Philip Coppens - Ancient Aliens: Close Encounters with Human History

This edition published in 2015 by:

The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street

New York, NY 10010

Additional end matter copyright 2015 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Date

Coppens, Filip.

Ancient aliens: close encounters with human history/Philip Coppens.

pages cm. (Conspiracies and cover-ups)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4777-8157-9 (library bound)

1. Human-alien encounters. 2. Civilization, AncientExtraterrestrial influences.

3. Extraterrestrial beings. I. Title.

BF2050.C675

2014 001.942dc23

2014028543

Manufactured in the United States

First published as The Ancient Alien Question: A New Inquiry Into the Existence, Evidence, and Influence of Ancient Visitors by New Page Books/Career Press, copyright 2012 Philip Coppens

Images on pages are Philip Coppens.

Image on page is Erich von Dniken, used with permission.

Images on pages are The Estate of Stan Hall, used with permission. [website]

Image on page is Marsyas, made available as part of the Creative Commons License on Wikimedia.

Image on page is Madman2001, made available as part of the Creative Commons License on Wikimedia.

Image on page is Wikipedia.

Image on page is Jon Rolls, used with permission.

Images on pages are Hartwig Hausdorf, used with permission.

Images on pages are NASA.

Image on page is Christina Rutz, made available as part of the Creative Commons License on Wikimedia.

Image on page is from 1875 and The Hearst Museum.

Acknowledgments

I have been posing the Ancient Alien Question for almost two decades now, and hundreds of people have joined me on my quest for an answer. I would particularly like to thank Erich von Dniken, Uli Dopatka, and Gene M. Phillips for inviting me, as a young man in my 20s, to air my side of the debate at a number of Ancient Astronaut Society World Conferences in the 1990s. Special thanks, of course, are due to Erich, as he is not only the pioneer in this subject, but also the man who kindly wrote the foreword for this book, which is truly a great honor and privilege. I thank Giorgio Tsoukalos for a friendship that began then, which has grown since, and especially for his unending devotion to the cause, however hard the going sometimes became.

My drive to answer the Ancient Alien Question was reignited by the wonderful team at Prometheus Pictures, the producers of Ancient Aliens. Your professionalism is equal to none and every minute of filming was a joy (yes, David Silver, that includes the eight-hour wait for a replacement camera in Rennes-le-Chteau). However, I need to single out Kevin Burns for his commitment and vision, as well as Evan Goldstein, with whom my part of the story began.

This book would not have come about without the vision of Michael Pye.

In my circle of friends, I would like to specifically thank: Paige Tucker; Jason Gossman; Sarah Symons; Mary Parent; Patrick Ruffino; Patrick Bernauw; Marc Borms; Chris Norman; Cris Winter; Gerard Lohan; Eileen, Cathy, and Janeth Hall; Debbie Nicastro; Herman Hegge; Dawn Molkenbur; Tobi and Gerda Dobler; Marianne Wilson; Theresa Byrne; Cynthia James and Carl Studna; Gail Heron Sterling; Geoff Potts; JoAnn Parks and MAX; Peter van Deursen and Anneke Koremans; Isobel Denham; Kelly Cole; Philippe Canal. Apart from being the best friends anyone could desire, you make life beautiful. By default, I will have forgotten some, and I sincerely apologize for that!

I thank the research and devotion of the following authors and often friends: Robert Bauval; Graham Hancock; Greg Taylor; Wim Zitman and Hendrine; Sam Osmanagic and Sabina; John Major Jenkins; Geoff Stray; Hartwig Hausdorf; Robert and Olivia Temple; Mark Pilkington; Howard Crowhurst; Hugh Newman; Andy Collins; David Hatcher Childress and Jennifer; Jeremy Narby; Antoine Gigal; Ralph Ellis; Jack Sarfatti; Uri Geller; Joseph Davidovits; John Ritchie; Duncan Lunan.

Special appreciation to the photographic skill of Rivelino, and the fantastic photo shoots in the streets and along the canals of Amsterdam.

I would like to thank my thousands of Facebook friends and followers, who allow me to have a great virtual banter on a daily basis!

Each and every member of the Coppens, Sonck, Harkey, and Smith family, though I need to specifically mention my parents; my brother, Tom, and his wife, Kathleen, and my nephews, Daan and Arne; Papa and Mama; as well as Patrick, Conor, and Shane.

Finally, I thank Kathleen. It is best summed up by Giorgio, who in December 2009, when he saw me again after many years, heard me speak about you and to you on the phone and concluded that there was absolutely no doubt that I was totally in love. You changed my life, made me into a new man, and were a constant source of inspiration throughout the writing of this book, and will remain so. As fate would have it, the final paragraph of this manuscript was written on our anniversary. Semper.

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