Philip Gardiner - The Serpent Grail

Philip Gardiner is a marketing specialist and company director. He has spent the last 16 years reading and researching the history of man, science, religion and philosophy, and believes that much of orthodox history is based upon propaganda in one form or another. His search for the truth has led him to uncover historical evidence which had previously gone unrecognized. He is the author of the highly successful The Shining Ones: The Worlds Most Powerful Secret Society Revealed.

For more information on Philip Gardiner please go to www.philipgardiner.net

or www.gardinerosborn.com

Gary Osborn, managing director of a family business, has been a writer on mysticism and esoteric traditions for over 10 years. He describes himself as an initiate into the mysteries. He has written articles on subjects related to ancient mysteries, esoteric traditions, alchemy, mysticism, ancient shamanism and the nature of human consciousness, and has also been involved in projects related to some former members of the Esalen Physics of Consciousness Group.

Philip will be doing international Tours through www.powerplaces.com

visiting many of the places mentioned in this book. If you would like to join him on a unique Grail Journey, find out more on the Power Places website.

Also by Philip Gardiner:

Proof? Does God Exist?

The Shining Ones

To my long-suffering wife Julie, who stood by me the whole time and journeyed from one quarry to another

Philip Gardiner

My contribution to this book is dedicated to my parents, Eric Osborn and June Day and my daughter Li

Gary Osborn

First to my parents, who have encouraged me to seek happiness in all that I do thank you.

To Michael Mann, who believed in us right from the start.

To Penny Stopa and all the superb and professional editorial team at Duncan Baird/Watkins. Thank you for your help, advice, the great cover and understanding.

To Juliette Humble of Duncan Baird, for your help and advice.

To John Baldock, who edited our book like the true Gnostic that he is. John, there simply are not enough men like you in the world.

To the authors Andrew Collins, Graham Hancock, Robert Bauval, Dominic OBrien, Paul Devereux, Graham Philips, Alan Butler, Christopher Knight, Acharya S and a whole host of others.

To all those silent unsung people who have helped us with this book we thank you all.

Philip Gardiner

I would like to thank everyone at Watkins Publishing for their help and support.

My gratitude to John Baldock.

Special thanks to my brother Paul Osborn and to my wife, friend and companion Jacqui, for her unfailing support of me and our children Ben, Victoria, Cameron, Freya and Angel.

Gary Osborn

The authors would like to acknowledge the documents received from the following and used with their permission: Scientologists, Jehovahs Witnesses, Mormons, Jewish Pentecostal Mission, Rosicrucians, Freemasons, Inner Light, Websters Encyclopaedia, Encarta Encyclopaedia, The Unexplained (Focus), Encyclopaedia of History (Dorling Kindersley), the staff at Licheld Cathedral, The New Scientist (21 March 1998 and 11 July 1998), Bible Explorer (expert software), Faith in Every Footstep (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints press information CD-Rom).

The publisher would like to thank the following people and museums for permission to reproduce their material. Every care has been taken to trace copyright holders. However, if we have omitted anyone, we apologize and will, if informed, make corrections to any future editions.

Photographs taken by Philip Gardiner

1. The Grail Chalice in a stained-glass window. St Marys Church, Scarborough, England.

2. Naga serpent deity. Temple of Manipur, India.

3. Ouroboros encircling the Holy Spirit as a dove. Lichfield Cathedral inner wall, England.

4. The Uffington White Horse. England.

5. Statue of Hygeia. York Minster, England.

6. Male and female stones. Avebury Stone Circle, England.

7. Sculpture of a Neolithic snake goddess (c.4500bc). Heraklion Museum, Crete.

8. Relief of serpent on a doctors tomb. Cimetire de Montmarte, Paris.

9. Station of the Cross. The Dome Chapel, Paris.

10. Carving on a tomb of Egyptian stylized winged orb of enlightenment with protective serpents. Cimetire de Montmarte, Paris.

11. Adam, Eve and the serpent in a stained-glass window. Lincoln Cathedral, England.

12. St John with dragon chalice in a stained-glass window. Winchester Cathedral, England.

13. Adam, Eve and the serpent with a human head in a stained glass window. York Minster, England.

14. Serpent-headed column. The Pantheon, Rome.

15. Author Philip Gardiner with human skulls. Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Skulls), Faro, Portugal.

16. Statue of a Grail Maiden with a broken chalice revealing the inside of the Lorraine Cross. Sainte Chappelle, Paris.

17. The Green Man stone carving. York Minster, England.

18. Fifteenth-century Armenian wall painting showing St George killing the dragon. Byzantine Museum, Nicosia, Cyprus.

19. Wall fresco of the Baptism within the Grail. Kykkos Monastery, Cyprus.

20. Bronze relief of St John the Baptists head on a platter or chalice. Kykkos Monastery, Cyprus.

21. The front of the statue of Prudence. Winchester Cathedral, England.

22. The reverse of Prudence (as above).

23. Obelisk, Paris.

24. Isis, Queen of Heaven, holding the sistrum. Mosaize Historie der Hebreeuwse Kerke .

25. Stone carving of the Asp and the Mirror on a building in Paris.

26. The sacred chalice of the Eucharist. Lichfield Cathedral, England.

27. Angels with the Grail chalice collecting the blood of Christ in a stained-glass window. Lichfield Cathedral, England.

28. The serpent gnawing at the roots of the world tree, with Christ crucified, in a stained-glass window. Lichfield Cathedral, England.

29. Stone relief of the shapeshifting serpent Melusine. Newstead Abbey, England

30. Tomb decoration of the serpent Ouroboros encircling the image of time. St Giovanni, Rome.

31. Carving on a tomb of the Ouroboros with rose at the centre. Cimetire de Montmarte, Paris.

32. St Patrick eradicating the serpents from Ireland in a stained-glass window. Salisbury Cathedral, England.

33. A Christian Bishops mitre, relating to the ancient fish deity Dagon. Algarve Museum, Faro, Portugal.

34. Stone carving of the head of a Gorgon from a Roman bath. Bath, England.

35. The Roman Bath. Bath, England.

36. The dog-headed dragon slayer, originally a tomb decoration. Mdina Cathedral, Malta.

37. Moses and the Brazen Serpent in a stained-glass window, Salisbury Cathedral, England.

38. The crucified Christ beneath the Brazen Serpent Healer in a stained-glass window. Lichfield Cathedral, England

39. Tomb decoration of two snakes in opposing positions on either side of the tree of life, which grows below the cross of Christ. Cimetire de Montmarte, Paris.

40. Seventeenth-century pharmacists sign showing a serpent rising from the chalice. Paris.

41. Stained-glass window with the grail at the place of the skull (Golgotha). Winchester Cathedral, England.