In the Earth/matriX series of essays, we explore the mathematics and geometry behind the ancient artwork. In October of 1992, we discovered images that were encoded into the ancient artwork. This discovery led us to research the mathematical basis of these geometrical designs.

Since then, we have posted numerous essays on the logic of numbers and the ancient reckoning systems from around the world. Historically significant numbers, that appear to have been chosen out of randomness, in fact, reflect methods of computation that suggest the idea of a single system of reckoning. Obvious similarities, such as both the ancient Meso-Americans and the ancient Egyptians having employed a 360 day-count calendar with five days added on, reveal an inner logic to the numbers.

The scholarship of the past has been changing dramatically. Old fears of past intelligence are being set aside as new insights into ancient history surface. The idea that the ancients were either mystical wizards or primitive savages seems to be fading away with every new discovery. Even in the face of such monumental structures as the ancient pyramids and the extensive artwork existing throughout many ancient cultures, some scholars have been hard-pressed to deny any mental capability of the ancients. The ancients are usually conceived of as having been excellent artisans, but poor, if not non-existent thinkers.

The idea that the Great Pyramid, for example, was built out of some primitive concept of stone-building, holds little ground. The theoretically, abstracted design of the Great Pyramid, as well as many other pyramidal sites around the world, now enjoys serious attention from scholars. Not only is the Great Pyramid and other pyramids, considered to have been a technological feat, but they are also becoming recognized as being the product of extremely cognizant minds.

Such recognition shall surely cause us to appreciate our past much more than we have in general. The established idea that the ancient civilizations have little to do with our own technological societies is vanishing with every newly discovered idea. We are here today because of the ancient past; we cannot continue to ignore this fact. We are able to see far because we are able to stand upon the shoulders of all those who have gone before us. It is time we recognize this by giving its worth to the ancient past and its legacy of knowledge.

For that, we have to discard the idea that the ancients knew little or nothing about anything. We must first recognize that we shall learn from them. It is their products that we are studying, from which we shall derive our knowledge. Many established scholars purport to tell us what the past means. They dig deep holes in the Earth's crust, and then find a piece of pottery and with that, pretend to tell us the meaning of that particular piece of pottery. Or, they study a symbol within the ancient artwork, or within the ancient glyphs, and then specifically state that such-and-such is the meaning of that item.

We must approach the study of the past in a distinct manner from that which is generally practiced by many scholars. We must realize that the past artwork can speak to us, but we must become good listeners. Instead of expecting to affirm the meaning of a particular artifact, over which many heated arguments ensue, we must simply look and listen. But, for that, we must open our minds a little more. We must expect the artwork to speak to us, and lay aside for a while the intention of telling others what the artwork means.

Much of the literature on ancient artwork presents unbending arguments in favor of a particular interpretation of the meaning. Yet, the majority of the writing ends by stating that the meaning is really not known. And, that is the nature of humanly assigned meanings to things. We may discover the image of an owl, but then to go from there and state that that particular owl meant such-and-such is a giant leap of faith, when dealing with things past, things that are not known firsthand.

We do not know how the ancients built the Great Pyramid. We do not know how they transported or raised the heavy stones to the heights achieved. We do not know who built the Great Pyramid. Nor do we know why they built it. We do not know whether it still has meaning; whether it may be some kind of receptor or transmitting device. We do not know exactly when it was built. There are so many things that we do not know, that this alone should be telling us to be more humble in our search for meanings of the past. And, this state of ignorance repeats itself with so many other ancient sites around the world.

Scholarship, at times, is designed from the outset for us to prove a point, to select a thesis and then supposedly prove it. When, often enough, we do not know exactly what the point might be. This situation has led to the proliferation of theses about the meaning of the ancient artwork, whereby just about any idea has been forwarded. The interesting aspect is that each author wants to be right, correct, expecting all other theses to be wrong, incorrect. It is difficult to accept the possibility that maybe all or most of the theses forwarded might be correct. In other words, just as with everything that exists, a single item may enjoy multiple meanings, depending upon a particular aspect to be considered.

One particular thesis in vogue at the present, concerns the interpretation that the Giza Complex reflects or mirrors part of the Orion constellation. That may be; but, then that would be only one level. It would appear that the ancients were not bound by one level, but all of their work reflects infinite relationships. One particular dot or line in a sculpture or pyramidal design seems to reflect multiple meanings, again depending upon the chosen aspect to be considered. In other words, the center of the Aztec Calendar, for example, may represent distinct aspects of ancient belief systems, mathematics, geometry, artwork, etc., enjoying multiple meanings.

Contemporary scholarship seeks to find the singular meaning of a particular item or artifact, and then argue in favor of that specific meaning, disregarding all other possible meanings. The ancients seem to have worked in a different manner, comprehending that a particular event may have an infinite number of meanings; meanings inherent to the design and meanings assigned by humankind.

Therefore, we have the level of the constants related to general mathematics, geometry, trigonometry, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and so on; and, we have the assigned meanings related as of the artwork and design. Impressed upon and intermingling with these levels, one may find the mythology reflected in the works.

Until now, in our studies, we have illustrated the math and geometry underlying the designs. Now, it is time to illustrate some of the images that are based upon those mathematical and geometrical considerations. We have already presented some images within the ancient artwork, such as the Aztec Hummingbird, Pakal's cosmic principle of creation, and distinct views of the Aztec calendar. There are many, many more images encoded into the ancient artwork.

It were as though the ancient artwork were designed as computer microchips, with an infinite amount of stored data. And, based upon the mathematics and the geometry that we have now explored in greater detail, we can now illustrate how the ancient images were designed. It offers the possibility of listening to the ancients, almost like a dialogue is being set up. The ancient stones are talking, and we must listen. The encoded images shall speak and form pictures in our minds. The ancient past is about to open up to us, and we are ready to sit down and read its thoughts.

The ancient past has been silent, but not because the ancients have been silent. Rather, it is a case that we have not known how to read their works. Many scholars have tried, and are still attempting to read the ancient works. But, the math and the geometry have been lacking. The conceptual outlook has not been there. The ancients are good writers; we have been poor listeners, poor readers.

With the essential elements of mathematics and geometry, all of this should change. We do not expect to tell our visitors what the ancient artwork actually means; again, we emphasize the near impossibility of such a feat. But, we can show where a certain mathematical formula or geometrical formula lies and the image that such a formula creates. Many other scholars are reviewing the numbers and images of the past in different ways. But, many of those attempts at reading the past have not explored the numbers as of the ancient reckoning systems, but as of theoretically, abstracted grid systems, or the images have been generated as of spontaneous searches based on the mythological imagery of the past.

By examining the historically significant numbers, and researching the mathematics and geometry of these numbers, against the backdrop of ancient artwork, we now can view the images encoded into the ancient artwork. We are no longer talking about the coincidence of numbers and myths, but rather the prediction of images as of the numbers and geometrical designs.

The approach is diametrically opposed to established practices. We do not pretend to teach you anything, but rather to learn from what we have seen ourselves. The ancients are talking, and we must listen. We must approach the subject, then, as a student, knowing that we are going to learn from them. We must put aside for now any pretension of telling others what the ancients mean by their works. Even after all of the images viewed, we are not certain ourselves regarding what the meaning of the images actually represents. To arrive at this recognition shall surely require more time and study.

Let us look at the ancient past with an open heart, a learning mind. We are all students in the face of the past. And, anything we learn from them, we can only pass on to future generations, as they have done with us. There are obvious limits to what we can learn and know about the past. But, fortunately, a great number of the works of the ancient past remain, and from that we can discern some possible meanings. These possible meanings have meaning for us, if we are able to focus upon them in the same manner in which they were created, upon their own terms.

We know that the works of the ancient past are there for a reason (for many reasons, in fact), and one of those reasons is to learn. The first thing we must learn is about ourselves, about how we approach the past. Before reading anything about the past, we must analyze our own mental approach, how we view the past, because that is the first thing that is going to be questioned. When we view things past, one of our first reactions is "no way!". There is "no way" they could have done that. Yet, the ancients did do that, they did build a pyramid beyond all imagination of what human capability means. That is our first step to finding a way for learning about the past.

That way, we believe, is viewing the past as it is, as sacred, our heritage. Irrespective of the reality of each individual today each of us shares the ancient past. This lesson shall contribute in helping us comprehend that we also share the present and the future.

Charles William Johnson
johnson@earthmatrix.com