A review of Meso-American history reveals more than one UFO visitation claim. These highly contested claims are often referred to as “pseudo-archaeology”.
Archaeology is the study of human culture through its material remains and, like any branch of science, it is done by careful and thorough observation, using consistent logic to evaluate data.
Phrased simply, pseudo-archaeology is fake archaeology. The suffix, pseudo-, which comes from the Greek wordpseudein(and means “to cheat” or “to lie”) is added to the wordarchaeology.
According to the Archaeology Review, pseudo-archaeology purports to be archaeological claims, conclusions, ideas, or notions which have fake, fraudulent, or overly fantastic bases in reality, rather than being solidly grounded in scientific method. Such topics include the search for lost continents such as ‘Atlantis’, the idea that astronauts from other worlds visited earth in the past, and the existence of connections between sites that are represented as force fields or ‘ley lines’.
Fair enough, but do claims of pseudo-archaeology apply to the controversial glyphs of the Mayan civilization? Let’s examine the most famous Mayan “astronaut” more closely.
In his book, Chariots of the Gods, Swiss author and Erik Von Däniken claims that a Mayan sarcophagus lid depicts an ancient astronaut piloting a rocket ship.The image, shown below, appears to show a human figure, seated in an astronaut-like position, wearing a breathing tube, seated at a complex series of controls, in a vehicle emitting flames.
In fact, this is the sarcophagus lid of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, or Pakal the Great, in the ancient city of Palenque, now southern Mexico. The original is still under the Temple of Inscriptions, where it was discovered by Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier in 1952.
The currently accepted archaeological explanation is that the image represents King Pakal, descending to the underworld, while wearing some type of elaborate ceremonial headdress.
Certainly a logical explanation, but there are, once again, some visual contradictions.
For their time period, the Mayans attained several technological achievements, and enjoyed a highly literal and visual society. Many Mayan paintings and glyphs were created from reference, resulting in easily identified subject matter of the time.
Although they had not yet developed the Wheel, the ancient Mayans had detailed knowledge of astronomy, the movements of the planets, and meteorological events.
This image, then, is striking, in the sense that it seemingly portrays modern technology and celestial elements in a distinct and anachronistic way.
The technological designs of the glyph are admittedly a curious illustration choice for a civilization which knew about the stars. Modern translation indicate that the inscription also appears to represent planetary symbols. While this is in itself is not unusual for Mayan art, the planets seem notably out of place when depicting an “underworld”. If you knew what the planets were, why include them when depicting the unknown?
So then, this specific carving raises other questions:
If the Mayan king is descending, why is his craft facing toward the sky? Why does he seem to be connected to oxygen? Why take the time to carve complicated mechanical apparatus instead of more symbolized controls? Why depict the planets at all, instead of more stylized elements of the unknown?
What, exactly, was this artist trying to memorialize?
Does this glyph depict King Pakal, descending to the underworld?
Or is it… something else?
"Keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains spill out."--Charles Fort
As always, please share your thoughts!
Sources and interesting reading:
“Alien Explorations: Ancient Aliens season 1, episode 4,” http://alienexplorations.blogspot.com/2012/02/pacal-votan-tomb-lid-ancients-aliens.html
“Alien Explorations: Von Daniken’s Mayan Rocket Man,” http://alienexplorations.blogspot.co.uk/1979/02/von-danikens-mayan-rocket-man.html
“The Book of Kells,” The Library of Trinity College, Dublin. https:///www.tck.ie/library/manuscripts/book-of-kells.php/
Coe, Michael D. The Maya. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1999.
Four evangelists, from The Book of Kells, Public Domain, http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index/php?curid+4013150
Fields, Virginia M. and Dore Reents-Budet. Lords of Creation: The Origins of Sacred Maya Kingship. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Scala Publishers: 2005.
Foster, Lynn V. Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
“Ganesh,” Manas: Indian Religions, Ganesh. https://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Religions/Avatars/Ganesh.html
Guenter, Stanley. “The Tomb of K’inich Janaab Pakal: The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque,” Southern Methodist University, http://www.mesoweb.com/articles/guenter/Tl.pdf/
Heyworth, Robin, “Chicanna Structure II: The Monster Mouth Temple,” Uncovered History (blog) 16 July 2016. http://uncoveredhistory.com/mexico/chicanna/chicanna-structure-ii-monster-temple/
“K’inich Janaab’ Pakal,” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinish_Jannab’_Pakal
The Linda Schele Drawings Collection, FAMSI. http://research.famsi.org/schele_list.php?rowstart=150&search=125&title=Schele%20Drawing%20Collection&tab=schele&sort=
Mark, Joshua. J. “K’inich Janaab’ Pakal,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. http:///www.ancient.eu/Kinich_Janaab_Pacal/
Martin, Simon, and Nikolai Grube. Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens: Deciphering the Dynasties of the Ancient Maya. London: Thames and Hudson, 2000.
Miller, Mary, and Simon Martin. Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Thames and Hudson, 2004.
Minster, Christopher, “The Sarcophagus of Pakal,” Latin American History, About.com. http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/Maya/fl/The-Sarcophagus-of-Pakal.htm
“Pacal’s Rocket,” Ancient Aliens Debunked (blog) http://ancientaliensdebunked.com/references-and-transcripts-pacals-rocket/
Palenque: History, Art and Monuments, booklet, reproduced and authorized by the National Institute of Archaeology and History (INAH) 2001.
“Palenque Mexico,” Mayan Ruins: The Ultimate Guide of the Mayan Ruins.” http://mayanruins.info/mexico/palenque-mexico/
“The Sentinel (short story)” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sentinel_(short_story)
Stone, Andrea, and Marc Zender. Reading Maya Art: A Hieroglyphic Guide to Ancient Maya Painting and Sculpture. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2011.
Tedlock, Dennis. 2000 Years of Mayan Literature. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010.
“The World Tree: A World in Layers,” Mayan Kids, http://www.mayankids.com/mmkbeliefs/worldtree.htm
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