
After Atlantis
Rudolf Steiner and the New Prehistory, II
Andrew Welburn(Author)
Clairview Books (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 24. November 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
286 pages
978-1-912992-79-9 (ISBN)
Description
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 Steiner revealed how the great cultures of antiquity - India, Persia, Egypt and Mesopotamia - were not merely outdated belief systems but vital stages in humanity's evolution of consciousness.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.
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.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Forest Row
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Illustrated throughout
Dimensions
Height: 156 mm
Width: 234 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
440 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-912992-79-9 (9781912992799)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2025
Clairview Books
€17.99
Available for download
Person
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.
Content
Preface: RUDOLF STEINER AND THE NEW PREHISTORY
Chapter 1: AFTER ATLANTIS: FROM THE CRISIS OF PREHISTORY TO OUR CRISIS TODAY
Humanity's Dual Origins: The Neanderthal's Gift-Atlantis and the Sabine Women: Myths of Modernity-Oracular Guidance: The Rhythms of History
Chapter 2: FIVE CULTURAL EPOCHS: A PROBLEM OF DATING AND A BIG IDEA
Rudolf Steiner and a Big Idea-Time and Motion
Chapter 3: ICE AND INDIA: FIRST CULTURAL EPOCH
'The Role of Fire in Human Life'-Mountain Snow and Forest Subsistence-Past and Future in Ancient India
Chapter 4: NEOLITHIC FARMING OR, THE RIDDLE OF ZARATHUSTRA: SECOND CULTURAL EPOCH
Turning Points-Zoroaster Neolithicus-Zoroastrian Problems-Zarathustra Returns-Godhead Ancient or Modern?
Chapter 5: THE END OF PREHISTORY: THE STEP INTO SPACE AND TIME
Third Cultural Epoch (Bronze Age): Egypt and the Sentient Soul-The Bible Story: the Time of God-The Bible and Before-The Moses Conundrum-Return to Prehistory
Conclusion: FROM THE STONE-AGE TO CHRISTIANITY (RUDOLF STEINER AND THE FUTURE)
Appendix 1: STEINER AND EARLIEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (A RESUME)
Chapter 1: AFTER ATLANTIS: FROM THE CRISIS OF PREHISTORY TO OUR CRISIS TODAY
Humanity's Dual Origins: The Neanderthal's Gift-Atlantis and the Sabine Women: Myths of Modernity-Oracular Guidance: The Rhythms of History
Chapter 2: FIVE CULTURAL EPOCHS: A PROBLEM OF DATING AND A BIG IDEA
Rudolf Steiner and a Big Idea-Time and Motion
Chapter 3: ICE AND INDIA: FIRST CULTURAL EPOCH
'The Role of Fire in Human Life'-Mountain Snow and Forest Subsistence-Past and Future in Ancient India
Chapter 4: NEOLITHIC FARMING OR, THE RIDDLE OF ZARATHUSTRA: SECOND CULTURAL EPOCH
Turning Points-Zoroaster Neolithicus-Zoroastrian Problems-Zarathustra Returns-Godhead Ancient or Modern?
Chapter 5: THE END OF PREHISTORY: THE STEP INTO SPACE AND TIME
Third Cultural Epoch (Bronze Age): Egypt and the Sentient Soul-The Bible Story: the Time of God-The Bible and Before-The Moses Conundrum-Return to Prehistory
Conclusion: FROM THE STONE-AGE TO CHRISTIANITY (RUDOLF STEINER AND THE FUTURE)
Appendix 1: STEINER AND EARLIEST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (A RESUME)