The Arcadian Paintings:

Encoded References to an Ancient Global Catastrophe?

By Gary Osborn
Copyright Gary Osborn 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Part 1: Poussins The Shepherds of Arcadia (Version I)

he paintings examined in this presentation were first featured together in the book, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, (1982). [1] Since that time the consensus opinion is that these paintings contain a cipher or code associated with the Rennes le Chteau mystery, possible treasure or artefacts relating to the Holy Grail and the secret bloodline of Christ. Many believe that this code is based on pentagonal geometry which appears to be pointing to specific locations in the South of France. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is a fictional work spun from the theories first presented in this book, but the bloodline of Christ or the Holy Grail is not what these paintings are about well not directly in any case. In my view, these paintings, which indeed contain revelatory information, have never really been satisfactorily deciphered. My theory, based on years of research, is that the symbolic information we find in these paintings, are really associated with an ancient code (if we can call it that) relating to a global catastrophe that possibly involved the Biblical Flood; the result of something unparalleled in our history that caused the earths axis to tilt from an upright position as believed by those who have encoded this information. They tell us that data pertaining to this catastrophe and more besides is encoded in the monuments at Giza. Some modern-day researchers like author Robert Bauval and only recently Scott Creighton in his book The Giza Oracle (2006), suggest that Giza is a precessional clock. Based on my own interpretation of these paintings and the data gleaned from other sources that support it, I am compelled to take the same view. Scott Creighton believes that a global catastrophe happened around 13,000 years ago and that the pyramids of Giza and other monuments around the world were built to preserve scientific data pertaining to the present condition of the earth in the wake of this event, while at the same time always giving reference to the perfect conditions of a world that existed before it. Scott is not the first or the last person to arrive at these conclusions through his own discoveries, but I mention him as an example of an alternative version of history that is now fast emerging and one that is consistent with the data I myself have found encoded in various sources. We can get by without a description of Precession in this presentation, but it should be noted that Precession is a phenomenon relating to the obliquity (tilt angle) of the earths axis, which is given the round figure of 23.5 degrees in most text books, but is precisely 23.43 at present and slowly declining. The very first painting to feature the enigmatic phrase ET IN ARCADIA EGO was painted by Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri Guerchin an Italian Baroque period Painter, 15911666) sometime between 1618 and 1622.

Two young shepherds are featured: one cleanly shaven and dressed in white and the other bearded, dressed in rustic red and wearing a red cap. We shall be examining this painting in more depth in Part 2, but what we have here is the theme of the symbolic Red and White a theme which keeps cropping up throughout history and in many different sources.

Red, White and Black

Plato in his discourse on Atlantis describes the stone that was said to have been quarried from this land now lost. Plato tells us that one kind of stone was white, another red and a third black, and that the hillsides displayed veins of red, white, and black marble alongside deposits of every kind of precious metal. We are told that Atlantean architects used this red, white and black marble to design their buildings with these same three colours tastefully combined and contrasted. The red and white represent the positive and negative opposites as in yin and yang, male and female etc. Sometimes the red and the white are featured alongside the non-colour black which represents the neutral third force as mentioned in many esoteric systems and where the two opposites become united as one or are cancelled out altogether. Sometimes blue is substituted for black. These three colours are based on the universal, sacred Triad the three forces of consciousness that are inherent in all things. The existence of Atlantis remains inconclusive. However, the fact that in the Hindu cosmology, the god Shiva is red, Vishnu-Krishna is blue-black and Brahma is white reveals that we are again dealing with a system of knowledge which has been spread worldwide and obviously from the same source. Furthermore, the Hindu myth of Manidvipa is said to be an allegory pointing to the destruction of Atlantis by the Flood and of the survival of its three races red, white and black and in a special kind of Ark. The Hindu trio, Shiva, Shava and Shakti, are often depicted fleeing their destroyed world the Island of the Jewels Manidvipa. But could this also be interpreted to mean that this knowledge was rescued, preserved and carried over? We are told that these three aspects of the Hindu god also correspond to the three sons of Noah, who each symbolize the three different coloured races of mankind. Again, we can see the symbolic device of the Triad being used both on an individual level, as regards the three aspects of Self ones consciousness and also on a collective level as the three aspects or races of man. Can we take these stories literally, loaded as they are with the same symbolism? One would note too, that in ancient Egypt, the land was divided between 1,) Upper Egypt in the south, which was signified by White, and 2,) Lower Egypt in the north, which was signified by Red. The Nile itself and the soil around the Nile, was Black as the ancient name of Egypt, Khem, which means black, appears to confirm it. We are told that this is where the name al-Chem-y is said to have derived, and the art of alchemy is really all about ones own transformation and ascension through the union or fusion of opposites. However, in these paintings, we are being shown how man fell further into division and duality the world of opposites and that the condition of our world is one of imbalance; our consciousness reflected in our world which is tilted and vice-versa.

Figure 1: Et In Arcadia Ego by Guercino (16181722)

In Guercinos painting, both shepherds are looking at a worm and fly-infested skull on a stone pedestal on which the famous words ET IN ARCADIA EGO are inscribed. These two individuals are clearly leaning away from each other reminding us of Jesus and John the Evangelist (which some say is really Mary Magdalene) in Leonardo Da Vincis mural The Last Supper. This leaning away, again symbolises division and duality. So then its possible that the shaven figure in white could even be a female which again, reinforces the theme of opposites as in male and female, positive and negative and this is a further clue as to what these two individuals really represent. It is agreed by many that they are Cain and Abel the sons of Adam and Eve, but again this has symbolic connotations relating to the polar opposites expressed in Abel good and Cain evil. If these two figures are Cain and Abel, then does the skull belong to Adam their father? However we may interpret it, the theme of opposites is being expressed here and its a fact that this is a common theme expressed in the Bible and also in many myths, stories and traditions. Most prominent of these is the ancient Egyptian myth of Osiris the sacred triad being expressed as either Osiris, Set and Horus, or Osiris, Isis and Horus.

The Shepherds of Arcadia (Version I)

Guercino may have been privy to the same information as Leonardo Da Vinci [2] before him (14521519) and his contemporary Nicolas Poussin (15941665). I discovered that Poussins first painting on the Arcadian theme The Shepherds of Arcadia (Les Bergers dArcadie, version I, 1627) contained unmistakeable, symbolic references to the ancient Egyptian god Osiris. Poussins painting shows two male shepherds and a shepherdess examining an ornate tomb with the inscription ET IN ARCADIA EGO on the side. The shepherdess is wearing white, and the two shepherds are wearing red and dark blue/black.

Figure 2: Les Bergers dAcardie Version I by Poussin (1627)

The male shepherd in red holds a shepherds crook which is bent slightly and angled at 75 degrees and the other shepherd (and some say it is the shepherdess) is holding a wooden staff, which is angled at 60 degrees. (See figure 4). One interesting detail in the painting is the edge of the tomb which is angled at 30 degrees. This is perpendicular to the staff on the left angled at 60 degrees. If we draw

a line through the staff and a line to indicate the edge of the tomb we create a cross tilted at 30 degrees.

Figure 3: The staff on the left at 60 degrees and the edge of the tomb at 30 creates a tilted cross

If we now begin a line from the center of the cross where the 30 and 60 lines intersect and extend it to the end of the crook/staff held by the bearded shepherd in red, the angle of this line is between 72 and 73 degrees (I show it at 72). We also find that the end of the staff and the end of the crook/staff are level, indicated by the horizontal white line. There is much more to this painting than I am revealing here, and this line gives us a reference for other information I have found and which I will reveal in another presentation.

Figure 4: The angle of 72

The Crook and Flail of Osiris

For reasons which I will explain later, the staff on the left angled at 60 degrees was most likely meant to be a flail and if correct then Poussin was careful not to make this obvious. For some reason Poussin found it necessary to use the esoteric method of conveying important information while at the same time veiling it in the belief that those who overlook this information actually prove themselves unworthy in not noticing it. Now what is interesting is that in ancient Egypt the crook (heka) and flail (nekhakha) were symbols of power and rulership held by the god Osiris as well as pharaohs and high officials. Like Osiris the king was considered the shepherd of his own people and its a fact that many ancient peoples (especially in Mesopotamia) referred to their kings as Shepherd Kings as if in respect of those Shepherds of men. It is said that the Atlantean kings were known as shepherd kings, and so were the Annunaki gods of Mesopotamia. The Sumerians named the star constellation of Orion the Shepherd and Orion was seen to contain the soul of the resurrection god Osiris and represented both Osiris and Horus in the image of a mans torso that was given to it. Osiris is usually depicted holding the crook and flail (his emblems) in each hand and with his arms folded across his chest the same regal position that Tutankhamun and other pharaohs were depicted; and in these later depictions these two power symbols were held is such a way that they made a diagonal cross. In Poussins painting the two staffs are featured in front of a large leaning tree, like the crook and flail held by Osiris especially when Osiris is depicted as the Djed column.

Figure 5: Osiris as the Djed Column

Axis Mundi
The Djed column is said to be the backbone or spinal column of Osiris, and it is said that it also represents the shamanic axis mundi the axis of the world. The Djed also symbolised the Nile the natural meridian of Gizeh, also seen as Osiris spine my friend author Philip Coppens reminded me. Its not surprising then to discover that the large tree behind the tomb in Poussins painting is leaning at 23.5 degrees the same angle as the earths axis. I found that the trees in many of Poussins paintings are leaning at the angle of 23.5 degrees. Furthermore, in ancient Egyptian art especially the many profile depictions of Osiris we find that the Atef crown like the tree is angled at 23.5 degrees. On page 125 of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, Manly P. Hall writes: Frank C Higgins, a well-known Masonic symbolist, has astutely noted that the ornate headgears of certain gods and Pharaohs are inclined backwards at the same angle as the earths axis. Is it a mere coincidence that the crook and staff held by the shepherds in Poussins painting are in the same slanted positions as the crook and flail held by Osiris, as depicted in ancient Egyptian art? If we compare the image of Osiris taken from the Papyrus of Ani i.e., the positions and angles of his crook, flail and Atef crown with the positions and angles of the staff, crook and tree, we have an almost perfect match. [3]

Figure 6: On the left is a detail from the Papyrus of Ani showing Osiris (The Green Man) seated in the Hall of Maat. The orientation of the Atef Crown (23.5 degrees) and the Crook and Flail match the orientation of the tree (23.5 degrees) and the two staffs in Poussins painting of the Shepherds

The Crook and the Flail are Symbolic of the Opposites

The Flail was used to whip and beat animals (and indeed people) forward or into submission and like the rod or scepter, shows authority hence their interchangeable nature. The shepherds crook was used to pull stray animals by the neck without hurting them. Here we have an image of push and pull, so we see in these two symbols the opposites again as in the flail which would relate to the masculine principle and the crook which would relate to the feminine principle. The flail, a kind of whip, or fly whip, is associated with Summer. The flail is also used to reap the corn harvest as shown in Poussins painting of Summer from his set of four paintings, The Four Seasons. The crook is associated with the shepherding of the flock during winter and images of shepherds holding crooks are often displayed on Christmas greeting cards. Summer is related to the Sun and the colour red, and therefore the male principle and Winter is related to the Moon and the colour white and therefore the feminine principle. So symbolically, these two items also symbolise the opposites of Summer and Winter the cycle of opposites caused by the tilted axis as represented by the leaning tree. Again, it seems likely now that the earths axis, was symbolised by the Djed the backbone of Osiris, and is therefore the spine or Axis of God. We find that the Djed column was raised up on the Spring Equinox one of two days in the year when the earth returns to the same conditions of the Golden Age of the upright axis as appears to have been believed. (See my article 23.5 degrees http://www.freewebs.com/garyosborn/235degrees.htm). If the spinal column of Osiris signifies the earths axis and vice-versa, then we can see why Orion in his image is part of the code relating to cosmic precession.

Orion as Precession Marker: The Spine of Osiris synchronising with the Earths Meridian Axis
It has been said that the constellation of Orion was a marker for precession and that when Orion crossed the Giza Meridian during the Spring Equinox, it marked where we were in the precessional cycle. Without going into the complexities of precession here, its sufficient for us to know that the Zero Prime Meridian could be thought of as a projection of the central earths axis on the surface of the earth so as to mark time

 everything being coordinated to the zero meridian. The Giza Meridian was possibly the original Prime Meridian marked by the Great Pyramid which stands at the center of the earths landmasses as many now believe. Now if the spinal column of Osiris signified the earths axis and vice-versa, and that it also signified the River Nile which the Giza Meridian was aligned with and vice versa, then we can see why Orion in his image is part of the code relating to cosmic precession and why Orion was used to mark the Precessional cycle. To those who built this precessional clock at Giza, when Orion crossed the Giza Meridian in the south sky and on the Spring Equinox, this would mean that the spinal axis of Orion (Osiris) was momentarily synchronised with the zero-point, chronological axis of the earth, (Meridian and Nile) and also with the central earths axis a union/fusion which was deemed significant symbolically but also in practical terms, because again Orion marked where we were in the precessional cycle. (See figure 2 here to visualize what I mean: http://www.freewebs.com/garyosborn/giza10704bc.htm) Again, this fits the Giza precessional clock theory, because as we know, Robert Bauvals theory is that the three belt stars in Orion (his waist) are reflected on the ground in the three pyramids of Giza, with the Great Pyramid representing the star AlNitak, the first of the belt stars, and that it was this star that marked precession as it crossed the Giza Meridian. (For an explanation of Precession within the context of this article, see here: http://www.freewebs.com/garyosborn/thepoussincodept2.htm)

Chi-Rho
Another amazing thing about this painting is that the crook of Osiris is in the correct position in this leaning cross to create the Chi-rho [also spelt Chi-ro] monogram or symbol. Remember that we are compelled to create this cross in the painting by drawing lines based on the obvious perpendicular angle of the staff and the edge of the tomb, the crook then falls into place as the P-like head of the Chi-Rho symbol. This symbol is associated with Jesus Christ. However, Jesus was based on the resurrection god Osiris and also the god Horus, the son and reincarnation of Osiris. So with the additional information we are given concerning this particular Christian symbol and in a painting that gives reference to the pagan god Osiris, its possible we are being told that Osiris/Horus and Jesus Christ are one and the same a belief that would have been considered heretical at the time, but one that many were aware of nethertheless. [4]

Figure 7: The Chi-Rho monogram. The symbols on either side are the Greek letters A and signifying the Alpha-Omega point at the center of the cross.

Figure 8: The Chi-Rho symbol in the painting

Some researchers and authors are convinced that the name Cairo, given to the capital city of Egypt some 10 miles east of Giza, was based on the name Chi-rho as given to this Christian monogram or symbol. Why a Muslim city should be given the same name as given to this Christian symbol really doesnt make sense. However, heres an interesting example of this connection from a book written and published in the early 20th century, by Frank C. Higgins entitled, Ancient Freemasonry (1919):
A still more wonderful symbol of these old cosmic speculations is found in the famous monogram X P, chi rho, which is the origin of the name of the modern city near which the pyramid stands Cairo. [Corrupted by the Arabs to El Kahiryeh] This monogram, although placed on the labarum, or standard, of Constantine the Great, in accordance with a vision, appears on Egyptian coins of the Ptolemys and on Indian coins several hundred years B.C. It is the old Sanskrit word Rch, meaning light, and the Egyptian derivative meaning Ch R or Horus, the animating spirit of the earth, Horus of the Pole and Horus of the Two Horizons, so he is called. [5]

Higgins statement that the word Chi-Rho derives from the ancient Egyptian Ch R for Horus, is significant and supports the belief that Jesus the Christ was based on the pagan Horus the KRST the son and reincarnation of Osiris the resurrection god. What is more interesting is that Chiro is a Greek word meaning hand and Chiropractors mend and heal spines with their healing hands. And if we take Higgins statement that Chi-Rho also derives from the Sanskrit word Rch meaning light, then the connection this word also has with the spine gives some indication of the source of Christs healing powers, as it is said that this healing energy is prana (Sanskrit). Prana, like the Chinese Chi, is associated with the energy phenomenon,

also the enlightenment experience, known as Kundalini by the Hindus, which centers on the spine and the seven chakras related to the seven endocrine glands. I deal with the subject of this experience and the related traditional knowledge and esoteric systems many times in my books and other articles, so I wont dwell on it here and will allow the reader to make the necessary connections. This diagram from Higgins book is also interesting as he relates the Chi-Rho monogram with the location of Giza and the Great Pyramid on the earth.

Figure 9: Primitive Geometry or Earth Measure. Diagram from page 221 of Ancient Freemasonry by Frank C. Higgins (1919)

Throughout his books, and based on ancient sources, Higgins gives many examples taken from Freemasonry symbolism of references to the angle of 23.5 degrees, as well as the angle of 52 degrees, being the angle of the Great Pyramids four sloping sides.

Figure 10: Examples of these references from Ancient Freemasonry: An Introduction to Masonic Archaeology by Frank C. Higgins (1919). Top: Greek Painting from page 54. Note that together the orientation of the two staffs angled at 23.5 degrees, make 47 degrees - being the angle relating to the cone created by the titled axis the diameter of the precessional cycle 2 x 23.5 degrees = 47. Bottom: The angles of 23.5 in architecture and Masonic symbolism which together create the precessional cone of 47 degrees

We should also note that through his numerous books, Higgins set out to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry, which he said are very ancient and sourced to Egypt. [6] Going back to Poussins painting we can see the center of the Chi-rho cross falls on the spine of the bearded shepherd and as we know the spine of Osiris symbolised by the Djed also represented the axis mundi. Does the bearded shepherd in red represent Osiris? If so then again we have the sacred triad here, with the shepherdess in white representing Isis, and the young shepherd in the middle and in black representing Horus the third force.[7] The epithets given to Horus of the Pole of the Two Horizons as mentioned in the quote by Higgins, shows a connection between the shamanic/pagan resurrection god (e.g., Osiris, Horus,) and the earths axis, as well as the rising and setting positions of the sun as it moves back and forth between its extreme solstice points on the horizon. This would mean that Jesus, who was also based on the universal resurrection god, also shares this astrotheological connection, and this is something we will return to later.

With the tree angled at 23.5 degrees, one would conclude that we are compelled to make the connection between the spine of Osiris, the resurrection god, and the earths axis.

Figure 11: The left edge of the tree is angled at 23.5 degrees.

I like the fact that if we were to now rotate this painting 30 degrees to the right so that the 60 and 30 degree cross becomes perfectly upright and square, we find that the 23.5-degree angle of the tree then reads as 6.5 degrees. 23.5 + 6.5 = 30. Also, the 72/73-degree crook/staff then reads as 42/43 degrees. Staying with 43 degrees we have 90 43 = 47 which is 2 x 23.5 relating to the diameter of the precessional circle as traced by the earths tilted axis.

Figure 12: Rotating the painting to the right so that the 30/60-degree cross is upright. In doing this, the angle of the tree transforms from 23.5 degrees to 6.5 degrees. 23.5 + 6.5 = 30. The crook/staff transforms from 72/73 degrees to 42/43. 90 43 = 47 . . . the cone angle (diameter) of the precessional cycle i.e., 2 x 23.5 degrees.

It is a fact that the Great Pyramid of Giza is almost 30 degrees North of the Equator and that it comes as close as 6.5 degrees to the Ecliptic Plane as the earth turns on its axis. (See my article, The Great Pyramid and the Earths Axis to see how these angles are encoded within the geometrical structure of the Great Pyramid. http://www.freewebs.com/garyosborn/greatpyramidandaxis.htm).

The Theme of the Skull

As in Guercinos painting, Poussins painting also features a skull which is shown resting on top of the tomb likely to be the head of the one who rests inside the tomb. The skull is a central feature in the Vanitas or Still Life paintings from the 17th century and I discovered that the linear items in many of these paintings give reference to the angle of 23.5 degrees also 52 degrees being the side angles of the Great Pyramid. My own interpretation is that we are being told that there is a relationship between the Great Pyramid and the earths axis; that geophysical data was encoded within the Great Pyramid and that this is the purpose of the GP and Giza; that it was built to preserve this information. The angles of 30 and 6.5 also crop up in these paintings too.

A skull also makes it way into Shakespeares Play of Hamlet. In the Play, Hamlet examines a skull, and wonders whom it might have belonged to. This connection is all the more significant when we realise that Hamlet is based on an ancient myth about the Mill, a metaphor for the earths axis. The authors of Hamlets Mill, Giorgio De Santillana and Hertha Von Dechend, contend that all myth is essentially cosmological. From the data presented in their book, it is now certain that our distant ancestors felt it necessary to preserve their advanced knowledge by passing on complex cosmological information especially knowledge of the Precession of the Equinoxes in the form of stories and anecdotes about gods, creatures and men. We can see clearly the straightforward intentions of an advanced race of people who, perhaps having lived through a catastrophe which almost destroyed everything they had ever accomplished used the fables and fairytales told between simple folk as a means to both preserve and act as a bridge to transmit complex astronomical computations and related information to the scientists of the future their purpose perhaps stemming from the possibility that this catastrophe was the climax of a recurring pattern or cycle. The title, Hamlets Mill is in reference to Shakespeares Hamlet, who was himself based on Amleth, Amlodhi or Frodhi of Scandinavian myth. This individual was the proud owner of a mill again, a metaphor for the earths axis on which the earth turns and gyrates. Surprisingly, the story of Hamlet is a very ancient one reaching far back into the depths of antiquity. The authors trace the same story in Livys account of Lucius Junius Brutus in Rome; the national epic of Finland, The Kalevala and its hero Kullervo Kalevanpoika; the national epic of Iran i.e., Firdausis Shahnama (the Book of Kings) and its hero, Kai Khusrau as well as the ancient epics Yudhishthira and the Mahabharata, of India. After comparing these stories with other ancient myths the authors conclude that these astronomical myths seem to allude to a cosmic collision of some kind which caused the obliquity of the earths axis and which then gave rise to our seasons and the 25,800-year cycle of precession. The ancients used the rough figure of 25,920 years, known as the Platonic number, and perhaps because it was easier to encode the number being made up of multiples of 9.

Comet
The current speculation is that the perpetrator of this global disaster was a comet or meteor as theorised by contemporary authors, Allan and Delair, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas, David Wood and Ian Campbell to give just a few who have followed this line of research. Knight and Lomas present some interesting imagery in their book Uriels Machine an old Masonic Tracing Board, which they say symbolically indicates a comet in the form of a dagger being held by the disembodied hand of God. Here are the authors comments:
Rainbow imagery also appears in Masonic symbolism and it is associated with falling comets and the Flood. This image is taken from an old Masonic tracing board that was used to instruct Freemasons in the ancient traditions of the Order. At the top a hand appears from the sky holding a dagger, which is known to be an extremely old symbol for a comet. Around the hand waves are depicted, possibly symbolizing the top of the waters when the floodwaters struck. In the centre we are shown a rainbow containing the five-pointed star which is a representation of Venus, the morning star which symbolizes rebirth in Judaism, Freemasonry and many other ancient traditions. Below the rainbow is the burning bush, from which God is said to have spoken to Moses on Mount Sinai, and below that is an underground cavern which must have been the only sanctuary during the dark, cold and very wet months after the comet

impact. [8]

In examining the image, I found that this dagger is at the angle of 23.5 degrees which is surely significant. Are we being told that the comet caused the axis to tilt at this angle which in turn caused the Biblical Deluge?

Figure 13: Masonic Tracing Board showing Comet in the symbol of a dagger at the angle of 23.5 degrees.

Mather Walker is a specialist whose Website is dedicated to bringing to light the scientific and metaphysical knowledge contained within the Plays of Shakespeare which he says were more likely to have been written by Francis Bacon [9] whom many believe was a Rosicrucian. There is also evidence to suggest that with others, Bacon was directly responsible for the writing and dissemination of the Rosicrucian Manifestos that first appeared in Europe in 1610. Like Freemasonry, Rosicrucian symbolism makes references to the Great Pyramids of Giza. Walkers essay about Hamlet, entitled Mirror for Everyman: A View of Hamlet's Midnight, is enlightening especially in view of Santillana and von Dechends study which he acknowledges. In Walkers view, Hamlet is the focus for Everyman in that he represents the present condition of the human race . . .
According to the American Seer, Edgar Cayce, man who has lost his spiritual self is like a ship without a rudder. This is a clue for understanding the story of Hamlet. Hamlet is curiously unable to direct himself on any course of action. On the surface Hamlet is an entertaining story. Underneath Bacon has fashioned two faces. One looks to the past to the origin of the story of Hamlet which had its basis in the astronomical symbolism of the pole, on which the earth turns, breaking loose from its peg, and the tilting of the earths axis which resulted.

As Hamlet said: the time is out of joint, O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right. The face which looks to the past finds a mirror for everyman in antiquity. That mirror is the ancient doctrine that events which take place in the great world of the macrocosm (the earth,) are reflected in the little world of the microcosm (man). When the axis of the earth became tilted. When the earth lost its alignment with the sun, the macrocosmic event was reflected on a microcosmic level by man losing his alignment with his spiritual source (symbolically causing the death of his spiritual self). [10]

The earth losing its alignment with the sun means that the earth lost its alignment with the ecliptic plane. The earths axis is tilted by 23.43 degrees meaning that the equator is tilted 23.43 in relation to the ecliptic plane the suns orbital plane. The axis being tilted means that the north polar axis is no longer pointing to the ecliptic centre the still point location in the heavens it would be pointing if it were upright. Walkers words reflect mans obsession with the ecliptic centre. Its possible that in Egypt the ecliptic centre was seen to be the spiritual source that Walker mentions. Ultimately, the story of Hamlet like all the other related stories is really based on the myth of Osiris, who is murdered by his brother Set and is avenged by his son Horus, on whom Hamlet is originally based. Hamlet avenges the murder of his father by his uncle. [11] . . . Continued in Part 2.

The Arcadian Paintings:

Encoded References to an Ancient Global Catastrophe?
By Gary Osborn
Copyright Gary Osborn 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Part 2. Guercinos Painting, ET IN ARCADIA EGO

thought it likely that Guercinos painting, which was painted only several years before Poussins Arcadian Shepherds, may also contain symbolic references to Osiris and therefore also clues pertaining to this belief in a global catastrophe that tilted the earths axis. My theory is that this was the fall of man; that with the earth mankind fell from paradise and further into duality reflected in the cycles of the seasons i.e., the swing between the opposites of summer and winter . . . and indeed, this is what we find. In one of my interpretations, the two individuals could be the brothers Osiris and Set the skull representing the supreme father god Atum or Atum-Ra. The skull is symbolic, in that it appears to represent the human race at the time of the Golden Age, now dead and gone due to a cataclysm of some kind again one that possibly tipped the earths axis away from its upright position and from the ecliptic centre the abode of the father god Atum. Another interpretation is that the two young shepherds could also be Horus and Set the skull belonging to Osiris. In any case, again we seem to have here the universal Triad or Trinity, being the One (represented by the skull), which after the fall has become divided into opposites (represented by the two shepherds). If we draw a line through the centre of the jaw of the skull and in-between the eye sockets we will find that the skull is leaning at an angle of . . . you guessed it 23.5 degrees. The fluted or ridged lay of the land to the left of the skull is also angled at 23.5 degrees and perpendicular to the angle of the skull, showing that the earth, like the skull that signifies death, is off balance and out of kilter.

Figure 14: The skull angled at 23.5 degrees. Note what looks like an All-Seeing Eye above on the right.

Above, and on top of the vertical pedestal-like feature in the background appears to be an All Seeing Eye. One could interpret this painting to be symbolic of the fall of man and that this fall was associated with the belief in the fall of the earth and the axis from its vertical alignment with the One the source-centre of creation as also represented here by the skull of Adam (hence the all-seeing eye featured above); the first man who also represents the whole human race that was nearly wiped out as a result. As said, it could also be the skull of the god Osiris the two young men being his son Horus and his brother Set who went to war with each other after his death, as also repeated in the story of Cain and Abel. We are told that Set fought Horus from the south (Upper Egypt) symbolised by the white crown and that Horus fought Set from the north (Lower Egypt) symbolised by the red crown. Again ones triumph over the division of opposites is possibly being referenced here in the union of the two lands when Horus defeated Set. Its also been suggested that Atum-Ra represents the ecliptic centre the centre to which the earths pole was perhaps once vertically aligned or believed should be. So in this case, the skull also symbolises the earth which had become tilted, which is why the skull is inclined by 23.5 degrees. Its possible that the skull is making a reference to the great father god of both Osiris and Set Atum-Ra or Atum-Re, in that as a result of the tilt of the earths axis, the earth and man had become separated from the Heavenly Father as represented by this pagan father god. Furthermore and symbolically, this painting is saying that from this point on, man became trapped within time and the cycles of opposites as expressed in the hot and cold extremes of the seasons. And if so, whatever had caused the fall into what was the first winter and therefore the seasons, was seen as something evil which would apply to the god Set.

Set not only represents the SETting Sun in the daily cycle and where the Sun was believed to enter the Underworld, but he also represents Winter in the annual cycle and when the sun is low in the sky (like a serpent close to the ground) and when the hours of daylight are short. Horus not only represents the rising sun in the daily cycle but he also represents Summer when the sun is high in the sky (like an ascended hawk) and daylight is long. So, like the opposites of day and night, the seasons also reflect the age-old struggle between good and evil which was also seen to be a consequence of this fall. After everything that has been said, it may not have escaped the readers notice that these two individuals could also represent the two Johns of the Gospels the bearded male in red being John the Baptist, and the shaven, feminine, person in white John the Evangelist. Again, the two Johns represent the opposites as reflected in the fact that they are associated with the two solstices when from out point of view, the sun reaches each of the two extreme halves of the cycle. The feast day of the Baptist is 24th June around the time of the summer solstice, and the nativity date for the Evangelist is 27th December around the time of the winter solstice. This would also mean that these two characters, leaning away from each other, also represent the two-faced god Roman god Janus, whose double gaze is in opposite directions, much like the ancient Egyptian god Aker. I would suggest that the reader look closely at the painting with the above in mind, as it most certainly contains a superfluity of meanings associated with the opposites. But my favourite personal interpretation of this painting and one that clinches it for me is this, and it is really very simple . . . We are told in the history and science books that over 2,000 years ago great thinkers like Eratosthenes of Cyrene (276194 BCE) and Abu Abdullah Al-Battani of Harran, (868929 AD) had managed to calculate the tilt of the earth by using a simple stick. They would place a stick vertically in the ground on a level surface and then measure the length of the shadow. They understood that the changing angles of the suns rays and at different times of the year should result in different length shadows if the same stick is measured at specific times i.e., always at noon and especially during the solstices and the equinoxes. The stick would measure a very short shadow during the Summer Solstice (caused by the sun being high in the sky) and a long shadow during the Winter Solstice (caused by the sun being low in the sky.) They then used simple trigonometry to determine the angular variation of the sun and found that the angular height varies around 23.5 degrees or whatever the obliquity (tilt) of the earths axis was at that time between either the equinoxes and the solstices. With good reason I shall quote Dr. Carl Weiland, who also informs us of this ancient method.
Measuring the lengths of the shortest and longest shadows was very important to these ancient astronomers, as their religious feasts were tied to these two special days. If you got the measurements wrong, your head would probably roll! So these results were carefully recorded on stone and papyrus. Many of the measurements taken over the past 3000 years from places such as China, Europe, England, India and Egypt are available to us today. The length of the shadow really depends on the tilt of the earth. [12]

Or rather that the changing length of the shadow in one place at different times of the year depends on the tilt of the earth, because if the earth were upright there would be

no change or maybe only a very slight change depending on the change in the elliptical orbit of the earth around the sun i.e., how far or how near the earth is to the sun. But now, because the axis is tilted by 23.5 degrees, in summer and on the longest day, (summer solstice) the shadow of the stick is short, and in winter on the shortest day (winter solstice) the shadow is long. Now look again at the above painting. The individual in red represents the male principle and therefore he would represent the summer half of the cycle. The individual in white represents the feminine principle and therefore the winter half of the cycle. BUT LOOK AT THE SHOWN LENGTHS OF THE STAFFS THEY ARE HOLDING! The stick or staff held by the individual in red is mostly hidden and it indeed looks as if he is holding a short stick perhaps indicating the shorter shadow of the stick during summer. The stick held by the individual in white is very long in length, indicating the long shadow of the stick during winter. When viewing this painting for the first time, the eyes are naturally drawn to these two different sized staffs, and one has the distinct feeling that they must mean something. Well they do mean something, in that we are being told that the earths axis had suddenly tilted giving us this difference. And of course this would be the only way a stick would show two different-sized shadows during the summer and winter solstices. If we are in any doubt about this, then all we have to do is look again at the skull which the shepherds are both looking at, which like the earth is tilted at 23.5 possible meaning the death of those who perished during the catastrophe that nearly wiped out the human race. Dont forget that we are also looking at a symbolic divide here and an imbalance meaning that man is now trapped in cycles that swing between positive and negative and in the extreme. My own view is that we are being told that this divide is due to Mans own unconsciousness his unconsciousness of these cyclical processes that govern his life and which have him trapped like a fly in a web. I would say that the above is the true interpretation and that at last the mystery of this painting has now been solved. In solving this we solve many others that more likely than not, contain the same information, and yet there is more that we can add to this painting in terms of symbology. Along with the other sources I have found that contain the same references, I would emphasise that we are dealing here with a really clever code which is multifaceted and multilayered and conveys several themes at once . . . but now onto the name Arcadia.

Arcadia . . . A Place Before and Out of Time

Although the name or term, Arcadia is quite popularly used today, its origin remains confusing and indecisive. The word Arcadia is often used to encapsulate our quixotic vision of a pastoral earthly paradise; a utopian Eden, which exists partly in the collective imagination. Arcadia has been described as a place of perfection and a place where happiness reigns a stark contrast to the complicated life in todays urban societies. This idealised version of Arcadia is based mostly on the writings of the Roman poet Virgil.

It is said that the physical and historical Arcadia was once a district of the Greek Peloponnesus a land of numerous valleys surrounded by high impassable mountains. Renowned for its high fertility and peaceful way of life, it is said that the people of Arcadia were pagans simple rustic-folk consisting of shepherds and herdsmen. Here we have our first connection, as again, the ancient Egyptian gods like Osiris for instance, were seen as shepherds of men. However, like the city of Troy, the literal existence of a Greek Arcadia especially during recorded history remains unconfirmed and really makes no sense. This leaves us to consider that the reference to Arcadia in the inscription included in two of Poussins paintings, is allegorical in that the name given to this rural shepherds delight believed to have once been a peaceful land amidst the evils associated with the Greek City States is being used as an analogy to bring to mind the paradise once enjoyed during the Golden Age. This would mean that this simplistic Arcadian utopia was universal in that the term applies to other places around the globe possibly the belt areas which begin 30 degrees north and south of the equator and at a certain time in mans history. I would interpret Arcadia to be the Tep Zepi of the ancient Egyptians the First Time or the time before time. After the tilt of the axis, time was measured by the seasons as agriculture became a necessity. Its interesting to note that Osiris is a god associated with the harvest; that like Jesus Christ, his rebirth from the Underworld coincided with the Spring Equinox when Day and night are equal and balanced; a day from which begins the positive half of the annual cycle and when the crops begin to sprout and life begins anew. Again this was the day when the Djed column was ritually raised-up (resurrected) by the Pharaoh. Incidentally, in ancient Egyptian art, we sometimes find the Djed column placed upright between the opposites as symbolised by the slanted Crook and Flail. Combined with the Djed in this neutral, balanced, position is the Was Scepter a symbol of power and really power over death.

Figure 15: The god Ptah holding the Djed column between the Crook and Flail

Earlier I mentioned that like Osiris and Horus, Jesus too would also follow in being associated with the Earths axis.

The raising of the Djed column of Osiris is replicated in the story of Jesus, who carries the cross on his back (tilted axis) to the hill of Golgotha (the place of the skull). We see this in the tilted cross at 30 degrees which is centred on the back or spine of the shepherd in red in Poussins painting, and before him and on top of the tomb is a skull. The 30-degree angle of the cross indicates the location of Giza and the Great Pyramid the hill of Golgotha and therefore the place of the skull. [13] In any case, it is on this hill (symbolising the primordial mound) where the cross is lifted up (upright axis) and from this position Jesus enters the heavenly kingdom (the ecliptic center) and at the point of enlightenment. Here, enlightenment really expresses the time of the Golden Age and the balanced condition of the earth and human consciousness during this time and when man was possibly more intuitive and psychic and attuned to the natural world around him. Its likely that the prediluvial landscape (Holocene period) as described by Allan and Delair in their book Cataclysm, [14] in which the earth enjoyed continual springtime is this Golden Age. So then the connections made between Osiris the resurrection god and the earths axis, is that it is the earths axis that should be resurrected, according to ancient belief, and that this is the real purpose and meaning behind the conception of the universal resurrection god and all related beliefs and traditions. In other words, the whole messianic mythos is based on the belief that this archetypal hero or god whose own spine represents the celestial pole and vice-versa, therefore has the power to bring back the golden age of the upright axis which was lost in the Fall a more balanced world along with his own rebirth or resurrection through reaching enlightenment. In terms of the collective human consciousness, this is the real meaning behind Ascension. If the Great Pyramid is the archetype for the Hill of Golgotha in the Gospels, and also the Grail Castle as I have concluded elsewhere, then its possible that in the distant past the Great Pyramid, being also an initiation temple, is where the shamanpriest-king-avatar, as represented by the resurrection god, attempted to reach Kundalini enlightenment and ascension.

ET IN ARCADIA EGO
As for this enigmatic inscription, many have tried to interpret the meaning behind the inscription. The most direct translation is, And in Arcadia I . . . but this incomplete sentence just adds to the mystery. Poussins first biographer, Giovanni Pietro Bellori, interpreted Et In Arcadia Ego as quoted: . . . the grave is to be found even in Arcady and that death occurs in the very midst of delight . [15] Another interpretation is And I Am In Arcadia. A popular interpretation is that it is an anagram of TEGO ARCANA DEI (Begone! I conceal the secrets of God). Writer and Rosicrucian, Anneke told me that the term Ego (also meaning I or the One) was used by mystics in the Renaissance to address the Divine Self and so the phrase Et in Arcadia Ego should be read as: Et-in-Arc-a-Dia-Ego: And in the Arc is the Divine Self the divine soul in each of us. Dia is derived from Deus meaning God. This is interesting, as it has been said that the Arc or Ark and its not clear if this means Noahs Ark or the Ark of the Covenant is the Great Pyramid, and/or that the Ark of the Covenant was once placed inside it. Furthermore, we are also reminded by author Tracey R. Twyman that the first four letters in the phrase ET IN was once an alternate spelling of EDEN the JudeoChristian notion of Paradise and the Golden Age. [16] This too is interesting as Arcadia to the Greeks meant Paradise and the Golden Age.

Quoting statements made by microbiologist Michio Kushi in his book based on his own research into ancient Japanese documents, Barabara Hand Clow writes that,
. . . the prediluvial world had a system of global transportation boats as well as airplanes and natural agriculture based on the idea that Earth would produce all that was needed if it was untouched. He [Kushi] says, People in Paradise had freedom without the concept of freedom, health without any idea what health was, happiness without the need to speak of happiness. [17]

If all the above has some truth to it and I would emphasise that this was the time of the Shining Ones; what I would propose to be a scientifically-advanced, shamanicbased culture then Poussins painting is showing us that the spectre of death had once visited Arcadia. The theme of death as symbolised by the tomb and the eulogy in the inscription, goes far beyond the natural death of the individual which would have been commonplace, even in paradise but to the sudden death of many . . . as in a worldwide catastrophe bordering on Biblical proportions. One cannot help but consider the notion that this was also the time of the sinking of Atlantis. So, Arcadia was/is obviously a place. But again, does Arcadia mean a place in time, or perhaps out of time? . . A period before the tilt of the earths axis? . . A period before the symbolic death of Osiris, and a time before time associated with Gods paradise the Garden of Eden? Much has been said in regard to the real meaning behind the name of Arcadia, which appears to have been used as a device between members of some kind of secret fraternity of artists, writers and poets; but we find that most of the more recent interpretations given to it, and mostly stimulated by the references to Arcadia in the book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, are often wide of the mark. It appears that Peter Dawkins is closer to the truth when he writes:
Arcadia was one of the primary mystery names given to the state of the world in a Golden Age, and the whole Arcadian imagery and allegory is that of a Utopia or Paradise on earth that might be achieved. The world is on the threshold of that achievement now, according to the way the evolutionary cycles of divine law work. Jesus Christ and the Buddha prepared us for it in an outstanding way; Francis Bacon...and the Rosicrucian Brotherhood have inaugurated it. All have used Arcadian imagery, the meaning of which pierces deep, right to the heart of all mysteries. [18]

The significance of this quotation is even more intriguing when we discover that the source from which this quote was taken is entitled: Arcadia: The Ancient Egyptian Mysteries. Nowhere do we find in these recent discussions on the name Arcadia, a link with ancient Egypt. But as I will one day reveal in full, Poussins paintings contain encoded references to Giza and the Great Pyramid; telling us that Giza contains information regarding the earth as it is now and as it was during the former Golden Age now referred to as Arcadia. On the subject of Poussins painting, Professor of French and Classics, Marc Wiesmann, has this to say:
From Poussins painting, Arcadia now takes on the tinges of a melancholic contemplation about death itself, about the fact that our happiness in this world is very transitory and evanescent. Even when we feel that we have discovered a place where peace and gentle joy reign, we must remember that it will end, and that all will vanish. [19]

As everything happens in cycles, its possible that whatever ended the Golden Age is something that could happen again, and if true, then why would important information about it be encoded? Especially if our own survival depended on it. The answer to this is complex especially when we find that there are people who believe that the next event could possibly even right the earth and bring it back to its vertical position, creating a new Golden Age. The simple explanation is that this catastrophe was encoded in mythical stories by those who survived the catastrophe and that this information has been preserved by certain mystery schools to be divulged in full when the time is right. However, many of these are idealistic ideas often reiterated by many of todays new-age writers, and its possible that only fragments of this information is known; that the mystery schools each possess a piece of the jig-saw puzzle and that only a handful of people know the whole story if true. This first version of The Arcadian Shepherds was completed some years after Poussin settled in Rome, and there is now reason to believe that Poussin was a member of the Underground Stream that had both preserved and encoded esoteric knowledge in many different sources throughout history. That this knowledge has been passed down through this Underground Stream is indicated by the god Alpheus, the river god, reclining in the foreground in this painting by Poussin. Alpheus is also the name of a mythical river that flowed through the Peloponnesus in Greece and through subterranean channels from its source in Arcadia. In Renaissance symbology this river indicates an underground stream of esoteric traditions or secret knowledge. I would stress that it was through Poussins paintings especially his self-portraits that I was led to make the discovery that the Great Pyramid contains information about the tilted earths axis in its geometry. (Again see article, The Great Pyramid and the Earths Axis). Its also obvious to me that the tombs depicted in Poussins two versions of the Arcadian Shepherds are symbolic of a tomb or bloodline that belongs to someone who once lived in Arcadia and more importantly someone who personifies Arcadia, as well as the earths axis. Osiris was indeed associated with the Djed which was symbolic not only of his backbone, which represented strength and stability, but also represented the axis mundi the axis of the world. The tomb in the paintings may indeed belong to a shaman-priest-king a Shining One who was initiated by having reached enlightenment (ascension) inside the Great Pyramid, as also built for this purpose, and who in later years was portrayed as a god. This individual now personifies the Golden Age his death symbolising the death of many which ended the Golden Age and so it is he who also personifies the Divine Self of the collective. Other evidence suggests that his body may still be inside the Great Pyramid. Whatever we may believe about the Giza pyramids for example, that they were merely built as tombs for a few vainglorious Pharaohs may be true, but it appears that Poussin and others believed different. And now looking at the sheer volume of related and supportive data associated with the subject of the earths geophysics especially its axis the axis mundi, the world mountain, the world tree, the resurrection god and all along with these numerous references to the angle of 23.5 degrees and 52 degrees perhaps these people knew something we dont; that they were privy to undisclosed information and knowledge that had been preserved and passed down through the ages. Perhaps what they knew and understood was closer to

the truth. I will end this essay with an extract from John Miltons poem Paradise Lost.
Some say, he bid his Angels turn ascanse The poles of earth, twice ten degrees and more, From the suns axle; they with labour pushed Oblique the centrick globe . . . Paradise Lost, 1665, John Milton

Notes and References

1. The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail 2. See the presentation on my website: The Baptist Revelation. http://garyosborn.moonfruit.com/revelations2 Like other painters between the 16th and 18th centuries, Leonardo Da Vinci portrayed John the Baptist with the index finger of one hand pointing straight up the so-called the John Gesture and the index finger of the other hand at the angle of 23.5 degrees revealing that he was also encoding the same information as Poussin, Guercino and many others. Furthermore, the artist Raphael portrayed Leonardo as Plato in his painting The School of Athens walking alongside Aristotle, his pupil. They are both carrying leather bound copies of Plato's work Timaeus and Critias which contain Platos discourses on Atlantis. From their hand gestures they are obviously discussing something most likely something related to Platos work. Leonardo as Plato is depicted pointing upwards the upright John gesture with his left hand and the bent index finger at an angle of 23.5 degrees. Following is an extract from an email addressed to Gary Osborn by author Scott Creighton posted on Graham Hancocks Messageboard dated: 27th Jan, 2007: Something I also noticed in da Vinci's Mona Lisa which you may or may not have also noticed is the split or 'shifted horizon'. Perhaps also alluding to the ancient 23.5 degree message. 3. Due to the writings of the Greek author, Plutarch (1st century AD), the myth of the Egyptian deities Osiris and Isis was well known amongst the intellectuals of Europe, and from the 16th century many artefacts found their way into Europe from Egypt. One would argue that there is no evidence and indeed no proof that Poussin had seen an ancient depiction of Osiris like the one taken from the Papyrus of Ani, which was only discovered in the 19th century. However, there are many depictions of Osiris in Egypt, and though hundreds had visited Egypt before Poussins time, only the explorations of a handful of adventurers had written their own accounts or had their visits recorded and documented, so its possible that Poussin, may have seen, or had been passed on information regarding the detailed imagery of Osiris from others in the know. Its a fact that we are often only taught or given the official version of history when there is always a hidden version which is perhaps closer to the truth. Going by his inclusion of Alpheus the river god in some of his paintings, shows that Poussin was a recipient to the underground stream of esoteric knowledge that Alpheus symbolises the river having its source in Arcadia. 4. Ancient Freemasonry: An Introduction to Masonic Archaeology by Frank C. Higgins (1919). 5. Other birth-death gods related to Osiris are Dionysius, Bacchus, Aion, Adonis, Attis, Mithras and Tammuz. Osiris who was murdered and went to the Underworld, is also the vegetation god the Green Man, and this connection may stem from the time when the world was lush with vegetation during the Golden Age of eternal springtime. The earthly paradise known as the Garden of Eden comes to mind with the Fall of Man possibly relating to the tilt of the axis. The death of Osiris may also be related to this event. Osiris remains in the underworld during autumn and winter and is resurrected on the Spring Equinox, when the world enters the positive half of the cycle and everything springs to life again. But again, the Spring Equinox returns to the same conditions of the earth if the axis was upright,

a fitting time for the god to be resurrected. 6. I would like to thank Pete Reston for bringing the work of Frank C. Higgins to my attention. Pete noted the many references to the angles of 23.5 and 52 degrees in the books of Frank C. Higgins after reading my articles about the discovery of these angles in paintings and other sources. The information given in Higgins books based on the secrets of Freemasonry, which in turn are based on ancient wisdom and knowledge, is supportive of my own discoveries, and is evidence, if not proof that the references to these angles were deliberately placed in various sources and not coincidental or apothenia on my part as some pseudosceptics have claimed so as to debunk my work. 7. http://www.cmf.org.uk/literature/content.asp?context=article&id=1554 8. Knight, Christopher and Lomas, Robert, Uriels Machine: The Ancient Origins of Science (Arrow Books, 2000) p. 32. 9. It is said that it was Sir Francis Bacon who really wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare. This is interesting as my research reveals that Bacon may have been associated with the secret academy that understood this knowledge concerning the golden age of the upright axis, also associated with Atlantis. Bacon also wrote The New Atlantis which was based on his utopian vision of America which was being colonised at the time. 10. Walker, Mather, Mirror for Everyman: A View of Hamlets Midnight, n.d. See: http://www.sirbacon.org/mham.htm 11. Disneys The Lion King is a recent rendition of the same story. 12. Wielan3. Dr., Carl, An Asteroid Tilts the Earth. Ex Nihilo, January 1983, pp. 12-14. 13. One of the conclusions I have been led to through my years of research into traditional esoteric knowledge, is that the Great Pyramid is a huge representation of the human skull or brain its chambers each representing the chakra-related endocrine glands or power centers within the head. What better place than to be initiated into the mysteries than this temple, which is also said to be situated at the center of the earths landmasses. 14. Cataclysm. 15. Papers of Paul Smith. ET IN ARCADIA EGO. See: http://priory-of-sion.com/psp/id17.html 16. Twyman, R., Tracey, Hidden Secrets of the Blanchefort Tombstone and the Sauniere Parchments, 2004 See: http://www.dragonkeypress.com/articles/article_2004_10_26_3459.html 17. Hand, Clow, Barbara, Catastrophobia: The Truth behind Earth Changes in the Coming Age of Light, Bear & Co, 2001, p. 45, where she quotes Kushi, Michio, Forgotten Worlds: Guide to Lost Civilizations and the Coming One World, One Peaceful World Press, 1992 18. Dawkins, Peter. Arcadia: The Ancient Egyptian Mysteries; Arcadia and the Arcadian Academy, Francis Bacon Research Trust Journal Series 1, Volume 5, Publisher: Francis Bacon Research Trust, 1988. 19. Wiesmann, Marc, Professor of French and Classics, Classical Arcadia, See: http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/lsi/arcadia/classic.html