The Egyptian Obelisk of Mecca and the Octagons of the Byzantines

Why Constantine placed his city. The Tale of the Egyptian Obelisk and Mecca. 
See my video on this subject at the bottom of the article. 

“In Hoc Signo Vinces” or “in this sign conquer.” Both the Motto of the Knights Templar and the Legions of the Roman Empire under ruler Constantine the Great. This motto is reflective of his adaptation of the Labarum symbol as a Christian sign. The Labarum is similar to many ancient symbols that translate to “heaven’s gate” or “city of god.” This use of the same motto may also indicate that these two groups are in fact one and the same. Masonry may have descended in part from the Legions of Rome.

                         The Legions of Constantine and the Knights Templar both value this motto.

One mystery of history that is often pondered is why Constantine chose a small obscure Greek fishing village upon which to found his new city Constantinople or New Rome. The answer may lie in the cities spatial relationship to the Egyptian obelisk at the center of St. Peter’s Square of the Vatican in Rome.  Using the east windrose marker in relation to the Egyptian obelisk at St. Peter’s an azimuth can be created on the globe that leads directly to the dome of Hajia St. Sophia in Constantinople. A church built and designed by Emperor Constantine.

The Eastern Windrose of St. Peter's Square.

The placement of the entire city may have been to venerate this spatial relationship which also marks sunrise on the equinox’s at the Vatican.  “Constantinople the city of the east,” a direction that seems to have been especially valued by the Roman church. The entire eastern orientation of the Vatican’s keyhole like design points directly to Hajia Sophia and Constantinople; the modern city of Istanbul. This arrangement serves as hidden yet highly symbolic link between the two capitols of what was then the same entity.

The Eastern orientation of St. Peter's points to......

The Dome of Hajia Sophia in Istanbul (Constantinople)

This entire arrangement may have been known only to a secret order of royalty and the priesthood of augurs of the day. Even the ceremony that established the Axis Mudi of each city was performed by the augurs in conjunction with the ruler. Indeed the augurs may have played a pivotal role in the orientation of structures and the mapping of the entire empire. These types of arrangements may have been known of only to a select few.

In many ways these traditions extended through each era of history and exist still today. Here at GIS we have been finding out a lot about Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Von Humboldt and their association with what may be defined as geomancy. Along the way  clues have been found that may indicate that these two men were both Knights Templar Strict Observance. The “Strict Observance” indicates a rite of German Masonry. We may see how this order reflects the values of influences such as both emperors Justinian, Charlemagne, and subsequent Holy Roman Emperors.

These two men had a documented correspondence and both were members of the Linnean Society of London, a naturalist group of which Charles Darwin and John Astor were also members. In addition Von Humboldt was a member of the Prussian Royal court. Prussian Royalty were said to have been considered the uppermost authority within the rite of Strict Observance and were said to possess the true secrets and intent of the order. Common members of the order were not privy to the secrets and mysteries known to the upper echelons of the order.

There are records of Von Humboldt being a Mason of the Strict Observance. If Thomas Jefferson was a member of the Lodge of Nine Muses in Paris as many theorize then this lodge would have also been a rite of Strict Observance lodge. At this point the Rite of Strict Observance was widely popular in France due to their conflict with the British and disuse of the rites observed in England at the time. 

It is possible that membership in the Knights Templar Strict Observance was a matter of utmost secrecy. In what seems a German tradition members of the Prussian Royal court seemed to be obsessed with biblical relics as well as those from earlier periods.  This obsession would later be echoed in the search for holy relics by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. The third reich. There are many tales of Prussian Royalty searching for relics in the tradition of the grail quest. Some mysteries may have also been created by this group as a kind of initiation into the order. These mysteries may have been styled in the form of a grail quest.

The existence of a book entitled “The Book of the Holy Grail” by Joseph of Arimathea indicates that Thomas Jefferson may have been a Knights Templar Strict Observance (KTSO). The book states that Jefferson edited this book from French to English and was a member of the order. Von Humboldt’s being a member of Prussian Royalty and a Lodge of Strict Observance as well as his friendship and correspondence with Jefferson may indicate the possibility of him being a member of the order as well.

In their own writings Linnean Society members Von Humboldt and Pehr Kalm wrote of the Verendrye Runestone (thought by some to be the Pillowstone of Jacob) and also expressed interest in other realms of the search for the Holy Grail.  In addition this entire group of scientists and thinkers of the day were intensely interested in anything to do with the ancient history of both the Holy Grail and North America. Both Jefferson and Von Humboldt showed great interest in an area of New Mexico that would later be the location of both the Trinity Test Site and the Very Large Array of radio telescopes. These men’s fascination with this region may involve a grail quest that may still dictate events in that region today. Both men may have been aware of an octagonal secret axis left by Scandinavian Templars in the mid fourteenth century.

In order to understand the Holy Grail in the Americas we must go back in time and examine the navel of the western world. Specifically, one of the most powerful points on the face of the Earth: the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. There is no Axis anywhere on the planet that seems to have had as much impact on the history of the western world so it makes sense that many mysteries would be associated with this grand place.

It is within these mysteries that we can see a clear value of this place over a great span of time that in many ways disputes the standard line of History. The true history of the Temple Mount may also inform us of the distinct and hidden contributions to history of the Byzantine Empire that may surprise many. It may also become obvious that the traditions and culture of the Byzantines may have had a huge impact on the first Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne.

The Temple Mount

Our modern interpretation of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem as it appears today may be greatly misunderstood by the majority of the people who take the time to ponder its meaning. By all appearances the Temple Mount and the buildings situated on it are all structures built or redesigned by Muslims.  If one delves into the details it may reveal that the temple mount was being used as an axis similar to that of Baalbek, Lebanon by the Byzantines and Romans even though the Muslims controlled the temple mount itself.

In fact the plans of both the Temple Mount and the ruins of Baalbek have some stunning design similarities. The details may reveal that both of these sites were built or influenced by Roman and Byzantine interests for similar purposes. In fact a newer value of the Temple Mount instead of Baalbek may reflect the more recent Roman value of Christianity. Baalbek may have represented their former pagan faith and the Temple Mount and Jerusalem their Christian values. This may be why the imperial emphasis changed from Baalbek to Jerusalem at some point.

The Axis of Baalbek is defined by the hexagonal feature present there. The hexagon has an even linear association with the Temple of Jupiter there as if they were both components of a working system. At the Temple Mount the Al Aqsa Mosque and the octagon of the Dome of the Rock are laid out in a similar manner. My theory involves both the hexagon and octagon functioning as compass roses laid out on the face of the earth in the form of a monument.

These buildings represent datums or places from which to measure. Among the great variety of information stored in the dimensions and construction attributes of these structures is their hidden use as a sighting device that records pertinent directions valued by the culture that produced them. The area defined by the Axis and its associated rays is known as a Templum and is the domain of the ruler who established it.

The ruins of Baalbek and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem both display the concept of the Axis Mundi in the Roman Tradition. Among the sacred geometry suggested by these structures is a method by which property can be divided and legally described. Given the line blurred between science and spirituality of this era these Axis also had great talismanic and religious significance.

An examination of the azimuths suggested by these structures orientation reveals many places of importance to those that created the Axis. The Axis actually points the way to other important places. This examination also reveals a distinct value of Baalbek through time by Roman and Byzantine rulers. In fact there are records of many emperors and rulers visiting Baalbek over an extended period. This tradition extended from Alexander the Great’s visit there in the third century B.C. to German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm’s visit there in 1899.  A value of Baalbek is thought to be very ancient and includes a great deal of time prior to the Roman value of the site. The Roman imperial value of Baalbek may have meant it was a secret point from which to produce accurate maps and charts.

The Great Pyramid of Giza points a line straight to the Hexagon of Baalbek in a spatial relationship that may have defined the modern form of latitude and longitude that we still use today. The Great Pyramid also points to the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The azimuths suggested by the Dome of the Rock define the biblical mystery of the Lost Ark of the Covenant as well as other mysteries associated with their creator. In this way these axis are instilled with a lore and culture that ensures their value and interests one in their true meanings and origins. In this way cultural and philosophical information is literally broadcasted along the rays created by the axis. This is a means of spreading one’s philosophy or religion.

In turn both the Dome of the Rock and the Hexagon of Baalbek may have been used to create templates that could allow relatively accurate maps to be produced by forming a crude map projection using their shapes. These maps would actually reflect the curvature of the earth in the way an octagon or hexagon can represent a squared circle or curved line. Relative accuracy could be achieved by extending the templum at the angles suggested by the octagonal or hexagonal form to the limits where distortion would be too great to achieve accuracy.

Subsequently another Axis could be established at that limit using the template established by the original axis. To double check positions relative star and shadow sightings would be compared and logged from axis to axis. In this way an entire empire could be mapped in terms that would be easily recognizable and useful even today. A by-product of this technology would include a relative model of the differences in time of the day at different points on the earth.

It would be difficult to even design geometrical structures like the Dome of the Rock and Baalbek without coming to the realization that these forms could be used this way. There are hints that this technology was known of but kept a strict secret possibly known only to the Augurs or Priests who possessed a lineage that may have extended back to Egypt to the Etruscans and finally to Rome and the Eastern Empire. This knowledge may be possessed today by members of the Cistercian Order or monks.

These facts may comprise part of the “mysteries” that these structures represent. These types of structures are meant to teach one important concepts and to also possibly lead one on a vision quest that emphasizes the metaphorical values of a given faith or philosophy. It is clear that many structures like these have been valued through the entire scope of history.

Given the Roman and Byzantine value of Baalbek it is of utmost interest to note that both the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock situated atop the Temple Mount appear to have been built by Byzantines for their purposes. The Al Aqsa Mosque was originally built by Byzantine ruler Justinian I and was known as the Church of St. Mary Justinian. This is the same structure later used by the Knights Templar as their base in the Holy Land during the crusades. This building was later redesigned as a mosque after Jerusalem was taken from the Byzantines. This structure is analogous to the position and function of the Temple of Jupiter in relation to the hexagonal structure of Baalbek. The Al Aqsa Mosque has the same spatial relationship with the octagon of the Dome of the Rock. Both sites resemble machines that were built for the same purpose. In fact when viewing the plans of both sites they are stunningly similar with the major difference being that Baalbek has a hexagon and the DOTR has an octagon.

An examination of the history of the Dome of the Rock itself reveals some startling clues as to its actual function and intended use. We have already examined how the geomantic array of St. Peter’s Square of the Vatican points a line to the Dome of the Rock. The Northwest facet of the Dome of the Rock uses the same azimuth suggested by St. Peter’s to connect the two structures from over 1300 miles apart. These two structures were built to intentionally point to each other using the exact same azimuth or line on the globe!  This begs the question: “Why would the Muslims orient a building towards the Vatican?” Answer: “They didn’t, Byzantine Emperor Justinian II did it!” This entire conspiracy if true may mean the Knights Templar were fully aware of many of the mysteries of the Temple Mount prior to their arrival there.

The array at St. Peter's creates an azimuth that leads to......

The Dome of The Rock on the Temple Mount. The Dome's octagon points right back to St. Peter's!

During the early period of the Muslim occupation of Jerusalem there seemed to be somewhat of a cozy relationship between the new and old rulers. Many Byzantine citizens sided with the Muslims and the takeover of the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean was not as violent of an affair as in other regions. Byzantine engineers and artisans were invited to take part in the construction of the Dome of the Rock. It is during this time that these individuals may have insured that the structure would be oriented to point the way to the Vatican as well as define the mystery of the Lost Ark of the Covenant. The Dome of the Rock actually points the way to Axsum, Ethiopia a possible resting place of the Ark (see additional chapter about the Lost Ark).

The Dome of the Rock somehow ended up being a talisman of importance to the Byzantines of equal importance to that of the Muslims. The Dome of the Rock is where Mohammed ascended and descended from heaven in a tale very similar to that of Jacob’s Ladder in the Old Testament. Note here that none of this would not have been possible if not for the more reasonable peaceful views of the Muslim rulers of Jerusalem. They were clearly taken advantage of. It is clear that sometime after this era the Muslims rightfully came to mistrust their former rulers.

A possible connection to all of this Byzantine interference in Muslim affairs is the fact that there is an Egyptian obelisk in Mecca. Very little information is available about this obelisk and no one seems to know the history of how and why this obelisk is in Mecca. It may have been removed sometime in or about 2008 and replaced with another monument. It is important to note that a tradition existed in which a pilgrim visiting the Grand Mosque would stone the obelisk in a rejection of what they considered an evil object or philosophy. This activity may reflect a realization of the true nature of the obelisk by those who actually placed it there. 

                                                      The "Stoning of Satan" in Mecca.

Is it possible that this obelisk was originally placed in Mecca by Byzantine influences? The Byzantine and Roman culture has a clear value of placing Egyptian obelisks in places of importance to them. Egyptian obelisks are present in cities outside of Egypt including Constantinople (Istanbul), Rome, Paris, London, and New York City. Mecca is a little known addition to this list.

If the Byzantines were involved with the Mecca obelisk this theory would fit the level of intrigue and manipulation displayed in the orientation of the Dome of the Rock to fulfill their needs in a clandestine manner. There are many that espouse a huge amount of manipulation and interference from the Church of Rome in the early formation of the Muslim faith. May that not also include imperial and religious Byzantine interests? These possible scenarios may support such a notion. It is clear from subsequent historical events that the Muslims at some point became aware of the ill intent of Rome and retaliated against them.

One possible by-product of the Muslims coming to this conclusion may include the destruction of the casement stones of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The southeast trending facet of the Great Pyramid may point a line or azimuth extending straight to the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Mecca was a holy city long before the advent of the Muslim faith. It is within the realm of possibility that Mecca was originally placed or developed with regard to its spatial relationship to the Great Pyramid.

The Great Pyramids spatial orientation to Mecca, Baalbek, Italy, and the discovery site of the Golden Tablets used by Joseph Smith to write the Book of Mormon, may represent important directions upon which faiths similar to that of Egypt may be created and propagated.  The Great Pyramid may represent a spiritual as well as physical datum or place from which to mearsure. Simply by existing the Great Pyramid serves as a transmitter of its philosophy. It is possible that a cloistered priesthood still exists today that facilitates these phenomena.

It may be that the actual orientation of the casement was slightly different than what remains of the Great Pyramid at this point. (See additional chapter for more). If the pyramid was oriented using the polar star there is some minor window of error in aligning something of this magnitude. The pole star can move very slightly while it is being sighted.

If this is true a spatial relationship such as this may have been seen as an undesirable factor by the Muslims that they had been previously unaware of. They may have felt as if they had been tricked or fooled into both building the Dome of the Rock and having an obelisk in Mecca. Their reaction was to destroy the casement stones so the true exact orientation of the pyramid and its spatial association with Mecca could not be discerned. This realization may have led to the later Moorish invasion of Spain and other western interests.

It is probable that the Byzantines were aware of the array of azimuths extending from the Great Pyramid and gifted or placed the obelisk in Mecca without the inhabitants truly realizing why. It is unclear at what point the obelisk began to be viewed as evil and stoned as a result. It would be interesting to find out and see if it was the same era in which the casement was destroyed by Muslim interests. If true all of this could be viewed as possible given the manipulation of Imperial Rome.Alternately the obelisk may have been brought there specifically to stone or hold up as an example of evil.

These methods may have been employed through out the entire world by each successive ruling class though the entire scope of history. As we will see there is a clear record of this activity running through each phase of United States history.  In this way the relatively young age of the U.S. makes these patterns easy to see and analyze.

Charlemagne

The eighth century began with the Byzantine Empire being ruled by the Emperor Justinian II and ended with Charlemagne being crowed Holy Roman Emperor at the Vatican in Rome. At this point a severely weakened Byzantine Empire still existed but its former place of power in relation to western Rome now went to the Germans. In both a veneration of the church and earlier emperors Justinian I and II Charlemagne built the wonderful Cathedral of Aachen in Germany.

This cathedral aligns with the Northwest windrose marker and the obelisk at the center of St. Peter’s square. Aachen Cathedral is pointed to by the Vatican. This arrangement literally aligns the Holy Roman Empire and the Vatican!  In addition the central design element of the Aachen Cathedral is an octagon.  The interior of the octagon is done in a Moorish style that can’t help but to remind one of the interior of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. These men were sending us messages via the forms of their architecture.

It is during the reign of Charlemagne that the more modern form of the grail quest may have taken on more Masonic overtones than mystery school origins. Charlemagne had a clear admiration for Byzantine rulers Justinian I and II. He had a statue of Justinian I brought from Constantinople and may have designed the Aachen cathedral in an octagonal form made famous by the octagonal early Christian churches that Justinian is credited with designing. This is the same reason the Dome of the Rock was built in an octagonal form.

Charlemagne’s value of Justinian II may have been for his manipulating the Dome of the Rock into existence.  This is why the interior of Aachen is Moorish in design and resembles the inside of the Dome of the Rock. It is also possible that Charlemagne was directly related to the bloodline of the Roman Empire and saw himself as descendant of these men. 

For more see article “Georgia Guidestones mystery solved.” Yes Charlemagne may have a distant connection the Guidestones. Please read that article to discern the true function of the Guidestones and why they were placed where they are.  In that article you can also see how Jefferson valued the Byzantines by designing his octagonal country estate Poplar Forest as an octagonal veneration of the Dome of the Rock. 

Thomas Jefferson and the Octagons of the Byzantine Empire: