Dr. Robert M. Schoch and Dr. Colette M. Dowell arrived in Visoko to study the site of Bosnian Pyramids
VISOKO,Bosnia - Dr. Robert M. Schoch and Dr. Colette M. Dowell arrived in Visoko. Mr. Semir Osmanagic received the American guests at the Sarajevo airport,and accompanied them to the site of Bosnian pyramids. After a short refreshment they went together to visit the drill holes number 4 and 5, on northern side, at the “Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun”. Mr. Osmanagic explained to them everything about the works which have been achieved and about the research project inside the “Bosnian Pyramid Valley” that started 3 months ago. After some preliminary observations Dr. M. Schoch didn’t hide his first positive impressions, but he preferred to wait to draw a final judgement which will be given only after a complete terrain inspection and after visiting the site “Bosnian Pyramid of the Moon” and the tunnel system.
Dr. Robert M. Schoch is a geologist well known for his research on the Great Sphinx, as well as for his studies of the underwater structure off the coast of Yonaguni Island, Japan, and other ancient sites and studies. He is currently a tenured faculty member at Boston University's College of General Studies where he has taught since 1984. Dr. Schoch completed his graduate work at Yale University, earning a Ph.D. (1983) in geology and geophysics. http://www.bu.edu/cgs/faculty/inserts/schoch.html
Since 1990, Dr. Robert Schoch has been researching the age of the Great Sphinx, located on the Giza Plateau of Egypt, in conjunction with John Anthony West and inspired by the earlier work of R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz. Based on his geological studies, Dr. Schoch has determined that the Sphinx's origins go back to pre-dynastic times.
In 1993, Dr. Schoch’s analysis was featured in an Emmy-winning documentary The Mystery of the Sphinx, hosted by Charlton Heston (now available in an expanded version on DVD). Dr. Schoch discusses the re-dating of the Sphinx in his book, Voices of the Rocks: A Scientist Looks at Catastrophes and Ancient Civilizations (1999), along with commentary on the ancient origins of various cultures and monuments, and Earth’s environmental changes. Second in the series is Voyages of the Pyramid Builders: The True Origins of the Pyramids from Lost Egypt to Ancient America (2003), providing compelling evidence that very ancient cultures have traveled throughout the millennia across great oceans and continents building similar monuments and sharing cultural traits and a common heritage. His third book in this series, Pyramid Quest: Secrets of the Great Pyramid and the Dawn of Civilization (2005) reveals many facets of the Great Pyramid, both its external structure and its chambers. Pyramid Quest has been hailed as the new Rosetta Stone for knowledge of the Great Pyramid.
Dr. Schoch has lectured widely on paleontology, geology, Egyptology, the age of the Great Sphinx, the diverse theories of the Great Pyramid, and other related topics. He is the author or coauthor of numerous papers, reviews, abstracts, and several other books including the textbook Environmental Science: Systems and Solutions. His books have been translated into many languages and he is known internationally. In recognition of Dr. Schoch's paleontological contributions, in 1993 the new genus Schochia, an extinct group of fossil mammals, was named in his honor.
On his official website http://www.robertschoch.net/Bosnia%20Pyramid%20Dr.%20Schoch%20and%20Dr.%20Dowell%20to%20Study%20Bosnian%20Excavations.htm,(before he arrived in Bosnia), Dr.Schoch has said following regarding the Bosnian Pyramids : "I have been following the controversy over the “Bosnian Pyramids.” So far, all I have seen are miscellaneous articles in the popular media and various analyses that have been released thus far. In my opinion, the controversy that the alleged pyramids have engendered is fascinating unto itself in terms of the sociology of science and popular culture, how arguments between “experts” and “amateurs” are framed, and the tactics both sides utilize (especially certain “experts” as they attempt to outright dismiss the work of people who do not belong to their “club”). But, beyond that, I would like to know what exactly is going on with the Bosnian Pyramids in terms of potential ancient occupation and usage of the site.
The dominant question for many people currently is: Are the Bosnian Pyramids natural, artificial, or somewhere in between? At this point it is premature for me to attempt an answer to this question, but I certainly have a preliminary working hypothesis. My impression, based on the limited data I have seen, is that the Bosnian Pyramids may have started out as natural hills that were subsequently used and modified. If this is the case, there are certainly similar examples elsewhere in the world. The Great Pyramid of Egypt, the exemplar of all pyramids, is built over an original natural mound structure. But, I must stress that this is simply a working hypothesis concerning the alleged Bosnian Pyramids. One has to be very careful when trying to figure out if a large pyramid-like structure is natural, artificial (man-made), or somewhere in between (for instance a natural feature that was purposefully used and/or modified by humans, a concept sometimes referred to as terraforming [Earth-shaping], although this term originally referred to hypothetically modifying another planet, such as Mars, to become Earth-like and potentially inhabitable by Earthlings).
I cannot judge the Bosnian Pyramids without adequate data. I really need to be able to gather data in such areas as the following: The local stratigraphy (here I am speaking both geologically and archaeologically), the larger cultural and geologic/geomorphologic context of the supposed pyramids, associated ancient occupation sites and possible artifacts, the much heralded tunnels, mining and quarrying activities, tool marks, and so on and so forth. To try to judge based on a few photographs, a handful of satellite images, and miscellaneous statements that are often contradictory (and which have in some cases been subject to mistranslation and misunderstanding), is not my approach. I learned long ago that photographs can be misleading (photographs of features that “clearly look artificial” can be of natural features, and vice versa), and few “authorities” are unbiased.
The only way that I hope to get a valid sense of the Bosnian Pyramids is to see all of the important, and controversial, features firsthand with adequate time to really analyze what is going on. I am pleased to be able to say that such an opportunity has presented itself. As readers of The Daily Grail already know, my colleague and friend Dr. Colette Dowell has been in direct contact with Sam Semir Osmanagich and Mario Gerussi of the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation. They have generously invited Colette and me to visit the site and study the pyramid structures and associated features. We will be there in late July and early August. I am looking forward to the trip, and I plan to apply my geological expertise to the problem of the Bosnian Pyramids."
