Ancient Egypt and Extraterrestrials

Giza Pyramid Pyramids Of - Free photo on Pixabay

What if I told you the entire timeline of human history was a lie? That the greatest accomplishments of ancient Egypt and other civilizations were the product of extraterrestrial intervention? While there is a general consensus among most historians as to the timeline of events and development of awe inspiring feats of architecture such as the pyramids in Egyptian society, there are others who pose a more outlandish theory as to the advancement of Egyptian society. Over the course of defining and exploring history, different societal trends and fads in popular culture have contributed to different theories and interpretations of certain artifacts from ancient civilizations. Theories suggesting Egyptian contact with extraterrestrials from authors such as Erich von Daeniken derive themselves from a lack of information regarding antiquity, combined with an effort to place history into a current social and cultural context to either sell books or gain academic recognition. This piece discusses how social events such as the UFO craze beginning in the 1940s and continuing until the 1970s and the popularity of science fiction literature in the same era influenced authors to pose pseudohistorical theories regarding Egyptian contact with aliens, to catch the public’s attention. I will begin by discussing the concept of pseudohistory as a whole. Next, I will discuss the various theories of extraterrestrial contact in ancient Egypt posed by some historians and present various refutations of the propositions. Finally, I will examine historical trends in popular culture such as the fiction literature work of authors such as H.G. Wells and the UFO craze of the 20^th century to explain why the ancient Egyptian alien theory has gained so much popular attention.

Background on Pseudohistory

In the historical community, extraterrestrial intervention theories are generally classified as pseudohistory. University College London’s Professor of Archeology, Gabriel Moshenska, uses the term “alternative archaeologies” to define the broad group of theories which encompass pseudohistory. He writes, “The term refers to the practices, products and views of the ancient world that exist beyond the margins of the professional, scholarly and intellectual mainstreams – outsider knowledge of the past, some of it the result of painstaking if misguided scholarship, some of it ‘truths’ revealed to initiates by prophets and conmen and the voices in their heads.”¹ Pseudohistories such as the work of von Daeniken arise from flawed archeological evidence combined with a penchant for book sales. Mohshenska continues, “they also exist in the real world (like mainstream archaeology) and must be understood (again, like mainstream archaeology) in their specific political, economic, cultural, social and intellectual contexts.”² This also emphasizes the societal factors which inspire the production of pseudohistory. These theories are not simply figments of authors’ imaginations but rather draw inspiration from current events and popular culture to form outlandish arguments for the public to consume. Pseudohistories also derive popularity from their provocative questions and ability to seemingly discredit experts in their respective fields. In their paper about the effect of pseudohistory on the academic community Legrand and Boese state, “These ‘strange views’ offer fancy in the guise of fact decked out in all the gaudy finery of pseudo-scholarship. They ignore counter-evidence and casually dismiss the work of professionals in order to provide one solution to every difficulty.”³ Therefore, pseudohistories rely on their ability to challenge conventional norms without sturdy evidence. When this process is combined with exploiting societal trends and public opinion, it manufactures popularity, and more so money in the form of book sales, for pseudohistorians.

Egyptian Extraterrestrial Theories

von Daeniken’s book *Chariots of the Gods?*

In the mid 20^th century, a variety of authors began to pose theories regarding extraterrestrial involvement in ancient civilizations. Egypt, of course, was a prime topic for these theorists given the scale of its accomplishments, most notably the Great Pyramids of Giza. Erich von Daeniken emerged as one the biggest names in the field with his incredibly popular 1968 book, Chariots of the Gods?: Unsolved Mysteries of the Past. The book argues that various pieces of ancient architecture were constructed through extraterrestrial intervention, and claims that the results can be seen across the world. In the realm of Egypt, he argues that the pyramids could not have been constructed without supernatural assistance. He begins by stating, “If we meekly accept the neat package of knowledge that the Egyptologists serve up to us, ancient Egypt appears suddenly and without transition with a fantastic ready-made civilization.”⁴ He then makes the argument, by referencing Egyptian texts and a wide range of other statistics, that it would have been physically impossible for the Egyptians to construct such an immense monument. Naturally, von Daeniken’s explanation contends that alien technology was used to construct the pyramids. In order for Egyptians to undertake such a massive feat of architecture, he argues that without some sort of extraterrestrial technology or intervention was needed. For evidence, he points to various inscriptions and claims that the Egyptian “gods” are in fact an alien race which provided Egyptians with the technology to complete the pyramid’s construction. He poses that various hieroglyphic inscriptions represent spaceships and that Egyptian mythology was a literal representation of the aliens which intervened in Egyptian culture.⁵

The Ancient Alien Theory Of Erich Von Daniken's Research – Proof ... — Extraterrestrial theorist Erich von Daeniken

Another equally infamous author, Zechariah Sitchin, poses similar theories in his book Journeys to the Mythical Past. Sitchin gained his notoriety from his first book The 12^th Planet, released in 1976. The book claimed an alien race known as the Anunnaki had contact with ancient Sumerian civilization.⁶ The book’s incredible success led him to continue to pose extraterrestrial contact theories across different civilizations. Through this, he even gained a devoted following of readers, eager to consume his revolutionary theories.⁷This eventually led to his book regarding the extraterrestrial nature of the pyramid’s construction, much akin to von Daeniken. The book claims that a secret chamber within the pyramid that has been kept from the historical narrative. Again, the explanation incorporated the recurring theme of extraterrestrial intervention in Egyptian affairs. Overall, extraterrestrial theories such as those of the afore mentioned authors all sprung up around the same time, and gained worldwide recognition due to the nature of their claims.

The 12th Planet: Zecharia Sitchin: Amazon.com: Books — Sitchin’s Book *The 12th Planet*

Cultural and Scientific Impact

Today, we see the impact and cultural reach of the extraterrestrial theories. Von Daeniken’s Chariots of the Gods has sold over 70 million copies as of 2017, and he continues to maintain a large presence in the alien theories community.⁸ Similarly, Sitchin has sold millions of copies of his 13 books on the subject, with translations into 25 different languages.⁹ The theories gained enough attention in the general public that they even merited serious scientific rebuttals. Today, the History Channel show Ancient Aliens has presented ancient alien theories for 15 seasons. Some of these episodes have garnered over a million viewers, expressing the extent to which extraterrestrial theories have grown into a cultural phenomenon. Specifically, von Daeniken frequently appears on the show to discuss various extraterrestrial theories and offer his own insight into the possibility of aliens intervening in ancient affairs. Sitchin’s theories are also discussed in some episodes, even years after his death. These extraterrestrial theories’ impact is exemplified by their massive book sales combined with their persistent appearance in popular culture on TV, and even in the existence of alien theorist subcultures.

Ancient Aliens Full Episodes, Video & More | HISTORY — TV show *Ancient Aliens*

The scientific reception to von Daeniken’s theories was, as one might expect, hostile and dismissive. Many of the critiques focused on the flawed research and evidence produced, such as Ronald Story’s 1976 response The Space Gods Revealed: A Close Look at the Theories of Erich von Daeniken. While scientifically and archeologically disproving the theories, the book does not seek to explain why such theories had even been proposed.¹⁰ Extraterrestrial theorists, rather than seeking to make viable contributions to the historical narrative, sought rather to take advantage of the social and cultural movements which surrounded the mid to late 20^th century.

Context within Popular Culture: Science Fiction Literature

The social and popular culture setting of the 20^th century created an environment for theories such as that of von Daeniken. Around the turn of the century, many popular science fiction authors brought the prospects of extraterrestrial technology into the public’s consciousness. For example, H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds introduced the public to the prospects of aliens visiting Earth. Erich von Daeniken also mentions Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days stating, “His fantasies are no longer science fiction, and the astronauts of our day travel around the world in 86 minutes, not 80 days.”¹¹ His attempts to pose extraterrestrial intervention theories arise from the general popularity of science fiction writing. Rather than actually posing serious theories, books such as Chariots of the Gods were written to seize the public’s attention by capitalizing on an already popular topic. The theories themselves can be found in works of science fiction as well, as seen in the case of Garrett Serviss’s 1898 science fiction novel Edison’s Conquest of Mars. In one scene in the book, the characters draw the conclusion that the architecture on Mars is identical to that of ancient Egypt, suggesting extraterrestrial intervention in the construction of the pyramids and the Great Sphinx.Edison’s Conquest Of Mars, by Garrett P. Serviss..” Accessed April 3, 2020.¹² While Serviss wrote this in the understanding that it was science fiction, others such as von Daeniken brought these theories into the academic sphere. In addition, von Daeniken’s theory that the Egyptian gods were actually aliens comes from similar science fiction novels. In his paper about the ancient astronaut theory Richer writes, “Concepts like these have since been combined many times in fictional works, resulting in fictional versions of the ancient astronaut myth.”¹³ Given the social context of science fiction’s popularity, von Daeniken and others composed their pseudohistories in the direct format that Mohseska suggests in his paper on the larger implications of alternative archaeologies. Building on the success of science fiction books, pseudohistorians were able to use the public’s fascination with the subject to sell millions of books.

Serviss’s book *Edison’s Conquest of Mars*

Context in Popular Culture: UFO Craze

The era in which many extraterrestrial theories were posed was not only one dominated by the popularity of science fiction, but also one in which the fear and obsession with UFOs had taken its grip on popular culture. UFO fever swept across the nation at the onset of the Cold War, catalyzed by fear and distrust. The tentative event that began the craze was the Roswell Incident in Arizona in 1947. Writer Joe Nickell states in a book about extraterrestrial investigations, “More than a half century ago, in the summer of 1947, the modern UFO craze began. Fed by fantasy, faddishness, and even outright fakery, the mythology has become so well nourished that it has begun to spawn bizarre religious cults like Heaven’s Gate.”¹⁴ This was also an ideal context for authors such as von Daeniken and Sitchin to produce extraterrestrial theories in order to gain a following. In addition, Kenneth Arnold’s UFO sighting above Mount Rainier in 1947 brought about larger attention to the possibility of extraterrestrials visiting earth. Richter states, “Soon after Arnold’s sighting, extraterrestrials and their spacecraft were the most common explanation for mysterious sightings in the sky by the general public (leaving out all the voices which claimed that there was nothing to be seen in the first place.”¹⁵ The growing media coverage of events such as the afore mentioned only grew public speculation and tentative belief. This created an apt social context for theories regarding extraterrestrial intervention in Egypt. Within the social context of obsession with aliens and a general distrust of institutions rising due to the Cold War and other events, authors such as von Daeniken were able to seize upon the opportunity to present theories about extraterrestrial intervention in ancient affairs. Based on the timing of von Daeniken’s first book, and many others from authors with similar theories, the hype around extraterrestrials allowed for the book to be a smashing success.

Newspaper Article about the Roswell Incident

Context in Popular Culture: Possibility of Extraterrestrial Life

Aside from the sensationalized media coverage, there were more credible voices which also supported the theory of extraterrestrial life. More established scientists, specifically physicist Carl Sagan, had proposed tentatively that extraterrestrials did in fact exist in his 1966 book Intelligent Life in the Universe. While there was no hard evidence provided, it added to the growing obsession with extraterrestrials and lent some credibility to the theory as a whole. This also provided extraterrestrial theorists the limited credibility and ability to propose their theories. However, in Story’s book critiquing von Daeniken, Sagan composed a foreword hoping to quell the speculation around extraterrestrials, writing, “The possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence is something I and many other scientists take very seriously […] But unfortunately there is no such evidence.”¹⁶ This quote makes it abundantly clear that the theories of von Daeniken fail to be substantiated by credible evidence. In addition, it exemplifies the cultural fascination with extraterrestrials and how this context allowed von Daenkien’s work to even be worthy of refutation. The book’s popularity arose from even the slightest possibility that the theory might hold true due to the UFO craze and thus merited a serious historical and scientific dismissal of ancient astronaut intervention in Egypt. The general sense of the possibility of extraterrestrial life gave presented one more context for Egyptian alien theorists to place their arguments.

Conclusion

Unfortunately for all the tin-hat conspiracy theorists, extraterrestrial intervention in Egyptian history simply does not hold the evidence to rewrite history, despite what the History Channel may say. However, it exemplifies our cultural fascination with aliens combined with one of the oldest civilizations on Earth. Overall, von Daeniken and other proponents of the Egyptian extraterrestrial connection derived their popularity by exploiting societal and cultural contexts. Their work, dubbed as pseudohistory by many in the historical community, fits the basic definition of pseudohistory by presenting outlandish theories, which play on current events to gain recognition. In addition, they use unsubstantiated evidence which can be easily critiqued by the academic community. Finally, the presentation of their theories directly corresponded with a public fascination with extraterrestrials and the cultural popularity of science fiction.

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