Earthquest News - 2000 - Vol 4 No 1

Magazine Overview

Title: EARTHQUEST NEWS
Issue: Vol. 4, No. 1
Date: Spring 2000
Publisher: Andrew Collins

This issue of Earthquest News, a newsletter from Andrew Collins, marks the beginning of the new millennium and reflects on the past year's highs and lows, including the successful Questing Conference and personal legal issues. The editor expresses a desire to move forward with uncovering the truth.

Questing Conference 1999 Review

The newsletter provides a review of the 1999 Questing Conference, which attracted over 820 attendees to the Institute of Education in the University of London. The conference featured exclusive lectures from prominent figures in the field of ancient mysteries and forbidden archaeology. Speakers included David Rohl on Egyptian civilization, Robert Bauval on the Egyptian star cult, Michael Baigent on archaeological cover-ups, Colin Wilson on ancient civilizations, and Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas on human origins. Andrew Collins himself presented evidence of cocaine mummies and transatlantic contact in ancient times. A full review is available on the Andrew Collins website, Eden.

The conference is described as the premier event of its kind in Britain, with a major article appearing in the January 2000 issue of FORTEAN TIMES. The editor is already planning the next Questing Conference (QC2000) for Saturday, 14 October, at the same venue, promising top lecturers. Details will be announced in FORTEAN TIMES, NEXUS, and WHAT'S NEXT magazine, with further information available via mail in April/May or by contacting the conference hotline in March.

Mysteries of the Past Conference

To re-engage readers, an interim conference titled 'Mysteries of the Past' is organized for Saturday, 4 March, at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. The event will run from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and will feature five lecturers: Robert Temple, discussing his new book 'Crystal Sun'; David Rohl, exploring the Atlantis theme; David Eccott, presenting new evidence on the origins of the ancient Maya; Emilio Spedicato, a catastrophe expert, on the reality and destruction of Atlantis by a comet impact; and Andrew Collins, discussing the true location of Atlantis. The new Atlantis theory is presented as a collaborative effort to convince the scholarly community.

The conference fee is £15, with tickets available via a separate flyer or by calling a credit hotline. Last-minute details can be obtained from the conference hotline. The evening of the conference will also serve as a launch for Andrew Collins' book 'Gateway to Atlantis', with an invitation to all attendees for a gathering in a nearby pub or hotel.

Gateway to Atlantis Book

The newsletter extensively discusses Andrew Collins' upcoming book, 'Gateway to Atlantis', scheduled for publication on 17 February 2000. The book aims to pinpoint the true location of Plato's Atlantis by addressing several key questions: its location near an 'opposite' continent, the identity of the mud shoals, the nature of the catastrophe, the extent of its drowning, and evidence of an Atlantean race. Readers are encouraged to purchase Plato's 'Timaeus' and 'Critias' for context.

Plato's description of Atlantis in the 'Critias' is analyzed, suggesting an east-west oriented island of approximately 600 by 400 kilometers, despite Plato also mentioning a landmass the size of Libya and Asia combined. A clue from Diodorus Siculus' 'Library of History' is presented, describing a 'fruitful' island in the ocean west of Libya with mountains, plains, rivers, and a mild climate, which bears resemblance to Plato's Atlantis. The connection between Diodorus and Plato is questioned.

An interactive section on the Eden website is promoted, allowing users to explore potential candidates for Atlantis' location. A controversy regarding Plato's portrayal of poets is also mentioned, with Collins describing him as a poet and philosopher, a view supported by recent academic scholarship, including the book 'Platonic Errors' by Gene Fendt and David Rozema.

Eden - The Andrew Collins Website

The Eden website has been revamped with new graphics and a new webmaster, Geoff Webb. The site offers more than just Atlantis-related content, including reviews of the 1999 Questing Conference, articles on Watchers, Egyptian civilization, Baalbek, and the 'Stones of Atlantis'. It also features critiques of two BBC Horizon documentaries that questioned the theory of Atlantis as the mother of civilizations and challenged the ideas of Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval.

Tiahuanaco Dating

This section addresses the dating of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia, a topic discussed in Graham Hancock's 'Fingerprints of the Gods'. The newsletter contrasts the conventional archaeological dating of Tiahuanaco (around 2,000 years ago, with earliest occupation 3,500 years ago, based on Carbon-14 testing) with the theory proposed by Arthur Posnansky and supported by Neil Steede. Posnansky suggested the Kalasasaya temple court was aligned to the solsticial sunrise and sunset of 10,000 BC, based on the Obliquity of the Ecliptic. Steede's research using advanced technology confirmed the angles of variation, suggesting a time-frame of 9000-7000 BC.

Neil Steede's analysis of metal clips at Tiahuanaco indicates the use of a nickel-copper alloy (monel), requiring a higher melting point than conventional copper smelting, and suggests the nickel may originate from meteorites. A Discovery Channel documentary is mentioned, which produced Carbon-14 dates of around 2500 BC from organic deposits. The newsletter also references Posnansky's book, which shows fossilized elongated skulls found near Tiahuanaco, suggesting an age far exceeding 3,500 years. While acknowledging that proof of 12,000 years is lacking, the article argues for evidence of Tiahuanaco being more than 2,000 years old and hints at a solar alignment predating current estimates by thousands of years.

Angel Scroll

News is reported on the discovery of a hitherto unknown Dead Sea Scroll, dubbed the 'Angel Scroll', which scholars believe could be 'the archaeological discovery of the century'. According to the 11 October 1999 edition of THE JERUSALEM REPORT, the scroll is rich in Jewish mystical imagery, including the earliest known references to the Kabbalah and descriptions of angels. It may also provide a link between the Dead Sea community and the early Jerusalem Church. The scroll, estimated to be around 2,000 years old, consists of approximately 1,000 lines in Hebrew, with some Aramaic and Greek words. It was reportedly found by Bedouin tribesmen in Jordan in the 1970s and subsequently sold to a scrolls dealer, then to Benedictine monk-scholars who began its translation in secrecy at a monastery on the German-Austrian border.

Information about the scroll was released following the death in 1996 of one of its translators, Father Gustave Mateus. The scroll's authenticity is debated due to its apparent dedication: 'To Yeshua, son of Pediya the priest, the holy one'. This dedication is linked to Graham Phillips' book 'The Marian Conspiracy' and is suggested to make sense of Jesus' true parentage.

The scroll's contents include a 'tour of the heavens' with an angel named Pnimea (identified as the Watcher Pênêmûe from the Book of Enoch). The author learns about the universe, celestial signs, and how to use medical plants and stones for healing and prediction. The newsletter draws parallels with 2Enoch, noting that while the angel in 2Enoch is Raphael, Pnimea's role as a revealer of heavenly secrets matches Pênêmûe's in 1Enoch. This alteration is seen as a possible attempt to remove the role of fallen angels from the text.

Events and Book Orders

The newsletter concludes by reminding readers of upcoming events: 'Mysteries of the Past' on 4 March, talks in bookstores across Britain in February, and the FORTEAN TIMES UnConvention on 29/30 April where Andrew Collins will lecture on Atlantis. 'Gateway to Atlantis' day is on 17 February. An additional talk, 'The Atlantis Lecture – Facts and the Fiction', is scheduled for Thursday, 24 February, at Southend Central Library.

A reply coupon is provided for readers who wish to opt out of future mailings or to order books: 'From the Ashes of Angels', 'Gods of Eden', and 'Gateway to Atlantis'. Contact details for Andrew Collins are provided for orders and inquiries.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ancient mysteries, alternative archaeology, and the exploration of historical enigmas, particularly concerning Atlantis and early civilizations. The editorial stance is one of critical inquiry, challenging conventional timelines and interpretations, and promoting the idea that hidden truths about the past are discoverable. There is a strong emphasis on promoting Andrew Collins' own research, books, and events, positioning him as a leading voice in these fields. The newsletter encourages readers to engage with these topics through websites, conferences, and reading material, fostering a sense of community among those interested in these subjects.