History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Rule by Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids

Average customer rating:

It makes you think
Informative
All roads lead back to Sumer
Rule by Secrecy
Mythic religious fiction

Rule by Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids
Jim Marrs
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060931841
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Book Description

What secrets connect Egypt's Great Pyramids, the Freemasons, and the Council on Foreign Relations? In this astonishing book, celebrated journalist Jim Marrs examines the world's most closely guarded secrets, tracing the history of clandestine societies and the power they have wielded – from the ancient mysteries to modern–day conspiracy theories.

Searching for truth, he uncovers disturbing evidence that the real movers and shakers of the world collude covertly to start and stop wars, manipulate stock markets, maintain class distinctions, and even censor the news. Provocative and utterly compelling, Rule by Secrecy offers a singular worldview that may explain who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.

Customer Reviews:

It makes you think.......2007-07-04

I do not know if everything what Jim Marrs put in this book is as he says. I think there is a wide percentage of speculation and it would have been better if every author quoted could be referred to a specific book. That kind of information is not included.

Nevertheless, it is a book that gives us a hint of what could be happening around us everyday, of what we are not aware or we didn't even notice.

Summing up, it is a very different view of the world that couldn't be put aside, because maybe, it is the vision of the real world where we live.

Informative.......2007-06-20

Okay, the alien stuff is paranoid and silly. The stuff on bankers and the UN, CFR, Trilateral commision is pretty much documented and anyone can look up. Fascinating read. And about 85% is documented and provable.

All roads lead back to Sumer.......2007-06-06

After I decided to learn the truth about who really runs the world and what not, I picked up this book since it seemed to tie together all the things I was wondering about, going back to the ancient mysteries. Jim Marrs really does an amazing job of compiling all this information and tracing it back through history to the Sumerian texts about the Anunnaki. If you are at all interested in shattering the false view of reality our society is conditioned to accept, then take the red pill, and read this book.

Rule by Secrecy.......2007-05-31

Marrs gets through a little over half of this book doing a great job of exposing the new world order, reminding me of a newer up to date version of None Dare Call it Conspiracy by Gary Allen. He exposes the CFR, Trilateral Commision, Bilderbergers, the Federal Reserve, and that all roads lead to oligarchal business and banking families like the Rothschilds and Rockefellers. Marrs also shows the role that was played by these people in fomenting, funding and profiting from both sides of almost all major wars going back to the days of Napoleon. He does drop the ball when he briefly discusses "Nazi Occultism" and uses idiots like Trevor Ravenscroft and Peter Lavenda as sources.

From there he shows the role played by Masonic secret socieities in the French revolution, what is known about the Bavarian Illuminati and a few other secret societies. After that he goes into Knights Templar/Merovingian Bloodline/Priory of Scion territory, which while that stuff is interesting and should be studied, its all just conjecture. Actually those topics have became a whole genre onto themselves in recent years. Besides that I've always thought that Priory of Scion lists that the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail got ahold of were either an out and out hoax perpetrated by the authors of Holy Blood Holy Grail, or put out as intentional disinformation by somebody trying to mislead them and the public.

After the Merovingian stuff Marrs gets way out there by going into Sitchen/Von Daniken territory. Here is where Marrs really loses me. Maybe I missed something but is he claiming that this is the hidden knowledge that the secret societies of the world elites hold? That the true origins of the human race are that we are hybridized creations of aliens from another planet?! Hey I'm not an atheist and I believe in a lot of stuff that the average person would consider pretty far out but this is just a bit much even for me. I'm familar with Marrs work and he's a very well researched, down to earth guy normally so it really surprised me that he included this in Rule by Secrecy. Especially considering I've heard him on radio shows several times making fun of David Ickes wacky reptilian theories.

But that aside I'd still recomend reading this book, if not buying it if you can get it for cheap because whats good in this is great. Just take a few things, especially the last chapter, with a few thousand grains of salt.

Mythic religious fiction.......2007-05-31

"Rule by Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids" is a clumsy yet informative and entertaining collection of cross-cited references concerning Masonic history, Rosicrucianism, and Egyptology with geo-politics, & lastly aristocratic geneologies. The majority of citations stem from David Icke, a controversial and notable conspiracy theorist whom correlates geo-politics with ambiguous research and disreputable claims against Freemasonry. I myself find it fascinating how such authors fail to give credit to the propensity of the human species to greatness. All cultural and religious achievements {a frequent target of this behaviour are the Sphinx and Great Pyramids} are viewed by conspiracy theorists as centres of diabolic plots to enslave the lesser classes.

Inheritors of a Dying World have within our dominion the creative execution of the revolutionary Laws of Imperial Liberty to overcome our dire desolation and ruin in this emerging historical paradigm. Initiated Oracles journeying on the Path of Forgotten Knowledge know a Great Ordeal of purification and consecration overshadows history; and that the profane masses would become slavishly appalled by this Initiation of the World. Out of the fires of purification and consecration, a New Order would then arise, promulgating the revolutionary precepts of the Libertine, the privileged, the patriciate.

The Patriciate, the secret few, the sanctity of Elitism heralds a New World Order of self-government, self-legislation, and s-elf-discipline. Inscribe this into your Undying and Secret Souls with the sacramental blood split upon the holy lands, O' kindred of the earth: patriciate is the progeny of a republic. Democracy is a vice to Imperial Liberty - the Grace of Destiny is of the elect. Dominance and submission hearken a new dichotomy in human society; there is a master, there is a slave.

This is what the author, and many conspiracy theorists fail to understand. The geo-political and cultural status quo simply cannot be maintained in the global age. Paradigms of elitism and imperial Liberty were modified by the religious institutions of the native countries to whom they were introduced. Applications of Law to every Woman and Man according to condition are fundamental. "...A democracy is impracticable beyond the Limits of municipality." {Thomas Jefferson to Isaac H. Tiffany, 1816}. Independence of the Will of a democratic society is a solecism in the privileged Patriciate. It is the elite and elect right of a society to change political principles and constitutions at Will to serve the greater good. The goal of the Elite, of the Patriciate is to convoke theoretical politics and government to the forefront of society, be it against the Will of the low men or not. Governments and religious institutions, it is true, have failed to mark the subtle evolution and dire tribulation of the initiation of the world, which is taking place under their vigilant eyes.

Similar to the bestseller Da Vinci Code, which this title predates, the book tries to incite paranoia and sensationalism by merging fiction with religion and mysticism. There is history and there is conjecture. Moreover, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and Egyptology, do not feature prominently in this book. The predictable conclusion outlines a vast history-shattering conspiracy that reveals extraterrestrial involvement and their human breeding, with Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism and the Illuminati Heritage.

Secret societies have existed since Mankind first began to record its myths and religions. For thousands of years societies have existed safeguarding secret religious teachings transmitted through the generations. Monuments, Apocrypha, ordained occult knowledge, catacombs, forgotten ciphers, and secret sacrifices all have been kept guarded by the heritage of the Illuminati.

The book does provide stimulation for further research in the style of others in its genre {"Holy Blood, Holy Grail"; "Temple and the Lodge"; "Codex Magica"; and of course the "Da Vinci Code"} but falls short of any serious research into the Illuminati Heritage

~ Joshua Seraphim,
author of Babylon: Secret Rituals of Illuminati

"The few who understand the system, will either be so interested from it's profits or so dependant on it's favors, that there will be no opposition from that class."
-Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1863)

"The great strength of our Order lies in its concealment, let it never appear, in any place in its own name, but always covered by another name, and another occupation."
-Father Adam Weishaupt
{1748-1811 A.D.}

The Message of the Sphinx: A Quest for the Hidden Legacy of Mankind

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Fingerprints part 2
a most intriguing work
The Message of the Spinx
A review of the audiobook by a history teacher
Look To The Sky And Find The Truth

The Message of the Sphinx: A Quest for the Hidden Legacy of Mankind
GRAHAM HANCOCK , and ROBERT BAUVAL
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0517705036
Release Date: 1996-06-11

Book Description

The authors of the bestselling Fingerprints of the Gods, The Sign and the Seal, and The Orion Mystery team up to posit a revolutionary theory: that the Sphinx and the other great Egyptian monuments are of prehistoric origina and that they are arranged in such a way as to be a giant stone "hologram, " sending a message to us from the silent past. 16 pp. of photos. 30 line drawings.

Customer Reviews:

Fingerprints part 2.......2007-05-29

Basically this book feels like the Egypt chapters of "Fingerprints of the Gods" slightly expanded with more detail. It isn't as interesting or as terrifying as "Fingerprints" but it is shorter and brings a more specific set of "evidence" to the table.
Bringing up Edgar Cayce weakens the authors' position considerably. Psychic readings, though fascinating, cannot be accepted as evidence in any scientific debate.
The authors beat us over the head with the concept of precession, leaving the reader to gasp out "Okay, I get it!"
Ample quotes from ancient Egyptian texts help to build up a seemingly plausible picture of a sky/earth duality and the construction of the Giza complex as a "model" of the sky around the constellation Orion. Descriptions of the Pyramids and the freakish degree of accuracy in their design seem to indicate that whatever they were built for, it was something very specific and intentional. The orthodox Egyptological view that the Queen's Chamber was "abandoned" unfinished in favor of the King's Chamber just doesn't hold up, in view of the apparent care which was taken by Pyramid architects. This would not have been a construction project that you could make up as you went along.
One problem I had with the authors' theory of a mysterious "Brotherhood of Horus" which had preserved technological and astronomical secrets through the ages from 10,500 bc (supposed date of the "First Time" and the building of the Sphinx) to the Pyramid Age (2500 bc) ... if they were able to sustain their secret society for that length of time, where are they now? Such a "brotherhood" should, conceivably, be robust enough to survive and continue to "manipulate society from behind the scenes" even today. Seems fishy to me, and is another weak point in the authors' presentation.
Their most compelling evidence cited is the unmistakeable signs of water erosion on the body of the Sphinx (also a crucial element from "Fingerprints.") Why do Egyptologists wilfully ignore this clear indication of the actual age of the monument?? I'd like to hear the orthodox explanation, which of course is not presented in this book.
One point that is driven home is the notion that modern Egyptology is a religion rather than a science. The "orthodox" view of ancient Egyptian history is based largely on findings made by amateur treasure hunters during the British colonial period a century or more ago. We have much more sophisticated techinques and a better quality of information now at our disposal; why are we clinging to beliefs based on older, less reliable research? In a true science, theories are changed when new data becomes available, but Egyptologists have a tendency to dismiss or ignore any data that challenges what they already believe. There's always value to be found in divergent thinking, even if it is eventually proven wrong. Off the top of my head, I refer to Galileo and Darwin as "divergent thinkers" whose theories (of a heliocentric solar system and of evolution, respectively) were ridiculed at first.
I can understand Egyptologists' professional indignance when confronted with theories from "armchair researchers" who have done no actual fieldwork, and have not devoted their lives to study of Egyptian antiquity. But Hancock and Bauval have come armed with a formidable collection of evidence, much of which consists of FACTS which can be proven (or debunked.) Where is the scholarly rebuttal from thw Egyptological community? It's not enough to dismiss these theories as "ridiculous." Can somebody prove WHY they're ridiculous? It should be easy for an expert to shoot down the so-called "fanciful yarn" presented in this book, but so far I've seen no-one do it.
Meanwhile there are legitimate discoveries to be made at Giza, based on clues found by ACTUAL field work at the site. There's tangible evidence suggesting the presence of still-undiscovered chambers inside the Great Pyramid and under the plateau near the Sphinx. Work on following these leads proceeds frustratingly slowly. Dr. Zahi Hawas jealously guards the area almost as if it was his own personal property ... any "secrets" found there could be of profound importance to all of mankind, but based on some follow-up reading I've done (beyond the scope of this book) I question whether the public will even be told the truth about what, if anything, is discovered.

a most intriguing work.......2007-04-21

Asking rather more questions than it answers, "The Message of the Sphinx" purports to use geology to prove that the Sphinx is much older than normally suspected. Also, astronomy is used to show once again that the layout of the Giza plateau represents the sky overhead at the summer solstice in 10,500 BC, which the author theorizes is when the First Time began. Having recently read "The Kybalion," which is a hermetic work supposedly handed down from the Sages discussed in this book, it actually all does sort of fit together - as above so below, as below so above is a mainstay of their system of belief and as such the layout of the Giza plateau and other pyramids in the general area fit the pattern. While I pride myself in not being a credulous person, I found the theories and suppositions put forth by the author to have a strong ring of truth to them - it does make me want to conduct further research and I can feel the frustration in the author that further studies have been so heavily curtailed.

A must-read for anyone interested in Egyptology, ancient civilizations and alternative theories of history.

The Message of the Spinx.......2007-03-09

Way has it taken so long for anyone to come up with this information. I think for the most part HandCock is right on the subject.

A review of the audiobook by a history teacher.......2007-02-08

I picked this one up on a whim. Having already read and reviewed Hancock's "Heaven's Mirror" several years ago, I knew what I was getting myself into - lots of alternative, well-researched ideas that cause you to think, "Well...maybe..."

The first half of the audiobook was just that. Questions about the weathering on the Sphinx. Unexplained unwillingness to research into what lies below the Sphinx (is it a cavern? a room? a geologic anomaly?), challenges to the orthodox Egyptology's interpretions.

Lots of good fun and as a history teacher I encourage challenges to Orthodoxy - for example, until fairly recently the Maya were considered to be wise sages of the rain forest who abhorred violence (turns out they readily engaged in human sacrfices all of the time), the Assyrians of Ninevah were considered to be a fantasy of the Bible and the city of Troy? - a figment of Homer's imagination. So, putting pinholes in orthodoxy has its place.

However, Hancock and Bauval lost me when they began to use Edgar Cayce's psychic readings from the 1930s and 1940s as a legitimate source. Star charts and weathering are legitimate sources. Not mediums. Come on!

To make it worse, Hancock and Bauval launch into an extended discourse on the movement of stars across the sky over the cenutires (called procession). While this had a legitimate point, one that Hancock fleshes out even more in his book "Heaven's Mirror," he goes on and on with it to the point where I couldn't hardly stand to listen to it any longer. The reader, Nick Ullett, did a superb job with the material he was asked to read, but there is no way that listening to nearly an hour of facts and figures about star charts and mathematical equations will be anything but mind-numbingly, eye-crossingly, stupifyingly boring. I listen to audiobooks to perk up my long daily commute. I actually had to turn off the relentless march of the equations just to stay awake! Hancock's points were made in the first 15 minutes - yet he continued on and on and on and on and on...

So, this is really two books - the first half is interesting and full of legitimate points. The second half is butressed by facts from the mouth of a psychic and then becomes an endless lecture on procession that should have been edited.

Final grade: D+

Look To The Sky And Find The Truth.......2007-02-05

In a compelling follow-up to Robert Bauval's (co-author, 1995) The Orion Mystery, and setting the foundation for Graham Hancock's (co-author, 1999) Heaven's Mirror, The Message of the Sphinx is a true history of a great civilization that mainstream history would rather ignore.

The book is split into two sections that are based on an encoded message in the Giza Plateau that is a template for records of a "lost" civilization through the alignment of the pyramids and understanding the true age of the Sphinx.

With the latter, the authors researched then new geological evidence of erosion patterns on the flanks of the Sphinx and conclude it was caused by 1,000 years of heavy rains. By using historical knowledge of weather conditions - those conditions date back to the end of the last ice age -it may make the Sphinx more than 12,000 years old.

The use of computer simulations of the sky show how the pyramids precisely line up to represent the three stars of Orion's Belt at 10,500 B.C. The authors write that this understanding of the sky was crucial to the pharoh's initiation rituals and - with the Sphinx - unlock the records of a civilization that looked to the skies to chronicle their history.

It should be no surprise that the book was then and continues to be discounted by the majority of Egyptologists. But it's these same researchers who have skirted the fact that it was the science, technology and history of grand black civilizations that made this region truly a cradle of human existence.

The Message of the Sphinx is an important exploration into who we were and how the truth is viewed in a clear sky of unbiased research.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Pyramids: 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience Ancient Egypt (Kaleidoscope Kids)

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How cool is this book?
Dress, dance, draw, build and play like an Ancient Egyptian
wonderful creative ideas
What an asset

Pyramids: 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience Ancient Egypt (Kaleidoscope Kids)
Avery Hart , and Paul Mantell
Manufacturer: Williamson Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1885593104

Customer Reviews:

How cool is this book?.......2007-06-06

This book will keep a child entertained for days on end. There is a huge wealth of fun and interesting information within, plus great activities. As a children's librarian I was able to plan a whole program around this title complete with activities. Loved it.

Dress, dance, draw, build and play like an Ancient Egyptian.......2006-03-11

I freely admit that as soon as I saw the over of "Pyramids: 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience Ancient Egypt," that I immediately saw in my mind's eye teachers yoking their students to harnesses so they could drag giant stone blocks around the playground (think of the scenes from "The Ten Commandments"), or subjecting a most unruly student to mummification. Now, all of this would be wrong, very wrong indeed, so you should just stick to what Avery Hart & Paul Mantell come up with for young students to do in this Kaleidoscope Kids book.

Ancient Egypt is presented in these pages as the land where magic and mystery meet, and young students are encouraged to "Egyptianize" themselves, forgetting about things like cars and televisions to focus on what sort of objects (e.g., rope, jewelry, balls, etc.) that were a part of the life of people living in ancient Egypt. You can play Egyptian-Style Tug 'o War, make your own scarab (so you can honor the beetle), and make up your own spell having being inspired by the ancient spell for a stomach bug. You can even make a pull horse toy or Egyptian lady (or goddess doll). Consequently, by the time you finish the opening section where you learn that kids are still kids, even when separated by thousands of miles and thousands of years, teaches and students alike will find these activities to be fun.

Granted, a class is not going to get to do four dozen activities for a unit on Ancient Egypt, but teaches can certainly pick and choose. Besides, some of these activities, such as making a Time Line, can be done for any culture or period being studied. Some, such as making a miniature Egypt or a reed boat, are pretty specific. No surprise here, but the section on Pyramids has some of the most interesting activities, such as making a sledge, to understand how they moved around those giant stones, creating a little clay or cardboard pyramid, a pop-up pyramid with a pop-out pharaoh, or actually making a Lego or block step-pyramid. I also like the instructions on how to "Draw Like an Ancient Egyptians" (are the Bangles still in vogue with elementary school kids?).

Actually, I think you can easily work in a dozen of these projects in the classroom, perhaps having different students do different activities. While some are making a cartouche, others can be making a Soul House model or an amulet. Students might be impressed if the teacher shows up wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt one day, the Red Crown of Lower Egypt the next (with a Silver Cobra added on), and then a Nemes. You can also throw an Ancient Egyptian Costume Party and play Senat, an ancient board game, not to mention dance like an Egyptian. Certainly teachers looking for activities that are both fun and educational will find several to their liking n this book and the others in this series. The bottom line is that I wish we had books like this when I was in grade school.

wonderful creative ideas.......2003-06-10

This book is packed with many wonderful creative ideas to help children become very involved in learning about ancient Egypt. I was really impressed. We homeschool and found this to be one of the best purchases we've made while learning about this ancient civilization. I should note that online the recommended age is 9-12. However, on the back of the book it is clearly printed for kids ages 6-12. My daughter is 7 and we found it to be age appropriate.

What an asset.......2000-04-11

THis book is jam-packed with great activites and information. I have went through it numerous times and found new things everytime I pick it up. The activities are not difficult and do not require alot of expense to create. I really enjoyed the animation and colored type. It is nice to look through a book that is made appealing and is well illustrated.

Human Sacrifice, Militarism, and Rulership: Materialization of State Ideology at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacan (New Studies in Archaeology)

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Fascinating

Human Sacrifice, Militarism, and Rulership: Materialization of State Ideology at the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacan (New Studies in Archaeology)
Saburo Sugiyama
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 052178056X

Book Description

Teotihuacan was the largest urban center in the New World in the first two centuries AD, and the Feathered Serpent Pyramid was a spectacular symbol of state power. Saburo Sugiyama investigates the ritual sacrifice of some 200 men and women that marked the erection of the Pyramid in this volume, the first substantial archaeological analysis of the political institutions of Teotihuacan based on stratigraphically recorded evidence. In the process, he illuminates our understanding of urbanization, the ritual behavior of elites, and the role of warfare and sacrifice in early Teotihuacan statecraft.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2007-01-12

Teotihuacan is an amazing mystery. At its peak, it was the 6th largest city in the entire world and exerted at least partial control over key Maya cities up to 600 miles away. Yet it did so with stone age technology, no written language, no beasts of burden, and not even the wheel. And because of the lack of written records, it's very difficult for us today to understand how any of this was possible in general terms, let alone know the details of its civilization and administration.

This book is an attempt to throw some light on these enigmas. It was written by one of the recognized experts on the site, who has participated in many of the key excavations there, and is based on what is known as of the present. The main discussion is a detailing of the massive (200-odd) victim human sacrifice that was part of the ground-breaking ceremony of the Feathered Serpent Pyramid, one of the 3 major buildings of Teotihuacan, and its implications for the government of the city.

This book is definitely not light reading. It's written in a clear yet rather technical manner, so those who aren't familiar with scientific writing might find it rather heavy going, although still informative. For those with a real interest in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican history, however, it's a very useful and fascinating book. However, there's no way around the disturbing nature of its subject matter, although the book doesn't dwell or even speculate on the gory details. It just tries to explain what the quantity and arrangement of bodies and artifacts means for our understanding of life and government in Teotihuacan.

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Justice For Davidovits At Long Last
This has got to be the answer!
Riddles everyone wants to solve, but no one wants the answer
The theory of moldable stone and high technology.
Five stars for originality

The Pyramids: An Enigma Solved
Joseph Davidovits , and Margie Morris
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0880295554

Customer Reviews:

Justice For Davidovits At Long Last.......2007-01-01

I've owned this book since shortly after it was first published. It was immediately clear to me that Professor Davidovits had solved the "mysteries" of pyramid construction (as well as the means by which many other ancient "stone" objects were created), and also clear that his work would be ridiculed and obstructed by Egyptologists and Pyramidologists until circumstances allowed independent, unassailable verification of his findings. That is finally beginning to happen, and it is only a matter of time until the silly hypothesis (and that is all it has ever been) that millions of tons of limestone blocks were quarried without metal tools, somehow, without leaving any debris, carved to tolerances of thousandths of an inch, transported for long distances by unknown methods, and hoisted into place by incredible armies of workers is conclusively disproved. I notice that the only reviewer that fails to share my admiration for this well-written book does so because it fails to accord with "mainstream science". On the contrary, it is the only theory that follows the requirements of science. It's likely that more information will be available on this topic in the next year or two, but for an interesting, readable, and exciting explanation of the true "philosopher's stone", read this book!

This has got to be the answer!.......2006-02-21

Professor Davidovits has published two books since this one, but unfortunately neither of them has been translated into English. In the meantime, this book will do very well as a description of his theory. You can check the current state of things by looking for Joseph Davidovits or geopolymer on the web.

His theory is that the Egyptians knew how to make stone. In fact they could make far better 'concrete' than any that we use today. He explains in detail how they did it. This forms the basis of his theory of how the pyramids were built.

He presents a lot of evidence to support his theory and shows how it fits the facts and solves a lot of mysteries.

The idea can also be applied to the vases and statues made out of extremely hard stone that have long puzzled Egyptologists.

It's a wonderful idea. The clever Egytians, who venerated stone because of its seemingly eternal quality, discovered a lot about its chemistry by trial and error and the inspiration of individuals like Imhotep.

Riddles everyone wants to solve, but no one wants the answer.......2005-12-23

Every theory except Professor Davidovits's theory is flawed because all of them are trying to find a way to engineer (build) pyramids. They fail because it's not an engineering problem. It was an engineering problem for ancient man. For us, it is a reverse engineering problem. We don't want to build pyramids. We want to take them apart to find out how they were built. Professor Davidovits is the only scientist to take them apart and reverse engineer them, therefore his theory is correct. It's that simple.

Why don't people want the answer? I don't know, but we've had the answer for decades, so we must not want it. Nevertheless, the purpose of science is to exchange mystery for understanding. As long as we keep trying to solve mysteries that haven't been mysteries for decades, we're wasting a lot of valuable talent and resources that could be used trying to solve mysteries that really are mysteries. Are we going to waste these resources for another 5,000 years? I hope not, but I wouldn't be surprised if we do.

I found a block of stone that unknowingly was partially reverse engineered in 1986. The information released to the public is sufficient to prove the general concept used to construct it. It is a match for the Professor's theory. If you care to read the proof, it is found at:
http://slimebug.home.comcast.net/megaliths.html

Whether you read my proof or not, you would do well to believe Professor Davidovits and buy his book.

Regards,
Jim Solley

The theory of moldable stone and high technology........2005-02-10

A unique book. It gives a fine perspective and opens some doors towards thought that have been previously closed. I think that this book is no longer being published, but it is a MUST HAVE for anyone interested in the mysteries of the pyramid and the construction techniques. He opens up some areas of thought that are nothing short of pure inspiration. Not for your casual pyramid reader. But if you are interested in some in depth theory and examples, this book has it all.

Five stars for originality.......2004-12-14

The author says the pyramids weren't built of carefully carved stone blocks, but of poured concrete. That solves a lot of problems: No need for a massive ramp larger than the pyramid to haul the blocks up. Rubble was passed upwards in baskets from man to man. No need to explain how the Egyptians carved millions of perfectly shaped blocks with only copper tools. No need to explain why some blocks in the second pyramid weigh two hundred tons. When you're hauling blocks, smaller is better, but when you're pouring, one large block is quicker.

The author give numerous other bits of confirmation: The perfect fit of the blocks because they were poured against each other. The distorted pattern of fossils in the blocks caused by dumping in thousands of fragments. Air bubbles near the tops of blocks caused by air in the still fluid cement migrating upwards.

Why hasn't this theory become widely accepted? In a way it's too good--who in the field of Egyptology wants to admit not seeing this simple solution for himself?

Khufu: The Secrets Behind the Building of the Breat Pyramid

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A thoughtful conclusion and a bibliography round out this remarkable examination.

Khufu: The Secrets Behind the Building of the Breat Pyramid
Jean-Pierre Houdin
Manufacturer: Farid Atiya Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9771730614
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Product Description

More than 4,500 years after its completion virtually everything is known about Khufu's pyramid except for the most important fact: Its method of construction. At present there are no answers to the mysteries of this colossal monument: 146.70 meters in height (the world's tallest building until the nineteenth century). 230.60 meters square base, 2.6 million cubic meters in volume, and 5,500,000 tons in weight spread uniquely over more than 220 layers. This book solves the riddles of Khufu's pyramid by combining archaeological information from distinguished researchers, and a professional architect s approach. This monument set many precedents, such as it was the first building in history to use integrated technical means for its construction - and in its architecture. After studying in detail all of the components of the pyramid - materials, tools, transportation and human strength - Mr. Houdin pieces together the extraordinary planning and organization, the technical skill, and the machines which allowed this great pyramid to rise over a period on twenty-one years, and last until today.

Customer Reviews:

A thoughtful conclusion and a bibliography round out this remarkable examination........2007-05-13

"Khufu: The Secrets Behind The Building Of The Great Pyramid" by Jean-Pierre Houdin is a unique study of the Great Pyramid of Egypt that combines historic photographs with computer generated 'blueprints' of the pyramid's structure with an informed and informative commentary text. Author and pyramid expert Jean-Pierre Houdin begins with a succinct historical summary of Egyptian pyramid building before the Khufu structure. Then provides a general introduction to the Khufu structure including the builders, building disciplines, and building technologies engaged in its planning and construction. Special attention is given to the King's Chamber, the Khufu ramps and passageways, and so much more. Of special note is the 'First Clues' section which includes microgravimetry, the northeast notch, 'ghost' ramps, and characteristics of certain course. A thoughtful conclusion and a bibliography round out this remarkable examination. "Khufu: The Secrets Behind The Building Of The Great Pyramid" is a strongly recommended and seminal addition to university level Egyptology and Archaeology reference collections.

The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite books
Good nuts and bolts but missed the mark for me.
This text sets a new standard for archaeological literature.
The Incomplete Pyramids: Distorting the Ancient Mysteries
The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries

The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries
Mark Lehner
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0500050848

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite books.......2005-11-20

Need a great source for solid and well thought out structure...this is the one!

Good nuts and bolts but missed the mark for me........2005-02-24

Lehner does what he does so well. Except for changing his tune a little from his last work, the actual building process was overdone, I think. Whether he made some miscalculations here and there is not so important to the genre. There is some evidence that the ancients knew how to forge copper into a much harder tool than we would expect today. There is better modern evidence of the overall engineering available to the reader elsewhere.

What I wanted to see was more behind the title. I wanted to see why the design was chosen and so painstakingly duplicated not only in Egypt, but also in China and South America. Also, other than elaborate busy-work, why were they commissioned in the first place? And who were the designers?

Ah, for that answer I refer you to The Ark of Millions of Years, by Clark & Agnew. The common origin of the design and the civilization it took to muster the resources are beautifully documented in great literary style. The recognition by the ancients of the significance and true use of the design is supported from so many sources it is impossible to misunderstand.

Without taking sides or preaching some philosophy, The Ark of Millions of Years may be the best book ever written on the subject of earth science and creation. I liked it so well I bought two more copies for my friends.

This text sets a new standard for archaeological literature........2000-10-23

Like its author, this book is completely devoted to the Pyramids of Egypt. The major premise - that the archaeological record bears witness to an evolution of pyramid design, construction and function from beginning to end of the Pyramid Age - is demonstrated brilliantly and completely. It explains without exhausting the religious significance of the conceptual Pyramid Complex, then concentrates on the `brick and mortar' aspects of its subject. An informative review of explorations at the pyramid sites throughout the ages is equally as interesting as the detailed descriptions of the pyramids themselves that follows in a section fittingly titled "The Whole Pyramid Catalogue". This catalogue, comprising fully half the volume, is a description of each individual Egyptian Pyramid Complex presented (chronologically) with such clarity of detail that it dispels all ambiguity created by several lifetimes of sensationalist and speculative journalism surrounding its subject. In its latter pages the author discusses the role of the Pyramid Complex as administrative center and landlord in later antiquity, and gracefully addresses the more controversial of topics, including the ubiquitous "how did they do it" question, along with his own speculations on some unanswered sociological questions - the size of the work force and logistics. Quite reasoned and well-informed estimates lead him to conclusions that will in their own right prove controversial. One notable unintended consequence of this volume is that many artifacts, presented elsewhere as "Art", assume their appropriate contextual venue and so now hold much more meaning for this reader. The Narmer Palate as declarative stellae in a walled courtyard at Nekhen is one example, the gilded yet austere canopied boudoir of Hetepheres is another. The text is very well written and easily read. Heavily illustrated, the photographs are appropriate, of excellent quality and are well placed; line drawings are used throughout to clarify and supplement photographs. With this volume Dr. Mark Lehner joins the ranks of Egypt's most celebrated archaeologists, and surpasses them all in understanding and presentation of the facts concerning the Pyramids.

The Incomplete Pyramids: Distorting the Ancient Mysteries.......2000-08-30

The author who asked readers to believe people were grotesque hybrid
beings with horse heads and human bodies when the Great Pyramid was
built, and that native Egyptians had tails and feathered legs (Mark
Lehner, The Egyptian Heritage: Based on the Edgar Cayce Readings,
1974) is proposing nonsensical information about pyramid
construction. The Complete Pyramids does not ask readers to believe
the Great Pyramid was built by Atlanteans in 12,000 B.C., or that when
people were cleansed in the temples their claws changed into hands and
their tails fell away, as he did in The Egyptian Heritage. But he does
expect readers to believe information that defies scientific
methodology and the archaeological record. For brevity, I offer only
four points with hope of helping to correct the record.

First,
consider how Mark Lehner defies scientific method. He recognizes that
Giza is not known to exhibit the housing needed for the 100,000 or
more builders engineers assert were needed to build the Great Pyramid
within Khufu's reign. Lehner proposes only 25,000 men, indicating,
however, that most were miscellaneous workers.

To get his reduced
number, Lehner wrongly calculates with an averaged block weight of 2.5
tons, rather than taking into account a myriad of far larger building
units of over 15 tons. Although more study of the block weights is
warranted, Lehner fails to acknowledge that the heights of the blocks
are sufficiently documented to make better calculations than he would
have readers believe. Indeed, the heights of each course were first
measured in the 1800s and as recently as the 1970s. The published
reports of these studies match (except for the loss of some upper
tiers since the 1800s) because of accurate measurements. The charts
show that many of the heaviest blocks in the outer masonry are at the
level of the King's Chamber. Some of these blocks occupy the height of
two tiers. By calculating with an averaged weight of 2.5 tons, Lehner
rids the workforce of many thousands.

Furthermore, Lehner
incorrectly uses a calculation for moving blocks along level ground,
rather than one for raising blocks on a ramp! He thereby reduces the
workforce by many thousands.

Second, Lehner assumes that nummulitic
limestone blocks can be leveled and otherwise shaped with copper
tools. Thus, he ignores up-to-date Egyptology. For instance, Dieter
Arnold's Building in Egypt (1993) recognizes that the mines could not
furnish enough copper for cutting millions of pyramid blocks, and
Arnold shows that copper tools are unworkable on medium-hard to hard
limestone (the Great Pyramid's blocks are mostly medium-hard to
hard). In short, the strongest metal of the Pyramid Age was too soft
to cut the blocks so as to render the Great Pyramid's extraordinary
features.

Third, Lehner's estimate of the time required to quarry
blocks is useless, and his discussion of how blocks could have been
quarried is misleading. Lehner writes: "To build the Great
Pyramid in 23 years...322 cu. m (11,371 cu. ft) of stone had to be
quarried daily. How many quarrymen would this require? Our NOVA
pyramid-building experiment provided a useful comparison:...8.5
stones per day. But though they worked barefoot and without power
tools, they had the advantage of a winch with an iron cable to pull
the stones away from the quarry face. An additional 20-man team might
have been needed for the task in Khufu's day." The NOVA crew,
however, used modern steel tools! Lehner's calculation is invalid
because he utilizes the tremendous advantage afforded by steel tools
(it is incorrect for Lehner to call NOVA's tools 'iron,' although
steel is mostly iron. His use of the word iron makes NOVA's tools seem
like those of the ancient world. They are not. Furthermore, the
Egyptians did not possess iron until 800 years after the Great
Pyamid's construction, and iron does not have the capabilities of
steel). NOVA's quarrymen can be seen using steel adzes and steel pry
bars. They used heavy steel pickaxes to cut trenches to isolate
blocks. They drove steel wedges beneath blocks and hit these wedges
with steel sledgehammers. Compare Pyramid Age tools of copper, wood
and stone. If Lehner presented such methodology in the 'hard'
sciences, he would be subjected to the kind of criticism that end
careers.

Lehner adds that his "figure can be expanded further
to compensate for other advantages of iron tools." With this he
admits, in a manner too subdued to alert the average reader of his
tactics, that his estimate does not involve Pyramid Age tools. Pyramid
Age tools are inadequate for quarrying or shaping good-quality
limestone blocks. No matter how many workers are employed, if the
tools are inadequate the work cannot be completed. The very existence
of the Great Pyramid suggests that a different method was
used.

Fourth, Lehner's calculation of the number of men needed to
haul blocks from the quarry to the Great Pyramid is flawed and
misleading. He writes, "Let us assume that the stone haulers
could move 1 km (0.62 miles) per hour en route from the quarry to the
pyramid...The distance from Khufu's quarry to the pyramid, at c. 6o
slope, could probably be covered in 19 minutes by 20 men pulling a 2.5
ton block. Certainly, this was well within the capacities of the NOVA
team..." Again, Lehner uses averaged weights of 2.5 tons,
ignoring the need to address hundreds of thousands of 15-ton and
larger units. He insinuates that NOVA's experiment validates his
calculations! A front-end loader, however, hauled all blocks from the
quarry. Even the three or four one-ton stones raised manually for
NOVA's on-camera demonstration were hauled and placed onto the
mini-ramp by this machine.

Lehner mentions the front-end loader,
implying it only set stones in the lower courses of NOVA's
mini-pyramid. ....

The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries.......2000-08-05

I knew this book through the many references found in other books. Then, I read about Mark Lehner on Dr. Hawass's articles that refers to him as a accurate egyptologist. I waited for long time an translated edition in my language, italian, but not knowing when it will be published, I decided to read in original language. During my stay on USA, I found the book in a big bookstore, so I saw it inside. It's that I hoped: a very complete report on pyramids, not only the most famous, with update information and a impressive number of photos, computer drawings, schematics and other. So I decided to buy, choosing Amazon as my supplier (thanks to the bookstore for the visit). Thanks to my friend Guido that encouraged this acquiring. Ciao.