Ancient Technology in Peru & Bolivia

by David Hatcher Childress

David Hatcher Childress, popular Lost Cities author and star of the History Channel's long-running show Ancient Aliens, takes us to the mysterious ruins in the mountains of Peru and Bolivia in search of ancient technology and the secrets of megalith building. In his new book, packed with photos and diagrams, Childress examines the amazing stone cutting at Puma Punku near the ancient ruins of Tiwanaku near Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. He looks at whether the so-called "Inca walls"--found in Cuzco and at other sites such as Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu--were really made by the Incas. The evidence seems to support the idea that they were actually constructed by a far older culture. Childress examines the megalithic construction and underground chambers of Chavin in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, possibly the oldest megalithic site in South America; he speculates on the existence of a sunken city in Lake Titicaca and reveals new evidence that the Sumerians may have arrived in South America over 4,000 years ago. Childress demonstrates that the use of "keystone cuts" with metal clamps poured into them to secure megalithic construction was an advanced technology used all over the world, from the Andes to Egypt, Greece and Southeast Asia. He maintains that only power tools could have made the intricate articulation and drill holes found in extremely hard granite and basalt blocks in Bolivia and Peru, and that the megalith builders had to have had advanced methods for moving and stacking gigantic blocks of stone, some weighing over 100 tons. The incredible high-tech world of South America is illuminated in the informative and breezy style that Childress has been known for in his books and his appearances on television shows like Ancient Aliens.

324 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2012

About the author

David Hatcher Childress (born 1957) is an American author and publisher of books on topics in alternative history and historical revisionism. His works often cover such subjects as pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact, the Knights Templar, lost cities and vimana aircraft. Despite his public involvement in the general field of study, Childress claims to have no academic credentials as a professional archaeologist.

Born in France, and raised in Colorado, Childress began his world travels at age nineteen in pursuit of his archaeological interests. In 1983 Childress relocated to Stelle, Illinois, a community founded by New Age writer Richard Kieninger, after Childress was given a book authored by Kieninger while touring Africa. Childress chronicled his explorations in his Lost Cities and Ancient Mysteries series of books, whose core concepts were influenced by the ideas of Kieninger.

While residing in Stelle, Childress began self publishing his own works and later other authors, which focus on presenting fringe scientific theories regarding ancient civilizations and little-known technologies, as well as establishing a travel business in partnership with Kieninger. In 1991, in the nearby town of Kempton, Illinois, Childress, along with historian and linguist Carl W. Hart, founded the World Explorers Club, a group that often travels to the places he writes about, and an affiliated magazine, World Explorer.

David Hatcher Childress has appeared on several television programs on NBC ("The Mysterious Origins of Man"), Fox Network (Sightings and Encounters), Discovery Channel, A&E, The History Channel, as a commentator on subjects such as the Bermuda Triangle, Atlantis, and UFOs.

Childress has been involved in two lawsuits regarding his publishing activities, one of which failed due to the expiry of a statute of limitations and the other, involving his company's publication of a master's thesis without permission, which was settled out of court.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ha...

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have visited most of the ancient Peruvian and Bolivian archaeological sites mentioned in Childress's book, and I must confess that I find the mysteries surrounding them fascinating: how could these ancient structures have been built with the primitive technologies academic archaeologists and historians believe the builders had at the time? How could such precision joints and cuts be made? Why do structures built across the globes have strikingly similar architectural features when the cultures seemingly had no known ways to contact or learn from each other? Though the author of this book, David Childress, is a well-known conspiracy theorist, much of whose research falls outside of academic arguments about archaeology (and whose writing quotes from other fringe texts) he does pose some fascinating theories in response to some of the above questions. I can't say all of his theories are believable, but they are, at the very least, entertaining.

Please note that my Goodreads reviews evaluate books on the basis of how much I enjoy reading them, as opposed to their academic credentials. Were I to assess this book via the latter lens, it would score differently.

[Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about Peruvian archeology. First I've read from David Childress and It was very well written and informative.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book looks at the possible advanced technology that might have been used to produce and dress the huge megalithic stones from ancient Peru and Boliva's temples. Most modern architects feel that the stones are attributed to the Incan. Author, David Childress thinks more with a more broad mindedness.

Are historians and architects missing the possibilities that there was a civilization present in these countries thousand of years earlier. These ancient ones most likely had means of construction that were lost to memories during a cataclysmic event in the past.

The methods of construction, in this book, refer to other stones found in Tonga, Easter Island, and even Greece's past.

I was intrigued by the possibilities and thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

I was off-put by the numerous typos that the editor of the ebook versions made. After, I put my mindset into ignoring these errors, I truly did enjoy the book. Now, I shall endeavor to purchase a copy that I can see the photo images better.

[Bea Batres · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I have read by Childress, I found it very interesting. The author addresses the construction characteristics and challenges in the megalithic constructions in the Titicaca lake surrounding area. He takes us through a visit of the main sites in Perú and Bolivia, highlighting the characteristics that render mainstream beliefs of ancient technology incongruous with the evidence in ruins. He explores alternative theories to address these sites and mixes a bit of a "tourist blog" along the way.

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Childress, su esposa y Chris Dunn hicieron un viaje entre Perú y Bolivia, para visitar las ruinas que se dicen Incas en Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Tiahuanaco, Puma Punku y Machu Picchu, que son las más importantes. En otros tiempos nos teníamos que conformar con ver las fotos que los autores quería o podían mostrarnos, ahora basta con escribir el nombre e internet nos lleva al lugar del que los libros hablan. En este libro, Childres no menciona que estos lugares fueron construídos por extraterrestres. Él habla de culturas anteriores, muy anteriores a los Inca. Estos dijeron, en su momento, a los conquistadores españoles que ellos no habían construido esos pueblos, solamente los habían usufructuado.
Por otro lado, Childress se pregunta por ese lugar tan fortificado: Ollantaytambo. ¿De quién se defendían los pobladores? Respecto a Puma Punku se hace las preguntas clásicas: ¿A qué tipo de edificio pertenecen esos trozos de construcción y cómo fueron fabricados? Los investigadores franceses tienen una teoría. Así como los romanos hicieron un tipo de concreto de piedra molida que se aglutinaba con ceniza volcánica, de la misma manera las antiguas culturas sudamericanas megalíticas, utilizaron granito pulverizado y como aglutinante el guano traído de la costa. Pero como carecían de escritura no se sabe con qué herramientas se hacía los agujeros y los cortes limpios en la piedra.
También trata el tema de la "Fuente Magna," pieza de cerámica con escritura proto-sumeria.
Se trata de un libro fácil de leer.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Hatcher Childress, of Ancient Aliens fame, researches the megalithic building and ancient technology of Peru and Bolivia. Detailed, well written account of his exploration into what culture may have been responsible for the remarkable construction and where the technological knowledge may have originated. Extensively documented and full of photographs covering the various topics. Who, How and Why are laid out in an easy to read format that is instantly engaging and draw the reader into the mysteries.

[Connor Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by a great researcher and author, highly recommended to anyone interested in lost technology and other ancient mysteries