Pumapunku, also called “Puma Pumku” or “Puma Puncu”, is part of a large temple
complex or monument group that is part of the TiwanakuSite near Tiwanaku, Bolivia. In
Aymara, its name means, “The Door of the Cougar”. The processes and
technologies involved in the creation of these temples are still not fully
understood by modern scholars. Our current ideas of the Tiwanaku culture
hold that they had no writing system and also that the invention of the wheel
was most likely unknown to them. The architectural achievements seen at
Pumapunku are striking in light of the presumed level of technological
capability available during its construction. Due to the monumental proportions
of the stones, the method by which they were transported to Pumapunku has been a
topic of interest since the temple's discovery.
Puma Punku, truly
startles the imagination. It seems to be the remains of a great
wharf (for Lake Titicaca long ago lapped upon the shores of
Tiahuanaco) and a massive, four-part, now collapsed building. One of
the construction blocks from which the pier was fashioned weighs an
estimated 440 tons (equal to nearly 600 full-size cars) and several
other blocks laying about are between 100 and 150 tons.
Puma Punku ruins,
Tiahuanaco, Bolivia
(courtesy of www.sacredsites.com
and Martin Gray)
The quarry for these giant blocks was on the western shore of
Titicaca, some ten miles away. There is no known technology in all
the ancient world that could have transported stones of such massive
weight and size. The Andean people of 500 AD, with their simple reed
boats, could certainly not have moved them. Even today, with all the
modern advances in engineering and mathematics, we could not fashion
such a structure.
Just out of the aerial picture (below) to the bottom left is the site of the
Puma Punku. This is another 'temple area' with many finely cut stones
some weighing over 100 tonnes. Its position to the south of the
Akapana may have been important because it gave a good view to a
sacred mountain far to the east.
Of course there is no certainty that this was the reason as the
ancient builders left no written records.
All the legends have been handed down through the
generations.
Puma Punku ruins,
Tiahuanaco, Bolivia
(courtesy of www.sacredsites.com
and Martin Gray)
How were these monstrous stones moved and what was their
purpose?
Posnansky suggested an answer, based upon his studies of
the astronomical alignments of Tiahuanaco, but that answer is
considered so controversial, even impossible, that it has been
ignored and censured by the scientific community for fifty years.
Carved stone block at Puma Punku. This
precision-made 6 mm wide
groove contains equidistant, drilled holes. It seems impossible that
this
cuts were made with use of stone or copper tools.
The so-called Gate of the Sun seen at the back
side.
Made of one piece of hard rock. Possibly it was a part of a large
wall.
By the courtesy of www.inkatour.com, nr. 3696
Puma Punku doesn’t look impressive: a hill as remains of an old
pyramid and
a large number of megalithic block of stone on the ground, evidently
smashed by a devastating earthquake. However, closer inspection
shows that these stone blocks have been fabricated with a very
advanced technology. Even more surprising
is the technical design of these blocks shown in the drawing below.
All blocks fit together like interlocking building blocks.
Source: Jean-Pierre Protzen &
Stella E.Nair, “On Reconstructing Tiwanaku Architecture”, Jpurnal of
the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 59, Nr.3, 2000, pp.
358-371
A wall of the Akapana, the pyramid of Tiahuanacu, shows similar
modular design.
Blocks that are piled one on top of the other but the underside of
the upper stone is cut at an angle. The top of the standing stone is
cut at the same angle, as shown on the figure below.
Source: Jean-Pierre Protzen &
Stella E.Nair, “On Reconstructing Tiwanaku Architecture”, Jpurnal of
the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 59, Nr.3, 2000, pp.
358-371
This stone technology plainly contradicts what official
archaeology suggests about the general state of development of the
ancient peoples of South-America.
Source:
"Die Ruinenstätte von Tiahuanaco im Hochlande des alten Peru"
(The Ruins of Tiahuanaco in the Highlands of Ancient Peru)
1892 book about Tiahanaco written by two German
discoverers and engineers Alphons Stübel and Max Uhle
The architectural achievements seen at Pumapunku are striking
in light of the presumed level of technological capability
available during its construction. Due to the monumental
proportions of the stones, the method by which they were
transported to Pumapunku has been a topic of interest since the
temple's discovery. The largest of these stone blocks is
7.81 meters long, 5.17 meters wide, averages 1.07 meters thick,
and is estimated to weigh about 131 metric tons. The second
largest stone block found within the Pumapunka is 7.90 meters
long, 2.50 meters wide, and averages 1.86 meters thick. Its weight
has been estimated to be 85.21 metric tons. Both of these stone
blocks are part of the Plataforma Lítica and composed of red
sandstone. Based upon detailed petrographic and chemical analyses
of samples from both individual stones and known quarry sites,
archaeologists concluded that these and other red sandstone blocks
were transported up a steep incline from a quarry near Lake
Titicaca roughly 10 km away. Smaller andesite blocks that were
used for stone facing and carvings came from quarries within the
Copacabana Peninsula about 90 km away from and across Lake
Titicaca from the Pumapunka and the rest of the Tiwanaku Site.
More Pictures of Puma Punku
Shattered stones of the Pumapunku (Photo by Clark Erickson)
The Sun Temple was constructed with
huge red porphyry (pink granite) boulders. The stone quarry is named Kachiqhata (Salt Slope) and is located about 4 km (2.5 miles) away
on the other side of the valley, by the upper side of the opposite south-western
mountains. The boulders were carved partially in the
quarries, and taken down to the valley's bottom. In order to cross
the river Quechuas constructed an artificial channel parallel to the
natural river bed that served for deviating the river's water
according to conveniences. Therefore, while that water flowed
through one channel the other was dry, thus stones could be taken to
the other side of the valley. More over, the boulders were
transported to the upper spot where the temple is erected using the
inclined plane that is something like a road which silhouette is
clearly seen from the valley's bottom. They had the help of log
rollers or rolling stones as wheels, South-American cameloids'
leather ropes, levers, pulleys, and the power of hundreds and even
thousands of men. Today, on the way from the quarry to the temple
there are dozens of enormous stones that people know as " tired
stones" because it is believed that they could never be
transported to their destination; those stones are the reason why
some authors claim that the Sun Temple was unfinished when the
Spanish invasion happened.
Massive,
multi-sided blocks were precisely fitted together in
interlocking
patterns in order to withstand the disastrous effects of earth
quakes.
Scientists speculate that the masonry process might
have worked like this: after carving the desired shape out of the
first boulder and fitting it in place, the masons would somehow
suspend the second boulder on scaffolding next to the first one.
They would then have to trace out a pattern on the second boulder in
order to plan the appropriate jigsaw shape that would fit the two
together. In order to make a precise copy of the first boulder's
edges, the masons might have used a straight stick with a hanging plum-bob
to trace its edges and mark off exact points for carving on the
second boulder. After tracing out the pattern, they would sculpt the
stone into shape, pounding it with hand-sized stones to get the
general shape before using finger-size stones for precision sanding.
Admittedly, this entire technique is merely scientific speculation.
The method might have worked in practice but that doesn't mean this
is how the ancient Quechua stonemasons did it.
"How were such titanic blocks of stone brought to the top of
the mountain from the quarries many miles away? How were they cut
and fitted? How were they raised and put in place? Now one knows, no
one can even guess. There are archaeologists, scientists, who would
have us believe that the dense, hard andesite rock was cut, surfaced
and faced by means of stone or bronze tools. Such an explanation is
so utterly preposterous that it is not even worthy of serious
consideration. No one ever has found anywhere any stone tool or
implement that would cut or chip the andesite, and no bronze ever
made will make any impression upon it."
A. Hyatt & Ruth Verrill ----America's Ancient Civilizations
Jean-Pierre Protzen thinks the Verrills was wrong. He went to Cuzco
and showed how river rocks could be used as hammers to pound stones
into the desired shape.
"It appears that the Inca technique of fitting the blocks
together was based largely on trial and error. It is a laborious
method, particularly if one considers the size of some of the huge
stones at Sacsahuaman or Ollantaytambo. What should be kept in mind,
however, is that time and labour power were probably of little
concern to the Incas, who did not have a European notion of time and
had plenty of tribute labour from conquered peoples at their
disposal."
Jean-Pierre Protzen ---Scientific American ---Feb. 1986
Was this
monolith carved with stone tools?
Eric Von Daniken, in his series of books beginning with Chariots
of the Gods theorized that the Andean stone-works were build by
Alien/Gods who visited the earth long ago, bringing civilization to primitive
man. The scientific community simply snickered.
Whatever one thinks of his theories, he brought to the public an
awareness of the many ancient monuments on earth that seem to defy
rational explanation.
Everybody who has traveled to Egypt, Mesopotamia, South America
and many ancient places has seen it: the astonishing craftsmanship
of these ancient stoneworkers. The precision fit of large stone blocks
is eminent in both the Old and New World. It is hardly imaginable,
that all of this should have been done by pure manual work alone.
This very interesting link, Ancient
Stone Technology, also includes theories of Professor
Davidovits from the Geopolymer Institute in France.
In short, his theory is that the 2 million blocks of limestone that
make up the core of the pyramid of Chufu (Cheops), have not been cut
into shape, but the limestone was solved in water, brought to the
building place in small portions and then the blocks were cast in
situ. Even more interesting are his ideas on the precision-fit
Inca walls: He puts forward a technique to soften the stone by use
of acid plant extracts!
Another interesting website is STONE
TECHNOLOGY. The ancient Egyptians were masters in working with
stone. These pages document photographic evidence, historical
research and contemporary debates on stone technology. Topics
include predynastic stonewares, straight saws, circular saws, tube
drilling and lathes - Photos, Research Papers and Newsgroup Debate
Summaries.
Another similar in nature megalithic structure is Aramu Muru near
the Lake Titicaca.
Lake Titicaca, on the borders of Peru and Bolivia, is where Inca
legends say life on Earth was first created by Viracocha. In the
center of the lake is the Island of the Sun, with an ancient, sacred
temple. Nearby is Sillustani, where mysterious burial towers called
chulpas were once plated with gold and held the remains of Inca
royalty.
A few miles away is Aramu Muru’s Portal, a doorway-shaped niche
in a stone outcropping, located in a region known as the Valley of
the Spirits. The local villagers who walked with us refused to come
close to the portal. They tell stories about people disappearing
through the solid rock.
Photograph courtesy of SacredSites.com
Mysterious
giant stone sculpture of Aramu Muru, north of Chucuito, Peru
High up in the Bolivian Andes-4,000 meters above sea
level-lies Pumapunku, an ancient ruined city that simply could never have been
constructed by its Stone Age inhabitants. "Something here really stinks to high
heaven," writes Erich von Daniken.
"In Twilight of the Gods," says von Daniken, "I document
precisely what it was that left the first visitors breathless as they stood
before the mighty stone blocks some 400 years ago. I will show you what
archeologists discovered hundreds of years ago and demonstrate how much has been
destroyed over the centuries. Intentionally.
"I will also prove that Pumapunku was not built by any Stone Age people.
"And in December 2012, the gods will return from their long journey and appear
again here on Earth. At least that is what the Mayan calendar would have us
believe.
"The so-called gods--the extraterrestrials--will come again. We're headed for a
'god shock' of major proportions.
"But doesn't anyone with half a brain know that interstellar travel is simply
impossible because of the sheer distances involved? And that extraterrestrials
would never look like us?
"Well, dear readers, I destroy these preconceptions. Systematically. One bit at
a time."
In his own inimitable way, Erich von Daniken picks these preconceptions and
prejudices apart with a clarity no other author could manage.
About the Author
Erich von Daniken is arguably the most widely read and most-copied nonfiction
author in the world. He published his first (and most well-known) book, Chariots
of the Gods, in 1968. It was a worldwide best-seller and has been followed by 31
more books including the recent hit History Is Wrong (New Page Books). His works
have been translated into 28 different languages and have sold a total of 63
million copies. Several of his books have also been turned into films, and
Erich's ideas have been the inspiration for a wide range of TV series, including
the History Channel's smash hit special, "Ancient Astronauts." He is an
ever-present figure on the international lecture circuit. He lives in
Switzerland.
I am a writer whose articles appear in this book, one who has
investigated alternative scholarship, drawn on various sources, and found that
prevalent theories and mindsets often distort what may be the truth regarding
history and science. That is what this book is about. It attempts to open the
door to a new understanding of the past, and in so doing to better understand
who we are, where we come from, and our potential. This often requires
unraveling the tangled ball of string that is accepted as historical fact,
etymological fact, scientific fact, etc.
I do not have the previous reviewer's specific training in languages and
etymology, only a fascination for the subject, and a lifelong sense that
something was amiss in this field (Perhaps that is a good thing, for established
mind sets may be part of the problem, the perpetuation of distortions by those,
who, are often prevented from taking seriously anything that threatens the
established way of thinking).
In my research for several articles included in this book, I
found, among other things, that standard tenets of history
and prehistory ought to be seriously questioned, and that
the perpetuation of misinformation through academia is
inherent to the institutional and psychological nature of
academia itself (which, in turn, is often a product of the
human ego and its processes, a state of affairs that often
derails a genuine quest for truth).
The ancient history of India is a case in point (as told in
this book). That history seems to have been rewritten by
Europeans. It should be understood that the Indo-European
language is not really a language or anything historical
(the language from which, we are to believe, the great
family of other languages derive). This "language" is an
assumption, a theory, based on the fact that there are great
similarities in the roots words of many varied languages
across the globe. Indo-European is an invention to try to
account for this, a device that runs hand in hand with the
alleged Aryan Invasion of India (which reduces the antiquity
of India and her languages by several thousand years as
compared to tradition). For the sake of simplicity, the
story goes like this, as espoused now by various sources:
Both the Indo european "language" and the Aryan Invasion
were invented, and contrary to the indigenous "nonacademic"
history of India as told for millennia. Evidence now shows,
though, that India's extreme antiquity as expressed in her
mythology is probable, given the discovery of an ancient
city (dated to 8000 years ago), now submerged, off the
western coast, and satellite images that show the path of
the "mythical" Saraswati river. These developments validate
that which is written in India's ancient texts, the
tradition of a timelessly old India held as a common
understanding in her past, from generation to generation.
These are developments similar to the archeological
discovery of Troy, taking what was deemed fiction by
scholars into the realm of actual history.
Furthermore, traditions exist, and perhaps ignored geologic
evidence, that what we call India was once a more vast
continent, the land, perhaps, of the great rishis whence the
vedas and traditions of southern India derive. This book,
and Atlantis Rising magazine, tries to unravel the series of
untruths piled upon one another regarding the past, and to
debunk some of academia's sacred tenets. It is certainly not
Christian creationism (as a previous reviewer strangely
suggested) merely because it points out the glaring problems
in evolutionary theory. The problem in seeing things that
way is simple mindedness, as if we have but two choices,
Biblical creationism or Darwinism.
(Another reviewer complains, by the way, that one part of
the book discredits Ice Age theory, while another uses it to
support a point. Keep in mind that the chapters in this book
are written by various authors, not a single author. That
reviewer's complaint would only be valid if one author had
done this. Contained in the book are various points of view
with a coherent theme as expressed in various articles, not
that of one individual.)
The previous reviewer, who takes issue with the proposition
that the languages of India predate those of the rest of the
world's languages (as evidence of that land and people's
profound antiquity), might look into the ancient traditions
and the modern evidence that supports them (and my effort is
not the first to do this). Don't expect to find such
material in a textbook though. You won't, just as you won't
find other "anomalous" evidence in your textbooks that throw
monkey wrenches into widely accepted theories. That's the
whole point of the book, and Atlantis Rising magazine.
Instead, start all over, from the beginning, setting aside
what you were taught to believe were indisputable facts.
In
this book, Protzen describes and interprets the
archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo, discovers temporal
and functional links among its components, uncovers the
planning and design criteria that governed its layout and architecture, and compiles all that has been written about
the site.
It is a modern-day mystery how the Inca, who did not
have iron tools or knowledge of the wheel, mined and
transported stones and dressed and fitted them in remarkable
structures. Jean-Pierre Protzen has spent much of the past
decade investigating the quarrying and stonecutting
techniques of the Inca, and problems of Inca construction
practices. His work is based principally on observation,
careful measurements of structures, and experiments using
stones and tools the Inca stonemasons would have used.
Ollantaytambo, probably the best-preserved Inca town, offers
an ideal laboratory with its well-thought-out site plans,
its intimate integration of the built form with the natural
environment, the unity of its architecture, and the sheer
perfection of its cut-stone masonry. Offering the only
extensive analysis of Inca construction practices, Protzen
describes and interprets the archaeological complex of
Ollantaytambo, discovers temporal and functional links among
its components, uncovers the planning and design criteria
that governed its layout and architecture, and compiles all
that has been written about the site.
Step by step, Sullivan pieces
together the hidden esoteric tradition of the Andes to
uncover the tragic secret of the Incas, a tribe who believed
that, if events in the heavens could influence those on
earth, perhaps the reverse could be true. Anyone who reads
this book will never look at the ruins of the Incas, or at
the night sky, the same way again. Illustrations. (Note:
This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition
of this title.)
Is it possible that intelligent life forms
visited Earth thousands of years ago, bringing with them
technology that drastically affected the course of history
and man s own development? Presented in the 1968 bestselling
book Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Daniken, the theory
of ancient aliens rocked people s beliefs in mankind s
progress. Ancient cave drawings of strange creatures,
remains of landing strips in Peru, and Indian texts that
describe the flying machines of the gods were just a few of
the odd archaeological artifacts cited by von Daniken as
proof that ancient astronauts were well known to our
ancestors. Produced with the exclusive cooperation of von
Daniken himself, Ancient Aliens launches all-new expeditions
to seek out and evaluate this evidence, with a concentration
on the latest discoveries of the last 30 years, including
unusual DNA findings on man s evolution and newly decoded
artifacts from Egypt to Syria to South America. It is a
balanced investigation into a theory some believe cannot be
true, but many agree cannot be ignored.
WHERE DID WE COME FROM? Drawing upon a wealth of
research into archeology, genetics, reincarnation memories, out-of-body
experiences, parapsychology, cross cultural cosmology, and the search for
extraterrestrial intelligence, Cremo provides a refreshing perspective on human
origins according to the ancient philosophy of India. In their controversial
bestseller Forbidden Archeology, Michael A. Cremo and Richard L. Thompson
documented evidence showing that humans have existed on earth for hundreds of
millions of years.
Such anomalous evidence, contradicting Darwinian evolution, catalyzed
a global inquiry: If we did not evolve from apes then where did we come from?
Human Devolution is Michael A. Cremo's definitive answer to that
question: We did not evolve up from matter; instead we devolved, or came down,
from the real of pure consciousness, spirit.
Basing his response on modern science and the world's great wisdom
traditions, including the Vedic philosophy of ancient India, Cremo proposes that
before we ask the question, Where did human beings come from? we should first
contemplate, What is a human being? For much of the twentieth century, most
scientists assumed that a human being is simply a combination of ordinary
physical elements. In Human Devolution, Cremo says it is more reasonable to
assume that a human being is a combination of three distinct substances: mind,
matter, and consciousness (or spirit). He shows how solid scientific evidence
for a subtle mind element and a conscious self that can exist apart from the
body have been systematically eliminated from mainstream science by a process of
knowledge filtration. Asserting that humans are a combination of matter, mind,
and consciousness, Cremo pilots a cosmic tour through incredible enigmas of time
and space, ranging from Precambrian microfossils to black holes to superhuman
beings, thus revealing the cosmos itself to be divided into corresponding
regions dominated by ordinary matter, the subtle mind element, and pure
consciousness. Human Devolution illustrates how the self originally exists on
the level of pure consciousness, in harmony with the personal source of all
conscious beings. When a conscious self relinquishes its connection with the
source of all conscious beings, it becomes covered by the lower energies of mind
and matter. Cremo calls this devolution. But devolution can be reversed, and
consciousness can be restored to its original pure state by a process of
spiritual evolution. The Controversy Continues: The highly anticipated sequel to
the controversial best-seller Forbidden Archeology has arrived. Darwin Debunked
by best-selling author of Forbidden Archeology (200,000 copies sold) Thoroughly
researched work (includes an extensive 36 page bibliography and 28 page index).
For the first time the ancient Vedic or Hindu version of the origins of man are
presented.
International explorer,
archaeologist and authorJonathan Gray has traveled the world
to gather data on ancient mysteries. He has penetrated some
largely unexplored areas, including parts of the Amazon
headwaters. The author has also led expeditions to the bottom
of the sea and to remote mountain and desert regions of the
world. He lectures internationally.
"Dead Men's Secrets" by Jonathan Gray is 373 pages
of discovering ancient technology and lost secrets.
Do not miss his new books that followed "Dead Men's Secrets":
Book 1 –
"The Killing Of... PARADISE PLANET" lays out stunning evidence of a
once-global paradise,
with a temperature-controlled climate, idyllic
landscape and long-lived human giants… but a super culture
ready to wipe
itself out. The world BEFORE the Great Flood of 2345 BC
Book 2 –
"SURPRISE WITNESS" shows what happened DURING that great Deluge
- the cosmic calamity that ripped the Earth to shreds and wiped out the
original Mother Civilization. Not only were the antedeluvian people
buried, but their technological achievements were destroyed, including all
form of machinery and construction. The skeptic may shout himself hoarse. But this event surely happened.
We have evidence that is more substantial than for any other event of
history.
Book 3 –
"The Corpse CAME BACK!"
Now comes the fast moving, fascinating
story of the settling down
of Planet Earth AFTER the Flood, and its effect
upon human history.
