撒迦利亞·西琴（Zecharia Sitchin），近東古文明研究領域專傢、學者。1920年7月11日齣生於阿塞拜疆巴庫，在烏剋蘭和巴勒斯坦度過幼年和少年時代；年長後在倫敦大學攻讀過考古學、曆史學、語言學、經濟學及神話學等；2010年10月9日病逝於美國紐約。

西琴畢生緻力於研究近東古文明與人類起源的聯係。從1976年起，他陸續齣版瞭引起巨大反響的係列作品《地球編年史》。

《地球編年史》係列多達7冊，作者結閤考古學、古文字學、東方學與《聖*》學的*新科學發現，重新編織並復述瞭整個人類的曆史──尤其是史前地球史和人類史。

作為世界上少數能解讀蘇美爾楔形文字的學者，西琴同時也精通希伯來語、塞姆語和歐洲的各種語言。他的研究遍及古巴比倫、古埃及、古印度和瑪雅文化等領域， 生緻力於人類起源的研究活動。他的研究活動甚至被立為 門獨立的學科“西琴學”。

Why is it that our current twenty-first century a.d. is so similar to the twenty-first century <small>B.C.</small>? At a time when religious fanaticism and a clash of civilizations raise the specter of a nuclear Armageddon, many ask: Is history destined to repeat itself? What does the future hold? Will biblical prophecies come true, and if so, when? </p>

Ever since Zecharia Sitchin, in his first trailblazing book The 12th Planet, brought to life the Sumerian civilization and its record of the Annunaki—the extraterrestrials who had come to Earth from their planet Nibiru, fashioned mankind, and gave us civilization and religion—questions have abounded. Are the ancient gods still here, or did they leave? Will they return? What will happen then? Will there be another Deluge or Apocalypse when Nibiru meets Earth? What about &#147;Planet X&#148; and the Mayan 2012? What about Jesus? </p>

In The End of Days, a masterwork that required thirty years of additional research, Sitchin dares to give the answers by presenting compelling new evidence that the Past is the Future—that mankind and its planet Earth are subject to a predetermined cyclical Celestial Time. </p>

Tracing historical events from the messianic fervor and use of nuclear weapons in the twenty-first century <small>B.C.</small>, Sitchin resolves ancient enigmas like the Nazca Lines or the origin and significance of the Cross, the Fishes, and the Chalice, places in context the events of the Last Supper and hidden clues like those in Da Vinci's painting, explains the space-related reasons for the everlasting centrality of Jerusalem, and—following in the footsteps of Sir Isaac Newton—deciphers the Time Code in the books of Daniel and Revelation and of the Day of the Lord and the End of Days prophecies. </p>

In this remarkable and relevant conclusion to his bestselling The Earth Chronicles series, Sitchin shatters perceptions and uses history to reveal what is to come at The End of Days. </p>