From Atlantis to the Sphinx - Softcover

Wilson, Colin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1578633060 ISBN 13: 9781578633067

Publisher: Weiser Books, 2004

Synopsis

In this compelling book, Colin Wilson argues that thousands of years before ancient Egypt and Greece held sway, there was a great civilization whose ships traveled the world from China to Antarctica. Their advanced knowledge of science, mathematics, and astronomy was passed on to descendants who escaped to Egypt and South America.

From Atlantis to the Sphinx bases this assertion on a true fact: that archaeologists and geologists are at odds over the age of the Sphinx. Archaeologists claim that the Sphinx dates to classical dynastic Egypt, around 2,400 b.c. But some geologists claim that it could have been built as early as 7,000 to 10,500 b.c. The geologists' claim is based on the curious fact that the erosion of the Sphinx is more characteristic of water erosion than that of wind and sand.

Starting from the assumption that there was an advanced civilization in existence much earlier than previously thought, Wilson goes on to claim that it could very well be Atlantis--not a literal island that sank, but more of a great civilization that either declined naturally or experienced a great catastrophe, passing on only a fraction of its knowledge to other peoples. From Atlantis to the Sphinx delves into what might have been a completely different knowledge system from that of modern man--one as alien to us as that of the Martians.

The book sets out to reconstruct that ancient knowledge in a fascinating exploration of the remote depths of history, a ground-breaking attempt to understand how these long-forgotten peoples thought, felt, and communicated with the universe.

About this title

About the Author

Colin Wilson was the author of more than eighty books ranging from fiction and plays to existential psychology, criminology, and the paranormal. Wilson lived in Cornwall, England and passed away in December of 2013.

From Library Journal

The author of numerous books with a New Age bent, including the best-selling The Outsider, Wilson here presents an unusual thesis: an ancient civilization, popularly called Atlantis, transmitted its advanced culture to other ancient civilizations before disappearing in a worldwide catastrophe. He examines antique maps, documents, archaeological records, and historical writings to "prove" that humankind is older than frequently supposed and that Atlanteans were the precursors of Egyptians, Aztecs, and Maya. Wilson also posits the existence of a collective human consciousness that permitted ancient peoples to work smoothly with other members of their groups. His most interesting (and believable) statement is that the Sphinx shows signs of water damage, an indication that it is much older than "experts" say. This volume, which bears comparison to John West's Serpent in the Sky (1979), presents its theories in a sober and readable manner. Suitable for public libraries.?Norman Malwitz, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Weiser Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1578633060
• ISBN 13: 9781578633067
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 320