Were Our Ancestors Idiots? Some "Experts" Think So

If you watch television or read magazine or newspaper articles it seems that there are more and more stories out there about how our ancestors could not have possibly built the massive ancient structures that they claim to have built. For example, the pyramids in Egypt were too complex and too perfect for anyone to have built by the tools of the workman at the time therefore they were not built by the ancient Egyptians. Well, if the Egyptians didn’t build the great pyramids in Egypt, who did? The answer, according to “experts”, is either aliens, a race of technologically advanced humans or humans traveling back in time.

Well, as logical as that sounds (and it doesn’t) I remain fully convinced that our ancestors were not idiots running around aimlessly until “visitors” came by to build them Stonehenge or the pyramids at Egypt or any of the other great ancient structures. The people in the distant past developed their own tools, discovered math and developed building techniques that created these wonderful structures. No help from aliens or time-travelling future people were necessary and I find it deeply disturbing that people believe this.

Let’s take a look at why some people seem to believe that our ancestors had help in building some of the greatest structures of the ancient world and why I believe these people to be completely wrong.

“The aliens did it” concept: According to “experts”, our ancestors did not have the technology to move large blocks of stone to create the pyramids in Egypt. These blocks are incredibly heavy and there wasn’t anything strong enough to move them, so it must have been moved by a technologically advanced race of beings.

Why this is concept is wrong: This is wrong because ancient Egyptians did have the manpower, the technology and the knowledge to move these blocks. These ancient people had figured out mathematics, the wheel, how to use animals to carry or pull large objects, how to build a ramp and how to build a lever. They practiced on smaller pyramids and eventually moved up to bigger ones which helped them figure out what works and what doesn’t. They also had a massive workforce that worked for the pharaoh that was highly motivated. Apparently they preferred living as opposed to the “retirement” plan for those who refused.

Recently scientists from around the world have taken the old techniques and tools that they believed the ancients would have used in Egypt and managed to move stones that weighed several tons. They were able to put these stones in position using just these tools and methods, proving that it could be done without the aid of modern technology.

“The aliens did it” concept: According to “experts” our ancestors did not have the tools to cut out large blocks of stone for Stonehenge or the pyramids in Egypt, so they must have had “help”.

Why this is concept is wrong: Most of the sites where these large blocks were quarried have been found. Ancient tool marks have been found at these quarries and even a few blocks that had not been fully cut out have been found. After looking at these quarry sites it is plain to see, even with an untrained eye, that ancient tools were used to cut out large blocks of stone. No burn marks from precise lasers were found. No evidence of futuristic machines were ever found in these areas (or any areas for that matter) and no mention of help from an advanced race in any of the historical material. Either these “advanced races” were incredibly diligent in covering up their presence or else these ancient races actually used their knowledge to quarry their own stone.

“The aliens did it” concept: According to “experts” the blocks of stone in the pyramids and even ones in South America were cut too perfectly. So much so that in places you could not even fit a piece of paper into the space between two stones! Only an advanced race could do that!

Why this is concept is wrong: If ancient stone masons could cut a block of stone out of a large quarry, they would have the ability to cut the blocks down and smooth them out so that they fit together perfectly. Just because we don’t know how exactly they did this does not mean it could not be done. We have just lost the knowledge through the ages. Let me tell you of a couple of good examples to illustrate my point.

The best example I can think of is the Parthenon in Athens. It is well documented that the ancient Greeks built this as a temple to Athena and was used using ancient building techniques. I don’t think anyone can dispute that, so what was found there makes this quite an amazing find.

A few years ago, while repairing the damaged Parthenon, a column that had been standing for hundreds, if not thousands of years was taken down for repair. The column was made of marble but it wasn’t one long piece, it was made up of sections of marble with a cedar tree block in between them to help centre the pieces and give the illusion of one solid piece of marble instead of individual parts. That alone is an impressive building technique but when they pulled apart the pieces of marble on one section of the column, they found a cedar block still sitting between two of the sections! Workers claimed they could smell the cedar as if it was just cut yesterday. Apparently the marble sections had been carved so perfectly that they created an air tight seal that lasted over the centuries and preserved the cedar perfectly.

Another good example of lost technology is “Greek Fire”. The ancient Greeks created what was called “Greek Fire” and used it in battle against many of their foes. This “Greek Fire” was a mixture of chemicals put into a jar, that, when exposed to the air, exploded into flame. This weapon was well documented throughout the ages by the Greeks and many of their foes but the secret of what the “Greek Fire” was made of is a mystery even today.

“The aliens did it” concept: According to “experts”, the ancient pyramids in Egypt and the Nazca Lines in Peru, South America were created in such a way so that people from the air could recognize them. The pyramids layout matched a constellation in space and the Nazca Lines were pictures that only could be seen from far above. Since the ancients couldn’t fly, why would they build this unless they were built for people with the technology to see them? Also, how could people who can’t monitor the building process from the air know how to build patterns like this unless they could fly?

Why this is concept is wrong: The ancients did build the Nazca Lines for an audience from above but it was not for an advanced race, it was for their gods. As for the ancient Egyptians, they seemed to have put their pyramids in specific positions on purpose to mimic the Orion constellation (which was thought to be associated with the Egyptian god Osiris) but we cannot be certain. From what anthropologists can tell from all the evidence left behind by the ancient Egyptians, it seems that astronomy was something that they were interested in and since they believed that some of their gods lived in the heavens, logically they might have believed the gods could see what they built. What better tribute to the gods than recreating the heavens on Earth?

The Nazca too believed in gods that lived or travelled in the sky, so they drew pictures to appease them. After all, who doesn’t want a happy god looking down on you instead of an angry one?

As for how they built them in that specific way, that’s easy. The Egyptians figured out mathematics and used this to calculate a way to mirror the star pattern above when they made the placements for their pyramids.

The Nazca must have created a smaller version of the pictures they drew and then figured out a way to make them bigger just like artist today can accurately recreate a small painting on the side of a large wall. If you are thinking that this isn’t the same then think about this.

Years ago, crop circles (images created by using crops so that a pattern could be seen from the air) popped up all over England. People thought it might have been aliens as you could only see the patterns from the air. However, after a while groups of people (human, non-alien, non-advanced people) have since been caught creating the patterns. They used a stick or pole and some rope and slowly and methodically pushed down the crops so that they formed a pattern. They did this at night and without the aid of someone in a plane looking down on them. They also did this without a computer or other calculating machine to help them. In other words, they created an image quickly and easily that could be seen from the air. So it is definitely possible to create patterns or (in the case of the Nazca) pictures that only someone from the air can see.

“The aliens did it” concept: According to “experts”, ancient buildings like the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, Stonehenge and the some of the Mayan pyramids in modern Mexico are aligned with the stars so perfectly that it is impossible for the (feeble) minds of the ancients to have done this. They didn’t have equipment or technology advanced enough to anticipate how to have these buildings face the right way. For example, in Mexico, one of the Mayan pyramids creates the image of a “snake” during the equinox. In the Great Pyramid in Egypt there is a hole or shaft running through the pyramid that lined up the King’s Chamber (the burial room in the pyramid) to a star in Orion at the time the pyramid was built. And Stonehenge seems to be built as a celestial calendar. How is all of this possible without today’s knowledge?

Why this is concept is wrong: If you take simple observation of an event like the equinox or position of a star and realize that it seems to be in the same place in the sky at a certain point in time, you can mark those spots with something as simple as a few sticks or stones. The following equinox or star sighting, you can take check to see if the sticks are stilled lined up in the right place as before. If they are, you can now figure out how to align your structure so that you get it to line up correctly. Astronomy was a big part of the ancient’s life and their devotion to getting things right to honour the gods should not be underestimated.

“The aliens did it” concept: In some drawings, hieroglyphs and oral histories that have made it to today talk about or picture supernatural beings. They also talk about or picture strange lights in the sky or unexplainable events. This is proof that they were visited by an advanced race and this advanced race must have built these structures.

Why this is concept is wrong: While it is true that there are some pictures and stories that appear to be supernatural beings visiting ancient races, no evidence has been found to support this theory. Surely if they were visited by aliens, the aliens would have left something behind. A piece of advanced metal, a part of a dead alien, bits of clothing in an odd shape or made of an advanced material, something, but none have been found.

If an advanced race living on Earth had visited, where is there proof of their advanced technology? A piece of a machine that broke, bits of advanced materials that fell off the machine or off the clothing of the people visiting? Where is the evidence?

If people travelled back in time, why would they interfere with ancient races? If they created the structures then they would be altering their own timeline and possibly dooming themselves. If people did time-travel, I don’t see why they would do anything other than observe. To interact directly with humans from the past could stop certain things from happening and this would only have a domino effect into the future. Plus, where is the evidence?

The only “evidence” we have at the moment of these supernatural beings visiting are the pictures and stories left behind. However, we all know that human imagination can create all sorts of supernatural beings. Every race has thought up very different and very powerful gods that interact with humans though natural events. This is the way of humans. They want an explanation for why things occur. In absence of a concrete explanation, the imagination comes up with ideas on why things occur the way they do and that is how stories of supernatural beings get created. Other humans listen to the stories that finally give an explanation to nature’s actions and since there is no other explanation, they tend to believe it. These stories then become entrenched in the culture of a society and they stop being just stories but truths.

However, stories and pictures of supernatural, time-travelling humans or alien beings are not proof that these things visited ancient peoples. If it were then if someone from the distant future uncovers a bunch of comic books from the 20^th or 21^st century and nothing else, then we should burn our comic books now or they will think that the Earth had powerful beings protecting it from evil humans and alien invaders.

I haven’t covered all of the theories that people have come up with to “prove” that ancient peoples were visited by aliens, another advanced race or time-travelling human but I have covered the ones people like to bring up the most.

These theories, while very imaginative, have no basis in fact and absolutely no proof whatsoever. Everything can be explained by ancient human beings using their knowledge, observations and skill to build wonderful structures, some of which even stand today. I think that by so-called “experts” who spend their entire life dedicated to proving that our ancestors were idiots who needed someone or something to help them “progress” is an insulting idea. A baby born in ancient Egypt had the same type of brain and same type of knowledge as a baby born today. The imagination, the determination to succeed and the ability to learn is the same today as it was back then; the only difference is the education they are given as they grow. By belittling the achievements of our ancestors these people belittle us all. I for one am insulted by the idea and hope that one day these people will realize how embarrassingly simple-minded they look.