Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past
History UFOlogy Ancient Astronaut Theory New Age Mind Body Spirit Paranormal Mystery
Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past – the 1972 first English edition from Souvenir Press – is the hard-to-find vintage copy that launched the ancient-astronaut phenomenon. Erich von Däniken’s ground-breaking bestseller argues that extraterrestrials visited Earth millennia ago, leaving traces in Nazca’s desert lines, Egypt’s pyramids, and the Bible’s fiery chariots. This heavily illustrated hardcover preserves every photo, map and diagram that shocked 1970s readers, while the original unclipped dust-jacket still carries the era’s bold question: “Was God an Astronaut?”
Collectors prize this 1972 printing for three reasons: it predates later abridgements, the plates are sharper than in modern reprints, and clean copies with intact jackets are increasingly scarce. The book offered here is gift-inscribed (a neat 1973 note, not by the author) but otherwise remarkably well-kept—pages are bright, binding tight, and the illustrated end-papers unmarked. Light edge-wear on the jacket only confirms its half-century journey from bookstore to private shelf.
For New Age researchers, UFO enthusiasts or antiquarian hunters, owning the first U.K. edition is a cultural statement as much as a reading experience. Von Däniken’s thesis ignited decades of debate, TV specials and archaeological re-evaluations; this volume is the tangible artifact that started it all. Display it spine-out on a collector’s shelf or dive into the controversial theories that still fuel podcasts and documentaries today.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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