Travis Simpkins: The Sphinx

Sunday, October 15, 2017

"Echoes of Atlantis" by David S. Brody

Echoes of Atlantis

Crones, Templars

and the Lost Continent

by David S. Brody

Eyes That See Publishing, 2016

Notes by Travis Simpkins

Echoes of Atlantis is the sixth book in David S. Brody's "Templars in America" series, and for all intents and purposes, essentially picks up where The Isaac Question left off… continuing the story of protagonist couple Cameron Thorne and Amanda Spencer as they investigate the secret pre-Columbian history and artifacts of North America. However, it is also very much a stand alone novel and can still be thoroughly enjoyed without prior reading of the first five installments in the series.

The plot only hints at the author's usual Templar material, focusing instead on the lost continent of Atlantis, providing observations on potential links between the legendary sunken landmass and archaeological sites like Gobeki Tepe in Turkey, Baalbek in Lebanon and the Sphinx in Egypt. Along the way, interesting parallels are drawn between various groups on opposite sides of the ocean with shared flood mythologies. To discuss the plot further would be an injustice to the many surprises contained within the book's pages.

Like in his previous work, David S. Brody assembles a collection of artifacts related to the ancient exploration of America long before Columbus and weaves a fast-paced thriller around them in expert fashion. This book mentions the Red Paint People skeletons, the Frost Valley Petroglyph, ancient cave art in Lascaux and Altamira, the Venus of Dolni and a Burrows Cave artifact. There are surprisingly few references to the Freemasons this time around, but Brody's beloved New England sites like America's Stonehenge and the Newport Tower appear briefly. Both informative and entertaining, this book (along with Brody's other work) is deserving of praise and more wide-spread attention.

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Newport Tower

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Frost Valley Petroglyph, NY

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Mandan Girl

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Hypothetical Atlantis

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Tlazolteotl. Aztec Goddess

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Zeno Map

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Tikal Pyramid Carving

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Mercator Map, 1606

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Cave Art. Lascaux, France

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Cave Painting. Altamira, Spain

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Venus of Dolni

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Gobekli Tepe

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: The Sphinx, Egypt

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Sphinx Wall Enclosure Erosion

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: The Sphinx, Egypt

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Trilithon. Baalbek, Lebanon

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Baalbek, Lebanon

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Belcourt Castle. Newport, RI

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: America's Stonehenge, NH

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Sacrificial Stone. America's Stonehenge

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody

Echoes of Atlantis. Templars in America. David S. Brody: Gobekli Tepe

Friday, December 26, 2014

Secrets: The Sphinx of Ancient Egypt

Secrets: The Sphinx

by Travis Simpkins

Produced for the Smithsonian Channel, Secrets: The Sphinx (2013) provides an intriguing 45-minute look at the primary mysteries surrounding the Ancient Egyptian Sphinx in Giza: When was it created? and whom does the carved face atop the lion's body represent? Because it is carved directly from the bedrock, rather than assembled by blocks, it is difficult for archaeologists to accurately date the Sphinx based on construction. Surrounding structures and geographical features help fill in the gaps and shed some light on the mystery. The first theory presented is controversial, relating to the disproportionate body to head ratio of the Sphinx, and surmises the the carved human head was actually adapted and re-carved later on from a much older statue representing a lion that predated the Pyramids. Further theories, much more traditional in scope, focus on the positioning of the Sphinx in the foreground of the Pyramids. Cases are made for the Sphinx being created by the "Pyramid Pharaohs" Khufu, and alternately by his son, Khafre. Zahi Hawass, the famous Egyptologist, provides brief insight. However, the best and most brilliant contributions to the episode are provided by Melinda Hartwig, Associate Professor at Georgia State University. Delightful and photogenic, Dr. Hartwig's eloquent delivery and energy is truly engaging. In the end, the enduring mystery of the Sphinx still remains, but an enjoyable and informative presentation has been made.