NEW! Exploring The Book of Mormon In Americas Heartland Photographic Book
NEW! Exploring the Book of Mormon In America's Heartland, A Visual Journey of Discovery by Rod L. Meldrum is a gorgeous, large format 200+ page heirloom quality photographic journey into the exciting new "Heartland Model" geography. Click on the Picture above to learn more. Picture Book Cover Click to Order
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
" LDS Cherokee Family Truths "
In all the other Pre Columbus histories there similarities in their religious beliefs, myths, lore, history, and physical evidences as well, in bringing about the puzzle pieces together to see what has been forgotten, hidden over time.
I add this link to help all understand that many Native American's have similar history, and they can also be linked to other peoples of the world.
There are 14 Paths listed on this site for your learning as these Cherokee Families share their history, their wisdom taught to them by their ancestors over the ages.
Click on the title above or here to visit their site:
Welcome:
to LDS 'KIT'YOWA'-(CHEROKEE) TRUTHS!
WE BELIEVE THE TRUE PROPHECY OF A NATIVE AMERCIAN ANCIENT SPIRITUAL TRUTH IS ABOUT TO BE FULFILLED
AND UNIFIED FOR THE WORLD-THROUGH A GATHERING OF EQUALITY AND BALANCE. This Web Site is written concerning the parallels 'balancing' the identity of The Great Spirit,who we know to be Jesus Christ, and his ancient 'Kit'Yowa' - original sacred Cherokee Wisdom Fire Truths.... with.... his restored truths of today within The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints.At this site they speak of 14 paths each has a button you may click on to walk the spiritual pathways with us through Cherokee and Latter-Day Saints Balanced Parallels we walk in truth, harmony and peace which was given from the Creator to our Prophets of each group long ago.
14 Paths:
1. Jesus Christ, The Peacemaker: Who we as peace keepers worship.2. Three Elder Fires Above & Oneness Of The Godhood.
3. Our Tower of Bable Ancestors: From One Fire Keepers, to Jaredites, to Cherokee.
4. Kit'Yowa - Cherokee Spirit Paths Of Honor & LDS Doctrines, Principles, & Covenants.
5. Sacred Journey & Sacred Vigil: A Time of Consecration.
6. "I Will Rise Again!" : Fire of Integrity and Will Power.
7. Rising Sun & Living Waters: Inspiration, Revelation, Dedication.
8. Kit'Yowa-Cherokee Blessing Way & The LDS Plan of Salvation.
9. Balanced White Beauty Path & Fullness of the Gospel.
10. The Holy Priesthood: Keys, Authority, & Wise Men.
11. 'Se'ge! Are You My Friend ?' A Native American Dilemma.
12. To All Good People Of The Earth.
13-1 Upgrading part 1. please come back to "Our Cherokee Path We Walk as The Latter-day Saint, Mormons."
13-2 Our Logo, Motto, Code of Honor, Law of Life, Mission Statement, Goals & Purposes, Family Research.
14. Family Invitation Form for "LDS Kit'Yowa-Cherokee Family " membership.
DEAR READER, WE HOPE WITH ALL OUR HEARTS TO REVEAL OUR PEACEKEEPER DISIRE FOR TRUTH
BY BALANCING LDS AND CHEROKEE INFORMATION EQUALY ON THIS WEB SITE. OUR PURPOSE IS TO:
1. HONOR THE CREATOR, THE GREAT SPIRIT, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, WHO IS JESUS CHRIST, THE SON
OF GOD WHO IS THE GRANDEST FATHER OF ALL.
2. HONOR HIS LIGHT AND TRUTH, AND TO HELP OTHERS FIND THE AWESOME PARALLELS THAT WE HAVE
FOUND IN BOTH "SPIRITUALITIES."
3. HONOR THE GOODNESS THAT IS IN OPPOSITION TO "THE EVIL ONE AND HIS EVIL WHICH PREVAILS."
4. HONOR ALL OF OUR GENEALOGICAL FAMILIES WHO CAME TO EARTH BEFORE US,
OUR FAMILIES WE HAVE NOW, AND THOSE YET TO COME TO OUR FAMILIES HERE ON EARTH.
5. TO EQUALLY HONOR ALL PEOPLE OF THE EARTH, ALL EARTH'S RELATIONS,
AND TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BECOME ONE WITHIN THE CREATOR'S LIVING WATERS.
TO YOU WHO MIGHT BE READING THIS, WE INVITE YOU PERSONALLY TO JOIN WITH US IN OUR DESIRES
TO WITNESS FOR CHRIST, OUR CREATOR - REGUARDLESS OF YOUR FAITH, RELIGION OR SPIRITUALITY.
Visit, learn and see the parallels that do exist. and don't forget to sign their guest book and leave a comment if you so desire.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Phoenicia Ship Expedition
The Phoenicia Ship Expedition was to explore circumnavigating Africa as their ancestors once did. Could a ship like this one have reached the America's Anciently, was there a trade route between the old lands? There have been writing, artifacts found from North America to South America that Phoenician traders could have left. This adventure shows that before the could head back to the Mediterranean they had to come with in 350 miles of Puerto Rico, so yes it would have been possible, this actual route would take about 6 months from where the Phoenicia starts to the Mississippi River region of North America, and sooner to South America and Meso America. So it is feasible.
Visit their site for the full story and up to date information about this amazing & educational journey. Just click below.
The Phoenician Ship Expedition launched from Arwad, Syria in August 2008, to sail through the Suez Canal, and into the Red Sea. Phase One of the expedition was completed in January 2009 when Phoenicia reached the Republic of Yemen.
Visit their site for the full story and up to date information about this amazing & educational journey. Just click below.
The Phoenician Ship Expedition launched from Arwad, Syria in August 2008, to sail through the Suez Canal, and into the Red Sea. Phase One of the expedition was completed in January 2009 when Phoenicia reached the Republic of Yemen.
Phase Two launched in August 2009 to sail round the Horn of Africa and down the east coast. Negotiating the dangers of the Cape of Good Hope was a critical point in the expedition. The voyage continued up the west coast of Africa, through the Straits of Gibraltar and across the Mediterranean to return to the Lebanon and Syria in October 2010.
In total the circumnavigation will cover 20,000 nautical miles. Track the ships progress via Phoenicia's 'Yellowbrick' satellite tracking device
Pre-Columbian America
This is a wonderful site with a lot of information, and some unusual things as well, worth a look, from ancient travelers to the America's
to small artifacts found in South America that resemble Air planes, and more. Thought I would share what this team has put together
to help us understand they many mysteries, and possibilities, and added questions about the ancient pasts of the America's.
(This is just a taste of what this site has to offer the searchers of history, click on "Pre-Columbian America" above to go to the full site.)
| Featured Pre-Columbian Locations: |
 The Chaco canyon 'Sun-dagger'In what is now the state of New Mexico in an area known as Chaco Canyon are the remains of an elaborate development of the Anasazi people who lived in the region from about 500 to 1300 AD. Some 120 meters (400 feet) above the canyon floor near the top of an outcropping known as Fajada Butte, three slabs of sandstone were placed against a rock wall creating a shaded space. Carved into this shaded wall are two spiral petroglyphs, one large and one small. Sunlight passes over them at various times throughout the year as it streams through chinks between the sandstone, but it was not until the 1970s that their true purpose was literally illumined.
 Chichen Itza - (Abandoned Mayan city). The stepped pyramid-temple (Right), records the equinoxes in a unique way. The sun creates a shadow of a huge 'snake' to ascend the steps in spring, and descend again in autumn (2). Whether or not this was a deliberate design feature is speculative, but other astronomical features at the site certainly lend weight to the idea that it was intentional. Each step corresponds to a day, each platform to a Mayan month. The temple is erected above the 365 steps. (17)
Machu Pichu - (Mountain Citadel)  This Pre-Columbian Inca mountain citadel was only rediscovered in 1911. It shows several strong indications of astronomical observation. The structures are built from white granite, with blocks reaching up to 3.7 metres in length. Location of the famous Intihuatana stone, also called "The Hitching Point of the Sun" because it was believed to hold the sun in its place along its annual path in the sky. At midday on March 21 and September 21, the equinoxes, the sun stands almost above the pillar—casting no shadow at all. Skeletal remains show a 10:1 ratio of females to males. (12)
 San Agustin, Columbia: (Megaliths and Hypogea).The San Agustin archaeological park in Colombia includes a wide variety of stone sculptures (Megaliths), mostly carved between AD 100 and 1200. In the park are an amazing array of separate stone sculptures, in the shapes of animals and warriors and human faces, some mythical, some realistic. They are carved out of volcanic rock - some are over 4 meters tall and weigh several tons. The site, excavated by K. Th. Preuss during the 1940s, has been declared a World Heritage Site.
 Teotihuacán - (The 'City of the Gods').It was suspected by Stansbury Hagar, that the city had been built as a 'map of heaven'. During the 1960's and 1970's a comprehensive mathematical survey was carried out by Hugh Harleston Jr who determined that the principle structures line up along the street of the dead (and beyond), and that the city was a precise scale model of the solar system. (21) The Pyramid of the sun (Right), has the same base dimensions and half the height of the great pyramid in Egypt. |
The Copper 'Reels'
Copper ingot from Crete (Left), and a British Museum Ingot from the 'Foundry Hoard' at Enkomi, Cyprus c. 1225-1150 BC (Right).American sites have yielded considerable numbers of copper tablets shaped like the hide of an animal; and they were named 'reels'. In 1896, in Cyprus, and subsequently in many Mediterranean excavations, corresponding 'Bronze Age' copper objects, recognised now as ingots used in international currency, have been found. The American examples indicate an international trading system existed. (1)
| The Mound Builders. |
USA has more than 100,000 artificial mounds between the great lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. (12)
(More on this subject soon)
| The Olmecs: An African Presence? |
There have been several previous attempts to prove the 'fusion' of African and native Pre-Columbian American races. Evidence has been put forward ranging from linguistics, plant geography, skeletons, terracotta figures and even North African 'Tifinag' inscriptions on the Virgin Islands. (3) However, nowhere is the evidence for this argument stronger than at La-Venta and San Lorenzo, where several large stone heads and have been discovered that clearly display Negroid features.
The huge proportions of the heads demonstrates that they were influential people, and their association with the Olmec culture at around (1,200-600 B.C.) places them long before the Maya, Inca or Columbus's arrival in America. Van Sertima concluded that these people originated from Egypt and the middle-east. '...unique amongst aboriginal American sculptures, it is remarkable for its realistic treatment. The features are bold and it is amazingly negroid in character'.
The head was found 10 miles from the source of the stone and a long slab of stone which was found at the same site yielded a precise date of Nov 4th. 291 BC. As digging increased in south America other larger heads and earlier heads were found at sites such as La Venta, which began to reveal a chapter of history in the pre-Columbian Gulf of Mexico that was almost lost to us. The La Venta heads showed several similarities to the Tres Zapotes heads, and it emerged that they dominated the ceremonial plaza, a feature which suggests that they were in some way 'revered'. Four heads were found at La Venta, all of them faced the Atlantic, and the largest at 9ft high had its domed top flattened so that it could function as an altar. A speaking tube was found going in at the ear and out at the mouth; a possible oracle or talking god. Radio carbon dates from the site were published in 1957 and they give an average reading of 814 BC +/- 134 yrs. These figures were among the oldest at the La Venta site.
La Venta was not alone in its depiction of Negroid faces in stone. Apart from the four found there, two were excavated in Tres Zapotes and a further ten at San Lorenzo in Vera Cruz, one of which, the largest known, is nine feet, four inches high, and is estimated to weigh around 40 tons (3). The theory forwarded by Van Sertima reinforcing the theory that the 'Olmec' sites of La Venta and Tres Zapotes were governed by Negroid Africans and Middle-eastern Caucasians between 800-600 BC,
In 1972, craniologist Andrzej Wiercinski reported that 13.5% of the 76 fragmentary crania from Tlatilco, a site associated with the Olmec civilization, showed "a clear prevalence of the total Negroid pattern" (Jordan 1992). Wiercinski measured the skulls for 48 morphological traits, but focused on the traits he considered best for discriminating between the "three great races of man" (Van Rossum 2004). The remains were dated to the Pre-Classic Period (1,500 BCE-300 CE), well before the arrival of Columbus. (3)
| An Australian presence in Pre-Columbian America: |
A Genetic link has been determined between the Aborigines of Australia and the 'Fuegian's' from 'Tierra-Del-Fuego' in Southern-most America. This suggests a connection at least 30,000 years old.
Article: BBC. Science News. (August, 1999)
'The first Americans were descended from Australian aborigines, according to evidence in a new BBC documentary. The programme, Ancient Voices, shows that the dimensions of prehistoric skulls found in Brazil match those of the aboriginal peoples of Australia and Melanesia. Other evidence suggests that these first Americans were later massacred by invaders from Asia'.
There is a physical similarity between the 'La-Jollans' of Southern California, who also used the spear thrower, had initiation ceremonies for boys, women excluded, the twirling of a 'Bull-roarer', and with ground paintings involved. La Jollan artefacts are virtually indistinguishable from those of the Kartan culture of Australia. (3)
| The Pre-Columbian Pyramid Builders: |
In 1964, aerial photography identified nearly 1,000 pyramid sites in Peru alone.
(4) The existence of pyramids in the Americas has often been suggested as a significant proof of contact between people from the 'Old' and 'New' worlds. However, this claim has been reasonably contended with the argument that the similarity in shape proves no such thing, and that such claims can only be validated by providing through substantiating proof, such as cultural, botanical and more recently, genetic research.
Whether through accident or design, it is a fact that the 'Pyramid of the Sun' at Teotihuacan has the same base dimensions and is half the height of the 'Great' pyramid at Ghiza.
The layout of the two great pyramid complexes have also been compared.
Pyramids and the Feathered Serpent.
The Great stairwell at Hatshepsut's Mortuary temple includes a huge feathered serpent running down each side of the stairwell.
The feathered serpent is a very specific and fundamentally important symbol of both South American and Egyptian cultures. In Egypt during the Middle kingdom, the symbol can be generally interpreted as representing a united Egypt (both upper and lower). In South America, the symbol was used to represented the god Quetalcoatl.
Further similarities become apparent when we look at the similarities of 'function' between pyramids from the two cultures. We know for example that there was an astronomical association in both cultures. Van Sertima notes that 'When pyramids appear in America in the Olmec culture they are orientated astronomically'. (3) Of course, the fact that the Babylonian ziggurats and Egyptian pyramid were also built by 'Solar' worshippers is just one of the many other cross-cultural similarities that can be seen.
Palenque.
The Mayan pyramid of Palenque, within which the tomb of King Pakal was discovered in 1952.
We know without question that the Egyptian pyramids came first, and by a few thousands years, so there is no suggestion of contact between the pyramid builders themselves. However, it is undeniable that the theme of pyramid building was a global phenomena which occurred around the world, and not just in Egypt. In fact, it is also seen in the middle east, the far east, on the Pacific Isles, in the Americas, and even in Europe.
| Indian Maize (Corn)...?   
|
| The Piri Reis Map: |
The significance of this map is sometimes overshadowed by the various myths and claims surrounding it. Regardless of the debatable claim that the map shows the outline of the Antarctic continent, there are certain demonstrable facts which make this map potentially one of America's most valuable historical relics.
The Piri-reis map (c. 1513), is a fragment of a larger composite map of the world, with its epicentre in Egypt. It was created with a working understanding of longitude and latitude and a system of geometry which allowed the cartographer to accurately draw the outlines of Africa and America relative to each other.The legend on the map dates it to 'Muharran' in the Muslim year 919 (1513 AD), only 20 years after the official discovery of the Americas by Columbus in 1492. The legend itself however, gave claims an origin far older than 20 years, revealing that it was a section of a world map composed from more than twenty source maps, some drawn in the time of Alexander the great, and that 'some were based on mathematics' (7).
The map has pre-Columbian provenance.
The map shows the eastern coastline of America.
The map shows accurate use of Longitude and Latitude.
The map-builders used 'Spherical geometry'.
The centre of the map is at the junction of the 23.5˚ parallel and the longitude of Alexandria.
The cartographers of the Piri-reis map used a system called the 12-wind system, which was used extensively in the middle ages and has its roots in the Babylonian sciences.
| The Mystery of the Cocaine Mummies: |
In 1976 a German scientist, Dr Svetla Balabanova, made a discovery which was to baffle Egyptologists, and call into question whole areas of science and archeology to chemistry and botany.
She discovered that the body of Henut Taui contained large quantities of cocaine and nicotine. The surprise was not just that the ancient Egyptians had taken drugs, but that these drugs come from tobacco and coca, plants completly unknown outside the Americas, unheard of until Sir Walter Raleigh introduced smoking from the New World, or until cocaine was imported in the Victorian era.
Following this discovery, other experts began testing Mummies and discovered Tobacco for example the substance was found in Mummies from the British Musuem by their keeper Dr.Rosalie David. There was even some found on the bandages of the great Rameses II himself by Dr. Michele Lescaux!
Article from the official Ancient Egyptian Bibliography (AEB) published by the University of Leiden.
NERLICH, Andreas G., Franz PARSCHE, Irmgard WIEST, Peter SCHRAMEL and Udo LÖHRS, Extensive pulmonary haemorrhage in an Egyptian mummy, Virchows Archiv. An International Journal of Pathology, Berlin - Heidelberg 427 (1995), 423-429. (ill.).
Report on the morphological and trace element findings of several internal organs from an Egyptian mummy approximately dating from the year 950 B.C. according to C-14-analysis. By use of a multidisciplinary approach the authors succeeded in discovering evidence for severe and presumably recurrent pulmonary bleeding during life. This was suggested by the finding of massive haemosiderin deposits in the lung and a selectively and markedly elevated level of iron in trace element analysis of the lung tissue. Furthermore, an enhanced deposition of birefringent particles in the lung tissue, without significant fibrosis, was observed. The histological analysis of liver, stomach and intestine confirmed the macroscopic organ diagnoses without evidence of any major pathological processes. In addition, analysis for various drugs revealed a significant deposition of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), nicotine and cocaine in several organs of the mummy. The concentration profiles additionally provide evidence for a preferential inhalation of THC, while nicotine and cocaine containing drugs seem to have been consumed orally.
Report on the morphological and trace element findings of several internal organs from an Egyptian mummy approximately dating from the year 950 B.C. according to C-14-analysis. By use of a multidisciplinary approach the authors succeeded in discovering evidence for severe and presumably recurrent pulmonary bleeding during life. This was suggested by the finding of massive haemosiderin deposits in the lung and a selectively and markedly elevated level of iron in trace element analysis of the lung tissue. Furthermore, an enhanced deposition of birefringent particles in the lung tissue, without significant fibrosis, was observed. The histological analysis of liver, stomach and intestine confirmed the macroscopic organ diagnoses without evidence of any major pathological processes. In addition, analysis for various drugs revealed a significant deposition of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), nicotine and cocaine in several organs of the mummy. The concentration profiles additionally provide evidence for a preferential inhalation of THC, while nicotine and cocaine containing drugs seem to have been consumed orally.
- Hand-Shaped Incense Spoons. - Van Sertima mentions the presence of similar 'Hand shaped incense spoons' in both 'Old-world' and 'New-world' cultures.
The following two photos (below left and right), from Denderra, Egypt, are perhaps what Van Sertima (3) is alluding to... although, and I daresay its all in the eye of the beholder .. but it looks as though the contents of these '
incense burners' are being inhaled. 
'Burnt Offering's' at Denderra, Egypt.
More 'burnt offering' from Abydoss.
| The Model Aircraft: |
It is perhaps just another one of life's curious coincidences that these small aerodynamically sound 'models' have been found in both South America and Egypt. Whatever the kismet, they provide good food for thought.
Egyptian '
model' (left), S. American 'models' (centre, right). This particular 'model' is on display in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. Its explanation states: “gold artefact, a stylised insect, from the Quimbaya culture, Antioquia province, Columbia, ca. 1000-1500 AD.”
Monday, April 18, 2011
Other Sheep I must go & see & teach them said the creator Jesus Christ.
DID THE RESURRECTED CHRIST VISIT ASIA?
This is a very good article, thought out and organized, worth the look, I have heard over the years many stories, legends of a Christ like Creator visiting others all over the world, and was wondering about the possibilities of an Asian visit, as he is a legend of All the America's, and the Islands of the sea's and more. And this is what I found.
Note: When Jesus Christ left Israel, he told his followers "Other Sheep I have that are not of this fold, them also I must visit and teach." This he said when he visited North America that they were of whom he spoke of in Jerusalem. And then when he left these peoples of America, he spoke of the same thing, that other sheep he would visit, and teach, and bless as he had them, Who are all these others spoken of, all these lost sheep? Many things yet to be discovered and yet we find evidences through out time, legends of the possible influences in Nations outside of Israel. If God is just, he would share his teachings with all. Some times one must unlearn what he has learned in order to look at the possibilities of further learning.
Below is the start of 15 pages of information, the title is linked to article in order to study and learn more about the whole article.
DID THE RESURRECTED CHRIST VISIT ASIA?
Historical accounts of early explorers Cortez and Captain James Cook each respectively being mistaken
for the return of a “Bearded White God” by the Aztecs in Mexico and the populace of Hawaii not only
supports the fact that The Resurrected Christ visited the Americas but has lead to the assumption that the
Savior visited other inhabitants of earth as well.
Are there additional evidences that support the theory that the Resurrected Jesus Christ had contact with
other people? Did the resurrected Christ visit Asia? There are evidences that suggest that this may be
true. To some these evidences appear to be coincidental in nature. To others they seem too coincidental
to be happen chance. Decide for yourself.
It is purported that about 500 B.C. Buddha prophesied of the coming of Jesus. Following is a translation
from Buddhist scripture.
An old Brahman priest asked Buddha: "What should we do [to be saved]?
The Buddha answered, "....look for another Holy One who will come and help the
world and all of you in the future."
Then the Brahman priest asked, "What will the characteristics of the Holy One be
like?"
The Buddha answered him, "The Holy one who will keep the world in the future
will be like this: In the palm of his hands and in the flat of his feet will be the design
of a disk, in his side will be a stab wound; and his forehead will have many marks
like scars. The Holy One will be the golden boat who will carry you over the cycle
of rebirths all the way to the highest heaven. Do not look for salvation in the old way
[trying to merit salvation]; there is no salvation in it for sure. Quit the old way, and
there will be a new spirit like the light of a lightening bug which will come down
from the sky above to live in all of your hearts, and you will be victorious over all of
your enemies. Nobody will be able to destroy you. If you die, you will not come
back to be born in this world again. You will go to the highest heaven.
High on a mountain in Hong Kong is an austere building called the temple of the Buddha with a
Thousand Hands. It contains a gold statue of a multi-armed Buddha. Each arm (holding an instrument)
extends from the torso of Buddha in successive rows until the arms become so numerous that they fan out
into an arch – a golden aura of a thousand hands – that frames Buddha in a radiant glow. In each of these
outstretched palms is the design of a disk.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
DNA Proves European In America Seven Centuries Before Columbus
This is another sample of William Conners blog, invite all to visit it.
European In America Before 1492
DNA Proves European In America
Seven Centuries Before Columbus
As if other evidence I've offered in my book "Iron Age America," in my web site "America's Mysterious Furnaces" and this blog isn't enough to convince skeptics, I'm now adding laboratory proof of the presence of Europeans in pre-Columbian America.
In the book, I begin with Shawnee Indians telling a representative of the governor of Colonial Virgina that they could not give Virginians permission to settle in Kentucky because the region was "haunted by the ghosts of the Az Gens, a people "from the Eastern Sea (Atlantic Ocean).
I could have also mentioned that mitrochonial DNA and C14 dating confirmed a date of about 710 A.D. for the remains of a man found in one of the many cave shelters in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky rock shelters have long been studied by folks who are interested in evidence of the presence of Europeans in pre-Columbian North America. More information about this discovery can be found in the web site "Prehistoric West Virginia." Some of my fellow members of the Midwestern Epigraphic Society have made a number of visits to these caves to examine inscriptions on cave walls they believe were written in Ogam, ancient Old World Irish alphabet.
So here is proof of the Shawnee Indians telling the truth about the Az Gens, who certianly qualify as the probable Iron Age people who once lived in Ohio and who left behind evidence of their presence at the pit iron furnace sites and who also could have once resided at Spruce Hill in prehistoric Ross County.
IRON AGE AMERICA by William Conner
"Iron Age America" Now On Sale
William Conner this link to his blog with a lot of information beyond what is here, and full stories as well, I have had Great reviews of his book from people I know and have referenced his works here in order to Share his life's works with the world as well.Publisher Chad Arment did a fine job of creating a cover for my book "Iron Age America," that is shown below. While all other photos of my book are in black and white on inside pages, many color photos of my archaeology and that of my associates can be viewed on my web site "America's Mysterious Furnaces."
For many years of 2000s I sent out proposal after proposal to book publishers and recieved many "thanks but no thanks" replies. I always believed our work deserved more than just a web site and that only a book could fully describe evidence we found to support our discovery of prehistoric iron furnaces in Ohio.
For many years of 2000s I sent out proposal after proposal to book publishers and recieved many "thanks but no thanks" replies. I always believed our work deserved more than just a web site and that only a book could fully describe evidence we found to support our discovery of prehistoric iron furnaces in Ohio.
My claim that these furnaces are without question prehistoric is backed with evidence in the book that indicates that this type of small pit furnace was last used in Europe many years before Columbus sailed. I make this claim speaking for myself, and if others disagree they may do so.
"Iron Age America" is on sale online with both Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. I will soon install a Pay Pal button to this blog for purchase of Iron Age America books signed by the author. Also, signed books are available now $30 a copy including shipping to your address by UPS. Signing events are sought by the author in 2010. I can be reached for purchase of a signed book or for your comments via email to conner6343@sbcgobal.net. "Iron Age America" is also available via the publisher's "Coachwhip Books" web site.
You may purchase a copy of this interesting book at the link at the bottom of this blog.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Ancient Hebrew writing found in America "For the Judeans"
Stone translation reads: "For the Judeans"
Background Information
The Bat Creek Stone was discovered by Mr. John W. Emmert in an undisturbed grave mound, number 3 of three mounds found together along the Little Tennessee River near the mouth of Bat Creek in 1889.Emmert was working on behalf of the Smithsonian Institute’s Bureau of Ethnology’s Mound Survey Project and reported to his immediate supervisor, Cyrus Thomas, who originally identified the inscription as Paleo-Cherokee.
In 1964, the inscription was noticed by Chicago patent attorney, Henriette Mertz, to have been published up-side down by the Smithsonian Institute and believed the characters to be Phoenician. 1
In 1971, the inscription was found to be a Roman era Paleo-Hebrew Judean by Dr. Cyrus Gordon (1908-2001), who was an American scholar of Near Eastern cultures and ancient languages.
This report is the most in depth look into the history and facts about the Bat Creek Stone:
AMERICAN PETROGRAPHIC SERVICES, INC.
550 Cleveland Avenue North | Saint Paul, MN 55114
Phone (651) 659-9001 | (800) 972-6364 | Fax (651) 659-1379 | www.ampetrographic.com | AA/EEO
REPORT OF ARCHAEOPETROGRAPHY INVESTIGATION
PROJECT:BAT CREEK STONE
REPORTED TO:
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE
INVESTIGATION 498 TSALI BLVD
CHEROKEE, NC 27719
ATTN: DON ROSE
APS JOB NO: 10-06557 DATE: JULY 14, 2010
Introduction
This report presents the results of a microscopic examination of the physical and geological features of an archaeological artifact called the Bat Creek Stone that American Petrographic Services Inc. performed at the McClung Museum on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville on May 28, and June 29, 2010. The scope of our work was limited to:
1. Performing petrographic observations using reflected light microscopy and micro-photo documentation on the artifact.
2. Performing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis.
3. Conducting a document review of the Smithsonian Institute field reports written by John W. Emmert, who discovered the artifact on February 14, 1889.
American Petrographic Services Inc. transported its microscopic equipment to the museum where staff members, Registrar Bob Pennington, and Museum Director, Jefferson Chapman, graciously provided access to their facilities and the artifact. Present during the examination were Dr. Barbara Duncan, Education Director at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Sharon Littlejohn, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian, and Leslie Kalen, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian.
On June 29, 2010, American Petrographic Services Inc, returned to the Science and Engineering Research Facility at the University of Tennessee to complete the examination of the artifact using the Scanning Electron Microscopy equipment on campus.
For the rest of the 21 page report on the history of this artifact and all the testing done on it to show it is authentic, it is Hebrew, and so forth, click on the link below.
AMERICAN PETROGRAPHIC SERVICES, INC. Bat Creek Stone:
Monday, April 4, 2011
Peter Thonemann-Lead Codices possible fakes
Even tho this story is not dealing with North America Anciently, it is placed here as there have been Metal Plates found in North America, written by Ancient peoples as well, from the west coast to the east coast, north and south there have been found a lot of metal records, Gold, Brass, Copper, Lead, and so forth. So We do know that Ancient Cultures did write upon metal plates of all types all over the world.
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I found Daniel O. McClellan's site with a lot of information around this topic and passing on his links (click on the artical headers) for more on it.
I am adding this as the opposing views to the artifacts discovered.
The best way is to have the physical plates honestly and thoroughly investigated in all ways possible to authenticate or prove hoax. I feel before one says 100% Fraud, or Real all aspects of testing should occur as that is science.
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I found Daniel O. McClellan's site with a lot of information around this topic and passing on his links (click on the artical headers) for more on it.
I am adding this as the opposing views to the artifacts discovered.
The best way is to have the physical plates honestly and thoroughly investigated in all ways possible to authenticate or prove hoax. I feel before one says 100% Fraud, or Real all aspects of testing should occur as that is science.
March 31, 2011
Peter Thonemann on the Lead Codices
(HT Daniel Peterson and Bill Hamblin) Peter Thonemann at Oxford has staked his career on the conclusion that the lead codices being discussed recently are forgeries executed within the last 50 years. The following is what he wrote to Elkington in an email after he was asked late last year to comment on the authenticity of the plates based on some photos:
Lead Codices, or: One Born Every Minute
Over the past few days, you may have seen a spot of press attention about a cache of lead codices ‘from a remote cave in the north of Jordan’, which allegedly have some connection with early Christianity etc.:
http://www.thejc.com…a-mid-east-cave
http://www.dailymail…ears-Jesus.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk…e-east-12888421…and so forth.
On 15 September 2010, I received the following email out of the blue from a certain David Elkington (whose name you will find in all these various news reports) – I’ve edited out only those bits which would reveal the mutual acquaintance:
“Dear Dr. Thonemann,
In relation to a discovery that I have been investigating in the Middle East I was given your email address by a friend […]. I am a biblical historian and specialist in the field of Christian and Hebrew origins. I’m working with Prof. Philip Davies of Sheffield University and Dr. Margaret Barker on a discovery that I made a few years back of a cache of ancient metal codices. They are comprised of lead and of copper – it is one of the copper codices that brings me to you. We think that it has a possible origin in Alexandria at the beginning of the 1st millennium AD – (the Bedouin who brought them to me said that his father found them in northern Egypt). It has an inscription in Greek along the top. A putative investigation has failed to find the meaning, dialect or type of Greek used and we are seeking to find an expert who might help in determining what it says.
Would you have the time and the knowledge to be able to help?If you can I would be terribly grateful – I could email you a photograph of the codex as soon as you would like, however I would very much like to discuss it in person if at all possible […].
I look forward to your reply
Best Wishes
David Elkington”
I replied that I would be delighted to have a look. (Possibly worth noting in passing that in this email, the codices are said to come from “northern Egypt”; in the current press coverage, they are said to come from “a remote arid valley in northern Jordan”.) I received on the 13 October the following three photographs of this ‘copper codex’ from Mr Elkington:
. . .
As you will see, the ‘codex’ concerned is identical in fabric and design to the ones being touted on the BBC and elsewhere; the Greek lettering is very similar in style to the ‘Hebrew’ on the codices depicted on the BBC news website. There can be no reasonable doubt that it forms part of the same ‘cache’ from the Jordanian desert (or Egypt) – note especially the metal ‘ties’ at the left of the last photograph.
After having a close look at the photos, I replied later that same day:
“Dear David,
A surprisingly easy task, as it turns out!
The Greek text at the top of your photo no. 0556 reads: ΛΛΥΠΕΧΛΙΡΕΛΒΓΛΡΟΚΛΙΕΙΣΙΩΝ, followed by ΛΛΥΠΕ in mirror-writing.
This text corresponds to ΛΛΥΠΕ ΧΛΙΡΕ ΛΒΓΛΡ Ο ΚΛΙ ΕΙΣΙΩΝ, i.e. ἄλυπε χαῖρε, Ἀβγαρ ὁ καὶ Εἰσίων, followed by the word ἄλυπε again, in mirror writing. The text at the bottom of your photo no. 0532 is the first part of the same text again: ΛΥΠΕΧΛΙΡΕΛΒΓ, i.e. [ἄ]λυπε χαῖρε, Ἀβγ…
The text was incised by someone who did not know the Greek language, since he does not distinguish between the letters lambda and alpha: both are simply represented, in each of the texts, by the shape Λ.
The text literally means ‘without grief, farewell! Abgar also known as Eision’. This text, in isolation, is meaningless.
However, this text corresponds precisely to line 2 of the Greek text of a bilingual Aramaic/Greek inscription published by J.T. Milik, Syria 35 (1958) 243-6 no.6 (SEG 20, 494), and republished in P.-L. Gatier, Inscriptions grecques et latines de Syrie XXI: Inscriptions de la Jordanie, 2: Region centrale (Paris 1986), no.118. That inscription reads, in its entirety, as follows,
1 Σελαμαν χρηστὲ καὶ
2 ἄλυπε χαῖρε, Ἀβγαρ ὁ καὶ Εἰσίων
3 Μονοαθου υἱὸς υἱῷ τειμίῳ τὸ μνῆμα
4 ἐποίησεν ἔτους τρίτου ἐπαρχείας’For Selaman, excellent and harmless man, farewell! Abgar, also known as Eision, son of Monoathos, constructed this tomb for his excellent son (i.e. Selaman), in the third year of the province’.
This is a stone tombstone from Madaba in Jordan, precisely dated to AD 108/9, on display in the Archaeological Museum in Amman.
The text on your bronze tablet, therefore, makes no sense in its own right, but has been extracted unintelligently from another longer text (as if it were inscribed with the words: ‘t to be that is the question wheth’). The longer text from which it derives is a perfectly ordinary tombstone from Madaba in Jordan which happens to have been on display in the Amman museum for the past fifty years or so. The text on your bronze tablet is repeated, in part, in three different places, meaningless in each case.
The only possible explanation is that the text on the bronze tablet was copied directly from the inscription in the museum at Amman by someone who did not understand the meaning of the text of the inscription, but was simply looking for a plausible-looking sequence of Greek letters to copy. He copied that sequence three times, in each case mixing up the letters alpha and lambda.
This particular bronze tablet is, therefore, a modern forgery, produced in Jordan within the last fifty years. I would stake my career on it.
All good wishes,
Peter Thonemann”
Well, he can’t say I didn’t warn him
UPDATE: Here are some photos of the plates discussed in the email above.
Nice sofa, huh?
UPDATE: I’ve added the entire text of the message Peter sent out to colleagues.
Thoughts on the Jordan Lead Codices
There’s still a lot of confusion and misinformation circulating about the Jordan lead codices, and I thought I would summarize some of the main issues and some considerations that should be taken into account. I’m not going to describe the background of the plates’ putative discovery and early life, but you can find much of that background, and commentary, at the following links:
The Jewish Chronicle Online
Daily Mail, 2
PaleoJudaica, 2, 3
Jerusalem Post
Christian Science Monitor
Rogue Classicism, 2
The Telegraph
Elkington Press Release
The Forbidden Gospels
Zwinglius Redivivus
Christianity Today
Larry Hurtado
Patheos
Exploring Our Matrix
postost
The Washington Post
Thomas Verenna
Now, as many of the scholars above point out, several aspects of these codices beg skepticism. The stories regarding their discovery differ in critical areas. The descriptions of the hoard differ. The codices are written in “secret code.” The codices’ main protagonist is shortly publishing a book about them and doesn’t seem to have any real credentials in the fields in which he claims specialization (and he calls the last book of the New Testament “the book of Revelations”). The most significant issue with the codices is described in an email exchange circulated recently by a young Oxford scholar named Peter Thonemann (available here). In that email, Thonemann explains that late last year Elkington sent photos of a copper codex with Greek writing on it to him for analysis. Thonemann quickly discovered a link between the codex’s inscription and a Greek/Aramaic tombstone inscription on display in a museum in Jordan (and published in two places). The copper codex, however, conflates the lambda and the alpha in the majuscule script, indicating the person writing it didn’t recognize the small difference between the two. The second and fourth letters on the third line of the following text (from left to right) are majuscule lambdas and alphas, respectively. While the difference is pretty clear, in some hands it’s barely perceptible, especially in inscriptions on stone:
Now on to the copper codex:
This reads ΛΛΥΠΕΧΛΙΡΕΛΒΓΛΡΟΚΛΙΕΙΣΙΩΝ and then ΛΛΥΠΕ written backwards. Another plate has the following at the bottom:
This contains the following portion of the other inscription: ΛΥΠΕΧΛΙΡΕΛΒΓ. The inscription Thonemann points to reads thus, with the words written in minuscule script and separated by spaces:
1 Σελαμαν χρηστὲ καὶ
2 ἄλυπε χαῖρε, Ἀβγαρ ὁ καὶ Εἰσίων
3 Μονοαθου υἱὸς υἱῷ τειμίῳ τὸ μνῆμα
4 ἐποίησεν ἔτους τρίτου ἐπαρχείας
1 For Selaman, excellent and
2 harmless man, farewell! Abgar, also known as Eision,
3 son of Monoathos, for his excellent son, this tomb,
4 he constructed, in the third year of the province
Now here is the same inscription with portions from the first and then second inscriptions above bracketed:
1 Σελαμαν χρηστὲ καὶ
2 [ἄλυπε χαῖρε, Ἀβγαρ ὁ καὶ Εἰσίων]
3 Μονοαθου υἱὸς υἱῷ τειμίῳ τὸ μνῆμα
4 ἐποίησεν ἔτους τρίτου ἐπαρχείας
1 Σελαμαν χρηστὲ καὶ
2 ἄ[λυπε χαῖρε, Ἀβγ]αρ ὁ καὶ Εἰσίων
3 Μονοαθου υἱὸς υἱῷ τειμίῳ τὸ μνῆμα
4 ἐποίησεν ἔτους τρίτου ἐπαρχείας
The bracketed portions make no sense out of the context of the rest of the inscription. It seems the person responsible for the copper plate copied the entire second line off the inscription and then used portions of it on other plates. This indicates the copper codices are modern forgeries.
There are aspects of the copper plates which show they share the same provenance as the copper plate. Elkington seems to have overlooked this in sharing select photos of the lead codices. As I show in this post, the stylized palm tree near the bottom of the copper codex is exactly identical to a stylized tree that appears in at least one of the lead codices currently being publicized. This leads unquestionably to the conclusion that at least some of the lead codices come from the same forger who produced the copper codex. Other iconographic qualities are shared by other plates. Consider, for instance, this rectangular patterning from the copper codices:
Now take a look at some of the photos from the BBC set:
Now look at the star patterns under the palm tree in the copper codex:
Now look at the stars around the Menorah on one of the first photos released:
You can see both phenomena on the forged copper plate and on the bigger plate:
The above also shows the codices were cast. The two-and-a-half registers on this plate are identical in every detail. The same set of images was pressed into clay three different times for a mold. The bottom half of the top register has been smoothed out to allow for the register below, showing it wasn’t stamped.
The dotted borders and their teardrop shaped adornments on this forged plate are also remarkably similar to the same phenomena on the “Jesus portrait” codex:
Notice also the same cryptic script, which looks like stylized, and sometimes reversed, paleo-Hebrew (see here for a brief judgment by an expert). The casting looks identical too. Bill Hamblin has also shown the Jesus portrait on this plate is strikingly similar to the image on ancient Helios coins. The copper plate also seems to have an impression of an old Alexander the Great coin with the lion headdress, which Hamblin discusses. These plates are all the work of the same hand, and the copper plate shows that that hand is the hand of a forger.
Some have posited that it’s still possible that some plates are authentic. Perhaps the copper plate was simply copied from authentic ones. While it’s certainly not totally outside the realm of possibility, a number of considerations mitigate the plausibility. First, it strains credulity to think that someone with authentic ancient codices would decide to go through the time and effort of producing fake ones to supplement the hoard, and then only publicize the fake codices. Second, we’ve seen no indication any plates have different origins. The notion that any are original is nothing more than wishful thinking. David Elkington’s credibility has been severely undermined by the fact that he hasn’t come froward on his own about Thonemann’s find, and is sharing photos of other codices that are clearly related to the copper ones. His story also changes with each new article.
Additionally, he is omitting from the publicity photos those qualities which pointed to forgery for Thonemann. No Greek writing is being shown. In fact, few of the photos show any kind of writing at all, unlike the earlier photos, and those that do show a much, much more cryptic script, perhaps intended to avoid the kind of embarrassing incident that happened with Thonemann? The changes in the collection also seem to indicate someone altered the plates after Thonemann’s analysis. Is Elkington in on the forgery? He doesn’t appear to be an innocent middleman who believes the codices to be authentic. He didn’t raise a stink when Thonemann told him his copper codex was bogus. Does Elkington stand to profit from the plates? Elkington doesn’t want to sell them, and is playing up that point. If he tried to sell them they could very easily be discovered as fake. However, he does have a book that may soon come out. He’s apparently been trying unsuccessfully to find a publisher. What better publicity could he produce by throwing the media a bone like this? if he’s just trying to sell books, the codices never have to see the light of day. In fact, the more intrigue and mystery he can produce, the more books he can sell. Is it a coincidence that we’re suddenly being told by the Telegraph that he’s been shot at by some Indiana Jones-like brotherhood trying to protect the codices from the world.
In light of these considerations, the burden of proof must lie exclusively with those who wish to assert any of these plates are authentic, and until some scientific analysis can show anything ancient is connected with these plates, I see no reason to give the question of their authenticity a second glance.
On the Lead vs. Copper Codices
I’ve seen come comments here and there wondering if we can draw conclusions about the new lead codices with their paleo-Hebrew script based on the judgments passed on the old copper plate analyzed by Thonemann (with its Greek script). I discussed this in the comment section of my previous post on the topic, but thought I would highlight the question in its own post. Besides the numerous reasons Elkington’s credibility has been eradicated, at least one portion of the copper plate analyzed by Thonemann was pressed or cast from the exact same die or mold as one of the lead plates currently making the rounds. Below you can see the tree from the old copper plate and the tree from one of the newer lead plates. They are absolutely identical. They came from the exact same die or mold. The lead plates are forgeries just like the copper plate.
Another photo of the current hoard of lead plates appears to have the same image on it, although I can’t find a large enough photo to tell for sure:
UPDATE: Here’s a photo provided by the Daily Mail of one of the guys involved with the codices. The codex standing up and in the middle appears to be the same as the lead one pictured above with the same tree on it as the old copper codex.
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