How modern is technology? : the link between prehistoric UFOs and modern traditionalism

In the twentieth century, certain European elitist circles embraced Traditionalist thought, most notably promoted by its pioneer René Guénon (1886-1951). Ever since, a lose movement of like-minded people has handed down religiously-influenced theories opposing the modern world. Modern Traditionalists and modernity are thus fierce enemies. Any progress, modernization, or technological advances are to Traditionalists what regression, stagnation, and reactionary forces are to the avant-garde. So, what could be a possible link between Traditionalism and modern technology? Perhaps, the fundamental doubt of technology's belonging to the modern world. From the 1960s onwards, a self-proclaimed radical Traditionalist, who was further cherished as a New Age prophet, advocated ancient technology. True to the motto 'opposites attract,' the English writer John Michell (1933-2009) had reconciled many antagonisms. By linking astro-archaeology and various speculative earth mystery theories, Michell aimed to fuse prehistoric megalithic science and flying saucers. To Michell, the rejection of modernity and its by-products did not contradict the belief in extra-terrestrial means of prehistoric technology. The aim of this paper is the exposition of Michell's approach towards flying saucers as a technological means of prehistory from a modern Traditionalist and alternative archaeologist perspective.