Sunday 20 May 2018

Who Were the White Gods of Ancient History?


You’ve probably come across them and didn’t know it; either at school, in books or even TV documentaries. Even pop culture pays tribute to them in shows such as “Ancient Aliens” and the Ancient Astronaut concept.  Who or what were the White Gods?  They are the people that history, legends and folk stories all over the world honoured, feared or worshipped throughout time.


South American cultures such as the Mayans and Aztecs gave the White Gods names such as Quetzalcoatl, Viracocha and Kukulkan, and they were described as having white skin, blue eyes and a red beard.  In Peru, mummies with red hair have been found, and in many other countries there are stories of white-skinned, red or fair-haired people with blue eyes.   The stories say that these tall, fair people brought technology, laws and the arts.






When the Spanish conquistadors first arrived in South America, they were greeted as the returning White Gods, and even Captain James Cook who explored the Pacific, including Hawaii and Easter Island, was greeted as the returning “white god” of their legends.   

The famous statues on Easter Island feature a red stone on their heads which seems to indicate that the statues represent red-haired people.  The statues also have Caucasian features.



 Folk tales and legends usually have a firm base in reality, and it is believed by many that a Caucasian race (predominantly with reddish hair and blue eyes) brought advanced culture and technology to the Americas, the Pacific Islands and other lands, which led to them being venerated as gods or superhuman, superior beings.
This theory fits the legend of Atlantis: a highly advanced civilization that existed in "pre-history", found in writings by Plato when discussing Ancient Egypt.  Historians have been puzzled by the technology and art of Ancient Egypt because it seemed to appear abruptly on the world scene, not develop gradually.  Maybe the Atlanteans or White Gods brought their knowledge to Egypt?

I have used these ideas about legendary "White Gods" and Atlanteans in my Fantasy Fiction series, RHUNA: A Quest for Ancient Wisdom..  While Rhuna is only part Caucasian, she nevertheless inherits the Atlantean culture, and her adventures take her across the ancient world to Ancient Egypt, then Ancient India and beyond.
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