Hunab Ku: Were the Mayans Monotheistic?

By Bethany Youngblood

Introduction to Hunab Ku

Hunab Ku is a Maya deity whose name means "The Only God".[1] It seems strange to find such a thing in the Maya pantheon, but there it is. Is this monotheism? Did the Maya have a belief in an all-knowing creator god? Could this be the trump-card example for ancient knowledge of God within the Maya civilization? There are so many opinions out there about what Hunab Ku was, but what are the facts? What are Christians supposed to make of it?

Snapshots of Serpent Deities: The Water Serpent

By Bethany Youngblood

(Wikimedia commons)

For the Tewa Indians living near the Rio Grande in New Mexico, as well as other Pueblo people of North America, the “mythical” Avanyu was believed to be a very powerful god. According to their ancient religion, this deity can supposedly cause both earthly and supernatural events. Like other serpent deities of ancient North America, the beliefs about Avanyu seem to be similar to those found in Meso-America, leading many archaeologists to lump them together under the same term: “Feathered Serpent”.

The Ancient Island of Malta

By Analea Styles

http://www.wheretogoinmalta.com/qrendi/attractions

In a short account in Acts, wedged between his shipwreck and arrival in Rome, we find Paul and his company on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea (Acts 28:1-10). The brief story describes the unusual kindness of the native people towards the shipwrecked survivors. It is on this island that Paul is bitten by a viper and yet suffers no harm, causing the natives to think him a god.

Snapshots of Serpent Deities:The Feathered Serpent

By Bethany Youngblood

Quetzalcoatl
http://pigs-in-the-parlor.blogspot.ca/2009/07/uk-quetzalcoatl-headdress-crop-circle.html

Known as “Quetzalcoatl”, “Kulkulcan”, and “Viracocha”, this serpent deity was venerated by the Olmec, the Maya, the Aztec, and even the Inca. As mentioned in our blog post “Serpent Sanctuary”, many names have been used for this deity, but we know it collectively as the “Feathered Serpent” of Meso-America.

Serpent Sanctuary

By Bethany Youngblood

Wikimedia Commons

Cultural similarities are one of the most intriguing aspects of ancient man to study. Common structures such as pyramids, mounds, and stone monuments can be found all over the world; the same goes for artistic talents and technological works of genius. Naturally we find similarities among religions and beliefs as well.

The New Year in the Old Days

By Analea Styles

New Year's Celebration in London, 2011
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1343000/New-Year-2011-London-sees-New-Year-display-Thames.html

New Year celebrations are some of the oldest traditions and have been observed around the world for thousands of years. The ancient people loved to celebrate just like you and I! Many cultures carefully marked the days and looked forward to their yearly traditions. The early celebrations were marked by astronomical or seasonal indicators such as the arrival of spring or the equinox.

A Stone Canvas (Part 2)

By Bethany Youngblood

Now that you have been introduced to the concepts and purposes of ancient cave art (read Part 1 if you missed it!), we can begin our grand tour fully prepared to appreciate it. I’ve arranged what I consider to be the five most stunning works of ancient man’s artistic genius.

A Stone Canvas (Part 1)

 By Bethany Youngblood

Chauvet Cave
http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/chauvet/

Mention “cave art”, and you’ve introduced the image of charcoal scrawls and odd looking stick-men into your listener’s head. This realm of primitive man cannot possibly hold any of the beauty or finesse we associate with the term ‘art’, can it? What is more, even if the doodles could be recognized as man or beast, would they have any commonality with our art today? The answer is a resounding yes! The realm of ancient artwork is a vast landscape rich in a variety of styles and purposes. To serve as an introduction to this beautiful chapter of ancient man we want to take you on a little art tour. We will start by focusing in on that first misconception at the beginning of this paragraph: cave art.

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

Henges: Commonalities Across the Globe

By Sarah Ann Rowen

"Ales Stenar", Sweden's stone circle
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/47102902/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/swedish-stonehenge-well-thats-debatable/#.UhO6cs1JuJY

Shrouded in mystery, henges have captured the attention of millions of people around the world. Whether one has a casual tourist-minded interest, a curious, investigative mind, or an intense desire to research and discover their purpose, these sites appeal to almost anyone.

Interactive Ancient Man Map

This map parallels the map found in the book: "The Genius of Ancient Man" on pages 64-65. This map presents only an overview of the distribution of ancient monuments and sites that prove the ancient peoples that built them were very intelligent.

Zoom in, move around and enjoy looking at ancient man sites around the world!

View Worldwide Ancient Man Monuments in a larger map

Babel is Not Gone

By Jacob Brockmann

Artist's concept of the tower of Babel
http://www.emergingtruths.com/tower_of_babel/tower_of_babel.html

We recognize many commonalities between the religious and cultural systems of ancient people, but what significance does that have to us today?

We can see the influence of Satan's counterfeit throughout the world of long ago, and this can be a powerful demonstration of the influence that Babel (also called Babylon) has had in our culture. But what kind of Babylonian influence would we find if we looked around ourselves now?