concepts of gematria, and dowsing. An important writer combining these fields during the 1970s to 2000s was John Michell. Michell's book The View Over Atlantis mixed ley lines with folklore and archeology; these ideas became popularised as "earth mysteries". Other 1980s authors on the subject of Earth mysteries include Paul Devereux and Nigel Pennick. Related ideas include the "landscape archaeology" advocated by German author Kurt Derungs from about 1990, and the wider field of "Forteana", a term taken to include paranormal phenomena more generally. Publication history Books on Earth mysteries first appeared in the 1970s, discussing topics such as ley lines, earth energies, astro-archaeology, sacred landscapes, megalithic monuments, shamanism, paganism, dowsing and folklore. Timeline of publications: 1973 – The View Over Atlantis, John Michell 1975 – Atlantean traditions in ancient Britain, Anthony Roberts 1977 – The Ancient Wisdom, Geoffrey Ashe 1977 – Quicksilver Heritage, Paul Screeto 1978 – Earth Magic, Francis Hitching 1986 – Planetary Mysteries, Richard Grossinge 1990 – Atlas of Earth Mysteries, Philip Whitfield 1995 – Earth Mysteries, Philip Heselton 2000 – The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ancient Earth Mysteries, Paul Devereux 2003 – The New Encyclopedia of the Occult, John Michael Greer 2003 – Ley Lines and Earth Energies, David R. Cowan and Chris Arnold 2005 – Ley Lines, Danny Sullivan Reception Proponents consider the Earth mysteries to be "sacred" and "mythopoeic" rather than scientific. The ley lines idea has been generally ignored by the academic establishment in the field of archaeology. The work of researchers who support the paranormal aspects of Earth mysteries have been extensively criticized by "professional debunkers" such as James Randi, Martin Gardner, and the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). The Earth mysteries movement in Great Britain embraced the term "ritual landscapes" that was used in British archaeology starting in the 1980s, with regards to "sacred" locations apparently used for mainly ceremonial purposes in the Neolithic and the early Bronze Age; the concept has been both adopted and criticized in the field of academic archaeology. Tourism associated with the Earth mysteries movement in this regard is known as the "landscape heritage" segment of the market. See also Energy (esotericism) Sacred natural site Shrine References External links Earth Mysteries at the Internet Sacred Texts Archive Earth Mysteries by Chris Whitcombe Earth Mysteries, Stone Circles, Stonehenge at Encyclopædia Britannica Online Top 10 Earth Mysteries at Paranormal.about.com Stonehenge