{"id":1993,"date":"2025-07-17T10:24:45","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T10:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maurobiglino.com\/?p=1993"},"modified":"2025-07-17T10:24:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T10:24:03","slug":"skies-afire-biglino-daniken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maurobiglino.com\/en\/skies-afire-biglino-daniken\/","title":{"rendered":"Skies Afire: War, Machines, and Technology in the Ancient Texts"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row fade_scroll=”yes” enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930724485{padding-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text el_class=”abstract”]Today, I feel compelled to share something with you that still makes my heart beat faster: the birth of Skies Afire<\/b>, the book I co-wrote with pioneer Erich von D\u00e4niken<\/strong>. Two years of work, miles traveled between Piedmont and Interlaken, hours spent in his study surrounded by shelves overflowing with slides, parchments, and photographs taken when many sites were still untouched. Over two years of emotions, literally: each chapter smells of old paper and echoes with our evening conversations.<\/p>\n

I have decided to tell you how the project came about, what you will find in these pages, and why it is a \u2018centrifugal\u2019 text, capable of breaking out of my usual boundaries to embrace the outside<\/b>: from the Bh\u0101gavata Pur\u0101\u1e47a<\/i> to the Sumerian-Akkadian lamentations<\/b>, from the Dogon to the embryonic quantum physics of the Upani\u1e63ads.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930712862{margin-top: 20px !important;margin-bottom: 50px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_video link=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/Uhl54rDnP2k” align=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1752747841833{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

English subtitles<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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From idea to manuscript: an emotional workshop<\/h2>\n

It all started with a phone call from Elisabetta, the backbone without whom my ideas would remain scattered sheets of paper. \u201cMauro, we have to write a book with Erich von D\u00e4niken. It would be the natural culmination of both our work.\u201d<\/p>\n

I confess: at first, I was daunted by the task. Erich is not only the author of Chariots of the Gods:<\/em> he is the man who, sixty years ago, threw a stone into the pond of academic dogma, when talking about ancient spaceships meant burning your career.<\/p>\n

We met in Interlaken. He opened his private archive to me: thousands of images<\/strong>, many of which are now impossible to replicate because those sites are closed, badly renovated, or destroyed. \u201cIt’s all at your disposal,\u201d he said with the simplicity that only great people possess.<\/p>\n

At that moment, I realized that Cieli in Fiamme<\/i> would not be just another book, but a synthesis of two methods: mine, philological and centripetal (I start from the literal Hebrew Bible); his, empirical, emotional, and centrifugal (he starts from the ground, from the reliefs, from unfiltered questions). Mixing our paths meant producing a new<\/b> narrative<\/strong>: not a biblical commentary, not a travel album, but a bridge between text and stone, between philology and dust.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:50px|margin_bottom_large:20px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”2000″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930770591{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

An almost academic approach (without the chains of dogma)<\/h3>\n

We chose a rigorous structure: notes, bibliography, cross-references. Davide Bolognesi, senior editor at Tuthi Edizioni, pieced everything together with painstaking patience, standardizing style and sources. The result? An essay that could sit on a university shelf but retains its popular appeal.
\nFor each statement, we indicate the primary source:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • a Hebrew verse in transliteration;<\/li>\n
  • a paragraph from the Book of the Dead;<\/li>\n
  • a cuneiform tablet with a catalog number;<\/li>\n
  • a peer-reviewed article in Nature<\/strong><\/em> describing a \u201csilicate glass\u201d crater compatible with a nuclear explosion… only to conclude that \u201cit cannot be\u201d because the site is too ancient.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This methodological paradox\u2014recognizing evidence and denying it out of chronological prejudice\u2014is the common thread running through the book. Erich and I respond assertively: if the traces match the description of a high-energy event, honest science must at least admit the hypothesis, not dismiss it entirely \u201cbecause it can’t be.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:50px|margin_bottom_large:20px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1998″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930838361{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    From the center to the suburbs: why I am abandoning old boundaries<\/h2>\n

    Those who have been following me since 2010 know that I had imposed a boundary on myself: \u201cI only talk about the Bible.\u201d Cieli in Fiamme<\/i> breaks that boundary. Of course, you will find Abraham, Ezekiel, Solomon, the kavod<\/b> that vibrates and burns. But soon after, you will travel to Ethiopia with the Kebra Nagast<\/i>, to the banks of the Ganges aboard the vim\u0101na<\/b>, to the Dogon Valley to decipher the mystery of Sirius B.<\/p>\n

    This choice stems from empirical evidence: all<\/b> archaic cultures, from Africa to the Andes, tell the same narrative pattern\u2014\u2018celestial\u2019 beings who descend enveloped in fire, clouds, and earthquakes. The signs are consistent even in the vocabulary: the Sumerians speak of \u201cterrible\u201d ME, the Egyptians of Ra who \u201cilluminates the darkness with his fire,\u201d and the Bible of a kavod that \u201cmakes a great noise behind him.\u201d<\/p>\n

    If twenty peoples, without the internet, describe the same event, the \u2018copying\u2019 hypothesis falters; the trail of \u2018converging testimony\u2019 takes shape.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:50px|margin_bottom_large:20px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1985″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930857330{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    Sodom, Gomorrah, and the \u2018Evil Wind\u2019<\/h3>\n

    One of the most powerful examples comes from the Middle East. In Cieli in Fiamme<\/i> (Skies on Fire), we devote a lot of space to the Sumerian-Akkadian accounts known as the Lamentations<\/i>: texts that speak of an \u201cevil wind\u201d capable of vitrifying<\/b> stone and disintegrating bodies. This is not fantasy: excavations in the Jordan Valley show pulverized houses and calcified bones. An international team has published a mineralogical analysis in Nature: patterns identical to those of an atomic explosion. However, in an act of reverse faith, the authors dismiss the nuclear explanation as \u2018too ancient\u2019.<\/p>\n

    We go one step further: we place this data alongside the biblical verses on Sodom and Gomorrah, the Hittite chronicles of weapons \u2018that burn the sky\u2019, and Indian traditions about divine \u2018astras\u2019. The picture becomes coherent: in the distant past, someone possessed devices with colossal energy and used them.<\/p>\n

    Being aware of this precedent is not morbid: it helps us reflect on the present. As I write, the news is full of nuclear tensions between Israel and Iran. Three millennia have passed, but the stage is the same. Knowing history may help us avoid repeating it.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:50px|margin_bottom_large:20px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1987″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930874383{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    Between ruach and portals: technology described, not mythologized<\/h2>\n

    One of the biggest stumbling blocks is translation<\/b>. Take ruach<\/i>: wind? Spirit? It depends on the context. Ezekiel uses ruach<\/i> to describe the movement of the \u2018great\u2019 vehicle, and kavod<\/i> for the \u2018small\u2019 one that takes off with a roar. Translating kavod<\/i> as \u2018glory\u2019 risks the grotesque: the glory of God with a catalytic converter?<\/p>\n

    The same goes for the flying palaces of the Bh\u0101gavata Pur\u0101\u1e47a: \u201cthey traveled like the wind, could hover in orbit, had gardens, dormitories, and game rooms.\u201d Is this a spiritual metaphor or a pre-scientific description of an orbital habitat?<\/p>\n

    In the book, we hypothesize a two-stage model: large interstellar ships, true celestial cities<\/b> that remained in orbit, and chemical-fueled atmospheric shuttles for landing. The same concept is explained by Erich with the metaphor of an aircraft carrier: nuclear propulsion for the ocean, tenders or inflatable boats for the beach.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930874383{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    Physics of the past: atoms according to the ancients<\/h3>\n

    There is a chapter I love called \u2018The physics of the past\u2019. I quote the Vai\u015be\u1e63ika S\u016btra<\/i>: \u2018Two param\u0101\u1e47u<\/i> form an a\u1e47u<\/i>; from their aggregation, objects arise\u2019. This is quantum chemistry in Sanskrit. The ancient authors did not \u201cplay\u201d with spiritual terms: they described the structure of matter. To deny this is to underestimate an immense heritage.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:50px|margin_bottom_large:20px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1983″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930874383{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    The Dogon and Sirius B: chronicle of an impossible<\/h2>\n

    Many people ask me, \u201cWhy include the Dogon tribe?\u201d The answer lies in the facts.<\/p>\n

    In the 1970s, French anthropologists collected the myth of Amma<\/b>, Sirius’ companion star, from populations without telescopes. Today we know that Sirius B exists and has an enormous mass. Erich visited Mali when the villages were still open to scholars; he took photographs that we are publishing in their entirety.<\/p>\n

    The Dogon story includes precise details about the elliptical orbit that science would confirm decades later. Coincidence? Shamanic vision? Or the legacy of an ancient contact \u201ctaught\u201d by the same star travelers of our sacred texts?[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930874383{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    Courage and academia: a difficult dialogue, but not impossible<\/h2>\n

    While writing the texts, I sensed a change.<\/p>\n

    Many young researchers, even in universities, write to say, \u2018We cannot yet make certain hypotheses explicit, but we read your books in secret\u2019. This is a comforting sign. Scientific progress arises from conjectures to be verified, not dogmas to be defended. Erich himself recalls Maya-logists who admitted (off the record<\/i>) the existence of dates that were \u2018out of tune\u2019 with the official chronology.<\/p>\n

    Some contributions to Cieli in Fiamme<\/i> report the anonymous statements<\/b> of researchers who prefer to remain in the shadows. It is sad, but it is already a step forward: the crack exists, the light is filtering through.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:50px|margin_bottom_large:20px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”1990″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1747930874383{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

    The last chapters: from the \u201cEvil Wind\u201d to the stars<\/h2>\n

    For me, the emotional heart of the book is the last three chapters.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • The wind of evil<\/b>, a philological reinterpretation of the Sumerian Lamentations<\/i>.<\/li>\n
    • Portals between worlds, an analysis of Psalm 24 and the Egyptian Book of Gates; we discover almost identical formulas \u2013 petachim le’olam and \u201copen the gate to Ra\u201d \u2013 which speak of space-time gateways.<\/li>\n
    • Towards the stars<\/b>, an ode to the future: we look up, like Galileo, and wonder if we, children of ancient \u201cspace masters,\u201d will be able to cross those portals ourselves.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The book closes with a reflection on the responsibility of knowledge: knowing the power of ancient weapons and the wisdom of those who, perhaps, accompanied us this far should make us more human, not more arrogant.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:30px|margin_bottom_large:50px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_separator color=”black”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1725610661138{margin-top: 30px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

      Frequently asked questions about Skies Afire<\/em><\/h2>\n

      \u201cIs it a science fiction book?\u201d
      \n<\/b>Absolutely not. It is an essay that uses comparative historical criteria. The hypotheses are bold, but the sources are real, cited, and verifiable.<\/p>\n

      \u201cDo I need to know Hebrew or Sanskrit to understand it?\u201d
      \n<\/b>No: we include the original transliteration and the literal translation, explaining each key term. The apparatus is designed for the curious reader, not the specialist.<\/p>\n

      \u201cHow is it different from your previous books?\u201d
      \n<\/b>The main difference is its \u201cglobal\u201d focus: no longer just the Bible, but a constellation of texts and artifacts scattered across five continents, read in the light of an integrated philological-archaeological method.<\/p>\n

      \u201cAre there any unpublished photos?\u201d
      \n<\/b>Yes, over fifty shots from Erich’s personal archive: Yemen before the wars, Nubian temples now submerged, interiors of Petra that were only accessible to researchers in the 1970s.<\/p>\n

      \u201cCan I use the book for a university thesis?\u201d
      \n<\/b>Many undergraduates are already doing so. Our notes refer to peer-reviewed publications, cuneiform tablet codes, and museum records. The material is ready for serious academic use.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” responsive_css=”margin_top_large:30px|margin_bottom_large:50px|margin_bottom_small:30px”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_separator color=”black”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row enable_content_animation=”yes” animation_preset=”Fade In Up” css=”.vc_custom_1725610661138{margin-top: 30px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

      Why read Skies Afire<\/em> now<\/h2>\n
        \n
      1. It is a bridge<\/b> between philological approach and fieldwork.<\/li>\n
      2. It offers<\/b> verifiable sources: extensive notes and bibliography, not slogans.<\/li>\n
      3. It speaks in the present tense<\/b>: today’s wars echo yesterday’s conflicts, reminding us that the stakes are always the same\u2014survival, memory, the sky.<\/li>\n
      4. It sparks curiosity<\/b>: science lovers will find data to investigate; those seeking meaning will find questions about our cosmic identity.<\/li>\n
      5. It is engaging:<\/b> page after page, you will hear the voice of those who saw \u2013 Erich \u2013 and those who translated literally \u2013 me.<\/li>\n
      6. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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        Get your copy of Skies Afire<\/em><\/h3>\n

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