Is There Any Sign of Ancient Civilizations in Antarctica? A Biblical and Scientific Inquiry Through the Lens of Dr. Hugh Ross’s Old Earth Creation Model
It is my personal view that ancient civilizations may have existed in what is now Antarctica. While mainstream science strongly disputes this possibility, it is worth examining the arguments from both sides—particularly through the interpretive lens of Dr. Hugh Ross’s Old Earth Creation (OEC) model, which harmonizes the biblical creation account with established scientific findings.
The Conventional Scientific Position
Most modern scientists assert there is no credible evidence of ancient human civilizations in Antarctica. Their key points include:
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Ice Coverage Timeline
Antarctica has been encased in ice for approximately 34 million years, long before modern humans appeared (about 300,000 years ago). Given the continent's extreme cold and ice thickness, any past civilization would have been obliterated or buried beyond reach. -
Geological and Satellite Research
Extensive geological surveys, ice core sampling, and ground-penetrating radar have yielded no archaeological evidence of human settlement. Fossils found are of ancient flora and fauna from when the continent was temperate over 100 million years ago. -
Rejection of Pseudoscience
Theories involving hidden pyramids or lost cities in Antarctica—promoted in speculative media like Ancient Aliens—are generally dismissed by scholars as misinterpretations or fabrications.
An Old Earth Creationist Response: A Different Perspective
While young Earth creationists interpret Antarctica’s formation through a global flood model (Genesis 6–9), Dr. Hugh Ross and other Old Earth Creationists (OEC) accept the Earth’s great antiquity, affirming both biblical truth and modern science.
According to the OEC view:
- The Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and Antarctica’s current icy condition began about 34 million years ago, aligning with paleoclimate studies.
- Genesis 1:2 describes the early Earth as “formless and void,” suggesting a planet that was not initially habitable—a view compatible with an ancient, evolving Earth shaped over eons.
- The Hebrew word “yom” (day) in Genesis 1 is best understood contextually as long epochs (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8), not literal 24-hour days. Dr. Ross argues that the biblical days of creation represent extended periods during which God prepared the Earth for life.
Theological Support for an Ancient Earth
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Genesis 1 and the Order of Creation
The biblical sequence of creation mirrors the scientific record: light, atmosphere, land, plants, sea life, birds, mammals, and finally humans. This harmony suggests the Bible anticipates scientific discovery, supporting a model where God progressively shaped life. -
Psalm 19:1–4 & Romans 1:20
Scripture affirms that God’s creation declares His glory and reveals His nature. OEC interprets scientific evidence—cosmology, geology, and biology—as part of God’s general revelation. -
The Flood: Local or Global?
Ross argues the Genesis Flood (Genesis 6–9) was universal in judgment but geographically limited, likely centered in Mesopotamia. The Hebrew term “kol erets” (“whole Earth”) is often used to refer to a region, not the entire globe (e.g., Genesis 41:57).
Examining Fossils and Geological Evidence
Contrary to young Earth views, OEC does not reject the vast age of Earth’s layers or fossil record. However, it agrees that some features suggest rapid burial events, possibly due to localized catastrophes.
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Fossils Found Across Strata
While some fossils cross multiple sediment layers (polystrate fossils), OEC holds that localized, high-energy events—volcanic eruptions or floods—can explain these phenomena without requiring a global deluge. -
Soft Tissue in Dinosaur Fossils
Reports of soft tissue in dinosaur bones (e.g., Dr. Mary Schweitzer’s findings) raise questions, but Ross suggests that rare conditions may preserve tissue for millions of years without overturning the entire geological timeline. -
Upright Fossil Trees (Polystrate Fossils)
These can result from sudden, regional sedimentation—again, consistent with ancient Earth models that accept rapid, not necessarily global, geological processes.
A Biblical and Scientific Harmony
Dr. Ross’s Progressive Creation Model asserts that God’s creative work unfolded over long epochs, with divine intervention at key junctures. This view:
- Upholds biblical authority while affirming modern astronomy and geology.
- Accepts the Big Bang as evidence for “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
- Views nature as the “67th book of the Bible,” declaring God’s glory (Psalm 19:1).
Final Thoughts: Could Civilization Have Once Existed in Antarctica?
While there is currently no scientific evidence for human civilization beneath Antarctica’s ice, an Old Earth Creationist model remains open to the possibility of unknown pre-Adamic civilizations or advanced animal species inhabiting now-lost temperate zones. Genesis does not preclude such a history, and OEC encourages exploration without compromising Scripture.
Yes, there are indeed several passages—especially in Job, Jeremiah, and Genesis—that some scholars and theologians (including some Old Earth Creationists) interpret as hints of a pre-Adamic world. While the Bible doesn’t explicitly teach the existence of pre-Adamic civilizations, these verses suggest a possible history on Earth before Adam, particularly if one allows for long ages and a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 (often called the Gap Theory or Restoration View).
Here are key passages that support the idea of a world or judgment before Adam:
1. Job 38:4–7 — Angels Rejoiced Before Humanity Existed
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? ... When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
- Interpretation: The "sons of God" (bene Elohim) are typically interpreted as angels (see Job 1:6).
- These spiritual beings existed before Adam and even before Earth's foundation was completed.
- Some theologians propose that there may have been an earlier order of creation (possibly involving non-human intelligent life) that predated Adam.
2. Jeremiah 4:23–26 — A Desolate Earth Judged by God
“I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD…”
- This passage echoes the language of Genesis 1:2 ("formless and void" = tohu va-bohu in Hebrew).
- Yet it also refers to cities being destroyed, which did not exist yet in Genesis 1:2.
- Some see this as a reference to a previous judgment on a world before Adam, possibly including a civilization wiped out before the re-creation in Genesis.
3. Genesis 1:1–2 — A Possible Gap
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty..."
- The “Gap Theory” suggests that Genesis 1:1 describes an original creation, and 1:2 begins a reconstruction after some catastrophic judgment.
- The Hebrew word translated “was” in “the earth was formless and void” (hayetah) can also mean “became,” implying a transition from a previous state.
- This interpretation allows for long epochs, possible pre-Adamic events, and even the fall of Lucifer before Adam (see Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28).
4. Isaiah 14:12–17 — The Fall of Lucifer
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!... For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven... I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol...”
- Lucifer’s rebellion predates Adam, and his fall may have triggered judgment on Earth, causing the desolation described in Genesis 1:2 and Jeremiah 4.
- This supports the idea that Earth experienced spiritual and possibly physical upheaval before Adam was created.
5. Ezekiel 28:12–17 — The King of Tyre and Pre-Adamic Imagery
“You were in Eden, the garden of God... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.”
- This passage, while addressing the King of Tyre, quickly shifts to describing a cherubic being, often interpreted as Satan.
- The mention of Eden and a fall before Adam’s sin has led some to theorize about angelic governance of Earth in a pre-Adamic age.
Conclusion: Biblical Hints, Not Certainties
While the Bible does not explicitly affirm pre-Adamic civilizations, certain verses suggest:
- Earth may have had a history before Adam.
- A prior judgment may have occurred (possibly due to Satan’s fall).
- The desolation in Genesis 1:2 may reflect the aftermath of that judgment.
- The reordering of Earth during the six creation “days” could be God’s restoration.
This perspective aligns well with Dr. Hugh Ross’s Old Earth Creation model, which does not require young Earth timelines or global flood geology, and instead proposes long ages of preparation and divine intervention leading up to the special creation of humanity.
As Job 12:7–10 reminds us, “Ask the animals, and they will teach you... or speak to the earth, and it will teach you.” The Earth speaks volumes about its history, and Dr. Ross’s approach helps us listen—scientifically and biblically.
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