Hunting the Haunted: Ghosts, Ghouls and Geists of South Africa
In Quantum Physics, the First Law of Thermodynamics - The Law of Conservation - states says that: “Energy is never created, energy is never destroyed, energy can only ever be transferred or transformed”. This may explain why so many different types of ghosts can exist. Paranormalist, Mark Rose-Christie explains the phenomena of paranormal manifestations, commonly known as ghosts.
Replay or Residual Ghosts
The term Replay Ghosts was coined when a member of the Society of Antiquaries in London, Dr RCC Clay, was travelling across the countryside in Dorset in England. In the distance he saw a horse and rider, but it looked odd to him, because the horse had no bridal or stirrup, and the rider was wearing a long cloak – reminiscent of another time period. As Dr Clay approached, he could see that the rider was waving a weapon in the air, as if he was in battle. In Dr Clay’s mind, it looked like he was watching a movie from the deep, deep past. However, just as he got closer, the horse and rider vanished at a mound of earth, which turned out to be a burial barrow. Not long after, he realized the weapon originated from the Bronze Age and ever since, every good ghost book talks about this ‘The Bronze Age Horseman’.
The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane, painting by John Quidor (1858). (Public Domain)
Dr Clay’s encounter led scientists to understand Replay Ghosts or Residual Ghosts. Dr Clay said: “Replay Ghosts are like holograms, acting out their roles in the Great Cinema of Time”.
The mechanism for this, is referred to as the Stone Tape theory, shared by 19th century intellectualists and psychic researchers, such as Charles Babbage, Eleonor Sidgwick, Edmund Gurney and parapsychologist T. C. Lethbridge. The human body emanates energy which can be imprinted onto the environment, and particularly onto stone, and hence the term Stone Tape theory. For instance, if a person should walk through a doorway every day of his life, then his energy can be imprinted onto the bricks. When he dies one day, that energy can replay itself, and people see a ‘ghost’, but it is only an image, like a video.
If someone then buys that house, and decides to brick up the doorway, and make it into a wall, the visual image will still continue. That is why people report seeing ghosts walking through walls. Replay Ghosts keep to their same old paths, but they also will not interact with humans, because they are just images like videos and a video will not respond to a person.
- Former Home of South African Statesman Rumored To Be Haunted
- This Haunted World: You’re a Part of It, and You Have Been for Thousands of Years
- Crossing the Veil: The Pre-Christian Origins of Halloween and Samhain
A famous example of a Replay Ghost is the ghost rider of Tokai Manor in Cape Town, South Africa.
Tokai Manor House where the tragedy occurred. It was built by Andries Teubes in 1795-96 according to a design by Thibault. It is reputed to be haunted (CC BY-SA 3.0)
