What did, even in the beginning of the research on Visocica, conclude the geologist Stjepan Coric? What are the informations hidden in Nadija Nukic’s second report, or in the e-mails she sent to Semir Osmanagic? What did, in his report on Pljesevica, conclude the geologist Enes Ramovic? Why did the archaeologists Sead Pilav, Silvana Cobanov and Nancy Gallou leave the Foundation "Bosnian pyramid of the Sun"? How was the "proto-alphabet" of Ravne tunnel discovered?

At the beginning of the excavations, as well as at the time when the pyramidal hystery was at its highest, were employed by the Foundation "Bosnian pyramid of the Sun" more or less serious scientists who, when became clear what they were involved in, have left one by one, knowing that they were embellishments, the screen hiding the pseudo-scientific manipulations of their employer. But they didn’t leave before writing their scientific reports, that were presented to Semir Osmanagic as well as to the members of his foundation Board of Directors, but were never published.

Even at the beginning of the "research" on Visocica, 20.4.2006, the geologist Stjepan Coric [1] sends to Semir Osmanagic an e-mail, where he explains, among other things, that it is constituted of "conglomerate and breccia of the Lasva series (which can be found in the entire region of Zenica)", and which "lay above fine-grained to medium-grained sandstones, sandy marls and so on, generally of brown and yellow color... On the top (of the plateau) in a trench under the road is found sandstone about 25-30 cm thick (interpreted as a step). On the roof of this same sandstone are found farther the classic layers as in the vicinity. The same layer is found also near the road in a cutting, which is evidence that it is in a totally natural position... The conglomerates with roughly round components lay partly above the breccia and are of natural origin... The regular geometry of the hill seems to be, in these parts, a quite frequent natural feature - consequence of the erosion..."

Sead Pilav’s departure

So, in April 2006 Semir Osmanagic was already aware of the true geology of Visocica - but however decided to proceed with his propaganda campaign, in which, with misinterpretations of the scientific terms and transgressions of all the scientific rules, the existence of the pyramids in Visoko is presented to the laymen as an indisputable fact (that was already the case, in fact, even before any archaeological work took place). Given the fact that Mario Gerussi [2], to whom this e-mail had to be known also, at this same time euphorically declared on the TV that "there is no doubt that it is a pyramid", one cannot but have suspicions that from the beginning there was a desinformation of the public [...].

The archaeologist Sead Pilav was among the first ones who joined the Foundation "Bosnian pyramid of the Sun", hoping that it was a project respecting the basics of scientific methodology - a research [...] without fiction and trash sensationalism, what he would later rightly call a Big Brother Show. His parting e-mail from the 17th of April 2006 gives a detailed glimpse on the beginnings of the "biggest geo-archaeological project in the world": "Firm scientific evidence is obtained by way of detailed analysis, and consultation of numerous colleagues. It is impossible, as is the case on these excavations, to give every day a press release for the medias, without good and long studying by a multidisciplinary work of numerous scientific workers."

Pilav has from the beginning seen through Osmanagic’s propaganda tactics of emphasizing his statements with pompous declarations to the media, filmed press-conferences and press-clippings. The scientists were used exclusively to confirm the conclusions of Osmanagic Junior and Senior: "One of the team members [3], at the time we visited the tunnel, claimed that there was a megalithic construction, laying on columns of the same material and old at least 13.000 years. The same person suggested when we left the tunnel that I should make this claim to the public. The information would have created a media sensation. This person did not wish to give it himself to the media! Why??? In the late hours that evening the Foundation spokesman called me on the phone and asked whether I would give an announcement about the megalithic construction, but I categorically refused."

As nobody from the Foundation saw fit to answer his e-mail, Sead Pilav wrote a new one on the 9th of May 2006, shorter and clearer, in which he says: "Calling the excavations on Visocica ’biggest archaeological project’ in Europe for this year is really funny considering the presence of only two archaeologists on the field. That’s why I wish that my name, my photograph and my Handbook for archaeology were taken off the Foundation official website till later, that is till the moment the works become purely scientific." This never happened, and the remaining scientists could do nothing else than follow Pilav one by one.

The case of Nadija Nukic

The geologist Nadija Nukic left the Foundation, according to her own words, "because of the unqualified and unscientific work". Even if in her first report about Visocica from October 2005, contrary to the later conclusions of Dr. Stjepan Coric, of the six members of the RGGF [4] team and of Dr. Robert Schoch, she said that "it is possible to conclude that nature could not create such a regular geometrical shape", and that "by the cleaning [...] of the blocks one is able to say that they have a definite geometry... that they are layed one above the other" and "arranged like bricks in a constructed object", Nadija Nukic found during her later researches evidences, on the basis of which she largely corrected her first stance; because of this began her problems, described in detail in her second report from the 1.9.2006. In this report are mentioned the works carried out on Visocica and Pljesevica, and it was never published on the Foundation website, nor the facts it mentions known to the public.

One of the most interesting informations is the covering-up of the probe S-7, where was found a potential fireplace - so, the possibility of organic remains which could have been dated using C14, and of the probe SP18 with remains of marine fossils. Considering that marine fossils could never suit with the dogma of Visocica as "the biggest pyramid in the world", it is not a surprising coincidence that the president of the Board of Directors, Semir Osmanagic, took personally the decision of the covering-up of these probes. Osmanagic, again without consultation with the scientific team, ordered to stop the work at the probe holes opened on the South side of Visocica, that is between Visocica on one side and Cetnica and Cemerac on the other side, probe holes which showed a process of land-slide (slide plane).

Another very interesting information in the report Ms. Nukic presented to the Foundation Board of Directors pertains to the Ravne tunnel: "On one of the blocks one or more unknown person(s) made signs on the block (for instance an arrow, the letters E, V, then upon my last visit on 3.8 on the same place were new signs like the letter M and others)." That means that all the members of the Board of Directors are answerable for the continuity of the illusion given to the public with these false findings, and that explains why the commission from the Zemaljski Museum was not permitted to study this supposed "proto-alphabet" (the permission was denied by Mario Gerussi). Earlier Osmanagic, not satisfied of Nukic’s work (particularly when the geologist Robert Schoch, after his visit to Visocica and Pljesevica, reported that they were natural formations), stated that "Nukic did not succeeded in proving with arguments to Dr. Schoch that the pyramids exist, which was her fundamental task", and pronounced against her "a preventive temporary measure of interdiction of public declarations".

What Osmanagic resented most is the fact that geologist Nukic informed the American geologist that the signs in the Ravne tunnel, the letters "E" and "M", were made by a worker during a pause. "Nadija’s statement has invalidated the potential best proof of the existence of ancient symbols", declared Osmanagic in the e-mail he sent to all the members of the Board of Directors. Nadija Nukic’s answer gives more informations on the so-called proto-alphabet (of which Osmanagic claimed later that it was the one used to write the name "Rasim" [5]): "I have entered the tunnel about six times. I was there during the digging of the sandstone blocks by the miners. Take a look at the first photographs, where it can easily be seen that there is nothing written, then take a look at the photographs made when Ali (Barakat, author’s note) was there and where there are letters and arrows on one side and one arrow on the other side; and now look at the latest photographs where on a third side are written the figure 3 and the letter M and something more. Why did you give to the public untruth, when you yourself know that there was nothing written? It means you consciously deceive, not only the public but also the scientists... And in the meantime I learned who wrote them." It’s interesting that the same warning was given to Semir Osmanagic by the archaeologist Silvana Cobanov in her parting e-mail.

Nadija Nukic’s report hides other curiosities, particularly about the excavations on Pljesevica. Beside the ploughing up with a mechanical excavator, "which caused the destruction of potential archaeological findings", 45 fossils of nummulites from the geologic era Cenozoic, found in the probe SM-12 "disappeared without a trace". Nadija Nukic finally sums the reasons that made her decide at last to leave the project: "Because the giving of authority to conduct the searching work to people who are not scientists, the lack of consultation of the scientists (archaeologists and geologists), and rather the consultation of non-scientists, including the physical workers, shows the absence of respect for me and for the scientists." The real situation in his project is showed by Osmanagic himself in the already mentioned e-mail he sent to the members of the Foundation Board of Directors, when he forbids Ms. Nukic to make public facts "contrary to the project hypothesis... without prior consultation with the project manager or the Board of Directors". The question is: what kind of science is it when a scientist is forbidden to speak publicly?

The geologist Enes Ramovic

The geologist Enes Ramovic, director of the company GEO ETA, is probably one of the most interesting people who passed in review the "preliminary evidence" for Osmanagic’s project. As employed manager of the "mechanical excavations" on Pljesevica, he became one of the main reasons for the departure of his colleague Nadija Nukic. However, Mr. Ramovic also took the trouble to produce a report, classifying it under OFFICIAL! CONFIDENTIAL!, so that its informations should be presented to the public "only by authorized representants of Foundation". In other words - so that the Foundation could hide some non suitable informations that are quite numerous in Ramovic’s report, beginning with the fact that Pljesevica is "entirely composed of geological material with quite weak physico-mechanical and geo-mechanical characteristics."

So, it is a case of rocks: of "sandstones, marls, clays and transitions between them". In the conclusion of this "confidential" report is written: "The layers of slab-like sandstone, in which are established the geometrical regular arrangement of blocks, particularly on the South-West part of the terrain, at the basis of the Pyramid of the Moon, and the regular disposition and extension of the joints between the rows of sandstone slabs, are interstratificated with the layers of marl and clay. That means that above and under them lay layers of marl and clay that are concordant - normally deposited one above the other. Because of that it will soon be understood, as happened to the author of this report, that these layers of horizontal sandstone were not placed during an action of construction of the pyramid, but rather that they are the normal product of lacustrine sedimentation, and that the joints were created during the process of lithification of the sandstones, in other words they represent contraction joints."

Mr. Ramovic also soon left Osmanagic’s foundation, and his "confidential" report became the best example of Osmanagic’s false assertions about the closeness of "scientific elites" and the alleged openness of his foundation.

The archaeologists’ findings

Since Sead Pilav left, the "biggest geo-archaeological project in the world" has fallen upon two archaeologists - Silvana Cobanov and the Greek Nancy Gallou. No need to stress the fact that the two of them could not succeed in visiting all the probes, which, as it is explained in the other, un-published, report by Nadija Nukic, are opened wherever someone "saw a stone" and decided "I’ll excavate here". The following sentence by Ms. Nukic is very indicative: "On the pyramid of the Moon I still do not know how many probes are opened, because of the way in which are working not only the president of the board of Directors but also the person presently responsible who manages these works. Even if it has been said during the meeting of the scientific team that no new probe should be opened without consultation with the leading archaeologist and geologist, this way of working has become the usual way."

In this aspect are very interesting some parts of the parting email sent on the 14.11.2006 by Silvana Cobanov to the members of the Board of Directors of Osmanagic’s foundation: "It is difficult to admit, first for myself and then to the others, that I have been doing the figurehead on the terrain. The works on Pljesevica were conducted by Goran Cakic (graduate mechanical engineer, author’s note [6]). My efforts to change this have been unsuccessful. To my regret, I have contacted orally several times the project manager, discussed with Goran Cakic, cautionned him that he should write his observations and conclusions in his private diary, categorically protested that Amir Susa Zombi [7] may not and should not plot, dig and excavate a little bit here and a little bit there (and this litterally as it seems)..."

The archaeologist from Belgrade Aleksandra Andelkovic, who was also temporary employed in Osmanagic’s foundation, has noted down on the 29.10.2006 some special entries from Goran Cakic’s diary: "As the findings show the presence of the objects, they (the scientists, author’s note) have to make statements about construction for the existing natural objects as embellification of the hill", "I will forbid the access of all from the scientific team who do not wish to co-operate" and "Zombi is making a secret probe". And Nancy Gallou in her report explains that they have treated her as a "village idiot", and that on the 27.6.2006 "the man responsible for the hill Moon was excavating from the morning", without consulting her. Actually he removed layers from the rectangular construction at the basis of Plesevica, which was called for the media propaganda "entry to the pyramid", "mastaba" or "grave".

Silvana Cobanov in her parting email informed Osmanagic about what it really was; a recent construction with "dry walls, very unstable". The evidence for this are the bricks of which it is made, and the nails, also recent [...]. "I have protested that one should not talk about a tomb, or entry to the pyramid, or a military post... to say to the visitors such unfounded suppositions is in my opinion dishonest. So, to conclude: on Pljesevica we didn’t find a single archaeological artifact, and it is, in my opinion, sterile in the archeaological sense."

The same conclusion was also given in her report by the archaeologist Nancy Gallou, who, in an e-mail sent to Dani, wrote that she would "as scientist be happy to sign any petition against the terrible destruction of hills around Visoko". In her report Silvana Cobanov mentions that she asked of Semir Osmanagic that they talk about all this face to face, that he agreed "but never found the time". Understanding that for Osmanagic and his faithful followers her opinion was "unimportant and minor", and considering the "impossibility to change anything", Silvana Cobanov decided that she "does not wish and, according to her conscience, can not be part of this project".

The geologist Ali Barakat and the hill modified in a pyramid

The geologist Ali Barakat has created a real sensation in BiH when, in only a few minutes, he asserted that the "connective material" of the rocks of Visocica was identical to the one of the Egyptian pyramids! Osmanagic’s foundation still uses today his stay on the terrain as well as this statement. However, in Mr. Barakat’s report, composed, more than a year later, of four pages without geological map or sketch, one can read very different conclusions [8]. Mr. Barakat confirmed these conclusions in an e-mail to Dani redaction: "The Pyramid of the Sun is a natural hill from the geological period of Miocen (20 millions years ago), modified by human action in a relatively recent past (probably during the Bronze Age, the Illyrian times, or the times of the Roman power) in a pyramidal shape. The other pyramids are most probably totally natural. I will be sincere with you: the situation is complicated and there is need for further investigations." However, the blocks mentioned in the report are known geological phenomena. If one reads the geological litterature, precisely the scientific publication Geology of BiH, Book 3, Cenezoic era, by a group of authors - Oslobodenje Sarajevo 1977, on pages 20 and 21 he will find the information that "almost on every outcrop of sandstone, from Ugljevicki potok to Karavlaska Maoca, are ubiquitous joints that divide the surface of the layers in cubic and rectangular blocks". Then if one looks at the Notice for the geological map - Sarajevo map, he finds out that what Dr. Barakat calls "artificial pavement" extends on about 250 square kilometers, which sufficiently shows how far fetched is Mr. Barakat’s thesis. This was also confirmed to Dani by the geologist Sejfudin Vrabac from RGGF in Tuzla: "Our colleague Barakat’s hypothesis is not acceptable for two reasons: the blocks of Lasva conglomerates are found in continuity only on the Northern slope of the hill Visocica, and represent the part of the layers that were cracked as a consequence of the tectonic movements. These layers have a dip of 10/26 and 358/24 degrees. On the other slopes of Visocica the layers of various clastic rocks (sandstones, marls, clays, conglomerates) follow each upon the other, and have a general dip toward the North. The polymictic conglomerates could not have been used as construction material because they have very weak quality characteristics (uneven composition and structure, pronounced physico-mechanical anisotropy, sensibility to selective erosion, they are difficult to process and so on). The phenomenon of the stone blocks on Visocica, that our colleague Barakat links with a human intervention, represent something that can be found throughout BiH and the world and has no link at all with human intervention. Examples of rocks fractured in blocks exist also in Maglaj, on Papuk, in the Alps, in Northern Ireland and so on."