Racism from the Stars: Conspiracy Theories of the Ancient World

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By Lina M. Sánchez Betancourt

To create a truly just society, embracing alternative narratives to understand our world and past is crucial. However, in our pursuit to dismantle colonialist versions of our history, harmful theories infiltrate society. Giving aliens credit for ancient non-European history and architecture, instead of acknowledging the remarkable accomplishments of those who created them is a prime example. Although “the answer comes from the stars” may initially appear revolutionary, it’s tainted by the same deep-rooted racism perpetuated by white people throughout history.

The History Channel recently released the 19th season of the hit series, Ancient Aliens. This series is deeply problematic because it misrepresents racism as a mystery from the stars. One of its primary sources is The Chariots of the Gods, a popular book written by Swiss Erich von Däniken. Däniken claims to have irrefutable evidence that ancient civilizations had contact with aliens, and his justifications sound like:

“The evolutionists say that man descends from monkeys. Yet who has ever seen a white monkey? Or a dark ape with curly hair such as the black race has?”

Nothing is beyond ourselves

The problem with theories, conspiracy or otherwise, is who is doing the research. They are all permeated by the biases of their creators. Some creators are aware of this, while others are completely ignorant to this fact. The far end of the spectrum suggests that the ancient non-European world must have been the result of extraterrestrial intervention.

For example, in The Chariots of the Gods, reproduced in Ancient Aliens, it is said that the Pyramids of Egypt are, "genuine miracles in a country that is suddenly capable of such achievements without recognizable rehistory." 

The series tries to be more energetic; “When you consider the vast amount of information about the Earth that’s encoded into the Great Pyramid, you can’t all dismiss all of this as pure coincidence”.

The Egyptians did not just appear one day. They had been living along the Nile for more than 12,000 years. The towering pyramids are the result of a lot of trials and errors and other failed pyramids; some can still be seen near the banks of the river. Why does it seem mysterious that they knew way more about the earth than white Europeans did? It’s not a coincidence, but knowledge and mastery. One has to believe that Africans are capable of excellence for such a “mystery” to vanish. 

The same is true of Nazca Lines. One might believe that a group of aliens came to the aid of the Natives of Peru (in spaceships or by teleportation. The means don’t change the result.) Or one might simply believe that natives were able to build the lines because they were clever. 

The dummies hypothesis states that everything ancient and non-European was stupid and barely able to survive. This reveals not only the nationalistic biases of their creators and supporters, but also a profound ignorance of the antiquity of Black and Brown human history. 

Fragments of Pseudo-archaeology

Anthropologist professor, Sarah Kurnick, says, "Most pseudo-archaeology is racist and xenophobic, and like other forms of entertainment, it influences our culture in real ways." 

There is no theory that says that the Roman Colosseum was created by extraterrestrial life, nor that the construction of the Pantheon of the Greeks is a mystery to be solved. Europeans created their cities on their own, but non-Europeans must have had guidance. Believing that all non-Europeans are not skilled or intelligent enough is by all accounts offensive. 

Pseudo-archaeology distorts elements and findings from anthropology, takes them out of context, and gives them an alternative meaning that is all at once outlandish. This is very clear in the re-interpretation of Lord Pakal, from the Mayan city of Palenque. Because of the pseudo-archaeologists’ lack of knowledge and biases, instead of looking at the carving and realizing that it represented Pakal starting his journey through the underworld, they vehemently stated that he was an alien driving a spaceship. 

From TV series to films, the media is filling up with conspiracy theories that in many cases are far from being alternative narratives. Racism and xenophobia are being spread, masked under a layer of apparent mystery.

Why are these theories so appealing?

Theories of ancient aliens or “dumb” ancestors have flourished with ease, and perhaps this has to do with academia itself. Academia is far removed from the common people. It feels pretentious and exclusionary. It's easy to say that they withhold crucial information that is only shared among peers, and that there doesn't seem to be a desire to expand their target audience. Additionally, more often than not, the way in which they present information is simply boring and unintelligible to ordinary people.

Needless to say, pseudo-archaeology has already been used many times to support nationalism and racial superiority, not only to talk about the stupidity of non-Europeans. A famous case is that of the Ahnenerbe, a couple of Nazis who united to prove that civilization had risen in Europe and not Africa.  

In his book, Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology, Kenneth Feder writes:

"We believe we can construct a past that is veritable, that is accurate in terms of actual past events since the past has left its mark in the present. But the data of antiquity are often vague, ambiguous, and difficult to interpret [...] there are many different possibilities, not all of these constructed pasts -not all of the possibilities- are equally plausible."

Ancient Aliens has 19 seasons and The Chariots of the Gods had sold 70 million books as of 2017.  It is our duty to have a critical mind, even in the face of seemingly harmless entertainment.

Pears are not apples

Not all theories about aliens should be automatically dismissed; some may even be worthy of consideration and exploration. They have the potential to ignite our imagination and inspire us to envision a society where every individual can thrive and achieve their full potential. However, when we attribute non-European ancient wonders to alien intervention, we perpetuate a deep-seated and traditional form of racism that validates the belief that only white cultures are capable of creating such extraordinary achievements. What’s left must come from the stars.

Lina M. Betancourt is a writer born in Bogotá, Colombia. Her creative work is focused on unraveling the human experience. She has worked as a translator, teacher, and editor, and she is an advocate for a just and sustainable world. Pronouns she/her.

Website: linabetancourt.com