[Mod. note. Since we're in a slow period, List members might be
interested in the following note from sources in Bosnia-Herzegovina
on the continuing pseudoarchaeological digs in the Visoko hills,
which are butchering the countryside. The letter that follows the note
is signed by eleven geologists, historians, and archaeologists from
Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is apparently simultaneously being published
there and in Croatia. The note writer, "Stultitia" -- the reference
is to Erasmus' "Praise of Folly" (1509) -- wishes to remain anonymous
due to flak and reported threats from the nationalistic forces
pushing these excavations. Obviously, there is much in common here
with nationalistic backing of fake archaeology in other regions
we have recently discussed on the List. It is an interesting and
also depressing story. - Steve.]

Dear Dr. Farmer,

Despite numerous protests and appeals from the worldwide scientific
community � including the one you so kindly supported last June by
signing the letter to UNESCO � over the last year, the
pseudoarchaeological diggings at and under the Visoko hills in search
for alleged prehistoric pyramids continue as false archaeology takes
even stronger roots in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Following the pseudoarchaeological success of Mr. Osmanagic, another
such pseudoscientific theory has recently reemerged after more than
two decades � that of one Salinas Price, a Mexican hotel owner, who
claims that the Homeric Troy is situated near the small Bosnian-
Herzegovinian town of Gabela in the Neretva river valley. Just like
Visoko, the Gabela area is an important archaeological region rich
with protected national monuments (see the Commission to Protect
National Monuments entry for Gabela at this link, in English:

<http://tinyurl.com/2bgm5w>).

Mr. Price and his coordinators in Herzegovina
recently made some statements indicating that another Visoko-like
project could soon be under way in Gabela.

The Bosnian-Herzegovinian scientists and experts are making a final
affort of warning the international community about these
pseudoarchaeological threats to our real historical heritage, by
writing a new letter to Mr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling, the High
Representative of the international community in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
This letter is even more important since Mr. Schwarz-Schilling
himself gave support to the Visoko project last year.

The text of this letter will be published tomorrow in the Sarajevo-
based daily newspaper Oslobodjenje and the Croatian weekly magazine
Feral Tribune. I am forwarding the English translation of this letter
to you, to inform you about it and to kindly ask you to forward this
information to a relevant institution in your country or to an
institution you consider fit in this case. The letter also has a
petitionary charachter, as it will be forwarded to relevant European
institutions, UNESCO, etc. We receive and expect more signatures from
Bosnian-Herzegovinian experts every day.

Thank you for your help,

Kind regards,
Stultitia
http://apwr-central.blog.com/

--------------

Sarajevo, March 14, 2007

Dear Mr. Schwarz-Schilling,

For more than a year now, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian and the
international scientific community has been following the development
of pseudoarchaeological trend and project of search for the alleged
prehistoric pyramids near Visoko in Bosnia-Herzegovina in utter
appalment. Particularly worrying are the support given to this
project by a part of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian political
establishment and the politicized rhetoric applied to present the
alleged discovery of Visoko pyramids as fundamental state interest to
the public. Therefore, your last year's visit to the location of the
alleged discovery and support to its alleged researcher, Mr. Semir
Osmanagic, given in the capacity of the High Commissioner and the
most important representative of international community in Bosnia-
Herzegovina, is unacceptable and shocking.

The local and international experts in archaeology, history and
geology have, over the course of the past year, individually or
jointly, expressed their criticism over this project and warned of
the dangers posed by such pseudoarchaeological trend and amateurish
excavations to the real cultural and historical heritage. They
particularly stressed the inappropriateness of support to such
pseudoscientific project in a society that has recently emerged from
a horrible war and has great difficulties in restoring its high
education facilities, museums, libraries and other cultural,
scientific and research institutions.

In May last year, some twenty Bosnian-Herzegovinian archaeologists,
historians and museologists, following many individual outcries in
local media, directed a joint open letter of protest to the federal
authorities which gave green light to this project without adequate
scientific supervision. A group of Bosnian-Herzegovinian geologists
made a report clearly overturning, on scientific basis, the
hypothesis of the alleged pyramids near Visoko. Ignoring all these
reports and warnings, the then member of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian
joint presidency, Mr. Sulejman Tihic, asked for support to this
project from the UNESCO representatives. Following that, in June last
year, some thirty international experts sent a letter to the UNESCO
headquarters in Paris, expressing their concern over the development
of pseudoarchaeology in Bosnia-Herzegovina and seeking for the prompt
expert judgement of that project. Meantime, similar criticism and
concerns came from the European Association of Archaeologists as well
as from the American archaeological community. Their scientifically
based arguments were not accepted by any of the authorized
institutions in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A number of these experts and representatives of the highest
international archaeological bodies, headed by Mr. Anthony Harding,
the president of the European Association of Archaeologists, and Mr.
Hermann Parzinger, the president of Deutsches Arch�ologisches
Institut, have recently appealed to the Bosnian-Herzegovinian
authorities with request that this project is critically evaluated,
but that appeal received no reply. Despite all these warnings,
numerous leading Bosnian-Herzegovinian politicians, including
religious leaders, are increasingly supportive of this highly
problematic project. In August last year, you too visited the Visoko
hill of Pljesevica � renamed into the Pyramid of the Moon � and gave
your support to Mr. Semir Osmanagic, the American businessman of
Bosnian origin, who presents himself as independent explorer of
ancient mysteries. On that occasion, you have called Mr. Osmanagic �
who claims that Bosnia is the cradle of human civilization � a
visionary, while Bosnian-Herzegovinian media carried your another
statement:

"I do not believe that this was created by nature and the sceptic
scientists who claim so should come here, make an experiment and
prove it. I congratulate you on your work so far, on opening the
possibility for present generations to see ancient past and I hope
that your vision will, with each day, be closer to the truth. I wish
you a lot of success in the future work and do not hesitate to, in
case of need, ask for my help."

By this act, you have completely turned against the principles of
institution that you represent and paved the way for further open
support to this pseudoproject by the local politicians, introducing
further influence of pseudoscience in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Europe.
The negative effects of such support are already visible. A great
part of the population is convinced that the pyramids are actually
discovered despite the lack of any evidence to support this
conviction even after substantial diggings on the site. The reality
is, however, far off from your assertion that present generations
will be able to see the ancient past of Bosnia-Herzegovina. On the
contrary, in the wider Visoko region, where Mr. Semir Osmanagic and
his people conduct their amateur diggings (often using bulldozers),
endangered are some of the archaeological layers that are of utmost
importance to research and understanding of the human continuity in
this area from neolithic period (Okoliste), the very beginnings of
Bosnia as an organized societal unit in the early medieval period
(Biskupici, Mostre, Visoki) to development of the late medieval
Bosnian Kingdom (medieval royal town of Visoki on top of the hill
renamed into the Pyramid of the Sun).

In that sense, the amateur diggings and destruction of archaeological
stratification is not the only problem and hazard. From the very
beginning, the project showed tendency to concealment of certain
discovered artefacts that did not fit the hypotheses of Mr. Semir
Osmanagic, namely remains of human bones, various tools and ceramic
shards, as reported by various media during the summer of 2006. All
of these finds are consistent with the existing knowledge about the
Visoko valley archaeology and particularly with the warnings by the
local and international experts that Mr. Osmanagic's dilettantish and
questionable diggings are endangering and destroying real and
valuable archaeological locations and finds, most probably dating to
the medieval period. His team never published any official reports
about these finds nor it has informed the public on where they were
sent for analyses, nor on these alleged analyses results.

Apart from concealing the unwanted evidence, lacking any other
supporting arguments for their hypotheses, Mr. Osmanagic and his
followers are falsifying the interpretations of the known
historical monuments and traditions in order to create an illusion of
an ancient mystery that needs to be solved. In such attempts, the
famous Bosnian-Herzegovinian medieval tombstones stecci are
interpreted by Mr. Osmanagic as "megaliths that have rolled down from
the pyramid" or remains of "ancient energy temples" while early
romanesque reliefs of crosses inscribed in circles � a motif well
know throughout the medieval Europe! � become "diagrams of mysterious
ancient mechanisms", etc.

Any criticism over such pseudoscientific approach in Bosnia-
Herzegovina is stamped as a unpatriotic act while critics are
stigmatized as traitors in public, since the pyramid project has
since its beginning been identified with a �national interest". You
have contributed to this conviction in the public as well, by giving
your support to Semir Osmanagic, who does not shy away from claiming
that the entire future and prosperity of Bosnia-Herzegovina depend on
the success of his project.

In that sense, the plans to expand the project to the wider Bosnia-
Herzegovina areas in 2007 are particularly alarming. This
"Foundation" has visible aspirations to spread their activities to
the wider Bosnia-Herzegovina region, as well as the neighboring
Croatia. Further claims in the European context can be expected,
since the final proclaimed goal of this �alternative" undertaking is
nothing less than overturning the entire world science and all of its
achievements, with setting up a new system of "knowledge and values",
based on the esotericism and sectarianism of the "New Age" type. The
pseudoarchaeological search for alleged pyramids in Visoko and the
support given to this project have already opened the door wide for
other similar pseudoscientific tendencies in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
namely the recently proclaimed renewal of the search for Homer's Troy
in the Neretva river valley, according to the claims made by the
Mexican businessman Salinas Price, which were, otherwise, disproved
by the Bosnian-Herzegovinian archaeologists some twenty years ago.

Mr. Schwarz-Schilling, these are not visions for a better future nor
of ancient past, that is multiple vandalism � destruction of the
existing cultural and historical heritage as well as an attempt to
overturn the civilizational achievements and systems of values, not
only in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but also in Europe. You, as a
representative of such Europe, have a duty of helping the Bosnian-
Herzegovinian scientific community and layman public to ward off the
pseudoarchaeological specter of antiintellectalism in Visoko. Of you,
we demand:

1. That the High Representative, in his engagement in the context of
research and protection of cultural heritage of Bosnia-Herzegovina,
applies the same criteria relevant in his country, the European Union
and entire civilized world, and keeps in mind the relevant facts
instead of giving support to adventuristic and pseudoscientific
projects;

2. That the High Representative, for purposes of adequate protection
of the remainig endangered monuments in the Visoko region, ensures
that Mr. Osmanagic's Foundation fullfills its duty towards the state
Institute to Protect Cultural Monuments by delivering all inventory
books, field diaries and the complete report with photo and drawn
documentation of diggings done on Visocica hill in 2005 and 2006, and
on Pljesevica hill in 2006, so that the expert evaluation of that
documentation is enabled. Only by doing so, a judgement can be
reached on apropriateness of the conducted diggings, potential
falsification of the finds eliminated and possibility of prolonging
the further digging permits considered;

3. That the High Representative recognizes the opinion and arguments
by the experts of the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil
Engineering at the University of Tuzla who have on several occasions
publicly opposed the abuse of geology for purposes of misleading the
Bosnian-Herzegovinian public. They have clearly stated these
arguments in their Report on the geological research at the Visocica
hill near Visoko, accepted by the scientific and educational Council
of the Faculty on April 17, 2006. The research was done at the
request by the Archaeological Park: Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun
Foundation itself;

4. That the High Representative urges with adequate authorities of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, the European Union and Germany as presiding the
European Union, that Bosnia-Herzegovina signes the European
Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Valletta
1992), as well as for providing conditions to open archaeology
studies in Sarajevo. That kind of study is the only guarantee that
appropriate expert body will be educated, capable to apply modern
scientific methods in research and protection of the Bosnian-
Herzegovinian cultural heritage.

As stated at the beginning of this letter, archaeologists, historians
and geologists of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Europe and America have already
on several occasions warned of the danger and damage that false
archaeology in Bosnia-Herzegovina causes to the cultural history of
our country, Europe and the world. Our warnings so far have not been
considered in any aspect, not by the OHR, nor by the local political
structures directly responsible for such matters. This is our last
warning attempt and this time it is not directed only to the local,
but also to the European and international public. In case that this
letter once again receives no appropriate reaction, you will,
together with the local politicians, bear the responsibility for all
consequences that further unchallenged spreading of the false science
will leave on our and the world heritage, as well as on the
interpersonal relations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Europe and the rest of
the world.

Please note that this letter will be published in the Bosnian-
Herzegovinian and international media, with possibility of gaining a
petitionary character.

With respect,
in the name of historians, geologists and archaeologists of Bosnia-
Herzegovina:

Dr. Dubravko Lovrenovic, professor of history at the Faculty of
Philosophy in Sarajevo

Dr. Sc. Sejfudin Vrabac, full-time professor of geology at the
Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of
Tuzla; Leader of the team for geological research of the Visocica
Hill near Visoko

Dr. Sc. Hazim Hrvatovic, associate professor, the Faculty of Mining,
Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Dr. Sc. Senaid Salihovic, associate professor, the Faculty of Mining,
Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Dr. Sc. Amir Barakovic, associate professor, the Faculty of Mining,
Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Dr. Sc. Zijad Ferhatbegovic, senior lecutrer, the Faculty of Mining,
Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Dr. Sc. Zehra Salkic, senior lecutrer, the Faculty of Mining, Geology
and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Mr. Sc. Izudin Djulovic, senior assistant, the Faculty of Mining,
Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Mr. Sc. Elvir Babajic, senior assistant, the Faculty of Mining,
Geology and Civil Engineering at the University of Tuzla

Dr. Ljiljana Sevo, professor of art history at universities of
Sarajevo and Banja Luka

Dr. Blagoje Govedarica, professor of prehistoric archaeology at the
Heidelberg University ; Scientific advisor at the Centre for Balkan
Studies of the Bosnia-Herzegovna Academy of Sciences and Arts in
Sarajevo