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Forgotten Civilization: The Role of Solar Outbursts in Our Past and Future

Robert M. Schoch

3.94 · Rating details · 190 Ratings · 31 Reviews

Building upon his revolutionary theory that the Sphinx dates back much further than 2500 BCE, geologist Robert Schoch reveals scientific evidence of advanced civilization predating ancient Egypt, Sumeria, and Greece, as well as the catastrophe that destroyed it nearly 12,000 years ago and what its legacy can teach us about our own future.

Combining evidence from multiple sc ...more

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Paperback, 384 pages

Published August 22nd 2012 by Inner Traditions (first published August 10th 2012)

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Jan 02, 2013 Laura rated it it was ok

The title promises more than it delivers. This book was to satisfy my thirst for unexplained phenomena, but unfortunately most of what was discussed in this book was the same ole same ole of alternative archeology: the pyramid is older than mainstream believes; there were giants and we have the evidence in Easter Island, etc.

There were a few interesting new details about an underground city I hadn't read about before, but ultimately the book suffers from that same disconnected and rambling writ ...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Lyrae rated it it was amazing

In the quest to explain the disappearance of a lost ancient civilization this book finally hits on a plausible natural event that could lead to the kind of widespread cataclysm that is frequently reported in the old mythologies and texts left to us by our ancestors. Reading this has helped bridged the gap between multiple disciplines, each with their own intriguing ideas, but rarely pulled together to explain the bigger picture. It was exciting to read about the ancient technology and feats of s ...more

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Mar 30, 2015 Dav8d777 rated it liked it

This was a great idea for a book and it's too bad that Mr. Schoch decided not to write it. Some of the ideas about solar events, the way the plasma manifested in the sky as it relates to ancient petroglyphs is fascinating. Mr. Schoch spent very little time in this space however (in spite of the book's title). Instead we got a brief, incomplete overview coupled with a survey of every piece of fringe science out there from the memory of water, to quantum entanglement to telepathy. There was the ob ...more

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Apr 18, 2013 David Montaigne rated it it was amazing

I first heard of Robert Schoch about fifteen years ago when I watched the NBC special "The Mysterious Origins of Man." Schoch was brought into the project both for his PhD in geology from Yale and for his open-mindedness, specifically on the age of the Sphinx. Despite the assertion of mainstream Egyptology that the Sphinx could not be more than, at most, about 4,500 to 5,000 years old - Schoch said the Sphinx showed obvious erosion from intense rainfall, the likes of which Egypt had not seen for I first heard of Robert Schoch about fifteen years ago when I watched the NBC special "The Mysterious Origins of Man." Schoch was brought into the project both for his PhD in geology from Yale and for his open-mindedness, specifically on the age of the Sphinx. Despite the assertion of mainstream Egyptology that the Sphinx could not be more than, at most, about 4,500 to 5,000 years old - Schoch said the Sphinx showed obvious erosion from intense rainfall, the likes of which Egypt had not seen for several thousand years before conventional theories permitted. He stuck his neck out (though not as boldly as John Anthony West, who suggested a far older date for the Sphinx) and said that mainstream Egyptology's date for the Sphinx is probably off by a few thousand years. This unorthodoxy brought many negative responses from established PhDs in a variety of fields.

At the time (early to mid 1990s) when Schoch and West were first getting attention for the idea that erosion by rainfall proved the Sphinx is older than we have been taught, one rebuttal from the orthodox Egyptologists was to ask who built it. "Where's the civilization" before dynastic Egypt? In the early 90s there was little evidence to counter the accepted paradigm that no society that far back was organized enough to build monuments.

This changed with the ongoing discoveries at Gobekli Tepe in southeast Turkey, which has been excavated by German (and Turkish) archeologists since 1994. As Schoch points out in "Forgotten Civilization" mainstream archeologists now date the monuments there to approximately 9-10,000 B.C. The established existence of an organized society at this point in time makes Schoch's conservatively early dating of the Sphinx seem less unlikely. It offers proof that man had achieved civilization earlier than we were taught.

But a very ancient Sphinx and very ancient Gobekli Tepe also force us to wonder what happened to this early civilization which rose and fell with no continuation, with no evidence of organized society for thousands of years after - until approximately 3,100 B.C. Why did the earliest monument builders completely disappear?

Schoch suggests that there were "catastrophes that occurred over ten thousand years ago, eradicating this early, forgotten civilization." (p. 8) He tells us that "geological data indicate that the last ice age ended extremely suddenly, catastrophically, around 9700 BCE.... and I believe, the date of a major solar outburst." (p. 253) He describes evidence of a major solar flare hitting the earth, and suggests that the sun is nowhere near as stable as recent history implies. Instead he assumes "that major plasma events might impact Earth approximately every ten thousand years. It has been 11,700 years since the last one." (p. 103)

The implication is that we are overdue for a solar event capable of causing a civilization-ending catastrophe. It might originate with the sun's own cyclical variations, or perhaps the sun's activity is triggered by a cosmic source like Dr. Paul LaViolette's galactic superwaves. While not specifically assuming that a pole shift will occur, nor that it will occur on December 21, 2012 at the end of the Mayan Long Count - Schoch suggests that something catastrophic may very well occur near the Mayan end date. But to him, such an approximation could mean 2012, 2013, or even 2050. (p. 216)

As an author covering similar topics (ancient civilizations, cosmic catastrophes, the Mayan Calendar, prophecies of the end of the world, etc.) I agree with Schoch on many points, although my analysis concludes that we should worry about a very specific date in 2019. Schoch takes a slightly different route than I do (focusing on geological evidence and solar outbursts) but we reach similar overall conclusions because we are analyzing many of the same facts. The truth is becoming more obvious, (especially within the last twenty years) despite attempts from established schools of thought to stifle innovative reevaluations of cherished paradigms.

A major part of Schoch's premise assumes not only that a solar plasma event devastated Earth around 9700 BCE, but that our distant ancestors recorded what they saw when the plasma hit and strange electrical discharges and auroras dominated the skies. He discusses what might be drawings and descriptions of this event from many cultures, but focuses on Easter Island's moai statues and rongorongo text. I do not feel there is enough evidence on Easter Island to be thoroughly convincing, but his ideas on this merit consideration - he made a sensible argument based on the minimal evidence available.

I am not quite sure why, near the end of the book, he delves into many unusual topics - such as ESP and parapsychology, quantum entanglement, harmonic resonances, faster than light travel, retrocausality, precognition, and the illusion of free will - to name a few. I suppose his aim is to point out that many ideas are viewed as pseudoscience, even when there is some evidence in their favor... or perhaps to suggest that research in these fields challenges accepted conclusions, and like his early dating of the Sphinx, may be accepted in due time. If nothing else, such topics provide readers with more questions to ponder after finishing the book - because Schoch proves fairly conclusively that a solar event did terminate a forgotten civilization over ten thousand years ago, and that we have reasons to expect a similar catastrophe soon ourselves. Schoch thinks it could be "near" 2012. If interested read "End Times and 2019." ...more

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Oct 23, 2017 JEREMIAH F LYONS rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Incredible Book

This book discusses a wide range of concepts from controversial to downright unbelievable but never strays too far off of the science. Well cited from a range sources including everything from geology to astronomy to the paranormal.

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Aug 14, 2017 Derek Douglas rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history

Some very interesting ideas and was surprised the level of detail that was gone into the science. However I was looking for more descriptions on the actual "forgotten civilization" and less on the solar aspect of it.

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Feb 10, 2017 B.A. Vonsik rated it really liked it

Overall good book. Some information and conclusion differ from other information on the subject. Not certain who's correct on the subject. Overall a good read.

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Jun 14, 2017 Kirsten Corby rated it it was ok

Not a convincing case at all.

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May 22, 2018 Graham rated it it was amazing

Dr. Schoch presents a very compelling theory with sound detailed data.

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Feb 20, 2017 Wendy Capron rated it did not like it

I'm giving him one star for content - there were a couple of interesting ideas, but zero stars for writing style, which was repetitive, alternately too technical (when he really doesn't want us to understand?) and too simplistic, and self-aggrandizing. I'd say he pretty much lost me with telekinesis as an explanation for the Easter Island moai. I'd have to do some research to find out if some of his other proposals are valid and I'm not sure it's worth the effort.

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Mar 02, 2017 S. K. Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thought-provoking

Thought-provoking and open-minded. By a researcher who is unafraid to question the status quo. The whole point is to find truth, whatever that may be and how ever strange it may seem. This is a captivating read if you love mythology and sacred stories and believe ancient cultures weren't just spinning fairy tales and carving cartoons on rocks -- I believe they were trying to pass on important, meaningful information to help us prepare for and survive the cosmic catastrophes they ...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Lianne Downey rated it it was amazing

I met geology professor Dr. Robert Schoch the day (in 1991) he announced to the world that the Sphinx is much older than anyone previously suspected. I was the only journalist on site, and we spent nearly 12 subsequent hours chatting about his exciting discoveries. Meanwhile the geologists at the convention agreed with him, the rest of the media ignored him, and the entrenched Egyptology and archeology communities hadn't yet realized that he'd turned their assumptions upside down. It was the cal I met geology professor Dr. Robert Schoch the day (in 1991) he announced to the world that the Sphinx is much older than anyone previously suspected. I was the only journalist on site, and we spent nearly 12 subsequent hours chatting about his exciting discoveries. Meanwhile the geologists at the convention agreed with him, the rest of the media ignored him, and the entrenched Egyptology and archeology communities hadn't yet realized that he'd turned their assumptions upside down. It was the calm before the storm. I was so fortunate to be first in line! But I hadn't spoken to him, nor had our paths crossed, since my little news item appeared in print back in the early 90s.

So I was very happy to "reconnect" with Dr. Schoch through the pages of his latest book, particularly since his open-minded yet serious scientific assessments were now taking up topics closer to my own esoteric interests. He does a wonderful job of keeping his text conversational and personal, while carefully laying out his scientific sources, and examining everything in the light of his rigorous training in scientific disciplines.

For instance, I can tune in to my Cosmic CoAuthors and say, yes, of course Atlantis and other advanced civilizations predated our written history on Earth, and of course our solar system and our planet are affected by energetic outpourings from the center of the galaxy, planned and time by greater Minds than our own. But I'm the kind of source that gains credibility only among those who know what I mean when I describe my Cosmic CoAuthors. Dr. Schoch, on the other hand, brings his scientific reasoning and hard, personally collected data to bear on these same topics---with very exciting results! He also draws in the work of other leading-edge scientists from numerous discplines to back up his theories and to fairly evaluate others, never stooping so low as to dismiss them out of hand as so many do. Moreover, he makes this sometimes esoteric science very accessible for the average reader.

I found the book to be an excellent resource for the latest news from the frontiers of science, while also laying out Dr. Schoch's theories about solar outbursts past, present, and perhaps future. Fascinating to read, and a surprising page-turner, considering the subject matter.

I also appreciate his viewpoints on the forces that keep visionaries like Dr. Schoch and others from getting their discoveries a fair airing in front of the public at large -- the politics, money, and other factors that keep us in the dark, slow the developments in all scientific fields, and hold back our collective evolutionary growth. ...more

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Oct 16, 2016 Geri Evilla rated it it was amazing

With this book, Robert Schoch delivers the findings of over two and a half decades of scientific work. In it, he surprises and inspires while steadily revealing evidence of an unknown chapter in human history.

Forgotten Civilization takes the reader to places that we think we know, but exposes them in a light we've never seen before. Through a re-examination of such legendary sights as the Sphynx, Easter Island, and Gobekli Tepe, Schoch uncovers evidence of a cataclysmic event embedded in the mon ...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Peter rated it liked it

This is a science book addressing influences on the earth from solar disturbances, mainly. I liked what he had to say about global warming since he talked about the effects of cosmic radiation which I had encountered before but which is generally ignored by the alarmists. He also spoke of the politics of science which is another topic often avoided that plays a major role in research. I liked this book and learned a few things which is always rewarding. I warn the reader, however, that the autho ...more

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Mar 23, 2014 Kyle Philson rated it it was amazing

-Free review copy courtesy of Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
I was first blown away in the early 90's when I saw a documentary on TV hosted by Charleton Heston about the Sphinx and how two men had a interesting theory about the age of the Sphinx and civilization. Those men were Robert M. Schoch and John Anthony West and they truly inspired me to really think about our past. Now with the recent discoveries of Gobekli Tepe, Gadung Padang and Nan Madol they only strengthen Robert's theories abo ...more

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Jan 17, 2017 Doug rated it liked it

Schoch is a geologist/geophysicist with a Yale pedigree who did groundbreaking (heh) work on re-dating the Sphinx in Egypt. He also traveled to Easter Island to assess the age of the statutes there, and the implications of its mysterious 'rongorongo' script, which in his view may have recorded solar plasma storms long ago.

Interesting thesis, that the Sun drastically affected our climate thousands of years ago, and could well do so again. Also puts to mind how fragile the 'technosphere' is, if an ...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Evelyn rated it liked it

I started out reading this book sceptically, but as it turned out, it was quite interesting and now I'm thinking, yeah, I can see how it may be the way the author speculates in the book. Parts of the book were hard to get through (parts that discussed physics-type sciences) but over all it was very intersting. Not an easy read though. I'd like to read more on ancient civilzations now, and I think that the possible future catastrophies described by the author are possible. I just wish that I coul ...more

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Jul 22, 2016 Thomas Walsh added it

I have to reveal something: I'm possessed by the Egyptian Sphinx. There is something so mysterious about it, The fact of a human head on a lion's body is completely out of my little cultural box. Dr. Schoch, however, was there and did ample research on the figure. He dates it thousands of years before current scholars do. Why? Its weathering reveals many more thousands of years before 4000 BC, the static date of archaeological dating. He hints the head was redone, and, perhaps, was originally a ...more

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Feb 12, 2015 Wendell Cooper rated it liked it

On page 294 the author "wildly speculates" about the huge stone carvings of Easter Island being moved by some paranormal activity. When you compare this to the tedious work of Thor Heyerdahl in Aku Aku, it's hard not to feel silly reading this book. Heyerdahl examined the language, the legends, and the stories handed down from generation to generation of how the great statues were moved. He then replicated the feat with locally available tools. In contrast Schoch offers up the possibility of ps ...more

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Sep 18, 2014 Terry rated it it was ok

Shelves: non-fiction

I hesitated in categorizing this book under non-fiction because the author strays into areas I consider fantasy/science fiction at best. Telekinesis etc.

He does posit some interesting ideas regarding the age of the Sphinx, the Easter Island statues and other controversial topics. I enjoyed the first 150 pages or so before he started in on topics I consider too New Age for me to deem viable. I find the premise of Coronal Mass Ejections having a decided impact on civilization to be something I'll ...more

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Feb 08, 2014 Falconer360 rated it it was ok

When I got this book from the library to read, I was hoping for an interesting scientific read and was sadly let down.

Schoch is a typical amongst others enamored in pseudoscience. He makes bold claims off of little to no evidence. He is more concerned about going against the mainstream scientists and getting fame for himself then he is about good science. He's like a hipster of science. If it's a mainstream, commonly held belief then he seems to think that it is obviously wrong. That being said, ...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Hydroxia Gryphon rated it it was amazing

Astounding discoveries that Dr. Schoch has made, and he definitely has science to back up his claims and theories. I fully believe that it is completely plausible for major solar outbursts to effect the Earth; and even wipe out entire civilizations. I want to read this again now that I've read Edgar Cayce on Atlantis. I noticed that there are a lot of connections, and Schoch has the proof to some of the sleeping prophet's ethereal messages!

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Jul 12, 2013 Chris Corey rated it really liked it

I felt this book was great! It gave me many things to think about. I try to read works from other points of view so I can make a more informed decision of my own. I can say this, at least he did not lie like in Temples book (page 57, figures 1.40 from the North, and 1.41 from the south). Look at the stone in those two pictures carefully! Now Temple, what were you shoveling!

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Mar 07, 2015 Michael Starsheen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Not what I expected

The book deals with a hypothetical scenario that early efforts at civilization were interrupted by extremely intense solar plasma discharges. However, the author digresses a good deal talking about climate change and scientific consensus. There was little information about the purported early civilization, although the book was generally interesting.

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Dec 31, 2014 Stuart added it

The sphinx work is compelling, and the cases for cosmoclimatology and catastrophic solar events are well presented, but the further this guy drifts from his rockhound roots the more credibility he loses, until it's all just a morass of pseudoscience and newage babble.

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Jul 16, 2013 Artem Gordon rated it it was amazing

SUCH A GREAT BOOK! Initially, I figured that this book would be mostly about the culture of an ancient civilization. I realized this book had much more to offer than that. This is THE book that is responsible for my new addiction about studying the sun. Very glad I read it.

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Feb 28, 2014 Steven added it

Shelves: science, history

Enjoyed it very much.

Very interesting idea of what may have happened at the end of the last ice age.

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Jan 07, 2014 Elentarri rated it it was amazing

Shelves: collapse-of-civilizations, earth-mysteries, history-alternative, history-prehistoric-ancient, lost-worlds-and-knowledge, science-alternative

Brilliant! Extremely interesting, well integrated and scientific.

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Mar 03, 2013 Suzanne Main rated it it was amazing

Fascinating theories, really well explained.

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Christopher rated it liked it
Aug 12, 2013

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“Up until now quantum entanglement has generally been considered limited to very small microscopic objects, such as subatomic particles, atoms, isolated molecules, and microscopic crystalline structures. In December 2011 a group of physicists from the University of Oxford, the National Research Council of Canada, and the National University of Singapore announced the successful quantum entanglement, using lasers, of oscillation patterns of atoms in two macroscopic (approximately 3 millimeters in size) diamonds at room temperature and separated by a distance of about 15 centimeters” — 0 likes

“In August 2008, physicists Jere Jenkins and Ephraim Fischbach, of Purdue University, burst on the scene with an incredible claim. Decay constants are not so constant! Through detailed analysis, they found that the decay rate of radioactive manganese-54 (54Mn) fluctuates in correlation with solar flares (Jenkins and Fischbach 2008). And that was not all. It was also found that the decay rates of radioactive silicon-32 (32Si) and radioactive radium-226 (226Ra) vary over time and that the variations correlate with the changing distance between the Earth and the Sun (Jenkins et al. 2008). When the Earth is closest to the Sun (in January), the decay rate increases; when the Earth is farthest from the Sun (in July), the decay rate decreases. These are incredible, absolutely astounding results with profound ramifications.” — 0 likes

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Forgotten Civilization: The Role of Solar Outbursts in Our Past and Future

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