• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Instagram

World History et cetera

Thinking with History

Menu
Search
  • Editorial
  • Behind the Scenes
Close Menu
Filter Contents
Close Contents

Years

  • 2025
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010

Authors

  • AHE
  • Saugat Adhikari
  • Anna Judson
  • Oleksandr Klykavka
  • Cassandra Gill
  • Caroline Cervera
  • Christopher Jones
  • Dana Murray
  • Eagle Portal
  • Emily Roy
  • Emma Southon
  • Fiona Richards
  • Carole Raddato
  • Ibolya Horvath
  • Jasmine Sahu
  • Jaunting Jen
  • James Bowden
  • James Wiener
  • Jade Koekoe
  • James Johnson
  • John Hayer
  • John Cunningham
  • Joshua Mark
  • James Lloyd
  • Jan van der Crabben
  • Karen Barrett-Wilt
  • Kathryn Peyton
  • Karen Barrett-Wilt
  • Mina Bulić
  • Mark Cartwright
  • Milad Alshomary
  • Melisha Childs
  • Nathan Olsen
  • Osama S. M. Amin
  • Pawan Kotiyal
  • Prapti Panda
  • Rick Steves
  • Sam Ben-David
  • Sucuri CS
  • Timeless Travels
  • Rowan Drinkwater
  • Cristian Violatti

Filter by Month

  • February 2025
  • August 2023
  • April 2022
  • November 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010

Filter by Categories

  • Behind the Scenes
  • Culture
  • Editorial
  • Education
  • Exhibitions
  • Interviews
  • Photos
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Filter by Tags

Arabia / Archaeology / Architecture / Art_History / Assyria / Athens / augustus / Babylon / Books / byzantine_art / byzantium / Celt / China / Christianity / Cultural_Exchange / East_Asia / Egypt / Egyptian_Culture / greece / greek_architecture / Greek_Art / Greek_Sculpture / hadrian / Hadrians_villa / Inca_Civilization / india / Italy / Late_Antiquity / Medieval / Mesopotamia / Mesopotamian_Art / Mosaic / Museums / persia / roman_architecture / Roman_art / Roman_culture / Roman_Empire / roman_engineering / Roman_Sculpture / Rome / Sculpture / Trade / Turkey / Warfare

Is the Ancient Alien Theory Racist?

by Jan van der Crabben

There is a theory that keeps reappearing in popular culture, each time with slight variations and different names, but the core remains the same: “Those ancient people couldn’t possibly have built this, so someone else must have.”  While the first part of the theory is pretty constant, the “someone else” part changes: In Erich von Däniken’s popular 1968 book Chariot of the Gods he points to extraterrestrials. So does the highly successful Ancient Aliens television series that has been running continuously since 2009 – now in its 19th season! Netflix was heavily criticised by historians and archaeologists for its 2022 docu-series Ancient Apocalypse featuring Graham Hancock and his belief in an Ice Age “Atlantean” civilisation.  It is rather straightforward for historians and archaeologists to discredit beliefs in aliens, Atlantean civilisations, and other supposed high-technology precursors. I will leave the debunking to the experts who have already done so at length. This article is about the other part of the hypothesis: “Those ancient people couldn’t possibly have built this.” While this may seem innocent at...

February 17, 2025
Editorial

Latest Articles

February 17, 2025

Is the Ancient Alien Theory Racist?

There is a theory that keeps reappearing in popular culture, each time with slight variations and different names, but...

by Jan van der Crabben
August 22, 2023

Eurydice – Poem by Emily Roy

This poem titled Eurydice by Emily Roy was the winner of the Open Junior Section of the 2023 New...

by Emily Roy
April 25, 2022

How This Pandemic Could Change the World

If you paid attention in history class, you may remember that the system of Feudalism in Europe broke down...

by Jan van der Crabben
April 12, 2022

Why Study History? Russia Teaches a Lesson.

Why should we study history? We all have our personal reasons why we love history; some like reading exciting...

by Jan van der Crabben
November 7, 2017

Timeless Travels Magazine Review

Timeless Travels magazine is a cutting-edge publication combining narratives of personal travel with in-depth history. It provides a reader...

by Jan van der Crabben
July 11, 2017

The Hadrianic Tondi on the Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine, dedicated on 25 July 315 CE, stands in Rome between the Colosseum and the Palatine...

by Carole Raddato
Francois Vase
June 27, 2017

Object in Focus: Francois Vase

In an effort to share more of our favourite ancient objects from around the world, Ancient History Encyclopedia staff...

by Mark Cartwright
Festivals
June 20, 2017

Festivals in Ancient Greece and Rome: 9 Fascinating Facts

Festivals in ancient Greece and Rome were important periods of time during which people performed “activities that are most...

by Cassandra Gill

Advertisement

Photos

Art of Hadrian’s Villa: Headless Statue of Athena

by Carole Raddato

This marvelous piece from Hadrian’s Villa is a headless statue of Athena of the Vescovali-Arezzo Type and made of Luna marble. Related posts: A Visit to Rome’s Centrale Montemartini Museum Roman Villa Borg Ankara’s Cuirassed Statue of Hadrian Art and Sculptures from Hadrian’s Villa: The Marble Theatrical Masks

June 13, 2017
Photos, Travel

Travel

Timeless Travels Magazine Review

Published by Jan van der Crabben

Timeless Travels magazine is a cutting-edge publication combining narratives of personal travel with in-depth history. It provides a reader with travelogues, historical narratives, reviews of museum exhibits and tours,...

November 7, 2017
Travel

The Hadrianic Tondi on the Arch of Constantine

Published by Carole Raddato

The Arch of Constantine, dedicated on 25 July 315 CE, stands in Rome between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, at what was once the beginning of the Via...

July 11, 2017
Travel

Art of Hadrian’s Villa: Headless Statue of Athena

Published by Carole Raddato

This marvelous piece from Hadrian’s Villa is a headless statue of Athena of the Vescovali-Arezzo Type and made of Luna marble. Related posts: A Visit to Rome’s Centrale Montemartini Museum...

June 13, 2017
Photos, Travel

Roman Villa Borg

Published by Carole Raddato

Ruins of a grand Roman countryside villa (villa rustica) were discovered by a local school teacher at the end of the 19th century outside the village of Borg in...

May 23, 2017
Photos, Travel

Advertisement

Advertisement

Thinking with History

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Instagram
  • Copyright © 2025 World History et cetera
  • Proudly powered by WordPress
  • Theme: Zuki by Elmastudio
Malcare WordPress Security