MYSTERIOUS AUSTRALIA

Vol 1. Issue No 3

JANUARY 2011

INSIDE:
Bronze-Age Phoenician Farmers of Rooty Hill. New Uru Temple Discoveries Moon Dancers of Ancient Katoomba.

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

Blue Mountains UFO Research Club. The Club meetings are held on the third Saturday of the month, at the Gilroy residence, 12 Kamillaroi Road, South Katoomba, from 1pm onwards. We are situated on the corner of Kamillaroi Road and Ficus Street, and as we always say, park in Ficus Street where there is safer parking.

Rex and Heather Gilroy, Australias top UFO and Unexplained Mysteries Research team. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2004.

WELCOME TO THE FIRST MYSTERIOUS AUSTRALIA NEWSLETTER FOR 2011..

BRONZE-AGE PHOENICIAN FARMERS OF ROOTY HILL.

By Rex Gilroy Copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Rooty Hill, which is bound up with the early pioneer settlement of Sydneys outer west in the first years of the 19th century, and which rises up over the suburb of that name, has revealed a far earlier history of settlement by ancient Phoenicians and their families who established farms around the base of this great natural feature at least 3-4 thousand yeas ago. On Friday 7th January Heather and I made a long-planned visit to this extensive public reserve. I climbed to the summit, which gives a commanding view of the landscape in all directions. What a wonderful astronomical site this would have made for the Uru or Bronze-Age colonists, I thought to myself. Within 20 minutes I would make a chance discovery proving this very thought! I always explore locations like this one for any traces of ancient activity, and on this occasion I entered bushland just beyond the southern base of the hill, where I picked up a broken stone to discover what turned out to be an incomplete, fading message in Phoenician [Bronze-Age] script! To my great surprise I shortly afterward found a second broken fragment bearing an incomplete message, and then a small animal-like head image reminiscent of that of a dog. Further searching soon led to a fourth find, that of a fading inscription on one side of a flat stone and on the other side a bearded right profile head. These relics, all carved and badly worn sandstone images, suggest more such finds yet await discovery hereabouts. Yet why would ancient Phoenicians have settled this area? As there are no minerals or gemstones to be had in the Sydney district, I reasoned that the visitors must have established a farming community here. The region would in those times have been well watered with creeks and swamplands set amid extensive gum forests, and native animals would have provided a regular food supply. The Gilroys book, Pyramids of Destiny Lost Pacific Colonies of the Bronze-Age God-Kings [URU Publications 2009] reveals how the Sydney-Central Coast region was all part of a great EgyptoPhoenician kingdom going back at least 4,000 years. The ancient Middle-East colonists would have explored inland via the Hawkesbury, Parramatta and Georges Rivers to work their way deep inland beyond the coast, as relics and rock inscriptions shown in the book reveal. Therefore the Rooty Hill region had to have encouraged the establishment of farms to help feed the kingdom, a practice that covered the outer southern, western and northern reaches of the Sydney district and Hunter district our book reveals far more on this aspect. Pending further discoveries hereabouts, the translations of the four stones gives us some insight into the Rooty Hill Phoenician settlement. One fragment shows the faded image of a rising sun with an incomplete complete hill glyph and an incomplete stroke for BL ie Bel. Thus For Bel who rises over the hill each morning. The fragment is
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Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

15.5cm long by 12cm wide and 6cm deep. Like the other stones the glyphs have all been chalked in for clarity while one stands out as a graffiti head the portrait of a local leader or Elder. Another votive offering stone bore a ship image and read: Placed here an offering to Bels Eye for a safe voyage. It measured 14.5cm long by 11cm wide and 4.7cm deep. The small dog head image would have been part of a larger stone and lengthier inscription. It measured 7.5cm long by 7.5cm tall and was 4.4cm deep. The head of the bearded Elder bore the declaration: Cyril the Elder. This portrait stone image measured 18cm tall [the top was missing] by 11.6cm wide and 3cm deep. The discovery of the Rooty Hill Phoenician inscribed stones points to further discoveries not just here, but elsewhere in the surrounding district, and we will certainly from now on give more that a passing glance to this hill, where Phoenicians once greeted the sunrise and surely celebrated Beltane on its summit*. Whenever we drive past I for one will look and wonder what other treasures of Australias forgotten past still lie hidden in its soil. Rooty Hill is now a Hill of Mystery. [*May Day] -0-

Rooty Hill, north side of the summit. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The summit offers a wide vista of the district. This photo looks towards Rooty Hill Railway Station. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011. 3

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

The rising sun votive offering stone fragment. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The ship votive offering stone fragment. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The portrait stone bearing the right profile head of the Elder, Cyril. Photo copyright t Rex Gilroy 2011.

Rear side of the stone bearing the glyphs for Cyril the Elder. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The dog head fragment. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011. 4

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

NEW URU TEMPLE DISCOVERIES MOON DANCERS OF ANCIENT KATOOMBA.

By Rex Gilroy Copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

On Tuesday 28th December 2010 Gilroy field assistant Mihaela Hilla and I were walking my dog Andy near cliffs in Katoomba, when just off the roadside Mihaela spotted a lump of ironstone lying half exposed in the ground after recent rains. The stone bore a curious marking which I quickly realised was the crude carving of a lizard. There was also a face, and later after washing other symbols and letterings were discovered on three sides. The top carving, the lizard, was of particular interest to me, for the lizard is the earliest Sun symbol of Mankind, having preceded the Serpent by untold thousands of years, and lizard solar images are the earliest carved manifestations of the Sun-God found in Australia in the Uru culture. The stone measured 20cm long by 11.5cm wide and 11.5cm tall. The translation of the inscription was to lead us into a new investigation resulting in the discovery of two more local Uruan temples where research still continues. The translation read: At Sunset Ga-ba placed an offering within the Temple of the Sun and Moon [ie Nim and Ara], having travelled the straight Path of Initiation. At sunrise I drink from the Cup of the Sun and rejoice at having received the Mysteries. Behold my sacrifice in gratitude at receiving the Light of the Temple. I walk the ceremonial path to the west, to the future, where Nim and Ara journey. Behold their rays of enlightenment. The following day I returned to the site of the discovery with Andy and barely 2-3 metres along the roadside from the first inscribed stone find, I caught sight of a second engraved ironstone lump. Upon closer examination I realised it to be a crudely carved head image of I-na, the Eagle of the Sun who in Uruan religious mythology protects Nim on his daily flights across the heavens. This smaller image also bore a lengthy message afterwards translated to read: An offering of MoMo [ie mushrooms] is given in thanks to I-na for guiding Uru [ie planet Earth] around the Sun in orbit. Nim who fertilises all with his light. I-na, guiding the enlightenment the light from above* in his journey. [ie *the higher self]. The I-na image measured 12cm tall by 9.5cm long and 8.2cm deep. In search of the temple remains from which these stones had to have originated we bush-bashed through some pretty dense clifftop scrub without success. However, behind the road was a scrubby rise and this continued west towards a view of Megalong Valley. Atop this rise however, is the time-worn remnants of a two-terraced pyramidal formation. I realised that it was from this ancient, almost unrecognisable structure that the inscribed stones had somehow worked their way down the slope over long centuries to where Mihaela and I found them. A search of the scrubby summit revealed where a large stone-lined beacon had once stood. Here was the initiation/astronomical Temple of the Sun [Nim] and Moon [Ara] referred to in the first inscribed stone found. ***** It was not long before our next big find. On Monday 3rd January 2011, Mihaela and I were exploring a clifftop overlooking Jamieson Valley. The weather had turned a little wet and misty when we worked our way down a slope so as to shelter in a rock overhang at the cliff base. It was only a minute or two before I noticed two small white ochre images, stylised human figures which accompanying Uru glyphs identified as dancing images [one being on all fours]. There were more fading glyphs and a face image identified as Ara from accompanying glyphs. I also identified a Tree of Life/Knowledge and further letterings. Meanwhile Mihaela explored off on her own through scrub on a slope below the cliff, which led down to the valley cliffs proper. Only increasing wet weather prevented us from a thorough study of the large ironstone/sandstone blocks she found, although a quick foray by me resulted in my spotting a few large glyphs on a stone. We also uncovered remains of an ancient stone stairway leading down through the scrub. And, overlooking the large stones, Mihaela uncovered an altar stone of some size which promises to reveal script once we have a chance to return here. We were soaked for our efforts but it was all well worth it.
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Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

I later set to work translating the inscription found on the rock shelter wall. It turned out to be quite revealing Place of the Moon Dance to celebrate the lighting of the night by Ara. Eat MoMo and perform the sacred dance of fertility before the Tree of Life and worship Ara. At this place behold her crescent. Behold the face of Ara. Here was a major Ara Moon worship temple where the moons phases were observed and a ceremonial dance was held in celebration of the nightly deity tens of thousands of years in the past. There were other archaeological finds made by Mihaela and I while bush-bashing as described earlier. These consisted of inscribed ironstone fragments being the remains of former larger inscribed tablets. One fragment measured 8.5cm long by 8.6cm wide and 1cm thick. It bore on one side only, glyphs for the Sun [Nim] and letterings below stating: At the Temple enclosure before Nim the Sun the secret mysteries are taught. We rejoice at receiving the mysteries The other fragment was 9.5cm long by 8.2cm wide and 1.2cm deep. It bore an Ara glyph and the symbol gather basically, what remained read: All gather for Ara Our discovery of the Moon worship temple, a second initiation temple in such a short time is a real success for us and further inscription finds at least await us at these ruins. The story is not over, for on Wednesday 5th January I returned to the clifftop of the Moon Temple while walking Andy during a pause in the week-long wet weather that had dampened our first visit here. I had barely arrived when something told me to bend down and pick up a small ironstone lump embedded in muddy ground. Upon cleaning it with a stick, removal of the mud coating revealed what turned out to be an inscription providing a further insight into the former female ceremonies once held here. The inscription included a top image of a female and the glyph for placing with the main message on the other side. The message stated: Ara upon high in her phases. Ara the eternal, perpetual evolving womens mysteries. Her enfolding arms of protection gather her followers to her. Behold her light from above which illuminates the talking waters. The women devotees of the goddess rejoice at her temple. The stone measured 11.5cm long by 7cm wide and 3.7cm deep and is unique for describing Ara in human female form. This chance find refers to women devotees who would have come here to perform ceremonies associated with Uruan womens mysteries. As I complete this article I am wondering what further surprised await in the decipherment of other inscriptions still awaiting discovery at this Moon worship Temple. -0-

Downview of the lizard stone. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

Frontal and left view of the face and glyphs. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Rear view of lizard stone with glyphs. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Left view of lizard stone with glyphs. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Frontal view of I-na stone. Note phallic image and Sun symbol. Photo copyright t Rex Gilroy 2011. 7

Right profile showing an eye and beneath the orbit glyph. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

Left profile showing mushroom and other glyphs. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Rear view showing the letters I and na for Ina. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Rex Gilroy points to the faded engravings and two small ochre stylised human figures [ie Moon Dancers] in the rock shelter of the Ara Temple. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011. A closer view of the engravings and ochre figures. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The ochre figures, like the engravings date back thousands of years. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

These glyphs describe the sacred Moon Dance and Tree of Life. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

Crescent Moon Ara image. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The face of Ara. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

An image of MoMo, the sacred phallic mushroom and glyphs for the Light of Night. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The altar stone discovered by Mihaela Hills. Note light energy orbs. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Mihaela is seen here as she and Rex were on a nearby road. A light orb is clearly seen attaching itself to her. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

A small inscribed stone fragment recovered at the rock shelter by Rex. One side shows The rays of Ara and the glyph for Voice of the Goddess. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The opposite face of the stone shows glyphs reading Behold the voice of Ara, raised aloft. Behold her light above. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The two small inscribed stone fragments containing incomplete messages. The left stone refers to the teaching of the secret mysteries at the temple [ie the terraced one described first in the article], and the left stone tells people to gather for Ara. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

The image of Ara in human female form. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011. 10

The rear inscription speaks of secret womens ceremonies held at the Ara Temple. Photo copyright Rex Gilroy 2011.

Mysterious Australia Newsletter January 2011.

Please Note

Our previous meeting was a huge success and we look forward to seeing you at our next one.
Our next meeting will be held on Saturday 19th February, 2011 same time, same place 12 Kamillaroi Road, Katoomba. So until our next meeting Watch the Skies! Rex and Heather

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