<< Books/Products >> Book Review: Before the Pyramids by Christopher Knight & Alan Butler
Submitted by Runemage on Monday, 27 June 2011 Page Views: 12666
Alternative ArchaeologyCountry: England
The cover of Before the Pyramids shows the Great Pyramid with the night sky behind it, and an outline of the central Henge from the Thornborough monument in the sky atop the apex of the pyramid, like a full moon.
The title is in large gold letters, below is an evening sky with the top of a henge and one solitary tiny golden star.
This is an unusual book. What makes it unusual for a book that even mentions pyramids is its authors’ fierce determination for it not to be classed as an alternative archaeology or mystery book. They go to great lengths to present their often complex ideas in a way which can be easily understood, but far more importantly from their perspective, these ideas can be easily and thoroughly tested with a minimum of effort by the reader in order to prove their validity.
It’s almost two books in one, their utter frustration with the closed-shop attitude of the establishment who won’t even listen to and test their ideas comes through loud and clear. The devices they believe the ancients used to measure time and distance and the circumference of the Earth around 3,500BC were made of wood and rope and in a climate like ours would not have survived.
The establishment say there’s no evidence these devices existed and just because ancient man could have used something like that, it doesn’t mean he actually did. Knight and Butler are convinced that Neolithic Man did use these devices and in using them and interpreting their findings, were able to accurately represent the pattern of the stars of Orion’s belt on the ground at Thornborough as well as using this method for the measurement for construction of other henges.
What started off as an exercise to prove the way the ancients measured time took unexpected twists and turns and sent the authors all over the globe to meet many people interested in different parts of their theory. During the unfolding journey, they discovered many instances of this system of ancient measurement and an intriguing side-story of its use and suppression which they could no longer dismiss as coincidence. Even more surprisingly, they discovered this system of measurement is still being used today in the USA and they have a refreshingly non-conspiracy-theory on the reasons for that.
This journey through time and across continents has a combination of fact, testable theory and a little intrigue. Their invitation to test their theory revolves around Thom having been right with his Megalithic Yard and the ancients having used simple tools to invent it.
This page explains their concept in enough detail for anyone to grasp their ideas.
This link shows their concepts about Thornborough Henges, and this one shows the Jefferson Paradox.
In summary, whilst mention of pyramids, Orion’s belt, pendulums and freemasonry all too easily conjures up images of fanciful tales based on spurious connections, this book deserves much more serious consideration of the items it presents.
Appendix 10 is aimed at archaeology professionals and is titled 'Thinking Styles and Academic Objectivity'. It is about the Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument which although it sounds like a torture implement is just a theory of division of the brain into four types of thought processes. I do have a little sympathy for their frustration as all they are asking is for an archaeologist to have a go with some wood and string and express an opinion. So far, since the hardback came out in 2009, none have (or admitted to it anyway!).
Review by Runemage
Before the Pyramids
Cracking Archaeology's Greatest Mystery
by Christopher Knight & Alan Butler
Paperback 271 pages
Published by Watkins
ISBN: 9781907486661
Currently £7.03 at Amazon.co.uk
To test their theories for yourself and win a copy of this new book, just answer this question:
What is the title of the previous book jointly authored by Christopher Knight and Alan Butler?
THE COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED
(The link to Amazon should help) Send your answer by private message (see the Contact Editor link at left) or email [email protected] and we will contact you back for your address if you are one of the five lucky winners. The closing date for entries is Sun 2nd July 2011.
Note: Win a copy of this new book, we have five to give away
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