Semir Osmanagic talks to BosnianPyramid.com
21 August 2006
Does he believe there is now irrefutable evidence to prove the existence of the Valley of Pyramids in Bosnia Herzegovina?
Of course, I've always believed
that the Valley of Pyramids exists.
Some people need more than
one scientific evidence
(in my case, perfect geometry
and alignment with cardinal points);
some people need 10 or 15
(satellite imagery, thermal analysis,
penetrating radar analysis, topographic
maps, geological evidence,
fluvial geomorphology,
linear anomalies etc.); some need
additional geo-archaeological evidence –
in this case, the stone blocks that have been used to build the pyramid walls or
sandstone plates that have been used on the pyramid terraces and walls.
Is the international community becoming less sceptical that pyramids exist at this site?
What does international community consist of ? What is really important is that we are uncovering the pyramids as the time goes by. People who come and visit the site can see for themselves that either the pyramids exist or that "something big is there".
What has been the biggest 'find' to date at the site?
Of course, it was discovering that the stone blocks used to build the walls of the Pyramid of the Sun are in fact made of concrete, that they are of excellent quality, and that they were poured and made at the site by the original builders.
.
Are you happy with the progress of excavation at the site?
Yes, I am. The first year has introduced a new phenomenon in Bosnia and the archaeological world: everybody is welcome, so we've had hundreds of volunteers so far. There are no secrets kept from the public.
Have any ancient artefacts been discovered at the site and if not, does that surprise you? Do you believe an ancient community would have lived around here?
Tools and technology used by the original pyramid builders in Egypt (Giza) or Mexico (Teotihuacan) have never been found. Something similar is happening in Bosnia. but we're finding some other mysterious archaeological findings in bosnia such as the stone spheres and stone temples from prehistoric times.
Roughly how many people are working at the valley at any one time?
There is a core crew of 65 full time employees. About 50 of them work in the excavation teams and there are about 15 experts from different fields.
What are their backgrounds – how much international expertise is present?
We have multidisciplinary scientific team: besides the full time Bosnian archaeologists, geologists, geophysicists and historians, we have visiting experts from Serbia, Slovenia, Greece, Egypt, Montenegro, USA and Croatia. During September we will be joined by archaeologists from Jordan, Pakistan and Egypt.
.
What have some of the responses been to your theory of the pyramids?
Dr. Aly Barakat, a geologist from Egypt, concluded after 42 days of research that the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon are products of human intervention. Archaeologist Lamia El-Haddidy (Egypt) also claimed that Bosnia’s pyramid valley is an archaeological location. On the other hand, American geologist Robert Schoch thinks that there is still not enough archaeological evidence to claim that these are pyramids. This is still a pioneering phase; some people can recognize the significance of the monuments, others can't, and that's ok. It will make us work harder to produce more evidence!.
How has the archaeological community responded to his dating of the site?
We don't have a precise dating of the site, just hypothesis.
What are the plans for the rest of the summer – which areas will be excavated, what research is underway and what are the priorities now for the site?
We've been working on the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and the tunnel network. These will remain our priorities until November 2006.
How much government support is the project now getting? Is it helping to fund the project?
Different government levels give full support to the project, from the municipality province level to federal government and the Bosnian presidency- support does include financial backing.
What are your plans for the autumn and moving into 2007?
We'll close the work above ground in November, but will continue work in the tunnels throughout the winter. The aim is to get to the northern side of the Pyramid of the Sun by
the spring. At the same time, I'll be busy preparing next year's archaeological activities!
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