Has the Book "Chariots of the Gods" been Debunked?

As has been said earlier, read it as entertaining fiction but don't take any of the wild claims seriously.

I read the book as an impressionable teenager and it certainly 'turned me on' to a whole new way of looking at things and maybe, just maybe everything i knew or had been taught was a lie, a view i still hold today thanks to that book. Some of the artifacts presented are highly suspect, and as others have said proven hoax or debunked. People seem to put vonny in the same boat as stitchen.

reply to post by grantbeed


This book is as popular now as it has been back then....the History Channel in the Series Ancient Astronauts brings the writer and his book up over and over again. It is a must read for everyone that believes in ET and UFO's.
I loved the book as it opens your eyes and makes you think about a lot of things differently. Enjoy!!

"Chariots of the Gods" debunks itself by the simple fact that while some ancient monuments and artwork might appear to show aliens or their work, not a single bit of it actually proves it. There has never been anything found that incontrovertibly connects Point A (an artifact) with Point B (aliens), any more than it connects Point A with Point C (fairies and elves), or Point D (somebody's imagination).

So what's to debunk?

Originally posted by Doc Velocity

Originally posted by grantbeed
I am wondering whether to read this book, "Chariots of the Gods" by Eric Von Daniken... Should I really be giving my time to this book or not?

Yes, I think it'll restore your sense of the miraculous to read Daniken's Chariots.

This book and its follow-up books have never been "debunked," for one simple reason: Erich Von Daniken did not make any hard-and-fast claims about the books being proven fact.

Rather than defending his scientific accuracy, Von Daniken has consistently pointed out over the decades that his books only present QUESTIONS, not answers.

Look at the title of his first book: Von Daniken deliberately entitled it "Chariots of the Gods?"...with a big question mark. Inside, you'll find hundreds of questions, although Von Daniken does not pretend to know the answers.

His intent was to cause his readers to ask questions and seek answers for themselves.

So, I don't see how there can be any harm in reading his collected works, opening your mind to fresh questions about extraterrestrial influence on Earth throughout history and prehistory. To close your mind to questions is to limit your own intellectual growth.

Incidentally, Erich Von Daniken is still very much alive and kicking, still giving lectures and still writing to this day. Here's a link to his website:

Erich Von Daniken's website

— Doc Velocity

That's about right. I think there's something to it. If alien visitation has gone on at all, it's been going on all along.

Good book, and I agree with everyone who has said to use it as food for thought. There are some interesting ideas in there, but the author clearly states in the beginning of the book (and regularly throughout the book) that these are his opinions and ideas.