Sam Osmanagich




THE WORLD OF THE MAYA











Table of Contents


Introduction

The Lost World of the Maya (1)
The Maya – Cosmic Watchmakers (2)
Language and Symbols of the Maya (3)
Tzolkin (4)
Star Travelers (5)
Copan (6)
Tikal (7)
The Departure of the Maya (8)
The Cholula Pyramid – a Copy of a Volcano (9)
The Magnificent Monte Alban (10)
Mitla – a Spiritual Portal (11)
The Magical Palenque (12)
Yaxchilan (13)
The Murals of Bonampak (14)
The Elegant Uxmal (15)
The Labyrinth of Oxkintok and the Caves of Calcehtok (16)
The Region of Puuc: Kabah, Labna… (17)
Sayil, Xlapak, Loltun, Mayapan, Acanceh, Izamal … (18)
The Brilliant Chichen Itza (19)
Ek Balan, Dzitnup, Coba, Tulun, Xcaret, Isla Mujeres (20)
The Cosmic Game of the Maya (21)
Acoustic Engineering of the Maya (22)
The Crystal Skull of Lubaantum (23)
The Maya between Lemuria and the Year 2012 (24)

Bibliography

Index












Introduction


In Central America there are important messages from the Maya which have been recorded in their 
monumental architecture… left for us to read thousands of years later.  

To decode these messages we need spiritual and material (scientific) research to work hand-in-hand.  

Let us get down to work…











The Lost World of the Maya 


Guatemala City, Guatemala


Flying over Central America, below me nothing but vast jungle. Why did the Maya build their 
monumental cities in the middle of such a wild and inhospitable territory? 

********

The Europeans first set foot on Central American land when Columbus made his fourth and final 
voyage in 1502. His ship came to Guanain on the Atlantic side of one of the islands of Honduras. 
To the great delight of Columbus’s son, the crew stole a canoe full of trading goods of the Maya – 
containing exotic items such as cocoa seeds, sea shells, Quetzal plums and fine ceramics. Columbus 
continued along the coast and discovered the Veragua region where he found enough gold to 
encourage other Spanish explorers to undertake further expeditions of plunder. 

********

The airplane captain makes a wide loop around Guatemala City giving us time to get a good look at 
the three volcanoes which border this city of two million inhabitants. There are numerous shanty-
towns all along the edges of the green carpet of the Guatemala plain. 

This humble airport terminal has received all the races, and skin colors of Central America. 

In contrast to the Europeans in North America, the Spaniards in Central America came not as 
settlers but as conquerors. They did not bring their families with them but they made children with 
the native women. The result was numerous mestisos which eventually became the majority of the 
population. The small number of peninsulares who brought their families from Spain were allotted 
positions at the top of the hierarchy. The presence of black slaves from Africa, all along the Atlantic 
coast of the New World as well as mulattos, is significant.  There are also distinct groups of Chinese 
and of the Misquito and Darien Indians. And last of all, the descendants of the Maya maintained 
their bloodlines and racial heritage in most of the territory’s regions. 

The ancient world of the Maya (el Mundo Maya) extended from the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico 
in the north to the forested region of the Chiapas in the west, the plains of Belize in the east, and the 
jungles of Guatemala, Honduras, and Salvador in the south. Some thirty different but related 
languages are spoken today by six million Indians who trace their roots back to the Maya. 

The life of several million Indians who live off the land resembles the life of their ancestors. They 
grow the same crops (corn, beans, chili peppers, tomatoes and squash) their tools and methods are 
the same. Even their village social structure has remained unchanged. Plant medicine is their 
dominant form of health care. For the most part they are farmers struggling for survival in very 
humble circumstances.

Going back one and a half, or even two and a half, millennia we will find that the scattered villages 
of farmers had much the same kind of life. But there was one significant exception: in those ancient 
times in their midst there were monumental “ceremonial centers”, temples and pyramids, places for 
artistry and astronomy. Two worlds side by side. 

********

For one explanation of the Maya phenomenon we can search throughout the world. Maya is a key 
Hindu philosophical term meaning “creation of the world” and “the world of illusion”. In Sanskrit 
“Maya” is connected with the concepts of “great” “measure” ”mind” and “mother”. For this reason, 
it may not surprise us to learn that Maya was the name of Buddha’s mother. The Veda tell us that 
Maya was the name of a great astronomer and architect. In Egyptian philosophy the term Maya 
means “universal world order”. In Greek mythology Maya is the brightest of the seven stars of the 
Pleiades constellation. Mayab is also the name of the seat of the Mayan civilization-the Yucatan 
peninsula.

We shall discover as we continue along the way that all these concepts and meanings are indeed 
appropriate to associate with the true identity of the Maya.

********

It is ironic that much of what we know of the Maya, and nearly all of what we don’t know, can be 
traced to the hands of a single person, the Franciscan monk, Diego de Landa. In the year 1562 he 
ordered the massive burning of all the Mayan manuscripts in the town of Mani, the Spanish 
headquarters in the Yucatan. As a result of this barbaric act, the largest single collection of Mayan 
literature and history was destroyed. Along with it the remaining spiritual leaders of the Mayan 
people also perished in the fire.

Later this same monk took pen in hand to write about the Maya of the Yucatan. He went into great 
detail about their customs, religious rituals, their language and writing system. But he was well 
aware of the fact that he was only touching the surface on this subject. “It is probable,” he says, 
“that this land holds secrets which have not be uncovered and which even the natives themselves 
are unaware of.” 



When the Spaniards came to Central America, the original Maya were long gone, having left behind 
their magnificent abandoned cities and a whole world of mysteries to be decoded.  
The ordinary folk who lived in the Mayan territory were in no way equipped to explain the cosmic 
philosophy of their ancestors.  The technologically superior barbarians were confused by this.  The 
Spaniards were making a significant mistake believing that these local natives were the Mayan race.  
And because of this, even today the Mayan name is used for the descendants of the poor farmers 
who lived there at the time of the original Maya-those who remained on this land after the sudden 
departure of their rulers and patrons. 
“Ma” means “not” and “ya” means “pain”. The original meaning of the word “Maya” could be the 
condition “without pain.” In other words, “awareness without pain.” 
The spirit’s presence in the physical body corresponds to a state or time of pain. Our body has 
physical pain, illness, old age and incapacitation. The spirit free of the body corresponds to a state 
without physical pain. Those who master the technique of leaving the physical body of their own 
will can live a spiritual life without pain. 
The Maya are not a nationality. Nor a civilization. They are not the millions of impoverished 
inhabitants in Mexico or Guatemala. They are not the “proud” warriors of two thousand years ago 
who tirelessly fought with their neighboring cities in the jungles of Chiapas and Honduras. 
The encyclopedias’ sketches and descriptions of the heirs of the Maya are misleading. The “Mayan 
civilization” has been falsely represented for the last 500 years. It is time for this misconception to 
be straightened out. 
The Maya is a state of awareness. It is the life of the spirit which lives in harmony with cosmic 
processes. The Maya is the understanding that the physical body is a transient vehicle which assists 
in spiritual development. 
Any one of us can be a Maya. In fact, this ought to be our aim-to attain the Mayan state of 
consciousness. 
********
The Maya left their messages in their architectural achievements…to be read by generations 
thousands of years later. Spirituality and science should go hand in hand in order to decode these 
messages. 
Geometry is the language of the universe. And the Maya, for this reason, left their messages in the 
form of sacred geometry on the walls of their temples and pyramids. 
The Maya are creatures of the light. And the cosmic expressed through sacred codes in geometry, 
color, musical notes and alphabet. 
When we are able to understand the messages of the Maya we will make one more step towards 
becoming ourselves one with the light.
  











The Maya – Cosmic Watchmakers 



Chiquimula, eastern Guatemala


It would be logical to expect that a city of 2 million would have a respectable bus station. However, 
instead of covered terminals there is nothing but narrow dusty streets. Instead of announcement 
panels showing names of destinations and times of departures there are only little Guatemalans 
calling out to potential travelers who should board their busses. And instead of comfortable busses 
there are nothing but beaten-up old and very used busses. Time of departure: when the bus is full. 

Guatemala City is a huge village. The houses are unattractive, dilapidated. But, nonetheless, the 
people seem warm and outgoing. In much the same way as in other Latin American countries – 
Brazil, Venezuela, Peru and Mexico. The stories of crime, civil war and kidnapping of tourists are 
becoming a thing of the past. The current situation is that three of every one thousand tourists 
encounter such unpleasant experiences.  Three tenths of one percent (0.3%) is no more than what is 
the case for New York or Italy. 

********

The traditional culture of the Maya is divided into three periods: the pre-classical (several hundred 
years B.C. to 300 years A.D.), the classical (300-900 A.D ) and the post-classical (900-1500 A.D. 
and the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores). 

In the last two decades, the starting point for the first period has been moved back further into the 
past. The discovery of new artifacts has enabled archeologists to establish this beginning at 
approximately 2000 B.C. (see “The Magnificent Maya” by Joseph Gardiner, 1986; The Magnificent 
Realm of the Mayas”, Readers Digest 1978;“Central America” by Cadogan, 1993; and “Maya 
Civilization” by Dr. William Fowler, 2003). 

Guatemala City has buried beneath itself the ruins of an ancient center of the Maya-Kaminal Juyu. 
There once stood hundreds of buildings and pyramids at the heart of this city, with highly 
developed cultural and commercial centers of half a million Teotihuacanos who came from 
Teotihuacan (north of Mexico City). As long as thirty years ago radio-carbon dating had already 
established times of certain pyramids with nearby graveyards as dating back to before the time of 
Christ. 

I would utterly dismiss and discard this division into 3 periods. And I would introduce a completely 
different approach to the Maya. 



First of all, the genuine Maya have had, and continue to have, a single mission. Second, this 
mission spans a period of some five thousand years. 

Ordinary watchmakers repair our watches and put them into accordance with Earthly time. It is my 
theory that the Maya should be considered watchmakers of the cosmos whose mission it is to adjust 
the Earthly frequency and bring it into accordance with the vibrations of our Sun. Once the Earth 
begins to vibrate in harmony with the Sun, information will be able to travel in both directions 
without limitation. And then we will be able to understand why all ancient peoples worshipped the 
Sun and dedicated their rituals to this. The Sun is the source of all life on this planet and the source 
of all information and knowledge. 

And with a frequency in harmony, the Earth will, via the Sun, be connected with the center of our 
Galaxy.  These facts become exceptionally important when we realize that we are rapidly 
approaching December 2012, a date which the Maya have marked as the time of arrival of the 
Galactic Energy Cluster which will enlighten us. 

Modern astronomy finally established only twenty years ago that there will indeed be a galactic 
energy crossing/cluster where the Earth and the Sun are in a special alignment which happens only 
once in 25,000 years. The Maya were aware of this simple cosmic truth some 2,000 years ago. 

Their calculation of the time of Earth begins with the year 3113 B.C. and ends with 2012 A.D. 

If we are to find the time of the appearance of the cosmic Maya on our planet, it will not be just 
going back to a few hundred years B.C. It will not even be only going back to 2000 years B.C. as 
established by the findings of modern archeology. Rather, we should go back still further to the year 
3113 B.C. This would be when the Maya first appeared on Earth. And the date set for the final 
departure of the last Maya – “the protectors of knowledge” who are still present in the jungles of 
Central America – is the year 2012 – nine years from the time of this writing. 

We will come back to these propositions later in this book. 

And because of them our history needs to be re-written. 

********

For five dollars you can cross Guatemala from north to south by bus. You can see all 30 of the 
volcanoes scattered along the 250 miles of Pacific coast. 

My bus was going east, to the city of Chiquimula. In the late afternoon hours it seemed like all the 
inhabitants had come to the square in the center of town. Children in school uniforms were walking 
in small groups. Shop owners were in front of their shops trying to attract customers. Most of the 
young people were sitting in the park discussing the local football team. 

At a small hotel with just a few rooms, I get myself a room for six dollars, and both the hotel owner 
and myself consider that we’ve made a good bargain.  Two beds, a fan, and a bathroom. No hot 


water, but, for that matter, no cold either. It’s a warm summer day and the air feels heavy. Large 
drops of sweat try their best to cool the body. There’s a very narrow balcony with a view 
overlooking the main street. I turn back into the room. The walls are not smooth but hunched over. 
The fan pushes the air around the room. Before my eyes are scenes out of the novels of Marques; 
the slow passage of time and the Latin American fate of the heroes. 

At Sunset all of the stores are closed; the streets become empty until Sunrise. My fan rattles 
throughout the night. I wake up several times thinking I am in an airplane. Then I realize it’s not 
aircraft engines I am hearing but the fan. I switch it off. After a few minutes I switch it back on. 
Can’t stand it when it’s on, but it’s even worse when it’s off! 

I haven’t worn a watch for over twenty years. When traveling I always wake at the crack of dawn. 
My small backpack was packed last night. I notice at the reception desk that it is 6 a.m. The owner 
is sleeping on a collapsible cot. He drowsily opens the door for me to go out. I head for what is 
considered the “bus station.” I catch the first bus headed for the border with Honduras – El Florido.

********

Guatemala’s history is the saddest of all the countries of Central America. The Spaniards ruthlessly 
annihilated the Indian tribes in the 16th and 17th centuries. Industrial slavery has characterized the 
last 250 years. A small, conservative elite of landowners has both the army and the economy under 
its control.  For the past 100 years foreign “investors” have ruled the coffee market (85% of the 
export of this country). The United Fruit Company – owned by Americans – came here in the 
1930’s lured by big concessions – in fact, a total monopoly – and it owns land, ports and the 
railway. The local ruling class has become totally dependent on American corporations. Guatemala 
and Honduras are the original “banana republics”. And the local dictators (like the state terrorist, 
“president” Manuel Estrada Cabrera who ruled 1898-1920) have become major figures in novels 
about political repression (such as “El Senor Presidente” by Miguel Asturias). The land was stolen 
from the Indians and “in return” they have had to work on the coffee and banana plantations. 
According to the law, even without fair compensation. 

In the first free elections – in 1944 – the teacher and writer, Juan José Arevalo was elected 
president. He and his successor, Jacobo Arbenz, began land reforms and legalized a multi-party 
system (including the communists). The United Fruit Company quickly sought the assistance of its 
friends in the U.S. government. First sanctions were applied to Guatemala and then the CIA 
instrumented a military coup, with troops invading the presidential palace. The troops refused to 
defend the president, Arbenz, and he left the country in disgrace, and democracy came to an end. 
Things returned to the previous ways; repression continued for the next four decades. Uprisings by 
the Indians in the interior were put down – it was commonplace for the army to put all the women 
and children into a church and then set fire to it. The men would be forced to listen to their screams 
for help. Then they would all be shot. The occasional survivor would recount the horrors of the 
Guatemalan army in pages of the records of Amnesty International and refugee camps in Belize and 
Mexico. 



********

Among the scientific achievements of the Maya, the first thing to be discussed is usually the 
calendar. It is an established fact that the Maya calculated the time of the Earth’s revolution around 
the Sun with incredible precision. Archeologists have confirmed that they did this without the use of 
precision instruments. In addition the Maya had calendars of the moon’s phases and eclipses. And 
even very precise records of the movements of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. 

On certain of their monuments (at Quirigua, Guatemala) the Maya had recorded cosmic events 
which had occurred 400 million years ago. 

Why? and how?

Archeologists generally view these calendars as nothing more than a means of recording time. But 
why would anyone devote so much time to the marking of time with such accuracy and precision? 

Do numbers have a deeper meaning in cosmic relations? Do they convey, in addition to the 
coordinates of space and time, something else as well? And is this something accessible to our 
physical senses? 

Could these numbers have their own frequencies? Could they also carry their own resonant 
characteristics? …and describe beings, planets, and experience? 

Do the incredibly precise numbers of the Maya contain within themselves a cosmic code for each 
and every one of us? And does each number represent a piece of information which gets sent out 
into the universe? 

Every number may be a piece of information and every piece of information a certain frequency. 
Communication – the exchange of information – can go on between living beings, between planets 
and between solar systems. 

Can we evaluate the Maya with our science and technology? Do we think that because we have no 
evidence that they had spaceships, computers and telescopes that they are intellectually inferior? 

If we approach the Maya with an attitude of superiority we will never be able to understand and 
decode what they represent. But if we approach them as students who desire to learn something 
from them, then there is hope for us. 

We must realize that their science, their intellectual achievements, and their mental capacities were 
far in advance of our own. 

They were able to achieve so much with so little. Technology was not important to them, nor did 
they use it. Let us forget about the telescope and the wheel. There exist other means of working 
stone and building pyramids, and for planets to be seen from various angles of the universe. 




********

The Hopi Indians who live in the Grand Canyon in Arizona have an interesting legend known as 
Palat-Kwapi. It is connected with the Mysterious Red City in the south. It is actually both city and 
temple. The sole purpose of this city was to represent a system of knowledge and information. The 
workers were sworn to abandon the city as soon as it was completed. This was because this city was 
intended to function as a colossal book of knowledge for future generations. 

However, the new generations forgot this ancient commandment. They moved into the city and 
resided there and while residing there they set out to conquer from there and were themselves 
conquered while residing there, and eventually the city was left utterly abandoned. 

This Hopi legend gives a good idea of what happened with the Maya. They built fabulous temple-
cities, too, only to have succeeding generations forget their original intent and turn them into places 
of residence and centers for religious rituals. 

The Maya, who were travelers through the universe and cosmic watch-makers, would occasionally 
come to this planet and adjust our time with cosmic information, preparing us for the great energy 
leap in the year 2012 A.D. Upon each accession of their visit, they would leave behind a great 
treasure of knowledge. 

Their visits resulted in cities which were built at various times; Teotihuacán (Mexico), Monte Alban 
(Mexico), Tikal (Guatemala), Copan (Honduras), Kaminal Juyu (Guatemala), Palenque (Mexico), 
Uxmal or Chichen Itza (Mexico). 

I mentioned earlier the Maya ”keepers of knowledge” who are even today left on the planet. In the 
book “The Mayan Factor” (by Dr.José Arguelles, 1987), I came across this: In the beginning of 
1985 I was contacted by a Maya by the name of Humbatz Men. In our conversations I learned that 
he was using seventeen different Mayan calendars. Archeologists know about only six of them. I 
met Humbatz finally in Boulder, Colorado where he was giving a lecture entitled “the Astronomy of 
the Maya.” The key part of his presentation and his knowledge was given in his concluding 
remarks. Humbatz stated that our solar system is the seventh such system which has been mapped 
by the Maya so far. 

********

The road winds through the Guatemalan vegetation. I close my eyes and I can hear the footsteps of 
the Maya as they pass along the narrow pathway between two cities. 



(Now I open my eyes). We arrive at the border town, El Florido. Instead of a place for currency 
exchange, there are only black marketers. Instead of a border station just two dilapidated shacks. 
Instead of computers, lots of bits of paper and rubber stamps. I begin to negotiate the price for the 
next leg of my journey. 












Language and Symbols of the Maya 


El Dorado, the Guatemala-Honduras border


The border opens at eight in the morning and closes at six in the afternoon. There is a very casual 
atmosphere. Papers are being stamped in the wooden shacks. An occasional truck passes (full of 
bananas, of course). The electricity goes out on two occasions but this causes no inconvenience to 
the officials working here. They have no computers – just a couple of manual typewriters. I wonder 
whether any changes have occurred in the past 50 years. 

********

Over a period of 3,000 years the Maya have recorder knowledge of astronomy, legends about the 
Earth and the Cosmos, their own history and art. 

Their favorite medium was picture books which were folded in several places. They were known as 
Codexes. To our knowledge there remain today only four such books. Three are named by the city 
of the museum where each is located: Dresden, Madrid, and Paris. The fourth is so called Grollier 
Codex.

The writing system of the Maya is very complex. Despite intensive research on their epigraphs 
much remains unexplained. It is a system combining “glyphs”-which represent whole words or 
processes-and smaller combinations of sounds-syllables. Thus far about 800 distinct glyphs have 
been identified, but only about a quarter of them have been associated with what is believed to be 
their meaning. This type of picture symbols known as “logographs”. An example is the word for 
“Jaguar” is represented by a sketch of the head of a jaguar. 

Certain words which are not easily represented by the picture are instead represented by a word 
which sounds like that word. For example, the word ”to count” (“shok” in Mayan) is represented by 
the head of a mythical fish which is also called “shok” in Mayan. 

The combination of words and symbols would often like riddles. Every symbol had several 
meaning; every picture could also be interpreted in several ways (literally translating the item 
represented or via the pronunciation with a different meaning). Does the word “shok” stand for 
“counting” or for “fish”? 

The glyph with a stylized smile (a picture of a smile) and two small squares (“two front teeth”) has 
at least the following meanings: spirit, breath, wind, cosmic, energy, inspiration, a principal of life, 
the respiratory system, the north! 

We can barely begin to imagine the possible combinations of these 800 symbols. What knowledge 
of the spiritual is necessary to decode them or to write them!? 

But not only does every word have several meanings but a given word may be written in more than 
one way. For example, as we have already mention the word “jaguar” can be represented by the 
symbol or sketch of the head of a jaguar. But it can also be written syllabically, ba-la-ma, with the 
syllable symbols for “ba”, “la”, and “ma” – a way of spelling the word “balam”-which means 
“jaguar” in Mayan. 

The Maya were able to represent with their hieroglyphic symbols their entire spoken language 
everything from sounds to grammar and syntax. 

By comparison with their writing system, ours could be considered superficial, simple and 
incomplete. 

Four hundred fifty years ago the Spanish bishop Landa attempted to transfer the concept of the 
written language of the Maya into the Western European alphabet. In conversation with a local 
priest he encountered certain things which he could not comprehend-for example pictures, 
sometimes represented letters, and certain words were pronounced the same but had different 
meanings, such as the words for ”sky”, “four”, “snake”, and “captive”, but the context had to be 
relied upon to provide their meaning. Having seen that the Spanish high representative of the church 
was incapable of escaping from his limited mind set, the Mayan interpreter wrote a note one 
morning in Landa’s book which said “I can’t continue” – and he left. 

********

In the photographs which I took in Copan, the Honduras region of the Maya, I discovered several 
glyphs which had been carved in stone. The pictorial symbols come in a series of four. They are to 
be read in clockwise order. The first picture is added to the second, which is added to the third… 
and thus the total meaning is completed. 

Our language is much simpler (which in this case is not an advantage). Our words, made up of 
letters or sounds, for the most part do not get changed in meaning regardless of what comes at the 
end of the sentence. 

With the Maya, their picture symbols communicate with one another, they digest one another, and 
they build upon one another. 

To make matters still more complicated, there are certain glyphs which seem to be of extra-
terrestrial origin. In the photo shown here the head is strikingly like something out of science 
fiction. Two bulging hemispheres of the brain, the eyes of a reptile, and strange wavy lines beneath 
the chin. I have no doubt that this is one of the 600 which have not been deciphered. 

********

June fifth – the first qualifying game in the world championship in soccer. The home team – 
Honduras – squeaks by the Salvador team 1-0. For the second game, Salvador turns fierce in the 
extreme. The hotel where the Honduran team is staying is set on fire. During the night they look for 
lodging under police protection. When they find it, they are “serenaded” by Salvadoran fans 
throughout the night. In the next day’s game the Hondurans look like zombies and are easily 
defeated 3-0. After that both countries experience severe disturbances, mostly persecution of 
Hondurans in Salvador and vice versa. The deciding game is to be played in neutral Mexico. On 
that 28th of June, 1968, all of Central America is glued to the TV or radio. Salvador wins in 
overtime with a score of 3-2. Insults are exchanged at the highest levels of government and a 
hundred-hour long war is begun. The army of Salvador prevails, but the Organization of American 
States, with the threat of a blockade, backs them off. 

The net balance of the soccer war is 2,000 dead and 100,000 Salvadorans chased out of Honduras. 

Honduras is five times bigger in land mass than Salvador, but it has a million fewer people. Its total 
population is four million (to Salvador’s five million). It would be difficult to say which nation is 
poorer, because 80% of the population of both countries does not earn enough to feed itself. 

Of the estimated total population of 450,000 Indians in Honduras, half were killed by the Spaniards 
in the 16th and 17th centuries. A further 150,000 were sent as slaves throughout the area from Peru 
to Guatemala. Nowadays there are about 80,000 Indians left mostly from the Lenkas tribe who 
remain without land and who are otherwise pretty much left deprived of any rights. 

In the 19th century the only thing grown here was bananas. Poor Honduras had such a weak 
government that in the course of 55 years (1821-1876) it had 85 different presidents. This country 
did not have its own central bank nor its own currency until 1953. The profitable export of the 
bananas was left in the hands of America corporations from whom it was expected that they would 
create the necessary infrastructure (roads, railway, ports, airports,) and invest capital in the 
economy. Instead, the United Fruit Company and Cuyamel kept political control of the country and 
of the economy, keeping the profits entirely for themselves. 

Honduras had been sold and had become what was known as a “banana republic”. Nowadays this 
term can be traded for “pentagon republic” thanks to the military presence of the Americans. 

********

A few hours of riding gave me a change to familiarize myself with the peaceful countryside of the 
Copan valley. This part of Honduras was the only part inhabited by the Maya, lying on the 
southernmost edge of their territory. After a steep climb (which I wasn’t sure my horse was going to 
be able to withstand), we arrived at the forest which contained the archeological findings known as 
“Los Sapos” – the place of birth. The small stone complex even after thousands of years of erosion 
still bears the symbol of the frog. This is supposed to be the place where the first Mayan mother 
gave birth to her children. Frogs are the symbol of fertility among the Maya. 

The surface of the worn stone is surprisingly not uncomfortable – one might even say luxurious. My 
legs are resting on both sides of the head of the frog. Babies were supposedly brought into the world 
on the flat surface of the frog’s head. 

I lie on the stone and try to put myself in touch with the past. Did pregnant women really climb up 
onto this plateau in order to give birth in this place?  If they did the first view of the world which the 
newborn would have would be of the splendid Copan valley. 

********

Western civilization only came to grips with the concept of zero in mathematics in the 12th century 
when they first encountered Arabic numerals.  It is now the commonly accepted system of numbers 
– from zero to nine and then combinations of these ten numbers – which constitutes the decimal 
system. 

The Arabic numeral system is derived from a still older system from India – there is evidence that 
they used zero in their system as early as the 6th century B.C. 

One of the earliest civilizations we know of – that of Samaria – had a numerical system based on 
the number 60 (which is what we use for the number of minutes in an hour and the number of 
seconds in a minute, as well as the 360 degrees in a circle). The numbers themselves are expressed 
with a stylized symbol of a chalice such that the number 421 is four chalices, a space, two chalices, 
a space, and one chalice. 

Next, in Babylon the space was used to represent zero and this made for a significant step in 
arithmetic. The Egyptian used two ways of expressing numbers – one, their hieroglyphics and the 
other using a vertical line for “one”, an inverted “v” for “ten”, a sheath of wheat for “100”, a lotus 
blossom for “1000”, etc. 

The Hebrew, Greek, and Roman systems were similar, in that they used letters of their alphabets to 
represent numbers, with “A” for one, “B” for two, etc. They had no zero, and the concept of 
negative numbers did not exist. The Chinese had already developed a system utilizing vertical and 
horizontal lines, with zero represented by a square, which they were using already more than 2,000 
years ago. 

The Incas had a fascinating numbering system, with a base of 20. Using only three symbols (a 
period, dash, and a shell representing zero), the Maya were able to record any number. One period 
was “one”. Three were “three”. A dash represented the number “five”. Three dashes represented 15. 
Three dashes with three dots on top represented 18. For numbers over 20 a row is put above the first 
row. Thus the number 234 is represented by two rows – the number “11” (two dashes and a dot) on 
the top, representing 11 sets of 20, or 220, and the number 14 (two dashes and four dots) in the 
second row.  For still larger numbers a third row is introduced. This represents the product of 20x20 
or 400. A fourth row is used for values over 8,000 (20x20x20). Zero is represented by a stylized 
shell (or a small extended ellipsis). Thus the Maya completed their advanced mathematical way of 
thinking – even with the value of “nothing”. 

When one looks at Mayan ruins it seems as if they were using this system since day one, five 
thousand years ago. The system is simple, very flexible and it is easy to use to calculate even 
transactions involving large numbers. 

Our modern and generally accepted world-wide system has ten (0-9) symbols, whereas theirs has 
only three symbols. 

Using our numbers we can express any number with simple addition; we can go back endlessly into 
the past and, similarly, far into the future. This is done by archeologists and biologists, going back 
ten thousand years, a hundred thousand or even millions of years into the past to describe life on 
Earth. This was also done by the Maya. On one stone tablet there is indication of a date of one 
billion eight hundred million days (more precisely, 1,814,639,800). This is the equivalent of 5.1 
million years. Exactly what was being described has not yet been deciphered. Whatever it was, this 
is an indication of the fact that the Maya were concerned with ancient history and pre-historic times. 











Tzolkin 


Copan Ruinas, Honduras


Two of us split the cost of the driver. He was from Florida, I was from Texas. Our fare was $1.50 
each. Along the way we had picked up Ladinose – a mixture of Lenkas Indians and mestizas. It is 8 
miles from the border to Copan, the artistic center of the Maya. 

There are two ways to get to this archeological gem in Honduras. The first is via the capital of 
Guatemala, to the border, then a few bus rides from there (to the border and on to Copan). That’s 
the route I had chosen. 

The second is by airplane to San Pedro Sule, in the north of Honduras. (There’s a direct flight there 
from Houston.) Then a 3-hour bus trip to Copan. This is the tourist route. For the last few years it 
has been reasonably safe. The rebels from the northern jungle of Honduras had not recently made 
themselves felt. 

As it happened, the day after I arrived there was a “kidnapping” of the “safe” bus from San Pedro. 
The outcome was tragic. Eighteen passengers were killed. From what I was able to make out of the 
local news broadcast, the rebels just wanted to make their presence known and to show that they 
could hinder the tourist trade if they wanted to. 

This time I had apparently been guided by an unseen hand in my choice of which way to come to 
this location. 

********

A letter dated March 8, 1576 is written by Doctor Don Diego Garcia de Palacios, member of the 
Royal Audiencia of Guatemala, addressed to the King of Spain, Phillip II. In it he describes the 
discovery of the ruins of Copan. 

This is believed to be the first European document about this subject. Most of the archeological 
sites of the Maya are given arbitrary names based upon names of European origin. This is not the 
case here. Don Diego mentions that the name “Copan” was in use by the natives at the time (in the 
16th century). 

The meaning of the name is still in dispute. Some say it is the word for “bridge”. Others say that 
“pan” means “the capital city”, thus “Co” is the name of this capital. 

It seems to me that both could be correct. As I see it, Copan is a kind of bridge, a gate to the 
universe, but also a capital city of the Maya which is of universal significance. 

********

The official history books talk about “the obsession of the Maya with time”. They list the Mayan 
calendars (1) “The long one” which begins at day one, in the year 3114 B.C. and runs until the year 
2012 A.D., (2) the “religious” calendar which has 260 days – 20 months of 13 days each, and (3) 
the “solar” calendar of 365 days – 18 months of 20 days each plus five extra days. 

No-one disputes their very precise calculation of the solar year for the planets of our solar system. 
The Dresden Codex, for example, contains a table of the elliptic movement of Venus and its 
eclipses. 

In places it is pointed out that the fascination of the Maya with time is not scientific in our sense of 
the word; their time was circular and the cycles would repeat themselves (“the rulers had to repeat 
the rituals and activities of their predecessors”). Explanations stop at this and go no further. 

We shall attempt to go further in order to put the pieces of this puzzle together. 

We have the unexplained pictoglyphs of the Maya and we have a complex awareness of the 
universe and of the planet Earth. This includes a very adaptable and useful system of counting 
which is applied, in one of the documents which we have, to dealing with the Earth millions of 
years ago. According to their own words, the Maya have a “cosmic” or universal mission. The three 
(or six) calendars which we have found in their documents are a part of the twenty calendars which 
the Mayans today use in their mission as “the guardians of knowledge.” 

It is obvious that these calculations are not the ultimate purpose in and of themselves. The Maya are 
telling us much more. 

********

Chilam Balam, a Mayan prophet falls into a trance and the only words he speaks are the numbers 1, 
13, 7, 9 and 4. 

Are these numbers just numbers or are they something more? 

Are numbers alive? Are they ethereal entities? Can they occupy the spiritual dimension of our 
mind? ... a dimension beyond the control of our materialistic comprehension of the world? 

Can the complete story of the Maya, the planetary and cosmic history, be expressed using numbers? 
Specifically, using 13 numbers and 20 symbols, in other words, with a matrix of 13x20? 

Archeologists use the term Tzolkin for the calendar of the Maya of 20 months, each month 13 days 
long. The original name for this “secret calendar” is unknown, but it is known that it is more than 
just a simple calculation of days on this planet Earth. 



Tzolkin is a code; our alphabet is also a code. Whoever knows the 30-odd symbols of our alphabet 
has enormous power, because through the written word we can express knowledge and wisdom of a 
seemingly limitless extent. Similarly, the encoded language of Tzolkin has its own cosmic worth. 

We have programmed our brains to think of numbers as quantifiers, e.g. 13 land-mines or 7 
bananas. But this is only one of the functions of numbers. 

It is useful to think of musical tones. Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti… 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,…  There are also 
different octaves, tone sequences, synchronization of two or more tones, etc. The possibilities are 
unlimited. But it all begins with the small set of seven tones. 

What we refer to as time, the Maya referred to as harmonic resonance. Days are not 24-hour long 
periods of time but tones (“kim”) which are represented by numbers. Groups of days create 
harmonic cycles … and these cycles are part of one larger organic order in the universe. 

Our planet Earth is a part of that harmonic system by means of its relationship to the Sun and, still 
further, with the Galaxy. 

With the adjustment of musical notes, we are able to go to a higher octave. What would be “a 
higher octave” in the spiritual world? Another dimension! 

So, by means of numbers, by adjusting frequencies, we can go through different dimensions. 

So what can we conclude from the explanation of the archeologists who say that the Maya were 
“obsessed with calculations”? Only that they have completely overlooked or misinterpreted what 
the Maya have left us. 

The system of numbers and hieroglyphic symbols of the Maya, so carefully carved in stone in their 
monumental structures, represents a system of cosmic frequencies which fit into the harmony of the 
Galaxy. 

The cycles of time of the planet Earth and of the Sun, the planetary years of Venus, Mars and 
Jupiter… were for the Maya a challenge… with the goal of adjusting the Earth’s frequencies and 
making them harmonious with those of the Galaxy. 

(These passages are inspired by the book “The Mayan Factor”, 1987, by Arguelles.) 

Can numbers have such meaning and such power? 

For the Maya, numbers are not what we think of them as being. For us the number “ten” is just one 
number larger than “nine.” For the Maya each number has its own qualities. It could be represented 
or described as a cosmic entity of its own which radiates rays of energy in all directions 
simultaneously. 



And the Galaxy can be described as a vast unending flow of energy… in which sets of numbers are 
pulsating and radiating. 

Somewhere, of course, there must be the source. This is the galactic center, which the Maya called 
Hunab Ku. There are incredibly bright energy forces which depart from and return to this source. 

The Maya represented this energy flow in both directions with the numbers 1 to 13 (and from 13 to 
1 for the other direction). From simple to complex energy pulsation … and back. 

Thus the numbers become magical – separate entities, with various levels of resonance… They 
obtain the status of beings through which it is possible to change dimensions and travel through the 
cosmos. 

For the Maya the Tzolkin is a universal table of cosmic frequencies. The numbers go forward and 
back communicating with one other. This is what we, with our own limited terminology, refer to as 
“time.” Our problem is that with our concepts “time” flows only in one direction, from the past to 
the present and on into the future. But that is only half the picture. The Maya clearly had a more 
complete picture of cosmic time. 

The purpose of the mathematics of the Maya was not simply the calculation of time and establishing 
rainy and dry seasons and the best time for planting crops. This well-worn archeological 
explanation was very low on the list of reasons. Instead, the Maya used the magic of numbers to 
discover the galactic constant of the Tzolkin. 

The numbers on the stone monuments of Copan and elsewhere show the relationship between the 
galactic harmony and the annual cycles of the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, Venus, and other celestial 
bodies. 

The Maya constructed blocks of ornately decorated stone. But the blocks were not primarily just an 
artistic achievement of the Maya. They were time markers by means of which the Maya recorded 
the passage of five, ten and twenty years. The years were not their primary focus, however, but 
rather harmonic numbers and their calibration. Cycles of five, ten and twenty years correspond to 
frequencies of galactic energy units or bundles. 

The diameter of a galactic bundle is 5125 years. Their galactic constant is a “calendar” of 260 units. 
(Archeologists are still “confused or “unclear” as to what these 260 “days” in fact represent.) 

What was the mission of the Maya? To bring the information from the galactic matrices to our 
planet. And the information will continue to flow when our planet becomes harmonized with the 
solar frequency and the center of the galaxy. 

********



The passage of time has had its effect. The heavy stone blocks have fallen from the peaks of the 
pyramids and temples. The forest has covered the blackened cracked stone. Trunks of trees grow at 
an angle from the stairways. For tourists the Copan has been cleaned up. I am climbing up to the top 
of one of the temples. Thoughts are flying through my mind. 

The so-called “Sun worship” which archeologists and historians seem to love to ascribe to the 
Mayans is completely misplaced. 

The spiritual Maya knew about and respected the knowledge which was emitted by the Sun. These 
cosmic emissions came in cycles which modern astronomers refer to as “Sun spots”. 

Much of what is cosmic knowledge is transmitted through the hierarchy from the center of the 
galaxy (Hunab Ku) via a star (in our case, our Sun) on to the planet. Our Sun (Kim) has a cycle of 
nearly 23 years (two times 11.3 years). Inhale and exhale. The Sun receives the information from 
the center of the galaxy and then passes it on to the planets under its protection. 

The telescope in my room is a kind of walkie-talkie. Through a system of glass lenses and the 
refraction of light we receive information from the universe. Thus, at one end we have the center of 
the universe and at the other a human being. Between those two ends there are several lenses which 
enlarge and transfer the information.  

Man has three lenses: one corresponds to the brain of a reptile, the second to the brain of a mammal, 
and the third to the mind of a higher intelligence. 

The human dimension then is connected with the planetary body (a fourth lens). From here the 
planetary conscience vibrates with the consciousness of the Sun (a fifth lens). The Maya claim that 
from the Sun to the center of the galaxy there are two more cosmic lenses (one serving for 
communications among stars, the other for information directly from the center of the galaxy). 

Let us disregard our picture of the world of atoms, space and time, distances and isolation. Let us 
look instead through this galactic telescope – a system of lenses which oscillates uniquely and 
harmonically. The flow of information is instantaneous. We are talking about cosmic harmony. 

The matrix of the Tzolkin is exactly this. The harmonic language of the cosmos. 












Star Travelers 


Copan, Honduras


After a strenuous day I return to the little town – a combination of asphalt, paving stones, and dusty 
dirt roads. On the square I go into a small souvenir shop. The owner and a local policeman are 
playing chess. They greet me and continue with their game. I approach them and look over the 
situation at the chessboard. Both of them are in their forties, with well-rounded bellies. They are 
making mistakes and I suggest certain moves. They laugh and kid each other. Finishing the game, 
the policeman suggests I take his place to play against the store owner. We play two games. He 
loses, but doesn’t get angry. To the contrary, he is glad for the company. These people are very 
outgoing and friendly. 

There’s a small workshop in the back with a few tools. The store-owner’s name is José, and he 
carves various materials (plaster and stone) creating artistic copies of Mayan artifacts. A few 
shoppers come in and go out. José is concentrated on the chess game. 

We have our picture taken. In the photo we are holding onto the chessboard, with a background of 
his masks, copies of carved stone slabs, vases and statues which he has made. I purchase a nicely 
done motif in which several Mayan rulers are handing over their authority to their successors, from 
one generation to another. 

Before I leave, we discuss a newspaper clipping. It shows José next to a life-size replica of a temple 
which is the main building in the Copan museum. He proudly tells me that it took a full three years 
to make it. 

I leave this warm corner in this small town in Honduras. 

********

I am walking through a narrow winding tunnel. As I come out of it I am left breathless by the view: 
the red temple of Rosalila in life-size replication. 

The temple was first discovered in 1989 inside a pyramid. It is truly impressive – awesome. 

The text beside it says: “The central part of the museum is a life-size replica of a temple which 
archeologists have named Rosalila. Modern artists have made a very faithful copy of the decorative 
relief and facade. The temple was found in perfect condition beneath a pyramid. This structure was 
dedicated to the tenth ruler of Copan from the year 571 A.D. The temple was a symbol of a 
mountain, the place of creation, the source of life. The Sun God is the key player in the myth of 
creation. He rises regally above the entrance doors and expands throughout the entire building… 
…Temples were usually destroyed so that subsequent rulers could erect new temples on the same 
location. Rosalila was so sacred that it remained untouched. Beneath it archeologists found the 
remains of still older structures…” 

The knowledge which we have thus far acquired about the Maya and the photographs which we 
include here make it possible for us to critically examine details of this official text. 

First of all, nothing more needs to be said about the masterful craftsmanship in José’s construction 
of this replica.  

On the other hand, however much the Sun may be key to our life on planet Earth, there is, above the 
Sun, a much more complex Cosmic Source (as can be seen on the photos included here). 
Furthermore, on both its sides the Sun has, on its “wings” or “rays”, two vehicles inside of which 
we see human figures. 

And this is what fascinated me most of all at this site, and about which I could find nothing in the 
available literature. 

This temple, fortunately, remained hidden and intact until 1989, so that the Masonic cliques were 
not able to keep it from the world. It is clear that what we see here are space ships which travel 
between our Solar system and other parts of the galaxy (the head of the Maya is in the vehicles and, 
thereby, between the Sun and the center of the galaxy). 

It is certain that it won’t be long before Daniken uses this relief as evidence of interstellar travel. He 
was in Peru last year doing research on the Nasca lines which he writes about in his latest book. I, 
myself, was there last year writing about the same subject. So it is quite logical to expect that within 
the next year we will be able to read about his trip to Honduras. 

Since we have no evidence of the Maya hopping around the jungles of Central America in these 
vehicles, we need to look for an answer as to where they were going. 

********

What is a voyage? Traversing a distance from point A to point B? A flight from Houston to 
Amsterdam, for example? 

For us a long trip means an airplane cabin, the smell of fuel on the tarmac, strict control at the 
airports, including, most recently, removing our shoes, as well as watching a couple of movies and 
eating a couple of meals on board the plane. 

Let us consider the possibilities of travel without high technology and airplanes. And conveying the 
body from one place to another. 

What is our body? It is a ball of energy (both the physical and the spiritual body). Particles which 
can be expressed by a given frequency. And different frequencies are just different kinds of 
information. We are, in other words, information. Our solar system is also information. 

What, then, is travel through the universe?

The ability to transfer information (our energy identity), using the appropriate frequency, to another 
part of the universe. If we know how to achieve the right frequency and to hitch a ride on the right 
frequency, we can get to the desired point in the universe.

Interstellar travelers are information which resonates through the cosmos. The Maya were aware of 
this.

Is it heresy to claim that the Maya were more intelligent than we are? and that their philosophy was 
founded upon a more advanced basis? 

The answer is “No.” 

Our modern civilization is based on the accumulation of material goods and defense of “our” 
territory against our “enemies”.

The Maya based their life on the principal of cosmic harmony. What is the goal or purpose of such a 
civilization? To bring the vibration of lesser developed planets into harmony with the greater 
cosmic organisms and with the Source of the Cosmos itself. 

What is there to be said about ourselves, then? Do the goals of our civilizations have anything to do 
with our homeland, planet Earth?  let alone with the Sun or galaxy?

Unfortunately, the answer is “No”. 

Why? Because we are, galactically-speaking, uninformed. And because our planet does not have a 
two-way flow of information with the source of the Galaxy. 

********

According to the archeologists the tunnel which leads through the pyramid to come to the temple 
represents a road to the underground world. Here, and in Egypt, and in Peru… we are constantly 
talking about the underground, life after death, a hellish world of three or nine levels. This strikes 
me as a particular failing of our archeology and anthropology. 

If you walk in front of the Sun pyramid (i.e. our world, this dimension), you enter a tunnel which 
takes you to the temple with the Sun, spaceships and the center of the Galaxy.  This, then, is a 
symbolic representation of star scouts, not of the unfortunate soul headed for purgatory. 

The Hopi Indians speak of a tunnel, in their legend of Sipapu, which leads to various worlds. 
Sipapu is that living thread (information) which connects the galactic nucleus, solar systems, and 
various planets as well as various worlds. 

The Maya have Kuxan Suum which is an inter-stellar walkie-talkie by means of which information 
is transmitted throughout the cosmos. Among those pieces of information there are also high 
frequency scouts, the Maya. 


********

What was José thinking as he was shaping the façade of the temple with those vehicles? 

In order to copy these objects he had to carefully study every detail of the original. After three years 
of this work he must have come to some interesting conclusions. Next time I shall have to have a 
more extended talk with him. 

********

That afternoon I was caught in the rain and I was reminded that I was here in the middle of the 
tropical rainy season. I was standing beneath an awning with a local guide, an Indian who claimed 
to be a descendant of the Maya. Our conversation began with mention of the rain god, Chack. The 
sound of the raindrops on the stone truly seemed to be repeating: chuck, chuck, chuck…

I steered the conversation in several directions but without much success. I asked him how today’s 
Indians claimed to be direct descendants but could not read the Mayan writing system? Then I tried 
to introduce some of the evidence that the Maya actually existed in history much earlier than he, 
and other guides, were telling the groups of tourists. And finally, the third topic, the extra-terrestrial 
influence on the Mayan civilization, turned out also to be fruitless.

********

The Maya had a pictoglyph Ek Chuan which has been translated as Star Traveler. It is the shape of 
a disk inside and three “legs” (motors?). They had a glyph for the Earth (two half-ellipses and two 
semi-circles) and a symbol for the center of the galaxy, Hunab Ku. And they were connected by 
Kuaxan Suum, which in complete translation means “the road to the sky which leads to the 
umbilical cord of the Universe.”

When they were on the Earth, their eyes were fixed on the stars. When they were in their homeland, 
they were looking toward the cosmos and their next mission. 











Copan 


Copan, Honduras/
Guatemala City, Guatemala


So that we not remain ignorant of the typical description given to tourists who come to Copan, we 
will present here the information given out without the magic of the cosmic aspect of the Maya. 

It would usually be something like this: 

“Copan is advertised as part of the significant world heritage under the protection of UNESCO 
since 1980. It is also considered the most thoroughly studied city of the Maya in the last 150 years. 
This fantastic archeological park is a major source of information about the ancient Mayan 
civilization”. (www.copanruins.com)

In their book entitled “Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan” the American 
lawyer, John Lloyd Stephens and the English artist Frederick Catherwood described their visit to 
this region in 1839-1840 as follows: 

“It is impossible to describe the enthusiasm we felt for the research of these ruins. This land was 
completely new, without guides and tourist books; everything was so innocent. We couldn’t see ten 
yards in front of ourselves, nor did we know what we might find next. Once we were cutting 
branches and vines which, it turned out, were covering the face of a stone monument. I was leaning 
on a sculpture while it was being cleaned; when an Indian with a machete dully struck the rock, I 
moved it and I was able to remove the Earth with my bare hands. The beauty of the sculpture, the 
peacefulness of the jungle, disturbed only by the cries of monkeys and parrots, the isolation of the 
city and the mystery which arose from it created a more intense interest than any ruins we had seen 
previously.”

The editor, Joséph Gardner, presents Copan in his book “Mysteries of the Ancient Americans” 
(1986) with these words: 

“Copan is one of the biggest, oldest and most beautiful centers of the Maya. It is built on a smaller 
and more human architectural scale than other colossal centers. The astronomers of Copan were 
especially skilful. They were most likely the authors of the extremely precise tables of eclipses and 
the length of the tropical year.” 

In the luxurious atlas, “Past Worlds – Atlas of Archeology” (Collins, 2003) the authors place Copan 
time-wise, as follows:

“From the 6th to the 8th century, in the late classical period of the Maya, there occurred an 
aggressive expansion. The city of Tikal was re-built, and significant temples, palaces, squares and 
playing fields were constructed in the cities of Palenque, Piedras Negras, Copan, Quirigua, Naranjo 
and Coba.” 

In the “Atlas of Ancient Archeology” by Jacquetta Hawkes (1974), we read:

“Copan is one of the most beautiful of the Mayan Centers, famous for its sculptures and 
hieroglyphs. The buildings were built during the classical period. The most recent carved stone slab 
is dated at 800 A.D. after which the city was abandoned. The nucleus of the town consists of an 
acropolis where there are playing fields, terraces and temples. Temple No. 26 is known for its 2,500 
individual glyphs which have yet to be decoded. Some of them were incorrectly re-positioned when 
they were put back in the 1930’s as the city was being re-constructed. North of the hieroglyphic 
stairway is a playing field with parrot heads carved in stone at the upper end of the field.  Beneath 
this there was an earlier field, and beneath it yet another still earlier one. On the main square there 
are sculptures of an altar and stone slabs, mostly from the seventh and eight centuries. The fine 
quality of the reliefs and great attention to detail are characteristic of the art of Copan.” 

Another author, Jonathan Norton Leonard, writes in much the same style in his book, “Ancient 
America” (1967):

“Located on the plateaus of Honduras, Copan was a well-organized center of intellectual life, 
devoted to art, science, and sacred games. Even in the intellectually oriented civilization of the 
Maya, the city of Copan was distinguished as a cultural center. The symbols carved in stone 
indicate that here there were held conferences on mathematics and calendars. This location has an 
abundance of outstanding carved statues with complex astronomical observations and hieroglyphs 
which archeologists believe discuss the history of the city. The residents of Copan were not just 
astronomers and sculptors. On the paved playing field they were seen playing a ball game that was 
popular throughout Central America at the time of the Maya. However, many such games were of a 
religious or sacred nature, and the priests would foresee the future based on the results of these 
games.”

The book entitled “Central America” written by Natasha Norton and Mark Whatmore (Cadogan 
Guides, 1993) points out the following details:

“When the Spaniards arrived, the city had been abandoned for nearly a thousand years. A measure 
of Copan’s political significance can be seen in the existence of a special glyph for this city dating 
from 564 A.D.  For more than 200 years Copan was the major power in this region until, in the year 
737 A.D., the leader of the Quirigua, Cauac Sky, led a rebellion… The platforms of the temples in 
Copan are not as impressive as those in Tikal, but they make up for it with the artistry of the décor. 
The hieroglyphic stairs are unique in the Mayan world; of their 2500 glyphs most remain even 
today un-deciphered. North of the stairways there is a playing field which is the most perfectly 
preserved of its kind. The competitions were merciless – the rivals were playing for their lives. The 
heavy rubber ball was not to be hit with the hands, feet, or head but with the other parts of the body. 
Downhill from the playing field there is a series of stone slabs carved with such detail that the 
characteristics of Mayan leaders can be recognized. When the British diplomat, John Lloyd 
Stephens saw them in 1839, he was so impressed that he bought the entire archeological park for 
fifty dollars. He no doubt wanted to send it all back to England by boat but fortunately this did not 
happen”. 

********

At first glance, these sources (whether, expert, scientific, or as a guide for tourists) appear to be 
serious and informative. 

It is true that they have described this city as something exceptional and fascinating. They discuss 
the artistic achievement of the Maya. They even discuss the special astronomical knowledge which 
they cannot understand as to how they were able to achieve such precision. They then go on to the 
subject of wars, sacrifice, games and collapse of the civilization. 

But, if one gives it a bit more thought, it is easy to see that all of these sources remain rather 
superficial in their approach, not giving us any fundamental answers. How did the Maya come to be 
located in these jungles? What are the real purposes of their stone monuments? What purpose did 
such an advanced knowledge of the cosmos serve? 

Since we have given some answers to these questions already, it is time now for us to leave 
Honduras and go on back to Guatemala. And now we can also return to the present.

********

Of all the modern-day Central American melodramas, traveling on the “chicken bus” is one of the 
most unforgettable. 

There is the dusty street with several busses and mini-busses with their engines running. Around 
them there are bus “callers” pacing about. Each of them has the job of filling up his bus. They move 
rapidly through the terminal area, creating a feeling of urgency. Their priority is clear: regardless of 
who you are or where you want to go, their job is to get you onto their bus. The passengers 
gradually fill up the bus with no departure time. The destination is known but the arrival time is 
definitely not possible to guess. 

The number of passengers increases, and warm weather raises the temperature in the bus.  People 
become inpatient about when the bus is going to leave. Finally, the “caller” gets in the bus and sits 
in the driver’s seat. He puts his foot on the gas and revs the engine, and the passengers get the false 
hope that the bus will soon be leaving. Then the “caller” gets out of the bus and continues to fill it. 
They put tires on the roof, as well as packages which seem to weigh 350 lbs. Women climb into the 
bus with boxes with wire mesh on at least one side. The hens or roosters inside seem to have been 
trained not to make noise. All the seats are now full. Time passes and the caller once again gets in to 
rev the engine, but this time the passengers are much more irritated. A few more people get on 
board and the capacity has been doubled. This is a signal for the “caller” to lean on the horn. 

From the nearby bar a mountain of meat with a mustache, unbuttoned shirt and white hat appears. 
This star of our show climbs on the stage, sits himself on the split leather seat, adjusts his belly and 
opens the window. The passengers grumble while he carries on a brief conversation with another 
driver, someone of his own status, showing everyone that they are completely dependent on him. 

And then a complete transformation occurs; the driver suddenly attains a sense of urgency. He puts 
his foot on the gas, the engine roars, and the chicken bus is off! We leave the town along roads 
winding through the hills. For the first few hundred yards the passengers gain the hope that the bus 
will get them to their destination within the foreseeable future. 

And then the stopping begins. The front door of the bus does not get closed, so that passengers can 
jump on or jump off the bus while it is still moving. The driver’s window is always open so he can 
call to potential customers. The horn is constantly used to let everyone know that a vehicle has 
arrived which still has room for potential passengers. 

Surprisingly, there are always people waiting along the road. More people climb aboard. The 
already doubled capacity is expanded still further. On seats meant for two, there are now three, and 
then, on the insistence of the driver, one more is added to make four. 

At a point where the bus becomes full to the bursting point, the driver asks some people to get off at 
the next stop. Those nearest the door do as he asks. 

But then, at the next curve, we stop again to pick up more passengers. Some of them get in with 
machetes which they leave beneath the seats.

We turn off the main road and drop down into a nearby village. A few people are walking along the 
side of the road. The bus stops and the driver gestures for them to climb aboard. Fifteen yards 
further along, people are sitting in a village café. The driver summons them as well. We go another 
20 yards. Some people are standing on the other side of the road, clearly waiting to go in the 
opposite direction. The driver manages to convince a couple of them that they’ll be better off 
coming with us, so we gain two more to use up the already scarce amount of oxygen in the bus. 

We return to the main highway. We manage to cover a full 150 yards without stopping once. And 
this feat is repeated another couple of times. The only problem is that at this point the driver 
becomes determined to show the full extent of his masterful driving skills. With a talent beyond 
comprehension to anyone but him, he manages to keep the overloaded bus upright despite sharp 
curves and maximum speed. I even begin asking myself whether my life insurance would remain 
valid at the bottom of one of these green abysses. 

At the side of the road another bus has come to a halt. Its passengers are waiting to begin pushing it 
as soon as they are given the signal by the driver. They are all united to serve the star of the show. 
We are all happy that our engine is still working. Straining, shaking, wheezing – but not shutting 
down. 

We meet other busses and trucks. The drivers exchange greetings and warn each other of where 
there are police patrols. Because they – the bus drivers and truck drivers – are the ones who truly 
control the road. They are not to be controlled by the police! Nor is their power going to be 
challenged by anyone outside their well-knit fraternity. 

But there are the rusted shells of overturned busses which serve as a reminder and warning to those 
overly brave drivers who have set out to tame the Guatemalan serpentine roads, winding in one 
hairpin turn after another, challenging them to try to overcome the law of gravity. It is not an easy 
challenge to deal with – having three times the normal capacity of passengers and inadequate power 
to achieve take-off speed. 

For the passengers this sight makes them ask themselves what on Earth made them decide that they 
needed to make this trip. 

And the drivers realize that they are more than ever essential to all the rest of us.

Thus, after three places of transfer from one bus to another, I finally reach my destination – the 
capital city of Guatemala. 













Tikal 


Guatemala City /
Flores, northern Guatemala


The first capital of Guatemala, after the arrival of the Spaniards, was founded in 1524 by Pedro de 
Alvarado. The name it was given was “Santiago de los Caballeros” (City of Gentlemen – notice the 
cynicism). After that Pedro continued his further exploits of the despoilment of Guatemala.

Three years later, in his brother’s absence, Jorgé de Alvarado decides to move the capital city.  The 
reason he gives for this was the disobedience of the local Tsakchiqueles Indians. In the valley of the 
Almolongo the “Ciudad Viejo” (old city) begins to grow. Jorgé, however, is restless. He begins the 
building of a fleet of ships intended for the conquering of Indonesia. In 1541, when the fleet has 
been completed, Jorgé changes his mind and sets off to participate in a battle for Mexico. This turns 
out to be a bad decision, as he is killed, being crushed by his horse in a fall. 

His young wife Dona Beatriz, dubs herself “the unfortunate” (“La sin Ventura”). At the same time, 
to improve her mood, she declares herself “The Empress of the Americas.» Her rule lasts only one 
day. On September 10th, 1541, two Earthquakes, accompanied by rains and floods, cause massive 
landslides. The capital, and its ruler, Dona Beatriz, disappear from the face of the Earth. “The 
unfortunate” was the first and last female ruler in colonial America. 

Two years later, in 1543, Antigua was established as the new capital city. Over the next 230 years, 
Antigua became, with its bright beauty, churches and palaces, the leading city of Spanish America. 
Its schools, hospitals, roads, cathedrals, and government buildings offered  a comfortable life to its 
inhabitants along with the cheap labor of the Indians. By the middle of the 18th century Antigua had 
a population of 50,000. But all that luxury and comfort came to a sudden disastrous end in a 
destructive Earthquake in 1773. The town was leveled and the majority of the population remained 
beneath the rubble. Those who survived were soon decimated by disease and epidemics. A decision 
was made to build a new capital in a safer place. 

And thus it was that in 1774 the construction of Guatemala City began. Already exhausted and 
drained by the Earthquake, the building of the city went at a slow pace and the build-up of the 
population went even more slowly. The architecture and bright beauty of Antigua was never 
achieved. Tall buildings were not built. The city is still today monotonous. However, not even 
Guatemala City was spared from Earthquakes. First in 1917 and more recently in 1976, Earthquakes 
left significant damage. Almost all of the buildings of the 18th and 19th century were destroyed. 
Only the cathedral on the main square remains.

I keep my fingers crossed that new Earthquake activity will not strike. For the next few hours of the 
afternoon I plan to visit the National Museum of Archeology and Ethnology.

********

Guatemala City is divided into zones. The airport is in zone 13. The embassies, exclusive shops, 
and better hotels are in zones 9 and 10. The rough neighborhoods are in zone 1. The museum is in 
the same zone as the airport, so I decide to go there on foot. 

At the entrance there are two Mayan statues: a worker and a farmer. The entry fee for Guatemalans 
is three quetzal; for us foreigners it is ten times that: 30 quetzal (or four dollars). I was their only 
visitor that afternoon. The tour starts with a display of how the first people came to Central America 
across the Bering Straits (a theory which has been overturned but which nonetheless persists). This 
is said to have been followed by a gradual growth which led to the Mayan culture 4,000 years ago 
(again, wrong), the supposed evolution of the Mayan culture and the arrival of the Spanish, multi-
ethnicity and the 23 spoken languages of this country.

There is an abundance of evidence that both North and South America were populated long before 
science has claimed that the migration of Asians across the Bering pass took place. The transition 
from Cave Man to the appearance of the Maya was not gradual. It was, instead, a gigantic leap! The 
stone statues and frescos or carved slabs of the Maya which were found in the first significant city, 
Kaminal Juyu, are in no way different (in the writing system nor in the art) from those which came 
into being two thousand years later. For me it was clearly evident that the Maya civilization was not 
developed over hundreds or thousands of years but rather it happened overnight (with the arrival of 
members of a different and advanced civilization). After that, their pictoglyph and art remained 
unchanged from at least 2000 B.C. until the 9th century A.D. The theory of evolution, both social 
and anthropological, in this case simply doesn’t hold water.

The museum’s collection for me constitutes a priceless treasure. There are authentic stone tables 
from the earliest periods of the Maya which cannot be found elsewhere. An entire room is devoted 
to artifacts made with jade, including some of the mosaic masks which have achieved world renoun. 
And the museum has other figures and pictoglyph writing from various parts of Guatemala. The 
symbols of the cities from Mayan times can be found here. Mayan numbers carved into stone 
blocks. Entire rooms are filled with strange pictoglyphs, many of which have not been deciphered. 
The central part, the park with carved stone tablets and altars, forms a special unity. With its 
peacefulness and cool shade, it seems not to belong to our present age. 

********

The flight from Guatemala City to Santa Helena in the north takes an hour. From the air the region 
of the Peten jungle looks like a giant green blanket, spreading from one horizon to the other. Most 
of this terrain is inaccessible and new archeological finds are discovered by means of helicopter or 
many days’ journey on foot.

For two dollars I got a ride from the airport to the tourist town of Flores. It is a place with about 200 
houses on a little island at the edge of Lake Peten Itza. The lake is fairly large – 3 miles wide and 20 
miles in length. But the island is small and the entire town can be circled in twenty minutes. This 
was the first thing I did after checking into a little guest house called “La Jungla”. The streets are 
narrow, combined cobblestone and asphalt. More than 50% of the houses are guest houses or small 
hotels. On the ground floor they have restaurants, shops and internet coffee shops. On my way into 
town the taxi driver told me that one can walk through the town even late at night with no need to 
worry.
 
The stone houses of Flores, painted in all possible warm pastel colors, were built on top of the ruins 
of the town of Tayasal. It was the capital of the Itza nation which came from the Yucatan of 
Mexico. The well-known Mayan city of Chichen Itza bears their name. The Itza nation resisted the 
domination of the Spanish for 170 years. The first Spaniard with whom they came in contact was 
none other than Hernando Cortes. On his way to Honduras, Cortes spent a night here as the guest of 
the king of the Itza. Since this also saved his life, in gratitude Cortes gave the king his horse. When 
two priests came to the town a hundred years later they found a statue of the horse to which the 
Indians gave homage as a god of rain and storms. The priests broke up the statue, causing such fury 
among the natives that they had to run for their lives. New groups of missionaries and warriors 
followed, and finally in the year 1697 the Spanish attacked Tayasal by boat and took the Itza 
defenders by surprise. They killed every Indian they came upon, and the king was paraded as a 
prisoner through the streets of Antigua. The city of Tayasal disappeared without a trace and later the 
city of Flores was built in the same place.  

The shrimp soup I had for supper was a delight. As I was strolling through the town I noticed a 
crowd in front of a private home; they were selling burritos filled with vegetables. After a ten-
minute wait. I could now boast of having eaten a local specialty.  

********

Needless to say, my journey to the north of Guatemala was not in order to see Flores but rather to 
visit a point some 40 miles further – the place called “Tikal.”

The next day I would be spending the entire day in “the capital city of the Maya”. To be prepared 
for this, I read the text I had brought with me. Since I was not planning to take a guide, I needed to 
know as much as possible of what had been published about it, so that I could devote myself to the 
walls of the city and to getting the feel of the place.  

In the information from the American Consulate they warn of occasional attacks on tourists both on 
the way to Tikal and in the park itself. “The tourist police who patrol within the archeological park 
have significantly cut down on the number of criminal incidents but complete security has not yet 
been achieved. Most attacks occur in isolated areas away from the main square, such as Temple 
No.6.” (As it happened, this was the first part of the ruins which I was to visit the next morning.) 

The translation of “Tikal” is “city of voices.» Since I had learned to be skeptical of everything, 
because the truth is usually to be found somewhere else, I asked myself where this name could have 
come from. Perhaps the voices are those of all the animals which inhabit the jungle surrounding 
Tikal: jaguar, monkeys, tropical birds, crocodiles, raccoon, deer…

In the pictoglyph representing Tikal I look for “voices”: there are no pictures of animals. The 
pictoglyph consists of four smaller and one larger picture symbol. In the larger one 


there are hands in a friendly handshake (at least that is how I would interpret it) with three semi-
circles above and ten dashes or short lines below. The others are symbols: stars, semi-circles, 
dashes, parallel lines, etc. It is clear that each represented a process; what exactly still remains a 
secret.

In 1979 UNESCO declared Tikal a “Monument of World Heritage.” It is thus recognized as one of 
the most important cultural and natural reserves in the world. 

It is believed that Tikal was built around 800 B.C. and that it was inhabited for the next 1,700 years. 
This grandiose city was clearly exceedingly important to the Maya as a “religious, scientific, and 
political center” (as the archeologists like to say). Within some 40 square miles there have been 
found some 4000 large buildings: from temples and pyramids to squares, administrative buildings 
and warehouses. 

The population of Tikal numbered as many as 50,000 during “the classical period.” It is believed 
that at that time (1500 years ago) there were a total of three million Mayans and that, if any city was 
the “capital” it was Tikal. 

According to the history books Tikal was exposed to the Mexican Teotihuacán. Their warriors 
appear together with the Mayan leaders in stone carvings and three smaller pyramids were built in 
the Teotihuacán style.

Excavations at a depth of ten meters uncover the history of Tikal from the period before 200 B.C. 

After this come the usual statements that the Maya did not have metal tools, draft animals, or the 
wheel. 

(In conversation with the archeologist in Houston, I introduced the problem of the building of 
colossal structures without tools and without the known means of transport. She responded, “But 
these ancient people did not have television, so they had plenty of time.”
I said, “We can have as much time as you like but if something weighs 500 tons we will not be 
successful in moving it if we try 10 or 100 times.” After this exchange the subject was changed.)

Beneath the major pyramids and temples of Tikal the ruins of older buildings have been found. And 
beneath them still older ruins create the effect of the many layers of an onion. Every few decades 
saw an awakening of further building.

This architectural boom of Tikal lasted until the 9th century A.D. Then, mysteriously, the city was 
abandoned. Overnight. The stone blocks began with time to crumble. The jungle moved in to 
occupy the palaces and temples.

Time stood still.













The Departure of the Maya 


Tikal, northern Guatemala


The sleeping town of Flores awakens at dawn. Before Sunrise I am in a van headed for Tikal. We 
leave Peten Itza Lake behind us. The forest road passes through the greenery as if through tunnels 
and… finally we are there. After hearing so much about the famous ruins of Tikal, after seeing 
pictures of the Temple of the Giant Jaguar on tourism posters, after reading so much about this 
Mayan center, it seems like you know exactly what to expect. 

But all those expectations are overturned the moment you set off along the jungle paths and begin to 
discover at every turn some new wonder. I crisscrossed the 25 square kilometers and climbed to the 
top of every temple, pyramid and palace. And still found enough time to sit, to touch the stone, to 
go back into the past and try to call up scenes of the visit of the cosmic Maya.

Here is an imaginary conversation between a man of the 21st century and a Mayan: 

21st c. man: One thing I can’t figure out…
Mayan: What’s that?
21st c. man: How is it that you didn’t develop tools and technology? 
Mayan: Do you think that wisdom and love come from tools? But I do understand your dilemma. In 
your world the organs and senses are less perceptive… so you make up for it with your tools and 
technology. But remember this – that in no way makes you superior. To the contrary.  

I am constantly aware of scenes which are variations on this theme. Wisdom does not come from 
technology. And does technology come as a consequence of wisdom? Or does technology lull us 
into believing that we have achieved a very high level… when in fact we are only limited by it in 
our thinking – prevented from developing our mental capacities?

For me the answer is obvious. I would describe technology as material extensions of our body and 
our senses (think of the automobile, the computer, the telescope). And what we call history, or the 
history of progress, is in fact reduced to the history of technology. And then we equate this with 
civilization. 

According to our standards, a society full of material comfort is an advanced civilization. 

But we should ask ourselves whether technological advancement develops true creativity in man or 
his spiritual advancement. 

Is it possible that all the tools and equipment and gadgets that we surround ourselves with are, in 
fact, limiting our frequencies and blocking our perception… not allowing us to receive new 
information from the cosmos? 


Stone blocks have been mysteriously “transported through the air” and built into magnificent 
structures in Guatemala, Peru, Egypt, and Tibet. Songs and musical instruments have created 
frequencies which changed the face of the Planet. The aborigines of Australia, the residents of 
Atlantis, the Tibetans or the Maya knew that stone, and the Earth and the Sun are living organisms.

They come from a pre-historic era and, at the same time, from a pre-technological era. The age in 
which we now live is known as the “historical” era or the “technological” era. What awaits us (if we 
are fortunate) could be known as the “post-historic” or “post-technological “era. 

A return to our mental capabilities.

(Of course there is also the possibility of a super-technological era such as destroyed Atlantis. This 
in the event that man is destroyed by the uncontrolled development of technology). 

********

The subdued beauty of Tikal does not deceive me. Magnificent buildings are hidden by layers of 
Earth and overgrowth of plants; the ruts of trees which are hundreds of years old cover the stone 
stairways. Moisture has permeated the once perfectly carved stone blocks.

But the cold stone of Tikal emanates peace and harmony with the environment. The green 
overgrowth, the somewhat swampy soil, and the missing bridges which once connected things do 
not manage to hide the fact that this city, at one time the greatest of all Mayan cities, was a gem of 
great magnitude with its awesome buildings, lakes, and stone bridges. 

********

“Temple No.4 west of the Great Square, is 320 feet high. This makes it the tallest structure built by 
the Indians in South America” overhear a guide telling a group of tourists.

“The difference between the pyramids and these temples is that the pyramids have all four sides the 
same, where us the temples have a front side with an entrance which is different.” Another 
observation overheard.

“The pyramids were built in accordance with north, south, east and west…”  or “The Mayans feared 
the coming of the year 2012 which they believed would bring the end of the world.”  

Guides shape the thinking of the tourists, sometimes providing useful information and sometimes, 
without realizing it, misleading them completely.

********


The road going towards the eastern edge of Tikal is deserted. The silence is broken only by my 
footsteps… and the thud of fruit falling from the ancient trees. Suddenly I feel that this fruit, which 
looks like wild chestnuts, is falling only around me. I stop. One, two, three… the nut-like projectiles 
come with force from the tree tops. I look up and see the silhouette of a monkey. Another one next 
to him, and yet another. Three rascals, using their tails to grasp the branch, are deliberately targeting 
me. A close encounter of the third kind. Fortunately their aim is not very accurate. 

My visit to the first stone temples fills me with awe. A city lost in time. The elegance of the 
squares. The perfectly shaped corners of the blocks. Stairways after stairways. Platforms at the top. 
Narrow hallways, small rooms and passageways aimed towards the sky. 

The most imposing structure of Tikal is the so-called “Temple No 4” – the tallest of the city’s 
buildings. It is about 320 feet high – the equivalent of about 40 stories. The foundation is estimated 
to be another 50 feet beneath the ground level. The stairways and walls have been taken over by the 
forest so that only the upper part sticks out, untouched. Wooden stairs have been built along the 
sides so that visitors may climb to the top. When one finally reaches the top the view takes one’s 
breath away. For tens of miles in every direction an unobstructed view of the jungle from above the 
tree-tops, and nothing else except the tips of other temples and pyramids of Tikal. 

A powerful symbolism is felt at this windy location. Looking down, the human figures seem like 
tiny insects. All around is the powerful jungle above which the Maya raised their edifices. For those 
looking from the Earth’s surface, we are standing between the Earth and the sky.

I come to the main square and enter the Acropolis. The architecture there makes one feel that one is 
on a different planet. Layered stone structures, it seemed impossible that anyone could ever have 
lived there. In the middle are Temples No. 1 and 2, better known as the Temple of the Giant Jaguar  
and the Temple of Masks. Facing each other they silently communicate. I recall the view from the 
peaks of these two temples above the tree-tops. The gigantic stone slabs, with openings situated 
among them, had precise cosmic purposes. 

********

My visit to the buildings of the Maya left me convinced that the Maya were indeed Cosmic 
travelers. Not astronauts as we conceive of them. Their perception of life and of cosmic processes 
was much deeper than that.  

The Maya were informed about the Cosmos. Wherever they went they carried this information with 
them. Throughout the planets they were able to establish a two-way flow of galactic information. 

And this was not all. For the Maya everything was intelligent energy: the Cosmos, the Sun, a piece 
of quartz, an ant or a man. Everything is alive. Everything has its own frequency. Everything is 
information. And information moves. Intelligent information, such as human beings, have the 


possibility of transporting their information from one part of the Galaxy to another. Cosmic travel 
was, for the Maya, the movement of information.

For the moving of information there is no need for space ships, rocket fuel and speed greater than 
the speed of light. The only thing needed is knowledge of cosmic frequencies. 

Try to imagine the Maya on the peak of the Temple of the Giant Jaguar as they prepare in the 
evening at the proper opening in the stone for their travel to a different solar system. The 
instantaneous material disintegration, the transfer of “information” from the temple to another part 
of the Galaxy. At Tikal the ordinary folk who were witnesses to this cosmic traveling began legends 
of gods who come and go via the sky through the power of their thoughts.

The open parts of the temples and pyramids served as cosmic platforms for the Mayas travels 
through the galaxy.

In the 9th century something occurs which is an enigma for historians and archeologists. One after 
another all leading centers of the Maya are abandoned. There is no evidence of destruction in war, 
of battles, diseases, fires, or natural cataclysms. It is as if these cities were simply abandoned 
overnight, on command, without disorder or chaos. The farmers from outside the towns were left 
baffled. There were no leaders left. The cosmic civilization of the Maya had simply and 
mysteriously vanished. 

Their mission on our Planet had been accomplished.

There remained carved in stone a vast number of dates of cosmic events and information related to 
astronomy … for those who would come in the future.  

********

It is true that with the abandonment of Tikal in Guatemala, Copan in Honduras, and Palenque in 
Mexico (where my travels are later to take me) what is considered the Maya civilization did not 
come to an end. The “classical Period” had ended and the post classic period had begun, with 
centers in the Yucatan of Mexico. In the mixture of what historians call the civilization of the 
Toltecs and the Maya we also get magnificent architectural achievements at Uxmal and Chichen-
Itza. But whereas the classical Maya were apolitical, this new era is marked by wars and human 
sacrifices, and knowledge of astronomy is completely neglected.

What was left after the departure of the real Maya were the occasional keepers of knowledge and 
magic, magicians and some who knew the ancient traditions – those who managed to keep alive the 
knowledge, codes and information, and lines of Truth which lead directly to the stars. 

********



At the time of our birth, from our first cry, our journey begins into the mystery of the unknown. 
And at the end of our life it would seem that we know less than at the beginning. 

It may seem to us that we have nothing in common with the Maya, the cosmic travelers. Even that 
we have no physical similarity with the bodies which they inhabited; the physical characteristic of 
the Indians of South America are quite different.

But it is in our future that we will, with time, become planetary Maya.

That we will adopt and develop their brilliantly simple and sophisticated technology which 
harmonically connects the frequency of the Sun and our psyche. That we shall create clean 
planetary technology and live comfortably in smaller groups… exposed to the flow of cosmic 
information. And a galactic light will enlighten us and all our mysteries and enable us to arrive at all 
the answers. 










The Cholula Pyramid – a Copy of a Volcano 


Cholula, Puebla, Mexico


I am landing again at Mexico City. Air Mexico is arriving on time-at 3:30 p.m. At the airport I 
purchase a new map for the roads of Mexico. I also discover there is a bus which goes directly to 
the town of Puebla. At the terminal exit I ask where this bus stop is. The policemen point it out to 
me. Almost instantly a young man comes up to me and tells me that the bus leaves from gate 5; the 
ticket costs 120 pesos, the trip takes two hours; and that I have 5 minutes before the next bus 
arrives. 

I look at him and smile.

We get acquainted. He comes from Spain. His girl-friend is returning from Puebla on this bus, and 
that’s how he knows all this information. 

The trip in the luxurious bus took exactly two hours. At the station I transferred to the local bus for 
Cholula.

Cholula today is a forgotten suburb of the city of Puebla which has a population of two million. 
Once upon a time this colonial town was the ancient center of a brilliant civilization with the largest 
pyramids ever built.

********

Cholula means ”the city of those who have departed.” Who are “they”? And where did they go?

The name was given by the Indians who were here when the Spanish “conquistadores” arrived.

********

Hernan Cortez was 33 years old. In 1519 he departed Cuba, with his 400 troops, cannons and 
cavalry, to begin his conquest of the empire of the Aztecs. They landed on the east coast of what is 
now Mexico, at Veracruz. From there he headed west, taking city after city, to complete the 
conquest with the fall of the capital city of Tenochtitlan (today’s Mexico City) and the killing of 
their leader, Monteczuma.

At about the halfway point they encountered Cholula which Cortez describes as follows: “a large 
city of 20,000 houses and a population of some 100,000. It is also a religious center with over 360 
temples. (Hammond Innes, “The Conquistadors”, Alfred Knopf, New York 1969) 


He goes on to say: “The city has its own government and is not beholden to anyone. The land is 
fertile and irrigated. This is the most beautiful city outside of Spain in its architectural and natural 
beauties.”

Upon entering Cholula, Cortez learned of the trap which was being set for him by the Aztecs. He 
beat them to the draw by the execution of their military leaders, followed by a massacre of 6,000 
Indians.


********

My first night in a decent hotel in the center was not a peaceful one. It was as if the screams of 
thousands of massacred Indians could still be heard and the sharp features of their faces could be 
touched in the semi-darkness. 


********

On either side of Cholula there are two gigantic volcanoes – Popocatepetl (17,833 feet) and 
Iztaccihuatl (17,388 feet). The ruins of stone structures (temples) are found on both volcanoes, 
which are therefore considered “sacred mountains.”

The names of the volcanoes come from the Aztecs – the last civilization in Mexico prior to the 
arrival of the Spaniards. In the Nahuatl language “Popocatepetl” means “the mountain which 
smokes”, and Iztaccihuatl means “the sleeping white beauty”, There is a romantic legend which 
tells of the love between a great warrior and the king’s daughter. The warrior asked for her hand in 
marriage and the king agreed to it provided that the warrior succeeds in conquering a neighboring 
tribe. The warrior sets off on his task but it takes longer than expected.  In the meantime rumors 
circulate that he has been killed.  The king’s daughter dies from grief.  When the warrior returns he 
carries her body to the top of the mountain to be interred there forever. (The west side of the 
mountain can be seen to have the shape of a sleeping woman.) The warrior, overcome with grief, 
climbs to the other peak and carries his torch with him, so that he can eternally keep watch over his 
lost love.

The “torch” gives off smoke constantly, a reminder of the fact that this is a “live” volcano with all 
the attached dangers. Being a clear day, it was possible to see the white smoke which was steadily 
pouring out of the top of the volcano.

It has been written that Moctezuma sent ten of his best warriors to discover the source of his 
mysterious smoke. They were followed by some of Cortez’s soldiers, making them the first white 
men who succeeded in climbing the tallest peak known at that time. 


********



Archeological research indicates that around the year 1700 B.C. two settlements grew to become 
one, creating a city which was continuously occupied for the next 3700 years. It is believed that 
work began on the Great Pyramid about 100 B.C. when Cholula became an important regional 
center.

It is supposed that Cholula was, in its wealth, a reflection of the pompous Teotihuacan; the colossal 
buildings, made with the same style, during the same period of development (100 B.C. to the 9th 
century A.D.) and sharing the same time of their downfall (900 A.D.). And as with Teotihuacan, 
after a few centuries of abandonment, these cities were again occupied by the Indians from the 
north (the Olmecs, the Tolteca-Chichimeca, and the Aztecs) to be ultimately swept from the stage 
of history by the Spaniards.  

********

My first nighttime walk was in the direction of the Tepanapa Pyramid. A few directional markers 
led me to a forest-covered hill. To the right was a well-lit path leading to a church at the top of the 
hill. I, of course took the fork to the left. After another hundred yards, there was another path 
leading up the hill – this time with a gate. I came closer. At that moment, a nun was coming out of 
the yard. I immediately knew what order this was. 

A hundred years ago at this location work began on the building of a psychiatric hospital (asylum). 
At that time, in the year 1910, they discovered the ruins of much older stone buildings. Another 
twenty years or so were to pass before the first phase of excavation (1931-1956) was begun. Two 
tunnels were dug (one north-south and one east-west), with a total of five miles in length, in order to 
establish the extent of the stone structure. The archeologist Ignacio Marquina relied upon his 
experience in the excavation of Teotihuacan. The conclusions were shocking – they had discovered 
the largest structure ever built on Mexican soil. He had proven the existence of a pyramid with sides 
of nearly 500 yards in length and a height of over 70 yards. This was larger than the Cheops 
Pyramid in Egypt and the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan.  

The model shown in photo  shows the probable appearance of the pyramid and the structures which 
went with it.

The tunnels through the pyramid are lit and have not been changed significantly over the past 60 
years. Of course, I could not resist walking the five miles of those narrow corridors. 

The second phase of investigation (1965-1972) was focused on analysis of the artifacts which had 
been found.  This showed that the pyramid had been constantly visited by various cultures, having 
been considered the center of all happenings.  



However, the pyramid has never been completely excavated. Only a very small part of it. The 
reason? – the opposition of the church. “Further excavation could lead to the collapse of the 
church.”

********

After the bloody massacre carried out by Cortez, he issued the order that more than 360 temple 
pyramids should be leveled. (Some sources give the number as 365 – one for each day of the year; 
others say 400 – a number which I am more prepared to give credence, because 400 was a sacred 
number for the Maya). On these foundations Cortez promised “to erect an identical number of 
Catholic churches.”

The temples of the “infidel” Indians were destroyed. But the vow to build an equal number of 
churches was never to be completely fulfilled. Of the original 70 churches which were built, only 39 
are still standing (and most of them are in sad condition).

It is interesting that the largest church was built on the only hill which rises in the area of Cholula. It 
took another 400 years to discover that this hill was, in fact, the largest pyramid of Cholula which 
the Spaniards knew nothing about. 

A legend which the locals like to tell the tourists is that the residents of Cholula, knowing that 
Cortez was headed their way, buried the pyramid so the Spaniards would not destroy it. 
Unfortunately, this romantic tale has no basis in fact: the pyramid had been covered by thick forest 
hundreds of years before the appearance of the Spaniards. At that time it had already been 
completely forgotten and was unknown to the Indians of that era.

Shortly after conquering Cholula, the Spaniards erected a giant cross on the peak of the hill. That 
same year it was broken in half by a lightning strike. The Spaniards erected a new one which 
“somehow” met the same fate. After that they built the first church (Santuario los) at 75 meters 
above ground level. Over the next centuries the church was destroyed three times – from 
earthquakes or lightning strikes-most recently in 2001. However, the Catholic priesthood continues 
to hold that the church belongs at the top of the pyramid and persists in its renovation. At the time 
of my visit the smell of fresh paint was unmistakable. 

But the superior construction of the pyramid has been resistant to earthquakes for well over a 
thousand years. The original builders used a special design (the so-called “tablero” – an inverted 
capital ”T”) which contributed to the strength and longevity of the walls.

********

As we were walking through the tunnels, the guide, Porfirio, told me of chronology of the 
excavation effort, the levels of the pyramid, and of altars and sacrifices. We go out into the open 
and he stops and points out to me the peculiar auditory effects that these stone structures have.


After listening patiently to what he had to say, on several occasions we had the following dialog: 

“The stairways led to the foundations of the pyramid…” he says pointing to the base of the staircase 
from the tunnel.

“So from there one could go out to the lake?” I ask.

“The lake?” he responds, bewildered.

“Yes. The pyramid was originally built at the edge of a small lake,” I explain.

He makes no response.  

********

“The altars were apparently used for sacrificial ceremonies,” Porfirio says.

“Have you heard that the altars in fact had the function of harmonizing the vibration of the Earth 
with the Sun?”

Once again, he makes no response.  

********

“Porfirio, if you had the power, what would you do with this park and pyramid?” I ask this guide, 
whom I have taken a liking to.  

He thinks about it a bit, amd then he says, “I would strengthen the supports in the tunnels and cut 
down on the number of tourists.”

“You know what I would do?” I tell him.  “I would get rid of the church on the top of it and I would 
completely renovate the pyramid.”

He smiles.

********

Of the murals and pictures on the walls not much is left.  But the one on the wall which shows “a 
party with drink” (and which is still unexplained) seems to me like a precursor to four-dimensional 
cubism.  

********

This return visit to Mexico has left me with a feeling of the inferiority of the civilization to which I 
belong.  We have these colossal buildings with an earthquake resistant design.  We have 
pictoglyphs which we cannot decipher.  We have a culture about which we know almost nothing.  
Who? When? and Why? And a disappearance which coincides with the disappearance of the Maya 
(southeast of here) and a population of half a million at Teotihuacan (northwest of here).  

Cholula poses new questions.  











The Magnificent Monte Alban 


Monte Alban, Oaxaca, Mexico 


The Puebla-Oaxaca highway, in a comfortable bus, four and a half hours’ journey. We are headed 
southeast toward the archeological jewels of Monte Alban and Mitla.

How many different civilization have considered Mexico their homeland? and how many have 
disappeared forever leaving us without the chance of learning from their achievements and their 
failures?

The route that we today are traveling was taken earlier by others. And not by just a single 
civilization.

********

From Oaxaca to Monte Alban is a mere eight miles. A local bus takes you there for $3. A tourist 
bus will charge you $30. I managed to find the local bus station to catch the bus (which didn’t look 
like much) and in half an hour we had climbed along the narrow winding road which led to an 
elevated flatland overlooking the valley. 

The magic of Monte Alban begins with its size. It is officially proclaimed to be the second largest 
ceremonial center in Mexico after Teotihuacan.

The location of this architectural complex is a mountain peak which has been perfectly leveled, 
similar to the plateau for the pyramids at Ghiza. Of course we are once again told that this was done 
without the help of the wheel, draft animals or metal tools. Fifty-five acres of land (eight times the 
area of the Vatican in Rome) is the extent of this space.

We are confronted with the mystery of the stone blocks and slabs, each weighing tens of tons-how 
were they transported several thousand years ago? 

Then we have the hieroglyphics which still today are mostly undeciphered. They can be seen to 
originate from the same source as the Mayan, 300 miles to the east. 

Here we also have original stone blocks, as old as this “city”, which on all four sides show carved 
faces with Negroid anthropological features. The attempts to interpret them have given feeble 
results: some refer to them as dancers and others as slaves or prisoners. Only when we manage to 
decipher the texts will we be able to know what these figures represent.



The location of the Monte Alban pyramids corresponds perfectly to a north-south axis. The single 
exception to this is a structure known as the astronomy observatory which has the shape of an arrow 
and is positioned at a 45-degree angle. The observatory is pointed toward the star Alnilam – the 
central star of Orion’s belt.

Conventional archeological theory is at a loss to explain Monte Alban. Why was this location 
chosen for such a building site? All approaches to it are very steep, even dangerous for climbing. 
There is no source of water. It was never used for residence. There is no military use for it. The 
building material used for the construction of these magnificent pyramids is not located anywhere 
nearby.

********

“Monte Alban” is the Spanish for “White Mountain.” The earliest use of this name dates from the 
17th century when the Spaniards had seized control of this territory. The ancient name for this center 
is “Sahandevui” - “at the foot of the heavens.” This is perfectly appropriate. It has a commanding 
position above three valleys. And the blue sky seems to be within easy reach. 

The Mixtecs called it “Yucucui” – “Green Peak” and the Zapotecs before them called it “the 
Mountain of Sacred Buildings.”

********

At the entrance to Monte Alban there are a few guides offering their services. I am not of interest to 
them since I am alone – they prefer groups who will pay them more. I start up a conversation with a 
few of them. I put out a question which I know they won’t be able to answer: “Who built the 
original structures here?”

I pick up information as I tour the site. I notice two people carefully examining one earthen terrace. 
I suppose that they are part of Richard Blanton’s team from Purdue University which is currently 
researching this location. Over the last eight years tens of thousand of stone tools, ceramic dishes 
and statues have been found. Thus far, 2100 terraces have been identified and some 30,000 maps 
have been made. A data-base has been created on the life of various cultures from 1500 B.C. until 
1521 A.D. and the arrival of the Spaniards. Bones of earlier migrants indicate that there were 
humans here more than 15,000 years ago.

The first serious archeological research here was done by Dr. Alfonso Caso in the period of 1931-
1953. His conclusions still dominate the literature: first, that the Zopotecs built Monte Alban about 
500 B.C. and second, that it was abandoned in the beginning of the 10th century A.D. and settled 
again by the Mixtecs 200 years later.



Stephen Kowalewski of the University of Georgia estimates that about 500 people lived in the 
valley around 1500 B.C.  By 500 B.C. the number had reached 5,000. In another 300 years, the 
number leapt to more than 40,000. Over the next thousand years, the population swelled to 60,000-
making it one of the most significant centers of the region.

The mysterious abandonment of Monte Alban at the beginning of the year 900 A.D. is clearly 
connected with the disappearance of the Maya.

It is time that we should correct the official historical data to recognize that all of these cultures 
from Teotihuacan (north of Mexico City) and 2000 miles to the east-in the Yucatan and another 600 
miles to the south (Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador) all belong to one civilization. They 
have the same writing system, knowledge of astronomy, architectural achievements, spiritual life…

After so many years of research, Richard Blanton admits: “We really do not know why or when 
Monte Alban was built.”

He goes on to say: “Perhaps we will find out more when we manage to decipher the hieroglyphics 
on the stone blocks known as “Danzante” (the dancers) – the oldest written text in the Americas.

********

This impressive complex contains a message for our civilization. 

We can draw a parallel between the technological and developmental boom of our two civilizations; 
wars and conquest; but note our spiritual inferiority. Was their disappearance (from this dimension) 
voluntary? Is the cataclysm awaiting us inevitable?

********

The plateau is peaceful and quiet. Occasionally a guide will clap and the echo can be heard 
everywhere around. I climb to the top of the pyramid. An impressive view lies below me: three 
valleys with the city of Oaxaca at 1700 yards above mean sea level. Monte Alban is 500 yards 
above that. The pyramid puts me another 50 yards closer to the sky.

As always, it is windy at the peak of the pyramid. There is no shelter and no let-up. You are 
exposed to the weather which warns you of your frailty beneath the heavens. 

Below me there is a mixing of the distant and the recent past. After the mysterious founders of this 
center there followed the rise and fall of a whole series of cultures. Below the main part of town 
there were built less imposing houses where ordinary people lived. Most of their lives they spent 
cultivating the small garden terraces, climbing and descending the slopes of Monte Alban. They 
carried water, fruit and vegetables, fish, jewelry, decorations, tools, ceramics and textiles. They 
celebrated and buried their priests and rulers. In a later period they witnessed sacrificial and other 
complex ceremonies and rituals.  



The sacrosanct nature of the city was violated long ago as the religious rulers pushed to have their 
bodies buried next to the pyramids and temples, believing that this would enable them to be forever 
close to the sky or “the heavens.” Hundreds of burial spots under the ground were scattered about 
the plateau of Monte Alban. And hundreds of grave robbers soon carted off the earthly treasures 
which had been interred with the bodies.

Primitive customs of sacrifices and appeals to the gods are maintained even in the present day. 
According to reports of Blanton, one day “we came across a hole which had been dug a few days 
earlier in which an offering of a turkey (with its head cut off) had been made to the gods together 
with a few cigarettes.”

********

For three thousand years Monte Alban maintained close connections with the other elite super 
centers of the region such as Teotihuacan, Cholula, Palenque, Tikal and Copan. Stone pyramids 
decorated with murals rose to the heavens throughout Central America.

And then, suddenly, in about the year 900 A.D., these sophisticated cities were abandoned. The 
population disappeared. The jungle began to swallow up the white stone.

Several hundred years passed before primitive Indian tribes from the north moved in to settle these 
abandoned cities.  And another couple of hundred years before the arrival of the European 
conquerors. 

********

The enigma of the choice of Monte Alban as the location for building has an answer. The mountain 
that this complex is resting on is an energy potent point. Energetic lines can be found with divining 
rods.  Usually several such lines cross at the places where pyramids and temples have been built.

After the founders of Monte Alban found this energy location, they began the building of the first 
structures. Electrically and magnetically potent points enabled attainment of the desired spiritual 
level.

With the passage of centuries and millennia, at the places of early spiritual centers temples and 
pyramids were built. Architecturally perfected, they elicited awe and wonder by their external 
appearance. The memory of the original inhabitants faded and in time was completely lost.

By extension of the original buildings complex ceremonial centers were created. And various 
religious methods were practiced within them, including sacrifices. 

But these later phenomena had nothing in common with the creators of this and other centers. The 
original function of Monte Alban was forever forgotten. 

And the archeological ruins became modern tourist centers.














Mitla – a Spiritual Portal 


Mitla, Oaxaca, Mexico


The city of half a million which is Oaxaca at first glance is no different from most other cities of 
Mexico. Single-storey gray suburbs, heavy traffic. I set out from the bus station in search of 
lodgings in the center of town.

The side streets seem somehow more appealing. An unusual greenish volcanic rock has been used 
in many of the buildings. 

Others have been painted turquoise or lavender. Along with this there is a recognizable baroque 
architecture. Two unusually large parks and here I am in the center of town, known as the “Zokalo”

Five hundred years ago (in 1526) the Spaniards encountered a fortress of the Aztecs which was only 
about 40 years old. It is supposed that it was built on the foundations of a much older city. The 
leading architect of the kingdom, Garcia Bravo, who also planned Mexico City and Vera Cruz, was 
brought to Oaxaca. With string and chalk he marked off north, south, east and west; the building of 
the “Zokalo” (square) was begun. The Cathedral was built on one side of town (on an Aztec burial 
ground) and the Governor’s Palace on the other.  This was the traditional Hispanic way of 
symbolizing “the balance between the earthly and spiritual powers.” 

Cortez was so fond of this town that the king declared him “the Marquis of Oaxaca Valley.” His 
distant cousin, Gonzalo de las Casas, set about in 1546, with a work force of more than 6000 
Indians, to build houses for the next 25 years with Baroque architecture, creating a colonial charm 
nestled into this valley which outdoes anything else in Mexico. It therefore comes as no surprise 
that UNESCO declared the entire city a protected part of the World’s heritage.

It is Saturday afternoon. The center is closed to traffic. The many street vendors, thousands of 
balloons, music, children, tourists, Indians, white, yellow, black – all mixing in these few square 
miles. I’m still looking for lodging. The better hotels are too expensive, the less expensive ones are 
all full.

I don’t mind the walking – it gives me a chance to get to know the city. This is the home town of 
two of the best known Mexican presidents. Benito Juarez was a Zapotec Indian without a formal 
education. He became governor and head of state (1858-1872). He defeated the French army and 
removed the Austrian archduke, Maximilian, from the throne. In the eyes of the people he became  
a mythical character and national hero. Every town has a street named after him, or a monument, or 
the university.

The story of Porfirio Diaz is different. This Mixtec Indian built a military career which enabled him 
to establish a long-term dictatorship (1876-1910). Although he opened up the country to foreign 
investment, the great majority of the population remained poor. He left the country at the time of 


the Revolution of 1910. The last years of his life he spent in Paris, living with his memories, hating 
French food and remembering the colors and smells of Oaxaca.

Finally I found myself a simple youth hostel.  Its owners were very pleasant people.  I tell them 
about what I want to see.  They give me advice on how to get the most for my money.  

I pass by the Dominican church of Santa Catalina. This is where Juan de Cordoba spent 25 of his 
100-year-long life. They say that throughout his entire life he never touched money. He put on 
sandals only for the time of mass. He spent his life in meditation and in compiling a dictionary of 
the Zapotec language. Even today the Indians revere him as a saint. 

The writer D.H Lawrence lived here for several years. The philosopher Nitsche wanted to do the 
same. John Lennon descended into the nearby caves, wanting to go as deep as possible into the 
center of the earth. Elliot Weinberger (the translator of Octavio Paz) announced that the Zokalo was 
“the perfect place to do nothing.”

And he was right. I sit down on the wrought iron bench on the main square. It is Saturday evening 
and everyone is dressed in their most beautiful and colorful outfits. The restaurants, galleries, and 
cafes are full of people sitting, talking and singing. The sound of guitars and tambourines fills the 
air. On the park bench next to me a mother is feeding her son. He looks at me with his big dark 
eyes-at first shyly and then with a big smile. In the center of the park there is a bandstand which 
seems to have been left from Austria a hundred years ago, where concerts are held three times a 
week. That evening was the first time I felt really comfortable in a colonial Hispanic town. There 
was no smell of the military domination of the Conquistadores. Oaxaca was not on Cortez’s route of 
conquest but it had surrendered before Moctezuma’s defeat. There is no evidence of destruction of 
the ancient pyramids and temples (only of the Aztec fortress). But there is instead the wealth of 
various cultures and races living together in peaceful coexistence which lends a particular charm to 
this city.

According to a Mixtec saying, “A healthy person is one who lives happily and in peace.” The magic 
of the Zokalo and the Saturday fiesta (and several hours on Sunday afternoon) provided moments 
which I spent as “a healthy person.”

********

How old is civilization? The residents of the small town of Santa Maria del Tule (east of Oaxaca) 
say that it is as old as their “ahuehuete” or “Tree of Tule” (Arbol del Tule). 

The oldest tree in the world is located in the center of this small town, in the churchyard – it is a 
cypress over two thousand years old. It is 160 feet tall and 185 feet in its spread. It weighs 650 tons. 

********

Another 30 miles journey by van brought me to the archeological site of Mitla. The translation of 
the name of this place is the same, whether we are talking about the Spanish name “Mitla”, its name 
in the Aztec Nahuatl language “Nictlan”, and the Zapotec language “Lyobaa.” The meaning is “the 
Place of the Dead.”

This place has been inhabited for all of its 3,000 years of existence. Archeological findings trace it 
back as far as 900 B.C. but cannot tell us about the origins of those who built this sacred place.

The culture of the Zapotec Indians left visible remains of buildings erected between 200 and 900 
A.D. After their disappearance around 1000 A.D. they are replaced by the Mixtecs. The Zapotecs 
return in 1200 A.D. The Aztecs after several attempts finally enter this place in 1494. Only twenty 
years later the arrival of the Spanish brings an end to the story.

Mitla was not taken over by the jungle like most of the other cities of the Maya. Because of this the 
walls, decorations, and even colors on the wall have remained more intact in certain places.  
Particularly impressive is the red color of the façade which survives after more than a thousand 
years, despite being exposed to the elements. The walls of the palace have 100,000 unique 
decorated stone squares and rhombs formed by, and filled with, geometric figures.  

In contrast to the vast majority of ancient buildings here there are no zoomorphic or anthropo-
morphic representations. Instead, abstract geometric forms introduce a new element in spirituality 
and art. I wondered as I looked at them whether they were stylized representations of the god, 
Quetzaqoatl, the sea, the transitory nature of things, or whether they just had a special visual effect 
which enables or contributes to making it easier to achieve the desired spiritual level.

I continue to examine them carefully. The stone mosaics were carefully polished and perfectly 
inlaid into walls more than a meter thick. No adhesive material had been used.  Magnificent 
craftsmanship!  

Inside the palace is the so-called “Courtyard of Pillars.” Six impressive monolithic stone pillars of 
volcanic rock were once the support for the roof of this building. 

From the 130-feet long “Courtyard of Pillars” one enters a new chamber which is the greatest 
mystery of Mitla. The walls are covered with panels of stone mosaics. Archeologists are at a loss to 
explain the purpose of this room.

The only written evidence we have is from the Spanish conquerors and is related to the last users – 
the Zapotecs. In 1580 Canseco wrote this description: “In this building they had their idols and they 
gathered here for religious ceremonies. They carried out rites of sacrifice to their gods and other 
religious ceremonies. Their high priest – the equivalent of our Pope – lived in the residence.”

The oldest and therefore most significant piece of information we have is the legend which states 
that this chamber was earlier used for the final phase of the initiation rites of the “shamans” who 
were trained in magic and healing.


Using divining rods, evidence has been found of greater-than-usual energy activity in this rock. 
There are certain authors who claim that this chamber was a portal between spiritual dimensions.

I leave the palace and head south to the next small plaza. There are ruins of walls with impressive 
stone thresholds above the entrances. The carved stone lintels each weigh in the neighborhood of 
twenty tons. At their base there is an underground passage which leads to the tombs. I use the 
improvised steps to go down there. There are more geometric mosaics on the wall. The tombs are 
empty. They had already been robbed centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards. I take a few 
minutes’ rest in one before continuing on. 

The circular support column inside the tomb area has several myths or superstitions connected with 
it.  According to legend, if one wraps ones arms around this stone megalith:

1. The distance between your hands indicates how many years of life you have left (one finger 
width for each year remaining);
2. If the column moves, death will strike immediately; 
3. Hugging the column contributes to fertility. 

I couldn’t resist the temptation to hug the column. I closed my eyes and listened. The column did 
not move. My fingers did not meet. As for fertility, I was not particularly concerned about that.

At sunset I depart from Mitla. “The Place of the Dead” had not always been a prestigious location 
for the tombs of the high priests.

********

This planet does not belong to us. Neither is it the possession of our grandchildren, as some would 
like us to think (“We have this Earth on loan from our grandchildren.”). In fact, it is the other way 
around. We belong to the Earth.

The original builders of Mitla were aware of this. They knew where the earth’s energy potential 
points were. And they built on this.

After their departure all that was left were the legends and lore, as well as conflicts of those who 
came afterward.

********

Once again I am in Oaxaca. I have supper at the Zokalo. A whole river of people are walking by, 
but there is a peacefulness in the air. I once again think about how nice it would be to live here. 
Two tables away I notice the pleasant face of a sixty-year-old-man. Gray hair, beard and mustache, 
pale blue shirt with a dark blue scarf around his neck. On a couple of occasions our eyes meet.



I pay the bill and walk past his table, and I nod in greeting. He says hello and invites me to join 
them at his table. He is with his wife. She has dark skin, her black hair is pulled back into a bun, and 
she has a nice smile. He introduces himself as “Felipe.” His wife is Mexican and he is from 
Wisconsin. He came here 25 years ago, and he stayed. “Felipe” was once known as “Philip.”

In the next 10 minutes, which was how much time I had till my bus departed, we covered Atlantis, 
Lemuria, the Maya and Peru, and the mysterious valley of Oaxaca.

He asked me whether I had read James Churchward, who wrote about the first human civilization, 
Lemuria.

As we parted, I said that every person we meet in our life has some message for us. He nodded in 
agreement. It took about 15 days for me to discover the message that he had given me. In returning 
to Churchward’s writing, I found a reference to the Maya. At that point I realized that I would 
conclude this book with the story of Lemuria. 

At the bus station I get the last available seat on the bus for that evening. I have 14 hours of 
traveling ahead of me. From Oaxaca in the heart of Mexico towards the forested mixed-up land of 
Chiapas. 













The Magical Palenque 


Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico


As I am entering the state of Chiapas, I am reminded of the fact that this is the most turbulent region 
of Mexico; a military patrol inspects all cars, trucks and busses on the road. A revolutionary 
rebellion of the Indians was started by a “Commander Marcos” in early 1994. They took the name 
“Zapatistas” after Emilian Zapata, a hero of the 1910 revolution when the president, Porfirio Diaz, 
was forced to flee the country. At that time, agrarian reform was proclaimed which unfortunately 
has never been completely implemented. Generally widespread poverty once again forced the 
Indians to rise up and make themselves known.

“The Lord of the Night, Master of the Mountain, a Man without a Face”, Marcos is a modern rebel 
of the 21st century who publishes his manifestos on the Internet. He caused a sensation when with a 
hundred of his followers, he paraded on the streets of La Realidad in the mid-90s armed with rifles 
from the “antiquariat.” The Mexican army strengthened its numbers in the area after the Zapatistas 
expelled the first white ranchers from Chiapas. Today the mysterious