The Lost Civilization Enigma explores the likely existence of ancient civilizations lost to recorded history. The author, Philip Coppens, convincingly argues that civilization is not 6000 years old, but more like 12,000 years old. In his words, “We were not the first.”

What the author does so well is to lay out evidence for lost civilizations and then encourages the reader to draw conclusions independent of the author’s personal opinions. In doing so, he forewarns us that science is invested in preserving the status quo, especially when new evidence is offered by “heretical” amateurs.

For example, it was a 17 year-old farm boy, Emile Fradin, who famously discovered a cavity of artifacts near the French village of Glozel in 1925. Were the artifacts discovered evidence of an unrecorded Neolithic civilization, possibly dating back to 12,000 BC, or, were they fakes? (Given that the discoveries pre-dated carbon-dating, the author diplomatically suggests re-testing the artifacts would be helpful.)

And it was an amateur German archaeologist, Hartwig Hausdorf, who, in 1994, discovered the existence of pyramids located around the city of Xi’an. His findings were later confirmed by satellite identifying up to 16 pyramids.  Interestingly, the location of the pyramids is close to where the famous Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was also “accidently” discovered in 1974.   

Deference is paid to the archaeological discoveries of Heinrich Schliemann who, using geographic clues from the Iliad, was convinced that Homeric Troy was located near the village of Hissarlik, Turkey. While there is now doubt that Hissarlik was the actual site of Troy, Schliemann’s work established the probability that Troy was real, not mythical. The author suggests another possibility which would place Troy in Northern Europe. The quest continues.

The author, who certainly knows how to tell a good story, entertains the reader with the theory that, during the Bronze Age, copper (the most significant ingredient for bronze) was mined in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as evidenced by the discovery of prehistoric copper pits. It is suggested, as a demonstration of pre-cultural exchange, that the copper was shipped out of a harbor on Isle Royale, an island in Lake Superior, to unknown European destinations. Lending credence to the existence of a Bronze Age mining culture in American is the discovery of “funerary hills” around Rock Island containing the cremated remains of “thousands of individuals.”     

Another intriguing, if not controversial, amateur discovery in the heartland of America is the so-called Burrows Cave discovered by Russell Burrows in 1982 along the Little Wabash River near Olney, Illinois. Within the burial cave, Burrows discovered a large number of inscribed stones which archaeologists have labeled fake. Also discovered were gold artifacts. Further investigation was curtailed after Burrows, disillusioned by criticism, blew up the cave with dynamite.

When it comes to artifacts, one particularly captivating story told by the author concerns a physician, Dr. Javier Cabrera Darquea, who, residing in a small Peruvian village in the 1970s, acquired thousands of controversial artifacts, some of which depicted humans fighting dinosaurs.

The most famous lost civilization is Atlantis. Plato’s dialogues suggest that the “Island of Atlas” sank about 9600 BC. We learn that Plato’s source was a Greek named Solon who learned about Atlantis while visiting Egypt. The author tells us that very possibly the survivors of Atlantis settled in Egypt. Here’s where it gets interesting. In 1933, American psychic Edgar Cayce, predicted that a Hall of Records, installed in 10,500 BC, would someday be discovered within the Sphinx. The Hall of Records would prove the origin and existence of Atlantis. While Cayce’s prediction has not materialized to date, there remains speculation that there are secrets buried beneath the Sphinx by “survivors of a lost civilization.” It is a question, the author tells us, that “only time will be able to answer.” Should these secrets be revealed in the near future, we can all look forward to reading another fascinating tale by Philip Coppens.