Erich von Däniken's 1968 book Chariots of the Gods? posited that elements of the religions and technologies developed by some of Earth's oldest civilizations were actually the products of extraterrestrial visitations by space travelers whom those ancient Earthlings welcomed as gods. Among the types of evidence von Däniken offered in support of his thesis was his interpretations of ancient artworks as depicting extraterrestrial beings and forms of technological activity that were not realized until the 20th century (such as astronauts and vehicles traveling through air and space).
Chariots of the Gods? has long since been dismissed by most scientists and archaeologists as containing far more pseudoscience than actual science, but fascination with some of the ideas it expressed remains — as evidenced by the example reproduced above, which claims that a cathedral wall in Spain dating from the 12th century bears the mysterious, unexplainable likeness of an astronaut carved by a stonemason over 900 years ago:
Here is a Mystery! See if you can suggest an answer
In the Spanish City of SALAMANCA the Cathedral there was built in 1102
I have asked my work colleagues if this item is TRUE ... and they assure me that it is INDEED (and nobody has an answer)
There is a small detail carved into the masonery which amazes everyone that sees it...
Can You Suggest how a 20th Century Astronaut came to be carved by a 12th Century Stonemason?
