Mysteries of the PastMysteries of the Past

The Great Pyramid of GizaThe Great Pyramid of Giza

Location of Giza PlateauLocation of Giza Plateau

Pyramid Complex in GizaPyramid Complex in Giza

• The Great Pyramid (Khufu), 3 pyramids for wives

• Pyramid of Khafre, builder of the Sphinx

• Pyramid of Menkaure

The Great SphinxThe Great Sphinx

Mystery of the Mystery of the locationlocation

• the center of gravity of the continents

• the exact center of all the land area of the world, dividing the earth's land mass into approximately equal quarters.

The Great PyramidsThe Great Pyramids v.s. v.s. The Belts of OrionsThe Belts of Orions

The Great PyramidThe Great Pyramid

• The only remaining seven wonders of the world

• Visible from the moon

• Built during the reign of Khufu, 2,720-2,560 BC

• Estimated work force: 100,000 workers

• Construction time: 20 years

Great Pyramid: Work of ArtGreat Pyramid: Work of Art

• The Construction of the Pyramid:– Core stone : 2,300,000 blocks, 2~4 tons each– Casing stones: 144,000 mantle slabs, 15 tons

each, transported from 14km away on the other side of the Nile

– Stones in King’s Chamber: 60~80 tons, transported from 800 km away in Aswan

• Total weight: 6.5 million tons.

Interior Plan of the PyramidInterior Plan of the Pyramid

• King’s Chamber: two airshafts pointing to the star Thuban, and Alnitak, in the Orion constellation

• Queen’s chamber: two airshafts points to stars as well

• Underground Chamber: 90 ft below ground level

Great Pyramid: Amazing AccuracyGreat Pyramid: Amazing Accuracy

• 4 sides (230.4 m) of the base with a mean error of only 58mm in length

• 1 minute in angle from a perfect square• A horizontal base (53,000 m2) within 15m

m discripency• 4 sides aligned to the four cardinal compa

ss points, based on true north (rather than magnetic north)

• Height : Base= 1: 2 x Pi

The Great Pyramid GeometryThe Great Pyramid Geometry

Great Pyramid: Amazing AccuracyGreat Pyramid: Amazing Accuracy

• Casing stones were cut to true plane with only 0.5mm error.

• Casing stones were fitted together so perfectly that the tip of a knife cannot be inserted between the joints.

The original entrance( higher one) vThe original entrance( higher one) vs the intrusive entrance (lower one, s the intrusive entrance (lower one,

820 AD)820 AD)

Extremely straight Extremely straight passagepassage

The longest descending passage (107 m long, 6mm in deviation)

The shortest (15m, 0.5mm in deviation)

StonehengeStonehenge

LocationLocation• the

English country of Wiltshire, in the Salisbury Plain

Arial view of StonehengeArial view of Stonehenge

Construction PhasesConstruction Phases • 3100BC: Circul

ar ditch and bank, 56 Aubrey holes

• 2600BC: 43 bluestones (4 tons, from the Preselli Range 250km away), the Heelstone, the Slaughter Stone, 4 Station Stones

• 2450-2100BC: – 30 upright s

arsen stones (26tons, over 10 feet tall), 30 lintels on top(6tons)

– 5 trilithons (50 tons) in a horseshoe shape

Myths and LegendsMyths and Legends – –

The Heel StoneThe Heel Stone

The HeelstoneThe Heelstone

• “Friar’s Heel” or the “Sunday Stone”• According to a folk tale in the 17 century: The De

vil bought the stones from a woman in Ireland, wrapped them up, and brought them to Salisbury Plain. One of the stones fell into the Avon, the rest were carried to the plain. The Devil then cried out, “No-one will ever find out how these stones came here!” A friar replied, “That’s what you think!,”whereupon the Devil threw one of the stones at him and struck him on the heel. The stone stuck in the ground and is still there

Arthurian LegendArthurian Legend

Arthurian LegendArthurian Legend

• Merlin the wizard directed its removal from Ireland, where it had been constructed on Mount Killaraus by Giants, who brought the blue stones from Africa for their healing properties.

Speculated PurposesSpeculated Purposes

• A monument for 3000 nobles dying in battle with the Saxons, the burial site of Aurelius Ambrosias and Uther Pendragon(Aurthur’s father)

• Astronomical calendar

• A religious site = an ancient church for pagan belief

Stonehenge as Stonehenge as Astronomical calendarAstronomical calendar

Sun rise v.s. Heel stoneSun rise v.s. Heel stone

The TruthThe Truth

• Who built Stonehenge?– Ancient Englishmen during the late Stone Age

to the Bronze Age (rather than the common-believed Celtic Priest, the Druids)

• How to transport the stones?– On land: using wooden sledge, grease – On sea: log boats

• How to erect the stones?– The ramp and leverage

Easter Easter IslandIsland

LocationLocation

• Found by the Dutch explorer Jacob Reggeveen, on Easter Sunday, 1772

• 3,600 km west of Chile and 2,075 km east of Pitcairn-- a completely islolat

ed island

Moai facing inlandMoai facing inland, seeming to prot, seeming to protect the islandect the island

MoaiMoai

• Carved out of the volcanic crater Rano Raraku, using stone hand tools

• mostly identical, some with hats

• 887 stone statues– a quarter installed on ahu platforms– half remaining in Rano Raraku– the rest lie elsewhere on the island– Currently standing statues: 50 in total

Moai with long ears, round eyes, anMoai with long ears, round eyes, and a hatd a hat

MoaiMoai carved out of volcanic rocks carved out of volcanic rocks

AhuAhu: stone platforms for Moai to be : stone platforms for Moai to be erected onerected on

Precision: Stone wall behind the AhPrecision: Stone wall behind the Ahuu

Easter Island in the PastEaster Island in the Past • Once a lush island with giant palm trees, rich

soil, and a good climate.• Original settlers arrived in canoes, 300-400AD • Polynesians first settled the island, around

1200AD, • a complex civilization flourished, producing

bananas, potatoes, and sugar cane• Legend has it that

– long-eared men introduced the stone carving technology and enslaved the local Polynesians

Decline of An Ancient CivilizationDecline of An Ancient Civilization(17~18 century) (17~18 century)

• Overpopulation• Construction of Moais for ancestral worship• Deforestation

– The extinction of large palms- Soil erosion- Drop in the quantities of fish and seabird- famine- Cannibalism

Slavery in the 19 centuryA series of epidemics wiped out the remaing popul

ation

Easter Island in the PresentEaster Island in the Present

• A barren land which barely supports sheep farming

The Nazca LinesThe Nazca Lines

LocationLocation

• The Nazca Desert, a high arid plateau that stretches 53 miles

The Nazca LinesThe Nazca Lines• Created

200BC and 700AD

• recognizable only from the air

• Hundreds of figures, from simple lines to creatures

Lines of geometric figuresLines of geometric figures

a runway for alien landing?a runway for alien landing?

Humming BirdHumming Bird

A monkey?A monkey?

The condorThe condor

A spiderA spider

Alien hands or human hands?Alien hands or human hands?

Ancient Astronaut?Ancient Astronaut?

Creature with 4 legsCreature with 4 legs

Creation from the seaCreation from the sea

Lines on a hillsideLines on a hillside

Possible PurposesPossible Purposes

• Guiding aircrafts from outer space to land• Part of religious practices • A map to indicate water underground• An ancient response to the “Eye of God”

that is manifested in the sky during a total solar eclipse

• Walking temples, where worshipers walked along the pattern dedicated to a particular god

Who are the creator?Who are the creator?

• Aliens?

• The Nazca Indians

How to make the linesHow to make the lines

• Prepare tools– Wooden stakes– ropes

• clear the darkened pampa stones to either side and expose the lighter sand underneath

A duplication by a researcher of the A duplication by a researcher of the University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky

The EndThe End