My feature on the "pyramids" of Bosnia-Herzegovina is in the new issue of Smithsonian Magazine.Amateur archaeologist Semir Osmanagic (aka Sam Osmanagich) became a celebrity in Bosnia after announcing he had discovered the world's largest and oldest pyramid complex, hiding in plain sight just outside Sarajevo. As you can read, many experts are more than a little skeptical of Osmanagic's claims, and alarmed at the degree of official support his "archaeological digs" have received.
The piece is also available online in its entirety.
(If you'd like to read some of Mr. Osmanagic's writings for yourself, he's conveniently posted the English translation of one of his books online. Another, the nine volume Alternativna Historija, is available in Bosnian.)
We covered Osmanagic's 'discovery', and much of its fallout, many months ago. This is similar, I suppose, to the recent exploits of the Castiglioni brothers in the Egyptian desert, who have since been discredited by the SCA (though there's much more legwork in that story yet).
ReplyDeleteWhen were you in Bosnia Colin?
ReplyDeleteSteve