GULDÅLDERNS REALITET

Magazine Overview

Title: GULDÅLDERNS REALITET (The Reality of the Golden Age)
Issue: 9
Volume: C
Publisher: null
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Date: null
Document Type: Magazine Issue

The Golden Age and Ancient Cataclysms

The article "GULDÅLDERNS REALITET" by Ivan Troeng explores the concept of a mythical 'Golden Age' that existed in humanity's distant past. This era is described in various cultures as a time when life was significantly easier, with shorter days, a mild climate year-round, and abundant harvests of food, fruits, and berries. The Earth's rapid rotation contributed to a subtropical, paradisiacal climate, where even heat-loving plants like walnuts and poplars thrived as far north as Spitsbergen.

Mythological Accounts of the Golden Age

Troeng draws upon classical authors like Homer and Ovidius to describe this idyllic period. Homer laments not living in the Golden Age but in the 'Iron Age,' while Ovidius, in his Metamorphoses, depicts a time when the Earth effortlessly provided bread and fruits in abundance. Plato's writings on Atlantis are also referenced, suggesting this continent was extremely fertile, yielding two harvests per year, and Homer's description of Atlantis as experiencing 'eternal spring.'

Even Nordic mythology, though less directly, is seen to preserve similar memories. The boar Surt is interpreted as a symbol of a time when people had no worries about food. Donnelly, in his book 'Ragnarok,' suggests that the age of the Aesir, before Ragnarok, was dominated by a highly cultured race that perished in the great Atlantis catastrophe.

Evidence from Nordic Mythology

The article highlights the figure of Heimdal from the 'Elder Edda,' who resides in Himinbjörg near Bifrost and guards the bridge to Asgard. Heimdal's ability to see and hear for vast distances, day and night, and his golden teeth are interpreted as characteristics of an advanced race with skilled dentists and sophisticated optical instruments like telescopes. The presence of gold fillings in ancient Egyptian and Peruvian skulls, and telescope lenses found in Babylonian ruins, are cited as supporting evidence.

The 'Poetic Edda' is quoted to describe opulent dwellings adorned with gold and silver. The hall Valaskjalf is mentioned as being covered in silver, and Glitne is described as being supported by gold with a silver roof. Another passage speaks of houses with hundreds of rooms, featuring gold spars and silver roofs, and even crystal goblets.

The Cataclysm and the Dark Age

The article posits that the Golden Age was followed by a period of immense darkness and cold, often referred to as the 'Iron Age' or 'Fimbulwinter.' This dark period is described as a consequence of a great catastrophe.

• Global Accounts of Darkness: Legends from various cultures corroborate this. Polynesian myths speak of the god Manui wishing for longer days. Persian legends describe a time without sun, moon, or stars, only darkness and cold. The Mexican chronicle Popol Vuh recounts a time when the powers of darkness, rain, and storm ruled the earth. The Quiche ancestors are said to have come from a land in the East (Atlantis?) during a 'dark time before the sun existed, during the time of glaciation.'
• The Phaeton Catastrophe: The story of Phaeton describes an enormous catastrophe that set the world ablaze ('the time of fire'), followed by a period of darkness and severe cold. Donnelly interprets the 'dark day' in Greek accounts as lasting for years, similar to Nordic and Persian traditions, with a long period of severe cold.
• Norse Mythology's Dark Age: Nordic mythology presents three parallel accounts of this dark period: Balder, the god of light, is killed by the blind god Hödur; the Fenris wolf devours the sun; and a prophecy describes the sun blackening, stars falling from the sky, and flames consuming the world.
• Balder's Return: The search for Balder, the sun god, is described in detail, with Hermod riding Odin's horse Sleipner for nine days and nights through dark chasms to reach Hel's domain. Balder's absence caused sorrow throughout the world, and his eventual return brought joy.

Dating the Cataclysm

The article attempts to date this great catastrophe. It references Marcel Homet's "Sons of the Sun," which suggests that the day of destruction reset calendars for ancient Central American peoples, placing the Atlantis catastrophe around 8498 BCE. Plato's dating is cited as approximately 9600 BCE, and Aristarchus's as 9813 BCE. The Troano Manuscript mentions a catastrophe that destroyed a large land in the Pacific Ocean around 9560 BCE. A South African myth places the destruction of a large island in the Atlantic around 12000 years ago, or approximately 10000 BCE. The convergence of these dates around 9-10,000 BCE is noted.

Scientific Corroboration

Radiocarbon dating (C14) is presented as a modern tool that can shed light on this period. The article states that seven out of ten mammoth finds younger than 30,000 years group around the value of approximately 9800 BCE, as determined by Aristarchus. Furthermore, findings of heat-loving tree species in northern latitudes indicate that the climate was much warmer in these now-temperate and cold regions long before the C14 dating range, supporting the idea of a significantly different climate in the past.

Conclusion

Troeng concludes that the reality of the Golden Age is undeniable, supported by the consistency of narratives across different cultures, the agreement in time indications from various parts of the world, and the overwhelming evidence from C14 measurements. The article suggests that the similarities in descriptions of the Golden Age before the fire cataclysm and the subsequent dark period are not coincidental but point to a shared, universal historical event.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine issue strongly advocates for the historical reality of a lost Golden Age and a subsequent global cataclysm. It relies heavily on comparative mythology, ancient texts, and interpretations of legends to build its case. The editorial stance appears to be one that seeks to validate ancient myths as historical records, suggesting that these stories are not mere fables but fragmented memories of actual events. The recurring themes include the cyclical nature of history, the fall of advanced ancient civilizations, and the enduring power of collective memory preserved in myths and legends. There is an underlying belief in a sophisticated ancient past that predates current historical understanding.