Customer Reviews

Ancient Mysteries

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I first saw the title "Ancient Mysteries" I was immediately put off by the title and thought: here goes another "aliens built the pyramids" New Age woo woo book. My closer read of the editorial reviews at Amazon indicated the book took a more sensible approach.

Authors James and Thorpe do a great job of going through the various architectural and technological wonders of the ancient world. The book is a compendium of loosely linked chapters and the sections could easily be read backwards without losing much meaning.

Though the book does a lot of debunking of fringe archeology, it does it in a very effective way. Rather than hitting hard at some of the fringe theories right up front, the authors do their best to present those theories in the best light possible. Often they got me hooked on them. Then they very gently begin to tear down the theories with hard evidence. (Which is often ignored or conveniently overlook by the fringe proponents.) I constantly felt the little voice inside me going "Uh oh..."

You won't come away with any great understanding of the ancient world, the authors cover far too much ground for that. You will however have a fun -- and extensive read, and will gain some insight into how science and archeolgy work together.

I was a little disappointed that they barely covered some of the issues concerning the ancient Pueblo sites here in New Mexico.

This book accurately compiles the various arguments for and against the ancient mysteries that it covers. The Orion controversy is well handled (for example) as it puts forth a good summary of the theory that the ancient Egyptians aligned the pyramids at Giza with Orion's belt. The authors cover the arguments against the theory and point out that no other pyramid structure aligns with the rest of the stars in the Orion pattern. Then the authors point out that the ancient Egyptians often used the belt alone to designate the constellation Orion. The writers let us know that the Orion theory goes too far in its claims that many pyramids align with the stars of various constellations, but may be right on point with the necessity to look to the stars to explain a lot of what the ancient Egyptians were doing. Current scolars of ancient Egypt simply do not use astronomy to try and understand how the dwellers along the Nile in 3000 BC may have been thinking.

Thus, according to Ancient Mysteries, both sides have good points to make.

The entire book is filled with the pro and cons of those proposing the theories and those holding to the traditional ways of viewing history. It is the balance the authors bring to the discussion that makes the book so noteworthy. Direct quotes from key passages of the various books supporting or opposing the theories help bring home the essence of each point of view.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the theories of the past being proposed by Handcock and others as a fair view of the proposed theories (summarized of course) and their opponents attempts (often successful) to undermine them.

I bought this book for my husband and he couldn't put it down until he read it from cover to cover. He kept marking sections and making me read them. He liked the way the authors "walked" the reader through all of the theories suggested about historical events, then, using facts, debunked most and suggested their own theory.

The book is broken into appropriate sections, then each section contains "short stories" about pertinent events. This is the perfect book for reading that is frequently interrupted, such as the beach, but you'll probably find that you won't be able to put it down.

One very nice feature of this book is that it works like a general reference book, covering many topics that often instill controversial views. The book does not necessarily need to be read "cover to cover;" it can be enjoyed by randomly reading any chapter. The coverage is extensive, and the title is perhaps a bit misleading -- the book also covers less "ancient" areas of folklore and legend (such as the origins of "Dracula").

The authors debunk the pseudo-scientific and sensationalistic explanations for such human accomplishments as the Great Pyramids and the images of the Nazca Plains. They don't necessarily "go for the jugular" when assessing the views of New Agers and fringe archaeologists. Rather, they point out why such scientifically erroneous theories would appeal to people, and why certain biases would lead to the resulting conclusions. They also convey an idea that I have always believed -- in our modern age we just don't give ancient civilizations enough credit for their problem-solving skills and sheer determination. Think about it, in a society where "fast food" is the norm, it's quite a leap to entertain the notion that thousands of Egyptian workers were willing to toil on a project whose completion would never be seen in their own lifetimes. Who would want to do something like THAT nowadays?

"Ancient Civilizations" is crisply and clearly written for the layperson, though the authors provide numerous references to scholarly sources if one wishes to pursue them. Read this book, and when such topics as "Who Built the Pyramids?" and "Were the Nazca Images UFO Airport Runways?" come to surface, you will be able to hold your own, with cool reason and authority!

I decided to read this book as a way to understand what "mainstream" scientists say about Graham Hancock's theories about ancient civilizations, and how these scientists would counter his arguments. This book is excellent for that because it addresses some of his ideas and writings point-blank.

As a whole, this book is truly fascinating. In addition to shedding a sober light on the Egyptian pyramids, Mayan culture, and other Hancock favorites, the book addresses quite a few other intriguing mysteries like "Who was the Minotaur", "Who was King Arthur", "What was the Star of Bethlehem" and Stonehenge.

Each subject is approached in a rational, scientific manner, and is discussed using facts and commentary from respected sources. This book very much reflects what today's respected academic field believes. The breadth of the book is truly amazing when you consider that each subject is discussed in adequate detail to prove or disprove certain hypotheses. And finally, it is well written and easy to follow.

So for its research and ambition in addressing so many fascinating subjects, the book is a gem. For people interested in ancient history, this book will be invaluable.

As far as Hancock debunkery goes, in some areas they completely debunk him, in other areas the hypotheses and evidence they present is good and insightful, but not necessarily any more persuasive or powerful than what Hancock presents. In some areas, I still believe Hancock has it right. In the end, hypotheses are just that, and it comes down to your own beliefs.

At any rate, this book is fascinating and I couldn't put it down.

A first rate, well-researched tome that New Agers and believers in ancient astronauts should avoid, unless they want their precious theories dispelled, vanquished by hard evidence and solid research. Recommended to anyone who enjoys history and/or archaeology; not for those who own power crystals and regularly commune with Atlantean spirits. Excellent work.

This one won't make Oprah's book club....

As American ignorance of the ancient world (or even the modern-day one) has grown, so too has their willingness to subscribe to the most absurd theories about the subject. With most Americans blissfully unaware of the workings of simple machines, is it any surprise that every ancient invention showing a modicum of engineering skill is treated as proof that aliens have visited Earth?

With their previous book, James and Thorpe debunked a bunch of nonsense regarding ancient inventions and proved that man has always possessed the ability to build elegant and useful tools. With "Ancient Mysteries", they cast their net a bit wider, and basically put Leonard Nimoy's "In Search Of..." program in the dustbin where it belongs.

Whether addressing the mystery of the Sphinx, the statues of Easter Island, Stonehenge, or the Inca "roads", the authors bring a light touch and a jeweler's eye for the truth to the topic. They are unafraid to deviate from orthodoxy where necessary; they posit, for example, that much of the ancient artwork depicting very large comets were faithful depictions of an ancient comet much larger than Halley's. And, generally speaking, they argue their case persuasively.

This is a great summer read for anyone who has a genuine interest in the ancient world. Crystal-worshippers need not apply.

First off, I believed in a good amount of the theories that "Ancient Mysteries" firmly ground into the dust. For the first few chapters as my beliefs were gently yet intelligently corrected, I could feel my anger rising - I didn't want to read it anymore!

But something remarkable happens when people are allowed to open their eyes further, as mine were. I found myself hungrily eating up page after page to find out the latest theories, discoveries and finds; I was becoming enamored to the idea of scientific enlightenment. So often "Sci Enlight" encompasses closed-eyes-ears of the sci community; often ignoring obvious discrepancies in polished theories; James & Thorpe engage in none of the usual classical scholar dismissals - information is put forth clearly and teams with a thorough bibliography.

However, by the middle of the book; observant readers can tell by the first few paragraphs of a new chapter if it's theory/history that the authors agree with. There's a slight derogatory tone with theories that they are about to smash; excited hyperbole with theories they agree with.

But all in all, read the book! It's a wonderful read.

This book presents itself as an encyclopedia of the mysteries of the ancient world. First of all, the authors of this book tale a very rational view towards the subject matter. They present all of the theories for each ancient mystery side-by-side. When you see them this way, you can start to tell which ones are reasonable and which ones are just pure speculation. To be honest, the authors really dig into and destroy a lot of theories, but when you look at the evidence, you have to agree with the authors. If you're a true believer type, this book may not be for you, but those who are just interested in an overview of the unsolved mysteries of the ancient world will find this a very informative and interesting book to read.

This is a compendium survey of the various explanations for many an historic mystery. The writers, a historian and an archaeologist, avoid favoring either the academic establishment's party line or the antithetical views of sensationalist writers. Instead, they give a rather thorough, to the extent that information is available, analysis of the various points of view about each topic, with their critique of the merits of each. It is an extraordinary book, the best of its kind. For anyone who wants to delve deeper into its various subjects, it is a good starting point.

I almost refrained from buying this book owing to a negative review found here. To my satisfaction, I found those criticisms to be wholly unjustified.