A revolution is reshaping our understanding of human origins.
Gone is the old narrative of slow, animal-like evolution. Instead, we now see humanity’s emergence as marked by explosive transformations – like the Palaeolithic spiritual leap that gave birth to cave art, a profound expression of shamanistic visionary consciousness. Even the long-misunderstood Neanderthals are now recognized as integral to our story.
At the heart of this new prehistory lies the world of the cave artists, whose vision shaped the essential scope of human existence – along with its inherent dangers and excesses. As explored in Andrew Welburn’s acclaimed Neanderthals and Atlantis, Rudolf Steiner and the New Prehistory (nominated for the 2025 ISSR International Book Prize), Steiner’s linking of the Atlantis legend and the betrayal of its Mysteries to this era gains startling new relevance. But the story does not end there. Steiner revealed how the great cultures of antiquity – India, Persia, Egypt and Mesopotamia – were not merely outdated belief systems but vital stages in humanity’s evolution of consciousness. These traditions planted within us the seeds of moral sacrifice, commitment to a better world, and the courage to confront life and death. Today, cutting-edge prehistorians are abandoning the myth of culture as a patchwork of conquests, embracing instead a ‘Palaeolithic Continuity Model’ that resonates deeply with Steiner’s vision.
In this illuminating second volume, Welburn bridges the gap between the Ice Age’s transformative crisis and a bold new interpretation of modernity. Drawing on Steiner’s insights – including the profound Moses Mystery – he reveals how the Bible and Christianity are illuminated by the hidden currents of human consciousness. A groundbreaking work that redefines our past to better understand our future.
ANDREW WELBURN is a wide-ranging author whose works explore the history and evolution of human consciousness. Beginning with a thesis on William Blake and the Gnostics, his writing bridges academic scholarship and spiritual inquiry. He has engaged deeply with Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy and esotericism, seeking to illuminate the Christian imagination in poetry and art – with a particular focus on the Romantic writers. In The Beginnings of Christianity and From a Virgin Womb, Welburn examines archaic traditions of the ‘transfiguration of the world’, tracing their significance for Christian origins and their implications for a visionary future. His most recent work, Neanderthals and Atlantis, expands his research into evolution and prehistory, pushing the boundaries of conventional understanding. A distinguished scholar, Welburn has held fellowships from the British Academy and the Frances Yates Trust at the universities of London and Oxford.
