EARTH ENERGY

Magazine Overview

Title: EARTH ENERGY
Issue: Number 2
Date: May 6, 1980
Publisher: A.U.R.A. (A non-profit organization)
Focus: Restoring the Ancient Golden Age, exploring ancient technologies and knowledge.

Ancient Electrics: The 'Divine Spark' From The Forgotten Past

The lead article, "ANCIENT ELECTRICS: THE 'DIVINE SPARK' FROM THE FORGOTTEN PAST," posits that ancient man possessed a fundamental understanding of electricity long before modern technology. It suggests that the further back in time one looks, the greater the knowledge, pointing to a lost Golden Age that was more advanced than known ancient civilizations. The material is presented as excerpts from a research entitled "REMNANTS OF THE LOST: THE TECHNOLOGY FROM FORGOTTEN AGES," available for $9.95.

A quote from Willard F. M. Gray highlights the humbling realization that ancient metal smiths possessed knowledge of electricity that surpasses modern understanding.

The Baghdad Batteries

In 1938, Austrian archaeologist Dr. Wilhelm Konig discovered a significant find in the State Museum in Baghdad: storage boxes containing clay pots, approximately two thousand years old. These pots, unearthed near Kujut Rabua, each held a copper cylinder (5 inches high, 1½ inches in diameter) with an iron rod suspended inside. The cylinders were capped with copper discs and sealed with bitumen, and the rods showed signs of corrosion from an acid solution. Konig identified these as ancient electric batteries.

Konig's findings were detailed in his book "The Lost Paradise." In 1939, science historian Willy Ley, collaborating with Willard F. M. Gray from General Electrics, built a working model. This replica, using copper sulfate, acetic acid, or citric acid as an electrolyte, produced between 1½ to 2 volts. A later test in 1960 by John B. Pierczynski used a 5 percent vinegar solution and produced ½ volt for eighteen days.

Remarkably, the generation of electric current by similar means was not invented in Europe until 1800.

Further Discoveries and Applications

Following Konig's discovery, other ancient batteries came to light. Four similar pots were found in a magician's hut near Tel Omar (Seleucia), and ten more were unearthed at Ktesiphon, near Baghdad, by Professor E. Kuhnel. These latter finds were broken down, with separate vases containing copper cylinders, iron rods, and asphaltum plugs, suggesting mass production.

Investigation indicates these batteries were used for electroplating objects with gold, silver, and antimony. This process requires not only electricity but also knowledge of complex chemicals. Dr. Konig observed that gold and silver smiths in Baghdad still used a crude form of these ancient batteries for electroplating, a secret passed down through generations.

The article questions the purpose of these batteries beyond electroplating, noting that the Tel Omar group was found in a "magician's hut," suggesting a role in scientific research by an elite intelligentsia.

Dating and Origins

The ancient batteries found in Iraq date from the Parthian period (248 B.C. to A.D. 226). However, Konig also found copper vases plated with silver in the Baghdad Museum, excavated from Sumerian remains dating back at least 2500 B.C. Martin Leavey confirmed from cuneiform texts that the Sumerians possessed the necessary metals and acids for battery construction. This suggests the Persians and Baghdad smiths inherited their technology from the earliest known civilization in the Middle East.

The origin of this knowledge remains a mystery, as the steps to develop a battery principle are not evident in known ancient civilizations. The article suggests an older, more advanced culture existed and disappeared, leaving its technology to the Sumerians.

Global Evidence of Ancient Electrical Technology

Egypt: French archaeologist Auguste Mariette discovered artifacts near the Sphinx at Giza, dating to the 19th century, which suggested electroplating due to their thinness and lightness. This was later proven correct.

China: A metal belt fastener from the burial site of General Chou Chu (A.D. 265-316) was found to be an alloy of manganese, copper, and aluminum. Aluminum was supposedly not discovered until 1807 and produced in pure form in 1857, involving complex processes like electrolysis.

India: The Agastya Samhita, dating to the first millennium B.C., describes a method for creating a battery using copper, copper sulfate, and sawdust, which could split water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis.

Biblical Accounts: The article references the "window" in Noah's Ark, noting the Hebrew word "tsohar" (Genesis 6:16) means "brightness" or "light of the noonday sun," possibly referring to a crystal light source. It also mentions that Solomon (1000 B.C.) may have possessed similar "shining pearls" (tsohar) that illuminated his house.

Hebrew Secret Societies: The Kabala preserved knowledge of electricity into the medieval period. Liphas Levi recorded the story of Rabbi Jechiele, who used a self-lighting lamp and a shocking doorknocker.

Lightning Control and 'Perpetual Lamps'

Roman King Numa Pompilius: Known for his understanding of esoteric wisdom, Numa was said to control lightning. The historian Pliny noted Numa's ability to force Jupiter the Thunderer to descend and direct lightning. A later Roman king, Tullus Hostilius, died attempting to replicate Numa's rites.

Ancient Lightning Rods: The article contrasts Benjamin Franklin's rediscovery of the lightning rod with ancient practices. Solomon's Temple was protected by a forest of gold points. Egyptian temples had copper-sheathed flagstaffs reaching 100 feet, described as diverting lightning. Similar practices are noted in India.

'Flameless Lights': Stories of "flameless lights" and ancient electrical gadgetry are found worldwide. Numa Pompilius reportedly had a "perpetual lamp" in his sanctuary. Similar lamps are associated with temples in Baalbek (luminous stones), Jupiter-Ammon in Egypt (continuous light), and a temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis (unextinguishable by wind or water).

New World Wonders: Colonel Percy Fawcett heard of ruins in Brazil lit by a "great square crystal" on a platform, emitting intense light. Ancient Maya cities are described as having windowless buildings with illumination that left no trace of smoke or torches.

Egyptian Tombs: The lack of smoke in the Pyramids of Giza and tombs in the Valley of the Kings suggests alternative light sources, possibly electrical, given their known use of electricity for electroplating.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes the idea that ancient civilizations possessed advanced technologies, particularly in the realm of electricity and metallurgy, far exceeding modern understanding of their capabilities. It suggests that this knowledge was not independently developed but inherited from a lost, highly advanced precursor civilization. The editorial stance is one of uncovering and restoring this forgotten knowledge, challenging conventional historical timelines and scientific assumptions. The recurring theme is the existence of a "Golden Age" of wisdom and technology that predates known history, with current civilizations being degenerate offshoots.