Orichalcum, Copper, & Red Ochre; Plus An Etymology of A Last Name.

Orichalcum And Red Ochre; Plus An Etymology of A Last Name.

[Note: It is worth re-reading the last post from Dec. 4th as updated additions have been made.  Also Note: Dec. 9th, additions to this post were made concerning Orichalcum.  Re: Copper + Calcium + Red Ochre= Orichalcum.]

With all of the Atlantis research that has been done by some of our brightest intellects over the past few centuries, there is still a great mystery as to what the alloy "orichalcum" is.  According to Plato's account of Atlantis, orichalcum was "the most precious of metals then known, except gold."  There being "mines of it in many places of the island."  This orichalcum was supposed to be an alloy associated with, or plastered onto, the Atlantean stone structures (much like quartz was capped on to the Great Pyramids of Egypt).  Plato describes Atlantean Stone temples as being "primitive" in appearance.  The imagery evokes a structure such as a Stone Chamber or Long Barrow.  In his book "The History of Atlantis" author Lewis Spence seemed to think there was an association of Orichalcum with mountain copper.  However, even today's copper penny is not made of pure copper, it is made from mixed elements.

One of the greatest controversies of Atlantean studies is that this alloy or metal, Orichalcum, has never been satisfactorily identified.  Here, I would like to put forth my own theory.  I was reading Plato's account of Atlantis one day (Critias and Timeus), while simultaneously reading the first 1/3 of the book "Morning of the Magicians" by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier, which is dedicated to the history and practice of Alchemy.  I then realized what orichalcum might be.  Copper alchemically combined with Calcified Red Ochre.  One can even see the words "ochre" and "calcium" in the word "Orichalcum."  According to the dictionary calcium is a "soft bivalent metallic element... quickly tarnishes in the air... when heated burns with a brilliant light... used chiefly in alloys and in various metallurgical processes...."  So in other words, through an alchemical process, perhaps naturally occurring due to the climate of Atlantis, or perhaps induced by the knowledge of a human agency (the practice of alchemy), our mystery Atlantean metal, or alloy, Orichalcum, is none other than Copper+ Calcium+ Red Ochre!!

If my theory is correct, then it has solved one of the greatest mysteries pertaining to Plato's account of Atlantis.  And still, there is further evidence.  We know that along the entire Atlantic seaboard, Red Ochre was used and associated with burials and the stone structures such burials are associated with.  The Red Paint People of the Eastern Seaboard of North America used red ochre, the Red Ochre People of the coasts of Europe did the same; the tradition is found also in North Africa and penetrating as far as usage in the Dynasties of Egypt.  However, these later burials and structures were associated with Red Ochre and not necessarily Orichalcum.  There is probably an easy explanation for this- the calcified ochre (orichalcum) was probably no longer available after Atlantis sank; in it's place, simple Red Ochre was henceforth used.  In other words, we lost the Orichalcum when we lost Atlantis; and in it's place, we continued to use the element it was made from, that being Red Ochre in some cases, Copper in other cases.  As far as I know, I am the only one to put forth this theory and connect these dots.

In addition: The Mayans of Yucatan Peninsula, Central America, who are also thought to originally have been Atlantean descendents, also plastered their stone temples and pyramids with Red Ochre.  This is well known by scholars and archaeologists- we just don't see it today because that plastering, or coating of the Red Ochre has faded/ worn out.  To the ancients, red represented the color of Life, like he blood flowing through our veins.  Further north, the Red Ochre was used in a similar way- even as face paint/ etc.- to represent life.  It is also interesting that in all of the Ohio Valley/ Mississippian Pyramid Mounds, some of the most common artifacts are Copper ornaments, jewelry, plates, etc.  In other words, to sum up, the alchemical means of producing Orichalcum may have been lost with the sinking of Atlantis, but in order to establish an Atlantean connection with later cultures, we need not have to be looking for this "orichalcum."  It may be that copper ornaments and red ochre paint, both abundant in the archaeological record, is all we need to establish a lost connection with the orichalcum of Atlantis..     

And now, switching gears, I would like to say a few words about my ancestry and the origins of my last name.  It might help to clarify my passions in writing this blog.  First of all, I have American Indian ancestry.  I am Nordic (Scandinavian), Western European (Celtic) and American Indian (Iroquoian) in terms of my ancestry.  My grandfather on my father's side began asserting the fact that there was Native American ancestry in the family later in his life.  Well, he went so far as to even obtain a tribal membership.  One of my Uncles wanted to independently verify this and went to Salt Lake City, Utah, where the Mormons have the best ancestral archives in the country of the United States.  He was able to find proof for himself that our family does indeed have American Indian ancestors.  They were already mixed and intermingled into the dominant white culture by the mid- 19th century, however (Note: I was born in 1984, however my great-grandfather, a farmer, was born in the 1870's, and his father I think in the 1840's.)  So I would be somebody who has SOME American Indian ancestry, in contrast to somebody born into that culture, who would simply regard themselves as Native.

Now as regards to my last name, Howes.  The last name Howes actually is associated with ancient earthen pyramids and stone structures.  However, most people, my family included, is blissfully unaware of their ancient ancestry.  I did have an ancestor from the English countryside who brought the name Howes over to the United States.  In terms of the English alone- the last name Howes derives from the Old English word Ho, which means a Mound of dirt.  Today, people still use a garden ho, or hoe, to move dirt around.  The earliest description of the last name Howe, or Howes (a later variant of the name deriving from the Old English Ho) was a person or group of people (family unit) who lived by a Howe (which was a Mound/ Hill.)  Now, in England alone, all of the ancient Earthen Pyramids (yeas there are Earthen Pyramids in the English country-side) are large Earthen (dirt) Mounds, such as Sutton Hoo and Silbury Hill.  These parallel the mounds of say, the Ohio Valley here in the United States.  Their proper designation is a Pyramid, but they are commonly referred to as Earthen Mounds.  Now, one has to follow a logical line of reasoning here- someone from the Howe or Howes clan is somebody whose ancestors lived by one of these pyramid mounds.  That much can already be ascertained.  But who, specifically, would be living by one of these pyramids?  The answer is simple: one of the Master Builders, Chieftans, and/or Priests associated with these pyramid mounds would be living by them, that's who.  And from that side of the family, it is safe to say that is who I am ultimately descended from- however, with inquisitions and the transplanting of the Christian Church into Europe after the 10th century, it is a lost history.  There is also Scottish and Scandinavian in the European part of my bloodline.

In Scotland, such as in the Orkney Islands, the Stone temples and Stone Chambers are referred to as a Howe.  For instance, one well known example of a Neolithic Stone Chamber/Pyramid Mound in Orkney, Scotland is called Maes-howe.  In Scandinavia, a howe is the name to describe the same kind of a place- an earthen pyramid mound/ stone structure.  So as we are seeing, I carry the lineage of building stone structures and pyramids in my last name.  

Now, I lost the reference to this next line of inquiry, it is buried in a pile of notes somewhere, but I figure I will bring it up anyway.  I did come across a link between the last name Ho/Howe in regards with the tradition of the Shemsu-hor, who were the priests of Horus in ancient Egypt.  I know some day I have to find my notes on that reference.  However, let us now look at the Shemsu-hor.  Who were they?  In his book "Gods of Eden- Egypt's Lost Legacy and the Genesis of Civilization", author Andrew Collins says they were "...companions, or followers of the hawk-headed god Horus whom the Royal Canon of Turin says ruled Egypt for an incredible 13,420 years before the ascent of Menes, the first recorded Pharaoh."  Now of course, we know that Egypt was originally an Atlantean colony- this is why the Pyramids, statues, and temples of the earliest dynasties are of higher craftsmanship and precision than the later works.  In other words, their civilization slowly degraded from some previous Golden Age, the Atlantean wisdom was slowly lost.  I would recommend one sees John Anthony West's documentary series (8 hours long total) "Magical Egypt" for more information.  It is very true that there are many links between ancient Egypt and Neolithic Europe as well.  This is why in our Western civilization, we spend so much time in grade school learning about Egypt.  Princess Scota was an Egyptian princess who moved her people into modern day Europe for instance.  Scotland is named after her.  In his book, "The Mystery of Skara Brae- Neolithic Scotland and the Origins of Ancient Egypt" author Laird Scranton writes "According to Serge Sauneron in "The Priests of Ancient Egypt" a tradition of knowledge and instruction similar to what we infer to [regarding Egypt] have existed on Orkney Island was perpetuated as standard features of Egyptian temple complexes..."  One must read the book, but the author is inferring similarities between the stone temple complexes (known as howe's) of Orkney Island, Scotland with those of Egypt.  Interestingly enough, the Orkney Islands was also one of the seats of the Culdee Monks or "Papae" ("priestly fathers"), whom William B. Goodwin speaks of in his book "Ruins of Great Ireland In new England."  In his Conan books, it is also such an island where Robert E. Howard would have Conan retire to as king in his latter days (as in Conan of the Isles)....

But I digress! (Or am I?)  That's all for now, folks.  Stay tuned for next time!