Nuclear physicist Max Zamilov published a paper in Nature analyzing ancient Egyptian stone vases using 3D scanning and a custom quality metric (combining concentricity and circularity). His research concluded that all genuine ancient Egyptian vases are handmade, contradicting popular claims that some were machined with “space-like precision” using lost ancient technology.
Max initially believed the “precise vase” narrative promoted by figures like Ben Kirkwick and Matt Bell, who argued that older artifacts were more precisely made—suggesting a lost industrial civilization.
He measured over 80 vases: ~20 from the Petrie Museum, ~20 known handmade modern Egyptian vases (for tourists), and dozens bought cheaply on eBay (modern machine-made).
Using 3D scans, he found that Petrie Museum vases and modern handmade vases were statistically indistinguishable in quality—both showed high deviation from perfect symmetry.
In contrast, vases from Matt Bell’s private collection (claimed to be ancient) and modern eBay vases formed a tight, distinct cluster of near-perfect precision—indicating modern machining (lathes, mills, diamond tools).
This led Max to conclude: the “precise” vases are not ancient, but likely made in the last 200 years using industrial tools.
Key Evidence Against Ancient Precision
Material mismatch: Of ~10,000 ancient Egyptian hardstone vases cataloged by researcher Barbara Aston, only one was made of Aswan granite—the pink granite commonly seen in “OG vases” online. Most “granite” vases in private collections are actually Indian red granite or misidentified diorite/andesite.
Surface condition: The so-called ancient precise vases show no weathering, scratches, or aging, unlike genuine museum pieces that display millennia of wear.
No paper trail: Max found no evidence that Flinders Petrie gave high-precision vases to private collectors. Museum records show artifacts were distributed to institutions (e.g., British Museum, Boston MFA), not individuals. Low-value items like shabtis were given as gifts, but not stone vessels.
Modern replication: Max commissioned Chinese workshops to recreate granite vases using lathes and angle grinders. The results were virtually identical to Matt Bell’s “precise” vases—including thin walls that transmit light and spinning bases—proving such precision is achievable today with basic tools.
How Ancient Vases Were Actually Made
Max studied unfinished vases in the Petrie Museum and analyzed surface textures. He concluded:
Exterior shaping: Vases were rotated in a sand-and-water slurry (like a natural tumbler), smoothing them into round shapes through abrasion.
Interior hollowing: Done with a rotating grinding tool (possibly a mace-head-shaped bit), explaining why interiors are round but not concentric.
Automation: Evidence suggests use of bow drills (a 5,300-year-old intact bow drill was recently identified in a Cambridge museum) or water-powered mills (like those in ancient Turkey), showing predynastic Egyptians understood rotational machining principles.
Surface glaze: Heat and water during abrasion chemically altered the stone surface—a signature visible under electron microscopy.
Broader Implications and Ongoing Research
Max emphasizes: vases ≠ pyramids. While vases show no lost technology, other artifacts (e.g., Barabar Caves in India with mirror-polished granite walls accurate to 0.1 degrees) remain unexplained and worthy of rigorous study.
He advocates for open data: publishing 3D scans so others can analyze them independently.
His next project: Scan Civilization with Rico Horta—3D scanning Peruvian megaliths (e.g., Sacsayhuamán) and analyzing samples under electron microscopy to test for melting or chemical alteration.
He plans to study Egyptian sarcophagi but needs permits, which require academic credibility—hence his focus on publishing peer-reviewed work.
On Scientific Integrity and Suppression
Max acknowledges bias in science: journals like arXiv now reject papers mentioning “cold fusion” or “UAPs” due to editorial prejudice.
He believes cold fusion was never real, based on flawed neutron detection in original experiments and 40 years of failed replication.
On UAPs: He suspects secret government tech, not aliens, citing historical lies (e.g., MKUltra, nuclear testing on soldiers). He demands release of military sensor data for scientific study.
On nuclear weapons: He argues they’re obsolete—modern precision-guided munitions make them militarily unnecessary and environmentally catastrophic.
Human Origins and Existential Questions
Human population bottlenecks suggest near-extinction events:
~930,000–813,000 years ago: Breeding population dropped to ~1,200 individuals.
~5,000 BCE: Another bottleneck with extreme male scarcity (1 male per 17 females).
Max speculates humans may be engineered beings, citing biological anomalies (e.g., helpless infants, constant reproduction, back pain) and the universality of religious impulse (“Why do we crave serving God?”).
He believes fighting evil—starting with honesty—is life’s purpose, and that truth emerges only through transparent, data-driven inquiry.
How to Support the Research
Maximus.energy: Max’s website with blog, papers, and project updates.
Donate: $1,000 funds a custom-made granite vase (to support research).
Help obtain permits: For scanning restricted sites in Egypt or Peru.
Collaborate: Especially young researchers to analyze published 3D datasets.
