Why ancient airplanes might be prayer artifacts
Often referred to as airplanes, the Quimbaya objects have eluded a useful explanation as to their purpose. As much as it would be amazing if they were proof of ancient flight, I am holding out for anyone to actually produce an ancient plane. I do not think ancient man had airplanes that look like ours; seeing the Quimbaya objects as airplanes is pareidolia; your brain looking for recognisable patterns.
So if the Quimbaya objects are not representations of airplanes, what are they then?
Instead of placing it down as if it would be an airplane, hold it upright. You might start to see some parts of the pattern straight away. Most of the objects have fountains, central shafts and a mouth.
The mouth is a 3d ‘dip’ back into the model. This is significant because a large number of african masks actually display the same dipping shape in the lower half of their faces.
The range of masks from Africa is extensive and broad in its expression. Some will be solar (deity) masks, some will not. They do tend to be grouped in their expression though, ranging from abstract solar discs to full anatomically correct facial masks.
We are looking at the collection of masks that have a clear differentiation in height between the lower chin and cheek area and the area above the brow, often in the same plain as the nose.
