Serie C brev nr 7

Magazine Overview

This issue of "Brevcirkeln" (Circular Letter), published by Svenska Dagbladet, features a cover story titled "Atlantis och Forntida Elektricitet" (Atlantis and Ancient Electricity). The issue date is Sunday, October 18, 1964, with the identifier C-7 and a price of 2.65.

Letters to the Editor

Letter from Ivan Troëng (October 11, 1964)

Ivan Troëng, a research engineer from Garpenberg, responds to an article by Carl Nylander. Troëng asserts that certain ancient ornaments from the coast of Ecuador, allegedly made of platinum and found by Danish researcher Paul Bergsøe, would require electrical power due to platinum's high melting point (1700°C). He argues that the claim that these works were not made by professionals is astonishing, as such advanced techniques would imply skilled artisans with generations of experience. Troëng also revisits the idea that ancient South America possessed a highly advanced, now-lost civilization. He cites the 'Chou-Chou's aluminum sharpener', images of electric lamps and telegraph poles from the Dendera temple, numerous electric elements from Mesopotamian excavations, and detailed accounts in 7000-year-old Indian scriptures about the creation of electric light and electroplating methods. These scriptures mention an inventor named Agastya, who was given the titles 'The Battery-Born' (Kumbhadhava) and 'Son of Electricity' (Maitravaruna).

Letter from Carl Nylander (November 6, 1964)

Carl Nylander, a candidate of philosophy, responds to Ivan Troëng's letter. Nylander acknowledges Troëng's points but maintains that his own previous article (October 18) adhered to established archaeological and philological views. He criticizes Troëng's embrace of esoteric 'sciences' and his belief in lost civilizations, suggesting Troëng is falling into the trap of wishful thinking and a romanticized view of reality. Nylander argues that Troëng's interpretation of ancient artifacts and texts is flawed and that conventional archaeology, while perhaps incomplete, is the most reliable path. He references J. Alden Mason's description of platinum ornaments from Peru, noting that their creation would indeed require high temperatures and likely electric power, but he does not draw the same conclusions as Troëng. Nylander also mentions the discovery of an aluminum alloy sword belonging to General Chou Chou in China, again pointing to advanced ancient metallurgy. He questions the lack of evidence for a long, primitive evolutionary period, suggesting that the trend in recent millennia has been downward until the last few thousand years. He quotes Nobel laureate Frederick Soddy on the possibility of ancient, unknown cultures whose traces have been lost. Nylander concludes by expressing a desire to engage with archaeologists who can provide reasoned arguments rather than mere invective.

Letter from Stig Ryden (November 11, 1964)

Stig Ryden, a docent andintendent at the State Ethnographic Museum, addresses the debate about Atlantis and platinum. He refutes Ivan Troëng's assertion that certain ancient ornaments from Ecuador, made of platinum, necessarily imply the use of electrical power. Ryden explains that Paul Bergsøe's research (published in 'Ingeniørvidenskabelige skrifter') details a method used by pre-Columbian Indians to work with platinum. This method involved placing platinum grains with gold grains on a charcoal piece and heating them with a blowpipe. The gold would melt, allowing it to fuse with the surface of the platinum grains. This process, repeated and combined with copper and silver as additives, created a homogeneous alloy. The resulting small grains were then welded together to form intricate objects. Ryden quotes Bergsøe, stating that this work shows a manual dexterity beyond that of modern Europeans, but does not necessarily point to professional craftsmen in the modern sense. Ryden notes that these artifacts are among the few archaeological proofs of the existence of these ancient metalworkers. He concludes by mentioning that Bergsøe received the Loubat Prize for his research, which shed light on the manufacturing methods of these ornaments and other evidence of Indian craftsmanship.

Atlantis and Ancient Electricity: A Deeper Dive

The Myth of Atlantis

The article "Atlantis och Forntida Elektricitet" delves into the enduring fascination with the lost continent of Atlantis, tracing its origins to Plato's dialogues, Timaeus and Critias. Plato, through the account of Solon's visit to Egypt, described Atlantis as a powerful island empire west of the Pillars of Hercules, which existed 9,000 years before Solon's time. This advanced civilization, ruled by Poseidon, was eventually destroyed in a cataclysmic event, sinking beneath the sea. The legend has been kept alive through various interpretations and embellishments over centuries, notably by Jules Verne and Ignatius Donnelly, who proposed Atlantis as the cradle of humanity.

The Atlantis Debate: Scholarly vs. Esoteric Views

The discussion surrounding Atlantis is characterized by a vast and often contentious body of literature, with numerous schools of thought vying for dominance. The article highlights the divide between rigorous scholarly inquiry and more speculative, esoteric interpretations. While some researchers have linked Atlantis to geographical locations like the Azores, Canary Islands, or even Uppsala, Sweden (as proposed by Olof Rudbeck), the dominant academic consensus, particularly from classical philologists like Wilamowitz and Albin Lesky, regards Plato's Atlantis as a philosophical construct, a myth created by Plato to explore his ideas on the ideal state and political philosophy, rather than a historical reality.

Challenging Conventional Archaeology

Ivan Troëng and others challenge the prevailing archaeological dogma that human technological progress has been a linear, upward evolution. They point to artifacts like platinum ornaments from ancient South America and the mention of aluminum in ancient Chinese texts as evidence that past civilizations possessed advanced metallurgical knowledge, including the mastery of high-temperature processes and electrolysis, which are typically associated with modern technology. The absence of extensive evidence for a long, primitive evolutionary period is also cited as a counterargument to the standard evolutionary timeline.

The Case for Ancient Metallurgy and Electricity

Paul Bergsøe's research, as detailed by Stig Ryden, provides a plausible explanation for how pre-Columbian peoples could have worked with platinum. This involved a process of heating platinum grains with gold, copper, and silver using a blowpipe, creating an alloy that could then be worked and welded. While this demonstrates remarkable manual dexterity, Ryden emphasizes that it does not necessarily imply the use of electricity in the way Troëng suggests. However, the existence of such sophisticated metalworking techniques in ancient times continues to fuel speculation about lost technologies and knowledge.

Plato's Atlantis: Myth or History?

Despite the academic consensus that Plato's Atlantis is a philosophical allegory, the legend continues to inspire debate about its potential historical basis. The article touches upon various interpretations of Plato's narrative, including its use in discussions about political systems (monarchy vs. democracy) and as a reflection of Socrates' teachings. Some scholars suggest possible influences from Iranian thought and Mesopotamian civilizations on Plato's depiction of Atlantis.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of "Brevcirkeln" engages with the enduring mystery of Atlantis and the possibility of advanced ancient technologies, particularly in metallurgy and electricity. It presents a dialogue between conventional archaeological views and more speculative theories that posit lost civilizations with sophisticated knowledge. The editorial stance appears to lean towards a critical examination of both the esoteric claims and the limitations of current archaeological understanding, encouraging a more open-minded yet critical approach to interpreting ancient evidence. The recurring theme is the challenge to the linear model of human technological evolution, with evidence from ancient artifacts and texts being re-examined for clues about forgotten capabilities.