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Home , Joe Nickell, Psychic archaeology

INVESTIGATIVE FILES

Dowsing Mysterious Sites

'm not an archaeologist but, as some- appointed him. Bond was an occultist as to render the results meaningless" thing of a jack of all trades, I have who turned to a friend's automatic writ- (Feder 1996). participated in some archaeological ing for help in locating the ruins of two Some defenders of would I chapels. Soon "Gulielmus Monachus" investigations and digs, including a object to its being categorized with psy- forensic one thai unearthed hidden ("William the Monk") and other spirits, chic claims, suggesting it may have a nat- skeletal remains and a bullet (Reno- including "watchers from die other side," ural explanation. Dowsers have often vation 1981). In short, I know enough were tapping the "Universal Memory" to attributed die movement of the rods or to appreciate what a boon power provide die necessary site information. pendulums to "eardi force fields," which would provide to the field—if such Bond's excavations were successful, but supposedly send out "vibrations" such as power were actually to exist. when he eventually revealed his mediods electromagnetic or other radiations. Yet in 1917 die Church was embarrassed and many dowsers work from maps, far from Psychic he was forced out, ending the work in the actual locations, and some claim to Certainly, there arc many who believe in 1922 (Guiley 1991). receive images—including those of the ""—the supposed Archaeologist, skeptic, and CSICOP past and future—like clairvoyants (Guiley "application of and other fellow Kenneth L. Feder—in his Frauds, 1991, 155-156). Dowsers have claimed psychic skills to die field of archaeology, Myths, and Mysteries (1996, 198)—points success in locating hidden objects, even especially in the location of dig sites and out the problem of possible prior knowl- missing persons (Nickell 1994). the identification of artifacts." It may edge in such cases. "Bond was an expert Unfortunately, dowsers actually fare involve (in which an object on medieval churches," notes Feder, "and poorly in properly controlled tests of their is used to obtain psychic "impressions"), we know that he had access to and had abilities, as (1982; 1991) has dowsing ( with a device such examined many of the documents, maps, repeatedly demonstrated. I once tested as a rod or pendulum to locate hidden plans, and drawings of the abbey before some gold dowsers in the Yukon Territory things from a site or map), automatic initiating field research." Moreover, "Al- of Canada, site of the famed Klondike writing (in which spirits of the dead or though much of the abbey was a ruin, gold rush. Alas, they could not differenti- other sources supposedly guide the hand some walls and foundations were visible ate between gold nuggets, fool's gold, to produce messages), or some other at the surface." The locations of the chromium nuts and bolts, and empty alleged psychic mode (Guiley 1991). chapels, supposedly identified for Bond boxes—aldiough they had rationaliza- by spirits, were already generally identi- tions for their failures (Nickell 1976). What has been termed "perhaps the fied in old documents, and previous The well-established, scientific expla- first, best-known case of deliberate psy- searches had gready narrowed die areas to nation for the movement of dowsing chic archaeology" was launched in 1907 be searched. Feder observes drat Bond rods and pendulums is that it is due to by in excavations at simply "searched for and found die "die unwitting translation of thoughts England's . Unknown chapels in die only reasonable places left into muscular action," die same force to the Church of England officials who for them to be" (Feder 1996). responsible for various phenomena like Scientific tests have not proved die , table tipping, the Joe Nickell is CSICOP's Senior Research efficacy of psychic archaeology (Feder movement of a boards planchctte, Fellow and author of numerous inves- 1980; 1995). Such tests "either are not etc (Gardner 1957, 109). tigative books. conducted or are conducted so poorly Nevertheless, the claims continue.

1 4 May/June 2003 Here are rwo examples—one from by a Captain John Mills to recover their gate the Mahogany Ship mystery with Australia, the other from Germany— capsized boat along with the drowned Bob Nixon and Richard Cadena. Bob that involve dowsing to supposedly captain's body. However, the searchers had been in touch with Peter D'Aloisio, locate or provide information about failed to sight the reported shipwreck. the 1988 "Australian Champion" water alleged archaeological sites. Mills again searched in 1843 and did dis- diviner (dowser) and professional water cover a wreck, which he revisited in 1847. driller. D'Aloisio had used his divining The Mahogany Ship There were sightings off and on over sub- rods to locate what he believed was a Reportedly, a boat carrying three men sequent decades, until the wreck was last chain and nine-foot anchor, possibly hunting seals capsized off southeastern seen in 1880. It has since become the sub- from the fabled wreck itself. He had Australia in 1836, drowning the captain. ject of persistent legend, as in these clos- "found" the alleged relics in December The two survivors sought safety along this ing verses of an unattributed poem, "The 1992, and from February to June 1993 now aptly named "Shipwreck Coast" Ancient Ship" (Lindsay 1996): (when he was hospitalized iWuEfC OVCf **i»hrv shin- with an angina arrack) he ping disasters occurred drilled two holes: One between 1836 and 1922). turned up bits of metal; he At that site, between pre- then sank a large-diameter sent-day Port Fairy and pipe to a depth of some Warrnambool, the two thirty-three feet, but unfor- spied a wrecked ship, tunately the shaft flooded. lodged in the hummocks W e met Peter, his (or sand dunes) (Lindsay brother Dominic, and two 1996, 2). of their friends in Warrna- Since rhen, the legend mbool and followed them of the Mahogany Ship has to the location at Levy's challenged historians and Point Coastal Reserve. Peter intrigued tourists. There is told me he had been even an eye-catching directed to the general site "Mahogany Ship Replica" Figure 1. Faux Mahogany Ship" at the McDonald's in Warrna mbool, along by local landmarks. He had, (figure 1) at the Australia's "Shi pwreck Coast"—clubbed the "McReplica" by Bob Nixon . he said, spent about McDonalds restaurant in $150,000 (Australian) in Warrnambool—dubbed the "McReplica" ... An ancient ship— motel bills and exploration costs. He and we've heard the tale a diver had gone down to the bottom of by a waggish Bob Nixon, Australian Was forced ashore by southern gales, Skeptics' Chief Investigator. Bob, Richard Nothing left—no masts or sails, the flooded pipe shaft but could not be Cadena (Victoria Skeptics vice-president), Just timbers like mahogany. certain what was there. Since 1993 the and I had motored from Melbourne pipe has been sealed with a metal cover Will it be discovered soon along the Great Ocean Road in search of That ancient ship beneath a dune? (D'Aloisio 2000). a mystery. Only the sun, the stars, the Peter demonstrated his dowsing tech- The enigma is that the wreck was Arc witness to this mystery. nique for us at the site. We took pho- periodically sighted and lost, presumably Some have thought the legendary tographs (see figure 2) and later discussed due to shifting sands, until it finally dis- wreck was Dutch, Spanish, or Portuguese the evidence at the Mahogany Ship appeared, leaving only controversy (Loney 1998, 20), possibly even proof Restaurant (where I had a delicious kan- behind. Worse, it was a perambulating - of a prior "secret" discover) of Australia garoo steak). Peter showed us some papers wreck. As Bob Nixon (2001) says: by the Portuguese, rather than by related to his project, but the report on It is variously described as close to Captain Cook (Mclnryre 1977). tests of the metal traces he had obtained Port Hairy, mid-way between Port There have been skeptics, however. In by drilling—provided by Monash Fairy and Warrnambool, three miles west of Warrnambool. She is said to be 1896 a local historian expressed doubt as University—determined they had proba- high in the hummocks, well above the to the existence of the wreck, stating that bly been from one of Peter's own broken high tide mark, in the water, between most older residents regarded it as mere drill bits (D'Aloisio 2000; Nixon 2001a). rwo hummocks, at the end of a gap in fable. He cited the use of old timbers, sat- Not only is the dowsing evidence the hummocks. She is identified to be urated with whale oil, that had been used therefore unsupported, but much other in various states of decay, in various orientations, bows pointing west and for flooring in a house; they were mistak- evidence renders unlikely the claim that a north. In short there is little agree- enly thought to have been salvaged from Mahogany Ship anchor has been found. ment among the reports. the Mahogany Ship but had probably For example, while one possible location The chronology of events is illuminat- come from "an old whaling punt" (Loney for the wreck (shown on a widely pub- ing. Just after the 1836 sighting by the 1998, 17-18). lished map) is appropriately near the two sealers, an expedition was mounted I was fortunate to be able to investi- beach, the D'Aloisio site is almost a

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER May/June 2003 15 kilometer inland, a fact difficult to recon- mocks, and buried in the sand," its deck especially for me, and I am indebted for cile with a beached ship. was "completely gone." The account went that and many additional kindnesses from Actually there is evidence that casts on to suggest it had been die source of "a him and others (see Acknowledgments). doubt on die existence of an ancient number of articles strewed along the From Bamberg, our little convoy pro- Portuguese (or odier exploratory caravel's) beach" in 1841, adding diat "from several ceeded some fifty kilometers southeast wreck. As it happens, the "original" 1836 articles of French manufacture that were into the atea known to tourists as sighting was reported only decades later then found it was deemed that the vessel "Franconian Switzerland" for its moun- and there are conflicting, even apparently had been a French whaler." tainous terrain, caves, castle ruins, and "doctored" versions of some accounts Bob and I have come to believe diat other scenic features. It was once inhab- (McKiggan 1987, 65). Indeed, Hugh this French whaler was a plausible—I will ited by the Celts, a tribe that extended Donnelly, who claimed to have been even say probable—candidate for the into central Europe about 1200 B.C. aboard the boat diat set out to Our first stop took us to a recover the capsized whale remote wooded hill known as boat and body of the drowned Ringwall. Had we not been captain in 1836, did not with Michael Link, we would arrive in Australia until five have thought it only a scenic years later (Fawcett n.d.). place with some natural rock Richard, Bob, and I—in outcroppings. Once shown, addition to visiting the however, we could sec that, in D'Aloisio site, taking pho- addition, covered with thick tos, and looking over his moss and a stand of trees, were documents—explored the distinct earthworks. They had area in and around Tower been added to the limestone Hill. Actually a lake-filled formations to create what was, ancient volcano crater, it indeed, an ancient Celtic provided a magnificent view fortress—hence the name of Armstrong's Bay to the Ringwall ("circular rampart"). south, the reputed site of Figure 2. Peter D'Aloisio dowsing the site where he believes may lie the Michael informed us that exca- the Mahogany Ship. We also anchor of the Mahogany Ship. (In background, left to right, are Bob vations at the site turned up Nixon, Richard Cadena, Peter's brother, and a friend.) did research at the Flagstaff iron implements and pottery Hill Maritime Museum where we Mahogany Ship. Given the differing dating to ca. 500 B.C obtained clippings and researched descriptions and locations, however, it From Ringwall we proceeded to anchors, learning that one from an appears that more than one wreck could another isolated site, about 1.5 kilometers ancient Portuguese ship would proba- be involved. In any case, to date there is further southeast, known as Espershohle bly have been much smaller than that no evidence that dowsing has added any- {hohle meaning "cavern"). This is a cave of described by D'Aloisio. We also inter- thing other than confusion to the ship- Jurassic limestone from which cold air viewed a member of the Mahogany wreck mystery. emanates, giving it the popular name Ship Committee, John Lindsay (2000), Eisholle (i.e., "Ice Hell"). It may have had who told us that extensive negative Celtic Sites mystical meaning fot the Celts. Having results of searching with a magnetome- During an investigative tour of Germany been an avid spelunker during my college ter suggest it is unlikely an anchor in the fall of 2002 (Nickell 2003a; years, I was Michael Link's apt pupil when would be found in the area. Finally, we 2003b), which included some locales in he pointed out that the amphitheater-like visited the local library, staying until Franconia (northern Bavaria), 1 was able entranceway resulted from a cave "room" closing time and photocopying much to explore three sites associated with the having collapsed and over time becoming material. This included information legendary Druids, the Celtic priesthood. exposed at die surface (see figure 3). from a book cited in a Mahogany Ship The expedition, on a bleak, drizzly A passageway (which is home to hibernat- display at the museum—which turned October 13, was arranged at the request ing bats from October until April) leads out to be a novel! of my excellent German guide, Martin to a fifteen-meter-deep pit. This was exca- Back in Melbourne, Bob Nixon and I Manner, Executive Director of the Center vated by archaeologists in 1937-1938, visited die state library of Victoria to con- for Inquiry—Europe. Accompanying us and the recovered artifacts identified it as duct still further research. We searched were several intrepid members of the a Celtic site. The presence of skeletal out early newspaper accounts on micro- Bamberg Skeptics Guild and our distin- remains—some bones even exhibiting film, notably one from the Portland guished leader, geologist Michael Link, knife marks—seemed to indicate the Guardian of Octobet 29, 1847, describ- from the Paleontological Institute of the practice of sacrifice (Link 2002). ing a wreck found near Warrnambool. It University of Erlangen. Michael was con- The last of the three sites we visited on was "thrown completely into the hum- ducting the three-site tour in English our expedition is known as Druidenhain

1 6 May/June 2003 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER or "Druid's Grove." The arrangement of Conclusions investigations fund that helps make such giant rocks that litter the wooded area, As both the Mahogany Ship and "Druidic sojourns possible, I am continually grateful. interspersed with passageways for a Grove" cases demonstrate, dowsing does References labyrinthine effect, have inspired popular not seem an effective method of archaeo- belief that it is an ancient Celtic site. D'Aloisio, Peter. 2000. Interviews by author. logical investigation—whether consid- November 19 and 20. Some have called it "The University of ered a "psychic" means or not. Fawcett, Jenny. N.d. Cited in Nixon 2001a, 33. the Druids." Supposedly, the Celts sub- However, not only is science an ongo- Feder, Kenneth L 1980. Psychic archaeology; The jected the rock to heating and cooling to anatomy of itr.itnin.ihsi prehistoric studies. ing process, but so is popular belief. From SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 4:4 (Summer), 32-43. produce fracturing and thus create the either perspective, it is important to con- . 1995. Archaeology and the . In "monoliths," a notion leading to another tinue to look at significant new cases and Encyclopedia of the Paranormal cd. Gordon sobriquet for the place, "The Franconian Stein. Buffalo, N.Y.: , 32-46. . 1996. Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries, 2nd cd. Stonehenge" (Link 2002). Mountain View, Cal.: Mayfield Publ. Co.. 194-210; citing McKusick 1982. Gardner, Martin, i 957. fad* Cs /iuUio in tin Natnc the formations, such as "Christening of Science. New York: Dover. Stone," "Bowl Stone," "Entrance to the Guiley. Rosemary Ellen. 1991. Harper's Encyclopedia Underworld," and so on. The belief that of Mystical & Paranormal Experience. San Francisco, Cal.: HarperCollins, 470—472. the place was one of sacrifice—an idea Hester. T h o m a s R.. Harry J. Shafer. and Kenneth L that dates from 1863—led to one boulder Feder. 1997. Field Methods in Archaeology, 7th being styled the "Sacrificial Stone." ed. New York: McGraw Hill. 57. Lindsay, John. 1996. The Legend of OK Mahogany Dowsers eventually got into the game Ship. Warrnambool, Victoria. Australia: and in 1983 determined that the "Altar Mahogany Ship Committee. . 2000. Interview by Joe Nickell, Stone" was at the intersection of two November 20. "earth-ray" lines. These are apparendy Link, Michael. 2002. Personal communication to similar to the earth-energy or "ley" lines author (with numerous technical handouts for "Exkursion zum Druidenhain*'), October 13. that are imagined to connect mystical Loney. Jack. 1998. The Mahogany Sliip, 7th cd. sites; leys represent an idea advanced by N.p.: Marine History Publications. English beer salesman Alfred Watkins Mclntyre, Kenneth Gordon. 1977. The Secret Discovery of Australia. Sydney, Australia: Pan (1925), an amateur . Dowsing Books. is often touted as a method of supposedly McKiggan, Ian. 1987. Crearion of a legend? A lib- eral undcrview. In Potter 1987. 61-68. detecting such "earth energies" (Guiley McKusick. Marshall. 1982. Psychic archaeology: 1991,157). theory, method, and mythology. Journal of Field Dowsing was also used in other ways ArclMeology'): 99-118; cited in Feder 1982. Figure 3. Entrance to German cave with a 15- Nickell. Joe. 1976. Not recommended for serious at Druidenhain. For example, dowsers meter-deep pit that yields evidence of appar- mineral exploration. Yukon News, September 1. employed their witching wands to deter- ent Druidic sacrifice. . 2003a. Germany: Monsters, myths, and mine the supposedly true nature of one of mysteries. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 27:2 (March/ to even work the "cold case" files—not April. 24-28. the supposed megaliths. As a conse- . 2003b. Legend of the White Lady. quence, it was bestowed with the fanciful with the view of mystery mongers to pro- Skeptical Briefs 13:1 (March). 10-12. Nickell, Joe, cd. 1994. Psychic Sleutlis: ESP and name, "The Grave" (Link 2002). mote diem, or of self-styled "" to dismiss them, but as investigators try- Sensational Cases. Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Alas for the evidence from dowsing, Books. 11, 163-164. ing to understand and explain diem. In so and for the belief that the site is Celtic or Nixon, Bob. 2001a. A fresh perspective on the doing we can learn more about ourselves Mahogany Ship. The Skeptic (Australia), even manmade, Druidenhain has yielded and our world—a reward dogmatists autumn. 31—34. no potsherds, skeletal remains, or other . 2001b. The real "secret history." The often seem unaware of. Skeptic, autumn, 35-37. evidence of human habitation. More- Potter. Bill. cd. 1987. The Mahogany Ship: Relic or over, the array of "monolith';" is actually Acknowledgments legend. Warrnambool. Victoria, Australia: The Mahogany Ship Committee and Wairiuinbool a natural formation—the product of In addition to those mentioned in the text, I Institute Press. geologic forces and erosion. (During the a m grateful for the assistance of Barry Randi. James. 1982. Flim-flam! , ESP. geologic formation of the mountain, Williams and Ian Bryce (in Australia) and Unicorns and Other Delusions. Buffalo, N.Y.: pressure caused the rock to fracture, pro- Amardeo Sarma, Christoph Bordlein, and Prometheus Books. . 1991. James Randi: Psychic Investigator. Detlev Luck (in Germany). Closer to home, ducing numerous faults crisscrossing London: Boxtree Ltd. each other. These faults were then Paul Kurtz, , Tim Binga, and Renovation work slowed after skull, bones found. attacked preferentially by seeping water, Ranjit Sandhu, along with Benjamin 1981. Georgetown News & Times, November 5. Radford, Kevin Christopher, and the entire (Indudes photo of author with foicnsic anthro- with the erosion along the lines eventu- pologist Dr. David Wolf.) support staff, all deserve ally resulting in a multitude of rocks Watkins. Alfred. 1925. The Old Straight Track: Its thanks for helping in various ways. To John aligned in rows [Link 2002).) Mounds, Beacons, Moats. Sites and Mark Stones: and Mary Frantz, for their creation of an reprinted London: Abacus, 1974.

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