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        Xavier Guichard: (Author of 'Eleusis Alesia')

 

Xavier Guichard (1870 - 1947). Born in Pesmes, Haute Sa�ne, France. Became the director of Police in Paris.

Vice-President of the Soci�t� pr�historique fran�aise, in 1936 he published the now famous -  "Eleuse Alaise: Enqu�te sur les origines de la civilisation europ�enne" [Investigation of the origins of European Civilization]

One of Guichard's curious claims to fame was that he appeared as the primary detective in the novels of Georges Simenon.

The fascinating work of the famous French detective Xavier Guichard remains relatively unnoticed regardless of (or possibly due to), his astonishing conclusions regarding the level of prehistoric geometric abilities.

(Click here for map of Alaise)

(Click here to view a full copy of Eleusis Alesia)

 

Guichard claimed to have discovered two prehistoric 'rose des vents' covering France and extending into other parts of Europe, based on 24 landscape alignments (corridors of incidence), all orientated so as to pass through a common centre-point (called Alaise). Secondly, he identified three European 'root' names; Burgos, Antium, and Alaise, which he believed (similar to his UK counterpart, Alfred Watkins) had different meanings associated with ancient mineral sources and trade, but more controversially, that the 'Alesian' locations had been placed according to their longitude and latitude.

Alaise was the hub of an archaic, yet very precisely surveyed, radial system of 24 ley lines which emanated from Alaise, in all directions, one ley line every 15 degrees of 360, and along these 'ley-lines' were also located ancient settlements named with etymological affinity to the town-name of the ley line system�s hub, Alaise...

Guichard also claimed to have found evidence of a separate 'solstice rose des vents' at Alesia, based on solar observations, creating a valuable connection between prehistoric geometry and astronomy, (and from which it may still be possible to date such a formation).  He concluded that he had uncovered the vestiges of what had been called the 'Eleusian mysteries' by the Greeks. It is perhaps just a coincidence that both Stecchini and Guichard (supported by Manias), independently concluded that the true secret of the mysteries involved the application of longitude in relation to the placement of ancient and sacred sites. (More about the Eleusian mysteries below).

Referring to several old cities in his native Franch, Guichard said:

"These cities were established in very ancient times according to immutable astronomical lines, determined first in the sky, then transferred to the earth at regular intervals, each equal to a 360th part of the globe."

As well as the astronomical 'Rose-des-Vents' Guichard realised that his research had, in his own words;

'revealed the existence of geodesic lines that converge on the 'alesia' of Alaise, and of other alignments that appear on modern maps...These alignments belong to a geodetic system completely different from those that make up the line that converge into two 'rose des vents'. And it is only through satisfying their existence out of necessity that the lines which cross through Alaise were analyzed in the first place'.

He continues...

'These new lines are those that run parallel and perpendicular to the Equator, their trace reproduced therefore, on a map as latitudes and longitudes...The works of ancient authors attest that, from the oldest antiquity, geography had been practiced ��

 

Strange as it may seem now, supporting evidence for Guichard's theory of France holding the key to the 'mysteries' can be found in the official centre of the French capital Paris, which was suggested (by J. Michell) to have been named par-Isis, relating to an ancient temple of Isis (at Versaille), and where the 'Champs-Elys�es' or 'Elysian-fields' can be seen to point directly in line with the midsummer sunrise at 52� (left). We will see later that this particular orientation is shared by other French sites such as at Versailles cathedral and Mont St. Michel, also both orientated along the azimuth of the mid-summer sun, but at an angle of 26�, the angle of polar passage in the Great pyramid. The relevance of these particular figures is best understood in relation to precession of the equinox.

(Precession of the Equinox)

The astronomical significance of the placement of Paris ('Par-Isis').

It is possible to see that the French Meridian, which passes both the northerly and southerly points of France, also passes through Paris at the correct latitude for the summer and winter solstice sunrises and sunsets to occur at 52 off True North/South (A phenomena which is captured along the 'Champs de Lysee' (Tr. 'Elysian Fields'), which is orientated along the path of the rising summer solstice sun and the setting winter solstice sun. 

The Paris Meridian sits exactly 1� 09�  east of the Greenwich Meridian (the same distance of separation as between the official eastern and western borders of ancient Egypt).

(More about Egyptian Geodesy)

 

 Independent Confirmation of Guichard's Results.

An Independent study of Guichard's original data confirms the accuracy of his report. It is noticeable however that that there is a fundamental difference between Stecchini's Oracle centres and Guichard's Alaise locations, as while Guichard's 'Alaisian' sites are all situated on exact lines of latitude and are therefore all separated by multiples of complete degrees, while the oracle centres still being separated by exact degrees, are situated at latitudes of X� (+30'), (still based on a division of 360�). It is important to recognize that these alignments substantially pre-date the Greeks and are associated with mineral resources, mostly from mines or 'man-made well's', invariably located on hills overlooking rivers.

Results:

  • Approximately 75% of Guichard's original locations were determined. (25% could not be found in the preliminary search).

  • Every one of the determined locations proved to be accurate (well within the recognised 95% accuracy).

  • Every one of the determined locations was positioned on a whole unit of degrees, either longitude or latitude. (within 95%, or 3' ), which proves that the system was based on a 360� division of the globe, not a 366� division as recently suggested..

  • I was unable to find any significant Alaisian sites un-mentioned by Guichard.

  • There is a clear preponderance of rivers next to Alaisian locations.

While most of Guichards locations are verifiable with any decent map, there are several examples of slight name changes since his time c. 1911- 1930. (For example 'Llusa' in Spain is now 'Lluca', 'Alex' in France is now 'Aleix', and 'Leysele' in Belgium is now 'Leisele'). It is therefore possible that some of the missing locations may have been changed beyond recognition, and this might account for some of the missing data.

Guichard reasoned that the origin of the Root-name Alaise, had its roots in the ice-age, because the same pattern didn't extend to prehistoric Britain. However, it seems equally likely that the system was incorporated after Britain became isolated from mainland Europe, anytime after c. 5,000 BC, as there seems little necessity for charting a salt-path across sea water...

(Click here for full results)

 

Where is Alaise..?

Curiously enough, the architect Delacroix in 1850, suggested that the identity of Al�sia and Alaise were in doubt as noted in his speech of acceptance at the Academy of Besan�on in 1864.

'Al�sia, l'antique m�tropole de toutes les Gaules, le lieu de la supreme lutte contre la domination de Rome, fut selon l'historien Florus, Brlee et ras�e. "...

Alesia, the ancient metropolis of all the Gauls, the place of the supreme struggle against the domination of Rome, was according to the historian Florus, burned and razed.

'La Volent de Julius Csar fut que le silence rgn�t dsormais par-dessus la cit sainte de ces Galois auxels, selon Tacite et contrairement a la fable imagine par le complaisant Tite-Live, le Senat reprochait d'avoir dtruit non seulement Rome et sa citadelle mais encore son Capitole'.

The will of Julius Ceasar was the silence that now reigned over the holy city of the Gauls, as suggested by Tacitus and unlike the fable dreamed up by the complacent Livy, the senate accused of destroying not only Rome and its citadel but also its capital.

'Mais revenons � la question pos�e par M. Gabriel Meunier'.

But back to the question posed by M. Gabriel Meunier.

'Apr�s les r�cits de Dion Cassius, Plutarch, les Travaux Allemandes et Italiens, ant�rieurs au XVIII si�cle, selon lesquels Al�sia ne peut-etre qu'en Franche-Comt�, le trajet des arm�es Romaine et Gauloise a fait l'objet de reserches aussi pr�cises que possible.'

After the stories of Dion Cassius, Plutarch, the Germanic and Italian works, prior to the eighteenth century, it was realised that Alesia could not be in Franche-Comte, as the route of Roman and Gallic armies had been researched as accurately as possible.

 

Not only does he call Alesia 'The ancient Metropolis of ALL the Gaul's', but also of interest is the statement later in the text concerning the disputed location of the Battle of Alesia in which it is noted that:..   'The similarities between Alais and Alise are remarkable, many, even disturbing: location, proximity to a river, shaped hills.. dedicated to Rhea'... supporting Guichard's suggestion that the Alaisian sites had contemporary landscape features. (3)

      (Click here for map with location)

 

The Cassini Documents.

The Casssini documents are a collection of papers concerning the work of Jean-Domenica Cassini (1625-1712) who was charged by King Lois XVI to establish a French Meridian. His work began a dynastic saga of Cassini Astronomer Royales, and it was from a  significant part of the Cassini collection � 'The Cassini Documents' � which are preserved in the region of Perpignan, are the ones that the Paris prefect Xavier Guichard used to write, in 1936, Eleusis Alesia; as he notes on page 119, he reuses the �Cassini layout� for sites close to the Observatory, like the passage of the Meridian through Groslay, Montmagny, Deuil, St Denis, Arcueil and Hay. All are sites on which Cassini worked'� (2)

The construction of the French meridian immediately brings out certain intriguing details, as not only does it run through the northernmost part of France in Dunkirk, pass through Paris, and through the last town before the Spanish border, 'Prats-de-Mollo'; It also sits exactly 1� 09� east of the Greenwich meridian in England, which is the same as the distance between the Eastern and Western borders of ancient Egypt.

 

Alaisian Longitudinal lines.

Alaisian Latitudinal lines.

 

The 'Ley's' of Britain.

At almost exactly the same time as Guichard was researching the �Alaise� alignments in France, Alfred Watkins was independently in the process of uncovering the network of ley-lines that covers the UK. Watkins originally named his alignments 'ley' lines because of the frequency of place-names containing 'ley' (A 'ley' or 'lea' is variously translated as a clearing or glade). The similarities in place-names is of interest as there is no suggestion that the two men had any idea of each others existence, and both men provide good reasons for naming their findings as they did. This reinforces the suggestion by Guichard that a system of placement once existed that stretched across Europe (and one which shows evidence of a common unit of measurement - as later suggested by Prof. A. Thom).

In the early 1920's, Alfred Watkins first became aware of the prehistoric alignment of ancient sites covering the English landscape. He concluded that a feature of the old alignments was that certain names appeared with a high frequency along their routes. Names with Red, White and Black are common; so are Cold or Cole, Dod, Merry and Ley. (The last as we know,  he used to name the lines, although it has been noted that 'ley' is Saxony for 'fire'). He suggested that ancient travellers navigated using a combination of natural and man-made markers. Certain lines were known by those that most frequented them so that 'White' names were used by the salt traders; 'Red' lines were used by potters, 'Black' was linked to Iron, 'Knap' with flint chippings, and 'Tin' with flint flakes.  He suggested that place names including the word 'Tot', 'Dod" or 'Toot' would have been acceptable sighting points so that the 'Dodman', a country name for the snail, was a surveyor, the man who 'planned' the leys with two measuring sticks similar to a snail's horns (or the 'Longman of Willington') (It is noted that the Germans have similar names such as 'Dood' or "Dud', which mean 'Dead').  Watkins maintained that leys ran between initial 'sighting posts'. Many of the 'mark stones', and 'ancient tracks' he refers to have since disappeared, a situation which is considerably unhelpful to serious research. Similarly to Guichard (above), Watkins believed that the lines were associated with former 'Trade routes' for important commodities such as water and salt. He found confirmation in this through 'name-associated' leys. Even today the Bedouins of North Africa use the line system marked out by standing stones and cairns to help them traverse the deserts. A letter to the Observer (5 Jan 1930), notes similarities with Watkins theories and the local natives of Ceylon, who had to travel long distances to the salt pans. The tracks were always straight through the forest, were sighted on some distant hill, (called 'salt-hill'), and that the way was marked at intervals by large stones (called 'salt-stones'), similar to those in Britain. On the other hand, should the leys be ancient tracks then it should be possible to see one point from another. Also it is noted that there are many ancient 'tracks' across Britain, such as the Ridgeway, and none of them are dead straight.

Both the French and English Ley's have a prehistoric precedence, with roots in the Neolithic period.

(More about Ley-lines)

 

The Eleusian/'Aleisian' Mysteries.

 Xavier Guichard concluded that the Alaisian phenomena had its origins in the same traditions that became known as the 'Eleusian Mysteries', later adopted by the Greeks. It is perhaps significant that the two sites are separated by exact degrees (based on a division of 360�).

Alaise - (47� 00' N. 5� 58' E)      Eleusis - (38� 00� N, 18� 00� E)

The two sites are separated by 9� Latitude and 6� Longitude conforming to the idea of an underlying geometry between prominent prehistoric locations.

(More about Prehistoric Greek geometry)

Livvio Stecchini suggested that certain ancient oracle centres were placed according to geodetic principles at which 'Omphalus' or 'Navel stones' were placed.

This idea is supported by the historical narratives of Herodotus, who wrote that the oracle centre of Amon in Libya was founded by flying doves from Thebes, which was long considered the geodetic centre of ancient Egypt, and is located 2/7ths of the distance from the equator to the North pole (and at which an Omphalus was later discovered). Herodotus also wrote that the oracle centre at Dodona was said to have been founded by Egyptian priestesses from Thebes and that doves flew between the two sites.

(More about Geodesy and the 'World Grid')

A milestone of literature on the subject of the geodetic placement of oracle centres already exists, written by Livio Stecchini (22), who concluded that several ancient oracle centres in the Mediterranean and Middle-east, were deliberately placed along specific latitudes and separated by units of 1�, which he suggested composed an 'oracle octave', along which the seven major centres were placed, each devoted to one of the seven known planets and symbolised by different sacred trees (for more on this subject refer to the 'Tree alphabet' in R. Grave's book, 'The White Goddess'). Underlying this geodetic placement, he believed was a set of knowledge that that formed the basis of the 'Eleusian mysteries'. Much of the following work should be credited to Stecchini.

(More on the Oracle centres)    

As well as the traditional association between Oracle centres the Eleusian mysteries, it is perhaps curious that the centre of the Eleusian mysteries themselves - Eleusis, appears to have been geodetically located, in accordance with the same system of 360� as seen in Egypt, the Middle east and Europe. In the Greek myth we see that Demeter makes an apparently random stop at Eleusis, and are given no further clues to explain her decision. However, it is particularly noteworthy in relation to this that Santillana (6), records Eleusis as having had a well-spring in it covered by a navel-stone, as suggested by Cornford, who says that �one of these phreata (=wells) in Eleusis was closed at its mouth by the agelastos petra,� i.e. the laughter-less rock; and that Demeter was agelastos because of the loss of Persophone. He adds that the place-name was understood by the Greeks as �Advent�, a word used in the New Testament in reference to the �advent of Christ�. The same theme as seen to be repeated in the mythology of Mecca and other earth-navels.  

(Click here to view a full copy of Eleusis Alesia)

(Geometric Alignments)

(Geodesy Homepage)

(The World-Grid)

(Ley-lines)

(Other French sites)

 

References:

1). Xavier Guichard. Eleuse Alaise.
2). http://www.perillos.com/cassini.html
3). http://alise.expansive.free.fr/cavalerie_gauloise.php
6). G. De. Santillana Et al, Hamlets Mill. 1983. Godine Publ.
 

 

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