Who made the pyramids. They must have been smarter than us!

[Urban Ranger]

If they were so advanced, why did they use, uh, rocks?

[JohnT]

Haven't you been paying attention? Not just rocks, but heavy rocks. C'mon, get your facts together UR!

[Urban Ranger]

Oh, my bad

[King of Rasslin]

I don't know about there being thousands of pyramids in Central America. Most of them would be very small, and very few could be compared with the Eygptian ones. But it's still interesting that they did use the same base size of the Eygptians in one of their pyramids. It wasn't as tall, and it was a step pyramid. But since most of these pyramids were very small, I do think it's unusual that the pyramids have the same base.

We know about their religion from their relics and artifacts. We know plenty about the African gods, but they didn't know how to write. The multi-headed feathered snake is very popular there, and in some Eastern countries too. Eygpt also had a few snake hieroglyphics that resemble the ones in America. There are also theories about the pyramids in Tenochitlan being aligned with stars, like the Eygptian ones.

And the Aztec calendar was more accurate than the one we use today. These civilizations WERE capable of things that we cannot do.

[Ethelred]

I don't know about there being thousands of pyramids in Central America. Most of them would be very small, and very few could be compared with the Eygptian ones. But it's still interesting that they did use the same base size of the Eygptians in one of their pyramids.

It would only be interesting if there was enough of the same size as to not look like a coincidence. Of course without something that says which pyramids are involved I can't even assume that you are right on this. There are a lot of pyramids in both areas. There are NO step pyramids in the New World like the one Egypt. There are pyramids that do indeed have steps. They were stairs. There are some pyramids that have multiple levels but again they are not like the Step Pyramid in Egypt. Most are fairly large not small. Several are more massive than any in Egypt.

We know about their religion from their relics and artifacts. We know plenty about the African gods, but they didn't know how to write. The multi-headed feathered snake is very popular there, and in some Eastern countries too. Eygpt also had a few snake hieroglyphics that resemble the ones in America. There are also theories about the pyramids in Tenochitlan being aligned with stars, like the Eygptian ones.

Set and Quetzalcoatal are very different. That both areas should have a snake god is hardly surprising since both had snakes and multiple gods many based on animals. Aligning pyramids with stars is also hardly surprising since in both instances its easy to align one side by using the North Star. Different North Stars due to the massive time intervening but still a North Star. Since both cultures were dependent on seasonal rains and irrigation there is another reason for them to align major religious buildings with the stars.

And the Aztec calendar was more accurate than the one we use today. These civilizations WERE capable of things that we cannot do.

Rubbish. Our calendar is extremely accurate. Even without the astronomers and time keepers adding in a leep second now and then. Perhaps you are thinking of the original outmoded Gregorian calendar. Anything they could do we can, should we want to do it. Not knowing the specifics of how they did things is not the same thing as not being able to do them at all.

[Lung]

Just out of curiosity, just when were the American pyramids built? Considering the rather late periods of these empires, is it fair to say that these pyramids were built rather recently as well? Sorry, but i never studied any of this, so i don't know, but i'm thinking A.D. If so, considering the hypotheses going around about having had met foreign cultures before Columbus, it's quite possible that they got the idea by word of mouth sometime in the past.

In any case, similar circumstances should enable cultures with no knowledge of each other to do the same things, such as in this case, build pyramids

[King of Rasslin]

It isn't just a stupid "snake god." It's a multi-headed feathered serpent, much more civilized. Seeing this god (well, it's a common symbol, most likely a god) in many different cultures would be unusual. Throw Eygpt out, and I would still think it's strange that it appears in America and this Eastern civilization. I think it was the ones that made the Ankor Wat that had it. I have no idea about their history, but I did read that the snake appears often in their ruins.

And their calendar IS more accurate than ours! This is just accepted. At least you accept that there is a good purpose for aligning the pyramids to the stars, since they did depend on seasonal rains. They were not "worthless" structures made by religious fanatics, please...

You have to show some respect to how great these monuments are. I doubt if the Vegas pyramid will stand for another 5000 years or so.

[Lord Merciless]

The Great Pyramid of Teotihuacan was built around 500AD, fully 3,000 years after Egyptians completed their Great ones at Giza. The city of Teotihuacan fell into chaos around 600AD, possibly an after effect from the massive Krakatoa erruption in 535AD. (East Roman Empire, Celtic Britain, Persia, and China all suffered greatly from it)

Mayan Pyramids were built even later. Most South Mayan monuments were built between 600AD and 800AD. After 800AD, the pace of monument buildings dropped off dramatically as Mayan city states experienced massive social upheavals. The last South Mayan pyramid was completed in Copan in 851AD.

However, the collapse of South Mayan city states fueled the development of North Mayan culture. Many monuments were constructed during 1000 and 1200AD. But after 1200AD, the Northern Mayan culture also went into decline, and was finally destroyed by the Spanish in 16th century.

[Lung]

How dare i scoff at such thoughts of interstellar conspiracies

It's far more likely that aliens travelled lightyears to get here to show humans how to make monuments than the knowledge of pyramids traversing continents in mere millenia

I can only assume that some people find the likely truth too unexciting to let it get in the way of fanciful ideas

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Lung
Just out of curiosity, just when were the American pyramids built?

Mostly AD allright. Not sure when the Mayans started their. 500? 800? maybe. Pyramids were in use and likely ocasionally still enlarged or even built right up till the Cortez changed everything. I think there was at least one that was built BC. It wasn't made of stone though. A pile of sand and clay mostly.

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by King of Rasslin
It isn't just a stupid "snake god." It's a multi-headed feathered serpent, much more civilized.

Thats Quetzalcoatl, Feathered Serpent and at least most of the time Q has one head only, I can't find a multi-headed version. Sorry its not Set that was the snake god in Egypt. It was Amon later Amon-Ra that started as a snake god. No feathers. There was also a female snake god Meresger, no feathers there either.

Ancient Egyptian gods, short descriptions

http://www.osirisweb.com/egypt/director.htm

Site on Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent.

http://weber.ucsd.edu/~anthclub/quetzalcoatl/quetzal.htm

Another site on Q the Feathered Serpent

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0084556

Seeing this god (well, it's a common symbol, most likely a god) in many different cultures would be unusual. Throw Eygpt out, and I would still think it's strange that it appears in America and this Eastern civilization. I think it was the ones that made the Ankor Wat that had it. I have no idea about their history, but I did read that the snake appears often in their ruins.

There are a lot of civilizations and gods. No reason why some shouldn't seem similar. However in a quick search I am not seeing a feathered serpent at Angkor Wat. Perhaps if you tried supplying a link upon occasion.

And their calendar IS more accurate than ours! This is just accepted.

Just because YOU accept that nonsense it doesn't mean I do.

http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-mayan.html

The sight SLIGHTLY agrees with you EXCEPT they are talking about the Gregorian calendar and we use a modified version of it these days.

Site that covers the Gregorian calendar and mentions that we use a slight variation on it these days.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/16700/91466

We are more accurate than the Mayans. If we weren't we wouldn't know how far accurate they actually were.

We time with hydrogen masers these days. Thats quite a bit more accurate than the Earth itself is.

At least you accept that there is a good purpose for aligning the pyramids to the stars, since they did depend on seasonal rains. They were not "worthless" structures made by religious fanatics, please...

The Egyptian pyramids were just tombs as far as anyone can tell. The Egyptians didn't use them for calculating the seasons. The Mayans and in particular the Aztecs used them for ritual sacrifice. I don't think they needed to use them for calculations either. Its just that its easy to line up with the stars and make a grid. Why not build north-south? We do. Most US buildings are alligned with the stars also. I don't think there is religious significance in it.

You have to show some respect to how great these monuments are. I doubt if the Vegas pyramid will stand for another 5000 years or so.

Most likely it will lose its audience eventually to some newer hotel-casino and get "blowed up real good". The originals are spectacular monuments but they aren't something that was impossible to build with ancient tools nor are they something that had to copied in other places simply because of some similarities. Four sloping sides is a pretty basic concept. If you know that going straight up is a recipe for disaster you have to slope inwards. People like four sides. If all four sides are equal you have a pyramid.

[Lung]

Originally posted by Ethelred

We time with hydrogen masers these days. Thats quite a bit more accurate than the Earth itself is.

Didn't you know that aliens have that technology?! D'UH!!

Most likely it will lose its audience eventually to some newer hotel-casino and get "blowed up real good". The originals are spectacular monuments but they aren't something that was impossible to build with ancient tools nor are they something that had to copied in other places simply because of some similarities. Four sloping sides is a pretty basic concept. If you know that going straight up is a recipe for disaster you have to slope inwards. People like four sides. If all four sides are equal you have a pyramid.

OH.....MY....GOD!!! Ethelred makes first mistake in life!!! I know i'm being pedantic, but having four equal sides can also make a cube

Of course, if they did try vertical, it probably wouldn't have lasted long enough for us to see it

Look! Zog make tall building!!! D'OH!!!

[Lung]

Man, three beers and i'm funnier than midgets ****ing

Ethelred, on the other hand, standing next to Spock would make Spock look like the original party guy

[Ethelred]

Originally posted by Lung
OH.....MY....GOD!!! Ethelred makes first mistake in life!!! I know i'm being pedantic, but having four equal sides can also make a cube

Of course, if they did try vertical, it probably wouldn't have lasted long enough for us to see it

Look! Zog make tall building!!! D'OH!!!

I made a mistake allright but not that one. I chose the wrong god for the Egyptians that had the snake attribute.

I said IF they couldn't go straight up then four sides results in a pyramid. You can't have a cube and without going straight up. So I had that covered.

[Ethelred]

Spock was the party guy wasn't he? I coulda sworn he was. Funny ears, pajamas and singing about Hobbits to kids that were defininitly on something mind bending and besides only Kirk got more chicks.

Lessons on how to kill a popular series for high school and college students. Move it from a succesful run on Thursday night to Friday night. Then produce all the scripts that must have been rejected the first two years to make sure its really dead.