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Hamlet’s Mill: An Essay Investigating the Origins of Human Knowledge and Its Transmission Through Myth

Giorgio de Santillana, Hertha von Dechend · 1969

"Hamlet's Mill: An Essay Investigating the Origins of Human Knowledge and Its Transmission Through Myth," written by Giorgio de Santillana and Hertha von Dechend, presents the argument that ancient mythologies contain sophisticated knowledge of the precession of the equinoxes. This knowledge, they argue, indicates a Neolithic discovery and a long-lived Megalithic civilization of remarkable sophistication, particularly in astronomical observation. The authors suggest that this civilization's knowledge was encoded in myths, often represented by a millstone and a young protagonist, which they interpret primarily through the lens of archaeoastronomy.

The book aims to examine the remnants and allusions of ancient myths, reconstructing a particular myth of a heavenly mill grinding the world's salt and soil, symbolizing the transition between astrological ages. However, "Hamlet's Mill" faced severe criticism from academic reviewers, who challenged its arguments as being based on tenuous or outdated linguistic information and an over-reliance on coincidences and analogies. Critics also questioned the plausibility of such a far-reaching and influential civilization without leaving solid evidence​ ​.

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See also

Wiki › Great Year
Wiki › Precession
Wiki › World Age

Hamlet's Mill | Wikipedia

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