INTRODUCTION

What is above, is below' - Egyptian Book of the Dead

In the book "From Atlantis to the Sphinx" Colin Wilson summarises well and concisely many of the popular books that have been recently published on the antiquity of the Giza pyramids and thus on the antiquity of mankind. I will attempt to give a very very brief summary of the subject here.

Several years ago in their book "Keepers of the Genesis", Robert Bauval and Graham Hancock posited the idea that the three great pyramids at Giza represent three stars in the constellation Orion. More precisely, the three stars in the belt of the figure of Orion are in an exact alignment as seen in 10,500 BC. Apart from the Giza pyramids two more pyramids have been found that fit either the figure of Orion (the God Osiris) or its companion star Sirius (the God Isis). In 'The Sirius Connection' Murry Hope describes the extreme importance of Sirius and Orion to the Egyptians (and to other races, such as the Dogons of Mali).

This conflicts with the currently accepted view that the pyramids were built only a few thousand years ago. However, a shaft from the King's chamber of the great pyramid of Giza aligns with the constellation Orion (aka Osiris, who was embodied as the pharoah) only around 2500 BC. So, maybe the pyramids were built only a few thousand years ago, but using a groundplan that was originally built in 10500 BC.

The weather patterning of the rock of the Sphinx has been claimed by some geologists to be caused by heavy rainfall. Other geologists and most Egyptologists refute this since the Giza plateau was only wet many thousands of years before they claim the Sphinx was built. The date proposed for this is around 6-8000 BC. Interestingly, in Astrology the Age of Leo was about 8800 to 11000 BC (see my page on ancient astronomy/astrology). So, if the Sphinx was built to face the rising Sun in the constellation Leo, this indicates a time consistent with the proposed astrological landscaping of the nearby pyramids.

[N.B. The date given for Giza is notable for its similarity to the date given by Erich von Daniken for the appearance of Ancient Astronauts. This information was taken from the Chronicle of Akakor tales of the Ugha Mongulala tribe : a translation from the German can be obtained in Altavista]

A BARROW STAR MAP?

Whilst looking at a map of nearby stonehenge I was struck by the image of three barrows in almost perfect alignment. I immediately had the notion that the numerous barrows in the area were arranged as a star map of the heavens. An initial investigation successfully matched the barrows with the constellations. Shown below is a map showing barrows which collectively form images of the constellations with Leo (centre left), Orion (centre right), Ursa Major (top left), and Hydra (bottom left). Stonehenge itself is in the centre of the picture, at the fork between the two roads, encompassed by Canis Minor.

Click here for a more detailed map covering a wider area of Salisbury plain

The dating of the Giza pyramids has been calculated from the exact astronomical alignments of the starmaps given by the architecture. This should also be possible for the barrows around stonehenge (and any barrows surrounding other stone circles).

So what is the accepted theory to the barrows? Simply, that they are burial chambers.

But, in a recent article (Nov 98) in the UK newspaper the Daily Telegraph it is claimed by a leading British Astronomer that the barrows were used as air-raid shelters against meteor showers! He claims that 20,000 years ago a giant comet entered the solar system and broke up, showering the Earth with meteors. The most dangerous era was about 5000 years ago when Stonehenge was being built. Thus, he concludes that the astronomical alignments inherent in Stonehenge serve to warn against meteor impacts.

OTHER STARMAPS

In 1929 Katherine Maltwood proposed that within a 10 mile diameter circle of the landscape surrounding Glastonbury Tor lay zodiacal images. Further investigation of the British landscape produced six more zodiacs, including some in Ireland and France. [See also 'Kingston zodiac' by M.Caine and books by T.C. Lethbridge ]

A webpage provides evidence that " the Egyptians have traced on the theban soil to the east of the Nile a huge representation of the Aries constellation, the axe of which have determined the building sites."

In a previous book "Fingerprints of the Gods", Graham Hancock also described claims that both the figures in the Nazca lines of Peru and that the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu represented the constellations.

A new book, "Heaven's Mirror - Quest for a lost civilization" , has recently been published by Graham Hancock, and also shown as a three-part series on British TV. Hancock and his researchers have found that the landscaping of the temples at Angkor in Cambodia match the constellation Draco. Moreover, the only time that the constellation of Draco is in the correct orientation as depicted in the temple layouts (and also to be in the sky at Ankgor) is around 10500 BC! This is despite the fact that the temples were built only early in the first millenium.

The easiest explanation for the recent age of the structures is that more ancient structures have been replaced. And it is these older structures that were built to signify the date 10500 BC. The landscaping design may not hold any meaning to the re-builders, except maybe through cryptic mythology.

So, what is the significance of this date? Well, there is the Egyptian concept of the first time (Zep tepi). And Orion at 10500 BC was at its lowest point in its precessional cycle. So, is all of this is to indicate a knowledge of a Precession of the Equinoxes. The true North Pole points to a star (called the Pole star), but as the Earth slowly precesses this star changes. Hence the constellations seem to slowly rotate (at a fixed point of the year) in a 26,000 year long cycle.

In EXPAK it is claimed that the twelve tribes of Israel represent the twelve zodiacal constellations (and thus some of the biblical stories are astronomically symbolic).

LOCATION OF SITES

Glastonbury Tor is on a large hill with a flat landscape around it. The same is true for Avebury henge (with nearby Silbury Hill) and stonehenge (with nearby Old Sarum). The original barrows and hill figures would have been gleaming white chalk. The present day chalk figures give an idea of how easy they are to spot. So in order to appreciate the whole starmap or zodiac you would need a large hill nearby. The henges are astronomical viewing areas inside the starmap/zodiac.

But, since Silbury hill is man-made this begs the question 'Why was Avebury henge / Kennet barrows specifically placed where they they had to build an enormous hill in order to survey it?'.

A reason given for the placing of the pyramids is the symbolism of the river Nile as the Milky way. Could the Cursus or the Avenue be a symbol for the Milky way. Alternatively, although a tenuous link the stonehenge and Avebury areas, known for their plethora of ancient moulds and henges, are situated near to the rivers Avon and Kennet. Note: An east-west alignment was used for Venus/Sun/Sirius rising and setting. Whilst, a North/South alignment was used for watching the constellations rotate around the Pole star (Polaris or thousands of years ago Alpha Draconis).

Stone circles and barrows are numerous in the area of Ancient Wessex, but are also found in other areas of Britain. Other common features of the landscape in this part of Britain is the giant figures carved into the chalk hills . As with many ancient symbols these are figures associated with the constellations. So does the Westbury White horse represent Pegasus, the Uffington White 'horse' Draco, and does the Cerne Abbas giant represent Hercules and the Wilmington Long man Perseus.? An investigation of the barrows in these areas may reveal the same symbols, and thus explain the presence of the figures in the hillside. N.B. Dragon/Serpent legends abound for Westbury, Avebury and any parts of UK.

In Graham Hancock's new book he mentions that, despite the symbology, the Uffington white horse is actually a representation of the constellation Taurus, specifically in 3200 BC at the summer solstice.

For an extensive set of links to stone circles and henges around the world take a look at this web page.

CROP CIRCLES

Though some of the crop circles are probably forgeries is it just a coincidence that the complex crop circles give figures very similar to the figures in the constellations. e.g. 1994 Avebury Scorpion 'Pictogram'. Is it also a coincidence that the location of the circles is near collections of henges and barrows (Avebury, Westbury and stonehenge).

The majority of Crop circles are still in the UK but many have appeared all over the world, including Canada and Japan.