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* Fingerprints of the Gods

09:43 / 28.12.01

Probably should be in the Books section, but this book seems to fit in with the discussions going on here.

Has anyone else read it? This book completely turned my thoughts about ancient history around. I'd love to discuss it, or just recommend it.

Zoom.

[ 07-01-2002: Message edited by: Tom Coates ]

Lazlo Woodbine [some call me Laz]

16:59 / 28.12.01

I haven't read it, but i have seen it and read the blurb.
As i am trying to get into reading more (for Christs sake i've only just started book two of Lord of the Rings) is it one you recommend? As i love history and alternetive thourght!

And yes it should be in the books forum, but i would never have noticed if it were!

[ 28-12-2001: Message edited by: Butter wouldn't melt.... ]

16:39 / 29.12.01

yup, read it, love it.
It is amazing. ONe of the three or four books I credit with actually changing the way I looked at things.

It's a bit slow to begin with, but after you get through the first chapter it's a roller coaster. Wicked.

Zoom.

09:01 / 02.01.02

There was some discussion about Fingerprints in this old thread about the Mayans.

09:01 / 02.01.02

I read it a few years ago, and thought it was interesting in places – particularly the stuff about the Pirei Reis map (apologies if that’s misspelt, don’t have my copy to hand) – but I find Hancock’s means of argument a bit questionable; all too often it seems to hinge upon the ‘is it not possible that (whatever) ?’ when I think we need to be asking ‘is it probable that..?’ Occam and his shaving system and all that…

Was also rather unimpressed when I went to see him discussing his recent book on Mars, and stating that ‘Cairo’ is arabic for ‘the warrior’, or something similarly Mars-related. This, however, really isn’t the case (I’m led to believe it means ‘Victorious City’). And various other things like this have rather put me off Hancock’s work, as has his legal action against the BBC over that Horizon programme.

On the other hand, his first book, The Sign and The Seal, was pretty good – I fear that, after this time, he’s become a bit obsessed with the notion of lost ancient civilisations, and is now looking for any bit of evidence, however tenuous, to back it up.

DBC

16:05 / 02.01.02

quote:Originally posted by DaveBCooper:
but I find Hancock’s means of argument a bit questionable;

That was my feeling as well. I also thought he really stretched plausibility on some of his connections.

The Planet of Sound

10:05 / 03.01.02

Entertaining reading, but I'm tempted to point out the factual inaccuracies and deliberate attempts to mislead in Von Danichens' 'Was God an Astronaut?' and make some similar (probably biased) assumptions about 'Fingerprints' or any of the next wave of 'aliens meet ancient history' books. Also point out the eery trend over the last two hundred years to rewrite our ancient history for political ends; Madame Blavatsky, 'Shakespeare was Russian', and last but not least Braveheart. I'm sure Thoht is a true believer.

11:05 / 03.01.02

Granted, this is derailing the thread to the extent that it really should go to ‘Books’, but :

Has anyone here read ‘The Stargate Conspiracy’ by Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince ?
As I understand it, it suggests that Hancock, Bauval, et al have a pseudo-agenda to undermine standard arcaheology (particularly egyptology) and its methods for their own ends – what those ends are, I don’t know, but I’d guess that they’re discussed, or at least sketched out, in the book. Can anyone tell me if it’s worth reading (it’s on my ‘might be worth the time’ list) ? Thanks.

And I agree Von Daniken is quite the charlatan (especially, it seems, as regards the book ‘Gold of the Gods’ which allegedly contains a stunning amount of stuff which didn’t happen), though I must admit that in a recent BBC documentary on him, he came over quite well when interviewed, in that ‘can’t help but be amused’ way, if you know what I mean.

DBC

16:14 / 07.01.02

I did read the stargate conspiracy, and I can recommend it a lot.

One of their major things is that their numbers, for instance for the matching of the pyramids with the stars in orions belt etc, thir math seems quite forced and not that easily repeateable.

Also another thing which I found weird even before was how all of a sudden Hancock and company seem to have gotten to be best friends with the Egyptian chief of archeology, (or something) dont remember his name at the time, but they were constantly fighting before.

As to Daniken, I have enjoyed his books, but especially in his older works he seemed to swallow everything.

I remember a lot of pictures with shamanic figures running around with mushrooms, which he made into antennas of astronauts. That and his tendency to make all statues and engravings into resembling astronauts or spaceships, however he seems to have cooled down a lot lately.

Last one I read was Eyes of the Sphinx, from 94 I think, and that was a lot less far out.