Ancient Skies - Vol 25 No 4

Magazine Overview

Title: Official Logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society
Issue: Volume 25, Number 4
Date: September-October, 1998
Publisher: Ancient Astronaut Society
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of the Official Logbook of the Ancient Astronaut Society delves into evidence that challenges conventional archaeological timelines and understandings of ancient technological capabilities.

Metal Tools in Antiquity

Gene M. Phillips and Doris L. Phillips present an article that disputes the notion that ancient cultures, particularly in the conquest of Mexico and Peru, lacked metal tools for building monumental structures. They cite the novelist Hammond Innes's statement about stone being beaten into shape by primitive hammer tools, suggesting this perpetuates a myth. The authors highlight the scientific community's tendency to suppress evidence that doesn't fit the official narrative, a concept Michael A. Cremo refers to as a 'filtration' system.

The article recounts a personal experience in La Paz, Bolivia, where the authors were initially told that metal clamps from the archaeological zone of Tiahuanaco were in the National Museum, only to be later informed they were located at the Tiahuanaco site museum. Through advanced planning, they eventually met Professor Javier F. Escalante Moscoso, a professor at the local University and an archaeologist who had found some of these metal clamps.

These clamps, described as small (about six inches across), U-shaped, and heavy for their size, were made of a copper-base alloy with some iron. Professor Escalante confirmed that the Tiahuanaco site museum housed many such artifacts, some as long as six feet. He explained that these clamps were made by pouring molten metal into grooves carved into adjoining stone blocks, serving as reinforcements. Professor Escalante's book, 'Arquitectura Prehispanica en los Andes bolivianos,' details his findings at Tiahuanaco and the Pyramid complex of Puma Punku. He asserts that the ancient Tiahuanacans possessed metal tools and were skilled metallurgists, using copper and later bronze (achieved by alloying copper with tin) for sophisticated work.

While Escalante places the Tiahuanaco culture within the accepted archaeological timeframe (starting around 1500 BC), the article notes that some estimates place its age at least 30,000 years old. Escalante's book states:

> "The culture of Tiahuanaco is undoubtedly one of the most important ones in the Andean region, and its influence is evident in other cultural later groups. It is estimated that its development spans approximately 2500 years from 1500 BC to 1200 AD. Architecture, artistic production in ceramics, sculpture and precious metals, flourished. Among these accomplishments the science of metallurgy deserves special mention because of the high degree of perfection it reached in the forging and alloying of metals. Copper was the main native metal commonly used; but, being a soft metal its use was limited at first to the manufacture of personal or domestic objects. Later, tin was introduced to obtain bronze this complicated procedure shows the high degree of metallurgy attained by the Tiahuanaco culture." (p.122).

The article further discusses the ruins at Puma Punku, noting its massive sandstone blocks held together by metal clamps and drainage channels. Prof. Escalante's research indicates that pre-Hispanic cultures knew how to melt and alloy copper, leading to the invention of metal tools like chisels, punches, saws, and axes, capable of working hard stones and woods with great sophistication. The authors reference a previous article in 'Ancient Skies' (22:1) showing a stone at Ollantaytambo, Peru, with evidence of being 'sawed' by such tools.

The authors lament the tendency of the English-speaking scientific community to overlook research published in Spanish, suggesting it's often ignored due to language barriers. They point to Machu Picchu as an example, where new authors still cite Hiram Bingham's outdated reports without considering more recent research, such as that of Chilean historian Dr. Victor Angles Vargas, who meticulously mapped the entire zone.

American Indian Astronomical Knowledge

Jim Kindle contributes an article on astronomical knowledge among Native Americans. He describes the Black Point Ceremonial Pathway on the lower Colorado River in Arizona, estimated to be around 10,000 years old. Kindle notes its striking resemblance in layout to the Great Zimbabwe ruins in southern Africa and the Sirius star system as depicted by the Dogon people of Mali, western Africa.

Kindle draws attention to specific features of the Black Point Pathway, such as circle G representing Earth and circle B representing the emergence place from the Pleiades. He questions how ancient peoples could have known about the Pleiades 10,000 years ago.

He also recounts finding a large boulder in an Arizona canyon with unusual markings. The main drawing on the boulder depicts a central circle connected to nine smaller circles, with a tenth small circle outside the cluster. Kindle interprets the center circle as the Sun and the nine smaller circles as planets in our solar system. He speculates that the tenth circle might represent a planet unknown to modern astronomers. He concludes that ancient peoples possessed significant knowledge about star systems long before modern scientists.

Crystals and Other Thoughts

James A. Miller, a retired radiation health physicist, writes about the overlooked science of crystals. He references ancient texts suggesting crystals were used in the Great Pyramid at Giza as energy generators. Miller also discusses the use of granite containing quartz crystals in ancient structures and the concept of 'Omphalos' stones used by the Anunnaki as communication devices.

He notes that early radio receivers used quartz crystals ('crystal sets') and that many modern computers, electronics, and satellites rely on crystals. Miller suggests that Nikola Tesla's work, combined with crystal studies, could unlock new areas of research and technology. He criticizes the lack of cooperation among contemporary researchers, emphasizing the need to correlate findings to solve vital questions about Earth's physical and human history.

Miller challenges conventional geological dating methods, calling them circular reasoning. He disputes the idea of a molten Earth core, vast geological ages, and the theory that outer planets were initially gaseous, citing evidence from Voyager probes. He also questions the academic consensus on the origin of human life and the theory of evolution.

Society Celebrates Silver Anniversary

A brief note announces that September 14, 1998, marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Ancient Astronaut Society by Gene M. Phillips. The Society's objectives are to search for evidence of extraterrestrial visitation and advanced ancient civilizations on Earth.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around challenging established scientific paradigms in archaeology and history. The articles advocate for a broader consideration of evidence, particularly research from non-English speaking sources, and explore the possibility of advanced ancient technologies and astronomical knowledge. The editorial stance, as represented by the Ancient Astronaut Society, is one of open inquiry into alternative explanations for ancient mysteries, suggesting that conventional science may be overlooking crucial evidence.