Ancient Maps Unraveled on Lex Podcast, according to Graham Hancock and the Path to the Soul
In the vast expanse of the night sky, a glowing river of stars captivated ancient civilizations, inspiring myths and beliefs about the soul's journey from the physical world to the afterlife or spiritual realm. This celestial feature, known as the Milky Way, has been a symbolic cosmic pathway for countless cultures, from the Egyptian solar mythology to Austronesian oceanic voyage traditions.
Ancient Egyptian Beliefs
In the Egyptian belief system, the afterlife involved a soul's complex journey through the underworld (Duat) and a final judgment to determine worthiness for eternal life. Some versions of this belief included the soul traveling with the sun god Ra on his celestial journey, implying a cosmic route beyond Earth that the soul traversed. The Milky Way could be conceptually linked to this cosmic journey, representing the path of the sun or the soul's passage through heavens.
Austronesian and Filipino Traditions
In Austronesian and Filipino traditions, the soul is believed to travel across an ocean on a boat to the spirit world after death. This spiritual voyage often parallels the idea of a celestial river or pathway, akin to the Milky Way. Tattoos and other ritual markers helped guide or validate the soul's journey to the afterlife.
The symbolism of the Milky Way as a celestial river or path is widespread because it visually resembles a vast, glowing river in the night sky, naturally inspiring myths of souls or spirits traveling along it to reach otherworldly destinations.
The Precession of the Equinoxes
The precession of the equinoxes, a slow wobble of Earth's axis that takes nearly 26,000 years to complete, results in a cosmic ballet that shifts Earth's orientation to different stars. This celestial movement may have played a role in the universal belief in the Milky Way as a cosmic pathway.
The current age is the age of Pisces, but we are approaching Aquarius. This change in zodiac signs is due to the precession of the equinoxes, which moves the constellation that houses the sun during the spring equinox. Our pole star also changes over time due to this celestial movement.
The Invention of Writing and the Preservation of Knowledge
While the invention of writing may have diminished our capacity for memory, ancient peoples preserved their knowledge through oral traditions and storytelling. Carefully crafted stories encoded and transmitted complex information across generations, as suggested by the Egyptian tale of Thoth.
Scholars Santilliana and von Deshend propose that this sophisticated understanding of celestial mechanics may have been passed down from an ancient civilization. Graham Hancock, an authority on ancient astronomy, often shares insights into ancient astronomical knowledge on Twitter.
In various ancient civilizations, the belief that souls journey along the Milky Way after death is a shared commonality. This belief has taken on unique cultural expressions in each civilization, reflecting a universal attempt to visualize and conceptualize the soul's transition using the prominent celestial feature of the Milky Way as a guide or route. There is no single origin, but rather convergent symbolism linking the soul's postmortem journey to the celestial phenomenon of the Milky Way.
Some Portolano maps even depict Antarctica and Ice Age coastlines, suggesting the existence of sophisticated maritime civilizations. These maps show incredibly accurate relative longitudes, a feat not mastered by our civilization until the 18th century, further emphasizing the astronomical sophistication of ancient cultures.
In conclusion, the belief in the Milky Way as a cosmic pathway for the soul's journey is a universal motif across ancient civilizations. This symbolism reflects a profound understanding of celestial mechanics and a deep connection with the night sky that continues to inspire us today.
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