Psychic archaeology

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Psychic archaeology is a loose collection of practices involving the application of paranormal phenomena to problems in archaeology. It is not considered part of mainstream archaeology, or taught in academic institutions. It is difficult to test scientifically, since archaeological sites are relatively abundant, and all of its verified predictions could have been made via educated guesses.[1][2]

Practitioners of psychic archaeology utilize a variety of methods of divination ranging from pseudoscientific methods such as dowsing and channeling.[3] Some psychic archaeologists engage in fieldwork while others, such as Edgar Cayce (who claims to have had access to ancient Akashic records), exclusively engage in remote viewing. Frederick Bligh Bond's research at Glastonbury Abbey is one of the first documented examples of psychic archaeology and remains a principal case in many discussions of psychic archaeology.[4]

Description

Psychic archaeology is the use of

Ground Penetrating Radar or magnetometery surveys. Techniques for locating sites and test pits such as automatic writing and various scrying techniques are easy to perform. Psychic archaeologists claim that many of their techniques address lives of the past directly. Whereas accepted archaeologists make inferences about lives of the past based on material culture
, some psychic archaeologists say they have visions of non-material aspects of the lives they study.

Methods

There are several common methods employed by practitioners of psychic archaeologists including:

Dowsing

Dowsing rods

Indiana University involves dowsing for Electromagnetic Photo-Fields (EMPF) using two L-shaped [Ferrous] coat hangers bent about 17.8 cm from the end as electromagnetic photo sensors. Hunt stated that the electromagnetic photo sensors detect EMPF similar to a proton magnetometer detecting magnetic fields. Crossed dowsing rods indicated the crossing of an EMPF, which are said to be three-dimensional patterns generated by man-made objects left in place for at least six-months.[5]
There are other methods of dowsing employed in psychic archaeology with less inherent scientism than EMPF. Often conventional dowsers will offer their services to archaeologist with varying explanation for their methods.[6] Straddling the border of dowsing and channeling is a technique known as map dowsing, in which a medium or psychic dangles a pendulum over a map of the area of a potential dig to divine ideal locations for test pits or excavation.

Psychometry

Stefan Ossowiecki

An example of

Venus figurines, bone needles associated with Magdalenian culture may have been used to sew skin clothing, and the bearded man on the funeral pyre “may have been one of the bearded Magdalenians who are found represented in Magdalenian cave art.”[7]

Others

Sites

Chichén Itzá

séance, and the occult.[8] Helena Blavatsky, a co-founder of the Theosophical Society, regarded the work of the Le Plongeons as proving the validity of "metaphysical archaeology.".[9] However, professional archaeologists regard Le Plongeon as an obvious crank.[8][10]

Glastonbury Abbey

Glastonbury Abbey

King Edgar
.

F. Bligh Bond began excavation at Glastonbury in the summer of 1909. While excavating he demonstrated the accuracy of Captain Bartlett's sketches discovering Edgar Chapel in the location indicated by Captain Bartlett.[7]

Bond didn't reveal that he was using psychic powers until 1917, when he had already presented his results. The Church of England officials were so embarrassed that they fired him.[12]

Mainstream archeologists are far from nonplussed about the discovery, reminding people that F. Bligh Bond was an expert in medieval church architecture, that most of the site had already been dug out, and that the location of the chapel could be easily guessed from the existing data.

Stephen Williams said that "Culture is a patterned behavior, and medieval cathedrals are some of the most patterned pieces of construction in our culture... All he had to do was turn to almost any nearby structure, such as Salisbury Cathedral, less than fifty miles to the east, and see its Trinity Chapel behind the main altar and guess that Glastonbury would have one too.[4]

Point Cook

Point Cook, Australia (37°55′33.6″S 144°47′30.7″E / 37.926000°S 144.791861°E / -37.926000; 144.791861), was the location of a psychic archaeological survey by Karen A. B. Hunt M.A. in 1981. Hunt employed dowsing rods to detect Electromagnetic Photo-Fields (EMPF). Hunt mapped the locations of 129 buildings or cultural points including the house, outbuildings, a windmill, a tank stand, the fences and gates of the homestead. While the location of the windmill and tank stand match established facts, skeptic Mark Plummer considers Hunt's survey dubious for several reasons, including architectural style, which he and a team of architects find more indicative of 1870–1900 American architecture than Australian Colonial architecture.[4][5] In 1985, Hunt declined to participate in a proposed scientifically controlled test of EMPF.[13]

Others

Validity

Advocates of

cherry picking or outright trickery.[16] Skeptics compare psychic archaeologists to psychic detectives
.

It is difficult to test psychic archaeology empirically, since archaeological discoveries are relatively abundant; anyone can predict the location of a site, using only a bit of archaeological knowledge and common sense.[1] The same applies for finding objects inside an already identified site.[1] Also, some sites, like the Alexandria harbor, are so rich in objects that one can dig in any random place and find at least one object.[1] Predictions about the lifestyle of ancient civilizations can't be verified due to the lack of written records.[1]

Names in psychic archaeology

In fiction

  • pole shift
    theory.

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-313-37918-5
  2. ^ Cole, John R. (1978). "Anthropology Beyond the Fringe: Ancient Inscriptions, Early Man and Scientific Method". The Skeptical Inquirer 2(2): 62–71.
  3. ^ Feder, Kenneth L. (1980). "Psychic Archaeology: The Anatomy of Irrationalist Prehistoric Studies". The Skeptical Inquirer 4(4): 32–43.
  4. ^
    ISBN 0-8122-1312-2
    .
  5. ^ a b c Plummer, Mark (1991). "Locating Invisible Buildings". The Skeptical Inquirer. 15 (4): 386–397.
  6. ^ Van Leusen, Martijn (1999). "Dowsing and Archaeology". The Skeptical Inquirer. 23 (2): 33–41.
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-425-05000-2
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-0-292-72221-7
    ., p. 131
  9. ^ Desmond, Lawrence; Phyllis, Messenger (1988). A Dream of Maya: Augustus and Alice Le Plongeon in Nineteenth-Century Yucatan. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press., p. 131
  10. ^ Desmond, Lawrence; Phyllis, Messenger (1988). A Dream of Maya: Augustus and Alice Le Plongeon in Nineteenth-Century Yucatan. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.
  11. ^ "History and Archaeology – Glastonbury Abbey". Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8131-2467-4
  13. ISBN 978-0767427227
    .
  14. ^ a b Varvoglis, Mario. "Psychic Archeology". Parapsychological Association. Archived from the original on 2004-06-18. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
  15. ^
    ISBN 0-448-12717-2
    .
  16. ^ Doeser, James (2008). "Psychic Archaeology". Bad Archaeology. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  17. ^ CIA.gov [bare URL PDF]
  18. ^ Psychic Archeology by Mario Varvoglis Ph.D.

Further reading

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