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= . discoverer of a local cave, but provided little more except for this hope: "...the university [with which he was in contact] will probably begin the dig next year. At that time, more information can be given." Though Burrows sought help from the scientific world, he received mixed reactions from it. Soon afterwards, one "amateur archaeologist" after another pressed his doorbell. Each one almost immediately asked to see the cave. It's like a person in a plaster cast getting constantly asked whether someone can see or sign his/her plaster; at some point scientists and the media and he could never allow any direct Lt contact with or testing of the artefacts. It would also mean that - he could never have regarded the "gold" artefacts as part of a quick money-making scheme. In short, this conclusion is incompatible with the other sceptics' argument, aj | which is that Burrows tried to make money from a hoax. Fr The Golden Sarcophagus and Human Remains If the story is genuine, Burrows discovered a human skeleton—a male—in the first crypt. The second chamber had a funeral bier . with the remains of a woman and ‘ i= | the answer will be "no", because it two children. A golden spearhead | feels as if no one is interested in lay in the woman's ribs, where the you but only in your plaster. For heart would have been. The skulls Gold artefacts (above and below) from the cave, showing Egyptian Burrows, it felt like all they wanted of the children showed signs of or Egyptian inspired marks on the gold. © Russell Burrows was to see the cave; they had no perforation. The scene suggested basic respect or regard for his own that the woman and children had been murdered at the time when wishes, often not even bothering to ask about them. People such the male, her husband, died. as these came away disappointed, hurt because Burrows did not In total, there were 12 crypts. The central chamber, containing want to play their game, and they often voiced scathing opinions. the golden sarcophagus, was closed by a stone that had to be Some even considered Burrows's presence incidental. rolled away. The room, including the ceiling, was decorated and One attempt to commercialise the cave occurred in 1994 when white marble was seen throughout. The golden sarcophagus Harry Hubbard and Paul Kelly claimed the ancient alphabets on inside the stone tomb resembled the ancient Egyptian form of the stones to be a combination of Latin and Etruscan. The burial: it displayed the same style of wearing the hair as well as inscriptions revealed, they claimed, that the tomb of Alexander the crossed arms on the body, and the hands were holding the the Great was buried in Illinois. What made Hubbard and Kelly ankh symbol. It is said that Burrows was able to prise open the stand out from competing theorists was their Jack Russell-type sarcophagus and note that it seemed to contain human remains as attacks on anyone who disagreed with them. They have also well as a death mask, also thought to be of Egyptian origin. been described as appearing "to spend the majority of their time Although the sarcophagus was of tremendous value—to be seeking investors and peddling home-made videotapes". compared with the golden sarcophagus of Tutankhamun—it They did not need Burrows; they were going to locate the tomb could not be removed from the cave by just Burrows with the themselves. They are typical examples in a long line of people help of his brother-in-law. Furthermore, Burrows was unsure as who have tried to use the cave for their own financial benefit, for to whether he might face fame or to confirm their pet prosecution if he disturbed the theory—and most often all three human remains he'd found in the mixed into one lethal cocktail. cave or if he tried to sell any of its In the "pet theory" category was contents. The sceptics seldom Joseph P. Mahan, author of the address this part of the story, as 1983 book The Secret, who they claim that there never was a suggested in a 1991 lecture that the cave at all, and hence no cave was connected with "sun- sarcophagus, and hence no human related semi-divine mortals [who] skeleton inside. were the descendants of extraterrestrial immortal progenitors who had come to Earth in fire ships, had resided for a while [and] had upgraded the humanoids they found here by modifying the genes of these children of Earth, thus producing a hybrid progeny". Such a nonsensical conclusion is not based on anything at all that Burrows ever said about the case, but it is clear that it rubbed off badly on Burrows's image and the cave. Reactions to the Discovery Let us assume that the cave exists, and see how far we can follow Burrows into it. His situation was extremely complex: he was totally unprepared for such a find (who wouldn't be?), and his volatile character did not help ina situation where patience is a virtue. On 27 July 1984, the local Olney Daily Mail ran a small article identifying Burrows as_ the scientists and the media and he could never allow any direct contact with or testing of the artefacts. It would also mean that he could never have regarded the "gold" artefacts as part of a quick money-making scheme. In short, this conclusion is incompatible with the other sceptics' argument, which is that Burrows tried to make money from a hoax. 58 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2006