Graham Hancock gets upset that it is often noted that hyperdiffusionist interpretations of the past like his have roots in some kinds of supremacies or -centrisms. In this context, it is worth noting also one of his earlier books exhibits this (Aaron Rabinowitz, 'Netflix’s Ancient Apocalypse with Graham Hancock: from alien conspiracies to antisemitism' The Skeptic 15th February 2023)
Things go from outlandish to disturbing when you get to Hancock’s book The Master Game: Unmasking the Secret Rulers of the World, coauthored by Robert Bauval and originally released under the name Talisman: Sacred Cities, Secret Faith. Hancock’s website claims the book reveals a “secret religion that has shaped the world”, and if you’re a regular reader you know exactly where this is going. However, I need to be careful, because The Master Game really puts the (((J))) in JAQing Off. As David Barrett puts it in his review of the book, the incoherent mess of an argument culminates in the authors promoting “the old Jewish-Masonic plot so beloved by ultra-right-wing conspiracy theorists”.
The Talisman squeezes in a whole lot of mumbo-jumbo from 'esoteric' claptrap popular at the time, but seems to owe a large deal to the 1982 book by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln: "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail", in turn borrowing ideas from the 1967 book L'Or de Rennes by Gérard de Sède, with the collaboration of document forger Pierre Plantard (they both also lie behind the equally fictional 'Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown). From amazon.pl
After the Hancock-Dibble debate on the Joe Rogan Experience in April (and indeed towards its end) Graham Hancock started to deny that he'd said a number of things about his hypothetical lost civilisation that it seems he had in fact claimed he had "evidence" for. Unpicking this gaslighting would require going through all of his writings to reference where he'd claimed this or that, and how those claims shifted. It seems to be that since his (Hapgood's and Donnolly's) basic source was Plato's text, it might be worth trying to extract from that text what Plato thought would be the archaeology that we would be looking for IDF he imagined this polity existed. To save time, and get a more "mechanical" and not subjective review, I asked the Grok AI programme: "
Can you please take Plato's full description (https://www.ascendingpassage.com/plato-atlantis-timaeus.htm) of Atlantis and write me what the material culture would look like? What kind of economy did they have, what kind of tools would they have used, did they mine and work metals? What other materials did they produce and use? Thanks".
Based on Plato's description in "Timaeus" and "Critias," here's an analysis of the material culture of Atlantis:
Economy:
• Agriculture: Atlantis was described as having fertile soil and abundant water sources, suggesting a strong agricultural economy. The use of irrigation systems ensured great
The so-called “Alien Carved Stones” provenanced "Ojuelos de Jalisco" masquerading as mysterious relics of a forgotten civilization that regularly appear for sale on eBay are a well-known type of modern hoaxes—tourist souvenirs designed to appeal to enthusiasts of ancient alien theories. They often have the form of pendants or other wearable jewellery.
Sellers often promote these objects as “authentic Aztlan (sic) artifacts” or as evidence of extraterrestrial contact in deep antiquity. The stones typically feature carved figures with large almond-shaped eyes, elongated heads, and scenes involving UFO-like spacecraft. Some listings even claim the pieces are made from a mixture of stone and meteorite fragments, implying cosmic origins. The sellers sometimes assert that carbon dating has been performed on adhesives used in the pieces, allegedly yielding dates thousands of years old. These reports are unverifiable and are not supported by recognized academic institutions.
There is no credible scientific evidence supporting their authenticity. Mainstream archaeology uniformly classifies them as modern fabrications created to capitalize on popular “ancient astronaut” fringe narratives. Most of these stones are produced by local artisans in the Mexican state of Jalisco, particularly in the towns of Lagos de Moreno and Ojuelos de Jalisco. They are made for the tourist market and for online collectors seeking unusual or sensational items. The carved beings resemble the stereotypical “gray aliens” popularized in 1950s science fiction and later reinforced by UFO subculture. They do not have any stylistic links to figures found in pre-Columbian Mesoamerican art. These stones instead mirror contemporary pop culture.
Mexican law strictly regulates the sale and export of genuine pre-Columbian artifacts, which are considered national patrimony. So, even the stupidest buyer should realise that objects openly marketed and shipped internationally through platforms like eBay are almost certainly modern replicas or outright fakes. Authentic antiquities would be subject to seizure.
Jeb J. Card, Spooky Archaeology: Myth and the Science of the Past
Abstract Outside of scientific journals, archaeologists are depicted as searching for lost cities and mystical artifacts in news reports, television, video games, and movies like Indiana Jones or The Mummy. This fantastical image has little to do with day-to-day science, yet it is deeply connected to why people are fascinated by the ancient past. By exploring the development of archaeology, this book helps us understand what archaeology is and why it matters. In Spooky Archaeology author Jeb J. Card follows a trail of clues left by adventurers and professional archaeologists that guides the reader through haunted museums, mysterious hieroglyphic inscriptions, fragments of a lost continent that never existed, and deep into an investigation of magic and murder. Card unveils how and why archaeology continues to mystify and why there is an ongoing fascination with exotic artifacts and eerie practices.
Contents
1 Time, Memory, and Myth: The Foundations of Spooky Archaeology
2 Supernatural Relics
3 Occulted Archaeologists
4 Hieroglyphs, Magic, and Mummies
5 Myth and Protohistory
6 The Creation of a Lost Continent
7 Relic Hunters and Haunted Museums
8 Time Detectives and International Intrigue
9 Digging Up Witches and Murder
10 Cthulhu and Cosmic Mythology
11 The Revenge of Alternative Archaeology
Chronology
Jeb J. Card is a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Miami University. He is the coeditor of Lost City, Found Pyramid: Understanding Alternative Archaeologies and Pseudoscientific Practices.
David Miano
@DrDavidMiano
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4h: "This is Assyrian, not Sumerian. It's a celestial planisphere; a stylized map of the sky divided into eight sections. It represents the night sky of the 3rd or 4th of January 650 BCE over Nineveh. Nothing in it about an impact event. Completely bogus claim. And the one in the photo is a replica.And the one in the photo is a replica".
"Stone-cast tablet"? Where do these people go to school?
Investigative researcher Steve Mera takes you on a thrilling journey into the mysterious world of the alleged Alien Mummies of Peru! Join him as he unveils shocking details from the physical examinations of these extraordinary finds, along with the intense analysis Barry Fitzgerald and he faced during their adventures in Peru. Don't miss this exclusive final revelation about the dark activities surrounding these incredible discoveries!
This is a rather discursive and vague account of this person's work on the mummies, first examining them while they were in the hands of haqueros in a mock laboratory 'the Incari Institute' (to make the photos look convincing?) in a rundown warehouse where these were being kept. This expedition by the team from the "Phenomenon Project" was carried out in July 2017 (participants Steve Mera and Barry Fitzgerald). They were granted access to take DNA and carbon-14 samples from several specimens, including the large mummy known as Maria. These produced results that were difficult to interpret, and so a second trip was mounted in 2018, to gather more data and confirm initial findings. It was clear at first sight that some of the mummies (especially the mini-mummies the size of a Barbie-doll) were fakes. They had some doubts about the body known as "Maria". This was clearly an adult corpse (the C14 date was "between 245 AD and 410 AD") that had been dugup and Mera and Fitzgerald determined had been manipulated to make it into a three-fingered individual. Any cut marks and so on were covered up with a liberal coating of a plaster made of diatomaceous earth (which can be obtained in many areas of Peru). One important feature:
" in Maria's long finger which is longer than a human
finger and only three of them of course is that a sample taken from here and asample taken from here identified that these these two bones were from two different sources in fact human bones but two different humans so the
contaminant cross them was a mix of multiple DNA from two or three even
individuals uh and that caused a massive massive problem um when that was discovered
realized very quickly what was going on here that Maria had been completely manipulated"
There was also another corpse, a baby called by the finders "Wawita". This too had been manipulated and the fingers removed to make it into a "tridactile".
Mera and Fitzgerald also discovered that other bodies had been made of a pastiche of human bones from a variety of burials (including child bones).
There were two taxidermists involved we found them and we knew where they were they were, in Palpa working on
them. In fact they were working on another male, another Maria in fact, this time a male and they were all already
almost ready to release another one. We found out because we had guys on the ground working with us and they had
done some fantastic work for us. But we wanted to try and find out what the hell is going on here and it's a
really dark and sinister story because Maria was on for sale on the black
market for a million dollars, the small fake doll ones which are maybe about 12,
20, 24 to 36 inches long there are several of them in various positions which had
been messed with um and they were just generally creations, they were never any
real, even then were like up from $30,000 to $50,000 you know, it was just crazy and
it was about all about money, scam money making.
Mera argues that all of these mummies are deliberate fabrications rather than authentic ancient or non-human remains. Despite sustained harassment, threats, and public attacks, he continued to publish findings through articles and two documentaries, with the stated aim of countering what he views as an ongoing deception of the public (and potential buyers of these artefacts).
He claims that the mummies are being illegally manufactured and sold on the black market for substantial sums, with some specimens already trafficked internationally. Renewed media attention (particularly through recent Mexican congressional hearings) has, in his view, revived false claims that the remains are extraterrestrial, thereby increasing demand and incentivising further production.
The investigation is presented as unusually distressing because it involved evidence that real human remains, including those of children, were exhumed and manipulated. According to his account, impoverished locals were allegedly paid by criminal groups to dig up bodies and collect materials. A whistleblower interview is cited as confirming this practice, and the investigator states that he received death threats as a result of his work.
From an anatomical and forensic perspective, he argues that the specimens are crude composites: bodies assembled from human and animal bones (including dogs, llamas, and fish), sometimes with bones incorrectly oriented, lacking functional joints, and incapable of biological movement. Skin, hair, and nails are said to have been taken from animals or corpses and applied to create a lifelike appearance. Claims involving eggs, reptilian features, or locomotion are dismissed as demonstrably inconsistent with X-ray imaging and basic anatomical principles.
Laboratory analyses, conducted with documented chains of custody, reportedly revealed mixed DNA within individual specimens, which the investigator interprets as conclusive evidence of fabrication. Independent assessments by professors of anthropology from multiple universities (including institutions in Paris, Moscow, Lima, and Sri Lanka) are cited as having reached the same conclusion: the remains are not authentic biological organisms.
He states that he has now ended his involvement, having released what he considers a final, conclusive documentary. He argues that media sensationalism, financial incentives, and the willingness of audiences to believe extraordinary claims ensure the controversy will continue regardless of the evidence presented. His central position is that the “Nazca mummies” phenomenon is driven by profit and publicity rather than credible science, and that none of the examined specimens represent genuine ancient or non-human beings.
The Khara-Hora Shaft is believed to be located in the Khara-Khoto region in the Republic of Tuva in Siberia, Russia. The name "Khara-Hora" itself is derived from the ancient city of Khara-Khoto, located near the Gobi Desert.
The structure is a pre-historic underground megastructure, characterized by its vast and complex network of shafts and tunnels. Some reports suggest that it could be over 100 meters deep, with rooms, chambers, and unknown features that hint at advanced construction techniques.
Here it is. it is not near the Gobi desert or in Tuva Republic. Khara Hora (HaraHora) is in the Kabardino Balkaria region of Russia close to Georgian border. But
1) It's Russian so we can ignore it. Nobody should be taking any interest in Russia or Russian until it gets its army and bombs out of Ukraine.
2) Quite clearly this feature is produced by natural jointing; that it is situated on the northern edge of a folded mountain chain is a bit of a giveaway... though the "looks like" loonies imagine its something else [see Yonaguni] Here's an above-ground one.
