Mysterious ancient sites dot every corner of Earth. Some of these archaeological sites seem to defy the technological capabilities of their time, either because they’re too big, too heavy, or too complex. As such, some suggest the ancient builders of the Egyptian pyramids, the Nasca Lines, and others were following an extraterrestrial instruction manual. Perhaps the hands that crafted these ancient structures weren’t really of this world. To be sure, it’s fun to think about whether aliens have visited Earth. After all, humans are on the threshold of expanding our reach in space, and places like Mars are in our sight. But the truth is, there’s no evidence suggesting that aliens have ever been here. Invoking a supernatural explanation for some of the most monumental of human achievements skips over the ingenuity of prehistoric civilizations.
Extraterrestrials helped the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids at Giza. The remains of a human-alien hybrid baby proves intelligent life exists out in the universe and has visited Earth. These are a few of the outlandish theories touted by practitioners of pseudoarchaeology.
The proliferation of pseudoarchaeology in recent years on television and the internet, with massively popular shows such as Ancient Aliens and The Curse of Oak Island, demonstrates the appeal of these theories with the general public.
One of the key takeaways from the Paideia course was that much of psudoarchaeological theory is fundamentally rooted in racist presuppositions about human history. “Why aren’t they?” Landvatter replied enthusiastically. “You see [pseudoarchaeology] principally applied to places that are exoticized, like Peru, Native American civilizations, Meso-America, Egypt, India,” he said. Biased-sometimes racist-narratives are not exclusive to pseudoscience, and it is important to identify and interrogate these dominant narratives, according to Platte and Landvatter. “That is something that we can’t just blame on the History Channel; we have to blame it more broadly on the way that we talk about the past and the way we talk about global civilization,” said Platte.
It’s not just children who are confused by things they watch and hear - adults are falling prey to false realities presented as fact, too. She laments that pseudoarcheology is often racist and xenophobic - that is, it displays prejudice by proposing that ancient people groups could not have built the structures they did without ET assistance. Ultimately, Kurnick warns viewers to remain skeptical and to understand that “you don’t need aliens to make archaeology interesting.”
Read also: Contact with Extraterrestrials
Although Ancient Aliens is aired on History, investigate what the show exhibits as fact. From a Christian perspective, we should be careful about the media we consume. This applies to everything we allow into our mind. Entertainment can be just that, but entertainment can also begin to change our worldview. Beware of the illusory truth effect - the more a person hears a theory presented as fact, the more likely they will begin to believe the theory is true (even if there isn’t anything to prove it). Instead, fill your mind with the life-saving Word of God. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32, NIV). Do not simply consume what the media presents as entertainment. Abide in God’s Word. Know the truth.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
Of all the examples of pyramids in Egypt, the most famous is certainly the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one still surviving, and for nearly 4,000 years it stood as the tallest human-made structure in the world. Now, more than 50 pyramids remain in Egypt: colossal feats of architecture and lasting monuments to the ancient civilisation of the pharaohs.
But the complexity of the pyramids poses a significant challenge to archaeologists studying ancient Egypt. How, exactly, did this civilisation construct such magnificent and technically precise monuments? As with the likes of Stonehenge, there are many challenging theories that seek to answer these questions of who built the pyramids, and how. A pyramid conspiracy even exists, and poses the provocative question: did aliens build the ancient Egyptian pyramids?
Standing at nearly 500 feet and weighing approximately 6.5 million tons, the Great Pyramid in Giza is the last remaining wonder of the Seven Wonders of the World. Because it is such a spectacle, it is the subject of many conspiracy theories, some of which are presented frequently on Ancient Aliens.
First, Ancient Aliens suggests that there is a mathematical code in the Great Pyramid’s design - one evincing “technological sophistication far in excess of anything that we have today,” according to David Wilcock. Much is made by Ancient Aliens about the measurements of the Great Pyramid and its alignment to the stars, particularly Orion’s Belt, and the equator - proving, at least in ancient astronaut theorists’ minds, that ETs were influential in its creation. David Childress, a frequent guest on Ancient Aliens, highlights the so-called “mathematical knowledge that is encoded into the Great Pyramid, the measurements that are used in it.” For example, the Great Pyramid’s alignment with true north is within 3/60th of a degree, which is, apparently, “a more accurate alignment than any other structure on earth.” Giorgio Tsoukalos, who has been featured on more than 200 episodes of Ancient Aliens and is also co-executive director of the show, claims that the measurements of the Great Pyramid’s location and size must have been planned intentionally by ETs. He says, “When you consider the vast amount of information about the earth that’s encoded into the Great Pyramid, you can’t just dismiss all of this as pure coincidence.”
Read also: UFO Sightings
But astrophysicist Cornelius de Jager noted it is simple to find connection in numbers if we look hard enough. De Jager deduced that there was nothing special about the measurements of the Great Pyramid, drawing his conclusions from an experiment involving a bicycle in which he found apparent connections between the bike’s measurements and gravitational pull and the velocity of light. The connections were, according to de Jager, mere coincidences, just as the connections pseudoscientific researchers claim to have found between the Great Pyramid and the Earth. “Coincidences occur,” de Jager said, “regularly in numerical experiments, as in daily life. Those who do not realize that such coincidences are not ‘rare’ often incorrectly use them to imply paranormal events. Most people greatly underestimate the enormous amount of possible combinations between numbers.
Another theory from Ancient Aliens about the Great Pyramid and other pyramids throughout the world is that they are power plants that create energy and electromagnetic vibrations. These vibrations from the pyramid permit “transmission of people, objects, or consciousness from dimension to dimension.” Not only that, but according to ancient astronaut theorists, the Great Pyramid is a time machine, capable of defying the laws of physics. The show emphasizes that pharaohs were seen as Egyptian gods and were in contact with the “guardians of the sky.” One such example is Ramesses II. Ancient Aliens implies that Ramesses was a descendant of the god of the afterlife, Osiris, and was part human, part god.
The Great Pyramid has been thoroughly explored, but there is no proof to show that it is a device that provides access to another time or place. Instead, scientists and archeologists have found evidence of burial equipment and mummies in many of the pyramids.
Ancient Aliens has some theories about the Great Sphinx, which is located about half a mile from the main pyramid complex in Giza. The first theory is that it is a communication device used to talk with ETs. The giant monolith contains no inscriptions, but there is an epigraphic stele called the Dream Stele, which is between the front paws of the structure. It is said that Thutmose IV had a dream where the Sphinx spoke to him, promising him that he would one day be pharaoh, even though he was not in the line of succession. Ancient Aliens homes in on some text that says, “I have been here since the first time,” which to ancient astronaut theorists means that the Sphinx is older than Egyptologists say it is.
The Great Pyramid Mystery: The Oldest Cover-Up In History
The show also theorizes that the Sphinx contains the historical records of the so-called lost city of Atlantis. Proof is provided in the form of testimony from American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce. Cayce said that he had a direct connection with Ra, the Egyptian sun god. During one of his readings, Cayce said Ra told him that he had built the Great Pyramid. Egyptologists believe the Sphinx, a human-headed lion, was built around 2500 B.C. but admit they do not know why it was built. Its purpose may have been to honor the pharaoh Khafre, who was likely the subject of the human head present on the monolith. It is possible it once also had a lion’s head but that it was changed into a human head either due to weathering, destruction, or by order from the pharaoh himself.
Read also: The Ethics of Contacting Aliens
“If we meekly accept the neat package of knowledge that the Egyptologists serve up to us,” author Erich von Däniken says, we would be making a mistake. In his books Chariot of the Gods (Berkley Books, 1999) and The Eyes of the Sphinx (Berkley Books, 1996), he frequently questions the reliability of specialists like archeologists and historians even though they often have a master’s degree or PhD in their field of study; instead, he insists that conspiracy theories trump formal educational expertise. Von Däniken’s voice matters in this context because he is considered by Ancient Aliens to be the godfather of ancient astronaut theory, though he did not invent the pseudoscientific hypothesis.
Were the pyramids built by aliens? The conspiracy theory explained
So the theory has it, the pyramids were not the result of decades-long construction projects involving tens of thousands of people, gigantic logistical and administrative efforts, near-inexhaustible supplies of stone, and master architects and engineers. Instead, they were built by aliens, or at least aliens showed humans how to build them.
Extra-terrestrial interference has not been the only theory to explain how an ancient civilisation boasted such awesome monuments.
The evidence that debunks the pyramid conspiracy
Archaeological evidence strongly suggests that the pyramids of ancient Egypt were built not by aliens, but by large groups of Egyptian labourers equipped with effective tools, directed by an impressive organisational ability.
“If we take the Great Pyramid of Giza, we know that it was built by gangs of workers summoned under a sort of national service or corvée system,” explains Professor Joyce Tyldesley, Egyptologist at the University of Manchester. They had fairly basic but effective tools, and the workers were able to cut blocks of stone, transport them to the construction site and gradually erect the pyramid. “There are parts of the technology we can’t see today - for example, the ramps - but basically, it was the sheer amount of person power that made it all possible.”
The existence of a limestone quarry near to the site of the Great Pyramid, plus evidence of the camp sites for the workers, reveals how extensive the project would have been. “We have evidence of how they were fed and for the cemeteries where they were buried,” adds Professor Tyldesley.
But it is only in the past 50 to 70 years that our understanding of pyramid building has made significant strides, which for a long time left a vacuum in which conspiracy theories were able to take root. Egyptologists, archaeologists and historians could do more, according to Professor Tyldesley, to present the evidence and a credible alternative to the idea of alien visitors.
“The construction of the pyramids encouraged not only building techniques, it encouraged civil service to develop to coordinate all the workers; the development of boats to ship timber or stone; medical skills to deal with accidents; and possibly increased the sense of community. I think the building of the pyramids is absolutely fundamental to the building of Egypt.”
What is the source of the 'pyramids built by aliens' theory?
Although pyramids have existed for more than four millennia - and across many civilisations around the world - the introduction of aliens was a fairly recent idea. “I would say it really develops after HG Wells publishes The War of the Worlds in 1897. This starts a run of sci-fi books,” says Professor Tyldesley.
“There’s one in particular in 1898, Edison’s Conquest of Mars [by American astronomer and writer Garrett P Serviss], which reveals that the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx are Martian constructions. It’s not supposed to be a serious book; it’s fiction. But this idea that someone from outside Earth might have visited Egypt and built the pyramids took hold.”
In 1968, the Swiss author Erich von Däniken published his bestselling book, Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past, which went a long way in popularising the theory that ancient astronauts visited Earth, were welcomed as gods, and greatly influenced the cultures, religions, technologies and, of course, architecture of ancient civilisations.
The reasons why the theory took hold
There is a compelling argument that the belief in ancient aliens visiting Earth and imparting their superior knowledge stemmed, initially at least, from a refusal to believe that an ancient civilisation could actually construct such impressive monuments. Thus, the credit goes to some external power.
“It’s not appreciating the skills and abilities of the people of the past because we have sufficient evidence to show that these people could do this type of building,” says Professor Tyldesley. “But I think there’s more to it than that. Prior to the idea of aliens helping to build the pyramids, we had the idea that people from Atlantis might have helped, and prior to that we had the idea that God inspired the builders.”
The long succession of changing and evolving theories may be a result of the longevity of the pyramids themselves: they are still there, inspiring wonder and bewilderment.
Other Enigmatic Structures
Here are seven of the largest and most enigmatic structures on the planet:
- Sacsayhuamán: Outside the old Inca capital of Cusco, a fortress called Sacsayhuamán rests in the Peruvian Andes. The site was built from enormous stones that were chiseled and stacked together like a jigsaw puzzle. Some say Sacsayhuamán could be the work of an ancient civilization that had a little help from interstellar friends. The 1,000-year-old interlocking fortress walls are made of rocks that weigh as much as 220 tons each, and which were carried more than 20 miles before being lifted and fit into place with laser-like precision. Turns out the Inca were as adept at building houses and fortified complexes as they were at watching the sky and keeping calendars. In fact, Sacsayhuamán isn’t the only example of this intricate masonry. Similar walls exist throughout the Inca Empire, including one in Cusco where a 12-angled stone has been carefully wedged into place. More recently, archaeologists have uncovered traces of the rope-and-lever system the Inca used to transport stones from their quarries to their cities-a system that relied on strength and ingenuity, rather than alien architects.
- Nasca Lines: On a high and dry plateau some 200 miles southeast of Lima, more than hundreds of long, straight white lines are etched into the Peruvian desert, seemingly at random. Joining them are 430 geometric shapes, including figures of animals like a spider, a monkey, and a hummingbird. In recent years, scientists using AI technology have discovered 300 more glyphs. The longest of the lines run straight as an arrow for miles. The biggest shapes stretch nearly 1,200 feet across and are best viewed from the air. Scientists suspect the Nasca (also spelled Nazca) Lines, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are as many as two millennia old. Because of their age, size, visibility from above, and mysterious nature, the lines are often cited as one of the best examples of alien handiwork on Earth. Otherwise, how would people from the ancient world have been able to make such huge designs in the desert without being able to fly? And why? Turns out, it’s rather easy to understand how. Called geoglyphs, these enigmatic designs are made by removing the top, rust-colored layer of rocks to expose the brighter white sand underneath.
- Stonehenge: A huge circle of stones, some weighing as much as 50 tons, sits in the English countryside outside Salisbury. Known as Stonehenge, the Neolithic monument inspired Swiss author Erich von Däniken to suggest it was a model of the solar system that also functioned as an alien landing pad. After all, how else could those massive stones have ended up hundreds of miles from their home quarry? No one knows what, exactly, the meaning of Stonehenge is. But, as with all the other sites in this collection, the explanation is not aliens. Instead, scientists have demonstrated it’s actually possible to erect such things using technologies that would have been around 5,000 years ago, when the earliest structures at the site were built. And now, it appears as though the stones are aligned with solstices and eclipses, suggesting the Stonehenge builders were at least keeping an eye on the heavens, even if they didn’t come from above.
- Teotihuacán: Teotihuacán, meaning the “City of the Gods,” is a sprawling, ancient city in Mexico that’s best known for its pyramidal temples and astronomical alignments. Built more than 2,000 years ago, Teotihuacán’s age, size, and complexity can make it seem otherworldly, but it’s very much the work of humans. Scientists suspect that over centuries, a mix of cultures including Maya, Zapotec, and Mixtec built the city that could house more than 100,000 people. With its murals, tools, transportation system, and evidence of advanced agricultural practices, Teotihuacán is often considered much more technologically developed than should have been possible in pre-Aztec Mexico.
- Easter Island Moai: The enigmas surrounding the moai, Easter Island’s fleet of large stone figures, pretty much follow the same narrative as the other sites described here: How in the world did the Rapa Nui make these figures more than 1,000 years ago? And how did the moai end up on Easter Island? Carved from stone, the nearly 900 human figures are sprinkled along the flanks of the island’s extinct volcanoes. The figures average 13 feet tall and weigh 14 tons and appear to have been chiseled from the soft volcanic tuff found in the Rano Raraku quarry. The reasons for carving the moai are mysterious, though they were likely sculpted for religious or ritual reasons. It’s also not exactly clear what happened to the stone-crafting Rapa Nui. One theory suggests their civilization succumbed to an environmental disaster of their own making. But a 2024 Columbia University study challenges that claim.
- The Face on Mars: Spotted by the Viking 1 orbiter in 1976, the so-called “Face on Mars” is nearly two miles long and lies in a region called Cydonia, which separates the smooth plains of the Martian north from the more cratered terrain in the south. At the time of its discovery, scientists dismissed the “face” as shadow play. Over the decades, however, it has become a favorite among those who suspect aliens with a penchant for building things have been visiting the solar system. In 2001, NASA's Mars Global Surveyor took another good look at the face-using a much higher resolution camera-and saw … no face. Southwest.
