Inherited or Forgotten Knowledge: An Anthropological Inquiry into Global Megalithic Mastery

Abstract

Global megalithic structures—ranging from the pyramids of Giza and the massive stone terraces of Peru to the monolithic platforms of Baalbek and the Bosnian Pyramid complex of Visoko— continue to challenge conventional anthropological narratives about the technological capacities of ancient societies. This article examines the hypothesis that advanced geometric, astronomical, and engineering knowledge may represent either an inherited legacy from an earlier, forgotten phase of human civilization or a sophisticated cultural development now lost to history. Drawing on direct field investigations in Egypt, Lebanon, Peru, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and supported by comparative analysis of geodetic, architectural, and astronomical data, this study evaluates the global patterns of precision, material manipulation, and large-scale construction observed across these sites. Special attention is given to the alignment accuracy of the Egyptian pyramids; the transport and placement of multi-hundred-ton blocks at Giza and Baalbek; the polygonal masonry of the Andes; and the geometric, Fibonacci-based, and astronomical correspondences identified within the Bosnian Pyramid Complex—including its correlations with the Pleiades star cluster. These cases collectively raise critical questions about the limits of known prehistoric technologies and the possibility of now-lost knowledge systems. The article argues that anthropology—when expanded to include interdisciplinary evidence— offers a valuable framework for re-evaluating the origins, purpose, and builders of ancient megalithic monuments, suggesting that our current cultural chronology may be incomplete.