Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Contact    |    RSS icon Twitter icon Facebook icon  
Unexplained Mysteries
You are viewing: Home > Columns > Leonard Farra > Column article
Welcome Guest ( Login or Register )  
Leonard Farra

The Pleiades Enigma

June 1, 2012 | Comment icon 14 comments
Image Credit: Henrique Senna
"Are we alone in the Universe?" is a question that intrigues scientists and the public alike. Astronomers involved in the SETI project scan the depths of space waiting for the radio signal which will confirm that life also exists in other parts of the universe. Many Ufologists, on the other hand, believe that the thousands of unexplained UFO sightings reported over the years are indications that we are being visited, or monitored, by extraterrestrials. Another important line of thought is that, if there was an ET visit to Earth, thousands of years ago, then its not impossible that the same is happening now. Over the past 30 years I have been studying the Ancient Astronaut theory and I have also followed current UFO reports.

My involvement with these two fascinating subjects dates back to the late 1970s to the time when I was studying the religion, and traditions, of Ancient Sumeria. According to the Sumerian scribes, their people were visited by certain civilising beings, the Annunaki, ('The Shining Ones'), and who they worshipped as gods. The Annunaki leader was called Enlil, and his seven assistants were known as the Council of Seven. Another Annunaki leader was called Ea. Followers of the Ancient Astronaut theory will already know about the Annunaki but they may not be aware that they were associated with some mysterious objects called the Maskim. The Maskim were the Throne Bearers of the Gods which 'flew through the sky'.

What I found, during my research into the Ancient Middle East , was that the story of the Annunaki leaders had spread to neighbouring countries such as Babylon and Assyria and that the 'Throne Bearers of the Gods' appear to have been circular i.e. they were flying discs. The suggestion that there were flying craft, thousands of years ago, might seem ridiculous but that's exactly what the writings say. And furthermore, the indications are that they were accompanied by a mother craft.

When I studied the religion, and traditions, of Ancient Egypt, I learned that, although it had national gods, and numerous local ones, some of its most important religious traditions related to the leaders of the Annunaki but under different names. I had a good knowledge of Babylonian, and Assyrian, sacred architecture, which was linked with the Annunaki, and when I discovered similar architecture in Egypt, and elements of the star-god religion deeply embedded in Egyptian Afterlife beliefs, I found a new explanation for the Great Pyramid and for other Egyptian mysteries. The Great Pyramid was not constructed by extra-terrestrials, as some alternative scholars believe, because at the time when it was built, it was an integral part of Egyptian religion.

Over the past 30 years, I have studied all the early religions, major Stone Age sites and surviving Stone Age cults, and my conclusions are that throughout the Early World there were versions of the same 'star-god' religion. The early teachers decided that this story was much too deep for the general public to understand and so they explained it using allegorical tales, and animal symbolism, the deeper meaning of which was only known to initiates. What happened, though, was that over the years, the original meaning of these animals was forgotten and they sometimes became objects of worship themselves. The serpent, a creature linked with the Annunaki, was associated with gods, and goddesses, throughout the world and serpent worship continued into fairly recent times. In parts of Europe, it was suppressed by the Church which proclaimed that various local saints had banned this creature from their lands. Geometric symbolism was also used by the Ancients, to express religious ideas, and a form of concentric circle symbolism, which the Sumerians associated with one of the Annunaki leaders, was carved on the rocks in many parts of the world including amongst the numerous designs in the Nazca Desert in Peru.

Throughout the Early World, the star-people were associated with the Pleiades. These stars played an important role in many religions. Some early calendars were regulated by them and they were universally linked with periodical renewal. Hammurapi ,who ruled Babylon somewhere between 1900 and 1704 b.c.e, was one of the greatest, and most well known, Babylonian rulers and, commencing from his dynasty onwards, the last month in his country's calendar, later called Adar, was known as Arakh-Sibuti - the month of the 'Seven Stars', or Pleiades. After the Pleiades month ended, the New Year began and in the rituals of renewal, the priests read the Creation text which said that after the creation of man, the Annunaki built Babylon's great temple the Esagali. The Annunaki were alleged to have taught primitive people about agriculture and their link with the Pleiades may be the reason why these stars were universally linked with the agricultural cycle and were shown on early Middle Eastern plaques together with agricultural activity. One of the Assyrian plaques shows the Pleiades above seven figures who appear to have been based on the Annunaki leaders.

The Pleiades were frequently linked with the Creation and some people believed that they came from these stars and that they will return there when they die. The Festival of the Dead, when departed souls were believed to return to Earth, was popular in many countries, such as amongst the Celts, in Mexico and Peru, and it was celebrated around the 1st November. The Celts called it Samain and it began with the rising of the Pleiades when the gates of the Otherworld were open and when new fires were lit. This festival was later adopted by the Church and its observed around the world as All Hallows. Its also now popularly celebrated as Halloween.

According to the Legend of the World Ages, which was popular in the Old and New Worlds, there have been a series of past ages each of which ended in destruction due to the evil behavior of man. At the end of each age, the 'gods' returned and helped start the new age. Early calendars, such as that of the Maya, suggest that 'sky-people' came here around 5,000 years ago and the indications are that their visit resulted in a catastrophic earth upheaval which completely changed the course of human history. All the early civilizations arose 'fully developed', at that time, including the Sumerians who arrived in their country in Southern Iraq. They settled amongst the less advanced population and their writings claimed that they were survivors of the Flood. The indications are that this era was the rebirth of civilisation and not the beginning, as most scholars believe, and that it began after the destruction of the previous age.

Astronomers say that proof of life, elsewhere in the Universe, would be the greatest event in the history of man. So far as the Ancients are concerned, they all had traditions of the early visit to Earth, by extra-terrestrials, and many native peoples are awaiting their return.

Many of the legends, and folk customs, such as snake dances, which were linked with the sky-god religion, passed from generation to generation and they even influenced some of the stories told in the Middle Ages. The tales about dragons, for example, which date back thousands of years, appear to have been allegorical and to relate to a violent conflict which reputedly occurred when the star-gods were here.

Evidence of the star –god religion is all around us and the reason why its not been recognised is because its been misinterpreted. There is evidence of it in early religion, in the astronomical alignments of early religious sites, in sacred architecture and symbolism, in rock art, numerology, and especially in star lore. The titles of some famous films, and books, and the names of various commercial products, have also been influenced by early stories based on star-god legends. Some star-god symbolism is displayed on secular, and religious, buildings its original significance having been forgotten. And, furthermore, as there were once variations of the same star-god religion on both sides of the Atlantic, could it be that there was contact between the Old and New Worlds thousands of years before Columbus arrived in the Americas and the Vikings reached Newfoundland ?

I wrote, directed and produced a video documentary on this subject, several years ago, which was sold by the UFO magazine, and which I showed to some UFO research groups. In my new book, The Pleiades Legacy (The Old World), I have covered the star-god religions, and traditions, of peoples in the Ancient Middle East, Egypt, Central Asia, the Classical Civilisations, Stone Age Malta and parts of Africa.

Latest news: France's new satellite is called The Pleiades.

Bibliography:

Richard Hinckley Allen.
Star Names.Their Lore and Meaning.
Ernest Babelon.
Manual of Oriental Antiquities.
Michael Baigent.
From the Omens of Babylon.
Dominique Collon.
First Impressions.Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East.
Encylopedia of Religion & Ethics
Colonel J.Garner.
The Worship of the Dead.
Peter Kolosimo.
'Not of This World'.
Christian O'Brien.
The First of the Few.
M.Oldield Howey.
The Encircled Serpent.
Zachariah Sitchin.
The Twelfth Planet etc
Erich Von Daniken.
Chariots of the Gods etc
[!gad]"Are we alone in the Universe?" is a question that intrigues scientists and the public alike. Astronomers involved in the SETI project scan the depths of space waiting for the radio signal which will confirm that life also exists in other parts of the universe. Many Ufologists, on the other hand, believe that the thousands of unexplained UFO sightings reported over the years are indications that we are being visited, or monitored, by extraterrestrials. Another important line of thought is that, if there was an ET visit to Earth, thousands of years ago, then its not impossible that the same is happening now. Over the past 30 years I have been studying the Ancient Astronaut theory and I have also followed current UFO reports.

My involvement with these two fascinating subjects dates back to the late 1970s to the time when I was studying the religion, and traditions, of Ancient Sumeria. According to the Sumerian scribes, their people were visited by certain civilising beings, the Annunaki, ('The Shining Ones'), and who they worshipped as gods. The Annunaki leader was called Enlil, and his seven assistants were known as the Council of Seven. Another Annunaki leader was called Ea. Followers of the Ancient Astronaut theory will already know about the Annunaki but they may not be aware that they were associated with some mysterious objects called the Maskim. The Maskim were the Throne Bearers of the Gods which 'flew through the sky'.

What I found, during my research into the Ancient Middle East , was that the story of the Annunaki leaders had spread to neighbouring countries such as Babylon and Assyria and that the 'Throne Bearers of the Gods' appear to have been circular i.e. they were flying discs. The suggestion that there were flying craft, thousands of years ago, might seem ridiculous but that's exactly what the writings say. And furthermore, the indications are that they were accompanied by a mother craft.

When I studied the religion, and traditions, of Ancient Egypt, I learned that, although it had national gods, and numerous local ones, some of its most important religious traditions related to the leaders of the Annunaki but under different names. I had a good knowledge of Babylonian, and Assyrian, sacred architecture, which was linked with the Annunaki, and when I discovered similar architecture in Egypt, and elements of the star-god religion deeply embedded in Egyptian Afterlife beliefs, I found a new explanation for the Great Pyramid and for other Egyptian mysteries. The Great Pyramid was not constructed by extra-terrestrials, as some alternative scholars believe, because at the time when it was built, it was an integral part of Egyptian religion.

Over the past 30 years, I have studied all the early religions, major Stone Age sites and surviving Stone Age cults, and my conclusions are that throughout the Early World there were versions of the same 'star-god' religion. The early teachers decided that this story was much too deep for the general public to understand and so they explained it using allegorical tales, and animal symbolism, the deeper meaning of which was only known to initiates. What happened, though, was that over the years, the original meaning of these animals was forgotten and they sometimes became objects of worship themselves. The serpent, a creature linked with the Annunaki, was associated with gods, and goddesses, throughout the world and serpent worship continued into fairly recent times. In parts of Europe, it was suppressed by the Church which proclaimed that various local saints had banned this creature from their lands. Geometric symbolism was also used by the Ancients, to express religious ideas, and a form of concentric circle symbolism, which the Sumerians associated with one of the Annunaki leaders, was carved on the rocks in many parts of the world including amongst the numerous designs in the Nazca Desert in Peru.

Throughout the Early World, the star-people were associated with the Pleiades. These stars played an important role in many religions. Some early calendars were regulated by them and they were universally linked with periodical renewal. Hammurapi ,who ruled Babylon somewhere between 1900 and 1704 b.c.e, was one of the greatest, and most well known, Babylonian rulers and, commencing from his dynasty onwards, the last month in his country's calendar, later called Adar, was known as Arakh-Sibuti - the month of the 'Seven Stars', or Pleiades. After the Pleiades month ended, the New Year began and in the rituals of renewal, the priests read the Creation text which said that after the creation of man, the Annunaki built Babylon's great temple the Esagali. The Annunaki were alleged to have taught primitive people about agriculture and their link with the Pleiades may be the reason why these stars were universally linked with the agricultural cycle and were shown on early Middle Eastern plaques together with agricultural activity. One of the Assyrian plaques shows the Pleiades above seven figures who appear to have been based on the Annunaki leaders.

The Pleiades were frequently linked with the Creation and some people believed that they came from these stars and that they will return there when they die. The Festival of the Dead, when departed souls were believed to return to Earth, was popular in many countries, such as amongst the Celts, in Mexico and Peru, and it was celebrated around the 1st November. The Celts called it Samain and it began with the rising of the Pleiades when the gates of the Otherworld were open and when new fires were lit. This festival was later adopted by the Church and its observed around the world as All Hallows. Its also now popularly celebrated as Halloween.

According to the Legend of the World Ages, which was popular in the Old and New Worlds, there have been a series of past ages each of which ended in destruction due to the evil behavior of man. At the end of each age, the 'gods' returned and helped start the new age. Early calendars, such as that of the Maya, suggest that 'sky-people' came here around 5,000 years ago and the indications are that their visit resulted in a catastrophic earth upheaval which completely changed the course of human history. All the early civilizations arose 'fully developed', at that time, including the Sumerians who arrived in their country in Southern Iraq. They settled amongst the less advanced population and their writings claimed that they were survivors of the Flood. The indications are that this era was the rebirth of civilisation and not the beginning, as most scholars believe, and that it began after the destruction of the previous age.

Astronomers say that proof of life, elsewhere in the Universe, would be the greatest event in the history of man. So far as the Ancients are concerned, they all had traditions of the early visit to Earth, by extra-terrestrials, and many native peoples are awaiting their return.

Many of the legends, and folk customs, such as snake dances, which were linked with the sky-god religion, passed from generation to generation and they even influenced some of the stories told in the Middle Ages. The tales about dragons, for example, which date back thousands of years, appear to have been allegorical and to relate to a violent conflict which reputedly occurred when the star-gods were here.

Evidence of the star –god religion is all around us and the reason why its not been recognised is because its been misinterpreted. There is evidence of it in early religion, in the astronomical alignments of early religious sites, in sacred architecture and symbolism, in rock art, numerology, and especially in star lore. The titles of some famous films, and books, and the names of various commercial products, have also been influenced by early stories based on star-god legends. Some star-god symbolism is displayed on secular, and religious, buildings its original significance having been forgotten. And, furthermore, as there were once variations of the same star-god religion on both sides of the Atlantic, could it be that there was contact between the Old and New Worlds thousands of years before Columbus arrived in the Americas and the Vikings reached Newfoundland ?

I wrote, directed and produced a video documentary on this subject, several years ago, which was sold by the UFO magazine, and which I showed to some UFO research groups. In my new book, The Pleiades Legacy (The Old World), I have covered the star-god religions, and traditions, of peoples in the Ancient Middle East, Egypt, Central Asia, the Classical Civilisations, Stone Age Malta and parts of Africa.

Latest news: France's new satellite is called The Pleiades.

Bibliography:

Richard Hinckley Allen.
Star Names.Their Lore and Meaning.
Ernest Babelon.
Manual of Oriental Antiquities.
Michael Baigent.
From the Omens of Babylon.
Dominique Collon.
First Impressions.Cylinder Seals in the Ancient Near East.
Encylopedia of Religion & Ethics
Colonel J.Garner.
The Worship of the Dead.
Peter Kolosimo.
'Not of This World'.
Christian O'Brien.
The First of the Few.
M.Oldield Howey.
The Encircled Serpent.
Zachariah Sitchin.
The Twelfth Planet etc
Erich Von Daniken.
Chariots of the Gods etc




Leonard Farra's book The Pleiades Legacy,(The Stone Age) (The Return of the Gods) can be purchased Online from Blurb.Com and the Pleiades Legacy (The Old World) and The Pleiades Legacy (The New World) are now available there as Ebooks which can also be viewed on Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Comments (14)


<< Previous story
Rasputin - the mystical monk
Next story >>
Hoodoo Corner
Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #5 Posted by Mikko-kun 13 years ago
J.K., maybe they probed all the possible exoplanets they knew and could probe, and we're likely the most or the second or third most developed species they've found, presuming there's been space-travelers here from other place. Even if their technology was higher, it doesn't mean that they'd be more developed in every possible aspect and science, and I think they'd acknowledge this and let us rather keep developing if they acknowledge this. It's more useful for them to copy from the parts where we excel more or take footnotes of sort at least, than to just destroy and invade. Even more useful ... [More]
Comment icon #6 Posted by Taun 13 years ago
If the answer to "Are we alone in the universe?" is no, then the next question should be: "How did they find us?" What is so significant about our solar system and planet that they would have come and looked? Is our star even bright enough to be seen beyond our solar system? Yes, our sun can be seen beyond the boundaries of our star system... For example the star Tau Ceti - is roughly 12 light years away and it is slightly smaller and less 'bright' than our own sun... yet it is (barely) visible to the naked eye... So our sun would be noticable (to un-aided human eyes) perhaps as far out as 15 ... [More]
Comment icon #7 Posted by jgorman628 13 years ago
It is possible that early civilization occurred during the last ice age. Humans tend to stay near the oceans and coasts. During the last ice age the sea level was lower. If there were early civilizations on the coast before the ice melted, their cities and settlements would have been abandoned. This is one possible reason why the earliest civilizations, that we are aware of, seemed to spring up at nearly the same times. There may be evidence buried miles offshore or the abandoned cities were eroded during the intervening years. Or this could all be complete bull, it is just one possible theory... [More]
Comment icon #8 Posted by Harte 13 years ago
Well, ET or not, visitation or not, the article's author appears to be fabricating his claims from thin air. To wit: The Annunaki leader was called Enlil, and his seven assistants were known as the Council of Seven. Another Annunaki leader was called Ea. Followers of the Ancient Astronaut theory will already know about the Annunaki but they may not be aware that they were associated with some mysterious objects called the Maskim. The Maskim were the Throne Bearers of the Gods which 'flew through the sky'. Sorry, but "Maskim" is a Sumerian word that means something like what we call a county cl... [More]
Comment icon #9 Posted by Rlyeh 13 years ago
I know next to nothing about age-measuring sciences, like measuring age of an object based on some semi-radioactive isotope, but, is it possible, that the further you try to determine the age of an object, the more there is room for some unknown or semi-known little metaphysical rule to make the object's age seem different from what it actually is?Basically invoking "magic" when the evidence doesn't support the conclusion.
Comment icon #10 Posted by Wearer of Hats 13 years ago
Perhaps they originated in Orion? Unlikely, as the stars in what we call the Orion cluster are younger then our own by a considerable margin. That based on what we know of planetary development and the development of life on planets - the Orion worlds (assuming there are actually planets there) are too young to have anything other then macrobacterial life.
Comment icon #11 Posted by rcarp89 13 years ago
Basically invoking "magic" when the evidence doesn't support the conclusion. So in other words it is 100% impossible that current science may either be wrong in certain ways or that it has 100% taken into account every possible equation and factor that may determine the age of an object lightyears away? Science is infalliable, and anything outside current realms of understanding is not possible avenues of science yet to be discovered, but in your words 'magic'? He was asking a question, why is there such a need to be so judgemental? I can see arrogance reigns supreme when it comes to issues su... [More]
Comment icon #12 Posted by Rlyeh 13 years ago
So in other words it is 100% impossible that current science may either be wrong in certain ways or that it has 100% taken into account every possible equation and factor that may determine the age of an object lightyears away? Science is infalliable, and anything outside current realms of understanding is not possible avenues of science yet to be discovered, but in your words 'magic'? He was asking a question, why is there such a need to be so judgemental? I can see arrogance reigns supreme when it comes to issues such as these, on both sides of the argument. Did you even bother to read the q... [More]
Comment icon #13 Posted by Ryegrog 13 years ago
I think science should take at least consideration on what ufologist and ancient astronaut theorist are proposing. If science looks back on their history 500 years ago, Religion was the dominate player on determining the creation story and when science had there own theory, Religion burned people at the stake for their heretical idea. Now that science is a big player they are not open to new ideas and basically considering them heretical. Now I realize there's no evidence, but the theories should be explored to possibly find that evidence.
Comment icon #14 Posted by and then 13 years ago
So in other words it is 100% impossible that current science may either be wrong in certain ways or that it has 100% taken into account every possible equation and factor that may determine the age of an object lightyears away? Science is infalliable, and anything outside current realms of understanding is not possible avenues of science yet to be discovered, but in your words 'magic'? He was asking a question, why is there such a need to be so judgemental? I can see arrogance reigns supreme when it comes to issues such as these, on both sides of the argument. You sometimes have to overlook Rl... [More]


Please Login or Register to post a comment.


 Total Posts: 7,752,972    Topics: 323,918    Members: 203,113

 Not a member yet ? Click here to join - registration is free and only takes a moment!
Recent news and articles