Before the Pyramids: Cracking Archaeology's Greatest Mystery

by Christopher Knight

  There is little doubt in our minds that a slight mistake in surveying the city itself took place right at the beginning of the procedure because we are certain that the location we have itemized, at the very centre of the Ellipse, south of the White House, was considered to be the absolute centre of the District of Columbia. A line that would connect the top and bottom points of the diamond would have a longitude of 77° 02' 26"west, whilst a line connecting the eastern and western points of the diamond would have latitude of 38° 53' 35" north.

  The meeting point of two such lines is slightly west of the Ellipse and also slightly south. Therefore the ‘true’ centre of the District of Columbia is actually around 345 m southwest of the centre of the Ellipse.

  The centre of the Ellipse has a longitude of 77° 02' 11" west and latitude of 38° 53' 38" north. This amounts to a discrepancy of 15” of arc from the true centre of the District of Columbia in terms of longitude, and 3" in terms of latitude. Bearing in mind the laborious way surveying was undertaken in the 18th century these results are probably quite close to being considered accurate, but the slight mistakes that are present are related to the chosen location of the White House rather than with anything to do with the original surveying of the District of Columbia.

  When Thomas Jefferson fixed the Washington meridian line during his presidency he was living in the White House. He personally marked a line that ran from north to south right through the middle of the White House. But why did he do this? Earlier suggestions for a Washington DC meridian had been one mile to the east of the Capitol, and later a line through the Capitol itself. We cannot prove the fact but it is our contention that Thomas Jefferson chose the north–south line through the White House because he considered that such a line would intersect with the top and bottom corners of the diamond that was the District of Columbia. As it turned out he was slightly wrong, but that was because the White House had not been built in exactly the correct position relative to the very centre of the District of Columbia. The centre of the White House was 322 m too far to the east and 100 m too far north.

  There may have been practical reasons for this state of affairs, for example the state of the ground on the chosen site. We cannot know, but the most likely explanation is a mistake in plotting the ‘exact’ position for the White House so that the magical spot that is now the centre of the Ellipse would also be the centre of the District of Columbia. This task would not have been easy and it is telling that the mistake is three times as bad in terms of longitude as it is in terms of latitude. At the time the White House was built, plotting longitude was still a fairly difficult procedure. It was only in 1761 that John Harrison, an English clock maker, had managed to produce a chronometer accurate enough to be used to establish longitude at sea, but if the White House had indeed been intended to straddle the north–south line between the northern and southern points of the District of Columbia, even John Harrison’s timepiece would have been of little use in setting its position.

  Measuring distance over undulating ground was difficult. The true centre of the diamond in an east–west direction could have been found through laboriously surveying the distance from the eastern corner, but is more likely to have been undertaken in the same way our megalithic ancestors undertook it, by use of the stars. In fact the problems any would-be surveyor would have had were extremely similar to the problems that faced the people who built the Thornborough henges and Stonehenge. The centre of the diamond in a north–south sense would have been easier to find and could have been judged by the height in the sky of the North Star at the southern corner of the diamond, the northern corner of the diamond, and then in the middle.

  In the case of the 18th century, the slightest inaccuracy in the calibration of telescopes used for the purpose could easily have led to a 300-m discrepancy in terms of the longitude of the White House. Assuming there was a mistake right at the start it is likely to have been made by Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, who produced the original plans upon which Washington DC was based.

  The piece of land immediately to the south of the White House was left vacant and because it was surrounded by a white picket fence it became known as the ‘White Lot’. It seems likely to us that this piece of land was recognized (incorrectly as it turns out) as being the very centre of the District of Columbia. The Ellipse was not laid out until the 1870s and 1880s and the stone marking the Washington meridian was not placed at its centre until 1890. Part of the reason for the delay was clearly the American Civil War, during which time most manpower was mobilized and the land in question was given over to military use.

  This then is our suggestion: The very spot where the Meridian Stone was placed in 1890 was originally considered to be the exact centre of the diamond that is the District of Columbia. Thomas Jefferson seems to have thought this was the case in terms of longitude, and the position of the stone is only about 100 m out in latitude. Thomas Jefferson was fooled because the White House had been built in slightly the wrong place.

  Although not strictly correct, the position of the Meridian Stone in the centre of the Ellipse is also the centre of the District of Columbia to an accuracy of 99.85 per cent east–west and 99.5 per cent north–south.

  It is also interesting to note that although the diamond that forms the boundaries of the original District of Columbia was surveyed and measured in miles, a line taken across the diamond between north and south, or east and west, has megalithic proportions, being equal to 75 × 366 MY in length.

  Appendix 10

  •

  THINKING STYLES AND ACADEMIC OBJECTIVITY

  In this book we have been critical of the way that archaeology is run. In an age of highly defined specialisms there is a widespread intolerance for ideas that originate outside of ‘official’ university-based frameworks. We found archaeology unwilling to evaluate the findings contained in this and our previous book Civilization One. Nevertheless we welcome criticism or debate.

  Many academics are unaware that there are different sorts of thinking styles. They assume process-driven thinking is the only valid way to approach ideas. There is also a general assumption that if a new theory collides with a preferred paradigm it must be wrong. The way people think has been studied very closely in recent years. Awareness that there are different approaches to thinking and deduction can lead to better judgements.

  Ned Herrmann was an internationally-recognized expert on creative thinking who developed a comprehensive four-part Whole Brain Model: this is now used by major corporations everywhere. It divides the brain into four quadrants. This produces a metaphor leading to a very insightful application in the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI). The brain is divided left to right, with the structured thinking left-brained and free-flowing thinking right-brained. These produce quadrants that can be simplified as follows:

  A Top left – Analytical, formula based, factual, focused, technical

  B Bottom left – Procedural, practical, process, routine, conservative

  C Bottom right – Feeling, people-centric, sensory, caring, spiritual

  D Top right – Synthesiser, big picture, rule-breaking, innovative

  This non-judgemental model shows preferred thinking styles in working environments proved across a million people. Most people have ability in all quadrants but retain a dominant sector. Individuals with a marked strength in any quadrant may doubt people in another – particularly opposite quadrants. It is also hardly surprising that some fields of activity attract individuals with the same working style. Accountants and academics are often strong in the A – top left category whilst entrepreneurs, explorers and artists are in the D – top right quadrant.

  Our thinking styles predominate in the D category; synthesising the big-picture: lateral thinking is central to our work. We also score well in the A category because we have to verify and quantify ideas. Really good academics will also be strong in both areas but many have a very low tolerance for big-picture thinking. If archaeologists learned that evide
nce comes in different forms, they might perform better. The term ‘pseudoscience’ is used as a term of abuse by those wishing to protect preconceived ideas. Alexander Thom spent 50 years undertaking detailed examinations of Megalithic sites – only to be have some lightweights apply the ‘pseudoscience’ label to him.

  If you are not toeing the conventional line you are a pseudoscientist. This is academic mudslinging that rejects those who hold a reasoned counter-view. We expect some people to label our evidence as pseudo-science – but it is not. We might be wrong on a number of points (time will tell) but there is nothing in this book that is not reasoned argument based on checkable facts.

  Science is surely the best thing ever invented. It is a pity that so few people in academia actually use the real principles of science. Maybe guys, there is a better understanding of the past to be uncovered. But you will never know if you keep your eyes squeezed shut.

  ENDNOTES

  Chapter 2

  1 Seen in the northern hemisphere and because of the nature of the Earth’s orbit, there are a number of stars that do not rise in the east and set in the west as do most stars. Rather, they are always in view, though of course daylight blocks them out when the Sun is above the horizon.

  2 Osiris was one of the most popular of Egyptian gods, and also one of the most loved and revered. His story is one of suffering and sacrifice but eventually of triumph. His worship spanned virtually the whole period of ancient Egyptian history.

  3 The Pyramid Texts are a series of prayers and incantations carved into the interior passages of several early pyramids to be found at Saqqara Egypt.

  4 ‘The Origin of the Egyptian Calendar’: Neugebauer O, Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 1, 1942

  5 ‘Ancient Egyptian Astronomy’: Parker R A, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London, 1974

  6 The Hiram Key: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, 1996

  7 Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt: Rundle Clark R T, Thames and Hudson, 1978

  8 The Book of Hiram: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, 2000

  Chapter 3

  1 The Palaces of Crete: Graham, J W, Princeton University Press, London, 1962

  2 Civilization One: Knight C & Butler A, Watkins, 2004

  Chapter 6

  1 This method will not work for placing the middle star accurately as a henge on the ground because of the angle at which the stars rise above the bank top. Only the next method could offer an accurate position for the middle henge.

  2 Stecchini Livio C: www.metrum.org/measures/index.htm

  3 The modern metre was originally intended to be based on a pendulum that beats at the rate of once per second. See Appendix 5 for a timeline of this unit’s development.

  4 Civilization One: Knight C & Butler A, Watkins, 2004

  Chapter 7

  1 Astronomy in Prehistoric Britain and Ireland: Ruggles C, Yale University Press, 1999

  2 Henge Monuments of the British Isles: Harding J, Tempus, 2003

  3 ‘Henges and Water – Towards an Elemental Understanding of Monumentality and Landscape in Late Neolithic Britain’: Richards C, Journal of Material Culture, Vol.1, No.3, 1996

  4 Uriel’s Machine: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, 1999

  Chapter 8

  1 Jim Russell’s experiments and results can be viewed in Appendix 6 (page 230).

  Chapter 9

  1 Archaeological Fantasies: How Pseudoarchaeology Misrepresents the Past and Misleads the Public: Fagan G G, Routledge, 2006

  Chapter 10

  1 Uriel’s Machine: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, 1999

  2 The Origin Map: Discovery of a Prehistoric, Megalithic, Astrophysical Map and Sculpture of the Universe: Brophy T, Writers Press Club, 2002

  3 Afterword – The Origin Map: West J A, The Writers Club, 2002

  Chapter 11

  1 The Mummies of Urumchi: Barber, E W, Macmillan,1999

  2 Bath: Newman P, Pevensey Press, Cambridge, 1986

  3 The Hiram Key: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, London, 1996

  4 Rosslyn Revealed: Butler A & Ritchie J, O Books, 2006

  5 Solomon’s Power Brokers: Knight C & Butler A, Watkins, 2007

  6 The Book of Hiram: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, 2003

  7 The Book of Hiram: Knight C & Lomas R, Century, 2003

  Chapter 12

  1 http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/vp_residence/

  2 A pentacle is a five-pointed star that was commonly used in Christianity in the medieval period, though these days it has attracted demonic or even satanic overtones – based on prejudice and a complete ignorance of symbology. The five-pointed star has long been used as a symbol for the planet Venus, as it represents the Venus cycle. It is a symbol of knowledge and light, connected to Lucifer (Venus as the morning star), the angel of light who has erroneously become associated with evil.

  3 See Appendix 7 on megalithic geometry

  4 6 × 366 Megalithic Yards is what we named a Megalithic minute of arc of the Earth’s polar circumference. We first suggested the existence of such a unit well over a decade ago based on a study of British and Minoan megalithic structures.

  5 A line of longitude from which all other locations could be measured, east and west.

  6 This measurement seems extremely likely, but since the original Meridian Stone in Meridian Park has been lost we cannot validate the accuracy of the true distance.

  7 Which also has a megalithic relationship with the centre of the Ellipse.

  Chapter 13

  1 Our brackets

  2 Web page of the Grand Orient of France: http://www.godf.org/foreign/uk/histoire_uk_02.html

  3 Those who now shout loudest and negatively about Freemasonic influence in the foundation of the United States should perhaps be more circumspect because, had it not been for Freemasonry, it is doubtful that the American colonies would ever have broken away from British control.

  4 Two of the chief protagonists were Joseph Warren and Paul Revere, both leading Freemasons.

  5 The Virgin and the Pentacle: Butler A, O Books, 2005

  6 Solomon’s Power Brokers: Knight C & Butler A, Watkins, 2007

  7 Stellar Theology and Masonic Astronomy: Brown R H, D Appleton and Co, New York, 1882 – now available in paperback from The Truth Seeker Co, 1997 isbn 58509-203-7.

  8 In the Christian Church Easter, the time of the Crucifixion, occurs in the spring. In the Mystery religions autumn was the preferred time for the sacrifice of the god. At that time, spring represented new birth and so would have been more appropriate in some ways for Christmas. However, Christmas was already needed as the birth of the expected messiah was as the Shekinah returned – which all knew was at the winter solstice (25 December) in 7 BC. The accelerated death and rebirth period of just three days was much more useful to the Romans, especially as they used some very fancy footwork to shift the blame for the messiah’s execution from their governor of Judea to Jesus’ own people.

  9 The Gentleman’s Magazine Volume 8, June 1738, p. 285

  10 The Secret Zodiacs of Washington DC: Ovason D, Century, 1999

  11 There is a difference between astrological positions and astronomical ones. The zodiac signs in astrology are ‘fixed’ in time and are theoretical rather than actual. These days, for example, on 21 September the Sun is ‘actually’ much closer to the start of the constellation of Virgo than its end. This peculiarity arises because the study of astrology is very ancient and whilst stellar positions have moved on due to the precession of the equinoxes, astrology has not. In the 19th century, when the Washington Monument was completed, astronomers would have said that the autumn equinox took place at the very start of the constellation of Virgo.

  12 Though of course the spring equinox is equally relevant in terms of naked-eye astronomy and Washington DC’s orientation.

  13 The modern approach to civic architecture could be compared to the current fashion for scribbling tattoos across both male and female flesh, often as a crude and ignorant pastiche of supposed Ce
ltic design. Arguably it is impressive imagery but it is devoid of any inner communicative value. Tattoos have been used to speak of a person’s social status and origin for more than 5,000 years, as indicated by Otzi, the Neolithic man whose well-preserved body was found in Alpine ice. Modern tattoos are by comparison no more than doodles.

  Chapter 14

  1 The Pentagon – A History: Vogel S, Random House, 2008

  2 The Pentagon – A History: Vogel S, Random House, 2008

  3 The Pentagon – A History: Vogel S, Random House, 2008

  4 By a strange twist of fate this was exactly 60 years to the day before a hijacked passenger aircraft was flown into the western aspect of the building on 11 September 2001.

  5 Abraham is intimately connected with the idea of kingship through his meeting with Melchizedek. Later, all Jewish kings for hundreds of years from the time of Solomon sacrificed their children to the god Moloch in order to cement their right to rule. After the Babylonian captivity all such practices were banned and it is likely that the story of Abraham was adjusted to suit.

  6 Solomon’s Power Brokers: Knight C & Butler A, Watkins, 2008

  7 The Hiram Key: Knight C & Lomas R, Random House, 1996

  8 There still are still people in Scotland who continue to claim that Rosslyn was intended to be a Christian chapel. They ignore all of the evidence and statements of several leading experts to the contrary – that it was clearly designed as a Jewish building depicting the New Jerusalem. Some also continue to publish the fatuous argument that the building was the Lady Chapel of an intended, but never constructed, collegiate church. These claims are breathtaking in their denial of fundamental evidence that shows this theory to be utterly impossible.