Were aliens responsible for achievements?

[alovellb]

I´m not closed to the possibility but just want to point out that the earth is expanding, right? Noah had a son whose name meant something like ¨separation¨ and this name agrees with the theory that Pangea (sp?) separated. The breathtaking engineering of the Incas or Quechuas and their ancestors, often considered the work of aliens, is similar to the construction of Solomon´s temple as well as of the Egyptian pyramids. Gerald Hancock´s opinions on History Channel are captivating, but don´t seem to take the above into consideration. Granted that the civiization of India is probably much older than historians have usually claimed, the very antiquety of it could explain its sophistication. Besides, there was obviously a sharing of cultural values among the great ancient civilizations. I believe there was contact, either before or after the separation of Pangea, between the two hemispheres. I don´t believe it had to be the influence of an alien civilization. Diamond´s Collapse helps us understand the brilliant minds of ancient primitive people, as do other studies of supposedly primitive civilizations today. I live in Central America, not South America, but the former was not an option, so I chose what was closest. My husband does not, by any means, look like the Mayans or a descendant of those who crossed the Bering Strait. He looks like an Indian from India or a Pakistani. I tease him and call him Mochica because he reminds me of the Mochica stirrup portraits on ancient mugs from the pre-Incan culture. Check them out.

[PTeppic]

The only problem with the theory is that Pangea split 100-200 million years ago, whilst homo sapiens only developed c.200,000 years ago....

[Peter Graham]

There's another problem too - Graham Hancock (I think this is the chap you mean) talks utter rubbish pretty much every time he opens his mouth.

And there's no evidence that anyone called Noah ever really existed, let alone any evidence as to what he chose to call his sons if he did exist.

Regards,

Peter

[The Ace]

Yes, our ancestors were morons.

There were no aliens, just people who tried to make life a bit easier for themselves, got off their a**es and invented things.

Tens of thousands of years of human endeavour dismissed as, 'Aliens,' is an insult to our common humanity.

Plus, the concept of anyone remembering Pangea is b*ll*cks

[svalbard]

I pretty much agree with what The Ace is saying. It is an insult to our ancestors achievements.

In my younger more gullible days I read just about everything Graham Hancock, Von Danniken(sp) and others of that ilk wrote and wasted quite a bit of money in the proscess. My advice to anyone would be to avoid these books like the plague!

[PTeppic]

Originally Posted by Peter Graham

And there's no evidence that anyone called Noah ever really existed, let alone any evidence as to what he chose to call his sons if he did exist.

Notwithstanding Noah himself's existence comes down to faith (rather than evidence), I believe that those who write these books have tracked down dozens of flood myths (some mentioned on Wiki) across the world from aboriginal peoples. I believe they also claim there is "evidence" of large floods (see also that page). But, that's not the same as Noah.

[J Riff]

The people and their pets did the work all right, the lazy aliens just hovered and watched.

[Peter Graham]

Originally Posted by PTeppic

Notwithstanding Noah himself's existence comes down to faith (rather than evidence), I believe that those who write these books have tracked down dozens of flood myths (some mentioned on Wiki) across the world from aboriginal peoples. I believe they also claim there is "evidence" of large floods (see also that page). But, that's not the same as Noah.

Quite right. The notion of a great flood in prehistory is common to many cultures. The written records presumably capture an earlier, oral tradition which I suspect tells us one of the following:-

1. There was a real great flood which affected large areas of the world and was independently remembered.

2. There was a real great flood which affected a more localised area at a very early point in our history. Subsequent population splits and movements of those who remembered the incident led to the memory being recycled widely.

3. There was never a real great flood, but the myth of there being one was common to one or more early religions and was retained as those religions developed into the ones we currently have today.

Archaeology and whizzy earth sciences can - and may already have - ascertained whether 1) or 2) hold any water (no pun intended).

I also agree that the existence of a flood (or a flood myth) tells us nothing about the historicity of Noah.

Regards,

Peter

[Vertigo]

If you think about it floods are something that have always happened and, especially since some of the most fertile land in the World tends to be in flood plains, the areas where floods happened tended to be well populated. Then no matter how bad a flood is there will always be an old codger saying something like "Ah but it wasn't as bad as that one in my youth, and then there was the truly terrible one in my grandfather's grandfather's time..." I think it would be far more surprising if every culture in the world didn't have a flood myth. I think it highly unlikely that they all relate to an identical event. I believe the only truly great flood that might have matched the myths would have been the filling/refilling of the Mediterranean which is generally considered to have pre-dated modern humans.

That said, the Black Sea appears to have flooded in much later times (or possibly had cyclic flooding) and something from a stock pot like that area might have entered the mythology of many different cultures.

Sorry that's all a bit off topic.

And yes I agree with others very strongly; the whole notion of aliens assisting our ancestors is fundamentally insulting to our ancestors abilities. They were every bit as intelligent as us and really not even less educated; just differently educated, they learnt how to do things relevant to their times. Our times are different and we no longer need the same knowledge, so it's no great surprise we can't figure out how some of the stuff they did was done. After all, as I said, they were as intelligent as us and their knowledge of say working stone will have taken centuries or thousands years to acquire; it would be ridiculous to think we should be able to rediscover those techniques in just a few decades.

[paranoid marvin]

The flood would have been localised. How can someone living thousands of years ago have possibly known that the WHOLE WORLD would be submerged?

My guess is that the reverse happened; a tsunami or siesmic movement caused a city/island to descend beneath the waves. Boats were crammed with survivors (inclcuing animals for food/future life), and eventually they found dry land; perhaps in a previously unexplored land.

Regarding aliens , it seems like alternative theories are offered to most of man's major achievements, including those heroic human beings who landed on the Moon.

[Nik]

My favourite take was the short story where valley village is warned by traveller that the natural (rock-slide) dam upstream is rapidly eroding. Village elders are not impressed. 'Floods ? Nah, we always get a Spring flood. F**k off'. Only the poor guy living nearest river converts the flimsy roof of his small house to a make-shift raft onto which he piles wife, kids, pigs and chickens just in time to go float-about...

Given the Noah's Flood tale was apparently plagiarised from Gilgamesh legends, the event was either a mega-flood in Sumeria, the Black Sea flooding or both, confabulated...

[The Ace]

Catastrophic floods are hardly news.

I think this is where we score;

Compared to our ancestors, we have a better view of, 'The entire world.'

A flood in Mesopotamia would've had serious consequences for the entire (known) world.

[WJCherf]

Frankly, as the VP of the Egyptian Study Society here in Denver, CO, we are continuously bombarded with "ancient alien" questions regarding the building of the pyramids, etc.

I heartily agree with the above sentiments regarding our own capacities for technological, architectural, and medical achievements. The notion that our ancestors "were not capable" drives me crazy. What is often not considered is the vast repository of practical experience that fueled many of these marvelous achievements.

[River Boy]

Originally Posted by Nik

Given the Noah's Flood tale was apparently plagiarised from Gilgamesh legends, the event was either a mega-flood in Sumeria, the Black Sea flooding or both, confabulated...

I'd be surprised if there was any proof of that. What do the Gilgamesh legends have about them that makes them potentially more authentic than the Bible?

Throwing mud at the Bible for no apparent reason is not very useful.

[mosaix]

Originally Posted by WJCherf

Frankly, as the VP of the Egyptian Study Society here in Denver, CO, we are continuously bombarded with "ancient alien" questions regarding the building of the pyramids, etc.

I heartily agree with the above sentiments regarding our own capacities for technological, architectural, and medical achievements. The notion that our ancestors "were not capable" drives me crazy. What is often not considered is the vast repository of practical experience that fueled many of these marvelous achievements.

I couldn't have put it better myself.

Originally Posted by River Boy

I'd be surprised if there was any proof of that. What do the Gilgamesh legends have about them that makes them potentially more authentic than the Bible?

Throwing mud at the Bible for no apparent reason is not very useful.

I'm not sure how expressing an opinion about the Bible can be interpetted as 'throwing mud at it'.