My Review of Graham Hancock's "Ancient Apocalypse"

[@rosifervincent9481]

I have to agree with some of Hancock claims. For example, his claims that he is neither a scientist or archeologist seem quite believable.

[@mnomadvfx]

Lol. epic burns incoming 😆

[@russellmillar7132]

And more recently he isn't a physicist either. Although he lectures Joe R. about the: "Laws of physics" (?) and how they prove that the Egyptians could not have built the pyramids.

[@alanpennie8013]

Strange to think that before 1990 he was a respected journalist reporting on such unsexy topics as foreign aid and Third - world development. It's as if John Pilger suddenly morphed into Erich von Daniken.

[@Apis_Bull]

Graham Hancock is actually impressive because he found out how to make money off of Archeology without Big Dirt's permission.

[@fallingsky9242]

You mean a grift.

[@RobBCactive]

Erich von Däniken laid out the blue print with best sellers called things like "Chariots of the Gods". Hancock is derivative, what he's added is all the whinge-ing and grievance, tying into conspiracy theory vulnerable audiences.

[@IPlayWithFire135]

@@fallingsky9242 😂 Big Dirt here meaning digging the earth or actually being in dialogue with anyone who does.

[@beepboop204]

dont forget that dinosaurs are all fabrications by Big Paleo, and minerals were all planted by Big Diamonds

[@mat3714]

Don't you think that big Dirt isn't balls deep with him ?!?! It's all part of the act man.

[@EmperorTigerstar]

Thanks for the namedrop! Although I feel your review against Hancock is much better than mine.

[@danielcarey2179]

As someone who fell for this shit in high school by reading chariot of the god's, thank you for setting me straight and proving once again that just because we wish for something to be true, that does not make it so.

[@Liquidsback]

I always wondered if there was a Graeco-Chinese state east of Bactria but no historical evidence of that. Again just because I wanted it to be true, doesn't mean it is and the odds of that are way more likely than what Hancock is spewing. lol.

[@RobBCactive]

Erich von Däniken was a hoot! I don't remember him having the pretensions to be serious study and theory, with the cover of grievance and conspiracy theory accusations against science and archaeology.

[@RobBCactive]

@@Liquidsback everyone is allowed some creative fantasy, that's part of good fiction. Hancock's been presented on channels that previously had factual documentaries without separating the genre as fantasy speculation. That blurring un-educates viewers by presenting misinformation as if it were sound factual programming. The insidious grievances against academia feeds the conspiratorial mindset and leads to people being unable to discriminate between factual with a level of uncertainty and BS with sham certainty.

[@ikballalli5539]

Welcome back

[@toomanydonuts]

Archaeology is not a perfect science and archaeologists are full of sh*t really. Especially about the pyramids.

[@klubstompers]

Hancock is not a pseudo-archeologist, he is a not even an archeologist. He is a fiction writer.

[@San_Vito]

You can't be an actual archaeologist and a pseudo one at the same time. They are mutually exclusive terms. Also, he doesn't present most of his books as fiction: he claims they are actual journalism.

[@klubstompers]

@@San_Vito That's not true, you can have a degree in archeology and still be a pseudo-archeologist. Like the archeologist that claimed to find a 250k year old site in Mexico. She was an archeologist, but was called a pseudo-archiologist by all her colleges, because she didn't follow the methods of accepted archeology and cherry picked her findings to fit her agenda. Oxford Dictionary: "A broad spectrum of largely unconnected topics and approaches which misapply, misinterpret, and misrepresent archaeological material in a non‐scientific and often speculative way"

[@MajoraZ]

I work with history and archaeology channels on Mesoamerican (Aztec, Maya, etc) topics, so here's my more in depth thoughts on episode 2 of AA and the stuff you mention at 10:10 : My overall impression is that Hancock relies on the general public ignorance about Mesoamerica to present accepted info as extraordinary , and then acts as if that info totally undermines everything archaeologists say they know, when in reality it's not really a big deal. For example, with Cholula, he presents the fact that the Pyramid has layers as some sort of unexpected find, the implication being that it calls into question the pyramid's age. But pyramids being built sequentially in layers like a Russian doll is VERY common in Mesoamerica:, with expansions built as new kings took power or during important cosmological milestones. And the specific layers of the Great Pyramid of Cholula is well studied in particular, due to fact that the structure wasn't destroyed by the Spanish (see below). Hancock even explicitly says he doesn't even dispute that dating (which makes this whole segment feel pointless and dishonest, since he's clearly still trying to make people skeptical). I also found his framing of it being located over water as something special and then asking "What made these people build it here?" to be sort of absurd: He answers his own question! Pools of water, mirrors, caves, etc were all tied to underworld entrances in Mesoamerican cosmology, with Pyramids at Teotihuacan or Chichen Itza's Temple of Kukulkan also being over pools/caves. He even draws attention to this, bringing up that the Giza Pyramid etc were built over water sources too, so he's siluntanously acting ignorant and trying to draw a global pattern (but doesn't establish it being a wider pattern in Egypt, SEA, etc). His "all pyramids have connections to death and rebirth" point also falls flat, as (and in the video you allude to this) Mesoamerican pyramids were primarily temples, not tombs like in Egypt (I know Hancock disputes Egyptian pyramids were tombs, but Egypt isn't my area so I can't comment). Yes, there were occasionally buried remains and ceremonial goods in Mesoamerican pyramids, but even these were usually ritual offerings to consecrate the construction of new phases/layers of the pyramid's construction, not burials the monument itself was dedicated to. Fundamentally Meso. and Egyptian pyramids were different structures that just have a similar shape. (There's even Meso. Pyramids used as administrative buildings/residences sorta!) I also found that the show misrepresents the Cholula researcher's statements (something the researcher has claimed himself): At one point, Hancock asks "Is that enough to be confident enough about the full story", and of course he basically says "No, there's a lot of work to be done to teach us more about Mesoamerica". As you note in the video, that's not the researcher saying "Everything we think we know is wrong" (which is what Hancock implies it to be) it's just saying that there's still more excavations to do that will help fill in what gaps are left, as there's always more we can learn. And when the researcher said something like "Knowing more about Cholula would let us rethink Mesoamerican as a whole": The researcher's point was likely that a better understanding of Cholula would give us a better picture of how social, political and religious trends changed in Mesoamerica over time (since Cholula existed as small village in 1000BC all the way to being a large city with 40k denizens as of Spanish contact) and since the city had widespread religious influence, that more info on Cholula would likewise yield insights into other parts of Mesoamerica. The 3d Cholula render the episode used is also pretty wrong: It just had buildings evenly spaced in a solid sheet around the Pyramid. No roads, city planning, etc: Mesoamerican cities usually had a central urban core with temples, palaces and other elite housing, civic buildings, ball courts, etc, all richly painted and decorated, organized around open plazas for communal activities and ritualistic alignment. And then around that you had suburbs of commoner housing interspersed with agricultural land, etc, with the suburbs gradually decreasing in density the further out you go (in some cases, covering hundreds of square kilometers). Both the core and in some cases the suburbs had roads, aquaducts, etc. The Pyramid in the render was also grey and mossy, in ruins. If this is meant to be at the Pyramid's apex, then it should be painted and adorned with sculptures, reliefs, etc. If it's depicting it as of Spanish contact (which is what the graphics suggest), then it would've been buried in soil: The entire reason it's intact today is the Spanish mistook it as a hill, as Cholua had abandoned it in favor of a new Great Pyramid centuries prior. The show also mislabels some Teotihuacan frescos as being from Cholula; gets some of the dating wrong; and claims the whole pyramid was straw and adobe brick when that's just the earliest layers and some of the structural fill: The exterior layers of most stages (and even the internal fill of some later layers) was stone. Moving onto Texcotzinco: Firstly, this is an INCREDIBLE site more people should know about: This was a royal estate/retreat for rulers of Texcoco, the second most powerful Aztec city. It sourced water from 5 miles of aqueducts (some elevated 150 feet off the ground) which brought the water to a series of pools and channels to control the flow rate on an adjacent hill, then across the gorge between there and Texcotzinco, where it flowed into a circuit around Texcotzinco's summit, into the site's painted shrines, pools, fountains, etc, and then formed artificial waterfalls which watered the botanical gardens at the hill's base, which had different sections to mimic different Mexican biomes. Of course it also had a palace at the top of the mountain's peak, etc. We outright have written sources discussing the site being designed in the 1460s AD by Nezahualcoyotl, Texcoco's most famous king who also designed levee and aqueduct systems at other Aztec cities. But, in the interest of intellectual honesty, those written accounts which credit Nezahualcoyotl as the site's engineeer are written by his descendant, Fernando de Alva Cortés Ixtlilxóchitl, for the specific purpose of glorifying Texcoco to the Spanish and we do know he twisted details (EX: claiming Nezahualcoyotl worshipped a monotheistic god and rejected sacrifice). There's a whole book on this, "The Allure of Nezahualcoyotl" and I know Dr. Susan Toby Evans has a lot of papers on Texcotzinco, but a lot of her faculty page's links are down: I did find one mention that the site probably had some shrines built under earlier Texcoca rulers before Nezahualcoyotl. There are also papers that do mention there being archaeological evidence for dating rather then just textual sources, but sadly no specifics are listed. However, Hancock's points are still unconvincing: The guy he talks about Texcotzinco with pretty much gives zero actual scientific analysis or actual criticism of any sort of dating method, just vague commentary about weathering, so there's no real evidence to review, and isn't a specialist of the site like the Cholula guy was: this guy just runs an Atlantis blog. Hancock's other point is that there's Tlaloc iconography at the site, and uses a pre-Aztec Tlaloc sculpture from another site to imply Texcotzinco could be pre Aztec too... BUT WE ALL ALREADY KNOW TLALOC IS PRE AZTEC! The evolution of Tlaloc and other Mesoamerican rain gods from Olmec ""were jaguar" (there's some debate of what they're depicting) sculptures is VERY well documented, there's even full Digimon style charts showing the specific stages of development the iconography went through at different times in different parts of Mesoamerica! So the presence of Tlaloc iconography doesn't inherently suggest any time period, and if anything the Tlaloc depictions at the site are consistent with Aztec period examples. Even if Texcotzinco DID have Pre-Aztec construction, it would likely just mean it was from the dozens of Pre-Aztec civilizations in Mesoamerica we already know about. Again, Hancock relies on the fact that most viewers don't know much on Mesoamerica to present normal finds as unusual. Lastly (skipping Xochicalo as i'm at the char. limit) Hancock's telling of the myth with Quetzalcoatl mixes details from different accounts or just gets stuff wrong: The flood he references is from myths detailing the cyclical creation and destruction of the world (and was done by Chalchiuhtlicue, not Tlaloc), wheras Quetzalcoatl sailing on a raft of snakes comes from Aztec accounts about the 10th century Toltec lord Ce Acatl Topiltzin, who is tied to Quetzalcoatl: These are largely separate narrative eons apart. There's many versions of these, and only SOME of the latter involve the raft, and in them, he is LEAVING rather then arriving into Mesoamerica. Even these versions recorded in the early colonial period we know have catholic influences from Friars re-writing them to aid in conversion and to make their rule seem pre-ordained. Stuff like Cortes being mistaken for Quetzalcoatl (a myth invented for similar reasons) comes from these, too. Hancock's telling is, if anything, closer to even later and more nonsense versions that make Quetzalcoatl white, blond, etc. Some of the earlier ones do have him as bearded, but the Mesoamericans had facial hair! We know it was customary in Aztec society for everyone other then rulers (Moctezuma II had facial hair!) or the elderly to shave, and Topiltzin was both. Instead of listening to hancock for "stuff archaeologists don't want you to know about" people should look up the REAL civilizations most books, classes, etc ignore because Prehispanic history is underappreciated: Teotihuacan, the Moche, Zapotec, Chimu, Mixtec, Purepecha, etc!

[@shadetreader]

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all of that!

[@solaurelian7638]

📜

[@annagornas3572]

This comment is breathtaking. (Yes, this is a reference to Keanu Reeves.) It's so nice to hear an actual expert chime in with FACTS. Hancock assumes people are ignorant and uneducated about all ancient civilizations, and many other matters too, in fact - and often he's not wrong. That's why it's so easy for him to eradicate established theories and sell his fantastical stories as true.

[@MajoraZ]

@@annagornas3572 If you can believe it, I had to cut out a ton of stuff in the comment too, I have a version that's like 3x as long, but alas KZbin has a character limit.

[@richarddalton5857]

Best ending ever to a serious and well thought out piece. "Fuck you!" Certainly a correct and welcome statement. Thank you for all your efforts.

[@antonymason9349]

Kinda sad to see a guy spend his whole career tilting at windmills, with little humour and such fury.

[@callumbush1]

Why as he's just a writer of fiction like many but more successful than most.

[@San_Vito]

​@@callumbush1 He presents his fiction as amateur archaeology/actual journalism. Which makes him a liar.

[@mnomadvfx]

He's rich though. What we see of him is a fraction of the time he spends living it up on the proceeds of his book sales. If he has since switched to self publishing he has probably become monstrously rich by now.

[@francissreckofabian01]

Why bother? This guy wrote a 600 page book about life on Mars without one word of proof. He's a very smart scammer.

[@callumbush1]

It's called fiction nothing wrong with fiction.

[@San_Vito]

​@@callumbush1 It's not fiction if you claim it's factual truth.

[@yingyang1008]

And NASA has made billions pretending it plans to go to Mars or that it's even a planet

[@beepboop204]

always is annoying when those pseudoscience lovers get all defensive about Graham and try to act like there is no difference between some dude A sayin a bunch of stuff he says are facts, and some chick B sayin a bunch of stuff she says are facts: even if its a question of whether invisible elephants are in the room. "you cant rule out invisible elephants, so that proves you cant rule out aliens" sort of logic. hate it so much

[@yingyang1008]

'invisible elephants' - sounds a bit like 'dark matter' But you believe the in the latter, despite a complete lack of evidence and never once having properly looked into it

[@beepboop204]

@@yingyang1008 its almost like there is some sort of difference...... almost like some of the observations we make imply certain entailments in the theory.... and its almost as if theoretical moves imply observations... if only there were some sort of SCIENCE we had, and some sort of SCIENTIFIC METHOD...... that would be great! we could propose things and submit them for peer review!

[@yingyang1008]

@@beepboop204 If only science hadn't been hijacked by liars and worshipped by gullible fools Of course Hancock talks nonsense - but so does everyone else Neil de Grasse Tyson - lol The days of trusting peer review science as some kind of fountain of truth are long long gone But you don't even read the peer review do you? You believe the likes of Tyson because your phone tells you to, without ever once questioning a single aspect of his ridiculous claims And that's my point As for the falsification of recent history - where to even start, it's just total nonsense

[@beepboop204]

​@@yingyang1008 you are mad at a specific scientist. lol

[@beepboop204]

@@yingyang1008 whats your degree in?

[@bardsolas]

With all the debunking of Hancock i have an absurd curiosity to see the series

[@mzeewatk846]

It’s entertaining, but you have to suspend disbelief. See Chariots of the Gods. : [

[@callumbush1]

Hancock is a great fiction writer I've all his books been a fan of his fiction since the early 90s.

[@San_Vito]

It's basically Ancient Aliens, but with more disrespect to actual experts. It does have better cinematography though.

[@Herkermer_Homolka]

I'm gonna deboooonk

[@IPlayWithFire135]

He gets more attention from skeptics now than he deserves but that’s only because an enormous corporation decided to cash in on the anti-intellectual zeitgeist of the last few years by platforming a guy smearing archaeology in a way that the public can project any other spiritual, political, or conspiratorial implication onto.

[@rockysexton8720]

The fun part of these review videos is reading the comments by Hancock fans who obviously didn't bother to watch the entire review videos and won't attempt to address a single criticism raised in them. Then there are those who aren't even particularly familiar with the body of work of the guy they are trying to defend and in some instances they don't even sound like they watched the Hancock series. They just know that it is critical by the title or what they know about the reviewer and so they just launch into this knee jerk reaction.

[@philipford6183]

Good to see a decent criticism of Hancock's speculations. Appreciated.

[@pranays]

Nazi Mythology is speculations now?

[@fakename7901]

Big dirt is watching

[@_Escapades]

With the sheer amount of content these pseudoarcheologists constantly shit out, I'm so glad to have found people with integrity like you Thersites, David Miano, Archaeology Tube and others. Keep up the great work!

[@mnomadvfx]

History with Kayleigh and Ancient Architects (these days at least) are also great.

[@San_Vito]

Also Stefan Milo is pretty good.

[@LesterBrunt]

Yeah that is the best thing about these grifters, I have like 6 new subs to cool channels. Sacred Geometry Decoded is also a really good channel. He does amateur experimental archeology and has tons of videos debunking pseudo archeology.

[@mysticnovelbro]

sus

[@konradvonschnitzeldorf6506]

@@San_Vito good shoutout

[@robertcraven9618]

"Thank you, fuck you, bye" maybe the best ending of all of Thersites videos

[@johnrohde5510]

Sumer also has the disadvantage for Hancock is that its civilisation shows a clear chronology of f its development. Egyptian pyramids also show a similar pattern but every kook has to have the pyramids. The Indonesian stuff is good to pander to local chauvinism and recruit a new fanbase.

[@Juel92]

He is so super focused on his own ideas that he's committing some of the hardest confirmation bias I've ever seen. I love the idea that he gets obsessed about the way the temples are oriented regarding the stars and not the obvious choice: THE SUN. You'd probably want the right lighting for your holy site, I doubt the stars would matter a fraction as much.

[@ThermicLight]

The thing is much of what people accuse GH of could easily be put upon academia. The exception however is that people keep making appeals to authority as if that makes them inherently more right.

[@slayerhuh404]

A review I wasn't expecting but am very excited to watch.

[@callumbush1]

Hancock is a great fiction writer.

[@carlosa.9533]

It's cringe but fun

[@dagothhyde7297]

Been waiting for this one! Your videos on hancock are how I found your channel :)

[@callumbush1]

Hancock will go down in history as a fine fiction writer.

[@CutieZalbu]

And you just a hater

[@callumbush1]

@@CutieZalbu I've all his books been a fan since the early 90s

[@San_Vito]

He should go down as a grifter.

[@mnomadvfx]

@@San_Vito Indeed, if he stated it as fiction then that would be fine. But he doesn't, so grift it is.

[@San_Vito]

​@@mnomadvfx Exactly.

[@zanlooney343]

Hancock has made so much money out of so much crap.

[@callumbush1]

Nothing wrong with making money from fiction.

[@histguy101]

@@callumbush1 There is something wrong with making people dumber than they were before listening to him. That's just a crime!

[@callumbush1]

@@histguy101 I've been reading his stuff since the 90s got all his books, they're interesting but I just treat them as fiction if people want believe the books are historical fact that's up to them!

[@alexleung842]

Maybe he should instead study the actual ancient apocalypse we have tangible evidence of: bronze age collapse

[@cenzoredworld]

That wouldn't be sensational enough, at the end of the day Graham has made millions from making outlandish claims without evidence of this lost civilization narrative. Him focusing on history that has been confirmed with evidence wouldn't bring in those bengies.

[@panamareg]

I guess studying more than one apocalypse at a time could be stressful and maybe even dangerous.

[@Slipperygecko390]

That would mean actually doing work.

[@NottheGG]

This is great stuff, as usual. Please do more of these

[@BabyGreen162]

It is immediately apparent that Hancock is full of it: nowhere does he state the fact that Atlantis is located in the Pegasus galaxy

[@damirregoc8111]

Best debunk of the liar. Especially because of the end. Some- many- fall for his manipulation, which all con men employ, that you must treat them with respect as they lie, manipulate, twist facts, obscure the truth, cynically mock those who really do the work, etc. You told him right.

[@Mikeyalbum]

Oh Thersites, your voice is like a thousand tender lullabies gently tumbling into my ears, surmounted only by the cool night air...

[@qboxer]

I had a feeling I was going to be watching a takedown video, but this was next level ruthlessness. ‘Similar to finding a meth addict at a Greyhound station who blends a few fantasy novels with his own life’

[@tonylavery8298]

I remember reading his first book about the ark of the covenent being in Ethopia. A bit of resrach found that all Ethopian churches callednthe place they stored scriptures an ark really made me start to think he was infected by the Von Daniken virus.

[@Itcouldbebunnies]

A British officer and historian, Edward Ullendorff, saw the thing at Aksum in WWII and described it as "an ad hoc Medieval replica". The original was probably destroyed, together with the entire city of Jerusalem, by the army of Nebuchadnezzar II in 587 BC.

[@vonp588]

@@Itcouldbebunnies I have a feeling it was melted down with all the other temple treasures after one of the Jewish revolts. Pretty sure their is a Roman column celebrating the destruction of the temple that shows troops carrying off treasurer from the temple.

[@Itcouldbebunnies]

@@vonp588 The bible never mentions the Ark again after the destruction of 587 B.C., that's why I think it was destroyed then. Yes, the Arch of Titus shows Jewish temple treasures being carried off, but the Ark is quite notably absent. Furthermore, not a single contemporary Roman author mentions the Ark at all.

[@alanpennie8013]

​@@Itcouldbebunnies Probably. I don't think it's mentioned by any Jewish source following the sack of Jerusalem. Probably it was carried off by The Babylonians and afterwards lost.

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

Ethiopia also claims to have the real one, but its a real three heads of the mother of Mary type thing.

[@groaningmole4338]

Thanks for taking the time to do a proper critique of this nitwit.

[@romeisfallingagain]

he is a grifter

[@drunkenkot]

You suffer so much for us. I've been looking forward to this for months.

[@chungusdisciple9917]

I admire your willingness to kick the proverbial crackpot hornet's nest as it were.

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

I wonder how these ' Ancient powertool /Alien Annunaki ' followers brains work. Do they believe every history , geology & archaeology graduate in the world becomes part of this conspiracy ? . Did we all signed a non disclosure agreement in our own blood, to never betray the existence of Atlantis , Aliens, etc .....And only the brave Hancock defies the academia assassin squad by speaking the truth ! ? 😅

[@yingyang1008]

Most doctors do more harm than good and absolutely care more about money than patient health Most physicists believe straight up insane theories (big bang, dark matter, relativity) Most archeologists and historians believe whatever they were told at school, then spend their careers self referencing one another in one never ending circle jerk of self imposed censorship Even books on recent historical events are usually full of obvious lies and misdirection that no one dare mention for fear of losing their career/tenor ship In saying that, I agree with you on Hancock, but at least listening to him raises very interesting questions for inquisitive minds

[@yingyang1008]

@@spiritualanarchist8162 No, but I am aware of the corruption of science and history and am prepared to leave my ego at the door and keep an open mind in search of real truth I suggest you try it

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@yingyang1008 Maybe you should also be aware of people who make money out of selling easy 'They are evil ' narratives. Maybe spend some time studying the actual material instead of trusting people who make claims about it,

[@yingyang1008]

@@spiritualanarchist8162 I'm not talking about 'evil' I'm talking about people who are so gullible that they can believe even the most ridiculous of lies, as long as they come from 'authority' People who see the video below and don't burst out laughing genuinely terrify me - are they even truly human, are they capable of independent rational thought? Apollo 17 Liftoff from Moon - December 14, 1972 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3m0l5SrfK-UitU&ab_channel=SmithsonianNationalAirandSpaceMuseum

[@yingyang1008]

​@@spiritualanarchist8162 Joe Rogan is very much part of the problem - he's the one that gives air time to the likes of De Grasse Tyson and all the other shills out there looking to sell their latest book full of nonsense for gullible morons

[@LARRYTHEWIRELESSGUY]

Thersites i love u

[@LARRYTHEWIRELESSGUY]

Im definitely not drunk watching history videos again

[@konst80hum]

Well said on both Hancock and his supporters.

[@constable117]

Great video, nothing like big streaming promoting nonsense like this. I wonder if we’ll get a war between big tech, big dirt, big paper, and all the other bigs in some kind of battle royale fortnite Island style. My money is on big banking hitting the griddy on them.

[@ericthegreat7805]

Big dirt 🤣🤣🤣

[@ericthegreat7805]

Looks like Netflix has gotten tired of producing actual quality

[@mnomadvfx]

@@ericthegreat7805 Agreed, after seeing their amazing docu film content before this it is a huge letdown, and it will only reduce the likelihood that others will want to associate their documentary content with the Netflix name in the future.

[@Harryjay6]

That was awesome bro

[@San_Vito]

Love your content on Hancock! People really need to understand he's just a grifter.

[@mnomadvfx]

IMHO if he dressed appropriate to his fortune then people would see the con for what it is. He's become a very rich man off his grift and yet claims barely middle class wage earning archaeologists are the ones with something to lose financially.

[@San_Vito]

​​@@mnomadvfx Yeah. He also somehow claims that actual scientists are close minded and dogmatic yet he's pushing the exact same narrative since the 90s. What sort of evidence would make him change his mind? Seems to me he's more close minded than actual archaeologists. Also, if some archeologist would find a very ancient city or something, he'd get lots of funding. GH just lies about how academia actually works to appeal to people with anti-establishment biases. That's his whole thing.

[@pranays]

​@@mnomadvfxexactly

[@histguy101]

@@mnomadvfx How would he do that? Dress like Elton John?

[@r3dcoat397]

Good stuff, now we need to get you on rogan

[@philiphanes7437]

a masterpiece thersites. thank you

[@mootfm1107]

“Stop stop! He’s already dead!”

[@mnomadvfx]

Nah, evil never dies, it just waits 😂🤣😆

[@dordogne]

Thank you Thersites for telling the truth about Graham Hancock. I wish more people would call out this Charlatan. He drives me absolutely nuts and his anti-science horseshit is so transparent that anyone with half a brain should be able to see through this, but they don't. If I could take the knowledge from one class I took and somehow spread it everywhere, it would be the Philosophy of Science class I took. He violates every principle that was taught in that class.

[@yingyang1008]

So does Neil De Grasse Tyson, so does Faucci, so did Einstein We live in a world of utterly ridiculous lies

[@djordjebozovic3061]

Cant imagine someone educated having to sit through that🤣 how hard was it Thersites?

[@elfboy29]

Anything goes now. Russell Brand's 6 million awakening wonders lap it up as he lends credibility to this lad under the guise of challenging authority. Facts sink like Atlantis.

[@ThejollyFrenchman]

Oh God, don't remind me. My mum is one of those 'awakening wonders', now. She's not fallen for the really bizarre shit yet, but because Brand and his guests worm their way in with reasonable statements before escalating their bunk, she's starting to believe more and more stupid stuff, despite being a very intelligent woman.

[@mnomadvfx]

Brand is just as fake as Hancock. He couldn't make it as a comedian and apparently got black listed on UK TV for a tasteless prank call on Andrew Sachs (Manuel from Fawlty Towers) grand daughter.

[@ericthegreat7805]

This is Spirit Science on drugs. Literally.

[@alanpennie8013]

@@mnomadvfx I shouldn't hate someone for the way they talk but boy do I hate the way Russell Brand talks!

[@casualviewing1096]

Oh Brand is the worst. Something about Rogan makes me think he is just a mark, a simpleton who believes it all. But Brand knows what he is selling is bs, he’s running such a con, and he’s very good at manipulating otherwise reasonable people.

[@MrDubmaster]

Excellent analysis of this cranky grifter and his work. I must confess that as a layman I was drawn into Hancock's theories and enjoyed Fingerpeints and Magicians of the Gods. They sparked my interest in ancient history and archaeology in the first place, but as I discovered more and more I began to see that Hancock was not all he claims to be. I looked forward to the series and watched it enthusiastically, but I was dismayed by his pathetic whining and his persecution complex. His cracked derision of "mainstream archaeology" really exposed him as a fraud and a charlatan. Thanks for confirming my suspicions in such an amusing and astute summary. 😎

[@herbthompson8937]

Hancock is the GOAT

[@kylechafin1419]

Laying the verbal smack down Thersites…

[@aaroncfriedman]

“Thank you. Fuck you. Bye.” Best line ever.

[@Myrzghe]

That's a Jim cornette quote. I love that there is a Venn diagram where archeology and pro wrestling meet

[@wmritchey1101]

Lol

[@JimmyStiffFingers]

A friend of mine fell through this rabbit hole.

[@Mikeyalbum]

My older brother's well on his way. He's nearly 40 and sad to see him waste his brain juice on this garbage.

[@casualviewing1096]

I did for a bit, I wish I could remember what it was that first encouraged me to question the nonsense they were selling, just so I could encourage other people to, and find their own way out. The truth is so much more fascinating than the bs.

[@juanfervalencia]

he is the Donald Trump of Archaeology

[@NONANTI]

What a great recommendation

[@aaronwilkinson8963]

Love your shows

[@pmajudge]

EXCELLENT if NOT OUTSTANDING !!! MANY THANKS ! FROM , U.K. (2023).

[@celsus7979]

Well done!

[@corylarsen5788]

Awesome summation!

[@waltonsmith7210]

Graham Hancock irritates me and I have a laymans knowledge of this stuff. I can imagine how up the wall he must drive archaeologists and historians.

[@vespasian266]

I was once in command of a bronze star skeptic brain, but leveled up over the yrs to gold star skeptic brain. armed as I now am, I can see Hancock for the piss taker that he is. he must of laughed himself silly as the book sales rolled in.

[@shaolin1derpalm]

Went to subscribe but I already did.. great vid. You expressed everything I feel. Also you're a Jim Cornette fan too, so... Twinsies.

[@Ck-zk3we]

Graham makes people think and that is a good thing. Who has done more to make people interested in the past? It would be a terrible thing if people with alternative ideas where shut out by the establishment.

[@antoniom4099]

Then Hancock should make a more compelling case instead of whining about gatekeepers persecuting his ideas. I find him whiny and I find Joe Rogan gullible sometimes.

[@TorianTammas]

Hancock makes money telling fantasy stories of the civilization in the gap. Could not be under one bed a lost civilization. They may have told you that they looked under all beds but this is impossible as there are so many.

[@fruffy3220]

On the surface "human civilization is older than we are taught" seems completely reasonable. It's probably true to some degree too. But Graham just goes full crazy at every opportunity. From using debunked maps to claiming drug trips as evidence, all his previous interviews and work are just laughable. This series is just digging his grave deeper to me.

[@ne0nmancer]

He does this a lot, starts by affirming something very likely, then he keeps pushing more and more unreasonable hypothesis, hoping that the viewer is already too hooked to notice the leaps in logic.

[@alanpennie8013]

I don't think most people are taught anything about how old "Civilization" is or regard the question as of much importance. From a purely intellectual pov the long neolithic pre - history of civilization as it is now emerging into view is definitely interesting. The recent, Dawn of Everything, isn't very good but does summarise some of this for a lay readership.

[@mnomadvfx]

"This series is just digging his grave deeper to me" Unfortunately it's also increasing the reach of his audience which is precisely why he did it.

[@San_Vito]

Sadly, most laypeople don't automatically know he's lying. So for most people out there, he's not digging his grave at all. On the contrary, he's becoming more popular.

[@TorianTammas]

Humanity is 250.000 years old and so is human culture. The conspuracy mind that wants to belueve that they are huding something from us can be lizardman, Hollywood, government, neighbour from a foreign country

[@Slipperygecko390]

He's just a Narcissist who likes this shit, he loves the notoriety and doesn't care if he's right or wrong as long as he's getting attention and making money.

[@NONANTI]

Don't be so hard on Thersites. He's just riding Hancock's coat tails like so many others.

[@anankedos]

He is basically a talented travel writer that found a way to add some fancy twists to his travel books.

[@Bellylover2]

I think the term you're looking for is traveling grifter. Because he is asserting that which is not evidently true as fact, IE lying and for profit no less.

[@BlueScubaChimps]

Good summary. Having watched the series, I watch crap while I use an elliptical, it is bang on. I think he put the episodes in the order he did because as the series progressed, his"evidence" got more and more laughable. Knowing nothing about Indonesia, and not much about pre-European Mexico, I was more open than I was to Poverty Point, an argument he classic lost, or the Serpent mound. That said, there are some points raised that did pique the curiosity. Why do many temples in Malta; I've been there, it's tiny. What are the purpose(s) of the sites in Turkey? How did the cart ruts come about? Why are there buildings off shore (you didn't mention this, so it's probably obvious)? Is there really evidence in a soul layer for an impact event? I'm certain it's not what Hancock suggests, but I've only heard his guess.

[@pmajudge]

MR. GRAHAM HANCOCK. EGOSTICAL !!! A JOURNALIST IS MOST CERTAINLY NOT A SCIENTIST. FROM, U.K. (2023).

[@peterinbrat]

Way down...🎶 Below Atlantis... 🎵 Is where.. 🎶 I wanna be.. 🎵 Atlantis, the documentary... This guy would still be a nobody without Joe Rogan and a bunch of drugs. I tried to make it through the series but it makes Ancient Aliens look well researched and peer reviewed.

[@davidwelboren6480]

Just opened the link and before I press play: Why Thersites, why? Here's hoping on some laughs and some good idea's for my upcoming D&D campaign.

[@warrior-593]

At 20:12, I believe he is overlooking the significance of the Sumerian civilization due to their advanced writing system. A substantial amount of their historical records and texts have survived over time. thus he won't be able to interept their culture as he wishes, since we can now what the original people meant.

[@outsideofthebox9846]

I don't like the tone of this. It feels like "Hancock is a condescending know-it-all," said another condescending know-it-all.

[@RobinCarter]

In football/soccer this is called "playing the person not the ball"

[@1701EarlGrey]

Well, thank you for this video; it's nice to see that people are willing to take their time and put some effort into debunking ridicules claims of conspiracy nut jobs - it's more effort than Hancock ever put into his work. Seriously, Hancock should debate guy from "Ancient aliens" - who is nuttier! 😂Or maybe they would combine both theories and claim that 50 K years ago, there was global, flourishing civilization and then ancient aliens invaded... it was the Reapers - I've seen this in video game, so it's very believable !🤣

[@kumarGAX]

Hope future sessions covers Ancient Indian Civilization.

[@TrivettTurner]

If you're relying on Episode 6 to inform you that he thinks a comet impact caused the YD event which wiped out his proposed advanced civilization, which the rest of us knew going into the show, dare I say, you lack *all* the prerequisite knowledge required in order to form a cursory opinion on the merits of the case being made.

[@fallingsky9242]

The guy is a grifter no apologies required.

[@metzyahrosenstein4827]

Big Dirt doesn't want you to know about the Pyramid Spirit Power Stations

[@matthewknight7594]

Excellent sign-off :D

[@colinwestcott6471]

He shares the same creditability as the "fact based" stories promoted by a QAnon Shaman. I suppose like other myths aka religion's, you just have to have faith to fuel the belief system he creates.

[@pranays]

They both believe in nazi Mythology so perfect comment.

[@justmoritz]

The Outro *chefskiss *

[@_MikeJon_]

He's a pseudoscience author nowadays not a journalist.

[@yingyang1008]

Is he any more of a pseudoscientist than the likes of Neil de Grasse Tyson?

[@rommelhtown]

I don't agree with alot of graham Hancock on many things but i do find it strange how hard archeologist and other fields try to silence him. Archeology to me is secretive because some archeologist are trying to protect there best interest. Clearly a human nature problem but its good that hancock is challenging them. Maybe more archeologist will show more evidence to disprove him and get more regular people aware of there hard work.

[@samvimes5124]

@11:30 - ish Yeah, he did the same with Nan Madol, only more obviously. Nan Madol was constructed around 1200 AD/CE, so GH adds an extra zero, changes the letters at the end, and hey presto, his "theory" now says it was constructed in 12,000 BC/BCE. IMO a lot of GH's "arguments" are on the intellectual, and emotional level of a grumpy high schooler.

[@mnomadvfx]

He also appeals to an emotional reaction from the reader rather than an intellectual one. This allows him to achieve audience investment far exceeding what the evidence in the text should allow for. Add in his false martyr "mainstream academia don't want this talked about" bit and he's a made man.

[@kenhnsy]

Hancock is not the first person with a couple interesting ideas who then is consumed by the task of proof after getting a sum of production money. Journalistic skills can only go so far.

[@peterinbrat]

Knowing her fate Atlantis sent out ships to all corners of the Earth On board were the Twelve The poet, the physician, the farmer, the scientist, the magician And the other so-called Gods of our legends Though Gods they were And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind Let us rejoice, and let us sing, and dance And ring in the new Hail, Atlantis! Donovan should sue for plagiarism

[@rafaelbogdan9307]

Is it time for Graham Hancock sushi again?

[@2l84t]

Hancock is the Les Nessman of Archeology.

[@AoE2Replays]

BIG DIRT LOL

[@botchamaniajeezus]

i knew you were a wrestling fan, but i wasnt expecting jim cornette references here. hell yeah brother

[@carmelbrain7399]

excellent critique

[@Wallyworld30]

I've read "Fingerprints of the gods" and it's a very easy read and if you can suspend disbelief such as we do for movies the book is an entertaining read. I wouldn't suggest the book to a single person because Hancock is trying to sell a lie. I remember when Aaron Rodgers did his Book Club on the Pat McAfee show "Fingerprints of the gods" was one of Aarons recommendations. I felt like Rodgers was promoting brain worms for his fans. I'm a Packer fan but Rodgers is off his rocker perhaps one to many concussions? Thersites if you read it did you enjoy finprings more than the Mars Mystery that you reviewed a couple years back?

[@isaacpeachey8609]

God. It’s just another reason to hate Aaron Rodgers. I guess the likelihood of Hancock’s theory being true is about the same as the likelihood of Rodgers winning another super bowl. So there is something they have in common.

[@Alexeiyeah]

I was going to watch it ith my fiancée, because we love some paranoid, out-there bullshit that pretends/thinks to be real. We usually get a laugh or two, especially me, who knows more about history between the both of us. Sadly, this show sucks. Dude made a pretencious show just to cater to a public he already has, it's not fun, there's no whacky editing... I mean, that's good, it's harder to convince some ignorant people with a "serious" "historical" documentary. The Netflix documentaries on Rome, Caesar and Commodus, at least had some acting, lots of editing to people doing STUFF, not vaguely talking some bullshit crap with other people in the middle of nowhere.

[@yingyang1008]

Says the guy who believes in abiogenesis and dinosaurs

[@lukelee7967]

I don't think Mr Hancock believes Atlantis was in Indonesia. I suspect he also believes in the lost continent of Mu.

[@mnomadvfx]

I don't think Hancock believes 99.9% of what he says. I think he believes the majority of his audience will, and that this will sell more books. From the number of books he sells if I were a more dishonest person I would throw my hat in as well, but I don't run that way and never will.

[@brokinsage7138]

Wow, the first several minutes are just cherry picked anecdotes aimed at discrediting the subject.

[@stevesanders1905]

Hancock is a great talker. I've found myself listening to him at the same time I knew he was spittin out pure garbage lol

[@salidahdrakenaug6427]

love your sarcasm :D

[@alanpennie8013]

In a soldier's stance I took my stand, Gainst the mongrel dogs who teach. Fearing not I'd become my enemy In the instant that I preach ...

[@billybarty100]

Uhhg Graham you used Atlantis and the Bimini road in your theory. Isn't that against the law now? Cringe death is a real thing we try to prevent

[@doubleslothgaming]

Thersites: "Thank you, Fuck you, Bye" Me: *sighs* Also Me: *clicks subscribe button*

[@psynque]

"Thank you! Fuck you! Bye!" - Thersites the Wrestling Historian

[@BeTeLGeuZeX]

The way how youre so sure that the pyramids are used for SOLELY as tombs, makes me tune the fuck out form this video... Its clear that yours going at Hancock in a oddly bashing type of way instead of saying it in a more constructive way

[@luukkievit8892]

When me and my friend went out and we are completely hammered, Hancock is the guy we listen to. So we can appreciate more what this absolute inexhaustible source of wisdom has to say.

[@alanpennie8013]

Don't do drugs kids! Or you may become an infamous charlatan with a Netflix pseudo - documentary.

[@Nate-yb3ce]

@@alanpennie8013 where’s my documentary damnit ?!

[@BoyTsamba]

You didnt debunk the black mat

[@Manbearpig4456]

That’s because it’s impossible