Fingerprints of the Gods, by Graham Hancock
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Author: Graham Hancock
Title: Fingerprints of the Gods
Published by: William Heinemann, 1995
ISBN: 0 434 31336 X (hardback), 0 434 00179 I (paperback)
Main Topics: Ancient Civilisations; Incas; Egyptians; the Pyramids; the Sphinx; Catastrophic Events; the Christian God; Egyptian Gods; Sacred Science.
In this book Graham Hancock searches for evidence to prove that intelligent civilisation is far older than previously anticipated. His search appears to have been triggered by two main items, as well as a host of other points that strengthened his convictions along the way.
The first item covered in the book is the discovery of a map drawn in 1513 by Piri Reis, and admiral in the navy of the Ottoman Turks who was also an explorer and cartographer. He drew a startlingly accurate (for the time) map of the coast of Antarctica. This rather mundane fact is enlivened by the ‘fact’ that Antarctica was not discovered until 1818. Piri Reis modestly admits that he did not explore the coastline himself to produce this map, but instead compiled it from maps that he describes as being far older.
The fact is, he could not have produced that map from exploring Antarctica himself – as the map shows the coastline as it was before it was covered with ice. The last time this occurred was believed to be around 4000BC. A seismological project just after the Second World War was the first time that modern man has been able to work out what the coastline was without the ice that currently covers it. The USAF has investigated the map and their conclusion was that the map does identify the coastline correctly. The book then goes on to look at similar maps that also still exist today.
Secondly, Hancock investigated the elongated vertical fissures that occur on the body of the Sphinx. He uses geological findings to contend that that these marks could only have been caused by heavy rainfall, which was last believed to occur around 8000BC. Eventually he uses astronomical data gleamed from the Sphinx and the Pyramids to hypothesise that these ancient wonders are even far older than 10000 years.
Inspired by these findings Hancock investigates the ancient civilisations of Central America, including the Incas and the lines at Nazca. But then, the thought occurs ‘where have these civilisations, who were advanced enough to map continents accurately and build wondrous monuments, actually gone?’
He investigates the possible demises of these civilisations (which he further disseminates in his book ‘The Mars Mystery’) and draws some interesting conclusions before leaving us with a point previously made by Sherlock Holmes; there is nothing new under the sun. What has happened before might happen again.
There’s a lot of data in this book, and in particular some of the astronomical findings can be a little hard to follow. My other criticism, if it is such, is that at times he seems too over-anxious to prove his point. There’s a massive amount of research into some of the subjects, which, once he has won you over, leaves you a little prone to skimming through pages to get to a fresh point.
But they’re my only criticisms of a book that I rate extremely highly, by an author that I admit I am very pre-disposed towards. He has a knack of making you ask questions both of the beliefs you hold and the reasons you have for holding them. Also, it makes you wonder why certain establishment figures refuse to see ‘facts’ when presented to them.
