I believe Dharma just built their experimental stations over already working technological 'ruins' left over by a very ancient civilization.

We saw that at the Barracks, with that chamber to 'call' or set Smokie free.

And tonight we saw the same thing at the Orchid. Don't tell me that the Frozen Donkey Wheel was Dharma Technology!!!!!!!!! There were hyrogliphs all around in those columns also!
That was made by a very old civilization. Dharma just built the Orchid on top to play around with the Time Travel capabilities that having Negative Energy can achieve.

By the way, I believe that, since Exotic Matter was confirmed to exist on the Island, the possibility of a WORMHOLE near the core of the Island is now HUGE.

Which brings me to the last theory, which is not new, but I think it is becoming more and more possible (even if lots of folks don't like it)...

The Island is NOT (just) an island. It will end up being some kind of VEHICLE. Sorry, but I have to say it:

ALIEN SPACESHIP.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::big grin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::redface:

No silly the Island is not just an island it's a "place for miracles"! :grin:

But you're right it does look the DI stations were all built over ancient sites of "mystical powers".

Some are knocking the frozen wheel, but I liked the idea of an ancient technology having harnessed such a powerful force. I don't know how old the wheel was, but I did note the writing on the columns.

Don't forget about the four toed statue. I think you're right about the ancient civs bit.

I think this is an old theory, but close to a correct one. I think Dharma built extra stations for it's own need, like the communications and medical stations.

Dharma did "silly experiments", but Ben & others know the real meaning of the powers and the devices.

This means somebody told Ben & others, and we can deduct it's somebody that interacted with the ancients.

I'd still like to know what the Swan hatchs real meaning for the ancients is.

I wonder what the swan station was built over? What was the purpose of harnessing that electromagnetic power? Also, what about the Pearl?

I agree that it seems DI built stations close to these ancient tech stations.

I pretty much agree with this, there were people on The Island before DHARMA, long before...

Carlton Cuse: The countdown station in the hatch had uh... hieroglyphic symbols.

Damon Lindelof: Those characters spell out the, uh... the word "underworld". Um... in sort of traditional Egyptian Hieroglyphics, although there are many interpretations of hieroglyphics, that’s what we were going for.

Carlton Cuse: Right, and I think, you know, obviously, the fact that they are hieroglyphics, and we found a four-toed statue, that’s also something from the past. I think you can sort of surmise that there is a history on the Island that predates the DHARMA Initiative and, you know, that were talking about an Island that has been visited. Obviously, the Black Rock was from the late 1700s, so, you know, it might be a proper conjecture to say that hey there were people on this Island a long, long, time ago from other places.

Damon Lindelof: And that the DHARMA Initiative was giving them a shout-out when they built the countdown clock.

Carlton Cuse: Right.

Damon Lindelof: Just covering their bases.

Carlton Cuse: Yeah.

Damon Lindelof: Props to the Egyptians and that sort of thing.

I wonder what the swan station was built over?

The Swan was essentially a dam...

Damon Lindelof: Let's just say, theoretically, inside the Island there was this ball of electromagnetic energy. And, let's just say, there was a group of people - we’ll call them the DHARMA Initiative - sort of drilling around, and doing general futzing on the Island, and they accidentally drilled into this hole, and suddenly that entire ball of electromagnetism became untapped, so they built this Swan Station above it, in an effort that it wouldn’t get completely out of control. So, by plugging that hole, you don’t actually do away with all the electromagnetism. It's still there.

KELVIN: [Laughing] Here's the real question, Desmundo... do you have the courage to take your finger out of the damn and blow the whole thing up, instead?

DESMOND: I'm going to blow the dam, John. I'm sorry for whatever happened that made you stop believing. But it's all real... and now I've got to go and make it all go away.

After some research for my next theory, I stumbled upon what might be considered to be a very good candidate for this 'advanced ancient civilization' that might have ruled the island....

THE ANUNNAKI (http://www.vibrani.com/Anunnaki.htm)


Furthermore....Don't tell anyone, but I think that Jacob himself is an Anunnaki....;)