Radio Appearance—Just Energy Radio with Dr. Rita Louise

Tonight I will be on Just Energy Radio with Dr. Rita Louise. 

Listen Live, Thursday, August 1st from 8:00PM-10PM EST

You can also call in and listen to the show on your phone by dialing: (786)837-2262  

STAR Update and Upcoming Angkor Wat Tour

I've been so busy lately with STAR that I have not had a chance to blog as much as usual, nor have I been able to answer everyone's emails in a timely manner, but I want to thank everyone for their support as I work to get my organization, STAR (Society for Truth in Archaeological Research), off the ground. 

Exciting things are coming for STAR! Our online classes are in development, the STAR Journal is coming a long nicely, and our first trip is in the works. It will be a joint collaboration with Ancient Mysteries International this spring so stay tuned!

Here is a sneak peek at where STAR will be going this spring. STAR members are invited to join me on this amazing adventure to Angkor Wat! Get your passports ready! 

New Discovery Causes Rethinking of Ancient’s Technological Capabilities

An unbelievable discovery at the Gonur-Tepe site points to earlier advances in human civilization than had previously been believed. Researchers consider it to be home of the 5th oldest civilization, a civilization lost but clearly quite advanced. Once inhabited by Indo-Iranian people, Gonur-Tepe dates back to 2500 BCE.  

New discoveries at the site are forcing archaeologist to reconsider the technology of mosaic making. A well-preserved mosaic found at the site pre-dates the classical Greek and Roman mosaics known today.  

Gonur-Tepe  is home to a grand palace, fortified walls, and temples with Zoroastrian fire altars. Advanced molded metal, silver and gold trinkets, and glazed pottery are among some of the artifacts being uncovered. In addition to containers with traces of various mind altering plant residue, there is also evidence of tools for making and using soma for rituals, as mentioned in the Rigveda and haoma as in the Avesta.

The city is a massive walled complex. From an aerial view it resembles a maze and is about 30 miles from the ancient city of Merv outside the modern city of Mary. Merv dates back to the time of the Achaemenid Persians and reached its peak under Turkic rule in the 12th century CE. Merv was eventually sacked by the Mongols in 1221 which killed tens of thousands of people, leading others to abandon the ruins. 

Gonur-Tepe contains at least 354 archaeological monuments, the majority of which have only recently been studied due to its isolated location in Turkmenistan. Unfortunately, archaeologists are in a quandary about what to do with the artifacts since they need such careful restoration and conservation. 

While it is encouraging to see such cooperation in archaeology recently, more cooperation is needed. We must ensure that these discoveries are not only shared with the general public, but also preserved in their home countries. Cultural heritage is vitally important. It gives humans a sense of unity and belonging and can give us insight into our shared human origins. 



Let's hope they continue working in unity to find a solution.

Magnificent Lost Egyptian City Found Underwater

We really do live in a time of great discovery!

What has been called “The Gateway to Egypt”, the lost city of Thonis-Heracleion was an extravagant, pre-Alexandrian international trade hub in the first millennium BCE. The city had huge religious significance, as it housed the grand Temple of Amun. Hints of its location could only be found in ancient texts and rare inscriptions. Thonis-Heracleion had been considered a mere legend until only recently.

The city was called Thonis by the Egyptians and Heracleion by the Greeks, hence its current name. Anyone coming into the port had to stop and unloaded their cargo so it could be inspected and taxed by temple officials. Those who refused would have their ships deliberately sunk. To win favor, some would bring votives of Egyptian deities.

Similar to Pompeii, this is a civilization frozen in time. Evidence shows that this was a majestic and wealthy place of grandeur. The city’s population seemed to have peaked from the 6th to the 4th century BCE.

Amidst over 700 anchor points and over 60 beautifully preserved shipwrecks, they have recovered a trove of artifacts said to be in excellent condition. Retrieved material includes everything from colossal statues, inscripted tablets, architectural elements, jewelry, coins, bronze statuettes, pottery, and strange ritual objects. Most of the material depicts Egyptian deities Osiris, Isis, and Horus.

The city was discovered about 4 miles off the present coast, extending into the western side of Aboukir Bay. Excavations will continue in a joint effort between The Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology at the University of Oxford, the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology and Egypt’s Ministry of State for Antiquities. The results of this in-depth (no pun intended) research was recently presented at an international conference at the University of Oxford.

So what happened to this once glorious city? Evidence suggests that it sunk into the Mediterranean in the 8th century CE after multiple natural disasters, perhaps a deluge. There is no conclusive evidence yet, so for now, it remains a mystery.