PAKAL, THE MAYA ASTRONAUT:
A STUDY OF ANCIENT SPACE TRAVEL

by Charles William Johnson

Introduction

In the Earth/matriX Series of essays, we have been attempting to discern the manner in which the ancient astronomers/priests seem to have translate astronomical data into mathematical models for the reckoning of time. These mathematical models and the numerical data related therein, then seem to have been interpreted into geometrical patterns and designs. Finally, all of that appears to have found an expression in the creative artwork of ancient cultures.

The mathematical models and the geometrical designs seem to allow for distinct interpretations and manipulations of the artistically expressed sculptures. By identifying the linear coordinates and the spatial logic of some of the ancient sculptures, it would appear that a wealth of ideas has been encoded into artwork. The possibility may exist, in fact, of decoding those mathematical models and geometrical designs in order to observe exactly what the artist (or astronomer/priest) was attempting to communicate. In a certain sense, we have already seen some examples of this in some of the previous essays of the Earth/matriX Series. Numbers are rendered into specific geometrical coordinates and spatial designs of the artwork. The Aztec Calendar has been a case in point.

Throughout the Earth/matriX Series, we shall attempt to identify distinct sculptures and forms of artwork from ancient cultures that appear the enclose a specific guide for manipulating the information encode in them. The descipherment of the ancient artwork has been carried out through attempts to read the glyphs that are generally found on the relief sculptures of the ancient maya culture, for example. Yet, the fact that these sculptures reflect a wealth of visual elements might also suggest that we should be looking at those visual images as well; their compositional make-up, for example. In our studies we attempt to related what is known about the ancient reckoning systems and the numbers related to those systems, with respect to the visual images portrayed in the sculptures and artwork. We are not simply attempting to discern whether the accompanying glyphs tell us who or what the sculpture is about, but rather what might the images itself be suggesting in the way of original communication of ideas.

One particular sculpture that has captured the imagination of so many of us been that of Pakal, the image of a maya ruler sculpted on the lid of a stone sarcophagus deep within the Temple of Inscriptions pyramid situated at the site of Palenque, Mexico.

In 1949, the Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz discovered a vaulted room beneath the floor of the Temple of Inscriptions, in which he also discovered this large sarcophagus. The most incredible reproduction of the images on this particular sarcophagus have been made by professor Marle Greene Roberston, through rubbings on rice paper.

The human figure portrayed in relief on that stone slab has become known as "the astronaut" to some; as "Pakal", a maya ruler, to others. From the glyphs one may view the subject as Pakal; from the visual theme one may see something that looks like a spacecraft within which he is seated. Pakal appears to be seated at a control panel within a housing device, very similar to today's space capsules. This relief sculpture has been dated at around 690 our era, when there were apparently no space vehicles in existence; that we know of anyway. Pakal's posture and positioning appear to reflect the concept of movement, with his body leaning slightly forward, as though he were travelling towards a specific point, in a particular direction. Hugh Harleston, Jr., in 1974, produced a very vivid image and detailed analysis of the possibility for interpreting Pakal's housing device to represent a spacecraft. We should like to further that analysis by adding the concept of movement to the interpretation.

Classical maya studies reveal an interpretation of this sculpture that identifies its elements to represent the world-directional tree symbolized by the cross, while the housing portrays the idea of the fleshless jaws of an earth-serpent

If we visualize the concept of movement suggested in the sculpture, a very distinct possibility of interpretation appears. Pakal's forward leaning position would seem to suggest that of someone travelling at a fast speed, as we know it today. From the perspective of the possibility of movement, we shall analyze the image from the viewpoint of mechanics and engineering. In order to achieve this, we must break down the parts of the image and consider the possible movement of each particular section. By doing this, we shall observe how this stone slab of possibility more than 1300 years old, may actually be registering an event of space travel, long before we ever thought it to be possible on Earth; or even in the Universe.

Today, we feverishly search the sky for some sign or trace of visitors from outer space; we fervently analyze the crop circles in the wheat fields of England for possible evidence of their visiting us now. We might have to examine the historical record with a little more persistence in order to see that the ancestors of the Earth, those who have gone before us, may possibly have documented just such an experience already. The maya artwork of the Temple of Inscriptions may just be that example of historical documentation.

© 1995-2018 Copyrighted by Charles William Johnson

BOOK PAKAL: THE ANCIENT ASTRONAUT In the book Pakal, the Ancient Astronaut, we explore the design elements of the Pakal sculpture found at Palenque, Mexico. We have analyzed and illustrated the design elements of the Pakal sculpture from the perspective of simple mechanics. We have given movement to the elements within the sculpture's image and in that manner see appear something that resembles a space craft. Obviously, such a rendering of the sculpture may be viewed critically, since from our knowledge about history, there is nothing in the historical record about the existence of spacecraft; at least, nothing specifically identified as such. However, in the visual rendering of Pakal's vehicle, a geometrical analysis seems to offer more of a solution to the enigma, than a semantic rendering of ancient texts. Purchase and download in Amazon ISBN 1-58616-189-X PDF file, 15MB 1993-1999 Copyrighted material 84 pages Price: $4.99 US

Pakal: The Maya Astronaut

Introduction

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Part VIII

Pakal: A Comment.

"Pakal, The Ancient Astronaut:
Paleoanimation of the Sculpture of the Maya at Palenque"