Astronaut Gods of the Maya: Extraterrestrial Technologies in the Temples and Sculptures

by Erich von Däniken

A visual tour of the evidence for ancient astronauts in Mesoamerica

• Includes more than 200 full-color photographs from the author’s personal archives

• Details the astronaut technology--helmets, tanks, hoses, keyboards, rockets--clearly illustrated in stone carvings and statues from Mesoamerican sites such as Palenque, Chichén Itzá, and Teotihuacán in Mexico and Tikal in Guatemala

• Explores the similarities of Maya pyramids with those at Kanchipuram in South India

Sharing more than 200 never-before-published full-color photographs from his personal archives, bestselling author Erich von Däniken provides clear evidence of ancient alien contact and technology among the archaeological sites of the Maya as well as other ancient cultures, such as the Aztecs and the Hindus. He reveals how the “gods” immortalized in Maya sculptures, carved reliefs, and myth were not supernatural beings but technologically advanced visitors, astronauts who gifted the Maya with their sophisticated understanding of calendar time and cosmology. He explains how, with no explanation for their technologies and origins, the Maya interpreted the visitors as divine and, thus, the “gods” were born.

Examining stone carvings and statues from many Mesoamerican sites such as Palenque, Chichén Itzá, and Teotihuacán in Mexico and Tikal in Guatemala, von Däniken reveals the astronaut technology--helmets, tanks, hoses, keyboards, rockets--clearly illustrated in these ancient depictions of the gods. He explores the similarities of Plato’s writings with the Chilam Balam books of Mexico and compares “ancient alien” features in myths around the world, paralleling how mercury is mentioned as a fuel ingredient of flying machines in ancient India with the discovery of mercury at Copán, Palenque, and Teotihuacán as well as in the grave of a Chinese emperor and two Egyptian graves on Nabta Playa. Illustrating the similarities of Mayan step pyramids with those of Kanchipuram in South India, the author explains how Mayan pyramids are crowned with a small temple, residence, or landing field of the gods, while the pyramids of South India are topped with a Vimana , a “godly” flying vehicle.

Offering visual proof of the ancient world’s contact with advanced alien visitors they recorded as gods and teachers, von Däniken also raises the question of the “heavenly” origins of royal families and dynasties in Mesoamerica, Egypt, and beyond, revealing how the Mayan kings of Palenque and the pharaohs of Egypt may be descendants of the “gods.”

Genres: Aliens, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

Published August 29, 2017

About the author

Greek: Έριχ φον Νταίνικεν

Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (1935–2026) was a Swiss author of several pseudoscientific books which made claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, including the best-selling Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968. Däniken was one of the main figures responsible for popularizing the "paleo-contact" and ancient astronauts hypotheses.

The ideas put forth in his books are rejected by virtually all scientists and academics, who categorize his work as pseudohistory, pseudoarchaeology, and pseudoscience. Early in his career, he was convicted and served time for several counts of fraud or embezzlement, and wrote one of his books in prison.

Reviews

[Denver Michaels · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a good bit of repetition here from earlier books, but you expect that from a Däniken book. As far as the information goes, there's nothing really new and there aren't an earth-shaking revelations and nothing that compares to his early works, but if you are an Erich von Däniken fan—and I am—you will like this book.

[Richard West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of von Daniken's forays into the world of ancient astronauts this is largely a picture book and it reads very fast. That's why it gets 4 stars - 3 for the outstanding photos and 1 for the text which is essentially a re-hash of everything he's written in the past regarding the ancient Maya and Central American cultures.
Like his other books, you have to read this one with an open mind and if you're one of those close-minded people who say it's impossible that we were visited from by beings from elsewhere in the far-distant past and that of the billions of planets that are in our galaxy alone, none can harbor life, you probably believe the world is flat as well and would be happier by reading a John Grisham novel.
If,on the other hand, you are open to the possibility that the "gods" were here in the distant past, you'll welcome this as an addition to your ancient astronauts library even though a lot of it is repeated from other books (but, the pictures are worth the price of the book!)
Are we alone in the galaxy/universe? Probably not. Were there civilizations so advanced they came here to check out what was going on in the distant past? Possibly. So why haven't they come back and more importantly, made contact? If I were them and saw how our society has degenerated into a war-like society; one where you can't even shake hands with someone for fear of having them yell "sexual harassment" I'd stay away too, figuring we're too primitive to fool with.

[Kate Atonic · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was something of a rehash of what he had written in “Chariot of the Gods”. I read an electronic copy on a black and white Kindle, so most of the book came across as blurry photos.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same old crap by Erik Von Daniken.

[Tina Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very intriguing read. It makes sense of things I asked about as a child and was told to think differently. I however for confused with all the equations of the different Mags sites.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

5-stars for an entertaining "Ancient Aliens" read. The topic of archaeological mysteries of the Maya is real, and the photos are inspiring.

[RetroHaven5976 · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing array of pictures give evidence to this new theory however this book feels like a picture book more than a source book.