Ancient Skies - Vol 22 No 3 - 1995

Magazine Overview

Title: ANCIENT SKIES
Issue: Volume 22, Number 3
Date: July-August, 1995
Publisher: ANCIENT ASTRONAUT SOCIETY
Country of Publication: USA
Original Language: English

The Acropolis of Baalbek by Alan F. Alford

Alan F. Alford recounts his seven-day tour of Lebanon in May 1995 with Katharine Habot. Despite the country's recent history of war, tourism is slowly recovering, allowing them to explore sites in relative isolation. Their journey included Baalbek, where they were particularly interested in the megalithic stones beneath the Roman ruins.

Alford focuses on the Acropolis of Baalbek, noting its immense scale, dwarfing even the Acropolis at Athens. He highlights the "Trilithon," a section of the wall composed of three enormous stone blocks, each estimated to weigh 1,000 tons, measuring approximately 64 x 14 x 12 feet. He also describes the "Stone of the South," found in a nearby quarry, which measures 69 feet long and is estimated to weigh 1,200 tons. Alford emphasizes the accuracy of the stone cutting but notes imperfections that could be due to erosion or an unfinished dressing operation.

The author questions how these colossal stones could have been moved from the quarry to the acropolis, a distance of only half a kilometer, and then lifted 30 feet into the air with such precision. He notes that conventional transportation methods seem impossible, citing an estimate that 40,000 men would be needed to move the "Stone of the South." Alford calculates that this block is equivalent to three Boeing 747 aircraft. Engineers he consulted expressed disbelief at the feat.

Alford proposes three reasons for using such large blocks: (a) an unknown technology that made size and weight irrelevant, (b) the platform was designed to withstand earthquakes, and (c) it was built to endure enormous vertical forces, possibly from rocket-type vehicles.

The south-east wall of the platform features a row of nine blocks, each about half the size of the Trilithon stones (33 x 14 x 10 feet). Alford points out that these blocks are ill-matched and tapered inconsistently, suggesting they might be from an earlier, possibly damaged, structure that was being rebuilt.

He argues that the technology to erect such colossal stones is not evident in any known civilization, including the Romans who built temples on the platform using much smaller stones.

Alford also questions Baalbek's geographical location, situated far east and close to the widest part of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range, which he finds unsuitable for a conventional ancient trade route. He notes that while Baalbek is watered by springs, the location seems anomalous for early civilizations.

He touches upon the veneration of gods like Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury at Baalbek, and the difficulty conventional scholars have in explaining the religious importance of the site. He mentions local legends attributing the construction to Cain, demons, or giants, and the Arab belief that it is where Nimrod rebelled against God and built the Tower of Babel. The consensus is that Baalbek is the most ancient building in the world.

Finally, Alford discusses Zecharia Sitchin's theory that Baalbek, the pyramids of Giza, and Mount St. Katherine form a triangular landing corridor for "gods" after the Deluge. Alford confirms that the mountain ranges do form an ideal corridor towards Baalbek.

Book Review: Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock

Reviewed by George T. Sassoon, this section reviews Graham Hancock's book, "Fingerprints of the Gods." Sassoon notes that while Hancock's previous book, "The Sign and The Seal," ended in anticlimax, "Fingerprints of the Gods" also lacks firm conclusions despite extensive research.

The book focuses on early advanced civilizations in Central and South America, Egypt, and suggests they were built with external, technically-advanced assistance, drawing parallels with authors like Erich von Daniken, though without direct mention.

Hancock's theory posits that advanced civilizations originated in Antarctica before a climate change led to glaciation. Sassoon finds this theory convenient but difficult to refute due to the ice cover. He notes that Hancock dismisses the ancient astronaut theory as preposterous.

Sassoon raises several difficulties with Hancock's theory: why did this advanced civilization confine itself to Antarctica? How could a few refugees be responsible for building massive structures like the pyramids? He questions the logistics of escaping with cranes capable of lifting 600-ton blocks and the absence of evidence for mines, factories, or cranes.

He also questions where these Antarctic builders went after leaving, and if they returned to Antarctica, what became of them.

Sassoon points out that Hancock ignores legends of builders returning to the sky, while readily accepting myths that support his theory. He also notes Hancock's claim of cataclysms like pole shifts occurring every few thousand years, questioning the alignment of the pyramids if such events occurred.

The review mentions an ancient Mayan prophecy for the end of the world on December 23, 2012, which Sassoon views with skepticism.

Despite numerous misprints and editing issues, Sassoon recommends the book for its evidence that supports the ancient astronaut hypothesis.

AAS CD-ROM: “KONTAKT MIT DEM UNIVERSUM” (Contact with the Universe)

This section announces the availability of a CD-ROM in German, compiling Erich von Daniken's 30 years of research. Developed by Ulrich Dopatka, it is described as the first comprehensive encyclopedia of von Daniken's theories.

The CD-ROM runs on IBM and Macintosh computers and includes thousands of texts, previously unpublished pictures, sound documents, movie clips, 3-D walk-through experiences of archaeological sites, an updated lexicon, and a phonetic search function.

It allows users to explore events on a world map, access background information on the Ancient Astronaut Society, and interactively engage with the ancient astronaut theory through guided questions and answers with Erich von Daniken.

The CD-ROM was to be presented at the World Conference in Bern, Switzerland, on August 18-19, 1995, and is available for $90, including 3-D glasses and postage.

An English version may be produced if there is sufficient demand.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ancient astronaut hypothesis, focusing on unexplained megalithic constructions and the possibility of advanced ancient civilizations. The magazine consistently presents evidence and theories that challenge conventional archaeological and historical explanations, often citing the work of authors like Erich von Daniken and Graham Hancock. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these alternative perspectives, encouraging readers to "Come Search With Us!" and explore the mysteries of the past.