Posted on 01/15/2026 3:34:57 AM PST by Kid Shelleen
Erich von Däniken, the Swiss author whose bestselling books about the extraterrestrial origins of ancient civilizations brought him fame among paranormal enthusiasts and scorn from the scientific community, has died. He was 90.
Von Däniken's representatives announced on his website on Sunday that he had died the previous day in a hospital in central Switzerland. His daughter Cornelia confirmed the information to Swiss news agency SDA.
Von Däniken rose to prominence in 1968 with the publication of his first book "Chariots of the Gods," in which he claimed that the Mayans and ancient Egyptians were visited by alien astronauts and instructed in advanced technology that allowed them to build giant pyramids.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
He sure stirred things up.
R.I.P. His books were in my childhood home.
I think almost every teenager and 20something at the time read that book.
That sweet chariot swung low.
A better book that came out a couple of years later was called Crash Go The Chariots. It did an excellent job of dismantling all the major arguments von Däniken made.
Most of the “experts” in the world seem to be BS artists. With Daniken, it seemed somewhat obvious. But the world goes on thinking that those “other” experts are really serious and must be believed at all times. I mean, they wouldn’t lie about global warming, COVID, peak oil, or any of that other stuff, right? I mean, these are scientists! Not quacks looking to sell books and make bucks!
Von Däniken’s “Chariots of the Gods” was refuted by a book that followed a few years later: “Crash Go the Chariots”.
I’ve never read either book. But I do admire the title of the rebuttal book.
Pretty clever, eh?
If MAD Magazine ever did a spoof or parody of his book they might have called it “Chariots of the Frauds”.
A lot of what he claimed was crap, but then again a lot of the official archeological narrative is crap as well.
I missed the Crash.
Ooops, sorry after seeing those morons in Minnesota - and other places - protesting against ICE, we aren't intelligent either... 😀
I don’t think he gave our early ancestors enough credit as far as their intelligence goes. On the other hand, there are enormous stone blocks that they moved around somehow, it would be difficult today without using huge cranes. Scientists are also reluctant to be proven wrong, I believe many sites are much older than thought, The Sphinx for one. There are obvious signs of erosion caused by floods which would make the building of it much older.
Pumapunku
I have to laugh every time I hear David Childress pronounce it. "Pewmmuhh pewnnkoooooo"
Yeah when I was a kid, ufo’s were a big deal. So was ESP. I used to love, “ In Search of”
> Most of the “experts” in the world seem to be BS artists. <
Yep. Students should be taught that it’s more than just okay to be skeptical. In fact, when it comes to science skepticism should be required. Because as you noted, the “expert” is often wrong.
Unfortunately, too often one side of the argument is suppressed. We see that in with Climate Change and with Covid. It’s the “expert’s” way or the highway.
The torch has finally been passed to Giorgi Tsoukalos.
Much of the book was ghost written by the former Nazi propagandist Wilhelm Utermann. Due to his Nazi infamy the man was unable to use his own name. Thus he shopped himself out as a ghost writer.
The book itself is in the same spirit of pseudo-scientific bunk as the Nazi propaganda that Wilhelm Utermann produced earlier in his career.
We had his book in our house too. We also had a small replica Moai statue (lol). Our house had a lot of books.
His books sold tens of millions of copies and got people thinking, wondering, and asking questions.
RIP
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.