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| Tablet of Mayan Rocket Man in Prometheus |
One of the tablets that displays the star pattern shown in Prometheus is based on the Sarcophagus Lid of the Tomb of Pakal Votan which is thought by many ancient astronaut theorists to depict an astronaut in a rocket ship cockpit.
As a viewer initially taking an interest in the trailer as it is found on line, this tablet is suddenly recognisable, one can see the details and what they have changed to make it fit into their story. One could say that it is unfair to take too much notice of it because it's only seen briefly at the side of the shot in the trailer, but for a fan of the Alien series who knows something about the Ancient Astronauts concept being introduced to the trailer with the ability to halt it wherever he wants, there are further questions to ask about it. In the film itself as it is seen on the big cinema screen it might be something really hardly noticeable and whatever is to be found in the mockup of a tablet isn't to be taken too seriously.
The replica shows a slightly altered replica of the sarcophagus lid , the man in the image now has a breathing pipe instead of the part of the image that is less easily imaginable as breathing apparatus and the Mayan depiction of the sky has been taken away and replaced with a very non-Mayan sky depicting the group of stars that in some of the images from archeological digs from around the world which show pictograms roughly match up
with the star map seen and drawn by Betty Hill and indeed this starmap configuration becomes an issue at the beginning of Prometheus. However to point out the star pattern on this image would require some guess work.
- Propstore.com description:
Ancient Mayan Space Jockey 'Star Map' Tablet
Stock # 27008
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| Upper section of tablet showing stars |
A large carved tablet used in Ridley Scott’s 2012
sci-fi adventure Prometheus. This tablet can be seen in the key
briefing scene which is held by Dr Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Dr Holloway
(Logan-Marshall Green) where they explain the origin of the star map.
The star map image is shown to be similar to those on several other
tablets that were also discovered, leading them to mount the expedition
to find the planet LV-223. This tablet is shown in the sequence to be
Mayan in origin dating from 620 CE and excavated from ‘site B central
TEOTICHUAĆAN.
The lower section of the tablet features a large reclined person
with an iconic ‘space jockey’ head, very similar to that seen of the
engineer in the later stages of the film. The entire tablet is bordered
with symbol etchings and patterning. The characteristic ‘star map’ which
is analysed during the film, can be seen on the top section of the
tablet. This large prop is made from a biscuit foam cast which has had a
hard resin skin applied on the outside. The mould has been carved,
painted and detailed in a grey wash stone effect, then chipped to give
an aged appearance. It has been moulded to mount on top of a green
screen pole although this is no longer attached. The green screen pole
would have been edited out to give the tablet a suspended appearance
when used in the production. This iconic tablet is in fantastic
production used condition and measures 75cm x 42cm x 11cm (29.5” x 16.5”
x 4.5").
b) See: The existing mythology behind tomb lid of the Pakal Votan sarcophagus lid
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| drawing of Sarcophagus Lid of Pakal Votan |
c) Von Daniken's Point of view
Von Däniken since the 1960s has presented multitudes of ancient reliefs, drawings and sculptures and painting in broad strokes the idea that these are depictions of extra terrestrials and space ships. In a way it has been an interesting concept until you look closer and closer at the details and find that quite often what is shown can be proven to be the opposite, however despite the proof offered against much of what he has said, some of his ideas put forth remain very enigmatic such as the tomb lid of Pakal Votan. One can read Von Däniken's books and soon develop the method of thinking that he has provided us with, looking at all these ancient objects and designs from a from a twentieth to twenty first century point of view.
Since the film Prometheus presentation of the Ancient Mayan Space Jockey 'Star Map' Tablet takes inspiration from Von Daniken, we can talk about the image in Chariots
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| the Sarcophagus Lid of Pakal Votan |
of the Gods regarding the sarcophagus lid. Eric Von Däniken asked the question whether primitive imagination could have produced something that seemed so similar to the modern astronaut in his rocket. The strange markings at the foot of the drawing were surely, in his mind, an indication of the flames and gases coming from the propulsion unit.
- Erich von Däniken:"There sits a human being, with his upper part of his body bent forward like a racing a motorcyclist today any child would identify his vehicle as a rocket. It is pointed at the front, then changes changes to strangely grooved indentations like inlet ports, widens out and terminates at the tail in a darting flame. The crouching being himself is manipulating a number of undefinable controls controls and has the heel of his left foot on a kind of a pedal. His clothing is appropriate: short trousers with a broad belt, a jacket with the modern Japanese opening at the neck and closely fitting bands at arms and legs. With our knowledge of similar pictures we should be surprised if the complicated headgear were missing.And there it is with the usual indentation and tubes and something like antennae on top. Our space traveler
- he is clearly depicted as one - is not only bent forwards tensely; he
is also looking intently at an apparatus hanging in front of his face.
Is the astronauts front seat is separated by
struts from the rear portion of the vehicle, in which symmetrically
arranged boxes circles, points and spirals can be seen. What does this relief have to tell us? Nothing? Is everything anyone links up with space travel a stupid figment of the imagination? (Chariots of the Gods (1968), p123-124)
- Erich Von Daniken:"
Could primitive imagination have produced anything so remarkably
similar to a modern astronaut in his rocket? The strange markings at the
foot of the drawing can only be an indication of the flames and gases
coming from the propulsion unit." (Chariot of the Gods by Erich Von Danikens p112)
- Narrator : After eight refusals, we are finally granted permission to film this ancient celebrity. The sealed sepulchre is opened to us for a brief half hour, up a steap flight of stairs and down into the even more stifling dampness of the interior of the tomb. .And there he is, captured for the first time on film, the winged god of Palenque, what the learned sees is so stunning that we must examine the details seperately. We see a man seated in a capsule intently watching something. His hands seem to be operating some undefinable controls. His foot is pressing a pedal. At the rear of the capsule we see jets trailing flames behind them. Isn't this a typical position for an astronaut, as we so well know it today? He seem to be dressed for the job, in trousers with a broad belt, a sort of jacket tight fitting at the wrists like coveralls. The chair is well upholstered to absorb the shock of the acceleration. A figure before controls also dressed like an astronaut. Another jet trailing flames. This stone deity say the Maya, represents Kukulkan who came from the stars and returned there (Chariots of the Gods documentary , 1970)
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| Erich von Däniken |
- Narrator :Mysteries of the past manifest themselves on all continents. Within the depths of a temple, the ancient Mayan city of Palenque in central America, von Däniken came upon a stone relief of what is apparently a man seated in a capsule watching something intently. His hands seem to be operating some undefinable controls. His foot pressing a lever. And at the rear of the capsule are jets trailing flames behind them. He seem to be dressed for the job, in
trousers with a broad belt, a sort of jacket tight fitting at the wrists . The chair is well upholstered to absorb the shock of acceleration. Mayan legend says that he represents the space travelling god, Kukulkan, the winged god of Palanque. He was carved some time in the seventh century. The possibility haunts us that this figure was the artists rendering of the ancient astronauts who inspired the Mayan culture. (In Search Of: Ancient Astronauts documentary (1973)
- Richard Karn(Narrator):Our search for clues about the flying machines of the ancient world takes us to southern Mexico, the ancient city of Palenque is one of the most magnificent of the Mayan culture which flourished all across Southern America for almost six hundred years. This is the burial pyramid of Pacal, ruler of the Mayan world about 600 AD. Here we find what Eric Von Daniken believes are signs that the Mayans might have encountered visitors from the sky. Pacal's ornate sarcophagus is rendered in exquisite detail. The lid is a beautifully carved image of the dead king. Erich Von Daniken believes this relief might show Pacal in some kind of spaceship. Look closely, Pacal is seated in the reclining like an astronaut in a space capsule. His hands seem to be gripping the controls almost like an airplane pilot. His nose
appears to be attached to a breathing apparatus. The design behind the
seat could be a representation of flames like those of a rocket ship" ( Chariots of the Gods? The Mysteries Continue, 1996)
- Playboy:What is the most convincing evidence you have that Earth has been visited from outer space?
Von Daniken: Two kinds of proof : proof by hard facts and proof in mythologies, holy books, legends and so forth. We have very good proof in hard facts. In Palenque, a little place in Yucatán, there is a tomb
covered by a large stone. On this stone is a wonderful relief. It shows
a man sitting in a kind of frame. He is bending forward almost like a motorcyclist, and at his nose he has what I would call an oxygen mask. He is operating some controls with his hands, turning something on - you can recognise every detail - and the heel of his left foot seems to be on a pedal which has different adjustments. Behind him you see some circles, some boxes, all kinds of mysterious things. And outside is a flame like an exhaust.
Playboy: We're familiar with the stone which also depicts a bird in front of him. What's it doing there?
Von Daniken: Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it represents flight, you know? Anyway, around the stone is a writing saying the relief shows a Mayan priest who died because of "the
hot wind." Archeologists say this shows the poor guy was sick and died
in a hot summer season. I see it completely differently, that the hot
wind was maybe the blast from a spaceship. I would not say this if
we did not have, in many other old texgts, similar things where someone
is killed by the "hot wind of the gods." You find these hot winds in
the Mahabharata, the hindu epic, and in the Sumerian epic of Gilgamech, where Engidu dies because he has been in contact with the gods and their hot wind. (Playboy 1974)
d. Skeptics in for the attack on von Daniken
His claims have often come under attack from others such as Ron Story
with his book "The Space God's Revealed"
- Ronald Story:"The personage in this Mayan stone carving from Palenque, Mexico has achieved an unexpected fame at the hands of von Däniken's description of the rocket-driving god Kukulkan is convincing in itself."
- Erich von Däniken:"There sits a human being, with his upper part of his body bent forward like a racing a motorcyclist today any child would identify his vehicle as a rocket. It is pointed at the front, then changes changes to strangely grooved indentations like inlet ports, widens out and terminates at the tail in a darting flame. The crouching being himself is manipulating a number of undefinable controls controls and has the heel of his left foot on a kind of a pedal. His clothing is appropriate: short trousers with a broad belt, a jacket with the modern Japanese opening at the neck and closely fitting bands at arms and legs. With our knowledge of similar pictures we should be surprised if the complicated headgear were missing.And there it is with the usual indentation and tubes and something like antennae on top. Our space traveler
- he is clearly depicted as one - is not only bent forwards tensely; he
is also looking intently at an apparatus hanging in front of his face.
Is the astronauts front seat is separated by
struts from the rear portion of the vehicle, in which symmetrically
arranged boxes circles, points and spirals can be seen (Chariots of the Gods (1968)
(Space Gods revealed.1976))
- Ronald Story:"Von Däniken argues that if this example from his 'chain of proofs' is not accepted by scholars, we must doubt their integrity.'A genuinely unprejudiced look at this picture, ' he tells us, 'would make even more die-hard skeptics stop and think. That much may be true but the illustration of the Palenque carving is Von Daniken's book is small and not easy to see clearly in detail. Moreover, certain details and dryer of the drawing have been blacked out. "(Space Gods revealed.1976)
- Ronald Story:The original relief comes from the tomb at the ancient Mayan ceremonial center Polanque, Chiapas, Mexico (It was found in 1952 kn 1935, as Von Däniken reports) It is carved on the lid of a sarcophagus buried under a large pyramid. The date of the burial (A.D. 683) can be determined by the accompanying Mayan glyphs. (Space Gods revealed.1976))
- Ronald Story: Several of Von Däniken's points about the relief can be re-examined with clearer illustrations. The 'rocket' is pointed at the end, but there is something perched on top of it. If a child could identify the carving as a rocket, he could certainly identify the 'hood ornament' as giant bird resembling a rooster! (Actually this is quetzal, national bird of Guatamala.)Aerodynamically, the roosters-style ornament might have caused problems.(Space Gods revealed.1976)
- Ronald Story: This spacecraft is a rather small with few outer protections for the rider. Of great concern is the fact that the astronaut has his head protruding outside the rocket. It is also strange that the figure is barefoot and does not wear gloves. ( Both fingernails toenails are illustrated) and has a complicated 'helmet' which does not cover his face. Except for a breachcloth and typical Mayan jade anklets, bracelet and necklace and 'helmet' on his head our astronaut is naked. In other words, he is a typically costume upper-class Mayan of around A.D. 700 as pictured in other Mayan carvings and painting.(Space Gods revealed)
- Zecharia Sitchin: The enigma of the tomb and its occupant was
deepened by the depiction on the tomb lid: it was the image of a
barefoot Maya sitting upon a plumed or flaming throne and seemingly
operating mechanical devices inside and elaborate chamber. The Ancient
Astronaut Society, and its sponsor, Erich Von Däniken, have seen in this
a depiction of an astronaut inside a spacecraft driven by flaming jets.
They suggest that an extra-terrestrial is buried here. Archeologists
and other scholars ridicule the idea. (The Lost Realms, by Zechariah Sitchin p71)
- Read also transcription of section from Pacal Votan tomb lid, Ancient Aliens season 1, episode 4
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| Model inspired by the Pakal Votan tomb lid image as seen on Ancient Aliens |
e) Carl Sagan vs Von Däniken
f) Another relief
Another relief that resembles a 20th century perception of a rocket to some extent like the content of the tomb lid of Pakal Votan
is the QUIRIGUA MAYAN RUINS: BACK FACE of STELA I (a STELA of JADE SKY, 16th King of Quiriguá) possibly created around 800. It's not as likely to inspire people to think of it as a depiction of a man in a space craft as the Pakal Votan tomb lid but maybe someone might take a look at this thing through a Von Däniken point of view and see this as a space craft, with the bird tail like plumer at the bottom as the rocket nozzle down (which is something the Pakal Votan tomb lid didn't have) with the pilot within the confines of the structure but seen from the front seated above an animal like head which in the Pakal Votan image would be the Monster of the Sun..
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QUIRIGUA MAYAN RUINS: BACK FACE of STELA I
(a STELA of JADE SKY, 16th King of Quiriguá). |
QUIRIGUA MAYAN RUINS: SCULPTURE on the BACK FACE of STELA i (a STELA of JADE SKY,
16th King of Quiriguá), Guatemala. 1984 Photo by Peter Wendelken.
The back face of QUIRIGUA STELA i displaying intricate Mayan stone carving in the Quiriguá Mayan Ruins in eastern Guatemala near the banks of the Rîo Motagua. The front
face of Quiriguá Stela i bears a portrait of Jade Sky, the 16th king of Quiriguá. Quiriguá Stela i was dedicated in 800. In this 1984 photo, Stela i is partially blackened by the smoke of incense that was burned at the
base of the stela in the early 1980's.
Ruinas de Quiriguá: Estela i, vista de atrás.(source: Neotropical Pete's Flickr album)
