Maybe it was a deep level punctuator who made the video of the discovery of the stone purse at Ur in Iraq then - see: Session 1 November 2025
It looks as though I got burned on that one
.Although I mentioned the work of Hancock, Collins and Phillips in my earlier post and you rightly mentioned Eric von Däniken as well, it is perhaps people from your own country, Russia, who kick started the Ancient Astronaut Theory and in so doing helped to inspire Erich von Däniken.
I was recently re-watching an old episode of 'Ancient Aliens' that dealt with the Russian ufology movement. The programme pointed out that von Däniken's theories owed much to the Russian cosmism theory that started in the 19th century - see: Russian cosmism - Wikipedia
Cosmism
Key figures in Russian cosmism include Nikolai Fedorov, who advocated for the abolition of death and resurrection of ancestors through scientific means; and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.
Tsiolkovsky was a Russian rocket scientist who pioneered astronautics. Along with Hermann Oberth and Robert H. Goddard, he was one of the pioneers of space flight and the founding father of modern rocketry and astronatics. His works later inspired Wernher von Braun and leading Soviet rocker engineers Sergei Korolev and Valentin Glushko, who contributed to the success of the Soviet space program.
I was recently re-watching an old episode of 'Ancient Aliens' that dealt with the Russian ufology movement. The programme pointed out that von Däniken's theories owed much to the Russian cosmism theory that started in the 19th century - see: Russian cosmism - Wikipedia
Cosmism
Key figures in Russian cosmism include Nikolai Fedorov, who advocated for the abolition of death and resurrection of ancestors through scientific means; and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.
Tsiolkovsky was a Russian rocket scientist who pioneered astronautics. Along with Hermann Oberth and Robert H. Goddard, he was one of the pioneers of space flight and the founding father of modern rocketry and astronatics. His works later inspired Wernher von Braun and leading Soviet rocker engineers Sergei Korolev and Valentin Glushko, who contributed to the success of the Soviet space program.
Matest Mendelevich Agrest
Another early proponent of the Ancient Astronaut Theory was the Russian-born mathematician Matest Mendelevich Agrest (20 July 1915 – 20 September 2005). Quoting from his Wikipedia entry:
Agrest authored more than 100 scientific articles and five monographs on the subjects of mathematics, physics and astronomy. Some of his articles were devoted to the question of paleocontacts- contacts of extraterrestrial intelligent beings with Earth. His article "Космонавты древности" (translated in some places as Astronauts of Yore, and also as Ancient Astronauts; literally, Cosmonauts of Antiquity), published in 1961 in Moscow, has been translated into many languages. Agrest has been said to be the first scientist to advance the theory that Earth had been visited in pre-historic times by intelligent beings from outer space.
In a 1959 work, he asserted a number of unorthodox claims, such as that the megalithic stone terracing at Baalbek had been used as a launch site for spaceships, and that the destruction of Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah* was the result of a nuclear explosion detonated by exraterrestrial beings
Agrest authored more than 100 scientific articles and five monographs on the subjects of mathematics, physics and astronomy. Some of his articles were devoted to the question of paleocontacts- contacts of extraterrestrial intelligent beings with Earth. His article "Космонавты древности" (translated in some places as Astronauts of Yore, and also as Ancient Astronauts; literally, Cosmonauts of Antiquity), published in 1961 in Moscow, has been translated into many languages. Agrest has been said to be the first scientist to advance the theory that Earth had been visited in pre-historic times by intelligent beings from outer space.
In a 1959 work, he asserted a number of unorthodox claims, such as that the megalithic stone terracing at Baalbek had been used as a launch site for spaceships, and that the destruction of Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah* was the result of a nuclear explosion detonated by exraterrestrial beings
*MJF: the C's in fact said that it was the Lizzies who were responsible for the cities' destruction:
Agrest was a major inspiration of later figures such as Erich von Däniken and Zecharia Sitchin, who in later decades popularised the idea of ancient astronauts. He has been described as the doyen of the Ancient Astronaut Theory. Agrest was [also] a member of the Ancient Astronaut Society, and contributed a number of articles to the society's periodicals.
Perhaps you are familiar with his work?
Perhaps you are familiar with his work?
Genrikh Mavrikiyevich Ludvig
There are also the claims of Professor Genrikh Mavrikiyevich Ludvig who was an outstanding architect, engineer, and researcher in ancient languages. He is apparently known for gaining access to the secret Vatican archives and purportedly he found information on ancient aliens there.
During the 1920s, Professor Ludvig somehow was granted access to the Vatican library where he was able to read some bizarre ancient manuscripts that probably could change the course of humanity if released. He claimed to have come across numerous texts on ancient codes, alchemy, and strange things about UFO's and extraterrestrials who visited Earth in the ancient past.
Unfortunately, Ludvig got into trouble with the Stalin regime and the Soviet federal agency (NKVD) declared him to be an agent of the Vatican counterintelligence, sending him to soviet concentration camps (gulags) in 1938. During World War II, he worked as an architect, design engineer, and inventor whilst he was still an inmate of the Gulag.
According to Ludvig, he read texts which discussed the influence of aliens on the various ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians, the Mayans, and the Mesopotamians. Subsequently, he began research on the Mayan civilisation. Ludvig translated their symbols that turned out to be spaceships and spacesuits [MJF: shades of Erich von Däniken here]. He also found historical records of the use of nuclear weapons in ancient times and showed his photographs of the fortress walls of Babylon, melted by a monstrous temperature up to a height of one and a half meters. He also studied the Etruscan civilisation and in particular, believed that images of angels in Christianity come from Etruscan culture.
Due to due to a lack of corroborating information available about Professor Ludvig, there has been some degree of scepticism as to his claims. Did he really gain access to the secret Vatican archives and find all this amazing information?
For more see: Russian Scientist Found Manuscripts On UFOs & Ancient Aliens In Vatican Secret Archives
The Dalnegorsk UFO Crash and Alchemy
Speaking of alchemy, there seems to have been a crash of a UFO in 1986 near the small mining town of Dalnegorsk in the Primorsky Krai region of south-eastern Russia, which is bordered by China, North Korea, and the Sea of Japan.
Careful investigation of the ruined land around the crash site would uncover around thirty strange “droplets” of a dark colour and unknown origin. The objects collected at the site were later dubbed as “tiny nets”, “little balls”, “lead balls”, “and glass pieces”. Most of these were less than two millimetres, however several were as large as five millimetres. When analysed they were found to contain compounds of nickel, chromium, and aluminium. Furthermore, only a diamond blade-saw could penetrate their exterior. They would further discover that the metals were amorphous. This would suggest their origin was likely a “laboratory setting” and not naturally occurring.
Upon further and more detailed study, the droplets were found to contain tiny threads made of “inner fibres” which had a plait-like appearance. Intertwined within these complex fibres were thin gold wires. The overall gold content would boast over 1000 grams per ton where our own industrial use of gold usually requires only four grams per ton. Around these super-gold lines were also quartz-crystal “cords”. When the investigators straightened these lines out to view their structure further, they would “jump” from view and disappear. Not only that, but once straightened out like this, they could no longer be found.
For more see: The 1986 “Height 611” Dalnegorsk UFO Crash - UFO Insight
and 1986: The Dalnegorsk UFO Crash
The 'Ancient Aliens' episode claimed, however, that when viewed under a microscope, the most mysterious aspect of the collected items was the disappearance, after vacuum melting, of gold, silver, and nickel, and the appearance-from nowhere-of molybdenum, that was not in the chamber to begin with.
If true, this would be almost a reverse alchemy since the name Molybdenum is derived from the ancient Greek μόλυβδος mólybdos, meaning Lead, since its ores were sometimes confused with those of Lead. The medieval alchemists had sought to transmute base metals like Lead into Gold but here Gold was transmuting or metamorphosising into Molybdenum instead. Moreover, it should be noted that Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal on Earth; in its minerals, it is found only in oxidised states.
So, in conclusion, please don't underestimate the contribution of your countrymen to the 'Ancient Aliens' alternative view of history.
During the 1920s, Professor Ludvig somehow was granted access to the Vatican library where he was able to read some bizarre ancient manuscripts that probably could change the course of humanity if released. He claimed to have come across numerous texts on ancient codes, alchemy, and strange things about UFO's and extraterrestrials who visited Earth in the ancient past.
Unfortunately, Ludvig got into trouble with the Stalin regime and the Soviet federal agency (NKVD) declared him to be an agent of the Vatican counterintelligence, sending him to soviet concentration camps (gulags) in 1938. During World War II, he worked as an architect, design engineer, and inventor whilst he was still an inmate of the Gulag.
According to Ludvig, he read texts which discussed the influence of aliens on the various ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians, the Mayans, and the Mesopotamians. Subsequently, he began research on the Mayan civilisation. Ludvig translated their symbols that turned out to be spaceships and spacesuits [MJF: shades of Erich von Däniken here]. He also found historical records of the use of nuclear weapons in ancient times and showed his photographs of the fortress walls of Babylon, melted by a monstrous temperature up to a height of one and a half meters. He also studied the Etruscan civilisation and in particular, believed that images of angels in Christianity come from Etruscan culture.
Due to due to a lack of corroborating information available about Professor Ludvig, there has been some degree of scepticism as to his claims. Did he really gain access to the secret Vatican archives and find all this amazing information?
For more see: Russian Scientist Found Manuscripts On UFOs & Ancient Aliens In Vatican Secret Archives
The Dalnegorsk UFO Crash and Alchemy
Speaking of alchemy, there seems to have been a crash of a UFO in 1986 near the small mining town of Dalnegorsk in the Primorsky Krai region of south-eastern Russia, which is bordered by China, North Korea, and the Sea of Japan.
Careful investigation of the ruined land around the crash site would uncover around thirty strange “droplets” of a dark colour and unknown origin. The objects collected at the site were later dubbed as “tiny nets”, “little balls”, “lead balls”, “and glass pieces”. Most of these were less than two millimetres, however several were as large as five millimetres. When analysed they were found to contain compounds of nickel, chromium, and aluminium. Furthermore, only a diamond blade-saw could penetrate their exterior. They would further discover that the metals were amorphous. This would suggest their origin was likely a “laboratory setting” and not naturally occurring.
Upon further and more detailed study, the droplets were found to contain tiny threads made of “inner fibres” which had a plait-like appearance. Intertwined within these complex fibres were thin gold wires. The overall gold content would boast over 1000 grams per ton where our own industrial use of gold usually requires only four grams per ton. Around these super-gold lines were also quartz-crystal “cords”. When the investigators straightened these lines out to view their structure further, they would “jump” from view and disappear. Not only that, but once straightened out like this, they could no longer be found.
For more see: The 1986 “Height 611” Dalnegorsk UFO Crash - UFO Insight
and 1986: The Dalnegorsk UFO Crash
The 'Ancient Aliens' episode claimed, however, that when viewed under a microscope, the most mysterious aspect of the collected items was the disappearance, after vacuum melting, of gold, silver, and nickel, and the appearance-from nowhere-of molybdenum, that was not in the chamber to begin with.
If true, this would be almost a reverse alchemy since the name Molybdenum is derived from the ancient Greek μόλυβδος mólybdos, meaning Lead, since its ores were sometimes confused with those of Lead. The medieval alchemists had sought to transmute base metals like Lead into Gold but here Gold was transmuting or metamorphosising into Molybdenum instead. Moreover, it should be noted that Molybdenum does not occur naturally as a free metal on Earth; in its minerals, it is found only in oxidised states.
So, in conclusion, please don't underestimate the contribution of your countrymen to the 'Ancient Aliens' alternative view of history.
