I’m sure you’ll all be excited to learn that a few tidbits about the “mysteries” for the next season of America Unearthed have accidentally leaked out of the media blackout H2 and Committee Films has imposed. You’ll recall that a few weeks ago actor Paul Cram published some on set photographs from America Unearthed showing him as John Surratt, and within hours of me writing about the photographs on my blog, Cram’s entire blog post and all mention of John Surratt in connection with the second season of America Unearthed vanished. I do not have any evidence that the events are connected, but it is a remarkable coincidence and one entirely in keeping with the known policy of H2 and Committee Films to vigorously control their intellectual property. Earlier this summer freelance casting director Kati Batchelder put out a casting call for America Unearthed, and the document, now available on Minnesota Film and Television’s website, provides a description of several historical “mysteries” the show planned to investigate with reenactments by non-union actors. Batchelder heavily emphasized that the actors must be non-union, and she suggested that where possible actors bring their own costumes. Let’s take a look at them one by one, and then we can sigh about how many are pointing toward still more Templar-Freemason-Holy Bloodline conspiracies. Duck Hunting 1914 This one I am not able to divine. The description states that a mayor and his friend are duck hunting in 1914, but no other information is provided. The production code is “AZT,” which suggests Arizona but could mean many other things. However, a separate report states that America Unearthed was also filming at Meteor Crater in Arizona to examine the impact of meteoric metals on world history. The Holsinger Meteorite, the biggest fragment of the asteroid that caused Meteor Crater, was discovered by Steven Holsinger around this time, so I wonder if this reenactment has something to do with meteoric iron. Update: In the comments below, you will see a very good case for the production code referring to Aztalan state park in Wisconsin, where Native burial mounds have been found. Sadly, it is also the subject of Kensington Rune Stone research, with Alice Beck Kehoe arguing that the Norse who made the rune stone were the red-haired giants of Wisconsin myth and had invaded and conquered Native settlements there. Ark of the Covenant You’ll recall the weird offhand comment Scott Wolter and Steve St. Clair made during the “Holy Grail” season finale of season one in which they raised the question of whether Henry Sinclair, the earl of Orkney who made an imaginary voyage to America, inherited the Ark of the Covenant from the Knights Templar and buried it in America. This year Scott Wolter is going in search of the Ark of the Covenant right here in North America. The episode will dramatize the moment when Uzzah touched the Ark of the Covenant and Yahweh struck him dead (1 Chronicles 13:10). This surely sounds like the show plans to explore whether the Ark was a piece of high technology. Graham Hancock, for example, used the story of Uzzah to support his belief in The Sign and the Seal (1992) that the Ark was “a powerful machine” representing high technology from a lost civilization. Of course, Wolter will ask where Henry Sinclair and/or the Templars hid it in North America. Egyptians in Illinois This episode will dramatize the alleged discoveries of Orville Lowery of Marion County, Illinois. In 1925, while digging rocks in the family garden, Lowery’s daughter allegedly found a hole that her farmer father determined was “ancient.” Lowery tried unsuccessfully to interest archaeologists in the hole, and he apparently expressed bitterness that academics didn’t want to excavate his farmland. Less well known than the hoax Burrows Cave, also in Illinois, the Lowery Cave is allegedly the resting place of Alexander the Great and possessed of supposedly “untold billions” of dollars worth of artifacts, which mainstream archaeologists have determined are not genuine Greco-Roman material. I’m not sure of the exact relationship between the Burrows and Lowery Caves; alternative sources disagree on whether the two are part of the same cave system or are unrelated caves. But here’s the fun part: The Lowery Cave and its associated Illinois caves of various provenance are famous in ancient astronaut circles for the carvings of astronauts pulled from them. Do you think Wolter will acknowledge the “alien” artifacts? Here’s one of an alleged alien, as seen on Before It's News. John Surratt
I guessed correctly. The casting notice confirms that the show plans to explore Surratt’s connection to the Knights of the Golden Circle, its supposed Templar plot to kill Lincoln, and its lost Confederate treasure. Archaeologist Looking for White People There isn’t enough information for me to guess who this would be, but it’s another case of looking for (sigh) a lost group of white people who ruled over the Native Americans. This time we’re looking for an archaeologist in the 1980s who sought to prove white people were here before Columbus. It’s too early to refer to Kennewick Man or Dennis Sanford’s Solutrean hypothesis and bit too late for George Carter, since the archaeologist is described as being in his 30s in the 1980s, so I’m not sure who it would be. The casting director was also looking for a racially ambiguous actor to play a dead body for the Native Americans to “drag” across the ground, presumably the “European” body the 1980s “academic” investigates. Menehune Hey, we’re getting away from white people in North America for change! This time we’re in Hawaii to explore the myth of the Menehune. These are dwarves who live in Hawaiian caves and feast on bananas; they allegedly were responsible for Hawaii’s ancient temples and roads. There are two primary scholarly theories about them: First, that they represent a mythologized remnant population from the Marquesas later oppressed by the newly-arrived Tahitians, who called them “commoners” or manahune; second, that they are a post-Contact myth adapted from British “brownies,” similar to hobgoblins. Folklorists cannot find references to the Menehune in pre-Contact folklore or myth. I’d bet, though, that Wolter will try to tie these dwarves to the Homo floresiensis found in Indonesia as “proof” that tiny magic dwarves are real. The New World Order Back to white people. This episode will look at R. C. Christian and the “Georgia Guidestones,” which were previously examined on Brad Meltzer’s Decoded for evidence of prophecy, and also in a 2008 Alex Jones documentary. These stones date only to 1980 and are therefore of no interest to me. The rocks demand that world population be controlled and that humans live in balance with nature and according to scientific principles; therefore, conspiracy theorists see them as a population control program by the New World Order based on an ancient program put in place by the Rosicrucians—who, of course, are also part of the Templar-Freemason-Holy Bloodline conspiracy. This is more or less the territory from Dan Brown’s Inferno, and we know that Dan Brown is a favorite author of the America Unearthed set. Rockwall, Texas We already know all about this episode. George Washington Was George Washington a member of a “secret society”? Well, he was a Freemason. Isn’t that enough? He’s also been visited by aliens and dedicated America to God to prepare for the End Times. What more can Wolter add to this? Pierre L’Enfant—that’s what. We know from media reports that America Unearthed filmed in downtown Washington and that they were scouting for Masonic symbolism in the city; therefore, this looks like another retread of a Decoded episode about the secret Masonic-Templar-Holy Bloodline symbolism in the nation’s capital. What I have always wondered is why, if alternative types are so worried about the Freemasons infiltrating government and business to manipulate at will, they do not join the Freemasons, infiltrate them from the inside, and redirect their power toward making the world a better place? Could it be because doing so would expose the fact that the Freemasons are not all-powerful? Could it be because doing so would end the lucrative business in Freemason conspiracy literature?
43 Comments
B L
8/23/2013 05:04:29 am
I'm going on record here as the first to predict that "AZT", the abbreviation you noted in the segment entitled "Duck Hunting 1914", actually stands for "Aztalan". Aztalan is a state park in Wisconsin where several Indian mounds can be found. According to legend many giant skeletons have been excavated from these mounds. Of course, conspiracy theorists believe that a government cover-up prevents these skeletons from being displayed in public.
Reply
8/23/2013 05:13:52 am
I hadn't thought of that. Thanks! I've updated the post above to add that information. I also see that Rune Stone researchers tied this to Norse invaders. Of course!
Reply
CFC
8/23/2013 07:35:59 am
Great detective work Jason! It looks like America Unearthed Season 2 will be nothing more than the rehashing of old stories and dramatized conspiracy theories.
The Other J.
8/23/2013 07:02:34 pm
I grew up in Wisconsin and have been to Aztalan a few times. But I'm not familiar with stories of giants in Wisconsin. Do you have any sources (no matter how dodgy)? (Edit: Just saw the piece on Before It's News that was posted last January; they link to a photocopy of an old news story about giant skeletons from 1912 -- which, if I'm recalling correctly, is right around the time newspapers all around the country were reporting on giant skeletons being dug up in their back yards, none of which have been produced.)
Reply
Shane Sullivan
8/25/2013 06:30:28 am
For what it's worth, I live in Delavan, (where the skeletons were supposed to have been uncovered) and despite the town's enthusiasm for local history, I've never heard anyone mention this story.
Shane Sullivan
8/25/2013 08:45:27 am
(My mistake, Juliet is the elephant at the bottom of Lake Delavan, not Romeo)
The Other J.
8/25/2013 09:53:33 am
DELAVAN. My roommate in the dorms at Madison was from Delavan -- former navy guy in his 30's, in a dorm.
B L
8/23/2013 05:26:29 am
Jason..your final question of the segment..why don't conspiracy theorists join the Masons, learn their secrets, then expose them publicly? Scott Wolter has been asked this question. I don't remember if he addressed it in his book, in an interview, or on one of his television shows, but I remember the gist of his response. Wolter explained that if he joined the Masons he would have to take an oath NOT to speak about these secrets in public. So, his integrity prevents him from joining while fully knowing he would have to break a promise. (Insert appropriate amount of laughter here).
Reply
8/23/2013 07:45:15 am
The oath of secrecy in Freemasonry is an urban myth.Many prominent former Free Masons have written books revealing everything about the inner working of the lodges.Unfortunately,Scott Wolter has never done his home work.Wolter is not interested in serious researches, he only deals in sensationalism.
Reply
Bill
8/23/2013 09:03:08 am
Scott and his ilk would tell you that the books are disinformation being spread by the Masons to hide the "real" truth. Anything that does not support their claims is part of the cover-up.
Nathan
10/11/2013 03:23:27 am
Hey All,
Gunn
8/23/2013 05:43:09 am
But, what if the Freemasons had a basic Christian agenda? There is a strong God connection to the Freemasons, no? So, perhaps instead of an ominous threat of One-World Government, there is only the implied insinuation of great influence. In other words, most Christians aren't interested in a One-World Government, but rather look at it coming at them...via prophecy, from an evil source, and something to be very concerned about. So then, probably not many Christians see the Freemasons as a threat. If there is a Freemason conspiracy, maybe it's a conspiracy of goodwill:
Reply
Isaac
8/24/2013 04:57:29 am
All wikipedia has to say is that some "18th century reports of Mandan... physical features among tribal members, such as blue and grey eyes along with lighter hair coloring, stirred speculation about the possibility of pre-Columbian European contact". Is there any evidence of Scandinavian DNA markers in the Mandan population? Is there any folk memory of any Scandinavians' arrival, or any relevant myths from the Mandan about the root of their fair hair and eyes?
Reply
Gunn
8/25/2013 04:02:55 am
Take your pick, or choose your own. My guess, because of the geographical closeness, is that the very obvious Scandinavian land-up-taking efforts of medieval times turned into a survival effort.
Greer
12/4/2013 04:36:14 am
If they have an unhealthy interest in sheep,they are more likely Welsh... :)
Scott Hamilton
8/23/2013 08:26:47 am
Holy poop, that Lowery stone alien is a Kamen Rider! I mean other than having breasts. The head is a dead ringer for any of the more insectoid Riders, like Ichigo or J or ZO.
Reply
BP
8/23/2013 09:25:20 am
Scott, I think the stone is an advertisement for an alien spa. Note the alien is standing in water and has a towel over 'her' arm.
Reply
tubby
8/24/2013 05:59:17 am
Clearly Kamen Rider was a waitress in the 1920's and has since become a cross dressing super hero!
Reply
Thane
8/23/2013 09:26:36 am
So, That's where Alexander the Great (and god-king) has been loitering all this time! Not in a lost tomb in Egypt nor in St. Mark's basilica having been mistaken for the corpse of the saint.
Reply
8/23/2013 09:41:21 am
The Alexander the Great claim comes, as best I can tell, from a company called Alexander Helios, a company dedicated to promoting the Illinois Caves as a money-making venture.
Reply
Thane
8/23/2013 09:48:09 am
Thanks. I've never heard of them and if I am ever in Illinois, I will avoid giving them any of my money.
Scott Hamilton
8/23/2013 10:14:46 am
The Alexander Helios people were on Mysterious Universe podcast 10.04. Their intellectual arrogance is staggering. They're too stupid to even know how stupid they are.
CFC
8/23/2013 10:54:54 am
Check out the Alexander Helios website. OMG!
Coridan Miller
8/23/2013 09:40:30 am
the Menehune episode may actually be interesting. At least its about native mythology and peoples.
Reply
Thane
8/23/2013 09:50:00 am
But you can't trust that they will present native mythology and known facts about the people honestly.....especially given their track record.
Reply
Coridan Miller
8/23/2013 12:06:47 pm
Of course not, and I half expect him to claim they were actual white Hobbits ala Tolkien. After all, the movie will be out around then won't it?
Kate
8/23/2013 12:16:47 pm
Out of morbid curiosity I looked at the Wikipedia page about AU. I don't know if it has been shared here before, but the genre for said TV show is "pseudo-documentary". It made me smile.
Reply
Dave Lewis
8/23/2013 01:52:54 pm
Earlier this week Coast to Coast AM had on a guy named Gerald Clark who was pushing his book "The Anunnaki of Nibiru: Mankind's Forgotten Creators, Enslavers, Saviors, and Hidden Architects of the New World Order:. He claimed the Anunnaki were responsible for everything that happened on Planet Earth and made connections to everybody from Jesus to Jimi Hendrix.
Reply
8/23/2013 07:15:02 pm
Readers of this blog have to watch the following video shot at "the Seven Continent Dowsers Association Conference":
Reply
Gunn
8/24/2013 03:14:33 am
http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/filestruth.htm
Reply
8/24/2013 04:14:50 am
Gunn,Don't get me wrong,I love to debunk pseudo science & historical mumbo jumbo, but I consider myself a rational thinker,this is precisely why I don't buy the Kennedy assassination official story.
CFC
8/24/2013 04:10:18 am
Fascinating Tara. Does this Dowsers group still have a conference? Thanks for sharing this (15 year old?) footage.
Reply
8/24/2013 04:36:01 am
The Other J.
8/24/2013 07:38:31 am
"This looks like a mouse with a football helmet! [...] It could be, I don't know -- you tell me. [...] But if I was going to describe this stone, I'd say it was a mouse with a helmet on and a Zoro mask."
Reply
CFC
8/24/2013 07:16:01 am
Some great resources and information. Thanks Tara!
Reply
Christopher Randolph
8/27/2013 02:08:16 pm
Well of course he's off to Hawaii. In addition to the nice trip he's drawing an increasingly large spiral, and I imagine this would eventually take him through Alaska too. Somehow you figure the spiral will go through Stonehenge and somewhere in France connected to the Knights Who Say Nii and lord knows where else, probably Jesus' carpentry shop.
Reply
Richard Cranium
10/20/2013 09:11:20 am
Jason C,
Reply
10/20/2013 09:28:56 am
You mean like the critically-acclaimed books I've published on the ancient astronaut theory (Cult of Alien Gods), the development of the horror genre (Knowing Fear), and my forthcoming book on the development of Greek mythology (Jason and the Argonauts)? Oh, right, you have to pay to read my original ideas (just like with Wolter, von Daniken, etc.), so of course you won't do that.
Reply
RLewis
1/22/2014 06:42:30 am
Jason, it looks like you pretty much pegged them all - except the John Surratt episode has not come up yet (or did I miss it?).
Reply
1/22/2014 06:46:02 am
It was on the published schedule in the H2 episode guide, but they skipped over it in the broadcasts. It was initially listed for next week in the episode guide but has been replaced with the serpent mound episode. I don't know why it got bumped back in the broadcast order.
Reply
mort
2/2/2014 07:17:09 pm
America Unearthed Season 2 Episode 4 14:30 minutes in. what is that flying in the background?
Reply
Me from Illinois
4/27/2016 12:19:43 am
Jason, I am surprised that you do not know that Lowery cave is the same as Burrow's Cave. Lowery discovered it then sealed it. Burrow's was looking for it (Lowery Cave) when he discovered "his cave". Lowery was not the first person to find "the cave". Reports state that it was first discovered by a poor, dirt farmer (No name recorded) back in the late 1800's. Story goes that while farming he came across an old suit off armor. He tried to sell it, at a nearby town. He was arrested because "how could a poor, dirt farmer have such an object, UNLESS he had stolen it". He remained in jail for some time, without his family knowing what had happened to him. When the police could not find no one who owned it, they released him with the suit. When he returned home, he stated "it was cursed" and re buried the object. All three stories have the same location. So it is not Burrow's cave, nor is it Lowery's cave, but is the "poor dirt farmer's cave". Amazing how all 3 had BAD LUCK. And could get no one to believe them, nor did any of them show where said cave is (except S.E. MARION COUNTY).
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI am an author and researcher focusing on pop culture, science, and history. Bylines: New Republic, Esquire, Slate, etc. There's more about me in the About Jason tab. Newsletters
Enter your email below to subscribe to my newsletter for updates on my latest projects, blog posts, and activities, and subscribe to Culture & Curiosities, my Substack newsletter.
Categories
All
Terms & ConditionsPlease read all applicable terms and conditions before posting a comment on this blog. Posting a comment constitutes your agreement to abide by the terms and conditions linked herein.
Archives
February 2025
|