding it on Mount Ararat with the claim that remains exist on Mount Nizir in eastern Turkey. The article notes that Mount Nizir was mentioned in Sumerian and Babylonian tablets as the landing site of Gilgamesh and Ziusudra. The shipwreck, described as pointed at both ends, was rediscovered in 1959 and explored by various researchers. Chatelain, a former NASA scientist, analyzes the dimensions of the supposed Ark (300 cubits long, 50 wide, 30 high) using measurements from David Fasold. He compares five different cubits (Hebraic, Babylonian, Cheops, and Mayan) and their compatibility with the Ark's dimensions and ancient knowledge of Earth's polar circumference. Chatelain favors the Babylonian cubit, suggesting the Ark might have been built by Martian Ancient Astronauts and that its length is precisely contained within the Earth's polar circumference.

Letters and Society Information

White Men in Ancient America: Len Farra responds to an article, presenting evidence for the presence of white races in the Americas before Columbus. He cites reports of white men seen with Indians, Thor Heyerdahl's theories about white populations among Incan and Aztec rulers, murals at the Temple of the Warriors showing both dark-skinned Maya and white people, early Chimu pottery with European features, and local Indian accounts of hillforts built by a white race in Peru.

Society Information: Ancient Skies is published bi-monthly by the Ancient Astronaut Society, a tax-exempt, not-for-profit corporation founded in 1973 for scientific, literary, and educational purposes. Contact information and address are provided.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around ancient mysteries, particularly those that can be interpreted through the ancient astronaut hypothesis. The magazine presents archaeological evidence (Chavin Temple), biblical narratives (Ark of the Covenant, Ezekiel's spaceship), astronomical observations and their potential extraterrestrial connections (Venus's heliacal rising), and historical accounts (Queen of Sheba, Noah's Ark). The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, encouraging readers to consider unconventional explanations for ancient phenomena and human history, often linking them to advanced ancient civilizations or extraterrestrial visitors. The society actively promotes research and discussion on these topics.