Another "Forgotten Civilization" Hypothesis - Lake Van the Cradle of Human Symbology?

 

Matthew LaCroix ("author and ancient history expert who has extensively studied the secrets of lost civilizations, megaliths, earth cycles and ancient texts for two decades") has a video out promoting a documentary and a tourist excursion he is planning for September: The Missing Key | Evidence of a Lost Global Civilization - FULL Presentation 2025

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Posted on You Tube by Matthew LaCroix  Jun 24, 2025 (23,789 views).

Here is what the "ancient history expert" writes about it:  

                             Lake Van and Mt Ararat                           

 In the heart of eastern Turkey, nestled around Lake Van, are the ruins of a highly sophisticated, megalithic civilization that most of the world has never heard of... Ancient sites that contain sacred symbols like the sun cross, triptych doorway motif, tree of life and chalice - all of which are highly important to religions and cultures across the planet. Could this new evidence finally help shift the old narrative of history and prove, once and for all, that humanity has a lost chapter of its story that we have forgotten?

Frankly, he needs to try a bit harder to define his terms, what does he mean by "contact" and why would one determine that only on the basis of symbols that "look like" each other?  Also, conspicuous by its absence is any indication of the dating of the several sites he quotes and on what grounds he seems to be back-dating a considerable proportion of them. 

Anyway, this is the blurb on his webpage:

Matthew LaCroix is a passionate writer and ancient history researcher who grew up exploring the mountains of northern New England. After college, his focus became studying archeology, ancient civilizations, physics, and history - and at age 32, he published his first major book entitled: The Illusion of Us.

In 2019, Matthew released his second book: The Stage of Time, which seeks to unravel the mysteries of the lost civilizations of antiquity, the ancient catastrophes that destroyed them, and a library of the greatest knowledge they left behind.

In 2023, he released his third book co-written with Billy Carson entitled: The Epic of Humanity, and went on to make a major archeological discovery near Lake Van in Turkey, where he found evidence of a previously unknown lost civilization - known as the Ararat Civilization, which would become the focus of his career in the future.

This led Matthew to start his own company called Ayanis Legacy, which focuses uncovering and documenting the secrets of the Ararat Civilization through archaeological discoveries, film creation, and books.

Yonaguni Jinks

This is an interesting presentation of the lump of rock @Graham__Hancock and others see as some kind of a "monument". The "site" takes on a totally different aspect when you see it in the context of its surroundings: 

Draining the Younaguni "Monument" National Geographic TV June 2018

 The Yonaguni monument is impossible to investigate fully by

diving. With the help of survey technology, we can drain away

the water to  show the exact details  of this mysterious structure.

Look how it can be seen that this is just a portion of the same rock as behind - stripped by storms during Holocene marine transgression (the base of the so-called "monument" according to Graham Hancock is at -27 m b.s.l. the top is higher). Such a level would mean that it was submerged only after c. 10000 Kya. This four-minute film shows the same type of formations created by natural erosion all over the island (pseudoarchaeology mumbo-jumbo for first half):

The truth behind Japan's mysterious 'Atlantis'   Video by Naotomo Umewaka
BBC 23 February 2022

Beneath the coastal waters of the Japanese island of Yonaguni lies a series of mysterious rock formations. Since its discovery nearly 35 years ago, the strangely symmetrical shapes and structures of the 'Yonaguni Monument' have led to fierce debate over its true origins.

Could the odd shapes of this structure really have been carved by a lost Japanese civilisation many thousands of years ago, or is it just a stunning example of natural geology deep beneath the sea?

 In order to convince their audiences that there is some "mystery" here,the pseudo-archaeologist alternative-reality grifters will just show you cherry-picked bits of the whole [photos with no proper scale or north points], that "look like" "steps" (some 2m high!), or "terraces"....

..Or what purport to be 3d representations of the whole (looking a bit like the Athens Acropolis, no?) that deceitfully don't give a real impression of what is actually there...

@Graham_Hancock had dived there 130 times in 1997-2003, and claims that he was doing "research" on it. But has NEVER published a proper plan of the whole complex in its environment, not even a detailed sonar scan. Yet that should be the starting point of any discussion. He criticises (2003 Underworld) "armchair archaeologists" and "armchair geologists" who look at the evidence presented so far and decide that it is a natural lump of rock, "without ever having dived there like me" https://youtu.be/l5xqp28KjLk?si=swnKD0iODA6_pYxP

It seems to never have occurred to him that if he had better DOCUMENTED the site he's been "investigating" (now for 27+ years), he'd have a better chance of convincing the rest of us there is something to even consider there.

"more than 10000 BP"? The top of this wave-cut platform /transgressive surface [which is CLEARLY what this is] is only a few metres down, but the base of the "monument" (Masaaki Kimura's "path") acc. to GH (2003) is only 27m below sea level - corresponding to HOLOCENE sea levels.

And in fact if you trawl through the 600 pages of the self-centred, repetitive, wordy, inconclusive and disjointed "Underworld" (NOT recommended), you'll see that ALL of the "monuments" (ha ha) it describes have similar depths, all HOLOCENE-compliant. Not a single one that would have been built before and then submerged in the Younger Dryas, let alone preceding Allerød (if they want to claim they submerged due to "tectonic activity", that'd make them LATER).

No more surmises, or claims you are "just asking questions" and smokescreens, time for facts now please Mr Hancock!

Antediluvian Man Revealed on Netflix

I asked, "Why are so many people drawn to Graham Hancock? Is it even the archaeology? Any thoughts?".
One answer on Twitter was interesting:

Lil' Triangle @TriangleCyclops

I'm gonna say something that might seem kinda unhinged at first, but hear me out:

A big part of what draws conspiracy theories out of people are generally religious beliefs that they already hold, and then, just build on top of those.

In Christianity, this can manifest in some strange ways due to a phenomenon called "Biblical Literalism", where the stories in the Bible are interpreted to all be exact and inerrant accounts of historical events.

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, there are two main epochs -- pre-flood and post-flood. According to the Genesis lore, prior to the 'great flood' of Noah, there was already a thriving civilization that existed, governed by the other-worldly Nephilim, but which was subsequently wiped out by the flood. In the post-flood epoch, there is another civilization founded by the leader called 'Nimrod', which constructed the Tower of Babel.

There two accounts have never really been confirmed by anything in the archeological world. Therefore, Biblical Literalists are drawn to Graham Hancock's alternative 'archeology' because they believe that there must be lost Nephilim and Nimrod civilizations somewhere.

This Youtuber has 1.48 million subs, and pontificates on this subject: https://youtube.com/watch?v=iQkK35CS96c

7:54 PM · Jun 16, 2025 9 Views

He's writing about Dr Taylor Marshall ( 1.48M subscribers)This is an interesting take, he agrees totally with Hancock... but obviously never actually paid attention to what the guy actually wrote... but it "all agrees with the Book of Genesis". Crazy!

Ancient Apocalypse: Did Graham Hancock Rediscover Bible Truths?

36,278 views Premiered Dec 8, 2022

"I recently watched the Ancient Apocalypse documentary Netflix series and I'll share my thoughts on it from a Christian point of view. Did Graham Hancock's new series shed new light on old biblical truths? Or is it just another pseudohistory-filled conspiracy theory? Tune in to find out!
Dr. Taylor Marshall's book: Ant!christ and Apocalypse
Dr. Taylor Marshall's book: Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within"

Why are so many people drawn to Graham Hancock?

 

Why are so many people drawn to Graham Hancock?

A ethnologist colleague asked me this over tea and cake on Friday when the topic in hand was methodological pluralism. She suggested that this could explain why people were drawn to Hancock's works. I thought about it overnight, here is my reply that I wrote to her just now. Any thoughts? 

I do not think this has anything much to do with different approaches to scientific enquiry. I think for his supporters, the narratives (and conspiracy theories) that he promotes have various functions. In my opinion, Graham Hancock’s appeal stems from a combination of factors, each resonating with different aspects of human psychology and social dynamics.

1) Curiosity About the Past and Accessibility
Above all, Hancock taps into a deep, universal curiosity about the past—a desire to understand where we come from and what we might have forgotten. It is a truism that the past exerts a powerful pull because it offers continuity, identity, and meaning. It draws us through its mysteries (real and imagined), vanished cultures, lost knowledge, and unresolved questions. These invite both analysis and imagination. In times of uncertainty, the past can also offer emotional comfort, providing a narrative thread that connects individuals to a larger human story. However, for many members of the public, the academic study of history and archaeology feels inaccessible and intimidating—appearing locked behind dense prose, technical language, or institutional “gatekeeping.” Hancock’s work stands out precisely because of its accessibility: chunky books written for general audiences in an engaging, narrative style, it opens doors that academic texts often leave closed. His charisma and storytelling ability make complex or speculative ideas exciting and digestible, while his confident, passionate delivery—across books, TV series like Ancient Apocalypse, and appearance on podcasts like Joe Rogan—builds trust and draws people in. He’s not just offering alternative history; he’s offering an appealing persona—part explorer, part rebel scholar.

2) The Allure of Unsolved Mysteries
Hancock’s work thrives on unresolved questions—enigmatic megaliths, lost cities, and the origins of monumental architecture. These puzzles ignite the imagination because they resist easy explanation, offering a space for speculation and wonder. People are naturally drawn to such mysteries. Hancock’s ideas also tap into a deeper spiritual hunger. By blending archaeology with mysticism and evoking the idea of ancient wisdom lost to modernity, Hancock speaks to those disenchanted with materialist worldviews. His narratives suggest that the past holds not just technical or historical secrets, but metaphysical insight—resonating with readers seeking meaning beyond conventional science or religion.

3) Storytelling and Reader Engagement
A major part of Hancock’s popularity lies in how he tells these stories. His vivid, speculative, and emotionally charged narrative style makes complex or fringe theories feel exciting and approachable. They are especially compelling when framed like detective stories, with just enough evidence to feel solvable. Hancock appeals to this curiosity, positioning his audience not just as passive readers but as fellow investigators. Unlike the dry tone of many academic texts, Hancock presents his material with a sense of discovery, drawing the reader into a participatory process. Even when his conclusions lack scholarly rigor, his storytelling keeps followers engaged, offering a sense that they’re on a shared intellectual adventure.

4) Privileged Knowledge and the Allure of Hidden Truths
Hancock’s framing of his work as uncovering truths hidden by a dogmatic establishment gives followers a sense of being part of an enlightened in-group. This "forbidden knowledge" trope is powerful—it flatters the audience, making them feel smarter than the experts. On social media, it is frequent to see users sharing links to Hancock’s interviews or books with comments like, “This is what they don’t want you to know.” This aligns with conspiracy culture, where being "in the know" confers status. The strongest drivers of Hancock’s appeal are the sense of privileged knowledge and the allure of unsolved mysteries. The "forbidden knowledge" narrative flatters followers, making them feel uniquely insightful, and supplies the intellectual and emotional pull of being part of a "truth-seeking" clique.

5) Distrust in Institutions and Intellectual Rebellion
Hancock’s popularity also reflects a wider mix of curiosity, distrust in authority, and a desire for meaning. His work offers a narrative where followers are protagonists in a quest for hidden truths, which is especially potent in an age of information overload and institutional skepticism. It’s particularly appealing in a time when confidence in academia, government, and media is in decline—often amplified by social media platforms that reward contrarian voices. Hancock’s narratives often position him against a perceived academic "establishment" that dismisses his ideas. This resonates with people who feel alienated by institutional authority and are looking for alternatives to mainstream explanations.

6) Community, Identity, and Tribalism
Related to these themes is the identity-creating function of Hancock’s following, which resembles the solidarity seen in fan cultures, political movements, or even cults. On social media, support for Hancock creates a community of like-minded people opposed to an "elite"—they are a privileged clique who see themselves as resisting intellectual oppression. His followers form online and offline communities where they share a sense of rebellion and mission. Posts on social media frequently highlight this sentiment, with users praising Hancock for "challenging the system." This dynamic fosters a tribal identity, where attacking mainstream scholars (sometimes with extreme vitriol) becomes a way to affirm group belonging.

7) The Explanatory Appeal of Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracy theories like those Hancock creates and promotes offer a simplified narrative that helps people make sense of a chaotic mass of information, phenomena, and concepts they find difficult to grasp. They impose clear causes, villains, and intentions onto complex events, reducing uncertainty and anxiety. In doing so, they provide a sense of control, meaning, and coherence where randomness or ambiguity might otherwise prevail.

8) Catastrophism
Hancock’s focus on catastrophic events—such as a proposed comet impact around 12,800 years ago triggering the Younger Dryas period—taps into a widespread fascination with apocalyptic narratives. His suggestion, in books like Fingerprints of the Gods and Magicians of the Gods, that advanced ancient civilizations were wiped out by such disasters resonates with audiences drawn to dramatic, world-resetting scenarios. This theme aligns with a broader cultural interest in existential threats, from doomsday prepping to disaster films. The idea of a lost golden age destroyed by catastrophe is especially compelling because it blends themes of hubris, downfall, survival, and rediscovery.

I actually think that Hancock has a sense of mission and messianism in what he writes, he seems to see himself as a Cassandra figure, an enlightened messenger with a warning that is ignored and he himself is dismissed, vilified and misunderstood for only wanting to share this information with the rest of us. 

AI says Archaeology's Gatekeepers Hinder Discovery

Graham Hancock @Graham__Hancock

"Until archaeology embraces science as a process, not a credential, it will remain stuck in self-congratulatory loops."

Quoting from Sigrid Salucop, 'How Archaeology's Gatekeepers Hinder Discovery' HubPages Jun 10, 2025:

"In a remote hall of stone, amid whispers of lost civilizations, one hears the pulse of human hearts long buried. Yet for centuries, archaeology [...] has been constrained not by the absence of evidence but by the rigidity of its keepers. Too often, the gatekeepers of academia have favored conservatism over curiosity...

and so on.

It is rather an odd article, at the end it lists 42 "references", but only two of them are explicitly cited in the text, while other work is mentioned in the text that is not in the bibliography (Steen-McIntyre, Saxe–Goldstein, Kossinna, Mckenzie and Doherty). It looks to me as if it's entirely written by AI. I would cite as additional evidence that the person putting their name to this cherry-picked tendentious junk-text that its "author" has apparently not heard of one guy it uses as example to uphold the thesis. Ms Salucop has no idea who this guy is, what he did, the texts quotes a generic (and his most successful) work that does not in any way back up what she says about him: " When [...] Ian Hodder challenged the model, [he] met institutional resistance - funding denials, editorial rejections, and professional exile". Yeah? He did go to the US to teach at Stanford buyt was invited, not "exiled", his work at Catal Huyuk was pretty well funded. The British Institute at Ankara (@theBIAAnkara Oct 20, 2019) shoiws a photo of him being honoured by the Queen with the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to archaeology and UK/Turkey relations.

Here she is, barefoot at Gunanug Padang showing her contempt for archaeologists

Sigrid Salucop  3rd July 2024:

"We made it to Gunung Padang or the Mountain of Enlightenment. It is likely one of the oldest step pyramids in the world. Keyword: likely. There are a lot of archaeologists who would immediately deny this likelihood without examining it. Oh well, we must admit, many people are a few sandwiches short of a picnic. (Insert evil laugh)

"Examining it" now the trenches are filled in is not going to tell anyone what is there allegedly under the visible remains. Examining the publication of the results will reveal what actual evidence the excavators had for it being a "step pyramid" in the first place and for its dating. When both are found lacking, and the report bungled (which it was - I have it downloaded and marked up), I think archaeologists are justified in questioning the existence here of any manmade structure 27000 years old - whether or not they have visited the site (barefooted or not). That is what reports are for - presentation of evidence for an interpretation, allowing the strength of the argument to be assessed. 

By the way, compare Ms Salucop's spoken English (I think she might be Filipina) with that of the text, another reason to think the text is an AI construction. I wonder what her prompt was? But here she tells us multi-linguistically that she's writing a book on the beginnings of civilization... 

  

,

Where is the Book of the Alleged "Antecedent Civilization"?

           The Atlantis in Dubai             

[Quote:]

"Graham Hancock tells a story of human advancement that credits it to a superior globe spanning lost ice age culture"

but actually does not write a SINGLE thing about it, where it was, what its economy was based on, when it began, how it became a "globe-spanning" entity, what its architecture and settlement patterns looked like. Hancock only says (surmises) it was a "shamanic civilization" [where "shamanic" is primarily equated with use of psychedelic substances]. There is nothing to test here, his vision of this egalitarian cerebral utopia is simple alternative history fantasy-fiction witha catastrophist twist.

In addition, Hancock harnesses slippery rhetoric and the anti-establishment bias and hatred of his many supporters to keep his potboiler going, constantly shape-shifting his argument each time he re-presents it (e.g., between the two series of #ancientapocalypse on Netflix).

It is about time that, instead of the "could it be?" and "doesn't it look like?" speculative ("just asking questions"), he put forward a coherent view of what his 30 years of (what he calls) research has led him to conclude about this Lost Advanced Civilization of the Allerød period. He has identified enough of the "Fingerprints" for this to reverse-engineer what he says "survivors" contributed to the daughter civilizations in the Old and New Worlds to show what he thinks the pre-existing features of antecedent culture had that would make that possible. By now he and his supporters must have accumulated the evidence. Time now for them to put it together. What did the lost Civilization of the Allerød (the Ancient Sea Kings of Hapgood) look like?

Tiwanaku: Fantasy and Archaeological Realities

            Earthquake damage  (Facebook)             

Tiwanaku (Spanish: Tiahuanaco or Tiahuanacu; Aymara, according to Bernabé Cobo: Taypi Qala, meaning “stone in the center”) is a major pre-Columbian archaeological site in western Bolivia, near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca, approximately 70 kilometers from La Paz. It is one of the largest and most significant archaeological sites in South America. The remains of the ancient city, which cover around 4 square kilometers, include monumental architecture, finely carved megalithic blocks, and decorated ceramics. The complex includes several major architectural complexes: the Semi-Subterranean Temple, Kalasasaya, Putuni, Chunchukala, Kherikala, Kantatayita, and the Akapana pyramid. Further to the southwest lies the monumental site of Pumapunku, famed for its intricate stonework. At its peak around AD 800, Tiwanaku is estimated to have supported a population of 10,000 to 20,000 people. There is a large area of ancient occupation under the modern settlement, geophysical surveys of the area between Puma Punku and Kalasasaya have revealed the remains of numerous buried structures — including foundations, water channels, terraces, residential compounds, and gravel walkways.

Tiwanaku was first recorded in written history in 1549 by the Spanish chronicler Pedro Cieza de León. The chronology of Tiwanaku has been the subject of considerable revision. From 1910 to 1945, Arthur Posnansky, an Austrian-born amateur archaeologist based in Bolivia worked on this site and his meticulous documentation, including maps, drawings, and photographs, remains a valuable record of the site in the early 20th century. He published his work and conclusions in his multi-volume work Tihuanacu: The Cradle of American Man (). On the basis of his survey and archaeoastronomical observations, together with supposed geological correspondences, Posnanski claimed the site was between 11,000 and 17,000 years old. As research on this site progressed, this dramatic misdating, unsupported by stratigraphic or material evidence, was later dismissed by scholars due to the new information becoming available

Scientific understanding of Tiwanaku’s origins has advanced significantly since Posnansky’s time. In the 1970s, Bolivian archaeologist Carlos Ponce Sanginés suggested that the site was first occupied around 1580 BC, based on early radiocarbon dates (and this is a view still echoed in some Bolivian publications and museum displays). However, since the 1980s, scholars have dismissed these early dates as unreliable. The current scholarly consensus, supported by calibrated radiocarbon dating and the absence of earlier ceramic styles, places the founding of Tiwanaku during the first or second century A.D.

Tiwanaku’s rise began in the early centuries of the first millennium AD, and between approximately AD 375 and 700, it developed into a thriving highland city. Its growth was fueled by a sophisticated agropastoral economy and long-distance trade, allowing it to become a major political, economic, and ceremonial centre in the Andes. A vast irrigation network covered over 80 square kilometers, supporting crops like potatoes, quinoa, and maize. Tiwanaku dominated the Lake Titicaca basin and parts of modern-day Bolivia and Chile.

Around 1000 AD, the civilization appears to have collapsed abruptly, most probably due to a prolonged drought that crippled food production. The population dispersed into nearby highlands, and Puma Punku seems to have been abandoned before its construction was complete.

Labelled map of Tiwanaku  (Lonely Planet Guide Bolivia).
Pumapunku off map to SW of museum

Pumapunku
Apparently one of the most important parts of this complex, Pumapunku is a collection of plazas and ramps centered on the Pumapunku platform mound located southwest of the Kalasasaya Temple in the Tiwanaku complex, its name in Aymara means “The Gate of the Puma.” 

Puma Punku is a terraced earthen platform (167 x 117 m) faced with massive stone blocks. The mound’s core consists of clay, while its edges were filled in some areas with river sand and cobblestones. The monumental complex on top of the Puma Punku platform mound includes a walled courtyard to the west, a central esplanade, a terraced mound with megalithic stonework, and an unwalled western court.  These structures deteriorated or were destroyed long ago, and now only ruins remain of this feature. Our understanding of the site is limited by the damage caused by looting, stone quarrying, and natural erosion. 

Archaeological work has identified three major construction phases, along with later repairs and modifications. In its prime, Puma Punku is thought to have been a striking ceremonial site, decorated with polished metal plates, brightly colored ceramic and fabric ornamentation and in its heyday was used by elaborately dressed elites and priests adorned with exotic jewellery.

The age of the Pumapunku complex has long been debated. Radiocarbon dating of deep organic layers by archaeologist Alexei Vranich produced an estimate of around 440 AD (calibrated to 536–600 AD). Excavations revealed that the complex's foundations — made of clay, sand, and gravel — rest directly on sterile Pleistocene sediments, with no evidence of earlier pre-Andean cultures beneath the site.

Von Alexei Vranich - https://heritagesciencejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40494-018-0231-0 Reconstructing ancient architecture at Tiwanaku, Bolivia: the potential and promise of 3D printing, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77577781

Pseudoscientific Claims
Puma Punku has become a popular subject in pseudoscientific theories involving lost continents and ancient aliens. Thousands of websites and media sources promote such ideas, citing the site's precision stonework and high-altitude location as inexplicable mysteries. There are however well-documented local precedents such as the sites of Pucará and Chiripa. The reconstructions show that Puma Punku's buildings are elaborated versions of structures excavated at Chiripa, which date from 550 BC to 100 AD (see the reconstructions by Alexei Vranich). Some of these earlier buildings were identified as storage facilities due to food remains and basket impressions. Vranich argues that claims of alien intervention or a lost supercivilization ignore the region’s archaeological context and reflect long-standing biases, such as labelling the Aymara as a "Stone Age people" incapable of such achievements.

References
Posnanski, A. 1945-57, "Tihuanacu. The Cradle of American Man", (vols 1-4), J. J. Augustin, New York / Ministerio de Educación, La Paz 1945–1957.

Vranich, Alexei 1999, "Interpreting the meaning of ritual spaces: the temple complex of Pumapunku, Tiwanaku, Bolivia" (Thesis). University of Pennsylvania.

Vranich, Alexei 2018. «Reconstructing ancient architecture at Tiwanaku, Bolivia: the potential and promise of 3D printing». Heritage Science 6 (1): 1-20. doi:10.1186/s40494-018-0231-0. Consultado el 20 de enero de 2025.