Julian Dorey Podcast – Episode #374
"Breathtaking!" - Ancient Giants, Egypt Pyramid Scans & Gobekli Tepe Rituals
Guest: Hugh Newman | Date: Jan 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging and visually immersive episode, Julian Dorey is joined by researcher and Megalithomania founder Hugh Newman to explore some of history’s greatest ancient mysteries. From extraordinary recent discoveries in Turkey and Britain, to hidden chambers beneath the Giza pyramids, the conversation covers the rapidly-evolving field of alternative archaeology, the current evidence of advanced “super-civilizations,” enigmatic giant skeletons, ritual use of psychedelics, solstice-focused architectural alignments, and more. Hugh shares personal stories, fresh insights from his global research, and breathtaking visuals—delivering a compelling case that our true history is much older and more complex than mainstream academia admits.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Megalithic Marvels Across the World (00:00 – 08:56)

• Karahan Tepe Solstice Discovery: Hugh describes experiencing a sunrise alignment where only on winter solstice, a carved head inside a pillar shrine is dramatically illuminated by sunlight, suggesting intentional advanced astronomical design by a so-called “super-civilization.” (00:00)

  "Over a 45 minute period, only on winter solstice morning, you get the whole alignment happening. We're like, what the hell is this?" – Hugh Newman (00:18)

• Ancient Britain’s Prehistoric Sites: Hugh recounts growing up visiting ancient sites with his adventurous mother, leading to his passion for megaliths. He reveals Stonehenge isn’t unique: “There’s at least a thousand stone circles in the UK,” and some of Stonehenge’s stones came from as far as Scotland and Wales, speaking to ancient trade and monumental engineering. (04:00)

• Continuous Ancient Occupation: Stonehenge's location shows evidence of ritual structures 5,000 years older than the stone circle itself, and local springs show human presence at least 12,000 years ago—putting Britain in the same league as ancient Turkish sites for antiquity. (07:29)

2. Dating Dilemmas & Academic Resistance (12:22 – 19:55)

• Gobekli Tepe & Carahan Tepe: Revealed as paradigm-shifting sites with carbon dates going back to 9,600 BC and even earlier, proving advanced civilization existed well before the traditionally accepted emergence of agriculture and writing. (12:58)

• Carbon Dating Limitations: Hugh explains how carbon dating provides ranges, not precise years, and how new finds (even from weeks prior to the episode) could push British megalithic dates even older, challenging the academic status quo. (15:59)

• Suppression of Anomalies: He notes that when anomalous dates don’t fit the mainstream narrative, they’re often dismissed. Example: early Olmec site datings in Mexico. (19:18)

3. Ancient Olmec Culture & Dangerous Fieldwork (20:25 – 25:47)

• Olmec Civilization: Hugh shares his and his partner JJ's decade-plus experience exploring Olmec sites, including new finds of “unfinished” giant basalt heads left in ancient quarries, reinforcing the ritual importance of the stone's birthplace. (29:51)

• Cartel Encounters: A gripping story about running into cartel bosses while researching in Mexico, highlighting real personal risks involved in field archaeology:

  "In reception, people are coming out. This is clearly some boss dude, which JJ recognized as one of the Sinaloa cartel… He’s giving tips like this thick to the porters…” – Hugh Newman (24:35)

4. Archaeological Turf Wars and 'Alternative' Research (36:29 – 44:26)

• Academic Pushback: Hugh details ongoing skepticism and targeted personal attacks by mainstream archaeologists, especially regarding alternative interpretations and the acceptance of roles for "non-academics" (including journalists like himself and Graham Hancock). (41:24)

• Signs of Change: Encouraging news that a new generation of archaeologists-in-training are being encouraged to consider alternative (non-mainstream) theories—though progress remains slow and the online climate is still divisive. (39:17)

• Need for Interdisciplinary Approach: Hugh observes mainstream archaeologists often lack training in symbolic, astronomical, and shamanic analysis, leading to misinterpretation or under-interpretation of ancient archaeological data. (43:07)

5. Stunning New Discoveries at Karahan Tepe & Gobekli Tepe (49:48 – 62:33)

• Visual Transformation of Sites: Using drone footage, Hugh reveals the dramatic expansion of excavated areas at Karahan Tepe since 2018—now showing vast, architecturally complex ritual spaces. (50:50)

• Winter Solstice Alignment: A personal discovery at Karahan Tepe’s "structure AB" where, on the winter solstice, the sun shines perfectly through a porthole to light up a sculpted head—confirmed by astronomical modeling. (56:28)

  "This is precision engineered bedrock carving, 9400 BC." – Hugh Newman (56:52) "A billion to one chance this is coincidence... There's no doubt about it." (59:07)

• Ritual Fertility & Sexual Imagery: Recent statues, including bearded humanoids with exaggerated phallic features, point to fertility magic—possibly linked to agriculture’s dawn in the region. (67:24, 68:36)

• Psychedelic Ceremonies: Evidence of viper skeletons, mushrooms, and beer-fermentation linked to psychedelic/shamanic rituals; direct links drawn to altered states of consciousness and abstract artwork. (70:23)

  “I believe that this was a psychedelic culture....well into psychedelics. They were, were brewing beer… There’s evidence at Gobekli Tepe in these giant vats.” – Hugh Newman (72:08)

6. Symbolism, Solstices, and Global Connections (80:06 – 119:32)

• Astronomical Alignments: Multiple sites, including caves in France (as old as 40,000 years), and Malta, show deliberate orientation to solstices—implying a lineage of astronomical knowledge spanning millennia and continents. (115:21)

  “They found in these caves hundreds of these bone plaques… all related to the moon and the solar year going back… 40,000 years.” – Hugh Newman (116:19)

• H Symbol and Carved Faces: Recurring motifs (like the H) may indicate astronomical markers or ritual signposts. (109:08)

• Direct Stone Record: Hugh and JJ propose these ritual sites are “memory spaces”—literal records in stone, designed to transmit encoded knowledge across ages. The oral tradition, ritual storytelling, and multi-level symbolic understanding may have preserved key concepts for thousands of years. (125:02)

7. Egyptian Pyramid Discoveries & Hidden Chambers (148:22 – 156:23)

• Giza’s Cave Underworld: Anecdotes about clandestine exploration of natural/ritual caves beneath the Giza plateau—possibly connected to hidden chambers detected by new Italian SAR scan technologies. (148:22)

• Recent SAR Scan News: Latest satellite/acoustic scans suggest vast, unknown voids kilometers under the pyramids. Hugh calls for ground-truthing these findings with traditional methods. Anticipation is high for verification and implications for ancient technological capabilities. (151:13, 153:20)

  “Why not take a look... just get some pinhole cameras going down there, let’s see what’s going on." (155:01)

• Original Timeline Debates: New granite dating at Giza pushes pyramid dates back 400–500 years at least, possibly older, with direct links seen between Anatolian (Gobekli Tepe) and Egyptian symbolism and tool traditions. (156:23)

  "I want to know how the goddamn stones got there." – Julian (159:05)

8. The Giant Controversy (159:32 – 167:00)

• Giant Skeleton Reports: Hugh and his coauthor Jim Vieira cataloged hundreds of credible 19th–20th century reports of giant skeletons in the UK, US, Mexico—often described by respected academics, many now lost or reburied. Books: Giants on Record (North America) & Giants of Stonehenge & Ancient Britain. (161:09)

  “How would you account for a thousand reports of giant skeletons in North America, written by academics?” – Hugh (160:11)

• Oral Tradition in America: Native American stories, mound-building cultures, and even local major league sports teams hint at a long cultural memory of the giants. (164:33)

9. Technology, Geometry, and What's Next (172:01 – episode end)

• Geometrics & Metrology: New computer-assisted reconstructions at Karahan Tepe and Gobekli Tepe—measuring sites, testing alignments, and finding advanced geometry/metrology pre-dating written math. Suggests knowledge of earth’s shape and measurement systematics existed at the very dawn of civilization. (176:03)

• Current Challenges: Protective roofing being added to sites might block sunlight, potentially compromising future astronomical studies, causing concern among researchers. (174:45)

• Hope for the Future: Continued rapid discovery, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the growing use of advanced visualization technologies will accelerate the rewriting of ancient history in the coming years.

Notable Quotes

• “This is a different world we’re dealing with now. These were supposed to be hunter-gatherers, cavemen-type people…” – Hugh Newman (61:23)

• “We took this to another level … we gave all the data to a 3D artist and… the alignment still works: even with a thatch roof, the light [of the solstice] comes in, illuminating the head.” – Hugh (60:14)

• “All the founding myths, all the myths associated with megalithic sites, all linked with giants. Every, virtually everyone is—very weird.” – Hugh (161:34)

• “The first ever use of advanced geometry and measurement systems were taking place here… That means they must have measured the Earth before this. When did they do that?” – Hugh (176:39)

Timestamps by Key Topic

• 00:00 – Karahan Tepe winter solstice discovery
• 04:00 – Stonehenge stone origins, 1000+ stone circles
• 12:58 – Gobekli Tepe, Carahan Tepe, and global paradigm shift in ancient dates
• 19:18 – Problems with dating anomalies; Olmec civilization
• 24:35 – Olmec fieldwork & cartel encounters in Mexico
• 36:29 – Academic resistance, issues in archaeology
• 49:48 – Karahan Tepe: radical site expansion shown with drones
• 56:26 – Personal discovery: winter solstice ‘head illumination’ event
• 67:24 – Fertility statues, ritual symbolism
• 70:23 – Evidence for psychedelic/shamanic ritual, ancient beer & mushrooms
• 115:21 – Paleolithic cave alignments in France
• 148:22 – Clandestine visit: Giza’s Cave Underworld
• 151:13 – Latest SAR scan results and “kilometer-deep” chambers at Giza
• 159:32 – Giants: myths, records, and academic reports
• 172:01 – What’s next: reconstructions, digital models, geometry revelations

Additional Resources

• All slides, videos, and reconstructions discussed are available on Hugh Newman's YouTube channel MegalithomaniaUK.
• Links to articles, visuals, and further reading provided in the episode description.

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a deep, sometimes playful, and always candid journey through the very latest in alternative ancient archaeology—challenging mainstream narratives and inviting listeners to look beyond accepted paradigms. Whether you’re curious about lost civilizations, psychedelic rituals, precision engineering in the deep past, or the mysteries beneath the Giza plateau, this episode guarantees both new questions and awe-inspiring discoveries.