How much of ancient artwork is based on scientific knowledge ? That is a question that is explored in the Earth/matriX essays. All too often we view our ancient heritage as coming from nascent beings who did not really know what they were achieving with their works; or, we enjoy viewing them as being magicians of some kind. Whatever the particular viewpoint may be, there is another possibility of examining the ancient artwork: from the perspective of its internal logic.

The Earth/matriX series, written by Charles W. Johnson, represents an independent effort to examine the relationships of astronomical data, mathematical models, the laws of geometry, and how all of that possibly became interpreted and translated into the ancient artwork.

Every culture, every piece of artwork is fair game for analysis. The governing idea is simple: there is only one reality, and that reality exists as spacetime/movement. The laws of nature necessarily reflect spacetime coordinates and relations. The ancient artwork, no matter where it may have existed, would necessarily have reflected these same laws, those same coordinates. Some aspects of the artwork would be due to those unbending laws, other aspects would be due to individual expression and imagination. Those different levels of analysis and enquiry are approached in the writings of the Earth/matriX series.

The essays are presented with more reasoning than with academic references in an effort to cut to the core of each particular subject. Each case study presents sufficient elements to decide whether to continue or reroute the analysis. Hopefully we may learn more from our ancient heritage than what has already been achieved by so many over the years. The Earth/matriX project is based upon the idea that the ancient knowledge may offer insight into reviewing our contemporary approach to science and knowledge about ourselves and our world.

The Earth/metriX Series, Science in Ancient Artwork, represents an attempt to build upon the innumerable contributions of others who have sought to understand the meaning of our ancient legacy.

Many scholars have studied the ancient record with the purpose of identifying the reasoning behind the ancient artwork. The approaches have been infinite in number; from the imaginatively creative to passing shots in the dark. The ancient artwork has been viewed from almost every conceivable perspective possible. It has been examined from the viewpoint of astrology and astronomy; now, archaeoastronomy. Its math has been explored and explained in many cases. Its feature of representing a system for counting time has been illustrated in great detail. Its geometrical nature has been exhaustively reviewed and pondered over. Its numerological aspects have been rummaged through time and again in search of an apparent secret code. Its aesthetics has been criticized and admired by every generation.

Nothing has been left unturned. We have shown a tremendous need to honor our past and our ancestors by studying their works in an attempt to descipher what it is that may be recorded in the ancient artwork. In many cases, much success has been achieved through the dedication of persevering individuals in their personal quest of knowledge. But, in many other cases, the meaning of much of the artwork still escapes us. No sooner is a stone overturned, analyzed and comprehended in some of its aspects, that an infinite number of new questions arise. And, it may just be that the ancient puzzle-makers constructed an openended, infinite system of meanings, whereby the meaning of a particular object may never be known. Such a singular concept may not have been a part of their outlook or vocabulary.

The search for those relational meanings forms part of the objectives assumed in the Earth/matriX series. There is no pretense beyond that. The purpose is to contribute a distinct perspective, another view, which might add to the collection of efforts already achieved by so many individuals throughout the world and throughout time; individuals who have faced their past in search of a doorway to the future of humankind on this planet.

With these ideas in mind, the reader may comprehend the approach assumed in writing the Earth/matriX essays. There is no academic intention of reviewing in detail the past contributions of other writers; there shall be no critique of standing interpretations effected by others. Prior analytical accomplishments are for the reader to ponder preferably in the words of those who proposed such ideas. We must simply write up our perspective, others have already written theirs. For we are confronted by a conceptual kind of artwork that may precisely validate each and very interpretation and way of looking at the artwork itself. Such an infinite system may be difficult for us to comprehend, since we enjoy seeking causal relations and singular meanings to things, but such a possibility may have been the basis of design of ancient artwork. With that in mind, it just may be that some interpretations which are posed in exclusive, polemical terms, may in fact represent complementary notions.

To offer an example: the central figure of the Aztec Calendar has been identified as representing the Earth, the Sun, and even the moon. It may be the case that each one of those seemingly contradictory interpretations may be correct, exact. The question may be one of knowing relationally when the central figure might represent each one of those bodies of the solar system. The Earth/matriX series represents an enquiry into just such a relational perspective in an attempt to comprehend the wealth of knowledge represented in ancient artwork around the world.

The author would enjoy receiving your comments or enquiries regarding these essays and the subjects treated therein. All correspondence should be sent to the author care of Earth/matriX. The author also offers a series of illustrated lectures on the themes related to his research findings. Posters and science-cards are available on certain themes from the Geo/metriX Collection of Earth/matriX.

Earth/matriX dot-com has been on the Internet now for nearly eleven years; it seems longer. Every year it becomes more difficult to maintain the research and web-site without any institutional assistance. Earth/matriX is among the oldest free-content providers on the Internet. If you would like to show your support to our efforts, we could use your help. We still have the same mailing address: Earth/matriX, P.O. Box 231126, New Orleans, Louisiana 70183-1126