An Interview with Travis Simpkins. Journal of the Masonic Society. Issue 36. Spring, 2017

Journal of the Masonic Society. Issue 36. Spring, 2017. Interview with Travis Simpkins

     I'm honored to be the subject of a 4-page feature interview in the upcoming issue of The Journal of the Masonic Society (Issue 36. Spring, 2017). It's exciting to discuss my work and to see the faces of so many friends appearing in this international scholarly publication. David Glattly gets to share the first page with George Washington. My wife, Janet Simpkins, took the photo of me that appears on the 2nd page. It's great to see John F. Sullivan included as well. Thanks to Michael R. Poll for conducting the interview and to John Bridegroom for his art direction in putting it all together. Also included are portraits of Graham Hancock, Arturo de Hoyos, Chris Hodapp, Robert Davis, Michael R. Poll and the Co-Hosts of The Masonic Roundtable: Jon Ruark, Jason Richards, Robert Johnson, Juan Sepulveda and Nick Johnson.

For more info, please visit:

themasonicsociety.org

Graham Hancock: Youtube Interview Features Artwork by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock. Youtube interview 2017. Ancient Civilization. Art by Travis Simpkins

     Earlier this month, author Graham Hancock gave an interview regarding his work and thought-provoking research. My artwork, including the portrait of Mr. Hancock and sketches of ancient sculptures, serves as the cover art for the episode.

Graham Hancock: Past Human Race. Youtube Interview, 2017

For more info, please visit:

grahamhancock.com

Graham Hancock, Author of 'Fingerprints of the Gods.' by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock. Author. Fingerprints of the Gods. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Graham Hancock

Writer & Journalist

Best-Selling Author of

Fingerprints of the Gods

by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock: Lost Civilizations

For more info, please visit:

grahamhancock.com

Graham Hancock. Author. by Travis Simpkins. Fingerprints of the Gods

"Magicians of the Gods" by Graham Hancock

Magicians of the Gods

The Forgotten Wisdom of Earth's Lost Civilization

by Graham Hancock

St. Martin's Press, 2015

Notes by Travis Simpkins

     For the past 30 years, bestselling author Graham Hancock has made a career of posing intriguing questions and challenging long-held theories related to our ancient past. Billed as a sequel to his best known 1995 work, Fingerprints of the Gods, his latest tome Magicians of the Gods both compliments his earlier book and takes his brilliant writing in an expanded direction.

     The basic theory presented in both works maintains that a cataclysmic event occurred 12,800 years ago when fragments of a comet struck the Earth's northern ice caps, causing massive floods which erased nearly all traces of an early advanced civilization. These events were passed on in oral traditions and later preserved in the ancient texts of the world's religions… recounted in the more than 2,000 flood myths that permeate the traditions of virtually all known cultures. Can these corroborative yet unrelated legends really be a coincidence? 

     If all this sounds like a "Lost City of Atlantis" theory… that is because in essence, it is. 

     The text takes the reader on a round-the-world journey, beginning with the archaeological dig at Gobekli Tepe, which has been conclusively dated to at least 9,600 B.C. (more than 6,000 years older than any other previously known megalithic site). The quest continues to Indonesia and the "pyramid" and buried vaults at Gunung Padang. A brief sidetrack takes us to the scablands of the American Northwest for proof of the Younger Dryas comet's devastation and sudden after effects on the earth's terrain. We venture to the underground ancient city of Derinkuyu, where inhabitants spent many generations presumably in hiding (from a hostile climate). The Temple of Horus at Edfu offers an Ancient Egyptian take on the flood myth and Atlantis. The great Sphinx (which possibly had a lion's head to begin with) shows evidence of being much older than previously thought… it's creation originating in the age corresponding to the zodiac sign of  Leo, around 10,000 B.C. The megaliths and Trilithon at Baalbek offer pause for thought. The massive stones at Sacsayhuaman and Easter Island present further mystery as well.

     Mr. Hancock's research is a laudable pursuit, and the praise and audiences he receives at sold-out lectures are well deserved. Check out this great book, as well as all his other works of both non-fiction and fiction.

     On a personal note, I really enjoyed seeing Timothy Hogan (Grand Master, Knights Templar) being referenced, offering an interesting take on ancient signs and how they correspond to Masonic traditions and rituals.  

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gobekli Tepe

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Comet and Flood

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Comet and Flood

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Comet and Flood

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Antediluvian Sage

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gunung Padang

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Gunung Padang

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Derinkuyu

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Derinkuyu

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Temple of Horus at Edfu

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Temple of Horus at Edfu

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Sphinx and Pyramids

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Sphinx with a lion head

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Great Pyramids and Orion

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Great Pyramids and Orion

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Baalbek

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Baalbek

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Baalbek

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Baalbek

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Sacsayhuaman

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Sacsayhuaman

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Easter Island

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: Urfa Man

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock: The Sphinx

Magicians of the Gods. Graham Hancock

Graham Hancock. Website Blog. Upcoming Events and Appearances. Art by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock. Website Blog. Upcoming Events and Appearances. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

     Author Graham Hancock has posted the latest blog entry on his website, listing upcoming events and appearances including a spot on the Joe Rogan Experience. The portrait I made of Mr. Hancock is nicely featured on the page.

For more info, please visit:

grahamhancock.com/reaching-out-further-events

Graham Hancock Facebook Page Features Portrait by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock Facebook Page. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

     I'm pleased to see that bestselling author Graham Hancock has made my portrait his profile picture on Facebook. It's wonderful that the artwork will reach a wider audience, with his more than 300,000 Facebook followers. I have a great respect for Mr. Hancock's work. From the lost Ark of the Covenant (The Sign and the Seal) to the ruins of Gobekli Tepe (Magicians of the Gods), his books are always profound and thought provoking.

Graham Hancock Facebook Page. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

The National Arts Club. New York City: Lecture by Graham Hancock. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

The National Arts Club. Lecture by Graham Hancock. Portrait by Travis Simpkins

     Graham Hancock has informed me that the portrait I made of him last year (for his book tour) is being used to promote his lecture "The Art of Being an Outsider" at The National Arts Club in New York City later this month. Mr. Hancock is an amazing researcher, a wonderful author and one of the kindest souls in the business… I'm always honored to see my work placed in conjunction with his, especially at such a prestigious venue. If you'll be in the NYC area on November 28th, be sure to attend (but RSVP early, as his talks always sell out and/or reach capacity).

Visit:

nationalartsclub.org

Graham Hancock, Author of "Entangled". by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock. Author. Magicians of the Gods. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Graham Hancock

Writer & Journalist

Best-Selling Author of

Fingerprints of the Gods

by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock: Lost Civilizations

For more info, please visit:

grahamhancock.com

Graham Hancock. Author. by Travis Simpkins. Entangled

Graham Hancock, Author of "Talisman: Sacred Cities, Secret Faith." by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock. Author of Magicians of the Gods. by Travis Simpkins

Portrait Sketch of

Graham Hancock

Writer & Journalist

Best-Selling Author of

Fingerprints of the Gods

by Travis Simpkins

Graham Hancock: Lost Civilizations

For more info, please visit:

grahamhancock.com

Graham Hancock. by Travis Simpkins. Talisman: Sacred Cities, Secret Faith. Freemasonry

Phoenix is Risen: Graham Hancock "Magicians of the Gods" Book Promotion. Art by Travis Simpkins

Phoenix is Risen: Graham Hancock. Magicians of the Gods. Art by Travis Simpkins

     Travis Simpkins' artwork for Bestselling author Graham Hancock is on Phoenix is Risen, in continued promotion of Mr. Hancock's new book "Magicians of the Gods." Featured on the site is: What Can Humanity's Hidden Past Teach Us About Our Future? An Interview with Graham Hancock

The Mind Unleashed: Graham Hancock, Magicians of the Gods Book Promotion. Art by Travis Simpkins

The Mind Unleashed: Graham Hancock. Magicians of the Gods. Art by Travis Simpkins

     Travis Simpkins' artwork for Bestselling author Graham Hancock is on The Mind Unleashed, in continued promotion of Mr. Hancock's new book "Magicians of the Gods." Featured on the site is: What Can Humanity's Hidden Past Teach Us About Our Future? An Interview with Graham Hancock

Read the full interview on The Mind Unleashed here:
themindunleashed.org/graham-hancock

The Mind Unleashed: Graham Hancock. Magicians of the Gods. Art by Travis Simpkins

"The Sign and the Seal" by Graham Hancock

The Sign and the Seal

The Quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant

by Graham Hancock

Touchstone, 1992

Brief Review by Travis Simpkins

     Years of research and dangerous travel serve to unravel the enduring 3,000 year old mystery of the fabled lost Ark of the Covenant (which disappeared from written record around 600 BC) in The Sign and the Seal, Graham Hancock's bestselling masterwork of historic reportage. The well-crafted book examines the plausibility of the claim that the Ark of the Covenant (the real Biblical-era golden artifact topped by Cherubim) resides inside a guarded sanctuary in the ancient city of Axum, Ethiopia. 
     Ethiopian legend, the Kebra Nagast, tells that the Queen of Sheba was an Ethiopian beauty who indeed traveled to meet with King Solomon in Jerusalem (as stated in the Bible). However, in addition to sharing thoughts, the two also shared Solomon's bed and the Queen of Sheba gave birth to Solomon's son, named Menelik, after returning to Ethiopia. When Menelik was 20, he went to Jerusalem to meet his famous father at his temple. Soon after, Menelik conspired to steal the Ark of the Covenant and bring it back to Ethiopia… where it has remained ever since. Hancock maintains that the fanciful tale was muddled a bit in it's facts, but like many legends, holds some elements of truth… with clues hidden in unlikely places, like the niches of Chartres Cathedral.
     Research shows that others in history have been intrigued about the possibility that the powerful Ark resides in Axum. The presence of the Knights Templar, who derive their name from King Solomon's temple (which was built for the sole purpose of housing the Ark), is rumored to be visible in the rock-hewn churches of Ethiopia. Legend states that red-haired white angels built the complex edifices around the time of the Crusades. The Freemasons, the often rumored descendants of the Knights Templar, appear to have shown an interest as well (Masonic ritual centers around King Solomon's temple)… with Masonic nobleman James Bruce of Kinnaird mounting thorough expeditions of the area in the 18th Century.
     Much of Hancock's immersion resides with interviewing the people who live in the area in question. Ethiopia is home both to Christian sects as well as Hebrews. The Felashas, a group that practices Judaism straight out of the Old Testament, are likely the key to how the Ark came to be in Axum… removed from the temple in Jerusalem during the reign of Manasseh for safekeeping, and later brought to Ethiopia by way of centuries-long layovers in Egypt and mystical island lakes. The festival of Timkat, in which replicas of the Ark are paraded through the city by priests, provides an interesting spiritual context and contemporary cultural connection.
     The text also examines what the Ark really is. Of particular interest is the notion that the Ark was a manmade object, a "monstrous instrument." Constructed by Moses, who had been trained in all the magical Hermetic arts of Egypt as a young man (and was likely even a Kher Heb or "High Priest"), the atrocities that befell those who mishandled the Ark are reminiscent of exposure to radioactive material. The relic is made of near solid gold, a metal that is a strong conductor and is non-corrosive. The theory goes into much further detail…
     Graham Hancock began his fascinating quest to find the lost Ark of the Covenant shortly after the release of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark… and his writing style and enthusiasm make for a journalistic adventure on par with the film. His admirable work will surely be enjoyed by future generations as well as his present world-wide fan base. 

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Sanctuary of Ark of the Covenant - Axum, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Graham Hancock: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Ark of the Covenant: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Kebra Nagast: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Kebra Nagast: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Temple of King Solomon: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Queen of Sheba Meets King Solomon: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Chartres Cathedral: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Queen of Sheba and her Nubian Slave - Chartres Cathedral: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Nubian Slave: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Ark of the Covenant - Chartres Cathedral: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Ark of the Covenant: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Ark of the Covenant: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Axum, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Axum, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Axum, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Knights Templar: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Temple Mount: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Temple of King Solomon: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Ark of the Covenant: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Temple of King Solomon: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Rock Hewn Church - Ethiopia. Knights Templar: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Rock Hewn Church - Ethiopia. Knights Templar: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Rock Hewn Church - Ethiopia. Knights Templar: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

James Bruce of Kinnaird. Freemason: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Bruce's Travels. by James Bruce of Kinnaird. Freemason: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Structure of Freemasonry: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Egyptian Masonic Temple: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Ark of the Covenant: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Ark - Tomb of King Tut: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Elephantine, Egypt: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Tana Kirkos, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Timkat with Tabots, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Timkat with Tabots, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Timkat with Tabots, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Moses: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Axum, Ethiopia: The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

The Sign and the Seal. Graham Hancock

Graham Hancock- The Ark of the Covenant