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The bestselling author of The Sign and the Seal reveals the true origins of civilization. Connecting puzzling clues scattered throughout the world, Hancock discovers compelling evidence of a technologically and culturally advanced civilization that was destroyed and obliterated from human memory. Four 8-page photo inserts.
The mediagenic author of the bestselling The Sign and the Seal takes readers along on a quest for the proof of the existence of an ancient advanced civilization--not Atlantis--that predates Egyptian, Hittite, and Chinese cultures. 16 pages of photos.
| Acknowledgements | ||
| Pt. I | Introduction: The Mystery of the Maps | 1 |
| Pt. II | Foam of the Sea: Peru and Bolivia | 33 |
| Pt. III | Plumed Serpent: Central America | 93 |
| Pt. IV | The Mystery of the Myths: 1. A Species with Amnesia | 185 |
| Pt. V | The Mystery of the Myths: 2. The Precessional Code | 225 |
| Pt. VI | The Giza Invitation: Egypt 1 | 273 |
| Pt. VII | Lord of Eternity: Egypt 2 | 351 |
| Pt. VIII | Conclusion: Where's the Body? | 459 |
| References | 507 | |
| Selected Bibliography | 555 | |
| Index | 563 |
Anonymous
Posted March 10, 2009
An excellent read. If you are interested in history, science, mathematics, and/or astronomy then this book is for you. You may not believe in lost civilizations, but the questions that are asked in this book are without a doubt very legitimate and enlightening. This book will definitely make you reconsider what you were taught in school and you will find out that there is much more mystery left in this world than you might have thought. Well written and researched, complete with a detailed bibliography.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 16, 2005
I've read through a lot of the other reviews and I 've decided to write one myself. The first time I read Hancock was about four years ago. What really caught my attention was what he discovered about the Giza pyramids. The fact that the corners of the great pyramids were less than a minute of a degree off from 90 degrees blew my mind. Our modern buildings are not made to those exact standards. How did they do this? Modern historians do not even give the ancient Egyptians credit for knowing what pi was. How did they understand the measurements that would have to be made to construct a monument like that without it topling over? How did they move these 6-8 ton limestone slabs? How did they lift them so high? How in the world could they do all these things if they're nothing but a bunch of primative screwballs running around killing each other? I'm sorry. I've studied history all my life. Egyptologists have no problem telling you that these primative people built these great structures, but when you ask them how, they can't give you an answer. I have a feeling there's a lot more out there than what we know. No it wouldn't surprise me that there was once a great civilazation so old that it's memory was lost with time. No it wouldn't surprise me that this civilization or knowledge passed from this civilization had something to do with the pyramids and many other unexplained structures. I wouldn't be surprise at all. You know, at least Hancock is looking for an answer. He's trying to find an explaination. Read this book. Read some of his other works. Look at all this for yourself. If it doesn't at least make you think, then you need to open your mind. Check it out.
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 23, 2006
I barely have the desire to type this review because disagreeing with the 5-star review writers of this book is like arguing with a Southern Baptist about dancing. To say this book and the ideas it puts forward are nonsense is the kindest thing I can say about it. Tectonic movement of thousands of miles in only thousands of years would be comic except for the number of scientifically illiterate people who buy into this tripe. The sadest part for me is that I was given this book by my very enthusiastic father. Shame on you Graham Hancock for exploiting the ingnorance of your fellow man.
5 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 8, 2000
First let me state that this book should truly be classified as fiction. Starting with this mentality, one can appreciate Hancock's creativity and style and rate this as a readable and somewhat interesting novel. The star I give this book is due to it fictional qualities. However, this book is not categorized by fiction but as nonfiction; Hancock appears to believe what he is writing, and he goes even to the extreme of implying this writing is something of a scientific study. In beginning this book I was amazed at the maps that Hancock had unearthed showing geography the authors of the maps should have had no knowledge of. Why had I never heard of these maps before? As Hancock continued developing his theory that there was a lost yet wonderful civilization on Antarctica many millennia ago, I started to become more sceptical. While Hancock deserves credit developing such an unestablished idea, even he can not get around the fact that there is no real evidence. His string of logic starts fraying quite soon. At the point Hancock invoked a one line quote from Einstein a second time in minor support of his theory, I began looking for problems. It wasn't hard. First, the geological theories Hancock invokes to explain how Antarctica slipped across the ocean in a couple thousand years are hogwash. Even a basic knowledge of geology and a little common sense can tell you this. Second, after realising he has nothing tangible besides the maps, Hancock begins invoking similarities between legends around the world as proof for his antique culture. I am afraid that stretching the analysis of myth does not constitute the scientific method. So how about those maps that our old lost culture made. Hancock claims that all these people from MIT and the military find 20, 40, whatever, a 100 similarities between the maps and the real geography of sub-glacial Antarctica. However, I know this is tough as it was tough for myself as well, in actually comparing the maps yourself, you will find very little similarity. In essence, Hancock has made this all up. He has nicely packaged pieces of pseudoscience over the past fifty years into a gripping lie. If you don't believe me, spend about ten minutes looking up peoples responses to this book on the net. In getting past the group that believes this a cool conversation piece, you will find many pieces dismantling his work. At the end there is nothing left. For every scientific 'fact' Hancock has backing his theory, there is an army of tested theories discounting this fact to nothingness. At last I will try aiming a blow at Hancock himself. Through out the book he presents himself as a modest man working against the prejudices of time, piecing together a puzzle long lost. He presents himself as being there for our benefit to bring us the truths of the world. Yet, in the 30 minutes of effort I spent (time better spent then reading the last chapters I believe), I came up with a variety of theories discounting his. In his self proclaimed years of research how has he not come across these theories? If he can find an obscure reference to a plate tectonic theory from the 60's, why can't he spend a couple minutes reading today's best thoughts? By the end of my reading I am sorry to say that my humour at reading a work of innocent fiction dissolved in the impression I was encountering a con man. There can be no other conclusion reached about Hancock's book than it is baloney. The only value I see in it is to make kids read it to improve their critical reasoning. When they recognized the truth, they would be given a few stars for their success. As for Hancock, he only gets one star.
5 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 8, 2009
I Also Recommend:
Finger Prints Of The Gods is the riveting nonfiction account of Explorer / Writer Graham Hancock as he visits far reaching places on the earth, and cracks open dusty ancient documents in order to investigate evidences that seem to indicate a super civilization existed before our own. The reader follows along as Hancock puts the pieces of the puzzle together and draws logical conclusions that will astound! The pages fly as your mind fills with awe and wonder and possibilities. Graham Hancock, thank you!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.First- do I believe Hancock's theories as expressed in this book? Not really. I think he throws a lot of things up against the wall and tries to make them all stick. But he doesn't always succeed. So why rate it 4 stars? Because Hancock is a pretty entertaining writer and these types of books are fun speculation. What if there was an ancient civilization who we have no first hand knowledge of, but they influenced the Eqyptians, the Mayans, etc? That explains the vast building knowledge of makers of the pyramids, their astrological precision, or the mathematical expertise of the Mayans as well as anything else does. And it is interesting to note the Mayan's "God" was a white skinned, bearded man and some of their stone carvings do show men who appear very African in appearence. Why do we not find ancient texts or oral traditions from the explorers who inspired these legends? If bringing these things up makes us question the "established", out of date theories of something, is that a bad thing? Overall, worth reading for the entertainment value. Just don't buy it all without thinking about it.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 1, 2002
On one hand, this book will make you think. On the other, it will make you think about nothing but nonsense. The author states many farfetched points(especially about early civilizations knowing about precession, and relying so heavely upon ancient myths), and he rarely backs up his points with real evidence. Many people get sucked into believing every point made, but there's just not enough evidence to prove much of anything. It would make a much better fairy tale than a nonfiction book.
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 25, 2000
If you possess the ability to reason deductively beyond the standard 5th grade level then you will be able to recognize a craftily woven piece of fiction such as this. I'd call it a joke but I find it personally worrisome that such falsehoods could be accepted as fact by so many people. I read this as a favor to appease a friend; do yourself a favor and don't bend to the will of well-intentioned dolts.
2 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Whatever one wishes to think about Mr. Hancock's thesis- that there is compelling evidence found around the world of influence of a very ancient culture on subsequent ones like Egypt, the Mayans, the Incas, etc- the fact remains that his research and the organizational structure of his writing are thoroughly engaging and compelling.
In point of fact, much of what he writes about (the Viricocha-rype myths of the Incas and Mayans for instance) can be more likely readily explained by cultural diffusion rather than some far older culture's ostensibly universal influence. However, even that theory stands as a provocative counter-point to traditional archaeology and ancient history paradigms.
Having said that, nevertheless the evidence Mr. Hancock compiles, and the way he presents it in such a cogent, organized and intelligent, yet engaging fashion, stands as a great example for others to follow.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 19, 2005
A very thought provoking book, even though the book is riddled with incomplete or downright misrepresented facts, it has many points that should be looked at more closely by historians and archeologists, and not just dismissed out of hand, these professionals should keep in mind that true scientific discovery¿s have been made by the brave and not the timid.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 4, 2002
I believe that Fingerprints of the Gods can be a spiritual journey as much as it can be an archeology quest. I have read the book three times and have given it to several people as gifts. It has lead to some outstanding conversations. Each time I read, I realized how much it lead me to believe the truth and knowledge in the bible. I feel this book helps trace the fingerprints of GOD.
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 6, 2001
No library is complete without this essential primer into ancient civilization. Graham Hancock delivers. Anyone interested in the unorthodox evidence of mankind's existence and achievements in ancient times must read this book.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 1, 2000
This book is very well written. The beginning is a bit dry, but once you get sucked in; there's no way out. Graham Hancock raises some interesting ideas as to what these ancient civilizations were like.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 16, 2000
I avoided reading this book for over a year, and only did because a friend kept pressing me to do so. I knew it would challenge my paradigm. It didn't let me down. Facts aside, this is an extremely well written book. I've read it 3 times now. When I have insomnia, the ideas and speculations presented by Hancock bounce around in my head. It has inspired my own independent research. That cannot be a bad thing! Read this book. It can't hurt you. It is very entertaining, if nothing else, but maybe it will make you think.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 4, 2013
This book was great. A good mix of science, astrology and folklore.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.garcho
Posted December 28, 2012
This book is criminally untruthful. Hancock's logic is based on the ultimate fallacy: if your premise is false, every conclusion is true. Unlike any of today's (or yesterday's) science, which he fails at usurping with his signature irrationality, he cannot produce the most basic evidence. This book is toilet paper.
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Posted December 26, 2012
The fact that there are soo many undeniable proofs of ancient astronauts/aliens and an advanced civilization far beyond our own; and the unfathomable thought that we may be on a fast track to repeat the act that wiped out our predessers. Just think a bit on it.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 19, 2011
Hancock is a great writer, and thoroughly entertaining. As unusual as the tale may be, he always has a lot of information to back up his claims. He's either a con artist, or a genius ... I just can't tell. But what I can tell is that his ideas truly open the door for significant questions.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 19, 2010
I have numerous titles by Graham Hancock and I can say that each one has been a pleasure to read. The historical and scientific information is very well-done. A recommended read to anyone interested in ancient beliefs, cultures, history and ancient mysteries. You will not be disappointed with this riveting book!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 26, 2009
Let me first say that I have not finish reading the book but have read enough to know where the rest of the book is going.
I only started reading on the topic recently so I dont have a lot to compare the book to. Appears well researched. The writing is very descriptive and has kept my interest completely. If anything, I wish Hancock would have written more of his opinions of the historical timeline. So much of the book was simply what he saw and what others feel the timeline is for these sites... Von Daniken's personal feelings and opinions, while not forced on you in his writings, tend to pull you more into the period and his writings. This book is different in that Hancock travels to these historical sites, describes them very well and then comments on how there are differing views to the dates in which these sites could have been occupied. He doesn't say what he thinks, how he feels. This is the one thing that continued to roll in the back of my mind the entire time I was reading the book.
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
The bestselling author of The Sign and the Seal reveals the true origins of civilization. Connecting puzzling clues scattered throughout the world, Hancock discovers compelling evidence of a technologically and culturally advanced civilization that was destroyed and obliterated from human memory. Four 8-page photo inserts.
The mediagenic author of the bestselling The Sign and the Seal takes readers along on a quest for the proof of the existence of an ancient ...