Erich von Daniken
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[edit] Definition
Building on the work of other authors (including Peter Kolosimo, who was later critical of von Däniken), von Däniken claims that if intelligent extraterrestrial life has entered our Solar System in the past, then there is the possibility that traces of their visits are present on Earth or on neighbouring planets.
[edit] Discussion
Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (b. Zofingen, Aargau, Switzerland, April 14, 1935) is best known for his books about extraterrestrial influence on human culture since prehistoric times. He is the main figure responsible for popularizing 'ancient astronaut' theories. Many people had posited similar theories, but it was von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods (1968), and several follow-up books, that make the author synonymous with the concept.
His 29 books have been translated into more than 20 languages, selling over 62 million copies worldwide, and his documentary TV-shows have been viewed in several countries. His influence can also be seen in science fiction, the New Age culture and some modern religions. Von Däniken also has a website - and even a theme park - devoted to his theories (Mystery Park, located in Interlaken, Switzerland). The park is said to "present the unexplained, yet real phenomena found in various historical and archeological sites around the globe". The website claims negotiations have commenced to design and build similar parks in North America, Thailand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Von Däniken supports the hypothesis that human evolution may have been manipulated by means of genetic engineering by extraterrestrial beings. The evidence von Däniken has put forward to support the paleo-contact theories can be categorised as follows:
- Artifacts have been found which are alleged to represent higher technological knowledge than is presumed to have existed at times when they were manufactured. Von Däniken maintains that these artifacts have been manufactured either by extraterrestrial visitors or by humans who learned the necessary knowledge from them. Such artifacts include Stonehenge, the statues of Easter Island and the Antikythera mechanism.
- In ancient art throughout the world, von Däniken claims themes can be observed which can be interpreted as images of astronauts, air and space vehicles, non-human but intelligent creatures, and artifacts of high technology. He also points out details that are similar in the art of cultures which are not known to have had contact with each other.
- Religions are said to have originated as a result of contact between primitive humans and aliens. The humans considered the technology of the aliens to be supernatural and the aliens themselves to be gods. According to von Däniken, the oral and literal traditions of most religions contain references to visitors from 'stars' and vehicles travelling through air and space. These, he says, should be interpreted as literal descriptions which have been modified and obscured by the passage of time, rather than symbolic or mythical fiction. One such is Ezekiel's revelation in Old Testament, which von Däniken interprets as a detailed description of an alien spacecraft landing on Earth.
[edit] Skeptical Response
The academic community has universally dismissed von Däniken's theories. Carl Sagan and I. S. Shklovskii wrote about paleocontact and extraterrestrial visitations to Earth. Although Sagan did not discount the possibility of such visitations, he insisted that such extraordinary claims as von Däniken's demand extraordinary evidence, and that such evidence was absent.
Historians view von Däniken's archaeological claims as essentially pseudoscientific; they believe that he draws far-fetched conclusions from little or no real evidence. He consistently disregards more likely or well-established alternative theories, tending to express bafflement regarding the construction of ancient monuments and other artefacts (basically an Argument from Incredulity).
Von Däniken has been accused of insulting our ancestors, by denying them credit for their own skill, creativity and ingenuity. Though Europe contains many remarkable, large-scale ancient monuments, von Däniken generally does not suggest that these were built by, or with the help of, extraterrestrials. He concedes that Europeans could build complex cathedrals, but refuses to admit that similar feats could have been achieved in non-European societies.
The academic community's dismay at von Däniken's popularity led to the publication of several critiques, including The Space Gods Revealed by Ronald Story in 1976 and the anthology Some Trust in Chariots(1972).
[edit] Examples of von Däniken's 'evidence'
- Elephantine Island. In Chariots of the Gods?, he states: "Every tourist knows the island of Elephantine with the famous Nilometer at Aswan. It is called Elephantine even in the oldest texts, because it was supposed to resemble an elephant. The texts were quite right - the island does look like an elephant" (p85). Von Däniken goes on to wonder how ancient Egyptians could have known this since any familiar shape the island may have can only be visible from high altitudes. The implication is that the Egyptians were provided with flight technology by extraterrestrials. However, even a cursory examination of a map of the area shows the island looks more like a flint spearhead than any animal. When it is realised that the island was once a trading place for ivory which resulted in the island's name (ivory in Greek: elephantinos), the claim loses all credibility.
- The Non-Rusting Pillar. In the same book, Von Däniken refers to one of a number of non-rusting iron pillars (made of 'an unknown alloy') in India as evidence of extra-terrestrial influence (p94). However, he admitted in a Playboy interview (vol.21, no.8, 1974) that the pillar was man-made and that as far as supporting his theories goes "we can forget about this iron thing." (the pillar does not rust because of the few impurities in the metal: iron makers in Europe had to wait until the Industrial Revolution before they could produce a similar item). Despite his admission, neither von Däniken nor his publishers have removed this, or any other, discredited evidence from subsequent reprints of his books.
- The Statues of Easter Island. Von Däniken has contrived the most unnecessary explanation for their existence. He has admitted that simple stone tools have been found on the island, but he alleges that these were made by the natives in a futile attempt to emulate the actual carvings which he claims were carved and erected by the 'space gods'. The tools were then flung down - apparently a clear admission that the task was impossible for humans to accomplish.
- The Piri Re'is map. Von Däniken asserts that this map - apparently showing the coastlines of Africa, the Americas, and even Antarctica without its ice cap - is accurate and compares favourably with modern satellite images. As in the case of Elephantine Island, even a cursory examination shows the comparison is false, with long sections of coastline resembling battlements rather than natural contours.
- The Palenque Rocket Man. Palenque is a Maya archeological site near the Usumacinta River in the Mexican state of Chiapas. It contains some of the finest architecture, sculpture, and bas-relief carvings the Maya produced. Palenque is probably most well known for the tomb of King Pacal inside the Temple of the Inscriptions which, like the tombs of Egypt's pharaohs, is buried deep within a specially built pyramid. King Pacal was born in the year 603 A.D. and is said to have reigned for 67 years until his death at the age of 80. The lid of Pacal's tomb is one of the most photographed, reproduced and written about stone carvings of its kind. Von Däniken refers to the lid as portraying an 'Aztec' astronaut in a spaceship. Pacal is seen lying on his back, his hand appearing to be near a control panel. Under the 'spacecraft', rocket flames can apparently be seen. Reputable archeologists have long ago concluded that the lid represents Pacal at the moment of his death descending into the underworld of Xibalba via the Tree Of Life. The various graphic elements within the overall design have clear similarities with others that are not attached to ancient astronaut theories. They have a cogent, if more prosaic, history; the 'rocket flames', for example, are actually the stylized tufts of hair belonging to a mythical bearded serpent seen elsewhere in Mayan art.
[edit] Other Interesting Facts About Von Däniken
Von Däniken has used photographs of pottery depicting UFOs, claiming that the pottery came from an archaeological dig dating back to biblical times. The television series 'Nova' determined that this was a fraud - they even located the potter involved. When confronted with this evidence, von Däniken argued that the deception was justified because some people would only believe his theories if they saw actual proof (Shown on UK television in the Horizon, BBC documentary, "The Case of the Ancient Astronauts," first aired 3/8/78).
Whilst still a boy, von Däniken appeared before a magistrate charged with the theft of money from the Boy Scouts. In the early 1960s, he was convicted of fraud and petty theft at the hotel where he worked. He received a fine.
In 1967, aged 32, von Däniken was convicted of the more serious crimes of embezzlement, forgery and tax evasion. He spent three and a half years in jail. During this time he wrote his second book, Return to the Stars (renamed Gods from Outer Space (published in 1970)). Von Däniken apparently denies any wrongdoing. He has claimed, amongst other things, that the conviction leading to his incarceration was inspired by a Catholic conspiracy against him in Switzerland, the motivation being to discredit his theories.
He has been accused of fabricating the Dropa stones controversy. Von Däniken claims to have originally been told the story of the Dropas in 1968 by Soviet science fiction writer Alexander Kazantsev. Kazantsev claims it was von Däniken who told him the story. Mainstream critics consider the Dropa Stones to be a hoax.
[edit] Some of his Works
- Chariots of the Gods? first published as (Erinnerungen an die Zukunft (Memories of the Future), 1968)
- Gods from Outer Space (1970), formerly available as Return to the Stars
- The Gold of the Gods (1972)
- In Search of Ancient Gods (1973)
- Miracles of the Gods (1974)
- Signs of the Gods (1979)
- Pathways to the Gods (1981)
- The Eyes of the Sphinx (1996)
- The Return of the Gods - Evidence of Extraterrestrial Visitations (1997)
- Odyssey of the Gods - An Alien History of Ancient Greece (2000)
