Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Pyramids: A Testimony of Similarity

By Analea Styles


Mentioned briefly in The Genius of Ancient Man, the islands of Tenerife and Mauritius harbor some of the most intriguing pyramid sites in the world. The mystery of these sites is not due to advanced megalithic construction (such as the Great Pyramid) or incredibly sophisticated technology (as seen in ancient nanotechnology), rather these two islands are fascinating due to their geographic locations and the similarities between the pyramids found there.

Mauritius Pyramid 3
Photo credit: Stephane Mussard


The pyramids on both Tenerife and Mauritius:
  • Are built in complexes with multiple structures in one area.
  • Are all step pyramids. 
  • Are built using identical construction techniques.
  • Are built with mostly volcanic rock.
  • Contain 6-11 terraces/steps.
  • Stand no more than 12 meters in height.
  • Are astronomically aligned (or are theorized to be).

Pyramid at Guimar, Tenerife
http://ratmax.info/photos-of-tenerife.htm
It is, in fact, next to impossible to differentiate between the pyramids on Tenerife and those on Mauritius.[1]

These incredible similarities may not seem all that remarkable unless you also know this final fascinating aspect: these two islands are THOUSANDS of miles apart, separated by the continent of Africa.

Island of Tenerife (A) and the Island of Mauritius (B)

Mauritius Pyramids


Mauritius is a small island located east of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. The seven pyramids on Mauritius are all located on the Plaine Magnien. Though at one time they were protected historical sites, they are no longer recognized as such and are in danger of being lost[2].

Pyramid 2 on Mauritius - potentially aligned with the summer solstice
Photo Credit: Stephane Mussard
The pyramids have never been the subject of any major archaeological study, thus very little is known about them. The timeline of their origin, their builders and their purpose remain a mystery. Some scientists, such as Dr. Semir Osmanagic (renown for his discovery of the controversial Bosnian pyramid), are calling for a team of investigators to work on the site so that these questions may be answered. Osmanagic believes the pyramids have global significance due to their similarity to the Tenerife pyramids as well as those in Mesoamerica (built by the Mayans, Aztecs etc.). He believes the mainstream theories about ancient pyramid-building are incorrect and the pyramids at Mauritius can help to set history straight by proving that an ancient sea-faring people built these structures[3].

Interestingly, locals tell visitors that these pyramids are merely piles of stones collected by farmers as they cleared their fields. However the precise corners, flat bases, apparent astronomical alignment and central staircases leading to the top defy such ideas. It may be that the local peoples make these claims for fear of losing their farmland to archaeological sites.

Mauritius Pyramids
Photo Credit: Stephane Mussard

These structures were carefully and skillfully designed. The architects who built them made allowances for the uneven ground, working in the irregularities of the terrain to create a strong, level base. They used no mortar or any other binding agent between the rocks but rather painstakingly constructed the pyramids, stone by stone[4].

Because these pyramids have never been officially or purposefully researched, there is little that can be substantiated. They appear to be astronomically aligned to the winter and summer solstices but that has yet to be verified.

Pyramids of Guimar on Tenerife


In contrast to the Mauritius pyramids, the Tenerife site has been studied extensively since the 1990s. Thor Heyerdahl, world renowned for his studies and theories of ancient intercontinental ocean travel (including several expeditions in which he travelled thousands of miles across the sea in his own “primitive” boats), investigated the site and claimed that the pyramids were further evidence of his theories[5].

Piramides de Guimar Park on Tenerife featuring a display of "primitive" reed boats with a pyramid in the background.
http://www.tenerifemagazine.com/tag/thor-heyerdahl-and-tenerife
Heyerdahl maintained (rather controversially) that the pyramids were built by the Gaunche, the mysterious white-skinned, blonde, blue-eyed people who lived on Tenerife in ancient times. It is believed that they migrated to the island by boat (the only way to reach Tenerife) sometime between 1000 – 100 BC[6]. This strengthened Heyerdahl’s theory that people have been traversing the globe by sea, trading and sharing knowledge, since ancient times.

The most well-known pyramids in Tenerife are located in the town of Guimar and are now a major tourist attraction. (There are more pyramids located on the western side of the island.) The site of these six pyramids was preserved largely due to the efforts of Heyerdahl. He had to fight against the strong local beliefs that the pyramids were merely piles of rock cleared for farming (just like the theories on Mauritius!).

The precise corners of the pyramids on Tenerife
Photo credit: Dave Walsh
However Heyerdahl substantiated his own theories by pointing out that the pyramids were built with rock from further inland, not cleared from fields. The stones also show evidence of being  shaped and trimmed by hand. The pyramids were not haphazardly thrown together but rather painstakingly constructed with the flat sides of each rock facing outward. They are also clearly astronomically aligned to the winter and summer solstices and have stairs on their western sides, leading up to the platform on top[7].

It is evident that the pyramids were constructed with a purpose, most likely religious, and intelligent and skilled architects built them.

Who Were the Guanche People?


Studying the ancient Guanche, the supposed builders of these controversial Tenerife pyramids, reveals some interesting insights. Many believe the Guanche were descendents of the Berbers and came from the nearby African continent. They worshiped a single god named Achaman who was physically manifested in the sun. They would offer animal sacrifices and libations to Achaman. They also worshiped and feared the volcano, Mount Teide, where they believed Guayota, the devil, dwelt in hell.

Mount Teide, Tenerife
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/spain/canary-islands/tenerife/pictures
The Guanche also practiced mummification of their dead, similar to the Egyptians from the 26th Dynasty. Since it was during that era that the Phoenicians circumnavigated Africa, some theorize that Phoenician-Egyptians either introduced mummification to the Guanche or perhaps settled on the island themselves and later became known as Guanche[8]. (Interestingly, at one time the Egyptians also worshipped only one god, Aten, who was manifested as the sun - this lends further credit to the theories of contact between these ancient peoples.)

Were the Guanche influenced by the pyramid-building culture of Egypt? Were the Guanche responsible for the pyramids on Mauritius as well? If so, why do the pyramids so closely resemble those across the Atlantic in Mesoamerica? These questions go unanswered.

Similarities on Sicily


Remarkably, the construction of the pyramids on both Tenerife and Mauritius bear incredible resemblance to structures found on the island of Sicily. Another volcanic island just like Tenerife and Mauritius, Sicily is home to around 30 pyramids, though few have been documented. They surround the active volcano, Mt. Etna, and come in various shapes and forms, presumably with religious significance[9].

Putting the Pieces Together


Just like Thor Heyerdahl, and Dr. Semir Osmanagic, we believe that mainstream scientists have it wrong when it comes to ancient man and pyramid-building. But we differ greatly on our presuppositions and conclusions. We state in The Genius of Ancient Man:

“Since the Bible is true, the rebellion and judgment at Babel did indeed occur and it is the source of language, the reason for the dispersion of ancient man, and the explanation for all the similarities in the architecture, religion, and culture around the world”[10].

When we look at the pyramids of Mauritius and Tenerife we see the influence of Babel – both in architecture and religion. People have been building man-made mountains since that first tower at Babel, rejecting God and turning to themselves. Therefore it is not surprising to find these structures even on the small, isolated islands of the world.

Pyramid on Tenerife
http://www.philipcoppens.com/nap_art12.html
The remarkable similarities of these two islands’ pyramid complexes testify that these builders came from the same place, were influenced by the same people or built on both islands! This means the ancient people were traversing the oceans far earlier than the secular timeline of history allows (read about more evidence for ancient worldwide travel) .

The theories surrounding the mysterious Gaunche people lend some interesting background to the solstice-oriented pyramids of Tenerife and Mauritius as well. We know that man dispersed at Babel and the myriad of people groups and cultures grew out of that dispersion. Though cultural groups look and act different in many respects, the similarities across civilizations are unmistakable. Sun worship, animal sacrifices and pyramid-building are all common around the world and relate directly back to Babel.

The influences of Babel are not relegated only to ancient cultures. We still fight against the same Babylonian ideas today. In a world that continually rejects the authority of God and looks to man’s own intellect and ability, we must strive to bring everything back to the Bible. It is a daily struggle for each and every one of us to live for God’s glory rather than our own. (Read Babel is Not Gone for more on how the influences of Babel have infiltrated our own society. )



Read about more pyramids: 





[1] Gilgal, Antoine. “Seven pyramids identified on the African island of Mauritius”. 2009. Gilgal Research. http://www.gigalresearch.com/uk/pyramides-maurice.php. Accessed November 5, 2013
[2] Ibed.
[3] Osmanagic, Semir. “Pyramids in Mauritius”. 2009. http://www.european-pyramids.eu/wb/pages/world-pyramids/maritius.php. Accessed November 5, 2013
[4] Gilgal, Antoine. “Seven pyramids identified on the African island of Mauritius”. 2009. Gilgal Research. http://www.gigalresearch.com/uk/pyramides-maurice.php. Accessed November 5, 2013
[5] “Thor Heyerdahl” http://www.nndb.com/people/752/000026674/. Accessed November 5, 2013
[6] Coppens, Philip. “The Tenerife Pyramids”. http://www.philipcoppens.com/nap_art12.html. Accessed November 5, 2013
[7] “Colossal lava stone pyramids in Tenerife/Canary Islands”. http://www.european-pyramids.eu/wb/pages/european-pyramids/canary-islands/tenerife.php?lang=EN. Accessed November 5, 2013
[8] Coppens, Philip. “The Tenerife Pyramids”. http://www.philipcoppens.com/nap_art12.html. Accessed November 5, 2013
[9] Gilgal, Antoine. “Pyramids in Sicily”. http://www.gigalresearch.com/uk/pyramides-sicile.php. Accessed November 5, 2013
[10] Landis, Don. The Genius of Ancient Man. (Master Books, Green Forest, AR) 2012. Pg 20.

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