Erich von Daniken's 1968 argument — that ancient monuments (pyramids, Nazca lines, Stonehenge) were built with extraterrestrial assistance — the founding text of the ancient astronaut genre — which sold 70M copies despite universal rejection by archaeologists.
Creates the ancient astronaut argument framework — Chariots of the Gods establishes the template: find a monument that seems technically impossible for its era, claim it required advanced technology, assert extraterrestrial origin; this framework has been reproduced in every subsequent ancient astronaut book and the Ancient Aliens TV franchise.
No recorded contemporaries.
Discussing
Ask anything about Chariots of the Gods — their ideas, influences, contradictions, legacy.
Sign in to start a conversation.