Thief on the Cross: Templar Secrets in America (Templars in America Series Book 2)
Page 33
MARY MAGDALENE WITH A SKULL, GUSTAVE DORE
“Could the skull represent Jesus himself?”
“How could it? He was resurrected; his skull is in heaven.” She smiled. “Supposedly.”
“Good point. So what’s your explanation?”
“I think the skull represents John the Baptist, just as it does for the Templars.”
“Okay. But then why is she looking longingly at it?”
“That’s a bit harder to explain. But consider this: In the patriarchy of the Church, Mary Magdalene cannot take her rightful place alongside her husband Jesus. Instead, she is relegated to the role of a prostitute. So perhaps she is looking longingly at the skull because only once duality is restored to the godhead can she be reunited with her lover and take her rightful seat by his side. The priest rules alongside the king, as does a queen. But they both require a system of dualism to do so. She longs for dualism.”
Cam grinned. “You’re pretty good at this stuff. I’m impressed.”
She shrugged. “Once you get clued in it all sort of fits together.”
“Speaking of clued in, we’re getting close to the illumination.”
They walked over to admire Astarte’s snowman and then found a good vantage point along the cast iron fence that surrounded the tower. The box of light formed by the sun passing through a rectangular window in the tower’s east side had already begun its diagonal march down the interior tower wall. “See the light box, Astarte?” Amanda asked.
“It looks like a flashlight beam. But it’s not round.”
“That’s because the window the light is passing through is not round.” Amanda rested her arm on the girl’s shoulder. Somehow she knew exactly how to speak to Astarte, how to explain complex things to a confused, vulnerable eight-year-old girl. Albeit a very bright one. “You asked about the egg shape of the orange stone. Well, the egg is a symbol of fertility; it is where life starts in the womb. What we are going to see happens only today, on the winter solstice. And that is not an accident—the window and the egg-shaped stone were carefully placed so this happens only once during the year. In a few minutes the sun will illuminate the egg. This is symbolic of rebirth—the sun is not dying but instead is being reborn. The light beam is fertilizing the egg just as the sun fertilizes Mother Earth and gives life to everything on it.”
“So the sun is the father and the earth is the mother?” Astarte asked. She was a quick study. And the Native American culture taught children about the facts of life at a young age.
“Brilliant,” Amanda said, smiling. “And that’s why we believe God is both a man and a woman, not just a man. It takes both the male and female to create life. Since we are created in God’s image, God must have both male and female characteristics. The people who built this tower understood that.”
“And celebrated it,” Cam added. “That’s how we know it was built by the Templars or their followers.”
“Look, the sun is approaching the egg now,” Amanda said.
The crowd watched in silence as the light box crept across the interior tower wall. Cam marveled at the technology and science that must have gone into placing both the window and the egg-shaped keystone in exactly the right spot to mark the winter solstice. The fact that the keystone was slightly off-center testified to how difficult it must have been to construct the tower in perfect accord with the illumination.
Cam took Astarte’s hand. “Okay, it’s close. Watch how the egg stone lights up.”
Astarte gasped and covered her mouth with a gloved hand as the beam of light, which showed only as a dull gray glimmer against the darker stones of the tower, glowed bright and gold as it enveloped the yellowish orb. “Oh my,” the girl whispered.
NEWPORT TOWER WINTER SOLSTICE ILLUMINATION
“So,” Amanda whispered. “Life is reborn for yet another year.”
Astarte stared at the illumination for a few more seconds. “Thank you for showing me this,” she said as she grasped Amanda’s and Cam’s hands. “If I am to be the Fortieth Princess I will need to learn about these things.” She set her jaw. “I will need to teach the people how to have eyes that see.”
THE END
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Inevitably, I receive this question from readers: “Are the artifacts in your stories real, or did you make them up?” The answer is: If they are in the story, they are real, actual artifacts.
It is because they are real that I have included images of many of them within these pages—I want readers to see them with their own eyes, to be able to make at least a cursory judgment as to their age, origin and meaning. Are they authentic? Do they evidence ancient exploration of this continent? I hope readers will at least consider the possibility that they do.
Specifically, in regard to this story, I expect to receive inquiries regarding many of the artifacts and themes written about in these pages. I offer the following background information and sources for readers curious about these questions (topics are listed in order of appearance in this story).
Templars in America
Much has been written recently about the possibility of the Knights Templar traveling to North American during medieval times. My prior novel, Cabal of the Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower (Martin and Lawrence Press, 2009) offers a good overview of this subject, specifically focusing on the New England area sites and artifacts. For a non-fiction summary of this research, I highly recommend Scott Wolter, The Hooked X: Key to the Secret History of North America (North Star Press of St. Cloud, 2009), and also the DVD, Holy Grail in America (History Channel, 2010). The Newport Tower winter solstice illumination is featured in both of these books as well as the DVD.
The Burrows Cave Artifacts
As related in this story, thousands of artifacts were removed from this cave in southern Illinois by Russell Burrows beginning in the late 1980s. The artifacts shown in this story are all actual Burrows Cave artifacts. Recently, geologist Scott Wolter discovered the cursive writing on the back side of the Isis Stone, indicating that this particular artifact, at least, is a fake. The question as to whether the other artifacts are more than a modern-day hoax remains an open one. I recommend Frank Joseph, The Lost Treasure of King Juba (Bear & Company, 2003) as a good background source.
The Mandan Indians and Prince Madoc
The Mandan, the so-called “White Indians,” sparked much debate among the early pioneers regarding their origin. Many, including President Thomas Jefferson, believed they descended from Welsh explorers (this is usually tied to the Prince Madoc legends). Others believed the Mandan were one of the Lost Tribes of Israel. Most historians believe the Mandan were wiped out by a smallpox epidemic. For more information on the Mandan, I recommend the works of George Catlin, who lived with and wrote about the tribe in the early 1800s. I also recommend Rick Osmon, The Graves of the Golden Bear: Ancient Fortresses and Monuments of the Ohio Valley (Grave Distractions, 2011), which contains background information on many of the ancient sites and artifacts found in the Ohio River Valley; this book also discusses both Prince Madoc and the Burrows Cave saga.
The Clairvaux Codex
Researchers recently uncovered remnants of a 12th-century Templar document purportedly journaling a Templar voyage to what we now know as New York’s Catskill Mountains in the 1170s. I have renamed this document and left out many of the details surrounding its discovery per the request of the researchers who uncovered it. I was, however, present when the IN CAMERA stone was dug up in the Catskills in accordance with instructions and clues contained in the document. The latitude and longitude readings on the IN CAMERA stone do, indeed, mark Old Montreal. For more information regarding the Clairvaux Codex, look for a forthcoming book to be published by researchers Zena Halpern and Donald Ruh.
The Bat Creek Stone
Geologist Scott Wolter has performed some fascinating research on this artifact, and has concluded it is not a modern hoax. Unfortunately, the Smithsonian seems to have misplaced many of the bon
es and artifacts found alongside the stone in the burial mound (you can’t make this stuff up). If these objects and remains are found, they can be tested to perhaps determine age and origin. Many believe that this is the artifact that will conclusively prove trans-Atlantic exploration in ancient times. For more information regarding the Bat Creek Stone, look for a forthcoming book to be published by Scott Wolter.
Templar Religious Beliefs
I have long suspected that the Templars discovered something truly earth-shattering in Jerusalem in the early 12th-century that they used to blackmail the Church. One possibility, which I explore in this story, is that they stumbled upon Talpiot Tomb and the bones of Jesus and his family (this was suggested to me as a possibility by author and researcher Margaret Starbird). If so, they would have learned that Jesus did not ascend in the physical sense to heaven. This may have caused them to doubt the divinity of Jesus and the religious foundation upon which the Church was built, which in turn might explain many of the practices and rituals ascribed to the Templars, including: 1) the practice of spitting on the cross; 2) the worship of the head, Baphomet; 3) the veneration of Mary, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist and many other Christian figures other than Jesus himself; 4) the observation of ancient pagan religious practices involving Mother Earth and astral alignments; and 5) the willingness to acquire knowledge from, trade with and even befriend the “heretical” Muslims the Templars encountered in the Middle-East. Not to mention, of course, that the discovery of Jesus’ bones would also explain the Templar teaching referring to Jesus as the Thief on the Cross. The teaching quoted in the story, in which the Templars explain why they refer to Jesus as the Thief on the Cross, is based on testimony from the Templar trials.
Notre Dame Basilica
The Notre Dame Basilica was, as stated in this story, built by the Sulpician sect in the 1670’s. This sect is believed to descend from or at least share religious values with the Templars. The images of the Basilica shown in this story are real, including the Delta of Enoch on the ceiling of the raised pulpit. The bones of the Basilica’s architect are purportedly buried in a crypt in the church basement; of course, the assertion that the bones in the crypt are those of Jesus is fictional. For an excellent overview of Sulpician influence in the settlement of Montreal, see Francine Bernier, The Templars’ Legacy in Montreal, the New Jerusalem (Frontier Publishing, 2001).
Just as the artifacts displayed in this book are real, so too are the works of art. Again, I display these artworks because I want readers to perform their own analysis—what hidden message, if any, is the artist trying to convey? During medieval times, artists (such as Leonardo da Vinci) who had been initiated into the secret societies often communicated ancient knowledge considered blasphemous through their art. The expression “eyes that see” applies to those who knew how and where (including inside churches themselves) to look for these messages.
It is, then, these artifacts, sites and works of art that are the raw materials for this story. From them I have crafted a narrative that offers one plausible explanation for why they exist in the form they do. The key word here is ‘plausible’—to use an analogy from our system of jurisprudence, it is not essential that a fiction writer prove his or her case beyond a reasonable doubt. But the writer must present a credible, believable scenario. The writer cannot simply make things up, fabricating history to suit his or her needs. I am cognizant of that, and have made every effort to craft a story that is consistent with the historical record. For inquisitive readers, perhaps curious about some of the specific historical assertions made and evidence presented in this story, I offer the following substantiation (in order of appearance in the story):
• For a summary of Samuel Eliot Morison’s dismissal of the accuracy of the Vinland Sagas, see Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America: The Northern Voyages (Oxford University Press, USA, 1971), at pages 52 and 55.
• For the assertion that the ancient Cherokee name for their divine spirit is ‘Yo-He-Wah, almost identical to the Jewish Yahweh, see Cherokee Beliefs and Practices of the Ancients, by James Adair (Cherokee Language and Culture, 1998), at page 50.
• For the assertion that Egyptian and Roman hieroglyphs were found carved on the wall of Cave-In-Rock, see http://www.midwesternepigraphic.org/sMap01.html.
• For the assertion that Jesus’ niece Anna married into the ancient Mauretanian royal family of King Juba II and Queen Cleopatra Selene (the daughter of the famous Cleopatra and Mark Anthony), see The Knights Templar of the Middle East, by HRH Prince Michael of Albany (Weiser Books, 2006), at page 11.
• For the assertion that Jesus descended from Abraham by 40 generations on his mother Mary’s side, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogy_of_Jesus (referencing The Book of Matthew).
• For the assertion that more than half of the Templar Grand Masters were also given the title, “Prince of Seborga,” see http://seborga.net/history/index.html.
• For substantiation of Tennessee Governor Seiver’s recount of a Cherokee chief stating that the ancient Welsh landed near the mouth of the Alabama River, see http://www.walesdirectory.co.uk/Myths_and_Legends/P rince_Madoc.htm.
• For the assertion that Prince Madoc traveled to America, see http://www.slideshare.net/JudyMJohnson/the-case-for-prince-madoc-and-king-arthur-in-america-revision-8-23-10.
• For the assertion that a Templar teaching resulted in the Templars referring to Jesus as the Thief on the Cross, see http://tikaboo.com/library/Masonry_-_The_Knights_Templar.pdf.
• For the assertion that the inscription at the America’s Stonehenge site is ancient Punic that translates as, “To Baal of the Canaanites,” and dates back to roughly 500 BC, see David Goudsward, Ancient Stone Sites of New England (McFarland & Co., 2006), at page 86.
• For information about an ancient Phoenician coin found in Massachusetts (and that archeologists speculated it was carried across the Atlantic in the beak of a seagull), see http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x124780161/Shekel-in-the-sand-How-did-2-000-year-old-coin-end-up-in-Manchester.
• For the assertion that the first Templar Grand Master, Hugues de Payens, was secretly a Johannite—a worshiper of John the Baptist—and not a follower of Jesus, see Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma (various publishers), 30th Degree, Knight Kadosh, at pages 816-819.
• For the assertion that the roots of modern-day Islamic hostility toward Christianity took hold in the 19th and 20th centuries, when Protestant leaders began questioning Christianity’s core religious teachings, see http://www.messianicassociation.org/ezine26-usn.are-christians2blame.htm.
• For the assertion that the Essenes prophesized that the place of dominion of the high priestly messiah was to be in heaven, while the royal messiah resided on earth, see http://www.dhushara.com/book/yeshua/apoc.htm (approximately one-third of the way down the page).
• For the assertion that the removal of the first letter Yod in the Tetragrammaton at the Notre Dame Basilica, thereby changing the name “Yahweh” to “Eve,” indicated that its worshipers venerated the female aspect of the divine, see Francine Bernier, The Templars’ Legacy in Montreal, the New Jerusalem (Frontier Publishing, 2001), at pages 185-188.
Out of all this, then, comes a story that hopefully both educates and entertains. Were ancient explorers secretly visiting North America? If so, were they doing so to preserve ancient secrets or hide ancient knowledge? These are the questions that keep me up at night. Hopefully you’ve lost some sleep over them as well.
PHOTO CREDITS
Images used in this book are provided courtesy of the following individuals (images listed in order of appearance in the story):
BURROWS CAVE ROMAN SOLDIER, courtesy Scott Wolter
THE BAT CREEK STONE, courtesy Scott Wolter
BURROWS CAVE URSA MINOR STONE, courtesy Ancient Waterways
BURROWS CAVE MAP STONE, courtesy Scott Wolter
MADOC STOKE DRY MURAL, courtesy Lee Pennington
THE GODDESS STONE, courtesy Zena Ha
lpern
BURROWS CAVE ISIS STONE, courtesy Scott Wolter
BURROWS CAVE ISIS STONE (back side), courtesy Scott Wolter
IN CAMERA STONE, courtesy Scott Wolter
BON-SECOURS CHAPEL CORNERSTONE, courtesy Scott Wolter
NOTRE DAME BASILICA PULPIT, courtesy Chris Devers
NOTRE DAME BASILICA DELTA OF ENOCH, courtesy Scott Wolter
NEWPORT TOWER WINTER SOLSTICE SUNRISE, courtesy Richard Lynch
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Much of the research involving ancient exploration of North America rests on the ever-growing foundation of scientific evidence compiled by geologist Scott Wolter and his wife, Janet. They have truly become giants in this field, and their dedication, courage and intellect in studying the ancient artifacts that exist on this continent are the greatest factors forcing historians and academics to reconsider the question of “Columbus First.” In addition to the great work they are doing, they have taken time out of their busy lives to help me research and formulate this story. Their assistance and their friendship have been invaluable.
Others who have assisted in my research include (in alphabetical order): Steve St. Clair, Chris Finefrock, Irene Gordon, Zena Halpern, Virginia Kimball, Gerard Leduc, Richard Lynch, Wayne May, Rick Osmon, Rabbi Shoshana Perry, Judi Rudebusch, Donald Ruh, Margaret Starbird and Dennis Stone (inclusion on this list does not in any way indicate approval or support of the conclusions reached in this story). I am grateful to you all.
I also want to thank my team of readers, those who slogged their way through early versions of the story and offered helpful, insightful comments, even if they did not necessarily agree with some of the themes of this story (readers listed chronologically): Lynn Keltz, Allie Brody, Richard Meibers, Spencer Brody, Richard Scott, Jeanne Scott, Jeff Brody, Shelley Kline, Tom Coffey, Renee Brody and Carolyn Metcalf.