Most scientists today believe that our Moon was created in the early days of our solar system, when planets and other objects were still cruising around and there were many collisions. Some large object or planet must have collided with a proto-Earth, creating the present Earth and the Moon as a result. But is this really a new theory, or a rediscovery of ancient knowledge?
In the Sumerian epic of creation for example, the Enuma Elish, the Moon appears quite late. This epic states that the history of the universe started with Abzu, a magnificent underground place of fresh water, full of wisdom and magic power. In it resided Nammu, who gave birth to heaven and earth. After this there is a time when many different gods and giants, strange creatures appear. They often fight among each other. No Moon in sight though.
Out of this Marduk emerges as the main ruler, and he proceeds to put the stars and planets in their present places. Only at this point is the Moon mentioned! She is assigned her (or ‘his’ in Sumerian mythology) place. The Moon is given specific instructions on how to move across the sky and what shapes to take.
Now we can say that this is just ancient myth and legend, but what if we take it literally? Then we must conclude that the Sumerians got the chronology right - thousands of years ago! Could we really assume that they were somehow aware of an early stage of the universe, in which everything was still in turmoil? That they had knowledge of the origins of the present solar system?
It is unlikely that the Sumerians experienced this themselves, since the consequences on Earth of such a collision would surely have destroyed them. But what if someone, perhaps visitors from outer space, told them about this? How else would their mythology come to be what it is?